Tired

the retired tyre swing, a photo by ultraBobban on Flickr.

When I look at the running history since Xmas and it stands at 50 miles per week, I look back and usually run in cycles. Normally it is build, build build for 3 weeks and then a light week.

This I have not been doing. In a new year flourish and a will to get up to speed quickly I have topped 50 miles per week for 6 weeks. I have succumbed to a bit of a viral infection and have been laid low for a couple of days....not enough to need taking time off work but the need to be home early by 6/6.30 each day and the last 2 nights in bed by 9.00pm

I've been looking at my diet and have decided after loosing 5.1kg since Xmas, to now seriously cut the red meat. I never really eat processed food but have undertaken a couple of changes to my intake and am going to monitor the body's response over the next 2 weeks. The scientist in me is intent on experimentation on the body and this low mileage week coupled with a stressful week at work with an inspection looming gives me light relief in planning and scheming with each of the variables.

I will no doubt inform you, dear reader at some point in the future but for now my running goal is prep for my first ultra of the year, the St Peter's Way 45 mile run next Sunday.

In the meantime, it is training the wife for the VLM. She is up to 17.3 miles already and is looking good. She just needs a fuel strategy as so far, has been managing these 3 hour runs on Nuun alone!

Hitting the LSRs

Long Slow Runs are the bread and butter of most distance runners. Fitting these in for any hard working South London teacher is the biggest issue. Time and not motivation is the killer.

So it was great to get out on some bigger runs this week as work piles up and the notion of running every day has slipped a little. I managed 30 out of 31 days running in Jan, but February has dipped, but the runs have got longer to compensate.

This week I ran 19 on Sunday last week taking in the Waterlink Way and Thames Path with Susie, Linda and Tim. With a couple of quick runs in the week and a run home from work on Thursday in the snow, then driving rain and headwind for 12 miles, I took Friday off for cooking for the family and a few drinks and Saturday headed out with Susie and George for a Green Chain and Thames Path bimble. The threat of rain meant I packed a waterproof although George braved the elements. As we joined the Thames I spotted a giant penis-shaped sculpture (no doubt another waste of Millennium money at the taxpayers' expense) and was surprised to see it hadn't been stolen by metal thieves......

Anyhow, a skirting of the Rotherhithe peninsular and back through a few parks and backways on the return saw another 18 miles and 56 miles for the week which has been my biggest week since the summer. Slow, but long......happy with that. No niggles either.

2 weeks until the St Peter's Way 45 so am feeling on a steady incline to being prepared.