After a couple of weeks trying to do long runs without the TP we got together again today for 12 miles.
We do most of the run off-road, round a country park, with a variety of routes to give different length loops. We reckon that if we get into FLM we'll be able to do quite a lot of long runs here before we get bored - just going the 'long way round' to get there from TP's house, and back!
After a warm up three quarters of a mile we ran the rest - rather slowly but without walking :>)
The trouble is it was nearly a minute a mile slower than we'll need to do in three weeks time. And the cut-off looks pretty serious from the website.
The good thing is that TP seems to enjoy the runs as much as I do - and she is talking about continuing after Amsterdam, ticking over until FLM training starts.
Saturday 29 September 2007
Sunday 23 September 2007
quicker :>)
Only managed a little plod inthe week.
Out today on my own - TP was racing again.
Didn't really plan route properly so did not go as far as I should have done.
It felt hard - but it turns out I was running a bit quicker than I have done recently. I did 7 miles and five miles in the middle were all at a pace quicker than I need to do in Amsterdam :>)
I found it hard to keep going on my own without TP, maybe because I was going a bit quick. I really am not good at judging pace, I am just so used to it always being a real effort, I can't do 'running easy'.
Runnerbeanz and his squad were doing a whistle run on Thursday - a kind of fartlek where the coach controls the intervals, shorter hards with longer recoveries to start with and as the runners drop out and it whittles down to the hard core the hards get longer and the recoveries shorter. I watched for a while and there did not seem to be a perceptible easing off when the whistle went for recovery, but you could see more effort when he blew again for the next effort. Oh to be young and fit and run like that! I am pleased to say that RB stuck in there and held on for the full session of 36 minutes. And then he did a hills session yesterday. XC here he comes!
Later ...
Runnerbeanz went out before lunch and did his long run - I thought he was wimping out when I went out for mine but he did it - nearly 8 miles, further than me and he has nothing longer than 10k in his sights (sigh).
Out today on my own - TP was racing again.
Didn't really plan route properly so did not go as far as I should have done.
It felt hard - but it turns out I was running a bit quicker than I have done recently. I did 7 miles and five miles in the middle were all at a pace quicker than I need to do in Amsterdam :>)
I found it hard to keep going on my own without TP, maybe because I was going a bit quick. I really am not good at judging pace, I am just so used to it always being a real effort, I can't do 'running easy'.
Runnerbeanz and his squad were doing a whistle run on Thursday - a kind of fartlek where the coach controls the intervals, shorter hards with longer recoveries to start with and as the runners drop out and it whittles down to the hard core the hards get longer and the recoveries shorter. I watched for a while and there did not seem to be a perceptible easing off when the whistle went for recovery, but you could see more effort when he blew again for the next effort. Oh to be young and fit and run like that! I am pleased to say that RB stuck in there and held on for the full session of 36 minutes. And then he did a hills session yesterday. XC here he comes!
Later ...
Runnerbeanz went out before lunch and did his long run - I thought he was wimping out when I went out for mine but he did it - nearly 8 miles, further than me and he has nothing longer than 10k in his sights (sigh).
Sunday 16 September 2007
ouch!
A short plod early on Friday - I was worried about getting back for work, and various other things so did not go so far as Tuesday.
Step down week this week so I planned to do 7 miles - TP is off doing Mablethorpe 10k so was on my own today. Not going too badly, though first running mile was a bit quick. On the way home I met some lady runners coming the other way, looking at them, wondering if they were going to acknowledge me when I tripped over a speed bump - on the footpath!!
Landing flat on my front rather took the wind out of my sails and in spite of my frontal cushioning I managed to graze a knee and take a lump of skin off my elbow - so was a bit bloody by the time I'd done the last mile home - I ended up doing 6 not 7 as I decided I didn't need the extra mile today.
[Oh and the lady runners did stop to help, although they had run past without a smile previously]
Step down week this week so I planned to do 7 miles - TP is off doing Mablethorpe 10k so was on my own today. Not going too badly, though first running mile was a bit quick. On the way home I met some lady runners coming the other way, looking at them, wondering if they were going to acknowledge me when I tripped over a speed bump - on the footpath!!
Landing flat on my front rather took the wind out of my sails and in spite of my frontal cushioning I managed to graze a knee and take a lump of skin off my elbow - so was a bit bloody by the time I'd done the last mile home - I ended up doing 6 not 7 as I decided I didn't need the extra mile today.
[Oh and the lady runners did stop to help, although they had run past without a smile previously]
Tuesday 11 September 2007
ditch the bleep
I think Saturday's run has given me confidence at last.
Managed ot get to bed in time to get up and run this morning - there were stars in the sky at 5.15!!
Walked for about 3/4 mile then began to jog - felt ok but HRM was beeping - so instead of walking I turned it off!
