7 miles moderate

After a fairly light weekend I tried a more challenging route from Bearsden Asda: up Milngavie Road to the rugby club, then the undulating route of the Hogmanay Handicap, and back down Milngavie Road. I was hoping for an average pace of around 6:30/mile, but the hills in the rural section were going to make it hard to judge, so I had to make up some time early on. I had dropped outside my target pace by the time I got back to Milngavie, but not by much. Finished in 45:04, distance was 6.95 miles for a 6:29 average.

3.4 miles steady

Went out before breakfast, starting at the Bourse again, and managed to identify the central ring road this time. We ran anticlockwise as far as Lemonnier and headed back to the Bourse. Distance was 3.41 miles, average pace 7:53/mile. Weekly total: 22 miles.

2.7 miles slow

Went out before breakfast for a run with Natasha through the centre of Brussels, starting at the Bourse and heading north-east along Boulevard Anspach looking for the central ring road, but we crossed it by mistake and only turned left near the Gare du Nord, and consequently ended up heading back along the Quai du Commerce instead of the ring road. On reaching Eglise Sainte Catherine it was obvious we had gone the wrong way and we soon ended up on Anspach again. We headed back towards the church and continued for a short while but threw in the towel when we arrived back at the Bourse.

2.5 miles hard

Only had time for a quick run at lunchtime so I went out for 2.49 miles via Queen Margaret Drive. Finishing time of 15:56 only gives me a 6:24/mile average but I had to wait at least 20 seconds to cross Garscube Road.

4.5 miles hard

Went out in the evening for 4.49 miles along my usual Cleveden Drive route but returned via Kirklee Road, Shakespeare Street and Maryhill Road. Finishing time was 28:22, average pace 6:19/mile.

5 miles slow

Went out in the evening for 5.03 miles around the West End with Natasha, along Great Western Road, down Hyndland Road and Hyndland Street, and home via Sauchiehall Street and St George's Road, finishing in 41 minutes.

3.5 miles moderate

I only had time for a shorter than usual run from Bearsden Asda, so I chose a more difficult route over Mosshead Road, back down Drymen Road and along West Chapelton Avenue. It came out at 3.54 miles, completed in 23:03 for a 6:31/mile average, although I was just inside 14 minutes at the 2-mile mark near the Stockiemuir Road junction.

3.4 miles steady, 9.4 miles steady

Went out in the morning for the usual 3.4 steady miles around the West End, finishing in 23:48. In the afternoon I was feeling a bit better than on Saturday and tried a longer route via Great Western Road to Blairdardie, over the canal and back along Canniesburn Road and Maryhill Road. The 30 minute mark was just as I was reaching Drumchapel Road, which was a bit down on my previous attempt in December but still not too bad. Shortly afterwards, heavy rain came on, mixed with hail for a while, and stayed on until I got home. GPS reception stopped abruptly at Canniesburn Toll so I had no reliable indication of my pace from that point on but aimed to finish inside 1:05. The distance as measured on my previous attempt was 9.4 miles, time on this occasion was 1:04:33 which is a couple of minutes down on my best time. Average pace was 6:52/mile. Weekly total: 40 miles.

7 miles steady

In the afternoon I ran my usual 7-mile route through Garscube Estate. Wasn't feeling particularly energetic and ended up with a 6:46/mile average. The route was flooded in a couple of places due to heavy rain.

7.9 miles tempo

The club training session was supposed to be an 8-mile run. I considered running there and back for the first time in ages but thought better of it, which was just as well as the fast pack set out very promptly and I would have missed them if I'd run. The route took us over Rannoch Drive and through Milngavie to Craigdhu Road and up to the roundabout, then back down Drymen Road with an optional diversion along Station Road and over Pendicle Road before heading back along Maryhill Road to the main gate. The first couple of miles were fairly steady but after 4 miles or so I was having to work quite hard not to fall more than a few metres off the pace. I got back on terms on the downhill section and on Drymen Road we started to drop below a 6-minute pace. After the hill on Pendicle Road I knew I wasn't going to be dropped, although I suspect a few people were taking it easier than usual on account of races at the weekend. Distance was 7.86 miles, completed in 51:52 for a 6:36/mile average.

3.8 miles moderate

Went out in the evening for the same route as Saturday morning. I felt not too bad and had to check my pace a couple of times as I was trying to take it fairly easy. Finishing time was 24:44 for 3.79 miles, average pace 6:32/mile.

3.4 miles slow, 5.7 miles moderate

Went out in the morning with Natasha for our usual 3.4-mile route (measured this time at 3.36). In the late afternoon I didn't have enough time for my normal route from Bearsden Asda so cut it short by heading up South Mains Road instead of Clober Road and Craigton Road. Distance was 5.67 miles, time 37:02 for a 6:32/mile average.

3.8 miles steady

In the morning I ran 3.83 miles via Shakespeare Street, Cleveden Road and North Woodside Road at a steady 7:18/mile pace. Legs were quite heavy and I didn't feel like going back out later on. Weekly total: 31 miles.

3.8 miles easy, 7 miles steady

Went out before lunch for 3.78 miles via Shakespeare Street, Great Western Road and Queen Margaret Drive at an easy 7:22/mile pace. In the afternoon I ran my usual 7-mile route via Garscube Estate in 6:50/mile.