Might try and do lunch times more often. Only my speed session is short enough to fit and it means I have to leave out the warm up and weights, but hey, it also means I get home an hour and half earlier! And get away from the computer screen during the day. Although one of my designers did see my toiling on the treadmill, not looking my best. Ah well.
Did 7 Yassos! Back up to where I should be. OK, so some of the later walking breaks were a bit slower than 4 mph, but the running was all present and correct. Told myself that the 6th one was the last one, then that I'd just do half of one, then that I might as well do a whole one...amazing how you can fool yourself.
Had pasta last night to fuel me and a cereal bar at 11 (as well as usual muesli breakfast). Made a big but not spicy curry tonight so we'll see how that gets me through tempo tomorrow.
Tuesday 18 March 2008
Monday 17 March 2008
Edinburgh half
Three sessions to blog about so will be quick.
Hill session on Friday after the bad gym day. Was also not great, but then I put up speed, incline and distance so was probably asking for trouble (all only by very little, I hasten to add).
Luckily all went smoothly in the morning, thanks to loyal supporter and driver Fi, who dropped us at the start and met us at the end. The beginning was narrow and crowded, did my first mile in 8.17 - I needed to do 8.15 miles to make my target time of 1.50. Next two miles were worse at around 8.30 each - aargh! I considered giving up and plodding round, treating it as a slow training run. Especially as from mile three we were running into the wind. Then I though 'Fuck that, thee mile markers are probably in the wrong place anyway' and got my head down.
Did a few miles at around 8.05 and got into my pace and started to enjoy it. The wind died off. Had a hairy moment when I thought I was taking ages but I'd missed mile marker 8 - possibly distracted by the stench from the sewage works. Did miles 8 and 9 in 15.45 but pretty sure they were marked wrong as mile 10 took me over 9 minutes. The miles seemed to go much more quickly than usual, maybe because I was busy doing long division and multiplication in my head to work out how many seconds I had left to make up. But by the last three miles I knew I could make it and finished happy and tired in 1.48.25 (chip time).
Not a PB, but good for this stage in my training. I was lying earlier when I said I would be happy with 1.55 - I would in fact have been a grumpy bitch, so it's just as well I did it.
Ailsa also met her aims - plus a PB - with a fantastic time of 2.06.20. She looked fresh as a daisy afterwards, too, and was suitably chuffed. Am now slightly worried that she will beat me in the marathon. Actually, she could well beat Al, which would be great!
We then retreated for showers and burgers, for which we were joined by Barry and Hils, which was lovely. Had a good chat and absolutely stuffed my face with burger and cheesecake, then went home for a nap.
The day finished with the reinforced Leith Pub Quiz Team winning the Cameo quiz! I even contributed a couple of correct answers. Won chocolate and £30 off next time's bar bill. Doesn't get much better than that.
Today, experimented with a 'recovery run' as I was a bit stiff. Went to the gym after work and pottered about, basically. Was lovely (and a bit weird) not to have a set goal for the session. Did about 2.2 miles of mixed walking at a steep gradient and jogging at 2%, 4 mins cross trainer, 3 mins step machine and a mile on the bike. Was unsweaty enough to drive home afterwards for my shower instead of showering straight away at the gym, but felt better for the stretch out.
Tomorrow: speed work (or maybe tempo session, not sure). Need to up my mileage so may join Matt and his friend once a week for an 8 miler once the clocks go forward.
Hill session on Friday after the bad gym day. Was also not great, but then I put up speed, incline and distance so was probably asking for trouble (all only by very little, I hasten to add).
- 6 mins cross trainer, level 12, staying above 10 mets
- 20 mins treadmill at 6.8mph
- Chest press, 12 x 2 on each of two grips, 20 kg
- Was supposed to do 40 mins treadmill at 6.2 mph, cross country setting with inclines up to 8.5%. Ended up walking a couple of times on steepest bits but then also added a sprint finish.
- Back weights, 12 x 2 for each of three grips, 20 kg.
