Friday 31 March 2017

Nike town

Understandably tired this morning but not too bad. Lunch I jogged to Nike Town but on the way back I dropped AGAIN on Regents Street with my right foot tripping and another roll mid air. Seriously what the hell am I playing at?

Although no cuts like last week the impact was much harder on the solid concrete (side of right foot, right hip and left knee). I was holding my phone with the screen shattering in the process. 7k done and 3k home later in the day.

Sore now and the right foot is throbbing.


Thursday 30 March 2017

Tread HM

Morning long board meeting finished early which freed up some time for me to hit the treadmill. Managed to hold 3.45s for 21kms, an improvement on yesterday's 13. Thank Christ for that.

Resting up now for Sunday.

Wednesday 29 March 2017

Top marks for effort none for form

Met Dad for a quick coffee late morning and then had 60 minutes spare so headed to the gym. Still feeling low on confidence I got a small pep talk from Mark P which helped. Set the machine on 3.45s to see how long I could last for. It wasn't pretty but hung in there for 13ks before stopping. Absolute torture on the treadmill and was soaked by the end.

Perhaps I could have gone longer but my mind started playing tricks on me by saying this won't do you any good come Sunday. Happy that I at least improved after 3 worrying weeks but still no where near where I was this time last year. Nevermind.

Messi now also struggling with the glute issue and so too Foxy. We are falling like flies. I may have a sneaky wager on Daniel being first home on Sunday morning.

Tuesday 10

Not feeling it today despite 2 easy days. Never really focussed and today simply did not have it. 4 by 10 minutes in 3.45s (lunchtime) and 4K in the late evening got me to 16k for the day. No form whatsoever. Not the best day at work or home either with stress levels high on both counts. Boy #3 is currently out of control. Watched the Rio documentary which put life into perspective. I've been critical of him as I think he could have done more for his local community in Peckham. But the more I hear about him the more I like. He lives local to me now and one of his sons plays in the same league as Lukie hence why we see him around.

The icing on the cake:




Monday 27 March 2017

Rest

Rest day with only the jog to TS. Thought about run home but naughty boys at home put pay to that.

Sunday 26 March 2017

Gent Wevelgem

Mothers Day today on another beautiful day. That did not stop all the footie with 3 wins. I took Ryder with him playing the first half in goals but squeezed in a slow 10k beforehand. 145kms for the week.

Afternoon lounged and tuned into today's Spring classic Gent Wevelgem with Sagan blowing it again after losing out to Kwiatkowski last week. Great racing through the Belgium countryside with the dust kicking up all over the place.

Saturday 25 March 2017

38

38ks this morning on tired legs (4.22 average). Thanks to Messi and Rory for the moral support on a beaut of a day. Sleep deprived this morning after work ruined my Friday night and kept me up until gone midnight with a deal signing this weekend. I often wonder what it would be like to have a normal job.

Took 3 gels to prep for race: 2x Gu + 1 Torq. Managed to digest them ok after not taking any for months. No breakfast.

At 20k ran a progressive Park Run. The first k I could not get going for (3.45) but then sped up to 3.30s. Then another 13k not really pushing it. Tired when I got home but have felt a great deal worse and felt better towards the end but that was probably just physchology.

In the afternoon we were swamped and no kidding there were 20 boys in the house.

Friday 24 March 2017

Drop

South London lingo for a fall is 'drop' and that's what I did today on the Walworth Road. Cut left hand, right knee / hip and bruised right elbow. Literally had to pull off a forwrd roll in front of a group of black school boys waiting at the bus stop. 'Raaaaa u see that?' came the cries.

Initially there was panick as I picked myself up and checked for damage but thankfully I was fine. Other than that it was pretty uneventful. 17k in 4.48s. It's going to be a big week as already up to 100k in the first 5 days. That weather is finally turning and looking really good for the weekend.

1 month to go

So the date is coming nearer but I struggle to get excited about it as the form is still not there.

Lunch tried to tempo on the treadmill knowing that this time last year I could handle 21ks on 3.45.

Well admittedly I was tired but I pathetically pulled the pin at 4K. I have been purposely avoiding the treadmill as firmly believe that it is not a straight replacement to the real thing but I overheated badly.

