Miles better.

I thought our next target event was Carlisle Half Marathon on the 2nd October but I have just realised that before then we have the TTC (Trossachs Training Camp) up in Callander later in September. This is a running weekend with Calderglen Harriers in which Genevieve has a big part in the planning & organisation. It features run sessions on Friday evening, Saturday Morning & Afternoon & Sunday morning. These sessions are interspersed with workshops, eating & drinking.  For me the nights are spent laying awake listening to my colleagues snore, mutter & creak their way through the night exhaused & semi-inebriated in bunk beds. I am not a good sleeper.

Whilst I am happy that my eating & drinking are at a suitable level, I do need to improve my running so as of last week I have been trying to increase my running frequency & volume. Last Tuesday I headed out for a 30 min run on a pre-planned route only to turn the opposite way at the first junction to go & run the Harriers 'Four Hills' route. I haven't run this for a couple of years & forgot what a toughy it was. I still don't know why I chose to do it, or which of the numerous hills in the run are counted as the four hills but all I do know is that I seized up at about 4 miles & the following 6.5 were slow & painful. Being a stubborn fool though I was intent on finishing it.

I have run 5 days since last Tuesday & also endured a killer leg rub from Grant & yesterday I went to run the same route again. All I wanted was 1 min quicker over the same course but my mind & body were clearly in a better place. Keeping strictly to Zone 3 on my heart rate monitor I cruised around & finished over 13 mins quicker than the previous week. I was more than happy with this & whilst it was still a way off my pace in previous years it is amazing what a difference a week makes!!

This Sunday we have the ATHelite Club 10 Mile training run so hopefully we will have a good turnout, good run times, good weather & a good post race buffet in the Car Park.