glad of a quickie

Sadly the toad work slunk on it's hunkers and got in the way of plans for a good run, so after a rapid bag pack for the weekend away (another wedding) managed to squeeze a short "session" in. So 4x1km efforts with 1min rests a wee warm up,cool down, shower and out to pick up the boy and hit the road.
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3 up on t'moor

Turned up to Harriers on a fine evening and having decided to take the trip with a bigger social group, got chatting to my mate Brian fresh in the way only Brian can be fresh from the 3 Peaks race at the weekend and up for a wee run on the moor - so Brian collared another companion - Ben and off we trotted.

Up through the houses, along towards Addingham Moorside, then up to Black Hill/Wingate Nick and we all got bigged up about how fantastic it is up on the moor and how wonderful it is to live in Ilkley - the usual drill - which was an excuse to stop and look.

Plenty banter now we could breath we contoured round then picked up the pace down the path, with Brian taking us off on "paths" that he wanted to show us which Ben and I couldn't see and reckoned he was just wanting us to beat down for his use later.

So one of those runs with good company, enjoying the beauty of Ilkley Moor, and the joy of summer evening running.

10.6km, 1:05, 900ft ascent and bit of joy thrown in

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/31473926

running up that hill

Another session to log

My vague plan on my 2 proper "sessions" a week til end of May with increaing milage per week at the same time is to do flatish efforts one week and hill efforts then next.

So today is the first formal rather than fartlek style hill session.

Like my first return to efforts in Durham it was a bit pathetic and weak minded but hey - the line is drawn and will be pushed up with each session.

So Heatlely 90 sec x 5 - could have done a few more - that's the weak minded thing - I guess I need a clear goal running on my own - so next time another lampost and 8 efforts or no beer for a month!.

Long Run

Nice to get back to a longer run.

Met up with old uni friend and set off with our garmins and hrm from the old bridge to travel down to the Cavendish via the back road than back via the Dales Way.

So half marathon distance on the nail before a short cool down walk for a few hundred yards to the car.

For me all comfortably in zone 2 and eric 5-6 bpm faster. So we were both happy to push our selves a bit more distance wise and to behave in terms of pace.

Good to catch up before he headed back - will book another one in the diary before too long with him.

So that is 2 sessions done in a week, just a few more km at the weekend to top up to 50km for the week and I'm keeping up the come back.

I have made the decision that the next thing I'm going to do is pay my money for entry to the Keilder Marathon in October, which will be my main 2010 goal - which is really a goal to be in decent shape in the autumn to up the stakes over the winter for 3 Peaks or London Marathon. next April

Time for a "session"

Rather than do the Harriers thing tonight I thought I'd set out a wee bit earlier and put in a proper session - to keep up my intention of 2 "sessions" per week I needed to get one in early in the week.

So a wee amble from the old bridge towards Nesfield to get warmed up and then 8 x500m with timed recovery along the flat(ish) bit by the golf course.

It felt like a proper session, and also much better than a similar not as long and not as many repped thing I did in Durham a couple of weeks or so ago.

So splits were 2:04, 2:02, 2:04, 2:04, 1:58, 2:00, 2:04, 1:57 so total 16:13 total.

I return to that session some time in a few weeks and see if I have improved.

Today I was simply pleased not to fade and now need a shower urgently

Garmin output - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/30688288

Just looked back at my output for the Durham session 2 and 1/2 weeks ago, I was then doing 5x400 efforts, slowed down for last effort and was doing 400m splits 10-20 sec slower than todays 500m splits so yes things are picking up.

Manorlands Photoshoot Run

Dodgers were summoned to a photo shoot and run at Oxenhope. Aware of the close encounter with a black hole in crosshills last time I ran with the dodgers, I was pleased that Gary had been round to recce the run beforehand. Anyway what might have been a straight forward run with a few friends became rather more of a worry as coach Richards expert warm up session dissolved into a mass Ministry of Silly Walks event (I'm afraid video evidence might be on facebook too soon). I just hope non of the patients have to contend with the memory of that sight.

Eventually after more preliminaries than a big city marathon we set off along toward Howarth. A few of us pulled away and I in the benevolent spirit suggested when we got that big hill that you try and not take your car down that we should regroup at the bottom - so ended up running back up.

We scared and amused the punters shopping up the cobbled street before getting out of town and heading towards Pennistone country park. T, R, A and I sacrificed good sense to our egos and legged up to the top before a gentle descent back to Oxenhope and Manorlands. When we were all gathered in Richard then taught us some painful post run excercises which proved once and for all that I am the least flexible Dodger by some way. Well done to the whole pack that was a real step up for some, It is really impressive to me how much people are improving and to see some new faces - an enjoyable GNR is the grasp of all.

So I manged 8.27km in 43:20 - given the hillininess of things in parts - picking up ...and the end of a 50Km week

Duathlon?

Got up and ran this am before the family stirred. Sometimes when I run it somehow transcends, this morning was one of those mornings, big blue skies, great views, track,a little tarmac and fell all helped. The last 9 months have been silly at work, and this week on holiday I have eased back into something of my self. "In a dry and weary land, you are my rain". So this morning just felt good. Another 10 hilly k, and at a bit of a lick too.
Got back to rouse the slumberers who opted for another session at Coed Y Brennin. Matt and I hit the same trail 15min faster than earlier this week and finished with even bigger grins.
A couple of forced rest days ahead, a Dodgers photoshoot run on sunday and 2 long (more thgan 20 mile) runs booked in the next 3 weeks, the long slow comeback is picking up pace.

