The Running Man by SeanG

So, this week. Monday was a pretty easy 6 miles after work. I say pretty easy but I have a inherent tendency to pick up the pace directly proportional to speed at which daylight starts to fade. The run start off pretty easily but just gets faster and faster. Feels like self-preservation. ie, spend as little time running in the dark as possible. It is very much more noticeable that the evenings are getting lighter and lighter. I guess that means I will start to slow down my runs again! Tuesday was an easy 4.25 miles.
Wednesday was the 3rd cross country league race of the season. This fixture is always the longest journey too. Normally held at West Park, Lincoln but this time it was Willington Wood just outside Market Rasen and within spitting distance of the race course. Turned out to be 123 miles each way. TBH it wasn't a cross country race but more of a trail race. Much of the course was on trail and rough track roads with a very very tiny amount on pure grass or mud. More suited to road shoes than anything else! A fairly pleasant and mild day, so opted for a t-shirt. The course itself had an outward stretch, followed by 2 laps of a fairly circular circuit and then back along the same route as the outward stretch back to the finish with the ladies doing the circular circuit only once. As ever a pretty mad start but soon settled into position and decent pace. Maybe a little to quick to start with. Went through the 1st mile in 6.23. The course was pretty flat with the exception of a gradual climb (and then a slightly steeper drop) midway around the circular circuit. Managed to take some places on the climb both times. 2nd mile was much slower in 7.11 and then the 3rd in 6.49. The only trouble I had with this course was that it wasn't that well marked with tale tied to trees and branches. Had to stop once on the 1st circular circuit just before starting the 2nd circuit to check I was going in the right direction and a 2nd time on the run back to the finish. Albeit it wouldn't have made much difference to my time or finishing position. I also saved one of my fellow competitors from getting lost too. He had missed a turn, so swift shout got him back on track! I did manage to take his place but he took mine after I stopped on the run in. Grrrrr! Anyway, the 4th mile was 7.12 and the 5th was 6.45 and the final 0.75 was 4.58. 5.75 miles in 39 minutes and 18 seconds for 22nd place. Average heart rate of 167 bpm.
Thursday was an easy 5 miles in the not so fading light, so not so quick! Friday was the the Nursery run with the BabyJogger - 8.25 miles. Saturday was a very easy and very very cold and frosty 8 miles. Started with the Little One in the BabyJogger and 'er Indoors. As it was so cold we decided that 'er Indoors would do her usual run but take the BabyJogger off me at 0.75 miles so that I could do my full run and they could return home. It was just far too cold for the Little One to be in the BabyJogger. Don't think that my heart rate as ever been so low during a run (average of 124 bpm) and I don't think that I have ever been so cold either. That said, I was still in shorts and long sleeve tops (one compression top and one long sleeved T-shirt). Maybe a jacket tomorrow? My arms and hands were completely numb by the time I had got back home.

50.50 miles for the week.

Today was the usual non-marathon Sunday LSR. 13.25 miles. No Little One again. Decided it was far too cold for her to out in the BabyJogger in the freezing cold. Another frosty, cold morning but no where near as cold as Saturday. Decided to be sensible and go with my Skins long sleeve top and a jacket today, but still in shorts (so maybe not that sensible!). The roads seemed particularly quiet today. Didn't see a car until after 0.75 miles and the 2nd at about 1.25 miles. All in all a decent run.
13.25 miles in 1 hour 58 minutes and 57 seconds. Average heart rate of 129 and a Polar PI rating of 69. Average pace of 8.57.

Not too sure what my movements will be this week. Have a pretty big task that starts tomorrow that will probably see me shooting up and down to Norfolk a couple times a week as and when required for the next few weeks or so. Next week - my 3rd consecutive Gloucester Marathon.