Attack Is The Best Form Of Defence

You sit down, you turn on the telly, your night ahead is planned. Arsenal v Manchester United in the Champions league semi-final, Man United one nil up after the first leg, it’s going to be a belter! …and then Arsenal’s defence lasts less time than Ricky Hatton’s and it’s 0-2 within 10 minutes! 0-3 on aggregate, Arsenal need to score 4… game over… might as well update the old blog then eh?

So, to quote Nessa from the brilliant ‘Gavin and Stacey’, “oh, what’s occurring?”

Well after a tough 53 mile race, not that much, although I have been running…

Last Wednesday (29th April) I joined JK, WeirRunner and Stevie (who had a half-marathon the following weekend) for an easy run…

19:14 6.12 miles 51:09

No splits  Average 8:15 min/miles

A nice easy run with lots of post Fling chat, and lots of me being told to slow down!

Then on Sunday (3rd April) I was forced to run having left my car at the gym by accident! I’d met Mrs p at Bellahouston gym after a couple of hours work on Sunday morning. We then headed off in her car to watch her Aunt (and Fling backup specialist) Lesley in the Bishopbriggs Triathlon. We then came home, just about to head to ASDA (other supermarkets also available!)when I pointed out we’d forgotten my car! Uuummm? Shop or run, run or shop? “You go to ASDA, I’ll run and get the car” says I… and so I did!

16:50 9 miles 1:04:02

1 6:56 2 6:51 3 6:55 4 6:55 5 7:12 6 7:18 7 7:11 8 7:16 9 7:30  Average 7:07 min/miles

OK, perhaps a little quick just a week after the Fling, but I felt great as I set off. The sun was out, and I wasn’t in ASDA! I guess a few days off meant that my legs felt almost tapered so the early miles felt easy. It was when I hit the first real hill, a long drag up Gallowhill Road, that my legs suggested perhaps I was being a little silly, and the rest of the run was an effort (the last mile was deliberately slower than the rest, although I was pretty gubbed anyway!). Further more, I guess compensating for knackered hamstrings, my quads have been sore ever since… yep, me, sore quads… I know, crazy!

Ah well! As a result, rather than visit the club for the Monday night speed session, which I would (supposedly) have taken easy, I reckoned a wee easy 5 miles (not timed) around Pollock Park might be a better option. I took Harvey with me, the first time his physio (me!) has allowed him to run since the Fling, and we had a ball. I really enjoyed just watching Harvey go nuts in the woods, returning every now and again to check I was still running in the right direction, then shooting off again. Then, as an added bonus, as we headed up the hill away from Pollock House my easy pace took me past the Bellahouston Road Runners group that were on a hills session… that felt good… nasty purple vest wearers!

Anyway, Harvey had so much fun that for the two miles on the road back to the gym he was lagging 20 meters behind, tongue hanging out, with a look that said, “OK Dad, I’ve worn myself out”, and like the true child he is, “are we there yet, Dad?”

Which brings me back to today. No running. A busy days work and a couple of long walks with Harvey before sitting down, turning on the telly, the night ahead planned. Arsenal v Manchester United in the Champions league semi-final, Man United one nil up after the first leg, it was going to be a belter!

Pacing Is The Holy Grail

19:11 5 miles 35:46

1 7:13 2 7:12 3 7:14 4 7:03 5 7:05  Average 7:09 min/miles

I set off tonight to just run a wee three miles, with the aim of doing something similar tomorrow. I wanted to run at race pace because as yet, I have failed to do this on any run! When I set off I felt really good. The first mile at 7:13 mins was pretty close to the Holy Grail of 7:15 min/mile pace, so I decided to continue on up the road and run my five mile route. Crazyboy tried running at the weekend, managed two miles, and was in pain with his leg again, so I’m assuming that I won’t be meeting him tomorrow evening for a run. Getting the run in tonight means that, firstly, it’s done a day sooner and thus allows an extra days recovery, and secondly, that it’s done on a day when I felt good and relaxed, and so will have taken less out of me, and has left me in a positive mind set.

I will either do nothing, or do a short 3 miles tomorrow, then rest Thursday, and then run an easy couple of miles on Friday with Mrs pacepusher (not Saturday as previously advertised – I miss understood her intentions!). The aim is to loosen off the legs a little after the train ride down. As Mrs pacepusher pointed out, she doesn’t normally do anything the day before a long run ( …and if it can be helped, neither do I!) so why start now.

So to the Holy Grail… I have now attempted on a number of occasions to run at race pace on a training run without success. Analysing tonights efforts, the first three miles (which were close to race pace) included a number of uphills, and a slight headwind. So it may not be truly accurate as a guide to how close to 7:15 pace I was. Similarly, the last two miles included some downhill, and a mild tailwind. So this draws me towards one conclusion, and one conclusion only. If I try and run at 7:15 pace on race day, I’m going to worry about it, and struggle to get into a stride. Instead, I think I should drop five seconds, and aim for 7:10’s as that now appears to be a more realistic easy pace, and hey, what’s five seconds between friends?

I think I’m maybe worrying about this a little too much! Let’s face it, whatever pace I start at, I’m going to be a lot slower by mile 26, and faster for the last .2!

It’s taken me ages to type this as I’ve been watching the football. It’s Liverpool versus Arsenal in the Champions League (yes I’ve been allowed on Mrs p’s lap top again!). It’s almost over and has been a great game. If Liverpool hang onto the lead… which they will as they have just scored to make it 4-2!… they will meet Chelsea in the Champions League for the 4th season in a row. Quite incredible really! Walk on, Walk on…

More importantly, Bradford have just drawn 1-1 with Barnet… back to the real world for us true footy fans!