Luckily all went smoothly in the morning, thanks to loyal supporter and driver Fi, who dropped us at the start and met us at the end. The beginning was narrow and crowded, did my first mile in 8.17 - I needed to do 8.15 miles to make my target time of 1.50. Next two miles were worse at around 8.30 each - aargh! I considered giving up and plodding round, treating it as a slow training run. Especially as from mile three we were running into the wind. Then I though 'Fuck that, thee mile markers are probably in the wrong place anyway' and got my head down.
Did a few miles at around 8.05 and got into my pace and started to enjoy it. The wind died off. Had a hairy moment when I thought I was taking ages but I'd missed mile marker 8 - possibly distracted by the stench from the sewage works. Did miles 8 and 9 in 15.45 but pretty sure they were marked wrong as mile 10 took me over 9 minutes. The miles seemed to go much more quickly than usual, maybe because I was busy doing long division and multiplication in my head to work out how many seconds I had left to make up. But by the last three miles I knew I could make it and finished happy and tired in 1.48.25 (chip time).
Not a PB, but good for this stage in my training. I was lying earlier when I said I would be happy with 1.55 - I would in fact have been a grumpy bitch, so it's just as well I did it.
Ailsa also met her aims - plus a PB - with a fantastic time of 2.06.20. She looked fresh as a daisy afterwards, too, and was suitably chuffed. Am now slightly worried that she will beat me in the marathon. Actually, she could well beat Al, which would be great!
We then retreated for showers and burgers, for which we were joined by Barry and Hils, which was lovely. Had a good chat and absolutely stuffed my face with burger and cheesecake, then went home for a nap.
The day finished with the reinforced Leith Pub Quiz Team winning the Cameo quiz! I even contributed a couple of correct answers. Won chocolate and £30 off next time's bar bill. Doesn't get much better than that.
Today, experimented with a 'recovery run' as I was a bit stiff. Went to the gym after work and pottered about, basically. Was lovely (and a bit weird) not to have a set goal for the session. Did about 2.2 miles of mixed walking at a steep gradient and jogging at 2%, 4 mins cross trainer, 3 mins step machine and a mile on the bike. Was unsweaty enough to drive home afterwards for my shower instead of showering straight away at the gym, but felt better for the stretch out.
Tomorrow: speed work (or maybe tempo session, not sure). Need to up my mileage so may join Matt and his friend once a week for an 8 miler once the clocks go forward.
Wednesday 12 March 2008
Bad gym day
Was supposed to do a speed session of six and a half Yassos today but only managed:
I think last night's Chinese takeaway is to blame. Last week I had two great gym sessions back to back after two nights of spag bol - it is clearly the food of champions. Might start paying more attention to what I eat. Also, downloaded a 3.45 schedule from Runner's World and they all have at least five days a week training. Thought I'd found one that only had three days a week, but it turned out they wanted you to do two days cross training as well! Feeling like I really need to ramp it up a notch now, especially after a couple of easy weeks. It's going to be hard.
- 6 mins cross trainer, level 12, above 10 mets
- 3 x 0.5 miles in 3 mins 45 sec each, with 0.15 mile at 4 mph in between
- 5 mins bike, hills
- 1 x 0.5 miles in 3 mins 45 sec
- 4 x 12 chest press at 20 kg (half on each grip)
- 1 mile at 6.5 mph
- 5 mins bike, hills
- 1 mile at 7.1 mph
- 2 x 12 on each of three grips of seated back weights at 20 kg
I think last night's Chinese takeaway is to blame. Last week I had two great gym sessions back to back after two nights of spag bol - it is clearly the food of champions. Might start paying more attention to what I eat. Also, downloaded a 3.45 schedule from Runner's World and they all have at least five days a week training. Thought I'd found one that only had three days a week, but it turned out they wanted you to do two days cross training as well! Feeling like I really need to ramp it up a notch now, especially after a couple of easy weeks. It's going to be hard.
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Back on the flat
Had a great long weekend in Courchevel. Hadn't really had time to get excited about it so it all seemed a bit unreal until I got off the plane and was met by Al, who had gamely driven the two hours to pick me up. We had a leisurely drive back in Norman the van (also gamely coping with the hills), stopping for a fab lunch of salad - that typically French salad with about 2,000 calories because it was drenched in dressing and came with egg and cheese and ham and other good things.
