Testing times at the track

Following Saturday's race I had a good opportunity to enjoy running from the sidelines. Sunday was Arbroath Smokies 10 and I travelled up the coast to support Mum, Nywanda and Lotte32 from RW.

Still 8 to go, stop smiling!

Me and Dad set up camp at the 2M maker and before long the leader was on us, striding past like she wasn't even trying. Mum came by soon after with Lotte hot on her heels. It was freezing cold and to be honest I'd have done a Caster Semenya to get in the race (before the hate mail, I fully support her!) and just to BLOODY WARM UP.


Ny came past after 20 minutes or so looking happy. She's been suffering from food poisoning the last week from her husband so even to make the start was a great success for her. After the final runners had gone through me & dad headed back to the start.

Shanski, Maz, TQ, MD, Me, Erin, Mrs Shanski, WW and Ny

We met up with the rest of the Fetch support crew (the Shanksi's and their kids, Torry Quine & Woodland Warrior, Maz & Mr Nywanda) but decided to hang around inside until the last minute as it was still freezing outside. Chatted to Mrs Shanski about the D33 for a while before the winner came over the line in 63:xx (can't for the life of me remember). Mum was over in third finishing in just over 67 minutes for a massive pb. 


Nywanda showed great spirit and even managed a smile at the end to finish in under 1:40, excellent considering her problems the past few days. A brief chat with the winner confirmed the course was quite slow, with a few nasty hills and a bad headwind in places.


Afterwards we headed inside to wait for prizegiving and the free food. Ended up eating too much (mostly due to WW forcing me to eat muffins) but it was worth the wait for mum to pick up 1st FSV even if it was the wrong trophy! 


Took Monday as another rest day (no problems there, it normally is) and back to training today on the track. St Andrews was/is extremely windy today so any times from the track were going to be out by a number of seconds. 3M warmup before the following session:


4*800 @ 5k w/45 sec rec, 3 min rec, then
4*400 @ 2k w/45 sec rec

Times came out at 3:06, 3:06, 3:08, 3:08 / 88, 86, 87, 88. Considering the gusts of wind that were howling around keeping to those kinds of paces was excellent and I left the track feeling tired but not exhausted.

HR analysis shows I was hitting around the right effort levels - 93% max for this kind of session is about right and I'd be hitting around that in a 5k race at this time (Saturday had me on 94% after 1M which is right).

4*800 @ 5k

  Friday's session will probably be MP and from now until then will be 10M/7M easy tomorrow/Thursday. Also been coaxed into a 6-a-side football match tomorrow night, although I'll be in goals so hopefully I won't get bashed around like the delicate flower I am.

4*400 @ 2k