Wednesday 29 February 2012

2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles moderate, 5.3 miles steady

Ran to work in 17:22, average pace 7:04/mile, and back home in 16:10, average pace 6:34/mile. Times were faster than usual because it was dry enough for me to switch from the Lunarglide Shield to the Green Silence. Stretching possibly working as the back pain wasn't getting any worse. In the evening I ran a loop of Maryhill Road, Dorchester Avenue, Great Western Road and Napiershall Street. 5.25 miles in 36:25, average pace 6:57/mile, HR 149.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:28 (137), 6:57 (151), 6:59 (151), 6:45 (153), 6:36 (154), 6:46 (158)
HR zones: 1.2%, 8.2%, 87.6%, 3.0%, 0%

Tuesday 28 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles moderate, 4.6 miles slow

Ran to work in 18:17, average pace 7:26/mile, and back home in 16:35, average pace 6:44/mile. Avoided the club track session on account of back pain and instead ran the usual loop of Hyndland Road and Charing Cross with Natasha. Wore the Skechers Resistance Runners to increase my effort level. 4.63 miles in 38:20, average pace 8:16/mile, HR 125.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:23 (118), 8:18 (124), 8:06 (130), 8:20 (126), 8:13 (128)
HR zones: 15.1%, 82.7%, 2.2%, 0%, 0%

Monday 27 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles easy

Ran to work in 18:24, average pace 7:29/mile, and back home in 17:28, average pace 7:06/mile. On account of back pain I considered having a rest on Monday evening but ended up running the same loop of Manse Road and Canniesburn Toll. 2.47 miles in 18:44, average pace 7:35/mile, HR 135.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:56 (128), 7:22 (140), 7:18 (142)
HR zones: 4.6%, 62.4%, 33.0%, 0%, 0%

Sunday 26 February 2012

3.3 miles slow, 8.3 miles moderate

Ran a slow loop of Shakespeare Street and North Woodside Road in the Skechers Resistance Runners before breakfast. 3.29 miles in 27:46, average pace 8:26/mile, HR 117.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:48 (115), 8:26 (116), 8:04 (119), 8:26 (121)
HR zones: 67.8%, 32.2%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I ran up Maryhill Road to Canniesburn Toll, up Switchback Road and down Bearsden Road to Anniesland Cross, down Great Western Road to Cowcaddens and home via Garscube Road, where I had to pick it up to bring my average pace inside 6:45/mile. Lower back was sore later on. 8.34 miles in 56:11, average pace 6:44/mile, HR 144.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:05 (131), 6:42 (141), 6:34 (149), 6:53 (145), 6:40 (149), 6:45 (149), 6:32 (147), 6:52 (145), 6:21 (149)
HR zones: 2.3%, 10.6%, 86.0%, 1.2%, 0%
Weekly total: 66 miles

Saturday 25 February 2012

4.1 miles slow, 4.1 miles steady

In the morning I ran up Maryhill Road with Natasha, then headed onto the canal from Cowal Road, rejoining Maryhill Road at the fire station. 4.1 miles in 34:24, average pace 8:24/mile, HR 121.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:44 (117), 8:39 (120), 8:18 (123), 7:57 (126), 8:00 (124)
HR zones: 29.4%, 70.6%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the late afternoon I ran a steady loop of Shakespeare Street, Winton Drive and North Woodside Road. 4.1 miles in 28:36, average pace 6:58/mile, HR 136.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:21 (128), 6:44 (133), 7:04 (143), 6:40 (138), 7:31 (145)
HR zones: 2.5%, 66.9%, 30.6%, 0%, 0%

Friday 24 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady

Ran to work in 18:07, average pace 7:22/mile, and back home in 17:10, average pace 6:59/mile.

