Gym

Still unable to run, I went back to the gym for 5x3 minutes on the elliptical trainer with a 1-5-9-5-1 work level pattern on the "mountain" course, and a break of a couple of minutes between reps. Felt slightly nauseous for a good half hour afterwards.

Gym

Went to the gym to use the elliptical trainer. I set it to "intervals" for 20 minutes and held onto the hand grips but had to stop for a break every 3 minutes or so. Unlike aquajogging, it felt like a proper workout.

Aquajogging

In expectation of not being able to run for a while, I got a Speedo Hydro Belt and tried it out at the swimming baths for about an hour in the afternoon. It took a while to find a reasonable technique and even then I felt like I couldn't couldn't get my heart rate very high, although I had a bit of trouble walking after getting out of the pool.

4.1 miles easy

Seemed to be no worse off after Saturday's race so I ran down to Cowcaddens and along the canal to Shakespeare Street, heading home via Grovepark Street. Wore the Skechers GOrun. Shin was a nuisance all the way and a lot worse later. Finished the 4.06 miles in 27:45, average pace 6:50/mile, HR 148.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:32 (133), 6:44 (150), 6:32 (154), 6:34 (158)
HR zones: 3.3%, 12.8%, 74.6%, 9.3%, 0%
Weekly total: 16 miles

George Cummings relay

I had decided I should be able to run as long as I didn't try to warm up, and just like last year, I was on the third leg for a depleted A team. Set off with a few runners not far in front of me and soon made up three places. On the uphill side of the course there was a bit of a headwind which slowed me down, but I made up a couple more places to pull us up from 20th to 14th, finishing in 14:50, the fastest time for Garscube on the day, albeit my slowest since 2006.

6.4 miles tempo

Felt just about OK to take part in the club's tempo session in advance of the George Cummings relay, and I thought if I couldn't run then I probably wouldn't have been able to take part on Saturday either. Wore the Skechers GOrun. We headed out the top gate for a loop of the McAndrew course. The tempo section felt like hard work but when I saw the first complete mile split was a respectable 5:44 I backed off a bit. Couldn't hang about afterwards in case I was unable to get moving again, so jogged straight back to Garscube Estate. Max HR of 186 again looks too high. 6.40 miles in 45:11, average pace 7:04, HR 160.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:34 (138), 6:31 (151), 5:44 (178), 6:21 (179), 6:53 (175), 8:51 (152), 8:20 (145)
HR zones: 0.6%, 10.3%, 44.0%, 29.8%, 15.4%

Intervals

I dodged the club's timed run due to injury concerns and instead ran 20 minutes of intervals (3 minutes on, 2 minutes off) on the grass football pitch. Possibly went off too fast on the first one as the session was a real struggle and I had to shorten it from the planned 30 minutes. HR supposedly peaked at 187, which looks dubious.

3.08 miles in 20:01, average pace 6:30/mile, HR 162
HR zones: 2.3%, 10.7%, 27.7%, 35.6%, 23.6%

4.6 miles slow

Ran the usual loop of Hyndland Road and Charing Cross with Natasha. 4.63 miles in 36:53, average pace 7:58/mile, HR 143. Chest strap felt loose so HR readings are suspect.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:56 (151), 7:57 (136), 7:42 (147), 8:07 (143), 8:14 (139)
HR zones: 2.1%, 37.1%, 51.5%, 9.4%, 0%
Weekly total: 13 miles

8.6 miles slow

Took a couple of buses to Presidio with Natasha and set off from the corner of Letterman Drive and Lincoln Boulevard in the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Lincoln Boulevard turned out to be a construction site and after a lot of wasted time we were directed back to Halleck Street and continued along Mason Street, following the cyclepath up to the bridge, which was shrouded in fog. Didn't make it all the way across as it was closed at the far end for more construction work, with no indication of this until we reached a locked gate. Headed back via the Bay Trail. 8.63 miles in 1:18:49, average pace 9:08.

Pace splits: 9:37, 9:57, 8:46, 9:45, 8:48, 8:28, 9:01, 8:33, 9:19

6.3 miles slow

Took the metro with Natasha to Hollywood/Vine this time and set off from Franklin Avenue in the direction of the Hollywood sign, up Beachwood Drive and then Ledgewood Drive for more twisty hills, before heading back down and returning to the hotel via Franklin Avenue, Western Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard, Alexandria Avenue and Sunset Boulevard. 6.27 miles in 58:17, average pace 9:17/mile.

Pace splits: 9:39, 10:26, 9:43, 8:38, 8:48, 8:43, 8:31
Weekly total: 26 miles

8 miles slow

Took the metro to Hollywood/Highland and set off from the junction of Highland and Franklin for a run in the Hollywood Hills with Natasha, heading up Highland Avenue, where we eventually ran out of pavement, onto Mulholland Drive and up some very steep hills. Drivers were giving us more room on the twisty roads than I would have expected. Ran back down Nichols Canyon Road and along Hollywood Boulevard to the metro station. Didn't spot any celebrities. The distance didn't look that far on the map but came out at 7.96 miles due to the twisty roads. Time was 1:17:49, average pace 9:46/mile.

Pace splits: 9:20, 11:25, 11:04, 10:16, 9:40, 8:41, 8:51, 8:51

2.7 miles slow

Ran a shorter loop on the south side of Central Park with Natasha, plus a 0.4-mile jog from the hotel to the West 77th Street entrance, and back again afterwards. 2.69 miles in 22:19, average pace 8:17/mile.

Pace splits: 8:18, 8:07, 8:29

3 miles slow

Ran a loop of the reservoir in Central Park with Natasha, starting from the West 77th Street entrance, after jogging the 0.4 miles from the hotel. 3 miles exactly in 25:43, average pace 8:34/mile.

Pace splits: 8:55, 8:16, 8:31

4.9 miles slow

Ran a convoluted route within Central Park, including a lap of the reservoir, with Natasha before breakfast. 4.93 miles in 43:10, average pace 8:45/mile, plus a 0.4-mile jog from the hotel, unmeasured because the Garmin would never have picked up a GPS signal.

Pace splits: 9:03, 8:46, 8:51, 8:24, 8:40

7.1 miles tempo

The club training session was a choice between a tempo run over 5 or 7 miles. I intended to run the longer route and didn't realise the large group I saw heading for the top gate consisted of everybody who was running the 7 miles, so I set off late and didn't catch them up until the railway bridge. Left shin was a cause for concern so I wore the adiZero Tempo as a compromise between cushioning and speed, but it turned out that nobody was really pushing the pace so close to the Great Scottish Run. Along Anniesland Road there was a dispute within the combined fast pack about what the correct route was, and only three of us headed down to the junction with Danes Drive. Ran the loop at a comfortable pace, only really picking it up when we headed up Anniesland Road for the second time, to finish the tempo section at the junction with Knightswood Road, where we turned round to jog back to Garscube Estate. Some of the rest of the group appeared from Fulton Street which explained why we hadn't at least passed them coming back down Anniesland Road. Definite shin splints problem afterwards. HR readings look too high so strap probably needs adjusted again.

5.38 miles in 35:22, average pace 6:35/mile, HR 160
Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:41 (143), 6:54 (155), 6:37 (159), 6:24 (168), 6:30 (170), 5:58 (172)
HR zones: 0.9%, 5.2%, 35.4%, 56.4%, 2.1%

1.68 miles in 13:09, average pace 7:49/mile, HR 150
Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:49 (153), 7:48 (146)
HR zones: 0.0%, 10.3%, 78.5%, 11.3%, 0%
Weekly total: 40 miles