Day 24 - Training Blog 17th January 2013

A better night, up at 5:45 after a few hits on the snooze. Cup of hot water, still feeling a bit dodge but mainly weak not ill. Freezing out so kitted up like the Michelin Man, dogs loaded and off to the woods for a steady run to see how I feel. Temp gauge in the truck showing -7! On my way nice and steady, met a couple of older gents with their dogs at t...he end of their walk and they looked totally high on the fresh air and greeted me with a very loud and positive Good Morning, nice start. A very steady 10.1k in 52"30, and the most spectacular morning so far. All injuries/niggles felt ok and I felt a bit pooped but much better after the run than before. Back home, shower and good breakfast, feeling good and ready for the day. Now 5:30pm and wondering what to wear for tonight's run with GVH, it will be cold but it will be hard work and fast! All sorted then 15 minutes on the roller and a few sit ups and press ups to get me a bit warm then it's off to the club in Boxmoor. A bit smaller group tonight but still a good show overall, we left the club about 7:15 for the Abbotts run! I have done this once before and did not fare too well. It starts off very steady with everyone having a good chat about all sorts, Bill's new running shoes, my compression leggings, Lance Armstrong interview being shown later tonight, the snow that is due over the next couple of days that is going to spoil all our plans for the weekends running and Matt's shoes are too tight! 2k in and the pace has picked up and the conversations slowed down. Through Apsley to Kings Langley and Ed is pushing hard at the front with Vince and Guy, conversations have ceased. I am ok, hard going but feeling much better than Tuesday, we turn left at the end of the High street towards the station. Just before the station Ed peels off as he is doing a shorter run due to a niggle in his knee, thanks for the early pace Ed! All good we bob along at a very decent pace past the station and under the bridge. We turn first left and go up Langley Hill, a long slog but I found a nice rhythm and pushed up the very long hill with a right and a left at the top on to Abbots High Street. Now we are motoring and I am at my limits, felt quite strong so pushed as hard as I could to keep up and just about managed it into Bedmond and left back down to Kings Langley and Station Rd. I struggle on the down hill sections, I tend to try and open up my stride and let go but find I just over stride and it slows me down where my foot plant is too far in front of me and almost acts as a break! Adjusted as best I could and again just about kept up. Right onto station road and Guy pushed on again, I really had to work hard to keep in touch and with about 400m to go to our re grouping point, the old George pub on Belswains Lane, I had dropped a bit behind, a last push and I finished almost back in touch. At that point 14.86k in 59"48, considering our very steady first kilometre or two, that was a very quick training run. On our way again for a slow jog back to the club and after a minute or two the pace was back! All good and back at the club with 17.2k complete in 1'08"30. It is good to be back running after a forced rest day and feeling ok. Quick cup of tea and home for a hot bath. Unfortunately I started feeling a bit unwell again when I got home! I think the FP not quite out of my body yet!