So I managed to get out in spite of the ice the other day but then Monday and Tuesday there were the usual excuses – to dark, too tired, too late now, too full from food.

Wednesday I got home earlier so we went for a run. We went uphill. Up up up towards Ilkley Moor. I forget how relentless it is but Kath took us from landmark to landmark run/walking. My calves held up ok but were tight by the time we got to the top. We turned round and ran all the way back down. It’s a lovely run down. It’s undulating but down all the way if that makes sense. It means that I can run faster than I usually do and sustain it for longer which helps me get used to what a higher pace actually feels like. It was a good session.

Thursday we did our speed work for the week. I don’t like speed work. I find it mentally really hard. I’m actually sure I could physically run faster but somehow I can’t make myself sustain it. Most types of speed work make me really miserable and grumpy. However, the runners world fartlek session which I have blogged about before is sort of ok. This was the 4th time I’ve done it. I could feel the hills in my legs from the day before and I was quite tired. I was fairly sure my pace would be awful. I was therefore pleasantly surprised that I was actually in line with previous attempts. With some more consistent running, hill, speed and strength work I may even improve a bit! (previous attempts in brackets)

• 10 minute warm up:  12.46 (12.27,12.20, 12.43 pace);
• 5 minutes: 10.35 (10.37,10.26, 10.27);
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 4 minutes: 10.09 (10.30, 10.11, 10.18) pace;
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 3 minutes: 10.23 (11.03, 9.56, 10.18) pace;
• (then 5.5 minute rest);
• 2 minutes: 9.37 (10.17, 8.56, 9.52);
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 1 minute 30 secs: 9.05 (9.41, 9.09 ,9.47) pace;
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 1 minute: 8.50 (8.41, 9.28, 9.29) pace;
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 30 seconds: 7.54 (7.39, 9.17, 8.37)  pace;
• 1 minute rest
• 30 seconds: 7.36 (7.38, 8.28, 7.39) pace.
• 10 min cool down 18.38 (14.23, 14.17,15.16) pace

The worst section of this is always the 3 minute run, always. It’s when I nearly give up every time. 3 silly little minutes. Well, I’ll have another go in a couple of weeks or so.

My legs welcomed rest day Friday!

Today we were originally going to do 8 miles at Bolton Abbey but we had a lazy morning instead. We switched our days around and did our 1 hour run today. We set off at the same time but went in different directions – Kath turned back because she wasn’t feeling great – I think I must have passed on my non-distinct crappy feeling from yesterday. I had been running for about 15 minutes when my ankles seemed to just set and my calves went tight. I kept going a little bit but then stopped to walk a little bit. It didn’t ease so I stopped at a bridge and stretched my legs out a bit. Running continuously obviously wasn’t a good plan. I re-set my watch to run/walk and to 5k. That went fine, in fact I was pleased with the relative ease of that run/walk. At the end of the 5k I reset the watch again and walked the 3/4 mile home. 5.6 in total and I have now done more miles than I did in all of January last year.