3.8 miles easy

Felt a bit beaten up after Sunday's run so went on an easy loop of Milngavie Station from Bearsden Asda, 3.79 miles in 28:09, average pace 7:26/mile, HR 136.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:45 (128), 7:27 (138), 7:23 (136), 7:03 (142)
HR zones: 4.2%, 64.8%, 31.0%, 0%, 0%

11.6 miles steady

Ran up to Lennoxtown to collect the car, heading down to Cowcaddens at first to add an extra mile, then following the canal all the way to Hungryside Bridge. Wore the LunarGlide 2. It started raining just after Cadder and the road after Torrance was quite hilly and didn't have much of a pavement in places, but I still managed some reasonable splits and finished well inside my planned average of 7:00/mile. Distance was 11.56 miles, time 1:18:50, average pace 6:49/mile, HR 153.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:15 (139), 6:42 (154), 6:40 (155), 6:59 (151), 6:54 (150), 6:53 (151), 6:51 (153), 6:40 (156), 6:50 (156), 6:43 (158), 6:39 (161), 6:43 (160)
HR zones: 0.7%, 4.4%, 84.2%, 10.7%, 0%
Weekly total: 34 miles

4.9 miles moderate

Went out in the morning for a few quick miles around the West End in the adiZero Tempo, same route as last Saturday afternoon. I had some incorrect HR readings in the second mile. This time the distance came out at 4.9 miles, time 32:34 for a 6:38/mile average, HR 154.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:56 (139), 6:25 (162), 6:52 (154), 6:36 (157), 6:23 (158)
HR zones: 2.3%, 8.0%, 67.8%, 21.9%, 0%

6.2 miles tempo

The fast pack was sent out a bit earlier than usual but their route to Canniesburn Toll was via the top gate, so I headed up Maryhill Road to join up with them there. This part was 0.9 miles in 6:40, average pace 7:25/mile, HR 136. HR zones: 7.8%, 54.0%, 38.2%, 0%, 0%. I got there first and walked back up Switchback Road. The rest of the route took us up Drymen Road to Stockiemuir Avenue. Unlike the others, I had a blank weekend coming up, so when I suddenly felt quite fit on Mosshead Road I decided to make the most of the session and started to pick up the pace, gradually at first. On Boclair Road I could see other packs in the distance and set off in pursuit down Rannoch Drive although I didn't quite manage to catch everybody by the time we got back to the gates. Finished the remaining 5.32 miles in 34:43, average pace 6:32/mile, HR 161. Wore the LunarGlide 2.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:22 (143), 6:46 (158), 6:30 (157), 6:23 (172), 5:44 (178), 6:07 (177)
HR zones: 0.7%, 3.7%, 43.4%, 48.2%, 4.0%

3.3 miles easy

Went out in the evening for a few easy miles via Cowcaddens and Queen Margaret Drive. 3.28 miles in 24:30, average pace 7:29/mile, HR 136.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:44 (127), 7:20 (140), 7:28 (141), 7:07 (142)
HR zones: 3.5%, 53.9%, 42.6%, 0%, 0%

Long reps

The club session was long reps which suited me fine. It looks like the last time I took part was last November. Wore the LunarGlide 2. The session was 6x1K on the other side of Switchback Road, supposedly with a 5-minute turnaround although nobody seemed to be timing it. As usual for a Tuesday, the fast pack was somewhat depleted, so I had a longer recovery than I might otherwise have had. Felt nauseous during the last two reps. The roads were in poor condition and quite dangerous in the dark.

0.63 miles in 3:36, pace 5:44/mile, HR 160
HR zones: 6.0%, 1.9%, 15.3%, 76.9%, 0%
0.63 miles in 3:31, pace 5:37/mile, HR 163
HR zones: 7.6%, 1.9%, 9.0%, 81.5%, 0%
0.63 miles in 3:33, pace 5:41/mile, HR 167
HR zones: 4.7%, 4.2%, 6.1%, 85.0%, 0%
0.62 miles in 3:33, pace 5:43/mile, HR 167
HR zones: 4.2%, 4.2%, 7.5%, 84.0%, 0%
0.62 miles in 3:32, pace 5:42/mile, HR 169
HR zones: 4.2%, 3.3%, 8.5%, 80.2%, 3.8%
0.63 miles in 3:29, pace 5:33/mile, HR 171
HR zones: 0%, 7.7%, 4.8%, 48.3%, 39.2%

Warm-up was 0.54 miles, warm-down 0.9, total distance 5.18 miles.

3.2 miles easy

Ran a lap of the old club 5-mile championship course from Bearsden Asda. 3.21 miles in 23:55, average pace 7:27/mile, HR 146. HR readings look dubious, chest strap may have been too loose.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:58 (152), 7:23 (144), 7:07 (142), 6:58 (131)
HR zones: 0%, 22.4%, 70.9%, 6.8%, 0%

9.8 miles steady

Finally managed to drag myself out for a longer run in the late afternoon. Aiming for about 10 miles, I headed down towards Cowcaddens and along the canal as far as Dorchester Avenue, down Great Western Road and back onto the canal, this time as far as the fire station, and down Garscube Road to Grovepark Street. Distance was 9.84 miles, time 1:08:52 for a 7:00/mile average, HR 145.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:38 (130), 6:55 (141), 6:48 (144), 6:47 (145), 6:52 (146), 6:57 (150), 6:56 (148), 7:21 (153), 7:05 (148), 6:39 (151)
HR zones: 1.3%, 9.8%, 88.9%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 35 miles

