100 runs, 600 miles

A nice landmark to end July - my one hundredth run of the year and it took me past a total of 600 miles for the year.

So, nicely on target and my training for the upcoming races is going well.

While I was running laps around Dulwich today I (gradually) overtook another runner who then speeded up to catch up with me... I thought he might be one of those slighly annoying people who doesn't run an even pace, or doesn't like to be overtaken, and continually speeds up and slows down (often they're wearing headphones and a music player, and often they're breathing louder than they realise).

However this chap was actually looking for advice on what pace he was running. Of course I was happy to help, and it transpired he'd only just started running outside and was trying to find out what was a comfortable pace for him. But it felt strange to be seen as the "experienced runner" when less than four years ago I couldn't run half a mile without stopping. It's actually happened a couple of other times recently, when I've been wearing my "MK Half" T-shirt and people were looking for some advice about the course.

On Saturday I did four full laps of Greenwich - it's the first time I've run up the hill four times this year (in all of my marathon training back in the spring I mostly ran on the level due to my sore knee, probably a contributory factor to running out of fitness on marathon day). Feels good to be getting some of my old fitness back.

So, 86.8 miles in July, and 601.89 miles overall.

More speedwork

Another good week's running this week, totalling 21.67 miles, including some more interval training at Dulwich on Wednesday. Speedwork is exhausting but it's the best preparation if I'm going to improve my 10k and half marathon PBs in the upcoming races.

This weekend we were in Hertfordshire so for a change my long slow run was around Fairlands Valley Park in Stevenage. The altitude during a lap varies by about 25 metres, about the same as Greenwich, but it's a different sort of challenge - more constant up and down, whereas Greenwich is on two levels, mostly flat but with two shorter, steeper hills. So Fairlands is probably closer to the terrain for a typical road race.

Total for the year now stands at 578.3 miles.

Speeding up

The first half of this challenge was mainly about running slowly for a long time. With a 10k and two half marathons coming up, my training for the next ten weeks or so is now more about shorter, faster runs. This week as well as 7 miles in Greenwich and a couple of lunchtimes runs along the Thames I did a tempo run in Dulwich (the idea being to run the first third of the run slowish, then speed up to peak speed during the second third, and then gradually slow down during the final third.

Like running intervals, the idea of this is to get your body running fast for short periods. Supposedly this helps to raise your "lactate threshold", the pace you can run at where your liver can remove lactate from your bloodstream at around the same rate as it gets created, and thus allows you to run faster in distance races without muscle fatigue.

As well as the tempo run I did a "race pace" run today in Dulwich. Again the idea is to get your body used to running at your planned race pace, albeit for shorter periods. So I did a warm-up lap and then ran 3 laps at 8:45 min/mile pace, which if I can keep that up in the New Forest Half would see me cross the line in 1:54:37, a time I'd be very happy with. I've run that pace in a 10km before so just need to carry on for another 11km !

Since we got back from holiday the weather seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Well worse for sunbathing and barbecues perhaps but pretty good for distance running. Yesterday's 3.5 laps around Greenwich were mostly in the pouring rain, something I don't mind at all. In fact I think I run better in the rain.

A total of 21.82 miles this week, bringing my total for July to 41.55 and for the year to 556.63.

The Second Half

Back home after a great two weeks in Kefalonia where I broke my promise about not running on holiday (did one early morning 5k jog) but otherwise rested my legs, spent plenty of time in the swimming pool, and generally relaxed and enjoyed the sunshine.

Going back to work was a bit of a shock to the system, and similarly getting back out running meant some stiff and sore muscles this week. But I'm on track with my new training plan, geared towards the New Forest Half and the Royal Parks Half, in September and October respectively. And my brother's signed me up for another 10k, the Great Scottish Run, in Glasgow on 4th September, which will be a nice chance to run a race in my hometown for the first time.

My new routine looks like being lunchtime runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, interval training on Wednesday nights, a long slow run on Saturday and a shorter pace run on Sunday. This week I managed just under 20 miles including 3 fairly leisurely laps of Greenwich today.

So my total for the year now stands at just under 535 miles.