Al's sharing a flat just down the hill from Le Praz with two ski instructor friends. A nice flat but the shower did remind me a bit of The Swamp from first year at uni. The boys were lovely and Adrian had even swapped rooms with Al for the duration so we could have a double bed. Went out with some other friends and had fondue. Mmmm, dippy dippy cheesey cheese.
Set off up the slopes the next day in some trepidation, it being two years since I last set foot on snow, and then only for a couple of days. All I could remember was being very bruised. Unfortunately one of the lifts was closed so we couldn't go straight to the nursery slope but had a take a different lift and traverse across. This traverse wasn't steep at all but it was very narrow, which meant I couldn't get going at all on the board and was soon feeling very frustrated. It took me about three hours to inch my way down, by which time I was fed up and Al was feeling very guilty for overfacing me (bless him for thinking I was anywhere near capable - I must have improved immeasurably in his imagination).
Met up with Adrian and a friend at lunch and, restored by a gorgeous goats cheese sandwich (the food was a feature of this holiday!) and the promise of nice flat wide slopes, I tried again at the nursery. Al was temporarily banished and Adrian, a qualified snowboard instructor, helpfully reminded me of all the things I'd learnt last time. Confident enough that I could at least side-slide down the steeper bits, we managed a final run before calling it a day and taking the lift to the highest point to admire the view.
Had a great dinner that night at the one posh(ish) restaurant in Le Praz - full of French people, which was a good sign. We shared a starter of three different fois gras, their speciality, which was mouthwateringly good. Then I had the best steak ever, cooked exactly how I like it, half way between rare and medium rare. The waitress actively encouraged me to be more specific about how I wanted it. I love this about France. At regular intervals through the rest of the holiday I would stop and remember this steak.
Did I mention it came with dauphinoise potatoes?
Anyway, back to the ski-ing...
Having grumped about the snowboard the day before, I was keen to see if ski-ing would be any less frustrating. Al's pal Jim runs a ski hire company (it is great having a boyfriend who knows everyone) and lent me a pair. We ventured off again - straight to the nursery this time - and lo! It was the easiest thing ever! I was amazed. Not only did it save having to hop around in ankle-twisting agony on flat bits, but I could also a) steer and b) stop. Marvellous. After just a couple of practises we were on to the green runs, where I spent the rest of the day happily ski-ing excruciatingly slowly, while Al skied backwards and sideways and upside down around me. Then he went off to try his new skis on a black run and by the time he came back I'd sped up ever so slightly. The only downside was that the ski boots were even more uncomfortable than snowboard boots and left my feet really sore.
Day three we set out on greens before arriving at a spot where there was supposed to be a green but wasn't. So we went on 'Indians', a piste that has been themed for the kids with pictures of native American leaders (called, in French, 'Le Chef') and wigwams. It began with an inauspicious initial plunge, down which I did the world's slowest snowplough - think glacial speed. 'I thought you said this was for kids!' I screeched, 'It's terrifying!'. At which point, of course, a posse of three year olds zipped by, followed by a teenager on her mobile phone.
After this it was fine, however, and we celebrated with tartiflette for lunch (very nice too, though I am still slightly annoyed that this dish, which I though I had invented myself at university, is so well known). We skied blues the rest of the day - actually, Al was on his snowboard that day so had enough to keep him occupied too. I really enjoyed it, though my continued lack of velocity meant I had to add my own 'speeding car' and 'screeching brakes' sound effects. So I would complete an extremely controlled turn, inch my way gradually over to where Al was waiting, creep to an imperceptible stop and then announce my arrival to the bemused boy with a cheery 'Screeeeee!'
So that was my ski-ing experience and I was sad to have to leave without learning more. Maybe next year I'll get a whole week and some proper lessons.
