Weekly Mileage: 102 miles
Thursday: 14 miles
Friday: 4.5 miles
Saturday: 14.5 miles
Sunday: 26 miles
After my deep tissue massage on Wednesday I was feeling pretty sore and as I ached and creaked my way to work on Thursday morning I really wondered how I was going to knock out a 100 mile this week or any subsequent week. I was meeting some old uni friends on Thursday night, so I had to do the planned training session on my own. The session was eight reps of 2.5minutes fast with 2.5 minutes recovery, which I did on the outside path of the meadows park. These sessions are always so much easier with other people to work with and I certainly found the first few difficult on my own. During my first rep I only managed to maintain a 6 minute per mile pace for the 2.5 minutes - not good! As well as being short of club members to run with both my legs and lungs felt pretty tired during my first 4 reps. It was a little disheartening. I even considered stopping after 6 reps. Thankfully the last 4 reps were a lot better and I managed to get down to 5/10k pace for those reps and it lifted my mood greatly, but I was still worried about completing the rest of my planned week's training.
After a few too many drinks on Thursday night I was a little rough on Friday. I had already made the decision to take the morning off, so thankfully I didn't have to run to work. Instead I took a gentle 4.5 mile run home, which eased the legs.
Despite suffering a little bit from the 2-day hangover phenomenon I went to the club's Saturday training session along with Dan, Niamh, and a few others, including Steve Booth. Steve use to come to training regularly when I first started going to club and we used to run together quite a bit. Unfortunately a combination of injuries, uni work and parenthood has meant that he has not been able to attend as frequently as he used to, so it was great to see him on Saturday. The session was similar to Thursday's, eight reps of 3 minutes fast with 3 minutes recovery on the grass. I was quite pleased it was on the grass as my body still ached slightly from last week's race and this week's training. My right hamstring was pretty tight and my right knee was still aching and twitching as well, so grass was much better than tarmac. As soon as we did the first rep I knew I was in better shape than on Thursday, a lot stronger and faster. I started off at 10k pace and finished off quicker than 5k pace by the end of last rep. I was pretty pleased as I still didn't feel as fresh as I should have.
Sunday morning brought the long run. It was another great turnout at Craiglochart and six of us took off in the quicker group, myself, Dan, Colin, Bryan, Niamh and Garry. I planned to do 26 miles, Niamh and Dan, 24, and Colin, Bryan and Garry were aiming for 16, so there would be plenty of company. We set off at a good pace, close to 7 minutes per mile, which we gradually increased as we closed in on Balerno. Unfortunately Dan slowed as his hip began to hurt. He managed to carry on and do 16 miles, but that was the last we saw of him until we all reconvened at Garry's for the post run coffee and scones. When we got into Balerno we hit the usual 2 hills that takes us from mile 6 to 8 and as seems to have become a the custom we push it quite hard. It started with Bryan, who took off and began to leave Colin and I behind. We'd just pulled ahead of Garry and Niamh. Colin seemed keen to pursue Bryan, but I wasn't so sure. I was trying to think sensibly about the rest of my run, which I still had close to 20 miles of. Colin pulled ahead of me and caught Bryan as we reached the top of the first hill. It was then I decided I couldn't let them get away, no matter how silly it was, and as we moved down the small section before the second climb I put a burst of speed in to catch them up. I then moved ahead of them as we took the second climb and the three is us pushed really hard all the way to the top. I stayed ahead, but was always kept within the arms reach of Colin and Bryan.We went so fast that we actually managed a sub 7 minute mile pace up the hill! Very fast.At the top we eased off a bit and carried on together.The next 7miles saw us pick up the pace to around 6.30 minutes per mile, but it felt pretty good for the most of it. I did feel a little wobble between 12 and 13 miles where I felt both tired and sore. At this point it was great to have Colin for company, as it helped keep me going at the same pace. I may well have backed off if he hadn't been there. Bryan had moved on a bit leaving us behind. Niamh, thanks to a quick pee stop by the three of us had caught and passed us. By the time we got back to the canal Colin, Niamh and I were running together. Unfortunately Colin turned off to finish his 16 miles and Niamh stopped for a quick drink and stretch.
I was left on my own for the last 10.5 miles, but as I turned on to the canal path I felt really good. My legs and lungs felt strong and I moved down the canal path. I had planned to drop my pace down to seven minutes per mile pace, and although I slowed a little I still went through the miles at about 6.40 pace. I decided to keep it going for as long as I felt comfortable. I kept expecting my legs to start to ache and tighten up or my lungs to grow heavy and my head weary, but they never did. My legs were tired, my left heal was a little sore and my right knee was also tired, but nothing more than you would expect from such a long run. I turned to head back down the canal and towards Garry's and I felt strong and remained fast. I finished my 26 miles in 2 hours and 57 minutes, with quite a lot left in the tank.
So the end of the week has finished, so much better than the start and middle part. Sunday's long run has filled me with a lot of confidence and successfully finishing another 100 mile week feels really good too. I am beginning to think that the 90+ and 100 mile weeks that I have done in the last 2 months have really started to benefit me with my strength and endurance improving. I feel pretty and fresh going into this week and I really hope I can manage another 100 mile week, another 2 quality interval sessions and another strong 26 mile run.
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