3.4 miles slow, 7.6 miles steady

Went out in the morning with Natasha for our usual West End route. Wore the Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi. 3.36 miles in 27:17, average pace 8:06/mile, HR 123.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:21 (121), 8:05 (123), 7:57 (124), 7:57 (127)
HR zones: 22.4%, 77.6%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I ran up to Canniesburn Toll, down to Anniesland Cross and back home via North Woodside Road. Distance was 7.58 miles, time 52:02 for a 6:52/mile average, HR 148.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:20 (128), 6:58 (140), 6:40 (146), 6:47 (152), 6:39 (155), 6:52 (157), 6:42 (156), 7:00 (156)
HR zones: 1.7%, 20.2%, 73.9%, 4.2%, 0%
Weekly total: 32 miles

Glasgow University 5 Mile Road Race

Didn't feel like taking part at all and decided to base my decision on whether the top gate had been opened. For once, it had. There were also mats laid out at the start and finish for chip timing, giving the whole event a very professional feel. I should probably have had more of a warm-up than the jog from the car park up to the gate and back and didn't feel very fast when the race started, although on Temple Road I finally got moving and started overtaking a few people, in the process moving up a place into third for Garscube. I lost some ground and a few places going downhill on Dawsholm Road, and as we reached Maryhill Road I was overtaken for a while by Marco. I was even at risk of dropping into fifth at the start of the second lap, but on the climb up to the top gate I managed to move clear of the small pack we were running with and set about trying to whittle down the gap to Gavyn in second. Somebody who had stopped at the end of Temple Road dropped back into the race as Gavyn passed and ran alongside him all the way to Maryhill Road, so I lost any advantage I may have had and didn't make up much ground before the finish. Crossed the line in 28:28, 12 seconds up on last year, third for Garscube, 23rd overall and apparently third M40. Average pace was 5:42/mile if the distance was accurate. Felt like I should have done better but I may also be over-raced.

5.6 miles easy

The club session was an easy run up Milngavie Road, over Mosshead Road and back down Drymen Road and Maryhill Road. I was slightly late in setting off and it took me the first mile to catch up. Distance was 5.60 miles, time 40:45 for a 7:16/mile average, HR 144.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:00 (142), 7:32 (139), 7:34 (148), 7:11 (147), 7:12 (143), 7:05 (148)
HR zones: 0.7%, 17.4%, 82.0%, 0%, 0%

4.4 miles hard

Anticipating an easy club run on Thursday night, I wore the adiZero Tempo for a quicker run via Shakespeare Street and Cleveden Drive. Finished the 4.35 miles in 26:50, average pace 6:10/mile, HR 161.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 6:34 (143), 6:08 (159), 6:09 (166), 5:59 (172), 5:42 (175)
HR zones: 2.5%, 2.5%, 35.8%, 59.3%, 0%

5.1 miles slow

Dodged the club fartlek session and instead gave the Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi another try on a run via Hyndland Road and Dumbarton road with Natasha, meeting Meggan at Kelvinbridge and returning home via Woodlands Road. 5.07 miles in 46:25.

HR zones: 17.7%, 79.1%, 3.2%, 0%, 0%

4.5 miles slow, 8.8 miles steady

Went out in the morning with Natasha for a few slow miles to try out the Asics Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi as a running shoe. Route was via Kelvingrove Park and Yorkhill and along the river. Seemed to go OK. Finished the 4.45 miles in 38:42.

HR zones: 31.7%, 68.3%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In the afternoon I tried an old loop of Auchinairn via Woodhill Road. I was picking it up on the way back down Springburn Road to try to get close to 60 minutes when a passer-by stopped me to ask various running-related questions. Finished the 8.75 miles in 1:01:04, average pace 6:59/mile, HR 147.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:28 (129), 7:05 (144), 6:51 (151), 6:50 (154), 6:55 (152), 7:03 (152), 7:09 (149), 6:46 (150), 6:44 (148)
HR zones: 1.8%, 11.8%, 84.4%, 2.0%, 0%
Weekly total: 36 miles

Allan Scally relay

I wasn't feeling in racing condition by any means, but the club wasn't particularly well represented so I thought there would be nothing to lose by taking part. The weather was ideal and I volunteered for the second leg, after Joe. I wore the adiZero Mana. We were in 9th place when I took over and although I felt better than I had expected, I was overtaken after about two minutes by runners from Glasgow University and Corstorphine. I anticipated losing more places but it was a further 6 minutes before a Dundee Hawkhill runner passed me. With no mile markers it was hard to tell how I was running, and I felt quite slow, especially with the others disappearing into the distance, but I did seem to be gaining on another runner from Glasgow University and moved back into 11th place about halfway round. I finished in 27:25 which was 49 seconds better than last year and the second fastest time for Garscube on the day. Average pace for 4.81 miles was 5:42/mile (or 5:40/mile for the official distance of 4.84 miles), so not too bad a racing performance. The team was 12th overall. As this was the final relay of the season, I achieved my goal of maintaining my A team place (when we didn't have a comparable Vets' team).

