No run

Manic day but had a 5pm diary invite to see Mark P in the gym. We started on core but I was moaning AGAIN about my calves so he spent the next 45mins trying to release all the tightness. Ouch.

My cold is still lingering but looking forward to seeing the big 3Ks at the Expo tomorrow (Kipchoge, 'the daddy' Kipsang and Dennis 'the menace' Kimetto). Bekele follows shortly after.  Really interested to see how he will run. If he gets back to anything like the form he showed on the track could he be the first 2hour man?

Easy does it

AM - 2k jog to TS

Lunch - 8k jog with some strides around my usual route cutting it short back across Blackfriars Bridge. With the new cycle lanes (Sydney take note) I had a 100m runway all to myself. Nice sunny day.

PM - 2k shuffle home

*Really annoying cold which is not shifting and work is busy.

Pictures of the day - the 2nd showing the road of hell at the 24 mile marker this time in sunshine:

Monday

Really busy in the office and stressful. No time for jogging but did see the osteo for 30 mins.

Jogged 20 mins from the train station late in the day (4.5ks).

5 more days.

Ryder a few days back:

Oh no Sunday

Woke up and Jack's knee was still really sore so he had to sit out his semi final. I feel really really bad for him. I just hope that there is no long term damage.

So the focus was Lukie and he was playing the local side 5 minutes walk from our house at Old Dunstonians. Cracking game ensued with Bromley 1 down at half time but with 5 mins to play Christian wallops a ball onto the crossbar for Josh to smack home the rebound at the far post. Wild celebrations on the touch line as the parents are a rowdy lot! 

Then it was penalties again. Lukie was taken aside by his manager. Am guessing the conversation went along the lines of: 'So Lukie you know how you missed last time well are you up for it this time?' I could see Lukie nod and then with it being 3 all and no penalties saved he was quickly up. This time he made no mistake, thank god!  Jacqueline and I both looked at each other with a big sigh of relief as would be hard to take the same tears / ordeal all over again.

Then 2 penalties later they won. Result.

Back home had a window before the Palace Arsenal game and so jogged out with the intention of running 10k but was feeling really good so just kept on but careful not to over do it. Despite starting the 15k loop slowly I finished with a 4.12 average. It's been a long time since 4minks felt so good.

Pics of the day below - really nice with the sun out but still desperately cold when in. Not good news for those poor buggers who have been training the house down in the Australian summer. Sunday is still going to be cold.

Lukie nailing his penalty:

Shit scared

Whilst doing some footie training with #2 boy Jack this afternoon I almost scared myself to death. At the very end of the session in the backyard we finished with some tackling training. I would shout 1 2 3 and we'd take three quick steps to go in for a 50:50. We had done 20 or so on both legs but on the very last Jack's knee twisted and he screamed before rolling on the ground in agony. The poor bugger was in a huge amount of pain. I swear I thought I had busted his knee and felt sick as a result.

Jacqui came running outside and we lifted him onto the couch, stuck some cushions underneath his leg and immediately iced plus gave him some pain killer.  We toyed with taking him to hospital but after calling the emergency numbers decided best to keep him home.

Really not sure what happened and felt so so bad. I am 99% sure that my intensity was consistent but perhaps he got more confident and increased his.  I have history too as when we were in Threadbo in the Snowy Mountains a couple of years back we toppled over together on the bobsleigh. Same story I was completely fine but Jack had managed to burn his entire arm. 

Will see how he is tomorrow for his game but pretty sure he won't be ok but preying that he will be ok for the European tournament next month.

On the running front I ran to Park Run, ran around at AMP and then jogged straight home again. 

Special mention to Messi aka Roger who ran a 16.18 PB today on a muddy course. He's in fantastic shape having ran a 114 half PB 2 weeks back. He's all set for a 2.37 marathon. 

Snappy 5km

Raining at lunch so had to treadmill it. Never fun at the best of times. Did a 3k warm up followed by 5k on 3.29s followed by another km or so of warm down. Felt OK today but the latest niggle is a sore right ITB. Will be so pleased when I can actually stop worrying about all this crap.

The long range weather forecast for the 24th is still relatively cool with showers so ideal. The wind will be a north westerly so hoping we get some shelter along the Embankment aka the road of hell.

Klopp

AM - 1hr massage feeling great after.

PM - commute home feeling good. 17k in 4.23s. Had to concentrate not to lift pace.

Watched the Liverpool Dortmund game with the boys. When they went 2 nil down Jack immediately turned to me and said 'Dad, this is like the Champs league needing to score 3 but this time we don't have a Gerard'. Thankfully we have a Sakho. Unbelievable game.

Blah

AM - out early for 8k saunter looping through the park. 4.45s.

PM - strength with Mark P. He is excellent. Lots of stomach core work keeping ribs in then stability exercises for hips, ankles and glutes. Felt great after. Mainly due to fact that I was moaning about my confidence being down but with him subsequently pepping me up (he'd do well as a life coach).

Carrying an annoying (slight) cold.

Not much

Got out early to do a half baked 4 x 5min session but was not feeling it. 7.5k done.

Grind

Back into it today and no change to the normal relentless'ness.

On the positive I left the office in daylight. The first time in literally months and months and months. Feels like years.

No run today as took it easy but feel fine. Saw the chiro in the late afternoon and no ailments to report despite the last 2 weeks.

Notwithstanding yesterday's debacle I am beginning to get extremely excited about London. It is the mother of all marathons and in my home city and would not swap it for all the money in the world.

Must must stay positive.

Fulham Half - 9th in 1.19.54

I was really unsure about this race as my legs were dead from 2 weeks of skiing but I desperately need the speed. If I am honest I cannot say I ran completely as a tempo. It was hard work and the course did not help. The 1st 2ks were all on grass and then the gravel path along the river. As is always my luck after 1k I was running solo too.

Despite the above the first few ks were quick but told myself to calm down and settled into 3.50s and then the odd 4 mink but I think they were aberrations given the disjointed course and the constant corners.

The course was actually a nightmare. If it wasn't the grass or the gravel it was the constant hairpins and then the bloody yuppies walking their dogs on the Thames path or having to dodge the busses by running on the pavement. Furthermore, as we made our way back on each of the 2 laps the wind was fierce and felt like I was treading water.

Despite the slow ks I was constantly picking off runners. At half way I would have been 17th or so and managed to pick enough off to sneak into the top 10.

Results are here:
http://www.swifttiming.co.uk/cgi-bin/list_race_result.php?meet_event_id=1010001

Strava:
https://www.strava.com/activities/540923885

I think it was the right decision to race as would not have ran anything like this in training but again if I am honest I would have expected to have ran 1.18 easy but was not the case. It's slightly puzzling as 4 weeks ago I managed a 27k tempo in 3.45s and must just hope that is down to the legs. Will only know in 2 weeks but safe to say the sub 2.40 is now looking mightily unrealistic.

In the boys' games Lukie drew 4 each and Jack is playing now. Let's hope he has more joy.  Jack is playing in the Mini European championships this summer (basically select U11 teams from across the globe). He will be playing for the team representing Australia and in their group they have Bayern Munich and Manchester United. They will do very well not to get hammered!

Must must remain positive.

Pictures of the day: