4.1 miles easy

Ran a loop of Shakespeare Street, Winton Drive and North Woodside Road. Left shin was a minor nuisance. Wore the Saucony Hattori. 4.12 miles in 31:23, average pace 7:37/mile, HR 129. Looks like there were problems with the HR chest strap in a couple of places.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:56 (121), 7:22 (126), 7:41 (134), 7:27 (136), 8:08 (134)
HR zones: 10.1%, 81.7%, 7.9%, 0.3%, 0%

Pyramid reps

The club session was a pyramid at the Scotstoun track: 200m up to 1000m in 200m steps, with a 200m walk/jog recovery. After the 1000m rep I ended up running on my own. Times were 0:35, 1:12, 1:52, 2:33, 3:16, 2:33, 1:53, 1:12, 0:33. No warm-up, ran 4 laps afterwards to warm down. Had sore calves afterwards, left hamstring also tight. Total distance was 5.1 miles.

20.8 miles slow, 2.5 miles easy

Had increasing symptoms of shin splints on my left leg since Thursday and would have been wary of running on Sunday at all, but the situation had improved by Monday morning after stretching my left calf and using an ice pack. Dug the Newton Distance S out of the cupboard and got the train to Balloch with Natasha to run back on the cyclepath as far as Clydebank, and then along the canal to Firhill Road. The shin was a slight nuisance all the way but was eventually eclipsed by other minior aches and pains. 20.77 miles in 3:04:35, average pace 8:53/mile, HR 127. Had some HR strap problems but they went away when I adjusted the strap during mile 5.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:27 (110), 8:25 (127), 8:43 (156), 8:55 (155), 8:25 (129), 9:09 (119), 8:47 (120), 8:54 (116), 8:49 (121), 8:43 (122), 8:55 (122), 8:51 (125), 8:56 (125), 8:51 (125), 8:50 (136), 8:51 (127), 8:54 (127), 9:16 (126), 9:24 (124), 9:24 (123), 9:15 (125)
HR zones: 24.4%, 63.6%, 8.1%, 4.0%, 0%

In the evening I had recovered enough to run the same Bearsden loop as a couple of Mondays ago. The shin was also better than it had been in the morning due to more stretching and icing. 2.52 miles in 19:26, average pace 7:43/mile, HR 128.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:14 (122), 7:34 (131), 7:00 (135)
HR zones: 17.2%, 80.1%, 2.7%, 0%, 0%

5.2 miles slow, 3.1 miles easy, intervals, 4.5 miles slow

Went out in the morning with Natasha for a run along Great Western Road, heading back via Dorchester Avenue and the canal as far as Maryhill Locks. 5.17 miles in 43:20, average pace 8:23/mile, HR 121.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:30 (112), 7:49 (124), 8:26 (124), 8:48 (120), 8:22 (124), 8:36 (124)
HR zones: 33.9%, 66.1%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I headed up to Garscube Estate via the shortest route, with my spikes in a backpack, to run 20 minutes of intervals (3 minutes on, 1 off) on the cricket pitch as the grass football pitch was in use. Ran back down the Kelvin Walkway to Kelvinbridge and home via St George's Road to avoid the football traffic. Migraine symptoms came on towards the end and I felt like I'd overdone it slightly.

3.07 miles in 23:31, average pace 7:39/mile, HR 133
Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:47 (129), 7:36 (135), 7:30 (134)
HR zones: 2.7%, 91.4%, 5.9%, 0%, 0%

3.18 miles in 20:01, average pace 6:18/mile, HR 161, max HR 179
HR zones: 3.0%, 6.2%, 26.5%, 64.3%, 0%

4.52 miles in 37:12, average pace 8:14/mile, HR 141
Pace splits (ave. HR): 9:04 (136), 8:12 (140), 7:42 (142), 8:15 (143), 7:38 (146)
HR zones: 0.8%, 31.9%, 67.4%, 0%, 0%

Weekly total: 46 miles

3.9 miles easy

Ran an easy loop of Shakespeare Street, Cleveden Drive and Napiershall Street. 3.85 miles in 28:49, average pace 7:29/mile, HR 127.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:58 (121), 7:23 (126), 7:14 (133), 7:21 (131)
HR zones: 9.9%, 90.1%, 0%, 0%, 0%

8.6 miles hard

The club out-and-back session was along the canal so I wore the Merrell Trail Glove. After a 0.95-mile warm-up down to Lock 27 I set off with Joe at a decent pace with the intention of managing at least 4 miles and before we had to turn round at 25 minutes. After 2 miles we were 30 seconds per mile ahead of schedule and suspected that by trying to keep up the pace we'd probably not manage to arrive back at Lock 27 in 50 minutes. The towpath after Drumchapel was paved which wasn't ideal for the Trail Glove, but we reached 5K in around 17:50. At 25 minutes we had covered about 4.3 miles, passed the flats beside the canal on the other side of Kilbowie Road and were approaching a couple of bollards on a small hill on the towpath.

On the way back, which was slightly uphill, we dropped a few seconds here and there and got to 10K in about 36:12. I pushed on for the last couple of miles, almost dropping outside 6 minutes for the mile which finished at the Cloberhill Locks, but with not far to go I managed to pick up the pace again, dodging the crowds approaching the finish to arrive 4 seconds early. Jogged the 0.83 miles back to Garscube Estate afterwards to warm down. Evidently had some HR strap problems during miles 3 and 4 but the readings for the other miles look plausible.

8.59 miles in 49:56, average pace 5:49/mile, HR 177
Pace splits (ave. HR): 5:44 (160), 5:46 (175), 5:46 (183), 5:53 (183), 5:57 (176), 5:46 (179), 5:59 (178), 5:43 (181), 5:42 (180)
HR zones: 0.5%, 0.2%, 2.6%, 63.3%, 33.5%

4.7 miles slow

Went out in the evening with Natasha for our usual loop of Hyndland Road and Charing Cross. 4.65 miles in 39:19, average pace 8:28/mile, HR 119. Slight HR glitch on Hyndland Road.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:34 (113), 8:28 (124), 8:13 (120), 8:31 (121), 8:34 (119)
HR zones: 53.2%, 43.3%, 3.2%, 0.3%, 0%

Hill reps

The club's long reps session was around Dawsholm Park so instead I tried out my new Saucony Hattori with 10 hill reps from the railway bridge to the park entrance. Ran back to Garscube Estate via Temple Road and met up with the rest of the club on Dawsholm Road. Total distance including warm-up and warm-down was 6.26 miles, max HR 173.

HR zones: 10.5%, 55.8%, 19.8%, 14.0%, 0%

5 miles easy

After a low-mileage week due to the 5K on Sunday I thought I'd better start getting the miles back in, so ran slightly farther than usual for a Monday evening, heading straight up to Milngavie town centre from Bearsden Asda and onto the West Highland Way. The 2.5-mile point where I turned around was halfway up a short, steep hill on the way to Drumclog Moor. 5.01 miles in 36:35, average pace 7:18/mile, HR 138.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:43 (124), 7:18 (137), 7:23 (141), 7:10 (142), 6:57 (147)
HR zones: 4.1%, 50.3%, 45.1%, 0.4%, 0%

Achilles Heel Bella 5K, 3.4 miles easy

I felt slightly nauseous before the race and thought it would either disappear when I started or I might end up having to drop out. This year I left the Garmin at home so I could run according to how I felt, and my plan was to set out fast and try to hang on. My main goal was to set a decent 5K time ahead of the relays, and I wore the Asics Hyperspeed 4 which I thought would be fine for the shorter distance. I did indeed feel a lot better after the race started and got to the 1K marker in 3:07, moving into 5th place shortly afterwards. The fast pace became less comfortable running into the wind towards the 2K marker, where I think I was around 6:28, and I soon lost a place and felt myself slowing as I battled the wind and then headed up a hill.

I reached 3K at 9:58, and after heading downhill and turning onto Mosspark Boulevard I could see there was a reasonable gap back to 7th. I thought I might be in with a chance of the Vets prize, and probably concentrated more on maintaining the gap rather than getting into a race for 5th place. Picked it up slightly in the finishing straight when I saw the clock ticking towards 16:30, and finished in 16:34 (although I made it 16:33) for a 5:20/mile average and apparently my fastest 5K since 2003, just edging out a gun time of 16:35 from the 2008 JogScotland 5K. As it turned out, I had indeed won the Vets prize.

Afterwards I ran a hilly 1.02-mile loop in Bellahouston Park to warm down. If the 5K had been in the morning as usual I might have run a longer distance in the afternoon, but after I got home I went out for the usual loop of Shakespeare Street and Napiershall Street, which this time came out at 3.37 miles in 25:45, average pace 7:39/mile, HR 142.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:05 (135), 7:39 (142), 7:16 (147), 7:32 (149)
HR zones: 2.3%, 30.2%, 67.4%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 28 miles

3.4 miles steady

Ran an easy loop of Shakespeare Street and Napiershall Street before taking a rest day. 3.35 miles in 23:50, average pace 7:06/mile, HR 138.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:34 (128), 7:05 (137), 6:48 (145), 6:45 (152)
HR zones: 3.6%, 56.2%, 40.1%, 0%, 0%

4.8 miles moderate

Dodged the club's cross-country handicap race and didn't actually feel like going out for a run at all, but I eventually opted for a loop of Cleveden Road and North Woodside Road which I hadn't run in over a year. Wore the adiZero Tempo. Once I got out I felt quite light and it went better than expected, to the extent that I tried to ease off a few times. HR readings look implausibly high. 4.76 miles in 30:48, average pace 6:28/mile, HR 163.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:51 (157), 6:21 (163), 6:32 (163), 6:15 (166), 6:20 (167)
HR zones: 1.7%, 0.8%, 33.6%, 58.7%, 5.1%

4.5 miles slow

Went out in the evening with Natasha for one of our usual routes through Kelvingrove Park and along the river. Felt somewhat the worse for wear. We incorporated a mini-fartlek session into the third mile. 4.46 miles in 39:11, average pace 8:48/mile, HR 121.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:45 (117), 9:04 (117), 8:19 (123), 9:09 (129), 8:34 (127)
HR zones: 38.6%, 61.4%, 0%, 0%, 0%

Hill reps

The club training session was hill reps on the usual two hills in Westerton. The fast pack was heavily depleted so I had quite a long recovery and consequently tried to push harder on the longer hill. Distance was 2.71 miles plus 2.46 miles total warm-up and warm-down. Max HR was 172.

HR zones: 10.5%, 43.6%, 34.1%, 11.8%, 0%

2.5 miles slow

Ran the same loop of Bearsden as three weeks ago. Sore quads, probably due to running down the hills in Garscube Estate yesterday. 2.53 miles in 19:52, average pace 7:51/mile, HR 122.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:12 (118), 7:42 (125), 7:30 (126)
HR zones: 29.9%, 70.1%, 0%, 0%, 0%

3.5 miles slow, 16.2 miles steady

Went out in the morning with Natasha for a loop of Grovepark Street, Shakespeare Street and Napiershall Street. 3.54 miles in 30:58, average pace 8:45/mile, HR 117.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 9:14 (114), 8:12 (119), 8:42 (119), 8:55 (119)
HR zones: 67.0%, 33.0%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I intended to run about 16 miles and headed up to Garscube Estate via Grovepark Street to run 8 figure-of-8 loops, each being just under 1.3 miles. I felt OK at around 8 miles and picked it up a bit. I was running a steady enough pace but the mile splits varied according to whether that particular mile was mostly uphill or downhill. Finished the 16.22 miles in 1:56:56, average pace 7:13/mile, HR 140. Ran the usual 0.41-mile warm-down afterwards.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:40 (125), 7:21 (132), 7:20 (132), 7:23 (135), 7:30 (136), 7:30 (135), 7:21 (139), 7:07 (144), 7:01 (143), 7:07 (144), 6:59 (145), 6:52 (146), 7:02 (147), 7:06 (149), 7:04 (147), 7:02 (146), 6:46 (145)
HR zones: 1.0%, 42.2%, 56.9%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 53 miles

3.9 miles slow, 2 x 2.8 miles slow, intervals

Went out in the morning for a loop of Grovepark Street, Ruchill Park, Garrioch Road and Napiershall Street. 3.92 miles in 30:36, average pace 7:48/mile, HR 139.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:29 (128), 7:35 (135), 7:29 (146), 7:38 (147)
HR zones: 8.3%, 42.5%, 46.2%, 3.1%

In the afternoon I ran up to Garscube Estate by the shortest route, with my cross country spikes in a backpack for 20 minutes of intervals (3 minutes on, 1 off) around the edge of the grass football pitch. Ran back down the road afterwards.

2.82 miles in 22:06, average pace 7:51/mile, HR 131
Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:04 (129), 7:50 (133), 7:35 (133)
HR zones: 3.9%, 91.4%, 4.7%, 0%, 0%

3.14 miles in 20:01, average pace 6:23/mile, HR 162, max HR 178
HR zones: 1.1%, 4.0%, 30.3%, 64.6%, 0%

2.81 miles in 22:29, average pace 8:00/mile, HR 140
Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:16 (139), 8:03 (140), 7:36 (142)
HR zones: 1.3%, 31.8%, 66.9%, 0%, 0%

2.9 miles easy, 5.6 miles tempo, 2.7 miles slow

The scheduled cross-country handicap race had been cancelled due to flooding and replaced with a steady run, so I headed up to Garscube Estate by the shortest route and arrived just in time to join up with an amalgamation of the faster packs. Wore the adiZero Tempo. 2.90 miles in 20:47, average pace 7:10/mile, HR 140.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:10 (133), 7:04 (140), 7:16 (147)
HR zones: 2.6%, 47.9%, 47.2%, 2.3%, 0%

The route took us up Milngavie Road, over Mosshead Road and back down Drymen Road. John picked up the pace approaching Kessington Road so I tagged along as it became a tempo session which finished at Canniesburn Toll. 4.87 miles in 30:48, average pace 6:20/mile, HR 163.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:33 (144), 6:27 (160), 6:17 (167), 5:48 (174), 5:26 (178)
HR zones: 0%, 7.1%, 27.2%, 60.1%, 5.6%

We ran the 0.71 miles back to Garscube Estate in 4:51, at an easier pace which turned out to be 6:51/mile, HR 159.

HR zones: 0%, 0%, 53.3%, 46.7%, 0%

Ran the 2.74 miles back down the road afterwards at recovery pace. Time was 22:48, average pace 8:19/mile, HR 139.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:35 (138), 8:16 (140), 8:00 (140)
HR zones: 1.5%, 43.2%, 55.3%, 0%, 0%

4.7 miles slow

Ran the usual loop of Hyndland Road and Charing Cross with Natasha. 4.68 miles in 40:35, average pace 8:40/mile, HR 119.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:30 (115), 8:35 (119), 8:40 (116), 8:55 (121), 8:42 (123)
HR zones: 54.9%, 45.1%, 0%, 0%, 0%

Mixed reps

I did nothing on Monday to recover from the half marathon, and my blisters didn't look too serious, so I went along to the club's mixed reps session intending to take it fairly easy. We ran a 0.93-mile warm-up to the business park on the other side of Maryhill Road and then ran 10 1-minute reps with a 30-second recovery. I timed them as one continuous run, stopping my Garmin for the recovery. I managed to put in a reasonable effort after all and felt nauseous from about halfway. Legs felt quite heavy although I was still managing the same distance on the outbound reps as in April. Max HR was 182.

2.43 miles in 12:10, average pace 5:01/mile, HR 164
HR zones: 2.2%, 1.6%, 26.7%, 64.5%, 4.9%

Afterwards we jogged 0.38 miles back to run 10 minutes of shuttle runs in a car park, just like in April, although I didn't try very hard.

