6.1 miles easy

Ran up Baird's Brae and along the canal to Dorchester Avenue, then back home via North Woodside Road. Found it hard to get moving, Polaroid series looking doubtful. 6.06 miles in 46:41, average pace 7:42/mile.

Pace splits: 8:03, 7:28, 7:34, 7:48, 7:45, 7:31
Weekly total: 25 miles

3.4 miles hard

Ran a loop of Shakespeare Street and Napiershall Street, managing my first mile inside 6 minutes since the end of March. 3.35 miles in 21:01, average pace 6:17/mile. Still some left leg tightness.

Pace splits: 6:55, 6:01, 5:57, 6:10

9 miles steady

Went for a longer run in in the south-east of Minsk, heading down Dolgobrodskaya and Partizanskiy before turning onto Radialnaya with the intention of running a large loop. I had memorised the route and remembered I had to turn left at a roundabout at the end of Radialnaya, but I turned left one roundabout too early and didn't notice because I had expected to cross a railway line on the way home, and there was by chance another railway line crossing Vaupshasova which hadn't been shown on my map. It was only when I reached the Traktor Stadium that I realised I was heading in completely the wrong direction. Deduced from the position of the sun in the sky that I was facing south-west, so I turned round and took the next left onto what turned out to be Dolgobrodskaya, and I soon recognised the MAZ factory and just headed back the way I had come, fighting a minor battle towards the end to maintain an average pace inside 7-minute miles. Exactly 9 miles in 1:02:48, average pace 6:58/mile.

Pace splits: 7:04, 6:51, 6:46, 6:54, 6:46, 6:56, 7:11, 7:16, 7:02

6.4 miles slow

Ran down to the park with Natasha and along the river to Park Pobedy, then back home along Masherova and Krasnozvednaya. 6.40 miles in 55:04, average pace 8:37/mile.

Pace splits: 8:38, 8:25, 8:35, 8:46, 8:37, 8:32, 8:52

11.8 miles steady

Went out for a longer run down to the park and along the Svisloch for 6 miles, by which time I had just about reached the football pitches. The path was in much better condition than I remembered. Managed to pick up the pace for a few miles on the way back, but after I had to wait to cross Yanki Kupaly my leg had tightened up and it was hard to get moving again. Accidentally took a shorter route home after leaving the park but didn't feel like running the extra distance to make it up to 12 miles. 11.84 miles in 1:23:13, average pace 7:02/mile.

Pace splits: 7:24, 7:00, 6:51, 6:58, 7:01, 7:03, 6:42, 6:47, 6:46, 6:48, 7:21, 7:44
Weekly total: 27 miles

4.3 miles slow

Ran down to Park Gorkovo with Natasha, where we followed the Svisloch as far as Bogdanovicha before heading back. 4.32 miles in 36:48, average pace 8:31/mile.

Pace splits: 8:22, 8:11, 8:29, 8:49, 9:15

8 miles steady

Ran along Platonova and up Surganova, then along Prospekt Nezavisimosti to Borisovskiy Trakt metro station before heading back. 8.01 miles in 55:33, average pace 6:56/mile.

Pace splits: 7:13, 6:51, 6:53, 6:55, 6:44, 6:58, 6:52, 7:03

3.1 miles slow

Went out in the morning in Minsk with Natasha, down Platonova and Pervomaiskaya, through Park Gorkovo, and back home up Vaiskovy and Mikhailova. 3.09 miles in 26:32, average pace 8:35/mile.

Pace splits: 8:32, 8:30, 8:47

6.8 miles steady

Ran from the hotel in Copenhagen past Tivoli and towards Stadsgraven, where I followed the footpath along the Christianshavn side of the canal, which was evidently quite popular with runners. The path gradually deteriorated into a dirt track, and when I reached Refshalevej I crossed to the other side and ran back, with hamstring pain becoming more of a nuisance. 6.79 miles in 47:42, average pace 7:02/mile. No readings from the HR monitor as I couldn't get my Garmin to detect it after replacing the battery.

Pace splits: 7:23, 6:42, 6:53, 7:17, 6:57, 6:59, 7:02
Weekly total: 29 miles

4.6 miles slow

Decided to cut back on the miles to try to shake the hamstring injury, so didn't run to work the rest of the week. Went out on Thursday evening with Natasha for our loop of Hyndland Road and Charing Cross. Didn't go too badly. 4.62 miles in 40:49, average pace 8:50/mile, HR 121.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:56 (108), 8:46 (114), 8:38 (131), 8:52 (124), 8:58 (130)
HR zones: 48.1%, 44.1%, 7.7%, 0%, 0%

2.5 miles steady, 2.5 miles moderate, 4.1 miles slow

Ran to work in 17:46, average pace 7:13/mile, and back home in 16:29, average pace 6:42/mile. Wore the Lunarglide Shield due to wet conditions. In the evening I dodged the club's fartlek session and ran up Milngavie Road, over Manse Road and back down Drymen Road. 4.11 miles in 33:00, average pace 8:01/mile, HR 139.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:23 (127), 8:11 (142), 7:49 (146), 7:44 (141), 7:50 (142)
HR zones: 2.3%, 45.4%, 52.1%, 0.3%, 0%

5.6 miles slow, 2.5 miles easy

Went out before lunch for a run up Baird's Brae and along the canal as far as Shakespeare Street, up Cleveden Drive, and home via Cowcaddens. Wore the Skechers Resistance Runners as I thought the reduced stride length would be easier on the hamstring. 5.60 miles in 43:58, average pace 7:51/mile, HR 141.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:30 (124), 7:43 (135), 7:54 (147), 7:29 (154), 7:41 (147), 7:46 (141)
HR zones: 3.4%, 41.4%, 48.5%, 6.7%, 0%

In the evening I ran the usual loop of Manse Road and Canniesburn Toll. 2.49 miles in 19:13, average pace 7:43/mile, HR 133.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:04 (131), 7:25 (133), 7:40 (135)
HR zones: 4.0%, 79.1%, 16.9%, 0%, 0%

4.4 miles slow, 6.1 miles easy

In the morning I ran a loop of Kelvingrove Park, Yorkhill and Anderston with Natasha. 4.43 miles in 38:34, average pace 8:43/mile, HR 127. HR readings for the first mile look dubious.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:43 (139), 8:40 (121), 8:22 (125), 9:10 (124), 8:36 (128)
HR zones: 11.8%, 74.5%, 13.1%, 0.6%, 0%

Later on I felt just about OK to try a run along Great Western Road, up Crow Road to Lock 27, and back along the canal to the fire station. 6.12 miles in 46:16, average pace 7:34/mile, HR 128.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:42 (121), 7:23 (129), 7:25 (132), 7:41 (129), 7:43 (130), 7:31 (129), 7:13 (132)
HR zones: 7.1%, 91.9%, 1.0%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 64 miles

3.4 miles slow

Thinking I might have recovered slightly, ran a slow loop of Shakespeare Street and Napiershall Street. 3.36 miles in 26:19, average pace 7:50/mile, HR 125.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:09 (126), 7:50 (124), 7:33 (125), 7:47 (126)
HR zones: 14.1%, 84.9%, 1.0%, 0%, 0%