The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method

a.m. 15 mins AIS; 8 miles easy along the canal; quotidian core blast and a handful (20)of Jaycorns (push ups); 15 mins AIS and static stretching.

p.m. 7miles. 3 w/u 2x5x20secs at 3k pace off jog back rec and 5mins jog between sets, 2 w/d.

Great little session. The idea was to keep the efforts aerobic, while getting up on my toes and feeling fast and relaxed. Job done. The wind was brutal and I must have looked like I was flying - the wind was lifting me up off the ground. Although the effort was 3k, I was moving at around 200m pace.

AIS before and after the session. 

a.m. 15 mins A.I.S. . 13 miles. 2.5 miles at a shuffle. 3.5 miles easing through the gears. 5 miles at high-end aerobic pace. 2 miles warm down. 15 mins A.I.S..

Plan was to do 6 miles at high-end aerobic pace and then ease into threshold pace for 0.75 miles and then onto VO2 max pace for about 60 secs. But, when I hit the 11 mile mark (5 miles into the high-end aerobic phase) my right hamstring screamed blue murder - must've been yesterday's wind-aided strides; that'll teach me to think I'm a midget, codger version of Mr Bolt. If I hadn't managed to slam on the brakes, my hammy would've exploded. Jogged the two miles home and did the old AIS and some positional release. Hopefully, it should be ok for tonight's plod...

p.m. 15mins A.I.S.. 7 miles easy. 15 mins A.I.S..

As soon as I set off, I thought I'd have to stop. But after a few mins my hammy felt ok - just a touch tight.

So then, tonight, instead of going on the lash, I'll be bringing in the new year with a bowl of almond and raisin granola and a cheeky little pint of goji berry juice - oh, how times have changed. But the big question is, will I watch 'The Road' or 'The Godfather Part 2'?...

Happy new year folks! 

a.m. 15 mins a.i.s.. 8 tired miles. 15 mins a.i.s. followed by quotidian core blast and 20 Jaycorns.

p.m. 15 mins a.i.s. 7 miles easy. 15 mins a.i.s.

Did 1 mile with my daughters, Grace (aka BabyBam) and Olivia along the canal. We dropped off Olivia and BabyBam did an extra mile. She did the first mile in 8:30 and the second in 10. The wrong way round. But she'll learn. I then went on and did a further 5 to make the 7.

I like the idea of running slower for the first couple of miles. Normally I'd run about 7:40 pace for the first and 7:30 for the second, before picking it up. I think, from now on, I'll run the first 2 miles at about 9/8:30 pace and then pick it up as this felt great today.

a.m. 15 mins a.i.s. 8 miles at a moderate pace. 15 mins a.i.s.

Nice easy plod along the river. Was going to open it out a bit but I decided to wait until tomorrow, just to give my hammy an extra day.

p.m. 15 mins a.i.s 7 miles progression. 15 mins a.i.s..

Great run. Flew around tonight. Felt strong and fast. Feeling very confident about breaking 15 for 5k by the end of summer. Very confident indeed. 

a.m. 15 mins a.i.s.. 8 very slow miles - recovery run. 15 mins a.i.s.

p.m. 15 mins a.i.s.. 6 miles steady. 15 mins a.i.s..

The wife's out invidulating exams at the local college, BabyBam's at a birthday party and her sister, Olivia, is over with my folks. Great. Dropped in a well needed cheeky little nap. Worked a treat. Felt as sharp as a razor. Probably should have taken it a bit easier on the run. More importantly, there's a mountain of ironing that somehow has to get done before the wife, Majella - there's a cool name for ye - gets home. Toodles.

a.m. 7 miles easy. Tired this morning - had to go out early as Majella is invidulating again and she had to be out and about at the crack of dawn.

Brandon got me into big trouble yesterday...

When Majella got in from a monster day of invidulating - tired and hungry - she saw the pile of ironing and gave me that look. I was sat tapping away on the computer.

'What?' I said.

She looked at the ironing and then glared at me.

'It's not my fault,' I said, trying to think of an excuse.

'Oh,' she said. 'If it's not your fault, then tell me, just who is to blame? Oliver?' (Oliver's the cat)

'This man,' I said, pointing at the computer screen. 'It's all his fault.'

'I'm tired and I can do without all your usual (insert expletive).'

'Honest,' I said. 'Look'.

'Go on then,' she said. 'This better be good.'

Grace ran out of the room.

I pointed at the fat fella on the screen and she gave me a quizzical look.

'Uh-huh. And?'

'He ate me.'

Needless to say that I spent a good part of last night ironing and giving the best ever foot-rub - all to no avail. Thanks Brandon:)

 p.m. 5 miles easy.

Olivia did 1 mile with me and Grace did 2.25. Both of them ran well and could have continued. They wanted to do more but they have many years ahead of them. Finished off with 3 miles very easy. Legs felt dead.

a.m. 13 miles easy.

Planned on doing 17-18 miles with the last 6/7 at high end aerobic pace. But yesterday afternoon, during an easy 5, my legs felt smashed and after Jake's post about recovery, I was a touch apprehensive about banging out 17-18 miles. To compound things, the old heart rate was up this morning too. So I opted for a 13. Once I got moving, I felt fine and dan-day, but decided to just run a relaxed 13 as I was enjoying the run and felt it would be better not to push it. Wise choice.