Definetly my most difficult week this year so far, not in terms of physical fitness but mentally its been a bit of a struggle. But the good news is I'm through it and still managed to get out as much as I would like.
On the Monday having rested on Sunday, I was going to go for an easy 10 miler right up until i was going to start my run. I thought hang on I've got 3 hard weeks now, whats the point in doing 10, how about just start with an easy one. So since Monday is bonus day I decided to just do my usual 10k.
Then Tuesday was another one where I kept changing my mind! I got home early from work as I had a medical appointment at 4pm. So I thought I would do my 13 mile tempo at 5pm get it out the way. Then I thought I could actually make the track session at 6pm tonight. When it got to 5pm I wasn't feeling great and empty. So I had a pizza, so that was the track session out! So at 7pm I started my 13 mile tempo. I thought the first 2 miles I had gone out too hard, but I looked at my watch after a mile and it was 8.17 so clearly not. The next 3 miles were uphill up the Ayr Road. I felt fine until I looked at my 500ml bottle of water and realised there was hardly anything left! I had only been sipping it, so it was clear it was leaking out the lid! So then I had to reasses what strategy to take. I decided that for gradual inclines i would maintain the same steady pace. For the 2 steep long inclines I would take it very easy. Then for the downhills i maintained a steady pace where I would have usually upped it. So all in all it was a good run and averaged below 8.30 minute miles for 12.9 miles.
On Wednesday it was a tough one mentally to get out the door. It was snowing really heavy and it was lying making it tough going. I do enjoy running in the snow but as I say its tough work! So I did an easy 10k and by the looks of it I wasn't the only one who found it tough to get out the door as I didn't see one other runner! I was thinking that the last part of the run would be slightly easier as it passes a row of shops so it would be well trampled: WRONG! It was slushy as anything and even harder to run in than the snow not to mention the drenched socks! But again glad I went out and more miles in the bag!
Thursday club night was meant to be 3 times 2 miles but due to the snow they decided to just go for an easy run which I thought might turn into a tempo at one point but never did. However one of the other guys Hugh was up for doing the last of the 3 *2 miles a bit faster. The thing is I knew Hugh was a Sub 19 minute 5k runner so I said to him I would try and keep up but setting my expectations low! I did actually manage to keep up for over a mile which I was pleased with, then the gradual ascents started. Usually i'm quite good at these but not at the pace we were going at and Hugh not suprisingly shot off into the distance. But I was pleased to complete the 2 miles in 13 mins 10 seconds although I think its just shorter than 2 miles this is still very fast for me and I thanked Hugh for really pushing me.
Friday day off, then todays adventure. The plan in my head was to get about 5am then out by 6-6.30am. Do 17 miles then do the park run to finish and see how much I could push it in the park run. But not surpisingly i got woken up at 5am, changed my alarm to go off at 7am and went back to bed! So I got up at half 7, then out the door at 8.30am. So I got 4 miles done before the park run, caught up with folk before it started for 15 minutes then the park run started. In total I saw Ian Goudie three times supporting at various points during the run which was apprecitated. I was going a lot slower and like a lot of people he was wondering what was up! But I was determined to keep my pace down even though running with people tends to make you go faster as I knew I'd pay for it later. But I resisted and finished in 28.48 which is a personal worst. But I did have another 13 miles to do! So as soon as i handed in my barcode I was off again. At mile 11 I got to the bottom of the Ayr Road where the pavements were still snow covered. The further up i got the more covered it became until I reached where the Ayr Road crossed the motorway and it must have been about 7-8 inches and at that point I started running on the road! As I was coming back down there was actually a guy running through the deep snow and we both just grinned at each other. Once I was going back down the Ayr Road it was easier mentally to know its pretty much all downhill, flat from here. My legs also felt good for the last 5 miles unlike previous weeks which is a good sign. I was a lot slower paced but 6 miles was through snow so I am not too bothered about it. It is just good to get my first 20 under my belt and another 50 mile plus week!
I was also on the Clyde Stride website looking at the course photos. To be honest when I signed up I didn't think the scenery would be that good because when you think of the Clyde you always think about the river going through urban Glasgow. But I have to say once you get past Cambuslang the scenery looks like it gets amazing with really good running trails :-)
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