Friday fright night

An 18K run on Friday night, shod in new Asics Gel Nimbus 11 trainers and the temperature was only 20 Degrees. I had high hopes and knew it was finish this training session or my race in two weeks was probably busted due to injury. So plenty of nerves in the lead up.

First 5K were quite quick and I was holding back a bit to try and keep a good finish in reserve, 23 minutes for 5K and I felt fresh. The 10K mark follows easily at 52 minutes. I try to keep the pace up until I get to Butte Du Lion. I'm up the hill past the nunnery and its hard hard work but I know that after that I only have one short hill right at the end. I turn left down the N5 and keep the pressure on and get a nice second wind. I manage to keep my mind from wandering and so concentrate on keeping the pace up

3K to go and I pull out the stops and try and keep the pace as high as possible. I'm looking for a 1:30 time which would be in Personal Best territory. I see with just over a Km to go I'm not going to be under the 1:30 time but I finish in 1:33:07. Thats a good time and with only limited foot pain. Average heart rate was 177 which is very high for me so I was obviously pushing it.

New trainers made a difference and although I didn't get through without some pain I certainly didn't need to stop this time. I found them a little heavier and stiffer than the Nike Zoom Vomero's I've been running with for the last 18 months. I was worried that the stiffer soles would not give me the cushioning my foot needed. However they worked a real treat and felt much more secure on my feet. I had to get a half size larger than the Nikes as they were snug in the shop. A snip at €150.......

I'm going through trainers amazingly fast. I've now got two pairs of Nike Vomero's with perfect uppers and worn out heels. I'll be building a fine collection of 'leisure' shoes if I keep the mileage up. Its a little frightening to think that something that lasts you only about 50 hours of use costs nearly 100quid.

Too much too young(soon)

18K run tonight did not go to plan. I was OK fluid and energy wise but I was very stiff at the start and the first few km's were painful. I dropped 5k in 26 minutes and 10K in 59 so much slower than yesterday. My foot began to hurt badly around the 10K mark and I had to effectively stop running at the 15K mark and walk-run the rest. I finished around the 1:51 mark but last few km's were walk/jogged. Same sore point as before but this time much more intense and pain coming over the top and down to my big toe....not good. I'm going to change my trainers as this resolved it a bit before and I must be near the 500K mark with those ones now.......nice video link to the Specials there..seems a long long time ago "Chained to the cooker cooking current buns"

Welcome to the Pleasuredome

Back from holiday and just over 3 weeks till Glasgow half marathon, my running pack arrived just in time to inspire me to train again. I ran 18K in 1:41:48 and it was very very hard going. I could have went a bit faster as I was lagging the last 3-4k in a dreamy haze. First 5K was 23:35 and 10K was around 52 minutes so a reasonably quick start on my first run back with a slow finishing 8K. I think the hills in the first 12K just sapped the energy from my legs. I started at 76.6kg and finished at 74.3kg so over 2 litres of fluid lost. I suspect I'll be stiff in the morning.

Holiday lazyitis

Just back from two weeks on Isle of Lewis. I managed a 30K cycle and 8k run in the whole two weeks. The cycle was very different in that it was right along the coast with huge atlantic waves breaking on the cliffs and so I had a permanent wind across my face plus the road had no flat sections at all. It was either up or downhill plus dealing with the cattle grids and teh wandering sheep on my bike was pretty bizzarre. The first 5k was torture but I got back into it after that. I could have went longer but the weather was rubbish and I just wasn't motivated to exercise when the girls were having fun at the beach.

As a result of nearly 3 weeks of no exercise I'm starting to get tired during the day and feeling all lethargic again. I've lost all motivation and can't even visualize myself exercising. I haven't went near the scales but I can see soft bits appearing where before there were none.

I therefore managed to drag myself out last night as I have another weeks holiday next week and this will be followed in 3 weeks by a half marathon in Glasgow. 18K in 1hr 46min , I could have ran faster but I wanted to break myself in easily. It was quite hot around 23C but a nice night. I also managed to drag Team Kennedy manger round with me so the 18K is a new record run length for her. Well done Alison :O)

62K cycle run

Up early and out at 8am for total time of 2:15 including 5K of hill sprints at the end(not so much sprinting as grunting up the hill). Went round Terveurn, Overise and surrounding areas. A little wet and windy but roads quiet and plenty of cycle paths and quiet tracks.

10k lunchtime

46:03.03 with a 22:58 5K split time. I was pretty OK at the end so definately sandbagged it a bit regarding pace.Its a minute slower than my previous Personal best 10K. Conditions were good and I had high hopes....not lack of fitness just a pacing error I think. I'm certainly not bursting 40 minutes anytime soon or probably in this life.

Long week - poor training commitment

Its been a difficult week to get motivated. I've been busy at work, its been incredibly hot here and I've started a book I like, so I've lots of excuses not to do anything. The bottom line is that I find it hard to be motivated without a race or some other end point to focus on. I obviously don't need to keep up 9-10 hours of training per week without a long distance triathlon to race towards but I'd expect to still be doing 5-6 hours per week.

I waited till around 1:30 to go out today, it was very hot with occasional cloud but mainly sunny and I'd estimate around 25C in the shade. I wanted it to be hot so I could have similar conditions to the run last week. I set out with a 20Km distance target. I wanted to do a full 20Km but without having the swim and bike in front of it so I can get some confidence back after a difficult run leg last week. I've also got one eye on Glasgow Half marathon on 7th September and possibly Brussels Marathon on 6th Oct.

I felt good at the start and the sun wasn't really a factor. I knocked off 5K in 22:10 which is fast for me and 10K in 50:40 but this would have been faster except that 5K leg takes in 3 big hills. I then ran a bit outside my normal route towards Braine L'alleud and back past Butte de Lion but from the Butte side in, past all the tourists. At 12K it was very hot and I was feeling the pace. My heart rate had been high the whole run and this is I think down to my heart having to work harder to keep me cool. I still felt OK physically and I was in good shape with breathing despite the higher heart rate.

At 15K I had to get my to off to try and cool down. I really really felt the last hill as I went up it but it wasn't the same death march feel as last week where my whole body was struggling and it was my head that made me just keep going. I could feel lactic acid building in my legs as I kept the pace high up into and over the hill and my breathing and heart rate was getting ragged as a result. I clocked off 21.5K in 1:51. Nice pace for a training run in big heat.