0.67 miles in 3:30, average pace 5:14/mile, HR 138
HR zones: 2.9%, 37.6%, 59.5%, 0%, 0%

Jogged the 0.54 miles back to Garscube Estate afterwards.

Helensburgh Half Marathon

I was still suffering from some kind of respiratory infection which had come on after the Arran relay but was hopeful of posting a decent time based on my Polaroid 10K results. My plan was to run about 5:50/mile for as long as I could. It was cool with light rain and not much wind, so good conditions for racing. I went through the first mile in just over 6:00, which seemed too slow, and somebody's Garmin beeped for the mile split even though we were just behind the chasing pack. I reached the second mile marker back on track at 13:40, feeling terrible, although I expected to feel better after maybe 4 miles or so. I didn't, but at that point I was in 6th place. I was 30 seconds ahead of my 6:00/mile fallback pace as we headed back down the hill towards Helensburgh, although I had lost a couple of places by that point.

By the time we got back to the town I was holding onto 10th place with little prospect of overtaking sufficient Bellahouston Road Runners for us to win the team prize, and my margin of error for sub-6 minute miles was gradually disappearing. It occurred to me more than once to ease off or even just stop. Between 8 and 9 miles I felt a little better, and with a secondary goal of sub-60 minutes at 10 miles, I managed to pick up the pace and move briefly into 9th before being overtaken again, although I got to 10 miles at 59:58. The next mile went by in 6:04 which meant I had fallen slightly outside a 6:00/mile average. I lost some more time and another place on the last significant hill, but with some fast finishers not too far behind I held it together in the last mile to finish in 1:18:56 for an average pace of 6:02/mile. This was still my fastest half marathon as a V40 and several minutes up on my time from the Great Scottish Run, but I felt like I should have done much better. I was third finisher for Garscube, and we ended up second team.

3.9 miles fartlek

I went out in the evening for a steady run and decided to make it into a mini-fartlek by sprinting from one lamp post to the next, every four lamp posts or so. This dragged my average pace down significantly for very little effort. Route was a loop of Garrioch Street and North Woodside Road, starting via Grovepark Street and finishing via Grovepark Gardens. HR looks too high which may be due to chest strap problems. 3.85 miles in 27:15, average pace 7:04/mile, HR 154.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:28 (140), 6:49 (158), 6:57 (153), 7:04 (166)
HR zones: 3.4%, 17.8%, 40.7%, 34.8%, 3.3%

7 miles steady

The club training session was cancelled in favour of the Garscube Gallop 5K in Dawsholm Park, so instead I met up with Joe at Garscube Estate for an steady loop of St George's Cross and Anniesland Cross. Eased off in the last mile when we met up with some of our clubmates returning from the race. 7 miles in 49:42, average pace 7:06/mile, HR 140.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:24 (127), 7:04 (137), 6:41 (141), 6:52 (147), 6:49 (147), 7:00 (146), 7:51 (140)
HR zones: 2.0%, 35.3%, 62.7%, 0%, 0%

4.7 miles slow

Went out in the evening with Natasha for our usual loop of Hyndland Road and Charing Cross. 4.65 miles in 39:08, average pace 8:25/mile, HR 121.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:32 (116), 8:15 (124), 8:24 (120), 8:26 (123), 8:32 (123)
HR zones: 31.3%, 68.7%, 0%, 0%, 0%

Hill reps

Dodged the club's medium reps on the grass in Dawsholm Park and instead ran 8 reps of the hill from the railway bridge up to the park entrance, after a warm-up from Garscube Estate. 3.82 miles in total, max HR 168. Afterwards I ran the 1.31 miles back through the park, over the Kelvin and along the cyclepath to warm down.

3.2 miles easy

Ran a lap of the old club 5-mile championship course from Bearsden Asda. 3.2 miles in 23:44, average pace 7:25/mile, HR 132.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:50 (122), 7:21 (135), 7:11 (139), 6:55 (132)
HR zones: 10.3%, 67.3%, 22.4%, 0%, 0%