2.5 miles easy, 5.3 miles moderate

Ran the Queen Margaret Drive route before breakfast, completing the 2.51 miles in 19:20 for a 7:43/mile average, HR 130. It took me about half a mile to be able to move properly.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:18 (124), 7:28 (131), 7:03 (140)
HR zones: 5.3%, 84.7%, 10.0%, 0%, 0%

Had terrible hip and lower back tightness during the day but I was able to run through it in the evening, when I had another go at a longer route via Clober Road and Craigton Road from Bearsden Asda, wary of the fact that I had probably set my shin splints recovery back a couple of weeks last time I tried it. This time I felt like I was making decent progress on the long climb up Craigton Road, and I maintained a reasonable pace for the last few miles with only some minor hip pain. Finished the 5.34 miles in 35:38, average pace 6:40/mile, HR 152.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:07 (140), 6:56 (150), 6:42 (155), 6:21 (154), 6:22 (157), 6:20 (161)
HR zones: 1.4%, 6.3%, 81.5%, 10.9%, 0%

3.3 miles slow, 7 miles steady

Went out in the morning with Natasha for our usual West End route. Natasha had stitch trouble so we cut it a bit short, heading home via North Woodside Road instead of Napiershall Street. This made it 3.26 miles in 27:31, average pace 8:27/mile, HR 131.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:23 (126), 8:05 (141), 8:48 (129), 8:41 (126)
HR zones: 15.0%, 62.6%, 21.4%, 1.0%, 0%

In the afternoon I ran up the canal towards Bishopbriggs for 3.5 miles before turning round. 7.04 miles in 50:40, average pace 7:12/mile, HR 144.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:37 (137), 7:19 (145), 7:08 (144), 7:09 (144), 7:13 (144), 7:07 (147), 6:53 (147)
HR zones: 1.0%, 6.6%, 92.4%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 51 miles

2.5 miles easy, 4.3 miles steady

Went out in the morning for the same route as on Friday morning, this time a bit faster at 18:15 for the 2.48 miles, average pace 7:22/mile. On Great Western Road I noticed that although I felt absolutely fine, my heart rate was supposedly 181, so I stopped for a couple of seconds to check and decided a loose chest strap was causing the high readings. Later on I discovered a small, round bruise on the inner side of my painful shin, which suggests to me that it's almost back to normal, based on experience with a pulled hamstring several years back.

Pace splits: 7:47, 7:07, 7:01

In the afternoon I just needed a few more miles to put me within easy reach of 50 for the week, so I headed down North Woodside Road, down to Cowcaddens and up the steps onto the towpath. The fence blocking the path at the fire station had been taken down but after a couple of hundred metres it turned out that the towpath was still closed, so I turned round and headed back home. Finished the 4.27 miles in 29:53, average pace 7:00/mile. HR data was unusable again.

Pace splits: 7:41, 7:12, 6:44, 6:39, 6:07

2.5 miles easy, 5.5 miles moderate

Got up early enough to get a couple more miles in before breakfast. Ran the 2.48 miles of the Queen Margaret Drive route in 18:59, average pace 7:39/mile, HR 135.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:07 (129), 7:25 (140), 7:12 (138)
HR zones: 4.9%, 69.9%, 21.7%, 3.5%, 0%

In the evening I ran up Garscube Road and onto the canal at Shakespeare Street, following the towpath as far as Dorchester Avenue, then back home via Great Western Road and North Woodside Road. Finished the 5.54 miles in 36:44, average pace 6:38/mile, HR 148.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:04 (134), 6:37 (147), 6:45 (148), 6:39 (149), 6:13 (157), 6:19 (160)
HR zones: 2.0%, 8.3%, 83.5%, 6.3%, 0%

3.4 miles steady, 8.2 miles steady

Managed to get up early enough to run my usual West End route before breakfast. Seemed to go OK and finished the 3.35 miles in 23:55, average pace 7:08/mile, HR 140.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:36 (134), 6:54 (143), 6:58 (143), 6:57 (148)
HR zones: 3.5%, 30.9%, 65.6%, 0%, 0%

In the early evening I ran a route I expected to be somewhere between 7 and 8 miles - along Great Western Road to Anniesland Cross, all the way down Crow Road, down Rosevale Street and along the cyclepath to the city centre where I had to pop into the office to collect the pizza I had forgotten to take home. Shin was playing up a bit in places and I didn't manage to pick the pace back up after I stopped, although I recovered not too badly and could bounce on the sore leg without any trouble later on. The total distance came out at 8.17 miles, time 55:31 for a 6:48/mile average, HR 154.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:12 (135), 6:43 (151), 6:39 (153), 6:39 (156), 6:30 (159), 6:54 (163), 6:54 (154), 6:56 (160), 6:22 (165)
HR zones: 1.3%, 8.6%, 59.5%, 30.6%, 0%

4 miles steady

Ran the same route as on Saturday afternoon, this time in the Distance S. Felt pretty slow and finished the 3.99 miles in 27:42, average pace 6:56/mile, HR 142.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:24 (133), 6:46 (145), 6:42 (145), 6:53 (145)
HR zones: 2.8%, 15.7%, 81.5%, 0%, 0%