Thursday 23 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, 7.7 miles hard

Ran to work in 18:28, average pace 7:30/mile, and back home in 17:32, average pace 7:08/mile. Felt short of energy on the way home and quads were slightly numb so I could have done without the club's out-and-back session in the evening, but went along anyway, expecting to blow up. After a 1.23-mile warm-up to the church on Bearsden Road we set off along Great Western Road in the direction of Clydebank, and into a stiff headwind. The fast pack had a better turnout than usual, and I began to fall off the pace after we crossed the canal and was soon well adrift, but after the Drumry Road roundabout I was able to pick it up again. When the 25 minutes were up I had just got to the Boulevard while the fast pack had reached Kilbowie Roundabout. I felt a lot more comfortable on the way back and maintained a decent pace. I was still expecting the rest of the fast pack to whoosh past sooner or later but only Alex overtook me at the retail park. Distance was 7.72 miles in 48:21, average pace 6:16/mile, HR 158, and warm-down was 1.13 miles back to Garscube Estate.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:33 (146), 6:11 (157), 6:42 (157), 6:31 (159), 6:05 (158), 6:08 (161), 6:03 (165), 5:47 (168)
HR zones: 0.5%, 1.6%, 62.6%, 35.3%, 0%

Wednesday 22 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, 4.3 miles easy

Ran to work in 18:08, average pace 7:22/mile, and back home in 17:08, average pace 6:58/mile. In the evening I ran an easy loop of Shakespeare Street, Winton Drive and Napiershall Street. 4.25 miles in 31:24, average pace 7:23/mile, HR 137.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:43 (132), 7:09 (136), 7:42 (140), 6:59 (140), 7:26 (142)
HR zones: 1.9%, 63.9%, 34.2%, 0%, 0%

Tuesday 21 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, hill reps

Ran to work in 18:02, average pace 7:19/mile, and back home in 16:51, average pace 6:51/mile. The club session was hill reps in Westerton, consisting of 6 continuous loops of Crarae Avenue and Murrayfield Drive. Distance was 2.69 miles, max HR 176, plus a total warm-up and warm-down of 2.55 miles.

Monday 20 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles easy

Ran to work in 18:10, average pace 7:23/mile, and back home in 17:29, average pace 7:06/mile. In the evening I ran a loop of Manse Road and Canniesburn Toll in the Skechers Resistance Runners. 2.47 miles in 18:25, average pace 7:27/mile, HR 132.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:55 (130), 7:09 (132), 7:08 (139)
HR zones: 9.2%, 68.3%, 22.4%, 0%, 0%

Sunday 19 February 2012

4.5 miles slow, 6.9 miles steady

Ran a loop of Kelvingrove Park, Yorkhill and Anderston in the morning with Natasha. 4.45 miles in 39:36, average pace 8:54/mile, HR 116.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:54 (119), 8:50 (114), 8:36 (113), 9:15 (118), 8:59 (117)
HR zones: 84.9%, 15.1%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I ran a loop of Garscube Estate, Anniesland Cross and North Woodside Road. 6.93 miles in 48:06, average pace 6:57/mile, HR 138.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:31 (127), 6:59 (135), 6:52 (136), 7:01 (140), 6:49 (140), 6:47 (146), 6:38 (146)
HR zones: 1.7%, 53.8%, 44.6%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 52 miles

Saturday 18 February 2012

National XC Championships

I had never taken part in the Nationals before as the idea of running a long cross-country race just to finish hundred-and-somethingth wasn't particularly appealing, but this year I was talked into it on the premise that we would have a strong enough turnout to push for a place in the top 10 teams. As it turned out, however, some of our key runners were out of action on the day of the race, to the extent that I thought I'd have a good chance of being first Garscube finisher. Natasha was making her cross-country debut, and we had to make a hasty detour to avoid a major traffic jam in the centre of Falkirk, arriving about half an hour before the women's race. The weather was variable with fleeting snow showers but as the start approached I decided a vest and shorts would be fine.

