Sunday 31 October 2010

4.5 miles slow, 8.8 miles steady

Went out in the morning with Natasha for a few slow miles to try out the Asics Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi as a running shoe. Route was via Kelvingrove Park and Yorkhill and along the river. Seemed to go OK. Finished the 4.45 miles in 38:42.

HR zones: 31.7%, 68.3%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I tried an old loop of Auchinairn via Woodhill Road. I was picking it up on the way back down Springburn Road to try to get close to 60 minutes when a passer-by stopped me to ask various running-related questions. Finished the 8.75 miles in 1:01:04, average pace 6:59/mile, HR 147.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:28 (129), 7:05 (144), 6:51 (151), 6:50 (154), 6:55 (152), 7:03 (152), 7:09 (149), 6:46 (150), 6:44 (148)
HR zones: 1.8%, 11.8%, 84.4%, 2.0%, 0%
Weekly total: 36 miles

Saturday 30 October 2010

Allan Scally relay

I wasn't feeling in racing condition by any means, but the club wasn't particularly well represented so I thought there would be nothing to lose by taking part. The weather was ideal and I volunteered for the second leg, after Joe. I wore the adiZero Mana. We were in 9th place when I took over and although I felt better than I had expected, I was overtaken after about two minutes by runners from Glasgow University and Corstorphine. I anticipated losing more places but it was a further 6 minutes before a Dundee Hawkhill runner passed me. With no mile markers it was hard to tell how I was running, and I felt quite slow, especially with the others disappearing into the distance, but I did seem to be gaining on another runner from Glasgow University and moved back into 11th place about halfway round. I finished in 27:25 which was 49 seconds better than last year and the second fastest time for Garscube on the day. Average pace for 4.81 miles was 5:42/mile (or 5:40/mile for the official distance of 4.84 miles), so not too bad a racing performance. The team was 12th overall. As this was the final relay of the season, I achieved my goal of maintaining my A team place (when we didn't have a comparable Vets' team).

Thursday 28 October 2010

7.2 miles steady

The club session was a 50-minute out-and-back along Great Western Road. With the final relay of the season at the weekend, and still feeling fatigued from Saturday's cross-country and Tuesday's hill reps, I intended to take it fairly easy. The rest of the fast pack had similar plans and we had only made it to the bus stop at the retail park by the time we had to turn around. They all disappeared into the distance, however, while I remained at the back with no intention of picking up the pace and didn't overtake anybody until after Anniesland Cross. Didn't feel too great. Finished the 7.22 miles in 50:11, average pace 6:57/mile, HR 152.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:22 (140), 6:57 (146), 6:45 (151), 6:38 (157), 6:58 (157), 7:06 (155), 6:58 (161), 6:39 (156)
HR zones: 0.5%, 4.3%, 83.1%, 12.0%, 0%

Wednesday 27 October 2010

5.1 miles easy

Went out wearing my new rain jacket for a loop of Cowcaddens and Winton Drive, although the rain turned out not to be that serious. Legs sore after the hill reps. Finished the 5.10 miles in 37:28, average pace 7:21/mile, HR 140.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:40 (128), 7:16 (142), 7:20 (144), 7:19 (145), 7:09 (144)
HR zones: 2.0%, 28.5%, 69.4%, 0%, 0%

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Hill reps

Had a rest day on Monday due to general fatigue and by Tuesday I was ready for the club's scheduled hill reps session, which turned out to be at Westerton as I had hoped. We ran 6 loops of Crarae Avenue and Murrayfield Drive, 2.69 miles, plus 2.47 miles total warm-up and warm-down.

HR zones: 0.7%, 27.3%, 37.6%, 31.9%, 2.4%

Sunday 24 October 2010

6.9 miles steady

Ran the 7-mile route via Garscube Estate which I haven't tried in a while, aiming for a comfortable pace just inside 7-minute miles. Finished the 6.93 miles in 48:10, average pace 6:57/mile, HR 144.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:16 (138), 7:01 (144), 6:42 (143), 7:07 (144), 6:54 (143), 6:52 (148), 6:48 (147)
HR zones: 1.3%, 15.7%, 83.0%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 25 miles

Saturday 23 October 2010

National XC Relays

There had been heavy rain towards the end of the week, but the weather on Saturday was much better, and the course at Cumbernauld was far less chewed up than it could have been. I had parked in a residential street near the course which turned out to be quite a popular option. The Garscube tent had just been put up by the time I got there and didn't look bad at all. I was on the second leg for the Vets' team, taking over from John Bell. We were 33 seconds behind our A team at that point and it didn't help that I lost a second or two pushing through a crowd of runners waiting at the changeover. I had decided on the trail shoes as the course was heavy in places, and set off quite fast. Climbing the first long hill, I could see our A team runner in the distance and he seemed impossibly far ahead, so I wondered if I would catch him at all. I was making up or losing a place here and there, but I noticed that occasionally somebody would overtake me at speed, only for me to go past them again shortly afterwards, which was fairly odd. After the last long climb I was definitely making up ground on our A team runner and passed him on the next downhill, between a couple of trees with a view of the finish, although there were still a few hundred metres and another sharp hill to go. I finished in 14:57, 46 seconds up on last year, and felt quite satisfied with my performance, particularly in beating 15 minutes.

Our 5-second lead over our A team didn't last very long, and although it had seemed we were in contention for a Vets' prize, it looked like not all the Vets' teams had marked their numbers accordingly and we had actually been 4th after my leg, ending up 5th. I was third fastest for Garscube on the day. Also jogged the mile to the school and back to get changed.

Average pace: 5:49/mile (for 2.57 miles)

Thursday 21 October 2010

5.4 miles steady

The scheduled club session was an easy run before Saturday's cross-country, which suited me fine as my left hip was causing a few problems. The route was a simple loop of Anniesland Cross and Queen Margaret Drive. Distance came out at 5.41 miles, time 38:34, average pace 7:10/mile, HR 150.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:04 (145), 7:21 (142), 7:02 (148), 7:01 (152), 6:41 (158), 6:17 (161)
HR zones: 1.0%, 4.3%, 84.9%, 9.8%, 0%

Wednesday 20 October 2010

4 miles slow

Went out in the evening with Natasha for her route up and down the hills in the city centre. GPS trail needed a lot of repair work on account of the tall buildings but it was about 4 miles in 34:47.

HR zones: 39.3%, 59.6%, 1.1%, 0%, 0%

Monday 18 October 2010

3.8 miles easy

Felt a bit beaten up after Sunday's run so went on an easy loop of Milngavie Station from Bearsden Asda, 3.79 miles in 28:09, average pace 7:26/mile, HR 136.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:45 (128), 7:27 (138), 7:23 (136), 7:03 (142)
HR zones: 4.2%, 64.8%, 31.0%, 0%, 0%

Sunday 17 October 2010

11.6 miles steady

Ran up to Lennoxtown to collect the car, heading down to Cowcaddens at first to add an extra mile, then following the canal all the way to Hungryside Bridge. Wore the LunarGlide 2. It started raining just after Cadder and the road after Torrance was quite hilly and didn't have much of a pavement in places, but I still managed some reasonable splits and finished well inside my planned average of 7:00/mile. Distance was 11.56 miles, time 1:18:50, average pace 6:49/mile, HR 153.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:15 (139), 6:42 (154), 6:40 (155), 6:59 (151), 6:54 (150), 6:53 (151), 6:51 (153), 6:40 (156), 6:50 (156), 6:43 (158), 6:39 (161), 6:43 (160)
HR zones: 0.7%, 4.4%, 84.2%, 10.7%, 0%
Weekly total: 34 miles

Saturday 16 October 2010

4.9 miles moderate

Went out in the morning for a few quick miles around the West End in the adiZero Tempo, same route as last Saturday afternoon. I had some incorrect HR readings in the second mile. This time the distance came out at 4.9 miles, time 32:34 for a 6:38/mile average, HR 154.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:56 (139), 6:25 (162), 6:52 (154), 6:36 (157), 6:23 (158)
HR zones: 2.3%, 8.0%, 67.8%, 21.9%, 0%

Thursday 14 October 2010

6.2 miles tempo

The fast pack was sent out a bit earlier than usual but their route to Canniesburn Toll was via the top gate, so I headed up Maryhill Road to join up with them there. This part was 0.9 miles in 6:40, average pace 7:25/mile, HR 136. HR zones: 7.8%, 54.0%, 38.2%, 0%, 0%. I got there first and walked back up Switchback Road. The rest of the route took us up Drymen Road to Stockiemuir Avenue. Unlike the others, I had a blank weekend coming up, so when I suddenly felt quite fit on Mosshead Road I decided to make the most of the session and started to pick up the pace, gradually at first. On Boclair Road I could see other packs in the distance and set off in pursuit down Rannoch Drive although I didn't quite manage to catch everybody by the time we got back to the gates. Finished the remaining 5.32 miles in 34:43, average pace 6:32/mile, HR 161. Wore the LunarGlide 2.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:22 (143), 6:46 (158), 6:30 (157), 6:23 (172), 5:44 (178), 6:07 (177)
HR zones: 0.7%, 3.7%, 43.4%, 48.2%, 4.0%