So feeling guilty I ran home instead feeling tired for the initial 10k and then ran the last 7 in sub 4s with some rhythm there and the legs feeling good plus high cadence. 17k in 4.25s annd 23k for the day.

Jack played vs Norwich and Arsenal development sides today and Lukie had his music concert so a lot going on in our house.



Wednesday 22 March 2017

Catch up

Saturday 18th woke feeling crap again and ended up lounging all day with the highlight being Milano San Remo. If I could be a pro for 1 day it would probably be to ride this race. Michael Kwiatkowski is now one of my favourite riders after taking out Sagan in that sprint. That was about as enthralling as it gets.

Sunday stood on footie pitches all day in the cold whilst J was with Jack for his rugby tournament against all the toffy schools. Ryder and Lukie both winning handsomely with Lukie reinvigorated.

Monday 20th - started to feel normal again after a week of crap and ran 10k at lunch feeling lethargic and the 3k home from TS.  All through last week my knees were aching probably through the lack of running but today with aggressive calf stretching they feel better. I will put last week down to a recovery week with only 65k covered and will hope it gives the body the time for some of the fitness and hard work to sink in with still 5 weeks to go.

Tuesday 21st - tried for the long tempo but I did not have it and also hindered by a strong wind. 10k tempo only in 3.46s. Just need to take it on the chin and go again. Stomach issues are still lingering and was the main reason for me stopping in the end.

Wednesday - ran the commute in as a hilly tempo. 17k in 4.04s in 69 minutes. A small confidence booster but the form is still not coming. Lunch - ran some 3.45 ks and jogged some for 7k. PM - London in lock down with the terrorist attacks. Glad to be home and often run past Westminster at that time of the day. WTF. In fact the only reason I did not run outside today was because the weather was crappy. The London weather for once did me a favour.



Friday 17 March 2017

Stomach

Stomach bug still playing havoc and now #2 home from school which is not good as he has a massive sporting weekend ahead. If he has what Tommy and I have he will be laid out for a few days.

Feeling rough this morning J had to take me to the train station which is never a good start. Lunch involved some of Mark Ps mobility focusing on my groin and lower stomach area to see if that would somehow help. Not sure it did but faced with prospect of going back to my office I decided on a short jog heading for my usual circuit down to Big Ben and looping back on the south side of the river before crossing the wobbly bridge. 6kms and dead slow.

After a light last week with travel and now this crap it has been 2 sub par weeks of training right at the crucial moment. No need to panic but if I am still feeling like this come Monday I will well and truly be hitting the panic button. The only positive I can muster is that if I were not fit there's no way I'd be at work or even close to running junk Kms which I have been this week.

Thursday 16 March 2017

Stress

This was high today. Jogged at lunch slow for 10k and bits and bobs at beginning and end of day. 17ish ks done. My virus thing is not shifting and is bloody annoying.

Highlight of the day was being dragged into a meeting at work where the discussion was the European champions league which ties into some of the current work stuff. For once I actually knew what I was talking about!

Wednesday 15 March 2017

Session with Mark P

Not feeling myself again today. Headache and upset stomach issues continue but not being in the office is a non-starter. Tried to break the pattern at lunch: went to the gym, had a brain snap and put pace to 3.45kmh, lasted 4.5 minutes and stopped. Jogged 1k tried again and failed then repeated the same again (at least I was consistent!). 10k in 4.40s.

I think I have a virus which will pass but hoping it will be sooner rather than later. If it doesn't will treat this as a recovery week. It's been 5 weeks of decent enough training since my last break at the beginning of February.

On a brighter note the back is a bit better today mainly due to Mark P and the hour I had with him in the late evening. Mobility exercises, more mobility excercises...

He is running well and will be interesting to see how he goes this weekend in the Reading Half and the Southampton Marathon which is the same day as London.

Currently on train home and looking forward to seeing my family. Need to cuddle them whilst I still can.


Tuesday 14 March 2017

Back

Our Tommy sick and think I've caught his belly bug. Lower back is also sore which is left field. Took the day off but work very busy which meant long periods sitting at my desk. It's on days like this I really dislike my work and how much it saps me.