Big Grins at Coed y Brenin

Piled the bikes on the car and nipped along to Coed Y Brenin.

After a couple of quick loops to sort ourselves out, Mat and I set out for a blast on some bone shaking, big grin, lung bursting, narrow single track, whilst L with a couple of missed turns did a tour of north Wales.

So no running today but I'm high and legal.

Posing again

It's all about Pete's Eats

A lazy start as the urge to scale a proper mountain set in. First of all needed to get something other than Etne's for junior, so parted rather sadly with my money as he's likely to grow out of them in a fortnight and off we set off from Ogwen Cottage up the Glyders. I spotted a couple of runners limbering up and felt some sense of "can't I run too" but these days of sun and family and mountains are not to be wished away.

We lunched at a tarn, went off path under my "expert" direction (must use reading glasses when map reading in future), did some tough scree/scrambly climbing and eventually topped out on the Glyder Ridge where we found the sun and the wind.

The promise of Pete's Eats (and my comment it might shut early this time of year) propelled the valliant crew down to the car and off to Llanberis for the legendary in the Mackem's household Pete's Eats for a pints of coffee, tea, milk shake, large plates of carbohydrate and the Juke Box. A fine end to a fine day

Holiday running

Whilst my marathon running friends were doing final long runs or running Blackpool, I'm lolling around on holiday.

Having had another lie in went out from the cottage with L for run, it's remote and hilly here so I satisfied myself with some long uphill efforts and regrouping with L.

We did a bit of a big dipper along forest roads and tracks trying not land in the valley bottom.

She's doing well the missus and I'm feeling stronger. We saw the sea, a nuclear power station, a lake, Snowden, a telephone mast, a disused mine building, some daff's, lots of Welsh mountains and a few sheep.

A sl more brisk run for me than yesterday, though no great distance, but balancing family and self is a dilema on holiday.

We then roused the offspring and headed down to the George with the bikes and cycled along the estuary to Barmouth and back on a beautiful day for cycling. One off those afternoons when it all works out just right.

So 9km hill running and 25km cycling.

Away at last

Back up to Durham Thurs/Fri to spring mum from hospital and settle her in at home, determined courageous women that lady!

Back home pack and load up car with stuff and bikes and got to Holiday house with L and the boys for midnight.

It is so quiet here, no car noises, just running stream and bleating lambs and a few forest roads to explore.

After a slow am after the late night went out to explore a bit the local tracks with L, steady but enough hills for me to put in a bit extra effort, only 6km but got my bearings for a longer punt without ending up lost tomorrow.

It was warm today, and this place is beautiful. Picked up Beth this pm, so one of those rare weeks as a fivesome with only holidaying to do.

After that fine meal from Beth I'll now have some calories to run off!

it's hilly round here

With Bunny Runs starting tonight and that being a league counter numbers were a bit down at Harriers. So there was a couple of groups too slow and one too fast - so I went with the too fast. To be honest I'd have been confortable with them a year ago so not the really fast lot, but it was light and warm so to off up the moor.

We ran up to White wells then up and through Rocky Valley, down to the Cow and Calf and beneath chez nous and round and down and up a few times.

I managed 5 good hill efforts between a couple of minutes and 10 and 2km at tempo pace, so I'll call that a "session". What was pleasing other than hanging on and not having to make them regroup too much for me was that despite the effort I felt strong towards the end - which I think is payback for Conniston - ie longer miles.

10.1km

59min

1679ft ascent (and presumably descent)

Good session - the hills are your friends drmackem

Rest day tomorrow!

Running Away

Sadly me old mother had a bit of a tumble in the bathroom a week ago and managed to fracture her tibial plateau and proceeded a couple of days later to have a knee replacement. So having failed to do the dutiful thing with work being unforgiving last week and keeping me there til Sat, I took in an early service with the old people at Church on Sun am and headed up north to spend some time with her and to give the little sister a break from the ordeal of hospital visiting. She's a determined lady and is already zimmering and will be heading home soon whether they let her or not.

I get to stay overnight and filled in my time with a couple of runs in Durham.

Having had my sit down, think, plan and talk to myself the short term plan ie next 5 weeks is

1. 2 "sessions" a week - ie long run, hills, intervals, tempo

2. 2 recovery runs a week

3. in 5 weeks will do the Harrogate Ringway with my old Uni mate Pete and whoever we accumulate - so about 23miles plodding.

I need to return to "sessions" after months of running rather than training.

So run 1 in Durham on Sunday

Along the river and around the castle/Cathedral then 400m gps efforts x 5 with 1min rest - not too hard I know but it's me started again. It was nice evening and warm, and there were daffodils and the river paths in Durham are really lovely so I felt all springy and summery and happy for my 5miles.

Run 2 in Durham on Monday

Recovery run from Mums along cycle path to the River in Durham and along a bit and back again in the cold and rain (I knew I was up north proper as other runners were all out in the biting cold and rain in vests and shorts). In 5miles I ran through one of those estates with lots of police cameras high up surrounded by gun protection, over a reclaimed slag heap, onlong a disused railway, past an incredible wall garden, across the river from the rowing club (now that took me back to disco's there 30ish years ago and my brief punk era - oh and other teenage disco stuff), by river paths to see the Cathedral and Castle again before ambling back upt'hill. Steady all the way for another 5miles.

So not far but beginning to get more focussed :-)