Back to work today, and it feels like I've never been away. Headed for the gym at half five and got as far as parking the car before realising I'd left my kit at home. So drove home and went for an outdoor run instead. It's foul weather - dark, wind and rain - and I cursed my stupidity for the first ten minutes, before sort of getting into it and gaining some perverse pleasure from tanking it past miserable-looking folk waiting at bus stops. After all, I was so wet a few more puddles wouldn't hurt.
Was aiming for the 7.2 mile Easter Road and Arthur's Seat loop, but it was pitch black at the park and I was convinced for a while that an innocent dog walker was stalking me, so I only ran up to the roundabout and turned around. Giving me a total of 6.7 miles in exactly an hour (timed by looking at my mobile before leaving and on return, since not even Geneva airport can provide a battery for my watch). Not bad: same speed as when I did the full 7.2 miles but with less of a hill. But in much worse weather - at one point I had to cup my hands over my mouth to be able to breathe in the gusts of wind. I would have aimed for 6.8 mph at the gym.
Speed work tomorrow and hills on Friday. Have decided to aim for 1.50 for the Edinburgh Half Marathon. I'll be happy with 1.55 though, at this stage in my training. And will need 1.40 for Dunfermline.
Spell check is working again: it suggest tartiflette should be trifled or titillate. I think both.
Al's sharing a flat just down the hill from Le Praz with two ski instructor friends. A nice flat but the shower did remind me a bit of The Swamp from first year at uni. The boys were lovely and Adrian had even swapped rooms with Al for the duration so we could have a double bed. Went out with some other friends and had fondue. Mmmm, dippy dippy cheesey cheese.
Set off up the slopes the next day in some trepidation, it being two years since I last set foot on snow, and then only for a couple of days. All I could remember was being very bruised. Unfortunately one of the lifts was closed so we couldn't go straight to the nursery slope but had a take a different lift and traverse across. This traverse wasn't steep at all but it was very narrow, which meant I couldn't get going at all on the board and was soon feeling very frustrated. It took me about three hours to inch my way down, by which time I was fed up and Al was feeling very guilty for overfacing me (bless him for thinking I was anywhere near capable - I must have improved immeasurably in his imagination).
Met up with Adrian and a friend at lunch and, restored by a gorgeous goats cheese sandwich (the food was a feature of this holiday!) and the promise of nice flat wide slopes, I tried again at the nursery. Al was temporarily banished and Adrian, a qualified snowboard instructor, helpfully reminded me of all the things I'd learnt last time. Confident enough that I could at least side-slide down the steeper bits, we managed a final run before calling it a day and taking the lift to the highest point to admire the view.
Had a great dinner that night at the one posh(ish) restaurant in Le Praz - full of French people, which was a good sign. We shared a starter of three different fois gras, their speciality, which was mouthwateringly good. Then I had the best steak ever, cooked exactly how I like it, half way between rare and medium rare. The waitress actively encouraged me to be more specific about how I wanted it. I love this about France. At regular intervals through the rest of the holiday I would stop and remember this steak.
Did I mention it came with dauphinoise potatoes?
Anyway, back to the ski-ing...
Having grumped about the snowboard the day before, I was keen to see if ski-ing would be any less frustrating. Al's pal Jim runs a ski hire company (it is great having a boyfriend who knows everyone) and lent me a pair. We ventured off again - straight to the nursery this time - and lo! It was the easiest thing ever! I was amazed. Not only did it save having to hop around in ankle-twisting agony on flat bits, but I could also a) steer and b) stop. Marvellous. After just a couple of practises we were on to the green runs, where I spent the rest of the day happily ski-ing excruciatingly slowly, while Al skied backwards and sideways and upside down around me. Then he went off to try his new skis on a black run and by the time he came back I'd sped up ever so slightly. The only downside was that the ski boots were even more uncomfortable than snowboard boots and left my feet really sore.
Day three we set out on greens before arriving at a spot where there was supposed to be a green but wasn't. So we went on 'Indians', a piste that has been themed for the kids with pictures of native American leaders (called, in French, 'Le Chef') and wigwams. It began with an inauspicious initial plunge, down which I did the world's slowest snowplough - think glacial speed. 'I thought you said this was for kids!' I screeched, 'It's terrifying!'. At which point, of course, a posse of three year olds zipped by, followed by a teenager on her mobile phone.