Not the best day. Hoping a good sleep will sort.


Ryder's moment

Not feeling my best this morning with stiff lower back, lingering knee pain and sore under the big toe area of my right foot. Anyway 17kms done in 5s before a very busy day in the office.

Looking at last year's training this was when things started coming together. The same week last year I ran a 1.19.00 Half and then held 27k at 3.45s the following week. Holy shit.

This was Ryder's moment:












What a day

1. Ryder scored his first goal. The only player in his team not to have this season. He was made up as was I :) Ryder plays with his heart on his sleeve constantly puffing his cheeks out and looking for me as soon as he's done something good. It is a joy!

2. Dad's birthday - he was made up too after Engaland battered the Scots in the rugby (Dad played Lancashire schools when he was a kid and continued his rugby well into his 30s).

3. Jack lost his London cup semi and was mortified. First game they've lost all year.

4. At Mum and Dads Uncle Paul gave all the goss on the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am. Him and his brothers (the South London Irish Mafia) all went over there to drive the rich and famous around the course. Lots of stories involving Jim Furyk, Mark Wahlberg. Jordan Spieth and Larry Bear. Apparently his brother got talking to Larry Bear (the owner of the SF49ers completely unbeknownst to him) whilst waiting for a car. After Larry got picked up the locals immediately came up to him and said you did know who that was right? His reposnse was 'I don't care if it was Yogi Bear where the hell is my car?'. Chuck in a few expletives and you get the idea.

On the running front I jogged the 10k to my folks house cutting through Crystal Palace park and Sydenham Hill where I used to train when I was a boy. Very slow in 5min Kms. 117ks for the week and knees are better.

This is dad around 30 years ago with his all conquering school team who he managed all the way through to 6th form.  I know a lot of them still today and also played with some. 4 of them were good enough to make it pro but just did not work out for them. One though did make it and played well over 200 games as well as in the Prem - the question though who was it?















Saturday 11 March 2017

Hilly Long

Missed Park Run and knowing that I am short on long runs I just needed to get the Hilly Long done. With Messi back home in Barcelona it had to be solo too.  Pleasant running conditions heading out onto the nearby country lanes which loop around Biggin Hill airport.  Bloody hell I was working hard though even for 4.45s with the monotonous initial 14km uphill slog until the turn at Tattsfield. At that point I think I was averaging 4.35s.

The way home is largely downhill though it has three nasty short hills to break it up, the last and worst just before Downe. Managed to get the average down to 4.16s (33km) but it's a really tough run and smashes the glutes.

On the negatives I had to work too hard. On the positives it was done with no gels (again). In fact no energy drink whatsoever and no brekkie except for one cup of tea. This is perhaps the only difference to last year although looking back to this time last year I ran around the same time so nothing ground breaking.

Knees were very sore when I got back and have been for the rest of the day but did get out with Jack (#11) for a short ride following the same route as my earlier run (21kms).  Our first ride together and he did well navigating the clip ins and the technical lanes and would have gone further except for an important game in the morning.

A beautiful day in London today with Spring threatening albeit with lots of rain forecast for the morning which may mean the footie being cancelled. Let's see.

https://www.strava.com/activities/895508749















Friday 10 March 2017

Anne Frank

Brekkie at the Pulitzer before heading to the Anne Frank museum which I had booked weeks in advance. The last time I was here was 27 years ago whilst with the other J (Jeremy) when we were totally skint and on the last leg of our 1 month long inter rail holiday at the tender age of 16.

Pretty moving experience to be honest. In a nut shell makes you realise how lucky we are today even with all the recent crazy stuff going on. 70 years ago (a drop in the ocean) it seems unthinkable that Amsterdam was under Nazi rule. I have to say the museum does bring it home. On Tuesday night at dinner I was engrossed in a conversation with one of our Dutch directors Juurian, a large chunk was about our respective 2WW family stories.  I am obsessed with the subject and covered my German Grandfather who was in the stadium to see the historic Jesse Owens 1936 win.

Got out for a short 10k jog pre lunch feeling my knees (the booze over the last 3 days has done them no good) followed by saunter around the city and cab to the airport.