Perhaps not surprisingly, I have had a very tough week since the Buttermere race.
As usual on Monday I didn't run. Tuesday had scheduled a 12 mile marathon pace run. We set off into the countryside - hopeful of a quicker pace without the constant dodging of cars and people usually encountered on our 'dark' 'town' runs we are forced to endure throughout December and January. Alas, by 4miles I was in serious trouble running at the pace Milly was setting.
I allowed Milly to leave me behind (didn't have much choice really) and settled into a slightly more comfortable pace of my own. By the 8 mile mark I was running back into the city through a park, it was pitch black dark and I had no idea whether Milly was in front or behind me (as I had taken a small shortcut in the hope of rejoining him for the latter part of the run). I never saw him again until about 2 minutes before we finished.
I still had to do some extra loops and backtracking in the suburban streets to get the distance in. It was very tempting to cut it short, especially when I passed the normal finish point with still half a mile to go. I did the full 12 though. At 6:35 per mile. Milly ran 6:20 per mile.
Looking back, and with my years of experience I should never have attempted this run only 50 odd hours after completing the 22mile race. It would have made a lot more sense to run a couple of 8 to 10 milers at easy pace, then do the 12 on Thursday.
On Wednesday Milly was a no show. I didn't have the inclination to go on my own - not something I can repeat too often in the forthcoming weeks if I want to run well at London.
Thursday we went to the track for mile reps. A rather too easy first effort yielded 5:50. The remaining four were all between 5:28 and 5:32. A good session, but again I was still tired from Sunday, with the 5:28 feeling like the fastest I could possibly manage.
Next week is the 4th week of a 4 week block and is therefore our 'easy week'. WAHEY. Before that though we have 23miles to run tomorrow morning.
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