Rearranged meetings meant our lunchtime run slot was a tad curtailed, so we went for a flat 5 miler along the canal. Decided to do a mile effort on the way back (having cunningly worked out we'd have wind behind), so duly put the hammer down once we'd finished with pesky road crossings. I managed a mile in 5:30, which felt pretty much eyeballs out - which is slightly worrying as to hit my 10k target of breaking 37min I've got to do 6.2 miles at about 5:55! Running bud Richard did a 5:45 mile, which is great for a lad who didn't run at all 10 months ago.
Concerned by my increasing portliness this morning - despite a 10k PB a week ago, 16m long run and 42 briskish bike miles that felt fine I tipped the scales 8lb heavier than I was midsummer. Odd, and I'm not sure it's entirely accurate as I don't look much different - but a reminder that I can't ignore the regime at this festive time of year...
Monday, 30 November 2009
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Damp and lumpy...
Met up with some mates from Harrogate (the Harrogate Ladies' Bicycling Society as they're slightly offensively known, after one of them failed to turn up for a sportive ride because he had "sniffles") in Otley today. After the ribbing we'd given them about dipping out everyone turned up on time raring to go, despite foul weather and a worse forecast. We also had a new lad with us in the form of Young Oliver, who we knew little about, other than the fact he'd spanked the HLBS a week or two previously.
We started with Norwood Edge, which has caused me some problems in the past, and Oliver eased ahead of the group, with Team Embsay (me and The Herb) settling in behind. The steepest bit's at the start and as we hit the long drag towards the hairpins we caught Oliver and chatted amicably in that "I'm not trying really" way that boys do.
A blast along Penny Pot Lane and a wimble through Dacre Banks saw us in Pateley Bridge for an unknown challenge - an alternative to the normal drag up to Greenhow proposed by Wood, called Peat Lane. A couple of very steep, and very slippy hairpins led to a long straight section, which cheekily added a hidden extra pull at the top. The Herb and I dropped the lads here, but as usual there were tales of bladder and mechanical problems which had led to their slower than expected progress. A windy blast to Blubberhouses and a heave back over the moor to Otley saw Oliver firmly established with the Embsay boys at the front of the pack, and the HLBS rather feeling the miles and arriving at Dunnies a while later cold, wet and not a little pooped. Herb and I both declared ourselves to be untroubled physically, despite being very damp, and all the better for a "Pie Meal" and a mug of tea - nothing better for £2.70.
On looking at the Garmin stats we did 42m and pushed the average speed just over 14mph, which given the conditions is respectable. The lack of fatigue in my legs is pleasing, although having looked at our total ascent, despite there being three reasonably major climbs, 1500' of climbing isn't really that lumpy for a day in the dales.
Good to feel like I've had a proper week, with 30+ miles of running and 42 miles on the bike - but must get back to my one day a week bike commute, as that 25m+ extra bike seems to do me the world of good.
We started with Norwood Edge, which has caused me some problems in the past, and Oliver eased ahead of the group, with Team Embsay (me and The Herb) settling in behind. The steepest bit's at the start and as we hit the long drag towards the hairpins we caught Oliver and chatted amicably in that "I'm not trying really" way that boys do.
A blast along Penny Pot Lane and a wimble through Dacre Banks saw us in Pateley Bridge for an unknown challenge - an alternative to the normal drag up to Greenhow proposed by Wood, called Peat Lane. A couple of very steep, and very slippy hairpins led to a long straight section, which cheekily added a hidden extra pull at the top. The Herb and I dropped the lads here, but as usual there were tales of bladder and mechanical problems which had led to their slower than expected progress. A windy blast to Blubberhouses and a heave back over the moor to Otley saw Oliver firmly established with the Embsay boys at the front of the pack, and the HLBS rather feeling the miles and arriving at Dunnies a while later cold, wet and not a little pooped. Herb and I both declared ourselves to be untroubled physically, despite being very damp, and all the better for a "Pie Meal" and a mug of tea - nothing better for £2.70.
