Or, 3 weeks and counting...
So, 3 weeks to go and supposed to be celebrating the end of the high-intensity training and reduction in mileage that the eagerly anticipated "taper" brings about. Not this time, though. Thanks to the well documented abbreviated nature of this programme, I find myself rather short of both overall miles and, more importantly, runs at the longer distances. So, I must plough on for one more week to get some more serious miles in and the final 22 mile long run. Then it'll be a 2 week taper, with a bigger mileage drop-off than usual to get the required level of rest in. This is when the old mantra "rest is training" comes in handy!
Anyway. The week. Slightly disjointed and not enough miles is a reasonable summary. Didn't make it out for a recovery run until Wednesday and that went a bit mad owing to some Twitter talk about the possibility of running up Ben Nevis (I know...). This led me to turn the part road, part tracks, part woods run round the opposite way and do 500ft straight uphill in a mile and a quarter. Suffice to say I won't be repeating THAT mistake any time soon. Thursday was a Scotstoun day. I've struggled more in getting the Tempo and Speedwork runs done this time than last - I've really not had a good run there for ages. Don't know why, but it just hasn't worked. Perhaps because of the bloody back-straight headwinds, which were out at their most severe on Thursday. For various reason's I didn't have enough time to do a decent run, so just banged in a couple of poor miles and did some 400m and 200m.
Today was the long run I'd cut short a couple of weeks ago - all the way from home to Dalmuir at 19.5 miles. And this time, it was perfect. Yet another warm, sunny day, although autumn is making the temperatures a bit more tolerable, with just a spot of cooling breeze. Anyway, I went out & ran at an almost constant pace of 9 minute miles, just focussing on form and trying to keep a steady pace. By the time I got to 18.5, I still had a little left, so I picked up the pace as much as I could for the last mile. Almost got tempted to add the extra loop to Clydebank in & knock off the 22, but I think I need another significant run in the legs.
So, an odd week with a great long run today. Suddenly, I feel that things are coming together and I have half a chance of a respectable run in Le Mans...
To matters musical, and there's only one song that's been providing inspiration this week:
Week's summary: 3 runs, 28 miles. Long run: 19.5 miles
Miles since entering Le Mans: 255
