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Well, it's that time once again and it only feels like Amsterdam was 5 minutes ago, but here we go again ...

The week in numbers ...
Miles ran:  
Gym visits:  0
Chocolate eaten: 1 bar and one white creme egg
Alcohol  drunk:  lots, i was at a party

Weight:  11st11lb

Busy all morning, Tuesdays are always a little crazy and then nip into Whitley in the afternoon and then home for some more work.

In the evening I'm off to the club and being sensible and running with C team for the next few weeks, nothing to be gained from running with B at the moment.  

It's rolling 7's and me and Graham both in C, we start with a 1 min rep and me and G at the front, then easy 2 mins and then into the 6 mins and again me and G pushing from the front and Cara coming with us. Back to an easy 2 and then we've got the 2 and 5.

I stay at the front and Cara comes alongside me, G drops back a little and me and Cara just push on, we start each rep way too fast and then settle into C team'ish pace. We get to Tynemouth Priory and wait for the group and then we're off again heading back. This time it's 5 mins and it's a downhill start so naturally we go way too fast but we're commited now so what the hell, let's just go with it.

Coming back into Whitley and I heckle Natasha which is always fun and then we're done. A really enjoyable session and a few easy miles and I'm home and another 11 miles done.

Home, shower, no wine because I'm not drinking.

I haven't got back to doing thresholds since being injured, I've been a little wary to tackle them as the sessions are always long and whilst not fast, they do take a toll and I'm concerned if my hamstring is going to go again it will be on one of these sessions.

Today is a big one on the plan but  I haven't done the build up to it over the last few weeks so even for me this would be idiotic.  Instead I decide  to go for  5 x 1 mile at threshold, I then decide to increase this to 6 reps and before I leave the house I've rejigged it to 8 reps.  Sensible Simon try's his best but twat Simon is never far away.

I head out and do a few miles warm up towards Tynemouth and I feel really sluggish and tired.  I've been really tired a lot recently and not sleeping well.  I finish my warm up and see Greg and Suzanne out running and then its time for rep 1.  The plan here is to sit between 6:55 and 7:05 mile pace for the mile, usually this is no problem but right from the off today I can feel it's not going to happen.

I start the first rep heading to Tynemouth, I'm on pace and then slow a bit and feel knackered but decide to keep going and see what happens.  I run until my watch beeps, it seems to take forever and then beep, beep, beep and I'm done.  First rep in a very hard fought 7:04

2 minute recov and I start the second rep.  This one is heading slightly downhill and even so it feels worse than the first one.  I push on and just miss my target in 7:09

At this point I start to question if doing 8 is sensible, I also start to question if doing anymore is sensible and resist the urge to go home.  Rep 3 and I'm heading towards Whitley and it's a 6:49 and then followed up with a 6:53

I'm half way through and on my recovery have a chat with Suzanne who assures me I look pretty strong but I tell her I'm struggling and I make the decision here to drop to 6 reps.  Rep 5 feels like running through treacle and my legs just don't want to move, done in 6:58 and I'm amazed I'm still on target.

Final rep and then I'm going home.  Rep 6 in 7:00

I jog to the sandcastles, have a chat with Suzanne and Wendy and then walk with Wendy to the co-op where i buy a massive bag of white chocolate buttons and eat them on the way home.

In the evening it's club and I run with D team for some extra miles but keep it steady.

Again no booze and I've had my chocolate quota for the day. 

Once again I'm not feeling it today 

Up early as Murphy was crying, he didn't want anything he's just a massive fat baby that cries.

Had some malt loaf ready sliced for breakfast, made a cup of coffee and went to eat my malt loaf.

My malt loaf was gone.

Murphy smells of malt loaf.

Greedy fat pig.

I eat a piece of toast and an apple and head out, the plan today is about 19 miles, so 16 and then tag on Whitley Parkrun at the end.

I start and head towards Seaton Sluice, it's cold but the sun is on the sky which is a nice change. Right from the off this run just doesn't feel great, it's not hard, I'm not wrecked, I'm just not enjoying it and already thinking ahead to the fact I'm out for hours and don't want to be.

I've got the usual playlist of high energy music playing but it's not helping. I just run, switch off my Garmin screen and keep going.  

I'm bored.

I'm running and I'm bored. I take half a gel and then chuck it as it's disgusting and the morning drags on. Then I'm heading back towards parkrun and desperate for the toilet, this is weird as I never need the toilet when I run. I toy with the idea of pissing myself just to add some excitement to my morning but I'm the end decide going to the toilet on Watts Slope is probably wiser.

I get to parkrun a few mins early and checking my Garmin I see I'm ahead of schedule which is a bit odd as I feel a bit crappy and have all morning.

Parkrun starts and I decide to just go through the motions to finish. I spend the entire second lap just thinking about having a beer, every now and again something gets into my head and I can't think of anything else, usually it's a bottle of coke or chocolate but today it's a cold beer. All I want is a beer, the sun is shining and I want a beer.

Yes I know it's not even 9:30am.

Ben catches me with about a mile to go and this is enough to spur me on so I can beat him. It's the highlight of my entire morning and I'm pleased when I finish that I've done 19 miles and averaged 7:57 per mile. Not as far as last week but quite a bit faster, pace felt fine, distance felt fine but I just didn't enjoy a single second of it.

Well I enjoyed beating Ben.

Walk to co-op, buy some beer.

Young Mark spots me walking through the co-op carpark drinking an early morning beer. I feel slightly dirty about this but equally don't care.

Saturday night and it's my mother in law's 80th party at The Dome. I've been put in charge of the music, I'm drinking wine, I'm with my family and I'm in charge of the music.  

I'm in my element.

It's a great night, I keep it super sensible with lots of 80's music and then as the night draws on and my wine consumption increases I get easily influenced by Poppy and the next thing we're blasting Sex Bomb by Tom Jones and then we're into LCD Sound System and The Prodigy.

I blame Poppy entirely for this.

I walk home drunk and eating cake.

All previous blogs are available to read HERE