The course for the men's race was 3 convoluted 4K laps of Callendar Park. I got off to a reasonable start, more or less keeping up with my usual rivals, but I found the long muddy hill on the back of the course very hard to climb, even with 12mm spikes, and would lose several places here on each lap. On the corresponding downhill, on the first lap, I managed to fall and land on my knee, but picked myself straight back up, apparently uninjured. There was a difficult riverbed to cross, where I had to hope for the best, and soon after this point on the first lap I had an overwhelming urge to throw in the towel, and probably would have if I hadn't been first for Garscube at that point. I struggled on to the end of the lap, by which time I was starting to feel better, although I realised I hadn't managed to started my watch. The next two laps weren't quite so bad but still hard work. It was hard to tell how far ahead I was of my clubmates, as there are several club vests which look similar to Garscube, and I thought if anybody was catching me I probably wouldn't be able to hold them off, but as I climbed onto the Antonine Wall embankment for the last time I reckoned I was safe enough. I was outsprinted by a Bellahouston Road Runner in the finishing straight, completing the 12K in 47:02, giving me a 6:13/mile average which seems implausibly fast. I finished 116th, and by my calculations I was 20th Vet. Felt utterly fatigued afterwards but recovered much quicker than after the Round Arran Relay.

Thursday 16 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles moderate, 6 miles steady

Ran to work in 18:21, average pace 7:28/mile, and back home in 17:09, average pace 6:58/mile. The club training session was a steady loop of Crow Road, Clarence Drive, Cleveden Road and Cowal Road, with a loop of the warm-up trail to finish. Finally loosened up after Cleveden Road and picked up the pace for the remainder. 6.03 miles in 41:32, average pace 6:53/mile, HR 146.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:51 (126), 7:07 (145), 6:53 (146), 6:55 (150), 6:25 (155), 6:11 (157)
HR zones: 2.5%, 27.7%, 60.2%, 9.6%, 0%

Wednesday 15 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles moderate, 4.2 miles easy

Ran to work in 17:52, average pace 7:16/mile, and back home in 16:23, average pace 6:40/mile. In the evening I ran an easy loop of Shakespeare Street, Winton Drive and Napiershall Street. 4.21 miles in 31:47, average pace 7:33/mile, HR 134.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:08 (125), 7:25 (130), 7:35 (141), 7:02 (138), 7:43 (140)
HR zones: 3.5%, 72.8%, 23.7%, 0%, 0%

Tuesday 14 February 2012

2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles hard

Ran to work in 17:30, average pace 7:07/mile, and back home in 15:48, average pace 6:25/mile and a 16-second improvement on yesterday's PB.

Monday 13 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles moderate, 3.5 miles easy

Ran to work in 18:18, average pace 7:26/mile, and back home in a new PB of 16:04, average pace 6:32/mile. Wore the Brooks Green Silence. In the evening I ran a loop of Mosshead Road and West Chapelton Avenue from Bearsden Asda. 3.47 miles in 26:04, average pace 7:31/mile, HR 139.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:51 (126), 7:50 (140), 7:04 (149), 7:05 (146)
HR zones: 5.1%, 43.2%, 47.3%, 4.4%, 0%

Sunday 12 February 2012

4 miles slow, 11.7 miles steady

In the morning I ran along Great Western Road and down Archerhill Road with Natasha to collect the car. Wore the Skechers Resistance Runners. 3.96 miles in 33:04, average pace 8:21/mile, HR 121.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:26 (117), 8:10 (124), 8:19 (122), 8:27 (123)
HR zones: 28.3%, 71.7%, 0%, 0%, 0%

Went back out in the afternoon to try out my new Brooks Green Silence with a longer run up Great Western Road to the Drumry Road roundabout and back home via Drumchapel Road and Canniesburn Toll. Reached Drumry Road East in slightly over 38 minutes which was an improvement on previous attempts and wasn't too bad at the end of a high-mileage week. Got into a bit of a race at the end to finish inside 1:20. Completed the 11.74 miles in 1:19:49, average pace 6:48/mile, HR 145.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:14 (128), 6:54 (136), 6:52 (139), 6:42 (149), 6:39 (149), 6:49 (158), 6:56 (153), 6:54 (149), 6:44 (144), 6:45 (147), 6:36 (146), 6:24 (147)
HR zones: 1.3%, 20.7%, 72.6%, 5.1%, 0.3%
Weekly total: 69 miles

Saturday 11 February 2012

7.6 miles slow

Went out in the morning with Natasha, intending to run along Great Western Road only as far as Anniesland Cross before turning back on my own, but I felt OK to continue down Crow Road and through Victoria Park, then back home along South Street, alongside the Expressway and through Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park. Wore the Skechers Resistance Runners. I accidentally stopped the Garmin on Balshagray Avenue and only restarted it properly (without noticing my mistake) at the underpass on Castlebank Street, so I thought we had run just over 6 miles and had to piece together the missing data later on. 7.56 miles in 1:04:58, average pace 8:36/mile, HR 124.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:21 (121), 8:24 (124), 8:31 (124), 8:26 (124), 8:28 (124), 8:30 (124), 9:14 (125), 8:59 (126)
HR zones: 10.6%, 89.4%, 0%, 0%, 0%

Friday 10 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady

Ran to work in 18:24, average pace 7:29/mile, and back home in 17:23, average pace 7:04/mile. Felt very short of energy and developed temporary visual disturbances on the way back.

Thursday 9 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, mile reps

Ran to work, wearing the Lunarglide Shield on account of wet condition, in 18:08, average pace 7:22/mile, and back home in 17:28, average pace 7:06/mile. The club session in the evening was 4x1 mile around Crow Road, Anniesland Road and Southbrae Drive, with a short jog/walk recovery between each rep. With no race at the weekend I put in a proper effort and ran from the front. There was a slight headwind on Southbrae Drive which may have slowed me down, along with the sharp turn at Crow Road. Ran through the marked finish each time and waited for the Garmin to register the full mile.

1.01 miles in 5:35, pace 5:33/mile, HR 167
HR zones: 3.9%, 2.4%, 8.1%, 85.7%, 0%
1.01 miles in 5:39, pace 5:36/mile, HR 172
HR zones: 0%, 3.2%, 6.5%, 88.5%, 1.8%
1.01 miles in 5:27, pace 5:25/mile, HR 175
HR zones: 0%, 1.5%, 6.4%, 51.4%, 40.7%
1.00 miles in 5:36, pace 5:35/mile, HR 176
HR zones: 0%, 0%, 6.2%, 47.6%, 46.1%

Warm-up and warm-down were both 1.68 miles, recoveries 0.17, 0.15 and 0.18 miles, total distance 7.89 miles.

Wednesday 8 February 2012

2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles moderate, 4.5 miles slow

Ran to work in 17:25, average pace 7:05/mile, and back home in 16:20, average pace 6:38/mile. In the evening I ran loop of Shakespeare Street, Winton Drive, Beaconsfield Road and Napiershall Street with Natasha. 4.49 miles in 37:41, average pace 8:24/mile, HR 132.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:37 (128), 8:02 (133), 8:53 (131), 8:01 (133), 8:26 (136)
HR zones: 4.9%, 90.8%, 4.3%, 0%, 0%

Tuesday 7 February 2012

2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles moderate, 5.6 miles hard

Ran to work in 17:39, average pace 7:10/mile, and back home in 16:25, average pace 6:40/mile. In the evening I dodged the club's fartlek session and ran a loop of Queen Margaret Drive and Anniesland Cross in the adiZero Tempo. 5.60 miles in 35:55, average pace 6:25/mile, HR 152. Ran 1.05 miles of laps of the car park afterwards to warm down.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:54 (139), 6:38 (148), 6:23 (151), 6:09 (158), 6:32 (161), 5:34 (165)
HR zones: 1.4%, 4.5%, 69.3%, 24.7%, 0%

Monday 6 February 2012

2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles moderate, 2.5 miles easy

Ran to work in 17:39, average pace 7:10/mile, and back home in 16:23, average pace 6:40/mile. In the evening I ran a loop of Manse Road and Canniesburn Toll in the Skechers Resistance Runners. 2.48 miles in 18:34, average pace 7:28/mile, HR 137.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:49 (135), 7:12 (136), 7:20 (142)
HR zones: 1.5%, 61.8%, 36.6%, 0%, 0%

