A bit of the Cumbrian Run

10 miles, from mile 2 to mile 12 was the bit of the Cumbrian Run that I did on Sunday. I didn't want to do the 'race' as I thought it too close to Derwent 10, only a week later. I did want a hard training run though, and thought that joining in with the racers would be a good workout.

Plucky ran very well to record 1hr 16mins something and 4th place. I was unable to stay with him. I think I might have just about managed to if I had been racing myself, but you can never run as fast in training. In the back of my mind was always the notion that I wasn't competing with the lads around me and that I could in fact just quit and jog home if I wanted to. The 10miles took 59mins 50 seconds - not really as good an effort as the 8 miler three days earlier which was much hillier as well as 2 seconds per mile faster.

Monday was a non training day - I made good progress building a bookshelf/display unit/cupboard type thingy in the alcove beside the chimney breast at home. It's a shame that it's too dark to work out in the garden now that the clocks have gone back. Working inside I feel i have to cease any hammering and drilling after about 7ish.

Tonight (Tues) I met up with Milly and Darren at the running track. Two pounds ten for the privilege of wearing out lane 1 for 16 laps. You don't get that on the fells. We did 4x a mile. (actually 4x 4 laps - a mile would be 9 metres further) With the forthcoming race in mind I ran conservatively (mostly). an easy start (5:42) similar second (5:38) then for number three I ran steady for 1.5laps before trying to pick up the pace for the the 2.5 laps to finish. this illicited 5:23 - my fastest for some time, possibly 2 years. The final rep was targeted at 5:40 and we ran 5:35 but it felt easy for laps one, two and three.

May have to go to the track more often from now on as Milly requires a softer (than pavements) surface underfoot when doing speedwork. I pretend the cost is annoying and a waste but in fact I am only too pleased to be running with Milly again - we have a winter to endure whilst trying to remain motivated then a campaign to plan out and execute to see us fit to run the very first Virgin London Marathon next Spring.