After this it was fine, however, and we celebrated with tartiflette for lunch (very nice too, though I am still slightly annoyed that this dish, which I though I had invented myself at university, is so well known). We skied blues the rest of the day - actually, Al was on his snowboard that day so had enough to keep him occupied too. I really enjoyed it, though my continued lack of velocity meant I had to add my own 'speeding car' and 'screeching brakes' sound effects. So I would complete an extremely controlled turn, inch my way gradually over to where Al was waiting, creep to an imperceptible stop and then announce my arrival to the bemused boy with a cheery 'Screeeeee!'
So that was my ski-ing experience and I was sad to have to leave without learning more. Maybe next year I'll get a whole week and some proper lessons.
Back to work today, and it feels like I've never been away. Headed for the gym at half five and got as far as parking the car before realising I'd left my kit at home. So drove home and went for an outdoor run instead. It's foul weather - dark, wind and rain - and I cursed my stupidity for the first ten minutes, before sort of getting into it and gaining some perverse pleasure from tanking it past miserable-looking folk waiting at bus stops. After all, I was so wet a few more puddles wouldn't hurt.
Was aiming for the 7.2 mile Easter Road and Arthur's Seat loop, but it was pitch black at the park and I was convinced for a while that an innocent dog walker was stalking me, so I only ran up to the roundabout and turned around. Giving me a total of 6.7 miles in exactly an hour (timed by looking at my mobile before leaving and on return, since not even Geneva airport can provide a battery for my watch). Not bad: same speed as when I did the full 7.2 miles but with less of a hill. But in much worse weather - at one point I had to cup my hands over my mouth to be able to breathe in the gusts of wind. I would have aimed for 6.8 mph at the gym.
Speed work tomorrow and hills on Friday. Have decided to aim for 1.50 for the Edinburgh Half Marathon. I'll be happy with 1.55 though, at this stage in my training. And will need 1.40 for Dunfermline.
Spell check is working again: it suggest tartiflette should be trifled or titillate. I think both.
Wednesday 5 March 2008
Last post...before I go on holiday
Gym tonight for my speed session:
Should be able to do a full four sessions next week, at least. Culminating in the Edinburgh Half Marathon as my long run.
- 6 mins cross trainer, level 12, staying above 10 mets
- 6 x 0.5 miles in 3 mins 45 secs, walking at 4mph for 0.15 miles in between
- 10 mins bike, hills - set a bit higher than usual
- 5 min walking cool down at 7% gradient
Should be able to do a full four sessions next week, at least. Culminating in the Edinburgh Half Marathon as my long run.
Tuesday 4 March 2008
Not very long long run and not very dual duathlon
Friday night dawned, or dusked, or whatever nights do, and it was a lovely gusting gale force wind plus rainy, sub zero, black night. So Matt and I rescheduled our long run for Saturday. I proceeded to have an utterly frustrating Saturday morning as I tried to find a new watch battery for my Timex Ironman (sounds tough, huh? - not so tough with a rundown battery it ain't).
Al had assured me that a jewellers in Ocean Terminal would be able to supply the necessary and I duly trotted off to jeweller number 1, who told me that no, they only did Casio digital watches and I should try jeweller number 2 or 3, also in Ocean Terminal. Both jewellers 2 and 3 told me that the didn't stock lithium batteries and I should try jewellers 4 or 5 on Rose Street. Nae bother, I thought - I'll get a bus to Haymarket, buy my new trainers and walk to Rose Street.
Oh no. I had forgotten that Shandwick Place was closed for tram roadworks, but remembered on the way. But assumed, silly me, that the bus would simply skirt the closed off block and emerge at Haymarket. Lothian Buses had other ideas though, and completely rerouted the 22 down the bloody Western Approach Road, at which point I got off and asked the driver if that was his nearest stop to Haymarket. He answered 'yes' in a 'but it's still miles away you eejit' sort of way and I spent half an hour walking back.