On looking at the Garmin stats we did 42m and pushed the average speed just over 14mph, which given the conditions is respectable. The lack of fatigue in my legs is pleasing, although having looked at our total ascent, despite there being three reasonably major climbs, 1500' of climbing isn't really that lumpy for a day in the dales.
Good to feel like I've had a proper week, with 30+ miles of running and 42 miles on the bike - but must get back to my one day a week bike commute, as that 25m+ extra bike seems to do me the world of good.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
totals...
Just had a gander on rubitrack and see that some time this week I went through 1,000 miles of running for the year. Good egg. I know that's bugger all to a lot of proper runners, but as 2007 was my last year of running remotely seriously and I didn't reach 600 then, I'm chuffed to have kept with it for 11 months this time.
It starts here...
I've done a bit of blogging before, notably when we were doing up our house - the first 60's bungalow with no roof but its own online diary, but as a few clubmates have started blogging their training exploits I thought I might have a bash. It may drift off into un-updated obscurity, as I already record pretty much everything I do on Rubitrack (simply brilliant mac software - watch and weep, PeeCee users) and Garmin Connect, but this will maybe enable me to keep a record of what I was thinking and feeling as well as the numbers.
Current target is Blackpool marathon on 11 April next year, but on the way there's a few races and other stuff I want to do. My programme (such as it is) consists of a few lunchtime pootles from work, a track session at Nelson once a week and I'm now trying to get a long run each week into the schedule. To add to that I'm trying to get a couple of sessions on the bike in each week too - usually a commute (13 miles each way) and a 20-60m trip out at the weekend. All this to be fitted in with a job that requires me to be away most weeks for a night or two, and a family of two little girls who (at 7 and 9) are just approaching the age when there's "something on" all the time.
Anyway - this week's not been a bad 'un - PB at Abbey Dash last Sunday (37:32), a steady 5 lunchtime on Monday, 4 miles round Regent's Park Tuesday then a relatively easy track session Thursday. We did 6x800m off 200m recoveries, which we ran together (me and mate Richard) at 90s per lap. That's a bit slower than I've been running reps and a bit faster than Rich has, so I had an agreeably easy time, he was blowing a bit by the end!
Then yesterday I did my first longer run for a while - it's 14m home from work along the canal, so I ran away from work to start with, then back to Skipton along the canal, then a twiddly bit towards Halton East when I got home to make it 16m. 2:05 means the average pace was 7:50, so respectable, and it felt easy enough. What was a pain was the towpath though - a combination of rain and bikes has made it very muddy and slippy, so not conducive to easy running. Might have to adjourn to the road route home for a while.
Out for a leaving do last night so just a little delicate today - but may try a few steady miles later.
Current target is Blackpool marathon on 11 April next year, but on the way there's a few races and other stuff I want to do. My programme (such as it is) consists of a few lunchtime pootles from work, a track session at Nelson once a week and I'm now trying to get a long run each week into the schedule. To add to that I'm trying to get a couple of sessions on the bike in each week too - usually a commute (13 miles each way) and a 20-60m trip out at the weekend. All this to be fitted in with a job that requires me to be away most weeks for a night or two, and a family of two little girls who (at 7 and 9) are just approaching the age when there's "something on" all the time.
Anyway - this week's not been a bad 'un - PB at Abbey Dash last Sunday (37:32), a steady 5 lunchtime on Monday, 4 miles round Regent's Park Tuesday then a relatively easy track session Thursday. We did 6x800m off 200m recoveries, which we ran together (me and mate Richard) at 90s per lap. That's a bit slower than I've been running reps and a bit faster than Rich has, so I had an agreeably easy time, he was blowing a bit by the end!
Then yesterday I did my first longer run for a while - it's 14m home from work along the canal, so I ran away from work to start with, then back to Skipton along the canal, then a twiddly bit towards Halton East when I got home to make it 16m. 2:05 means the average pace was 7:50, so respectable, and it felt easy enough. What was a pain was the towpath though - a combination of rain and bikes has made it very muddy and slippy, so not conducive to easy running. Might have to adjourn to the road route home for a while.
Out for a leaving do last night so just a little delicate today - but may try a few steady miles later.
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