Less than 16 minutes

Last week I took something like 16:09 to complete the 3 mile route of intervals. Last night I ran it inside 16 minutes. 15.51 actually, which must be 5:17 pace per mile. Back in the day, my best ever time for this session was 15:05 (though I may have had just 60 seconds recoveries then - for now I'm taking 90 seconds). Things (speed) are going in the direction at least. I am about 15 seconds per mile slower than at my best ever. If I can reduce this to just 10 seconds per mile then I should regularly be back into the 34 minute 10k's (I used to run 34's on every route, even hilly ones, and on many occasions 33's if the course was a good one).

Looking on the Cumberland AC website for the results of Tuesdays race it was nice to stumble across the result from 2003 when I won in 34:05. I didn't even remember running the race until I got to the venue and it all looked a bit familiar. It got me into thinking about how many races I did actually win. There was the Langdale Marathon, Carlisle Rugby Club 10k, Langholm Doctors Run, Moorclose, Chivers Challenge, and several of Derwent AC's low-key midweek events which formed a summer long series that I won two years in succession. There was also a Duathlon I won in about 2005 or 6. Glory days indeed.

One minor blip on the horizon has to be my sore right foot. About 4 years ago I had plantar fasciitus which stopped me from running for a short while. The issue was rectified by the remarkable skills of Mr Jerret, my local physio' who got me to run with some off-the-shelf orthotic inserts. Since then I have always worn them in my everyday footwear (workboots) and I have often noticed that when I don't wear them for a while (such as when on holiday), my foot hurts a bit. Since last summer it has hurt again, going from mild and scarcely noticeable to now being quite painful most of the time. Luckily it didn't hurt when running (although clearly, running made it worse afterwards), but now it does hurt when running so I have been doing the stretches I was taught, every morning, night and anytime inbetween where I am on a step. I also took a closer look at the inserts and after so many years they have actually become quite flat on the bottom - the little wedges stuck to the base to throw my landing foot in a slightly altered manner were no longer doing their job. I have ordered a new pair if inserts and am hopeful they will quickly resolve this issue - ideally before July when I will resume the 50-60 mile weeks.

Scamp stars top and bottom today. It was too hot for him in the van so I tied him under a shady tree. At dinner time he looked so cute I took a quick snap of his upsidedown-ness