2nd day in a row running in 2 countries

Yesterday was a double in Lux and Holland and today was another country double - a record for me:

AM - Amsterdam

Had the alarm set for 6 for a longish run but was buggered post long and late dinner with the Amsterdam team (this time at the Pulizer). Went back to sleep for an hour which only left me 35mins of running time and could only muster 7ks looping past the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark (Amsterdam's version of Central Park) and back along the canals to the Pulitzer leaving me precisely 12 minutes to shower, pack my bags, check out and meet the team.  7ks in 5 minks.

PM - London

Managed to get an earlier flight back to London and squeezed in another 40min run inbetween calls. Tired but managed to progressively run down to 3.30s around my Home circuit. 9.5ks in 4.02s. Circa 17ks for the day. Pleased to be back with J and the boys.

3 facts for the day:
- saw a trillion bikes and riders in the Dam but not one with a helmet (Anglo Saxon societies take note)
- Liverpool are beginning to look the business: Can, Lallana, Firmino, Courtihno
- Tomorrow is a massive MASSIVE day

Pictures of the day:

Lux AM Amsterdam PM

1. Lux AM: a quick 7ks on the treadmill. Forgot to mention that last night running was well below zero not to mention the route back from the woods was in pitch blackness. Thankfully Allain had  lent me a head torch. Because of the cold I bottled it this morning and headed instead for the hotel teadmill. Amusingly on my way into the office I bumped into Pol who I ran with last night. Top man.

2. Amsterdam PM: arrived at the hotel at 830pm and immediately crammed in another 7k before the dinner up and down the canals. Having stayed at the Pulitzer an awful lot I know the area well. Felt OK in the legs but just junk today fitting in around the board meetings. Met Mark and Gerard at the Pulitzer also for dinner. Now gone midnight and my only running window tomorrow is 6am.

Lux pix:

Arriving into the Dam from Lux - more snow on the ground (which we are thrilled with for skiing in 2 weeks time):

Running with the Lux national champion

It's not every day you get to run with a national champion and today that's what I did.

Alain who is our main man in Lux told me some months back about one of his employees who was quite good and insisted that we run together the night before. And so I ditched the usual board dinner for company with the running gods. It was never in doubt.

To be fair after the 5am start I was knackered and had to leg it to the hotel in time for Alain to pick me and head east out of the city to the popular running area.

There we met Pol Mellina (fresh from his National title on Sunday) and Roland another colleague and headed out into the woods for a 12k loop. Delightful conversation talking all things sport ranging from my encounter with the Schlecks on Verbier and Ventoux, what they are up to these days?, the pride of south London CPFC (they had all watched Sunday's game), whether they had heard of our HuRTs #1 Tommy H? (No was the quick response but Pol did know of Ben St Lawrence), doubters or not?, Brexit, Pol's encounter with Mo in St Moritz and many more. Can you believe that Pol's sister also won the national title - she is really good apparently and still young.

Here is the loop:

https://www.strava.com/activities/511974050

Alain invited is all out for dinner afterwards. A thoroughly pleasant evening. Pol particularly is as modest as they come. A true runner.

Pics of the day including continental Europe, a white winter land.

3 x 2k

Small window at lunch and knowing that I am traveling for the rest of the week I opted for a quasi speed session. 3 x 2kms it was on 3.26s jogging 500ms inbetween. With warm up and down ended up with 12k. Saw Danny the osteo for 30mins in the afternoon as well.

I am super excited as have been invited to run with one of our external tax lawyers and his associate tomorrow night in Luxembourg followed by dinner. It just so happens that the associate is the running version of Andy Schleck after taking out the national Luxemboug x country championships over the weekend. Cannot wait to ask him tomorrow if he has heard of the Hurts #1 Tommy Highnam?

This lad is seriously quick with a 66 minute Half to his name and a sub 30 10k. Although he won the championships he was though undone by a 63 min Half Kenyan who is currently resident in Lux. The cheek.

On the train home now and already gone 9pm and a car coming at 5am tomorrow morning. Yikes.

PS have been explicitly told to bring my racing flats.

Mothers day mess

Gave myself the day off from running to coincide with Mothers day.

Did though get down to Selhurst with Tommy A for the Liverpool game.  What a bleeding mess,  1 nil up, Liverpool down to ten, Selhurst rocking and then Pardew decides to take Cabaye off. The rest is history.  I just don't get it.  For the record we lost 1-2 with a dodgy last minute pen.

It was all looking so rosey.  Relegation fight looms.

Long tempo (27k @ 3.59s)

With mothers day on Sunday I had sms'd Messi on Friday to see whether he was switching his long session to Saturday.  Lo and behold he was which was a good thing as I'd have company.  The not so good thing was that he was planning a long tempo.  Now his marathon pace is 3.45 which is too quick for me but decided to join him in the park in any case.