5.9 miles moderate

Dodged the club's paarlauf session and ran a few miles from Garscube Estate on my own instead, down Maryhill Road and Garrioch Road, up Shakespeare Street, down Queen Margaret Drive, along Great Western Road to Anniesland Cross, and back up Crow Road. Felt quite sluggish to begin with but started posting some decent splits after the first mile or so. After Dorchester Avenue I bumped into Gavin Harvie and ran with him as far as Lock 27. The final mile split was fairly encouraging as it included the climb up Bearsden Road to the top gate. Got back to Garscube Estate in 39:21 for the 5.94 miles, average pace 6:38/mile, HR 152.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:15 (137), 6:40 (148), 6:31 (152), 6:28 (156), 6:46 (155), 6:05 (165)
HR zones: 1.6%, 5.5%, 76.4%, 16.6%, 0%.

4.1 miles steady

Ran a different route from Bearsden Asda, over Mosshead Road, down Drymen Road to Canniesburn Toll and back up Milngavie Road. Felt quite fatigued and the faster miles later on were only because they were mostly downhill. Finished the 4.08 miles in 28:02, average pace 6:52/mile, HR 148.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:32 (136), 7:01 (151), 6:24 (151), 6:30 (154)
HR zones: 2.4%, 9.3%, 86.9%, 1.4%, 0%

2.5 miles easy, 3.6 miles slow, 6 miles

Went out first thing for a loop of Queen Margaret Drive and North Woodside Road, 2.49 miles in 18:27, average pace 7:25/mile, HR 138. It went not too badly so I might consider trying to go out a couple of mornings this week as I attempt to build up my mileage.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:49 (131), 7:09 (142), 7:09 (148)
HR zones: 4.6%, 39.0%, 56.4%, 0%, 0%

Natasha felt like going for a run about half an hour later and I thought I had recovered well enough to give it a try. We ran the same route as last Saturday morning, although we were a bit slower this time on the climb up to Ruchill Park. 3.61 miles in 30:57, 8:34/mile, HR 126.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 9:42 (125), 8:08 (127), 8:02 (126), 8:19 (125)
HR zones: 13.3%, 85.2%, 1.5%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I ran an old route up Firhill Road and through Ruchill Park again, up Balmore Road, along Skirsa Street, down the footpath to Summerston Station and back down Maryhill Road, finishing the 6.03 miles in 41:47 for a 6:56/mile average, HR 150.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:43 (142), 6:50 (149), 6:47 (150), 6:41 (153), 6:51 (155), 6:42 (154)
HR zones: 1.7%, 5.5%, 91.1%, 1.7%, 0%
Weekly total: 44 miles

4 miles moderate

Didn't feel like doing anything at all but finally managed to drag myself out in the late afternoon for the same canal and Queen Margaret Drive route as the previous Saturday afternoon. This time I completed the 3.97 miles in 26:35, average pace 6:42/mile, HR 154.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:16 (139), 6:35 (157), 6:35 (157), 6:22 (163)
HR zones: 2.6%, 9.7%, 67.2%, 20.6%, 0%

3.2 miles steady

Ran my Garnethill route from a couple of Wednesday ago, this time in the Newton Distance S. Heavy legs made it a bit of a struggle but sore quads were finally more noticeable than shin pain. Finished the 3.18 miles in 22:49, average pace 7:10/mile, HR 142.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:30 (130), 7:05 (145), 7:01 (150), 6:35 (152)
HR zones: 2.5%, 31.1%, 66.4%, 0%, 0%

6.9 miles steady

Ran my usual 7-mile route via Garscube Estate in the early evening, again in the Vomeros. It came out at 6.94 miles, time 47:59 for a 6:55/mile average, HR 154.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:28 (136), 6:54 (151), 6:43 (154), 6:55 (159), 6:51 (158), 6:44 (162), 6:49 (162)
HR zones: 1.2%, 6.3%, 60.6%, 31.9%, 0%

4.1 miles steady

Ran my usual Cowcaddens - Great Western Road - Kirklee Road route, legs quite heavy from the previous evening's session. Also some shin tightness. Reported mileage of 4.21 seemed on the high side compared to previous attempts, so I edited the GPS trail to straighten it out a bit. Time was 28:21, adjusted distance 4.11 miles, average pace 6:53/mile, HR 148.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:14 (137), 6:57 (150), 6:44 (153), 6:40 (154), 6:37 (154)
HR zones: 1.9%, 12.5%, 85.6%, 0%, 0%

6.2 miles moderate

The club training session was an out-and-back so I thought I'd give it a try, wearing the Vomeros again. The route took us around the warm-up trail and down the Kelvin Walkway for 20 minutes. There was a small fast pack which set off at a comfortable enough pace before speeding up a bit, mindful of the fact that the way back would be broadly uphill. We were only a few metres short of Kelvinbridge when we had to turn round. I only fell off the pace in the last mile and eased off a bit more near the end to finish almost on schedule, 39:51 for 6.17 miles, 6:27/mile average, HR 164. Had a few fleeting shin pains but was otherwise OK.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:46 (148), 6:23 (161), 6:21 (162), 6:14 (166), 6:27 (171), 6:32 (172), 6:31 (171)
HR zones: 0.3%, 1.0%, 20.9%, 77.8%, 0%