A check on the calendar, and an email reminder, led me last week to the scary recognition that, as of today, I only have two months training left until the start of the Great North Run.
With that in mind last week I started to properly ramp up my training. Just my luck that coincided with the first properly hot week in about 5 years.
The weeks exercise started pretty well. I was up early on Sunday morning and, for the first time in a couple of years, extended my Seafront route to the eastern end of Bexhill (in a few more weeks I’ll be aiming for the west end!). It was a slow run. Only 9.29 mins/mile; but 7.5 miles is quite a step up in distance than on the past few months.
Tuesday and Wednesday were about trying to increase speed by reverting back to 3-4 miles and rather pleasingly I got speeds of 8.57 and 8.3 mins/mile over the shorter distances. Just what I needed and great preparation for Thursday.
Thursday 11th might just be one of my best days training. Up in the morning and onto the bike to cycle the 6 miles to Bexhill station in a new record time. Then lunchtime was out running again. 6.25 miles and at 8.50 mins/mile. Damn good progress. The cycle ride home was tough with legs now tired and a strong headwind but still managed a new best way up the west hill at the end of the ride.
I was pretty shattered on Friday morning but decided to go for a final Seafront run. However after a short distance i felt the legs were pretty tired so completed an easy steady mile to St Leonards, relaxed a bit and stretched the legs a bit more and then went for a faster return mile. Into the wind but sub 8 minute mile (Roger who?). A pretty good end to the week and worthy of a weekend off.
And now its Monday. I’m writing this on the train to work. Kit bag next to me. Planning on another 6.25 miles today but its already too damn hot out there. Ho hum! I just need to remind myself. It is now 2 months today that I’ll be standing on the central motorway in Newcastle heading towards South Shields in the company of about 50,000 others.
And of course I need to remind you all that I’m doing it to raise funds for the excellent team at Hastings lifeboat. The RNLI are all volunteers and receive no government funding. Hastings lifeboat has been called out ten times in just the last two
weeks. I’d therefore love it if you’d help me to help them by sponsoring my running. You can do so at:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichMay
Many
thanks