Fewston First Light

I got up intending to head to Bradford to parkrun, but the sun was emerging enticingly so having got myself all ready, the car went to Fewston and I ran the Fewston/Swinsty reservoir circular.

Handy these phone camera's

One of the things I love about autumn is the light at the beginning and end of the daytime. As the dark months encroach, that dawning and ebbing of the light seems full both of gift and loss, and being awake (rather than in the bright summer long days) for the changing light, what better way to enjoy than to hit a trail on a Saturday morning.

Running wise I felt tired in the legs - looking at my runninglog returning home, I've just done 2 weeks of 30miles  plus (only done that much one week previously in the last year), so my incremental approach (they say 5-10% increase per week is the way to do it) has been a bit of a step up. Although I've a week of work at home coming up, I think I'll back off a little in either intensity or distance or both, and have a few afternoon naps.(That's the plan anyway).

Saw a few runners, one or 2 dogs taking their owners for a walk, and a few walkers without dogs or running shoes and one walker running in walking boots, but mostly quiet apart from the odd honking from the waterfowl.
The first 20mins with that first light was beautiful, but less so the cloud encroached and the light flattened. Weekend early morning runs are the best!

Round and round

Hey up googleblog have changed their interface - I don't remember them asking.
Track night and despite the dark, dampness of the evening had fun with the core session of 5x800m off 2min recoveries.
Kept them pretty even, and sl quicker for the last one, what was slightly frightening was looking at my times from 4 years ago - 25sec quicker for each 800m. Decided not to be depressed about that, but found a nice little goal over the winter.
I think I'll convert this particular session gradually to Yasso 800m's over the next couple of months.
Probably won't make the next week as not at work and track is on the way home from work, we'll see.
I fancy doing some pyramid type version of pain next time.

A little tempo time

Dark(ie not light) and a bit mindless but felt like a good hour in total invested in running. Enjoyed the solo head space too.

But a nice 4.5mile tempo run, half a mile further, 10 sec a mile quicker and 7 beats per minute slower than 2 weeks ago, so though not swift (7:48 pace), slowly moving forwards.

Hopefully if i remember tomorrow I'll enter the Brass Monkey to give a nice proximal goal to see me through the next 3months and edge that half mara time towards next years goal of sub 1:40 (there I've gone and said it!)

Rest day tomorrow aka work til you drop. plan is to make it to the track on Thursday for some 800's and then 10 days off work.

Long run with Ian

My bro in law Ian and family were staying this weekend, always a welcome prospect as we all feel so comfortable in each others company.
During the last 18months though things have acquired an additional attraction as Ian has taken up running and so not only can we share each others company on a run, but we can discuss in a way that is presumably rather tedious to our beloveds left at home the Lore of Running - I for one can talk about running far more capably than I can run!.
Anyway, what with my work, and a sequence of large meals to fit in, our running window meant deferring the All Blacks success to much later (thanks sky+) and we went out early this am.
A quick coffee and toast and then 7:45 set off from the old bridge, we ran a bit futher than planned, as Ian had an attack of the "gingerbreads" so we need to find some woods. We tracked beyond Bolton Abbey, up to Storiths, then back across the fields to the Beamsley Road and back home.
A tidy 12miles at a sensible long run pace.
We enjoyed the stunning early morning autumn scenery, and there was a quality of conversation (about much more than running thank goodness) that made the running bit almost go unnoticed.
I like my long runs much better with company.
Ian is coming back after abscence with foot problems and I'm moving slowly through the gears again, so for both of us there was satisfaction with the running distance too.
Back in time for breakfast, churchness and one of my Linda's splendid Sunday dinners before catching up on the RWC, loved the drama - and with the Mackem's winning and Man Utd being humbled, nice weekend!

Track time

Things ticking over nicely, enjoying training sessions 2 to 3 per week, and slowly moving forward and injury free.
Tonight decided to go down to the track at greenhead all new amd lovely since it was rebuilt. Did 10x400 with the usual warm up and ministry of silly walk strides, bounds, and bottom slapping. Track busy but well behaved. Did efforts in just sub 1. 30, still a little off the pace, but incremental Andrew, incremental..
Felt chipper afterward. So entered myself into Coniston 14 for March, now its 14 miles again.