Wednesday 13 October 2010

3.3 miles easy

Went out in the evening for a few easy miles via Cowcaddens and Queen Margaret Drive. 3.28 miles in 24:30, average pace 7:29/mile, HR 136.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:44 (127), 7:20 (140), 7:28 (141), 7:07 (142)
HR zones: 3.5%, 53.9%, 42.6%, 0%, 0%

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Long reps

The club session was long reps which suited me fine. It looks like the last time I took part was last November. Wore the LunarGlide 2. The session was 6x1K on the other side of Switchback Road, supposedly with a 5-minute turnaround although nobody seemed to be timing it. As usual for a Tuesday, the fast pack was somewhat depleted, so I had a longer recovery than I might otherwise have had. Felt nauseous during the last two reps. The roads were in poor condition and quite dangerous in the dark.

0.63 miles in 3:36, pace 5:44/mile, HR 160
HR zones: 6.0%, 1.9%, 15.3%, 76.9%, 0%
0.63 miles in 3:31, pace 5:37/mile, HR 163
HR zones: 7.6%, 1.9%, 9.0%, 81.5%, 0%
0.63 miles in 3:33, pace 5:41/mile, HR 167
HR zones: 4.7%, 4.2%, 6.1%, 85.0%, 0%
0.62 miles in 3:33, pace 5:43/mile, HR 167
HR zones: 4.2%, 4.2%, 7.5%, 84.0%, 0%
0.62 miles in 3:32, pace 5:42/mile, HR 169
HR zones: 4.2%, 3.3%, 8.5%, 80.2%, 3.8%
0.63 miles in 3:29, pace 5:33/mile, HR 171
HR zones: 0%, 7.7%, 4.8%, 48.3%, 39.2%

Warm-up was 0.54 miles, warm-down 0.9, total distance 5.18 miles.

Monday 11 October 2010

3.2 miles easy

Ran a lap of the old club 5-mile championship course from Bearsden Asda. 3.21 miles in 23:55, average pace 7:27/mile, HR 146. HR readings look dubious, chest strap may have been too loose.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:58 (152), 7:23 (144), 7:07 (142), 6:58 (131)
HR zones: 0%, 22.4%, 70.9%, 6.8%, 0%

Sunday 10 October 2010

9.8 miles steady

Finally managed to drag myself out for a longer run in the late afternoon. Aiming for about 10 miles, I headed down towards Cowcaddens and along the canal as far as Dorchester Avenue, down Great Western Road and back onto the canal, this time as far as the fire station, and down Garscube Road to Grovepark Street. Distance was 9.84 miles, time 1:08:52 for a 7:00/mile average, HR 145.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:38 (130), 6:55 (141), 6:48 (144), 6:47 (145), 6:52 (146), 6:57 (150), 6:56 (148), 7:21 (153), 7:05 (148), 6:39 (151)
HR zones: 1.3%, 9.8%, 88.9%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 35 miles

Saturday 9 October 2010

West District XC Relays, 4.8 miles moderate

I wouldn't normally take part in the West District relays but they were at Rouken Glen this year. I was on the final leg for the Vets team and hoped we would be well ahead of the Seniors by that point as I wasn't looking forward to a race with Marco. I took both spikes and trail shoes along and decided to go with the trail shoes. The results showed later that at the start of my leg, we were third vets but only 10 seconds behind the leaders, and we had a 26-second advantage over the Garscube seniors. The course had been chewed up all afternoon and was quite heavy. I made up a few places early on and must have moved into second place at this point, although it was hard to tell whether the other runners were on the final leg or just their second lap. After a sharp right turn I could see Marco a comfortable distance behind, although at the same place on the second lap he was evidently a few seconds closer. By now I was battling a runner from Kirkintilloch Olympians with what I thought might be a Cambuslang Harriers veteran just in front, although it was hard to tell which teams were veterans and which weren't. I was able to maintain my pace OK and would most likely have been fine for another lap, but I couldn't run any faster and lost out along the home straight. It turned out that the Cambuslang Harriers veterans beat us by 5 seconds. I was however third fastest for Garscube on the day, after Joe and John. Time was 15:20, distance around 2.57 miles according to two independent GPS measurements, giving me a 5:58/mile average. Ran a slow lap afterwards to warm down.

