Hmmmmm...

Track tonight, and a slightly odd session.

As we drove over the Pennines (which aren't particularly lumpy between Cross Hills and Laneshawbridge) the rain that had been falling in the Aire valley got steadily whiter and by the time we reached the top it was definitely snowing.  It got wetter and less solid as we came down the other side, but nevertheless it was officially "sleety" as we pulled into the car park at Seedhill.

Tim cheerily remarked that at least it would "keep the fun runners away", and I felt he'd probably be right - this wasn't going to be a whole heap of fun!

We'd decided on 6x800m off 200m recoveries tonight as I'm having a mini-taper for Blackpool half on Sunday, so after 4 laps of warm up and a few strides we were off.  I was quite surprised to see my first lap at 1:25, as I usually go off fairly fast and was expecting to see it quicker than that - but when the second one was slower at 1:26 I realised this was going to be harder work than I'd expected.  Maybe it was running in hat and gloves, maybe it was the fact I was wearing my waterproof, maybe it was the fact I had shepherd's pie for lunch (no chips though - those days are gone...) but for some reason I was a second or two slower per lap than I'd been last week for longer reps.  I even had one at 1:29!

In the end the 800's were respectable but not earth shattering:

2:52
2:55
2:51
2:55
2:54
2:52

Nothing wrong with the pace - somewhere around 5k pace, and it didn't feel desperately hard - just it was too hard to run any quicker!

The Newmanator had a brilliant session, lapping at about 1:37 (or about 6:30 mile pace) and managing to do it consistently.

Had a fairly dull programme steering group meeting today, so amused myself by planning virtually all my sessions between now and Blackpool.  I've 2 or 3 London overnights, but I think I may do laps of St James' Park as MP sessions - the river's just not conducive to running quickly, not without mowing down a tourist or two.

Going to run a steady 6 at the end of the day tomorrow, then may have Saturday off to make sure I'm fresh for Sunday.  No idea how that's going to go - it's supposed to be cold with light winds, so it could be a fast one - but I'm going to play it entirely by ear.  This isn't the Main Event...