Running Two Extremes

The last week has been so busy, I've no idea how I'm managing to keep my eyes open. Running wise, there's been loads of variety which I've loved.

Last Thursday night was a really tough session at Horsfall track, where we upped the length of the intervals to 800 metre efforts, with 200 metres recovery. There are a few new people who have started this six week block of enhanced training, and I ran with Amanda and Claire both of whom are faster than me so it proved really good training, albeit really tough. I'm still mulling over a conversation with our coach, Brian Scobie about what time I should be aiming for at London. Brian's got such a no nonsense approach to running, and reckons without doubt I should be aiming for sub four hours. The thought of such a lofty goal fills me with fear; it's much easier to be vague and say I'm not aiming for a particular time, just hoping to go faster than last year. But as Brian pointed out, how many times am I going to run London, and how long have I trained for this? So, here it is in black and white, I want to be the best that I can be so I'm aiming for sub four hours at London (on the understanding that I will be proud whatever time I do!).

Racing in Derby

On a grey pretty miserable Sunday, I was up at ridiculous o'clock to get to Derby for the 26.2k Kilomathon England. I had entered this race some time ago, and hadn't really thought much about it since so it hadn't occurred to me that Derby is pretty hilly! As a result, I found this race tough going until about 15k when I finally found my stride and started to feel better. The scenery on this race was pretty non existent and support was sparse. The final 5k is run through the industrial estate of Rolls Royce - dismal doesn't even begin to describe it. Nevertheless, I think it was a great psychological rehearsal for London as the race markers were in kilometres which really played with my mind as the race seemed to go on forever. Twenty-six markers are a lot to count down.

Beautiful Aberdovey

From the ridiculous to the sublime, following another running form and efficiency enhanced training session on Monday which I am likening to an Olympic bootcamp (not that I have any experience of such a thing but this is what I imagine it would be like) by Wednesday I was in Aberdovey in Wales for work where Spring had truly arrived. The sun shone consistently for the couple of days I was there, and I managed to fit in several three mile runs along the sandy beach with water lapping a few inches from my feet!! How much easier it is to run in such a beautiful place after months of running in the dark, snow, rain around the concrete streets of Bradford.

So, the past week has really been one of extremes from the places I have run, and the types of training I have completed to the scary setting of a goal for London.

By this time tomorrow my final long run will be complete (17-18 miles planned), and the taper will begin.

Three weeks to go!