Having finally got to Dalry Road and bought my trainers (in the five minutes it took me to say 'I'll have another pair of these please'), I headed for Rose St, via McDonald's loos. There jeweller number 4 did sucky teethy and recommended jeweller number 5 who is, apparently, 'into watches'. And jeweller number 5 told me to....try a jeweller on Dalry Road. Aargh! I had just come from there and now had no time to return before meeting Matt. Well how about jeweller number 1, he suggested helpfully, at which point I huffed off to the bus stop with my useless watch. There I was made yet more irate by a passing junkie* telling me to cheer up and then calling me a 'Stupid fucking wee blonde' when I failed to comply. What is it with the blonde thing? Would he have called me a stupid brunette if I had dark hair? Maybe brunettes smile on demand and thus avoid these situations.
So in the end I had no watch to time my long run or my duathlon, and will probably not have one for the Edinburgh Half, though I may just buy a cheap new one for that or I'll have no chance of pacing myself. So annoying, because it was a good watch. The Timex website holds no clues as to stockists, either. And even if I can get it done in town it won't be waterproof any more.
I ran off my frustration down the Water of Leith with Matt. We only did about 11 miles (he claims 12) but it felt easy the whole way except the last mile, when my right knee started showing signs of ITBS. I think that's the other knee from last year, so maybe that's progress of a sort...Wasn't too bad anyway. Runfinder.co.uk has been AWOL for days now though, so I fear I will have to find another site to measure my runs on. Any recommendations?
In past years I've fairly often done a training session the day before or after a long run so didn't think the duathlon on Sunday would be a problem. In fact it was a slog, but I think that was more down to the gradients. The worst bit was waiting in the sleet for 25 minutes at the changeover, desperately hoping that each approaching cyclist was Matt so I could get running and warm up! Then the ran began with a hugely steep ascent to pick up a token (a clothes peg) at the summit and come back down. Patches of path were knee deep in a type of mud that was particularly black and sticky - it somehow got inside my shoes and I later had to shave my legs to get rid of it. One guy lost a shoe. Back down, we did the whole of the loop from the short duathlon last time. Which was good in a way because at least I knew how far it was to the end. We also had to pick up another token, which was a fluffy Easter chick - a nice touch I thought. I was fine through the trees and so on - it really is just the hills that get me.
I passed a couple of people (who, unlike me, had just cycled for an hour, remember) but was passed myself by a couple so thought I'd maintained our overall placing. But the results show I picked us up from 63rd to 59th. Possibly I passed others at the changeover without noticing. Or their dead bodies were just lying by the roadside where I couldn't see them. And we weren't the last team! One other team failed to finish, so I count that as an improvement on our part. Plus we all got an Easter egg. As value for money and friendliness (and supply of hot soup and burgers) go, I would definitely recommend this series. No way I'd ever do the bike section as well though.
Gym tonight, after a rest yesterday. Need to get as much done as I can before the running-free alp trip on Thursday. I read an article which preached good running posture and went determined to run with my head up, looking at the ground 20 metres ahead, chest forward, arms pumping straight and not across my chest. All of which lasted about 30 seconds before my normal lazy running style resumed. New trainers ok - slight rubbing on inside right foot, which is my foot's fault. Did:
*Sorry if this is not PC. He was definitely high though. I think I riled him by moving to a defensive position on the other side of the bus stop after he yelled at another guy two inches from his face.
Al had assured me that a jewellers in Ocean Terminal would be able to supply the necessary and I duly trotted off to jeweller number 1, who told me that no, they only did Casio digital watches and I should try jeweller number 2 or 3, also in Ocean Terminal. Both jewellers 2 and 3 told me that the didn't stock lithium batteries and I should try jewellers 4 or 5 on Rose Street. Nae bother, I thought - I'll get a bus to Haymarket, buy my new trainers and walk to Rose Street.
