Sunday 18th January 2015
This week I missed my long run so I could do the run I had planned for Friday evening which I didn’t do because of lingering hamstring tightness that came on at the end of Tuesday’s session. I am pleased with my current fitness.
Monday: 16km easy (16)
Tuesday: AM 12km easy / PM ring road session: 5 x 7:30 with 90s recovery (30)
Wednesday: 17km easy (17)
Thursday: AM 11km easy / PM 15km easy (26)
Friday: AM 8km easy / PM skipped run – tight hamstring (8)
Saturday: rest (0)
Sunday: 16km hard / time trial in 55:16 – 28:06/27:10, 15 min cool down (19)
Week total: 116km
Taken from my training log.
Thursday 1st January 2015
Seeing as I keep a record of all my training, it would be silly not to spend the first day of the year crunching the numbers on the past year’s figures. Here’s what I found out:
Total distance run: 5757 km / 3578 miles
Mean Daily Mileage: 15.8 km / 9.8 miles
Mean Weekly Mileage: 110.4 km / 68.6 miles
Biggest Week: 164km / 102 miles
Number of Runs: 396
What does this tell me?
1. I have run further this year than in any previous year. Even though I had periods of low mileage due to illness or injury, particularly towards the end of the year, these were offset by blocks of very high volume. Although running high mileage wears you out and leaves you feeling exhausted, I find it tends to pay off later on.
2. I averaged more than one run per day. Although I didn’t check, I’m also certain that I have taken more rest days this year than previously. Running more than once on my hard days, whilst making sure I take a rest day every week, really seems to work for me.
3. I’m faster than 365 days ago, but only just. My main achievements this year were taking 2 seconds off my 5k time and 5 seconds off my 10k time. Although this is almost nothing, it is good to know I’m still improving; if I keep training sensibly and consistently I know that I will have a breakthrough. Hopefully when it comes, I will be hacking chunks off these times rather than gently chipping away at them.
Happy new year!
Sunday 30th November 2014
This week I didn’t do any sessions due to lingering tightness and pain in my calf but I managed a parkrun on Saturday and felt I could have gone quicker if I’d really pushed it. I need to do more stretching and improve my flexibility if I’m going to stay injury free.
Monday: AM 12km easy / PM 15km moderate (27)
Tuesday: 12km easy, physio in the evening (12)
Wednesday: 15km easy (15)
Thursday: AM 12km easy / PM ran home, easy pace (26)
Friday: rest (0)
Saturday: Brueton parkrun 15:50 (15)
Sunday: 26km easy (26)
Week total: 121km
Taken from my training log.
Sunday 2nd November 2014
A great week of training but a sad week personally. This week’s training is dedicated to Poppy, my family’s dog who died on Monday, and was one of my all time favourite running companions back in the day. Goodbye Poppy, I’ll miss you.
Monday: AM 11km easy / PM 15km easy (26)
Tuesday: AM 11km easy / PM ring road session: 1-2-1-2-1 short laps (~1300m) off 60s/90s (28)
Wednesday: 20km moderate (20)
Thursday: AM 10km easy / PM 16km easy (26)
Friday: AM 10km easy / PM strides – 5 mile tempo 26:39 – 5x10s hill sprints on grass (30)
Saturday: rest (0)
Sunday: 32km progression run, just over 2 hours – 31:47, 30:19, 29:50, 28:31, 10 min jog (34)
Week total: 164km
Taken from my training log.
Sunday 12th October 2014
First week back after a week’s break. Getting out for a long run on my own was tough.
Monday: AM 10km easy / PM 14km easy (24)
Tuesday: AM 10km easy / PM Metchley session: 4 sets of lap – half lap – minute, lap to end (28)
Wednesday: 18km easy (18)
Thursday: AM 10km easy / PM 6 mile progression run (26)
Friday: rest (0)
Saturday: 16km easy (16)
Sunday: 32km moderate (32)
Week total: 144km
Taken from my training log.