Cranking it up, getting it done

Another day, another failed attempt to go for an early morning run. I’m going to have to crack this enigma soon

Early morning in Devon - the perfect time to run.

As I don’t have any stunningly insightful new thoughts to share this week, nor any big runs of note to talk about, and since there have been no big races on the elite stage, I thought I’d give you a peek inside my training diary for the week, which was my biggest training week in terms of distance for a long time (discounting weeks in which I did an actual ultra marathon race). I hope you find it interesting. The build-up towards the really long stuff continues …

Monday 9 January

Distance: 6.49 miles
Time: 57 minutes

Managed to get out in the gap between writing my Monday Musings and picking my son up from school today - something I don’t always achieve.

I had actually planned an early morning run, right after dropping my daughter at the train station at 6:50am, but I was surprised to find it was still completely dark at that time, and raining to boot, so I sheepishly went home for coffee and toast instead. Luckily for me, in the next six months it will only be getting lighter in the mornings, so hopefully I’ll eventually crack those early runs. Hopefully.

In any case, a lunchtime, post-Musings run was fine today. It was also my eighth day of consecutive running, and I felt easy and light; bouncy even. Things are going surprisingly well. (Note to self: Don't jinx it!)

The incessant rain of the last few weeks continues, turning the trails into mud baths in places, and so I skipped out a few of the worst sections today by taking a few road detours instead, and generally just happily following my nose around the Dartington Estate - my go-to run - for an hour.

Tuesday 10 January

Distance: 7.91 miles
Time: 62 minutes
8 x 3-minutes with Torbay Tri Club

Back at my running club, this was my sort of session: not too short, and not a hill session. I hung back with the second group for most of the eight intervals, although for the fourth interval I accidentally joined the fastest group (guys who can run 31 and 32 minutes for 10K). Having gone for it at the start of the interval, I decided to try to style it out, hanging on for dear life for three minutes. It was (sort of) fun, but I paid for it in the last four intervals - which were all run into a headwind. Still, another tough session with the club ticked off, followed by another delicious Tuesday night nosh-up when I got home - laced with the nostalgia of all those wonderful post-Tuesday night session dinners during my teenage years.

Wednesday 11 January

Distance: 4.77 miles
Time: 41 minutes