So an early start we made the 4k jog down to Norman Park.  With 80ks in the legs over the last 5 days and the Half still lingering from Sunday I was unsure what I should settle on.  A quick negotiation between mind and body and settled on 4 minute ks.  Park Run was starting at 9am so figured I would just keep turning the ks over and then roll straight into the race.  The pacing was pretty much even and bang on 4min/ks and managed to reach the starting line with 15 seconds to spare (at which point I had completed 22 kms).   Post Park Run had a brief chat with the regular crew before heading back out of the park home with Messi, Simon and Daniel.

Today was all about control and the breathing was pretty easy for 27kms at 3.59s - with warm up and warm down 34kms completed for the day. Only 6 days in for the week and I am already at 110ks. Not sure if I have ever been so high.

Here is the 27k controlled tempo:

https://www.strava.com/activities/508900693

Evening spent with the family at dinner in Beckenham.

My London Marathon predictions for the London crew:

- Roger aka Messi: pretty confident he can go sub 2.40 and predicting a 2.38.55.  He ran a 20k tempo today in 3.43s also on tired legs. If he stays relaxed he has it in the bag.

- Simon: despite the injury in Feb reckon he will get close to his 2.40.xx from last year.  Predicting 2.41.

- Daniel: yet to go sub 3 but having ran a 17.45 Park Run today with 2 muddy sections I really do not see why he cannot run 2.55.  He's capable of 2.50.

Will reveal my Australian contingency predictions over the coming weeks.

Ryder earlier in the week for the national book day - forever obsessed with super heroes:

Running notes Friday

Legs were feeling it as well as sleep deprived but had pre planned to run into work given had left my suit at work the night before.

Not much to report other than 17ks in 4.30s.  This is actually one of my quicker runs in.  Usually first thing I struggle around 4.50s.

Strava dump:
https://www.strava.com/activities/508231608

In the afternoon I had planned a running management session with Mark P.  Lots of interesting stuff but basically my core and running action is shocking.  I like to blame it on breaking my foot and ankle op but in truth my running style was never the smoothest. 

Notes from the session:

Morning routine
1. Drink half litre of water first thing.
2. Sun Salutations - X 2-3 (do these before and after runs as well)

Foot strength

1. Barefoot - balance on one leg, brace spine.  For 30 secs move head in up/down and side to side pattern. Rpt X 2-3 sets each leg.  Do a minimum dose and often.

Running Form
1. Run tall - brace spine.

2. Hips forward/Lean in.

3. 'Hot coals' (keep feet underneath you, tread lightly, pull feet up)

Bracing Spine.

1. Squeeze butt as hard as you can.
2. Pull down lower ribs.
3. Tighten abs
4. Pull shoulders back and down.

Release off to about 25% hold.

P.s highly recommend getting compression socks. Look for CEP you can find them on Amazon.  You will need to measure your calf girth, widest part.

Rudimental Thursday

Running wise had to cram a run in at lunch so settled on a 6k tempo on the treadmill (3.31s). I wanted 7 but did not have it mentally today so ditched at 6.  4ks of warm and warm down for 10k in total.

Pleasing was that I was not too tired from yesterday's double.

Met J and the two elder boys at the Blackfriars ferry terminal early evening (the first time it had just been the 4 of us for as long as I can remember - possibly even before boy #3 came along). 

All of us in our house love Rudimental and that was where we were heading at the O2.  It's pretty cool as the ferry takes you right there and they lived up to expectations. Have added some videos below as well.

Videos of the night

 

Tommy A bopping along:

 

Triangle

1. Ran at lunch and was time limited so just did 2 x 3k controlled at 3.45s followed by some stretching.

2. Saw the osteo at work who fixed up my back, core and achilles. Breathing felt better tonight post some much needed cracking.

3. Doubled up by running home - 17k in 4.25s. I left at 8am in the dark as it started sleeting. The wind blew in my face the entire way home but done. Can tell am getting fitter as felt fine in the last ks despite doubling up. Will remember this run on 24 April.

24kms done for the day.

Steal from down under

This morning I was devoid of inspiration so checked out the overnight Strava feed from Aus and the Manly crew had all packed in a 6 x 1k session so figured that was good enough for me.

Started with a slow 2k warm up and then went straight into it with each rep set on 3.20s and rolling off 5 minutes. I also threw in a 250m jog inbetween sets. I was blowing pretty heavily at the end but glad to be over with. With 1.5k warm down I ended up with 11k in 45 minutes.

Most importantly the body is holding up and will keep cracking on this week having had my lighter one last week. Next week I am on the road with work and so running opportunities are going to be hard to come by.

Time is racing by with really only 6 or so weeks of intense training left. Preying that I don't get myself fit and then try something silly on the skiing 2 weeks over Easter. Would be a massive shame and a huge waste of time.

*The two middle boys had their school x-country races today with Jack winning and Lukie 6th.