Tuesday 23rd October

Training Report:

Another great week's training. Even though I had a race on Saturday I decided to keep my training load high, with the race being of a lesser importance to other races coming up. If I was to ease back for every race I've got on in the next few months I'd be doing no training at all! My enjoyment for my steady state runs is really growing at the moment. They use to be more of an ordeal, a means to an end, I know it's a bit corny but I'm enjoying watching the changes in the seasons, especially in the crisp bright mornings we've been having.

Right, enough of the sissy stuff back to the hard graft! I found Tuesday's track session a little harder than I expected. I think it was manly due to it being the first really cold evening I've done speed work on. I find the cold air effects my breathing quite a lot, as well as it causing the muscles to be slightly tighter than normal. Having kept my mileage high during the weeks my legs were already a little tired by Thursday, so in my wisdom I decided to tackle what was to be one of the hardest sessions I've ever done. I drove over to Box Hill on the South Downs to do a hill repetition session. An old coach had recommended it to me as it was much longer and steeper than the hills I had been using. By long I mean it took close to two minutes to reach the summit, when normally I'm going up hill for forty five seconds, and by steep I mean I watch walkers struggling to walk down the hill let alone up it. I loved the session; I have done nothing like it before. I was on my knees after only two runs. I kept going and got so exhausted that I've no idea how many times I actually ran up the damn thing. Five? Six? Seven? Your guess is as good as mine. After my final run I must have looked like a drunk. My legs struggled to keep me upright and I was so fatigued and light headed I was staggering from left to right. I managed a warm down but was still in such a state that I didn't want to drive home, and I knew I had to eat something. The only place to go was a bikers' fast food cafe at the bottom of the hill. I haven't had burger and chips for a long time and don't really enjoy them but this burger tasted like heaven! My theory for sessions like that has got to be 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger', I hope so anyway!