West District XC Relays, 4.8 miles moderate

I wouldn't normally take part in the West District relays but they were at Rouken Glen this year. I was on the final leg for the Vets team and hoped we would be well ahead of the Seniors by that point as I wasn't looking forward to a race with Marco. I took both spikes and trail shoes along and decided to go with the trail shoes. The results showed later that at the start of my leg, we were third vets but only 10 seconds behind the leaders, and we had a 26-second advantage over the Garscube seniors. The course had been chewed up all afternoon and was quite heavy. I made up a few places early on and must have moved into second place at this point, although it was hard to tell whether the other runners were on the final leg or just their second lap. After a sharp right turn I could see Marco a comfortable distance behind, although at the same place on the second lap he was evidently a few seconds closer. By now I was battling a runner from Kirkintilloch Olympians with what I thought might be a Cambuslang Harriers veteran just in front, although it was hard to tell which teams were veterans and which weren't. I was able to maintain my pace OK and would most likely have been fine for another lap, but I couldn't run any faster and lost out along the home straight. It turned out that the Cambuslang Harriers veterans beat us by 5 seconds. I was however third fastest for Garscube on the day, after Joe and John. Time was 15:20, distance around 2.57 miles according to two independent GPS measurements, giving me a 5:58/mile average. Ran a slow lap afterwards to warm down.

After I got home I still seemed to have plenty in reserve so I went out for a run up Maryhill Road, down Shakespeare Street for a loop of Winton Drive and Cleveden Road, and back home up Shakespeare Street and down Garscube Road to Grovepark Street. Wore the adiZero Tempo. Finished the 4.82 miles in 31:43, average pace 6:34/mile, HR 162.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:05 (152), 6:20 (159), 6:32 (166), 6:35 (169), 6:17 (168)
HR zones: 1.4%, 0.6%, 28.6%, 69.4%, 0%

5.9 miles tempo

The club session was a run of about 6 miles down Crow Road and up Clarence Drive, Cleveden Road and Kelvindale Road, easing off for the last mile along Maryhill Road. We took it easy enough for the first few miles, with Saturday's race in mind, but sped up later on. It came out at 5.94 miles, time 40:41 for a 6:51/mile average, HR 162 although I think the chest strap was loose as some of the early readings were improbably high for such a slow pace.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:59 (158), 6:59 (160), 6:42 (158), 6:45 (162), 6:09 (173), 6:31 (165)
HR zones: 0.5%, 1.3%, 35.6%, 61.5%, 1.1%

5.1 miles steady

Went on an easier run via Cowcaddens, Cleveden Road, Winton Drive, Shakespeare Street and Garscube Road to Grovepark Street. 5.08 miles in 36:17, average pace 7:09/mile, HR 143.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:19 (128), 7:06 (143), 7:05 (148), 7:15 (147), 6:58 (149)
HR zones: 2.5%, 24.5%, 73.0%, 0%, 0%

5.1 miles fartlek

Needing to get some leg speed back I took part in the club fartlek session, which took us up Woodvale Avenue, down Boclair Road, through Bearsden Cross and down Drymen Road and Switchback Road to the top gate. Numbers were slightly down for a Tuesday session, possibly due to the early start, so we went out as a single large pack. The average pace was consequently quite slow so I made up for it by putting in a decent effort on the fast sections, recording a maximum HR of 190. Felt quite nauseous after reaching Canniesburn Road but I managed to recover enough for a final sprint along Switchback Road. Wore the LunarGlide 2 for speed, although the uneven pavements were dangerous in places and I was reminded that I don't normally do this type of session in the dark. Total distance was 5.11 miles.

HR zones: 8.3%, 49.6%, 19.7%, 16.8%, 5.6%

8.8 miles moderate

In the afternoon I tried an old route via Great Western Road, Lincoln Avenue, Danes Drive and Clarence Drive which I should normally be able to complete inside an hour. Noticed some hip pain on reaching Balshagray Avenue but it didn't seem too serious. Finished the 8.79 miles in 59:13, average pace 6:44/mile, HR 151.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:12 (129), 6:32 (148), 6:34 (148), 6:36 (153), 6:39 (155), 6:49 (157), 6:58 (158), 6:45 (156), 6:32 (158)
HR zones: 1.8%, 10.1%, 81.8%, 6.4%, 0%
Weekly total: 30 miles

McAndrew relay

Just like last year, I was on the last leg for our Veterans team. Conditions were damp and slightly windy. I decided to give the Newton Motus a try, to see if they worked out better than the adiZero Mana. By the time my leg rolled around we were about a minute behind the two leading vets teams, and a few seconds ahead of the A team. I tried to set off fast but wasn't sure exactly how well I was running as I had deliberately left the Garmin at home. Heading along Anniesland Road, just after Southbrae Drive, there was a pedestrian with the world's largest backpack blocking most of the pavement, apparently oblivious to the race in progress. I tried to attract his attention but eventually decided I could squeeze past him on the right, just as he finally noticed there was somebody behind him and moved to the right, with the result that I crashed right into him. It only cost me a couple of seconds and I was still inside 5:30 at the mile mark, although I only checked my watch after I had already crossed the railway bridge round the corner.

By this point I was gaining on the veteran from Ronhill Cambuslang but the leading Calderglen Harrier was out of sight. Although I was starting to flag a bit by now, I was also overtaking some third leg runners. I finally moved into second place among the Veterans teams on Southbrae Avenue just before the dip, and I finished in 18:08, 53 seconds up on 2009 but 17 seconds down on 2008, which was a fairly predictable but disappointing outcome, albeit the third fastest leg for Garscube on the day. I think I am still short of basic speed since the marathon. 3.25 miles in 18:08, average pace 5:35/mile. Some left hip pain later on but much less than the previous week.