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York - Week 14

Yorkshire, home of the puddings...
Week Fourteen

This week in numbers ...

Miles ran : 54.60
Alcohol drunk : 0
Chocolate eaten : 0
Weight : Monday - 11st5lb - 73kg
Sunday - 11st4lbs - 72kg

Monday 30th September

First things first, yes that does say I've drunk no alcohol this week and yes it's true.

I'm on a 3 week no booze diet, this is mainly to get me sleeping better as I am a terrible sleeper and I need all the rest I can get over the next few weeks.

Anyway, on with the blog.

Yesterday I ran a 20 miler at 30 secs a mile faster than all my long runs and today my quads are wrecked, they are so stiff and being on my feet all day working is no fun. I'll be hitting the foam roller later and got a massage booked for Friday to beat them back into life.

No running today, rest day as always.

Tuesday 1st October

Works a bit crazy at the moment and I've got loads of jobs to do in the house which keep getting put back. The kitchen ceiling is still partly made of bin bags and has been now for 10 months, I have changed the bin bags once and they are now nicely stapled to the ceiling and not hanging down anymore. I class this as being at least 90% fixed.

Tonight it's GP at the club and I'm not ready for racing, quads are still knackered and it's not time for sillyness this close to York.

I decide it's going to be a threshold run tonight with a good warm up, I head out for 5 miles easy and am convinced this'll shake my legs back to life.

It doesn't.

The GP starts and the fellas I'm running with all vanish into the distance as I settle into 7:20 mile pace, it's windy and cold. First 2 miles are bang on pace and on the way back the wind is a shit, right into your face. I'm feeling good as I've been sensible in the first half so pick up the pace and knock 10-15 secs off this mile and cross the line feeling pretty good.

Legs still aching but overall a decent little run.

Wednesday 2nd October

Working all day today and struggling to fit a run in but need to do 10k easy so wedge it in between appointments. I'm back on the diet properly again from this week, it's all about mushrooms, cream crackers and noodles.

And blackberries.

Easy 10k done, showered and back to work. Manage to get a hairdresser appointment booked and toy with the idea of shaving my legs for the marathon, Jim tells me it'll get me about 7 seconds sounds worth it to me.

Mention it to Gail and she gives me 'the look' and I decide it's a stupid idea, bloody Jim.

Thursday 3rd October

It's Thursday so it's back to threshold day but with a difference. The threshold session in the last block have big chunks at marathon pace so are a lot easier, today I'm doing 3 x 3 miles, which is 2 miles at threshold and straight into 1 mile at marathon pace, speak to Laura early in the day and she mentions she's doing it at the track to avoid the wind.

This is a genius idea and I decide to do the same, I take Murphy for a walk before I head to the track and see Ben.

No, not that Ben.

This is coach Ben from the 6:30 group, some would say the alpha Ben of the Poly.

He asks what session I'm doing today, I tell him track and he has the look of a happy man and tells me he loves track. I tell him I'm doing 9 miles of intervals and he gives me a similar look to the one I got when I mentioned shaving my legs to Gail.

Turns out he was right. 9 miles on the track is a load of shit, my pace is too fast on the thresholds and the mara pace and it seems to go on forever. The track is for speed work, not long reps and not 9 bloody miles of intervals.

The one bonus is at the end I nip into the clubhouse and eat a massive wedge of carrot cake from Joe and Molly's wedding, cheers you two, it was bloody marvellous.

Bloody Laura and her track ideas. That's another one to cross off the 'coach Awards' list this year.

And Ben, yeah 'that' Ben. He's off the list naturally.

Friday 4th October

Easy day today 4 miles easy and some hills and a massage.

Nice run but it's cold and the gloves are out, home for a shower and then squeeze a quick appointment in and then it's massage time.

Now I'm a lover of a good sports massage, kind of goes without saying as that's what I do for a living but foam rollers, massage balls and massage guns can only do so much and then you need the elbows and thumbs of a pro who enjoys hurting people.

My quads and glutes are suitably battered by thumb, elbow and forearm and it feels good but when I'm face down I may well have had a little cry as an elbow is buried deep into my arse cheek with some force.

It's Friday which is booze night but no booze shall pass these lips for 3 weeks so it's coffee and I nick a can of Poppy's coke from the fridge.

It was actually Pepsi but Poppy's Pepsi sounds stupid.

Saturday 5th October

Parkrun day.

Nowt daft today Simon, it's a 17 miler tomorrow.

7:20 pace all the way through will be perfect.

Start near the front and have a decent clear path.

First mile is 6:51 and feels good.

I know, I'll just run at 7's and that'll be fine.

Second mile is 6:37, fucking idiot.

Mile 3 is 6:42 and then I spot the lovely Colin B up ahead, this is too good a chance not to miss.

I cross over to be behind him and give him a superb double goosing as I run through, he does a little squeak (from his mouth, I think) and I decide it was a job well done.

Cross the line in 21 mins and feel fine.

Sunday 6th October

The final long run, it's 17 miles today and then 14 next week.

Last week I did 20 and went too fast at an average of 7:56 miles.

Today I will not be a twat and keep it steady. I have my gels, salt sticks Kendall mint cake and I'm trying out the pink socks with the shoes, they look fucking sharp.

Mile 1 and a pace check and it's 8:24, a little quick but that'll do and it's only 17 miles today. A very uneventful run ensues, no high fives, no seagulls talking about me, just me and the coast road and plodding on and looping a lamppost and heading back.

I run past an old lady walking her dog and think about pushing her over so I'll have something to write about but by the time I decide it's a good idea I'm way too far past her so just keep going. I do actually contemplate running back and then realise that's insane, it would push my run past 17 miles and that'd be stupid.

Off the coast road, down through Shields, into Tynemouth and Cullercoats and watch beeps 17 miles.

It felt okay, seemed to drag more than last week but at least I was sensible and kept it slower and more controlled.

It was 4 seconds a mile faster than last week.

Grab a coke in the co-op and head home.

2 weeks to go.

All in all a very boring week, hopefully next week i'll do something twatish or run into a lamppost or get attacked by a goose.

Foam Roller Workshop

Fancy learning how to properly use a foam roller ?

Not just sitting on it for a minute and going 'ooooo'

My next workshop will be in November, are strictly limited and are £25 so please message me if you'd like to book on.

I'll have also just got back from holiday so will bring sweets!