And ran, pausing for stretch at a suitable bus shelter and then ran most of the way round the (undulating) route - 4.5 miles done, 30s / mile quicker than last time for the same route and AHR 8 higher. The three running miles were at the pace I need to run Amsterdam to avoid the cut-off :>)
Managed ot get to bed in time to get up and run this morning - there were stars in the sky at 5.15!!
Walked for about 3/4 mile then began to jog - felt ok but HRM was beeping - so instead of walking I turned it off!
And ran, pausing for stretch at a suitable bus shelter and then ran most of the way round the (undulating) route - 4.5 miles done, 30s / mile quicker than last time for the same route and AHR 8 higher. The three running miles were at the pace I need to run Amsterdam to avoid the cut-off :>)
Saturday 8 September 2007
keeping going
I have not run all week - long days at school followed by preparation for the next day left me with not enough sleep to get up early and run.
But today is long run and fortunately I have a plodpal to make me get out and do it.
She texted me to say could we do our 10 miles this week and step down next week as she has a 10k next week.
So 10 miles to do and it went like this.
Walk for just under a mile to warm up
Plod for a mile then stretch.
Run for 8 miles with NO WALKING.
how good is that?
OK it was slow but hey it was not walking.
I have NEVER run more than 3 miles without convincing myself that I can't possibly keep going. How did this happen?
Well plodpal is running easy, so she chats the whole time - and I answer in short breathy sentences.
It was mostly through a pleasant country park on decent paths and only very slight undulations.
And once I realised I had done more than 3 miles, I just thought I can do this - and kept going :>)
But today is long run and fortunately I have a plodpal to make me get out and do it.
She texted me to say could we do our 10 miles this week and step down next week as she has a 10k next week.
So 10 miles to do and it went like this.
Walk for just under a mile to warm up
Plod for a mile then stretch.
Run for 8 miles with NO WALKING.
how good is that?
OK it was slow but hey it was not walking.
I have NEVER run more than 3 miles without convincing myself that I can't possibly keep going. How did this happen?
Well plodpal is running easy, so she chats the whole time - and I answer in short breathy sentences.
It was mostly through a pleasant country park on decent paths and only very slight undulations.
And once I realised I had done more than 3 miles, I just thought I can do this - and kept going :>)
Tuesday 4 September 2007
injured:<(
New shoes for new term.
Identical to the pair I had last year.
Except a slightly higher heel cup has dug into the back of my heel and I now have a leaky hole just where my running shoes stop. I forgot the pain until I put my shoe on this morning.
So having made it out of bed at 5.00 to run, I discover it is too painful.
Will have to go back to the old work shoes for school - hopefully it will heal easily and I can run tomorrow instead.
And use this time now to do some prep.
Identical to the pair I had last year.
Except a slightly higher heel cup has dug into the back of my heel and I now have a leaky hole just where my running shoes stop. I forgot the pain until I put my shoe on this morning.
So having made it out of bed at 5.00 to run, I discover it is too painful.
Will have to go back to the old work shoes for school - hopefully it will heal easily and I can run tomorrow instead.
And use this time now to do some prep.
Monday 3 September 2007
reality sets in ....
Back to work 'proper' today and reality has already set in.
I did not do enough work in the hols to get me far enough ahead, so I am back to the last minute stuff, burning the midnight oil - which means not up early enough to run.
I did not do enough work in the hols to get me far enough ahead, so I am back to the last minute stuff, burning the midnight oil - which means not up early enough to run.
Saturday 1 September 2007
LSR
With the emphasis on the slow.
Out with training pal again and 9 miles done and dusted. Slower than last week - but after the first two miles I hardly walked at all - just for a drink and when we met TP's OH running the other way with the dog and the dog was confused about who to run with!
I even managed the inclines. TP is great at encouraging me - she can chat throughout up until the 'new territory' bit then she goes quiet.
It was so good running with someone and not feeling I was really holding them back - and most of it was off road, so it was good place to run too, but I am not sure I would do it on my own. At about 5 miles when she observed how well I was doing, and I realised I was actually enjoying it and not thinking about how horrid it was, I found myself persuading her that we could do long runs for FLM together!!
Er I think that means I need to make an entry. [Of course at 2 miles I had wondered why I had even entered a half!]
Out with training pal again and 9 miles done and dusted. Slower than last week - but after the first two miles I hardly walked at all - just for a drink and when we met TP's OH running the other way with the dog and the dog was confused about who to run with!
I even managed the inclines. TP is great at encouraging me - she can chat throughout up until the 'new territory' bit then she goes quiet.
It was so good running with someone and not feeling I was really holding them back - and most of it was off road, so it was good place to run too, but I am not sure I would do it on my own. At about 5 miles when she observed how well I was doing, and I realised I was actually enjoying it and not thinking about how horrid it was, I found myself persuading her that we could do long runs for FLM together!!
Er I think that means I need to make an entry. [Of course at 2 miles I had wondered why I had even entered a half!]
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