After I got home I still seemed to have plenty in reserve so I went out for a run up Maryhill Road, down Shakespeare Street for a loop of Winton Drive and Cleveden Road, and back home up Shakespeare Street and down Garscube Road to Grovepark Street. Wore the adiZero Tempo. Finished the 4.82 miles in 31:43, average pace 6:34/mile, HR 162.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:05 (152), 6:20 (159), 6:32 (166), 6:35 (169), 6:17 (168)
HR zones: 1.4%, 0.6%, 28.6%, 69.4%, 0%

Thursday 7 October 2010

5.9 miles tempo

The club session was a run of about 6 miles down Crow Road and up Clarence Drive, Cleveden Road and Kelvindale Road, easing off for the last mile along Maryhill Road. We took it easy enough for the first few miles, with Saturday's race in mind, but sped up later on. It came out at 5.94 miles, time 40:41 for a 6:51/mile average, HR 162 although I think the chest strap was loose as some of the early readings were improbably high for such a slow pace.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:59 (158), 6:59 (160), 6:42 (158), 6:45 (162), 6:09 (173), 6:31 (165)
HR zones: 0.5%, 1.3%, 35.6%, 61.5%, 1.1%

Wednesday 6 October 2010

5.1 miles steady

Went on an easier run via Cowcaddens, Cleveden Road, Winton Drive, Shakespeare Street and Garscube Road to Grovepark Street. 5.08 miles in 36:17, average pace 7:09/mile, HR 143.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:19 (128), 7:06 (143), 7:05 (148), 7:15 (147), 6:58 (149)
HR zones: 2.5%, 24.5%, 73.0%, 0%, 0%

Tuesday 5 October 2010

5.1 miles fartlek

Needing to get some leg speed back I took part in the club fartlek session, which took us up Woodvale Avenue, down Boclair Road, through Bearsden Cross and down Drymen Road and Switchback Road to the top gate. Numbers were slightly down for a Tuesday session, possibly due to the early start, so we went out as a single large pack. The average pace was consequently quite slow so I made up for it by putting in a decent effort on the fast sections, recording a maximum HR of 190. Felt quite nauseous after reaching Canniesburn Road but I managed to recover enough for a final sprint along Switchback Road. Wore the LunarGlide 2 for speed, although the uneven pavements were dangerous in places and I was reminded that I don't normally do this type of session in the dark. Total distance was 5.11 miles.

HR zones: 8.3%, 49.6%, 19.7%, 16.8%, 5.6%

Sunday 3 October 2010

8.8 miles moderate

In the afternoon I tried an old route via Great Western Road, Lincoln Avenue, Danes Drive and Clarence Drive which I should normally be able to complete inside an hour. Noticed some hip pain on reaching Balshagray Avenue but it didn't seem too serious. Finished the 8.79 miles in 59:13, average pace 6:44/mile, HR 151.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:12 (129), 6:32 (148), 6:34 (148), 6:36 (153), 6:39 (155), 6:49 (157), 6:58 (158), 6:45 (156), 6:32 (158)
HR zones: 1.8%, 10.1%, 81.8%, 6.4%, 0%
Weekly total: 30 miles

Saturday 2 October 2010

McAndrew relay

Just like last year, I was on the last leg for our Veterans team. Conditions were damp and slightly windy. I decided to give the Newton Motus a try, to see if they worked out better than the adiZero Mana. By the time my leg rolled around we were about a minute behind the two leading vets teams, and a few seconds ahead of the A team. I tried to set off fast but wasn't sure exactly how well I was running as I had deliberately left the Garmin at home. Heading along Anniesland Road, just after Southbrae Drive, there was a pedestrian with the world's largest backpack blocking most of the pavement, apparently oblivious to the race in progress. I tried to attract his attention but eventually decided I could squeeze past him on the right, just as he finally noticed there was somebody behind him and moved to the right, with the result that I crashed right into him. It only cost me a couple of seconds and I was still inside 5:30 at the mile mark, although I only checked my watch after I had already crossed the railway bridge round the corner.

By this point I was gaining on the veteran from Ronhill Cambuslang but the leading Calderglen Harrier was out of sight. Although I was starting to flag a bit by now, I was also overtaking some third leg runners. I finally moved into second place among the Veterans teams on Southbrae Avenue just before the dip, and I finished in 18:08, 53 seconds up on 2009 but 17 seconds down on 2008, which was a fairly predictable but disappointing outcome, albeit the third fastest leg for Garscube on the day. I think I am still short of basic speed since the marathon. 3.25 miles in 18:08, average pace 5:35/mile. Some left hip pain later on but much less than the previous week.