Sunday 5 February 2012

6.5 miles slow, 5.1 miles easy

Went out in the morning for a loop of Anniesland Cross, Crow Road and Kelvingrove Park with Natasha. 6.48 miles in 54:42, average pace 8:27/mile, HR 120.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:41 (112), 8:29 (116), 8:25 (117), 8:15 (124), 8:14 (123), 8:30 (124), 8:36 (125)
HR zones: 42.2%, 57.8%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon, with heavy legs from Saturday's race, I ran an easy loop of Garrioch Road, Winton Drive, Beaconsfield Road and Queen Margaret Drive. 5.09 miles in 38:11, average pace 7:30/mile, HR 129.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:45 (120), 7:36 (123), 7:38 (131), 7:17 (134), 7:14 (136), 7:07 (135)
HR zones: 10.1%, 82.4%, 7.5%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 51 miles

Saturday 4 February 2012

National Masters XC Championships

Took part in this race for the first time. This year it was held in Kilmarnock on a course I knew nothing about, so I took both spikes and trail shoes. It was dry and a few degrees above zero when I left Glasgow, but on my way down the M77 the temperature dropped and it started to rain. The school was easy enough to find, so after sitting in the car for a few minutes to stay dry for as long as possible, I headed inside to get changed. Although registration hadn't closed, for some reason my race number had been separated from the other Garscube numbers and taken up to the course, so I headed up to get it back. After twenty minutes of hanging around, I was on my way back down the school with my number, soaked and hardly able to feel my fingers. It had been cold enough that I went for a long-sleeved top under my vest. Got back to the course and changed into my spikes just in time to line up for the start, and after a minor bit of jostling from the off I settled into a realistic place in the field.

The first short lap took in some fields where the going was heavy on the soaked ground, as well as a couple of muddy paths through woods. In one clearing I thought I should probably be further up the field so I put on a bit of a sprint to make up a few places. The second lap was longer and took us down a steep hill, where I saw somebody up ahead slip so I knew the footing would be tricky, and I did indeed fall on the wet grass, picking myself up only to fall again a few seconds later and slide a long way down the hill. Somebody asked if I was OK as they passed, but I was straight back up, feeling like I might have scraped my thigh but otherwise unharmed. After a long straight and a hairpin turn, we headed back up the same hill where I seemed to find it easier than most and went past four or five people. On the final lap I lost a couple of places squelching round the fields but started the downhill quite gingerly and managed to avoid falling. On the flat at the bottom it occurred to me that I still had quite a lot in the tank but no way of speeding up. Going back uphill I made up another few places, passing runners who had been maybe 50m ahead at the foot of the hill. Slipped on a twisty path through a wood and landed on my knee, but I held on to my position, finishing 26th in 32:07, first for Garscube and 16th M40. I couldn't stop my watch, probably due to water incursion, and it gave up the ghost entirely later on. Didn't go for a warm-down in those conditions, apart from a walk-jog back to the school, and it didn't look like anybody else did either. Average pace for the supposed 8K would be 6:28/mile.

Thursday 2 February 2012

2.5 miles easy, 2.5 miles steady, 5.9 miles moderate

Ran to work in 18:08 (estimated as I missed a few minutes by not restarting my watch properly), average pace 7:22/mile, and back home in 17:01, average pace 6:55/mile. The club training session was a steady run via Anniesland Cross and Queen Margaret Drive, with a loop of the warm-up trail to finish. I was intending to take it easy on account of Saturday's race so ran along Great Western Road talking to John and Nick before the rest of the combined fast pack caught up with us. We picked it up again but I eased off on Maryhill Road after a 6:10 mile which included the climb up Queen Margaret Drive. 5.87 miles in 39:14, average pace 6:41/mile, HR 153.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:52 (139), 6:58 (145), 6:24 (154), 6:10 (164), 6:25 (161), 6:14 (164)
HR zones: 2.8%, 5.1%, 53.8%, 38.3%, 0%

Wednesday 1 February 2012

2x2.5 miles steady

Ran to work in 17:42, average pace 7:12/mile, and back home in 17:02, average pace 6:55/mile.