Week 10:

43.9 miles 

A so-called 'recovery week'; pleased top have shaken off the ski-legs and a strong finish to the week. 

Monday 23rd February 

6.27m  @ 8.27 p/m 
52 minutes 
BVH - Route A

This was a tough run! I think the onset muscle damage from skiing well and truly kicked in, and I struggled around the Northfield 6 mile route, catching up with Katy, and her marathon training for Boston. Looking forward to a rest tomorrow.

Wednesday 25th February 

8m @ 8.20 p/m 
1hr 6 mins 
Cannon Hill, with Jack 

Back to the pleasurable side of running! A lighter evening after work and a very enjoyable run with Jack (who's been training for the Coventry Half) down to Cannon Hill Park, with what seemed half of the BVH club! Feeling much easier on the legs and there is something magical about running in the twilight, catching the Birmingham lights form the woodland area. Feel like the training is getting back on track

Thursday 26th February 

BVH - Kings Norton Industrial Park 
6 x 800m reps @ 5km pace (6.22 - 6.35 p/m) 
7.1 miles in total 

I was down to coach, with Nicola, this evening so took a small group of guys down to Kings Norton, for a series of 800m reps. Ironically this speed work was down on my schedule as well, so I was able to  enjoy participating as well as coaching. It's tough, but a really good work out. The course is excellent, it feels fast, and I was pleased to hold on with Katy on the first four reps although I was suffering by the last couple! Good to be out in shorts again (rather than Ronhill trackers), definitely feeling milder

As with most reps, the thought is also worse than the deed. Glad to have done this

Friday 27th February 

3.5 miles walk home! 

In the twilight enjoyed a walk home along the Hagley Road. Good finish to the week!

Saturday 28th February

5m @ 7.43 p/m + 8 x 100 strides at the end 
38 mins 

Another drizzly but mild morning and out to run to feel, no set pace in mind. Down the Harborne Walk way and around the park, and feeling strong, with decent pace in the legs. Good 5 miler and then did some fast strides, as per the programme.

Sunday 1st March 

14 m @ 7.57 p/m 
1hr 51 mins 
Handsworth + canals 

Great way to start the new month, St David's Day and a mild morning for the medium length run, the last on this recovery week. Ski-legs definitely now out of the system and was expecting a 8.30 - 9 minute mile run, but felt better and a steady sub 8 minute milling was fine, without having to blow. Maybe it was the new Kayano's (christened today) or just the culmination of a good training log, but a run down to Handsworth before hitting the canals was excellent. Half marathon completed in 1.44, so really was a long race-pace run. Given me decent confidence as I head into the last 8 weeks or so of the training, and legs not feeling bad either.