7.2 miles steady

The club session was a 50-minute out-and-back along Great Western Road. With the final relay of the season at the weekend, and still feeling fatigued from Saturday's cross-country and Tuesday's hill reps, I intended to take it fairly easy. The rest of the fast pack had similar plans and we had only made it to the bus stop at the retail park by the time we had to turn around. They all disappeared into the distance, however, while I remained at the back with no intention of picking up the pace and didn't overtake anybody until after Anniesland Cross. Didn't feel too great. Finished the 7.22 miles in 50:11, average pace 6:57/mile, HR 152.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:22 (140), 6:57 (146), 6:45 (151), 6:38 (157), 6:58 (157), 7:06 (155), 6:58 (161), 6:39 (156)
HR zones: 0.5%, 4.3%, 83.1%, 12.0%, 0%

5.1 miles easy

Went out wearing my new rain jacket for a loop of Cowcaddens and Winton Drive, although the rain turned out not to be that serious. Legs sore after the hill reps. Finished the 5.10 miles in 37:28, average pace 7:21/mile, HR 140.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:40 (128), 7:16 (142), 7:20 (144), 7:19 (145), 7:09 (144)
HR zones: 2.0%, 28.5%, 69.4%, 0%, 0%

Hill reps

Had a rest day on Monday due to general fatigue and by Tuesday I was ready for the club's scheduled hill reps session, which turned out to be at Westerton as I had hoped. We ran 6 loops of Crarae Avenue and Murrayfield Drive, 2.69 miles, plus 2.47 miles total warm-up and warm-down.

HR zones: 0.7%, 27.3%, 37.6%, 31.9%, 2.4%

6.9 miles steady

Ran the 7-mile route via Garscube Estate which I haven't tried in a while, aiming for a comfortable pace just inside 7-minute miles. Finished the 6.93 miles in 48:10, average pace 6:57/mile, HR 144.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 7:16 (138), 7:01 (144), 6:42 (143), 7:07 (144), 6:54 (143), 6:52 (148), 6:48 (147)
HR zones: 1.3%, 15.7%, 83.0%, 0%, 0%
Weekly total: 25 miles

National XC Relays

There had been heavy rain towards the end of the week, but the weather on Saturday was much better, and the course at Cumbernauld was far less chewed up than it could have been. I had parked in a residential street near the course which turned out to be quite a popular option. The Garscube tent had just been put up by the time I got there and didn't look bad at all. I was on the second leg for the Vets' team, taking over from John Bell. We were 33 seconds behind our A team at that point and it didn't help that I lost a second or two pushing through a crowd of runners waiting at the changeover. I had decided on the trail shoes as the course was heavy in places, and set off quite fast. Climbing the first long hill, I could see our A team runner in the distance and he seemed impossibly far ahead, so I wondered if I would catch him at all. I was making up or losing a place here and there, but I noticed that occasionally somebody would overtake me at speed, only for me to go past them again shortly afterwards, which was fairly odd. After the last long climb I was definitely making up ground on our A team runner and passed him on the next downhill, between a couple of trees with a view of the finish, although there were still a few hundred metres and another sharp hill to go. I finished in 14:57, 46 seconds up on last year, and felt quite satisfied with my performance, particularly in beating 15 minutes.

Our 5-second lead over our A team didn't last very long, and although it had seemed we were in contention for a Vets' prize, it looked like not all the Vets' teams had marked their numbers accordingly and we had actually been 4th after my leg, ending up 5th. I was third fastest for Garscube on the day. Also jogged the mile to the school and back to get changed.

Average pace: 5:49/mile (for 2.57 miles)

5.4 miles steady

The scheduled club session was an easy run before Saturday's cross-country, which suited me fine as my left hip was causing a few problems. The route was a simple loop of Anniesland Cross and Queen Margaret Drive. Distance came out at 5.41 miles, time 38:34, average pace 7:10/mile, HR 150.

Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:04 (145), 7:21 (142), 7:02 (148), 7:01 (152), 6:41 (158), 6:17 (161)
HR zones: 1.0%, 4.3%, 84.9%, 9.8%, 0%

4 miles slow

Went out in the evening with Natasha for her route up and down the hills in the city centre. GPS trail needed a lot of repair work on account of the tall buildings but it was about 4 miles in 34:47.

HR zones: 39.3%, 59.6%, 1.1%, 0%, 0%