Who gets me?

Tallying up the last couple of weeks of running I realised at one point I had ran 75 fell miles in 6 days.

Three days after the L50 I ran for 5 hours in the fells including Scafell Pike, Scafell, then into Wasdale and back via Styhead Pass. Three days later  I was back in the same neck of the woods again to check out the different approaches to Scafell Pike from the North.

One day after that I ran 16 miles at marathon pace effort. It wasn't marathon pace (at least I hope not) as I could only manage 6:21 per mile (and I had managed 6:11 per mile for 13 miles two weeks earlier). Surely though some degree of speed drop off/fatigue can be attributed to the 50 miler and all the fell mileage. Despite the overall pace I did manage to negative split the run - which is a great indication of perfect pace/effort judgement

So no wonder I was feeling tired.

I also seem to be continuing to lose weight for no explicable reason. Without making any attempt to diet, I am currently about a half a stone below what I was at the beginning of the year (which itself wasn't a high or concerning figure). Not that I am complaining. I wouldn't want to be forced to carry 7lb sandbag with me every hill I ran up, and at present I have effectively got rid of one.

After an easy jog on Monday in the rain, I went to Pluckys on Tuesday to run with him around the 10k loop he uses. I had promised it would be a proper hard session and was looking forward to dishing out some serious pain his way.  A last minute decision to ride my bike 25 miles immediately prior to the run  (my first bike ride in 18 months) may have effected me a little - but more likely the accumulated mileage of the weekend was accountable for my legs feeling truly awful for the whole run. I wasn't able to push the pace as hard as I wanted - my legs were on the verge of collapse way before my lungs were feeling troubled.

Plucky was still hurting though - and sitting in behind me when the wind was in our face.  Upon finishing, seeing 5:47 pace for the 6.2 miles astonished me. I only need 10 seconds/mile quicker to run my "dream" 34 minute 10k, and as it would be a race not training, and on fresher legs not having ran so much slow fell mileage, I reckon I would could run nearer 5:30 pace. Cannot therefore believe I am going to be on holiday and miss the Dumfries 10k next month. Damn damn damn.

Thursdays session of five by one mile was altered at the very last minute due to a chance meeting with George and Russell just as we were all getting to the start point. They were doing 4x3 minutes then 2x 1mile. Although this was shorter than my session, it was only so by .7 of a mile and the quality was far superior. George is the UK vet 55 5k champion and also soon attempting the UK V55 150mm all time record (which he will almost certainly beat), and Russ is a prolific race winner and currently an England capped runner at 50km.

I struggled to stick with these lads on the 3 mine efforts (dropped each time at 2 mins in), but on the miles I was OK and hung on, even taking on the last mile into headwind and finishing just behind Geo and ahead of Russ. A super tough but enormously worthy session.

Saturday had to be my long easy run (after last weekends long MP 16). As always I planned on sub 7 pace and knew that 6:45s should be well within me without pushing hard. It didn't feel quite as easy as I hoped it would. My legs felt troubled by about 12 miles and the final 5 were really tough going as by then it had also become properly hot and sunny and I was also getting trouble from a stitch due to too much breakfast. Pace was there though. 21 miles at 6:40 pace and with a negative split by a handful of seconds.

We continue