An odd week!

Had a bit of an up and down week really since Sunderland 5km last week.   My tender knee and tight ITB has definitely improved...its not quite fully cleared up but I have not missed a run because of it and am managing to keep on top of the tightness in my ITB and the resulting pain in my knee.   The advice from the physio has been spot on and the tendoachilles retraining exercises have really helped the sore achilles...managing the ITB with foam rolling has been helpful and self massage on my knee to cause a "bit of havoc" has managed to reduce the pain to a dull ache.

I managed 52 miles last week (including two races) and this week have put in two good quality sessions so things are really back on track.   The first session was a tempo session of almost 9 miles out and back on my favourite Lazenby course.  After a first mile of 6-11 to get into the "groove" I clocked miles of 5-54, 5-54, 5-55, 5-54, 5-53, 5-53, 5-59 and finished with a 5-56 average!   Mr Consistency strikes again! Runs like this will become a feature of my training in August as I build up the mileage again looking towards the Nottingham Half Marathon on 11th September.   Looking for anothr sub 75 clocking on a challenging course.

A slightly different session tonight was on the cards as I met up with Messrs Hepples and Mussett for a "bit of short stuff!".   After a steady warm up we decided on 16 x 1 minute hard with 1 minute recovery.    I knew from the start this session was going to be a tough one - its the kind of session where the recovery starts to reduce and disappear...more time on each interval is spent with hands on the knees sucking in air and all the time the legs are filling up with lactate.   The other thing about this type of session is that you do not get a reward for running fast...You run eyeballs out for one minute...no extra few seconds recovery for finishing a rep in 57 seconds!   The session just gets harder as it goes along...great when you finish but it just hurts!  

Actually it turned out to be a good session.   First five intervals only one was at an average of under 5 min miling...slow start!   From interval six we seemed to bounce off each other a bit and the pace picked up...maybe getting a bit competitive as well which is one of the advantages of being in a group.   The next eleven intervals were all at an average of under 5 minute miling so we really finished off with a bang!   Session done and dusted and shuffled home to the foam roller!

The feeling of finishing a session like that is great...leaves you on a big high!   Just got to prepare myself for the big low tomorrow morning as I struggle down the stairs and shuffle out for the morning run....In the bigger picture the session will help no end but there are no instant results...you dance with the devil and now and again you get burned...I'm not sure of the relevance of that but what I think I mean is tonight I felt like I was flying...tomorrow I will be well and truly grounded!    Might even hit the pool for a bit of aquajogging!

So far this year I have clocked 1515 miles which equates to 51 miles per week...I think it is probably my most consistent period of running ever and the results seem to be showing...just got to be careful not to dance with the devil too often!