Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 June 2010: Start of week two!

Monday 28 June: 10 miles



At last! I feel like a runner again. I was still in Whitehills and Monday morning and I woke up to the same glorious sunshine of the previous two mornings. As soon as I set off I knew that my legs were feeling better than the day before. I went out for 10 miles and the first 5 disappeared without much of a struggle and I was almost tempted to do a couple more before turning round, but I told myself to save something for Tuesday’s track session. I turned round at 5 miles and headed back and by the time I ran my last two miles I was feeling very much a runner again. The hard, heavy breathing and sore achy legs that I had felt with every step of all my runs from the last week were largely gone. Finishing my run I stood on the coastline and looked out across the sea breathing in the fresh air and feeling great. I really did feel like I was back. I began to believe for the first time in a week that I could get back to where I was before holiday. It was great.


Tuesday 29 June: 13.5 miles


AM: 3.75 miles; PM: 9.75 miles (including track session)


I finished work early today so armed with an email from Alex I headed to track on my own. Alex told me to do the following session 3 sets of 400m, 800m, 300m with 1 minute recovery between reps and then a 2 ½ minute recovery between sets. I felt good running to track, as my steady running feels much more comfortable now. The track was empty, as it was 6pm and most of the different training groups didn’t start until 7ish. After last week I was a little apprehensive about track, so it was quite good just doing it on my own.


Each set was good(ish). The positives were that my legs felt strong and fit, just not as fast as they were. My lungs felt okay, just a little tight, probably still out of practice after the weeks without making them expand to their capacity. It was quite a mental battle too, as I had no one to hang on to or fend off, just my own motivation to improve myself and rebuild my fitness. At times, especially on the 800ms, where I just wanted to ease off. I tried telling myself that it would be okay, as I am still getting back into the swing of it. To get me through those moments I just counted down the 100ms telling myself to run hard for just 100m more. It worked, as I don’t think I eased off at all, apart from where my muscles physically could not generate any more speed.


I was definitely a lot faster than last week and I was also pleased that I managed to maintain my pace right across the sets. After the sets my lungs felt as though I had smoked a hundred cigarettes and I slumped on the grass just beside the finishing line. I gasped for air, but it felt great to have run well.


My times:


Set 1: 400m (72secs) 800m (2mins34secs) 300m (52secs)


Set 2: 400m (71secs) 800m (2mins35secs) 300m (53secs)


Set 3: 400m (72secs) 800m (2mins36secs) 300m (52secs)