Oh no. I had forgotten that Shandwick Place was closed for tram roadworks, but remembered on the way. But assumed, silly me, that the bus would simply skirt the closed off block and emerge at Haymarket. Lothian Buses had other ideas though, and completely rerouted the 22 down the bloody Western Approach Road, at which point I got off and asked the driver if that was his nearest stop to Haymarket. He answered 'yes' in a 'but it's still miles away you eejit' sort of way and I spent half an hour walking back.
Having finally got to Dalry Road and bought my trainers (in the five minutes it took me to say 'I'll have another pair of these please'), I headed for Rose St, via McDonald's loos. There jeweller number 4 did sucky teethy and recommended jeweller number 5 who is, apparently, 'into watches'. And jeweller number 5 told me to....try a jeweller on Dalry Road. Aargh! I had just come from there and now had no time to return before meeting Matt. Well how about jeweller number 1, he suggested helpfully, at which point I huffed off to the bus stop with my useless watch. There I was made yet more irate by a passing junkie* telling me to cheer up and then calling me a 'Stupid fucking wee blonde' when I failed to comply. What is it with the blonde thing? Would he have called me a stupid brunette if I had dark hair? Maybe brunettes smile on demand and thus avoid these situations.
So in the end I had no watch to time my long run or my duathlon, and will probably not have one for the Edinburgh Half, though I may just buy a cheap new one for that or I'll have no chance of pacing myself. So annoying, because it was a good watch. The Timex website holds no clues as to stockists, either. And even if I can get it done in town it won't be waterproof any more.
I ran off my frustration down the Water of Leith with Matt. We only did about 11 miles (he claims 12) but it felt easy the whole way except the last mile, when my right knee started showing signs of ITBS. I think that's the other knee from last year, so maybe that's progress of a sort...Wasn't too bad anyway. Runfinder.co.uk has been AWOL for days now though, so I fear I will have to find another site to measure my runs on. Any recommendations?
In past years I've fairly often done a training session the day before or after a long run so didn't think the duathlon on Sunday would be a problem. In fact it was a slog, but I think that was more down to the gradients. The worst bit was waiting in the sleet for 25 minutes at the changeover, desperately hoping that each approaching cyclist was Matt so I could get running and warm up! Then the ran began with a hugely steep ascent to pick up a token (a clothes peg) at the summit and come back down. Patches of path were knee deep in a type of mud that was particularly black and sticky - it somehow got inside my shoes and I later had to shave my legs to get rid of it. One guy lost a shoe. Back down, we did the whole of the loop from the short duathlon last time. Which was good in a way because at least I knew how far it was to the end. We also had to pick up another token, which was a fluffy Easter chick - a nice touch I thought. I was fine through the trees and so on - it really is just the hills that get me.
I passed a couple of people (who, unlike me, had just cycled for an hour, remember) but was passed myself by a couple so thought I'd maintained our overall placing. But the results show I picked us up from 63rd to 59th. Possibly I passed others at the changeover without noticing. Or their dead bodies were just lying by the roadside where I couldn't see them. And we weren't the last team! One other team failed to finish, so I count that as an improvement on our part. Plus we all got an Easter egg. As value for money and friendliness (and supply of hot soup and burgers) go, I would definitely recommend this series. No way I'd ever do the bike section as well though.
Gym tonight, after a rest yesterday. Need to get as much done as I can before the running-free alp trip on Thursday. I read an article which preached good running posture and went determined to run with my head up, looking at the ground 20 metres ahead, chest forward, arms pumping straight and not across my chest. All of which lasted about 30 seconds before my normal lazy running style resumed. New trainers ok - slight rubbing on inside right foot, which is my foot's fault. Did:
- 6 mins cross trainer, level 12, above 10 mets. Found a setting which changes the angle to work all the muscles in your legs, not just the quads.
- 45 mins treadmill, 6.7 mph, while watching Sky Sport football line ups (surprisingly mesmerising)
- 2 x 12 each of biceps, triceps and back all at 20 kg
- 15 mins treadmill, 6.7 mph
*Sorry if this is not PC. He was definitely high though. I think I riled him by moving to a defensive position on the other side of the bus stop after he yelled at another guy two inches from his face.
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