Steady, Teddy...

Linz had reliably put a 4:30 finish in the diary today so I could get out and run something steady before dark, so I just as reliably started doing something at 4 o'clock that took an hour, so I predictably set out at just before 10 past 5 into the gathering gloom.  It was a touch on the chilly side, so I was reasonably well wrapped up, but managed to forget to put my gloves on which led to cold hands for a mile or two.  No matter - I'm Northern.

I ran up to the canal still not quite sure what I'd do - should I go left and do 8?  Or right to the top of 5Rise then head back towards Silsden and see how long it took to fall in the canal?

In the end I went right as I had an enforced rest yesterday thanks to East Coast (bless 'em and their free coffee...), who despite arriving in plenty of time, decided to be "helpful" by sitting outside Leeds station for 10 minutes to make sure I got a really good view of the Skipton train pulling slowly out - so no running by the time I got home.  Turning right and running along to 5Rise, which meant I should be able to get 10 solid miles in a -ssuming it didn't get too dark to see where I was going.

I was determined to run this steady and not get pulled into another effort session, so I gave myself the target of running at 7:30 pace.  This has a double benefit as it feels fairly easy but is only just above 3:15 marathon pace, so gives me the confidence that if things go badly at Blackpool I still should be able to get 3:15 (and GFA) in the bag - get me, 3:15's the "back up" goal!  To be honest I'll still be realy chuffed if I get 3:15, but so far things have been going so well I'm sure that with a following wind I should be able to get close to 3hrs.

I finished my 10 miles in a tiny weeny bit under 1:15, so an average pace of 7:29 and a nice average HR of 134.  It was pretty much dark when I finished but the towpath was fine to run on, and if I hadn't already been a bit late I'd have been tempted to carry on to 3Rise and back through Bingley - which I guess would have been nearer 13 miles.  It feels good to feel like I could run 14m at a respectable pace midweek and not feel like I'd had a hard session - I think I'll look to do a couple of midweek 14 or 15 milers when I do my "big mileage" weeks in March.

Track tomorrow with The Newmanator - haven't decided what to do yet but it'll be easyish as I'm racing Sunday.