Well I turned up at the track today at 12 for my 10 x 800m session only to find they'd changed the opening hours and it shut at 12:15 instead of 2!! Realised there was no way of getting 10 x 800m in 15 minutes so drove home deciding to go for an easy run.

Then I had a thought (yes Glenn I do get them sometimes!) I've told many people that they don't need access to a track for speed work and here was me ducking out because the track wasn't available.  I gave myself a swift kick up the you know what and had a think. 

I hit on the idea of heading down to the canal about 3/4 mile from home where there's a stretch of about a mile without any interuptions and good firm ground underfoot (for those who read this and know the area it's between Foxdenton Lane and the Boat & Horses at Broadway).

Got there and the only obstacles were two anglers sat chatting with their rods out over the water but not in the way and a lot of puddles. I set off and quickly got into a rythym of half mile hard and quarter mile jog in my set time of 3:30 for each although jogging a quarter mile in 3:30 wasn't easy after running half a mile at 7 minute mile pace. But I got through the full session with half mile splits of 3:24, 3:32, 3:27, 3:32, 3:31, 3:30, 3:30, 3:27, 3:23, 3:21 so I was pleased with this level of consistency especially after yesterday's cross country run.

With a 1.52 mile jog there to warm up and a 2.09 jog back a different route to warm down and 7.54 miles in the session itself I covered 11.15, some at 7 minute mile pace and some slower but a good session. I know I've done this session before other marathons and felt a lot better but I usually do it much nearer the marathon after more training and I don't usually do a tough cross country race the day before so I'm very pleased with my fitness level and progress to date with 12 weeks to go.  I've got 4 weeks to my next race which is the Great North Western Half marathon in Blackpool on 24th February and I'm really looking forward to another check on my progress.

I hope you've all had good runs today I'll have a check around to see how you're doing.  Happy running!

PS the tite's a Dad's Army reference for Lou C!