P2 This morning, again in 17:30 ish

Still waiting for the official time to come through but I was somewhere around 17:30, which would be my joint 5th/6th fastest time ever. No excuses really for being nearly 20 seconds down on last week, that being said if I had I did have some good reasons for a slower time: 

1) I did not sleep well the last 3 nights, last night was especially bad and I had been awake since 3am. 

2) I had a slightly dodgy gut last night, might be the cause of the bad sleep. I think I shouldn't have taken the magnesium that I did. 

3) I did run hard up a 1km hill, one that is very steep, on Monday, maybe I hadn't fully recovered. 

4) Whilst I didn't think it was too bad the forecast was for 20 mile  per hour wind with gusts up to 40. 

Whilst I felt good I do think the above all came into play, that being said I think this was a good run and look forward to seeing the Run Britain rankings as. 

1) I paced myself well and flew along the 2km again. 

2) I beat someone who usually is close to me by 30 seconds. 

3) I beat someone who I have never finished in front of before, last week he was inside my PB. 

So overall it was a good run, with a decent time but not quite what I was hoping for. Had my breakfast and wondering when to tackle that steep hill again... Maybe this afternoon? 

 Ah there we go, 17:29. Decent enough, surprising number of PBs, though it was pacer day so will be "interesting" to see how Run Britain ranks it on Monday.

parkrun PB!!! 18:02!!!

So on Saturday I set a new parkrun PB, I thought I had this sort of time in me but conditions have been so windy or icy or I have been tired that I hadn't had the day to do it. This time things came together and I finished in 18:02. 

Of course I am annoyed that I didn't find the 3 second more needed to break 18 but surely now that is just a matter of time. In terms of details, pre race I had fasted as usual and had been on an even stricter carnivore kick for a few days having dropped cheese and bacon and purely eating beef with some lamb. I had had a stomach bug on Monday night and Tuesday morning so had taken the day off work and running and only ran a mile on Wednesday but felt great by Thursday and did some hill reps. 

On the morning I was fasted and had done a mile walk with the dog followed by a 2.5 mile run down to parkrun as a warm up. I did race in my Altra Carbons as I was generally feeling good. At the start I was thinking there were quite a few quick runners around forgetting just how quick I cam now. 

As it turned out myself and Isaac set off at the front with Aleix close behind in 3rd, though by 1km I was fairly sure it was going to be a first or second place. I probably did feel like I was pushing slightly too hard to stay with him but equally he was taking all the wind for me and I didn't have much to lose my trying to hang with him. I felt strong around 3k and actually tried to kick into the lead but Isaac came back past and gradually ramped up the pace, I started to drop off around 4km and my legs started to feel heavy, might have been the hill reps, the dodgy tummy, the lack of sleep (my wife had a cough) or perhaps just the pace we ran the 4th km in (3:30!!). Anyway I pushed as hard as my little legs would allow in the final km and came over the line in 18:02. 

I am chuffed with 18:02, a 15 second PB when I run most weeks and am already this quick is pretty good but at the same time would have loved those 3 seconds. I then did barcode scanning and the 2.5 mile jog home to have my beef for breakfast. 

10k PB

Well I am not quite sure how that happened but I smashed my 10k PB. Based off recent form I was expecting to beat my PB of 39:30 but to have set the time I did was amazing and if not for my parkrun last week would have been a complete surprise.

The event was the Newhaven 10k. My taper this week had gone quite well and training so far this year I was feeling great. I had mostly been plodding with some good up tempo runs at parkrun and I have been the most consistent I have ever been with strength training. 

Pre race I had my usual prep of no food, the joys of low carb :-) The event was actually really poorly organise with some painted markings for start and finish lines, no chip timing and a lack of marshals on the route. We started 15 minutes late so despite the very fresh conditions I was in a vest for 20 minutes before we started running. 

I set off at a strong pace, clearly too strong but I quickly settled into a rhythm and other than that first km I ran a very consistent race. I went through halfway in 19:07 despite getting sent slightly the wrong way and came back in 18:52 to finish in 37:59 (still pending official results but I always stop my watch early, finish it late and I got sent the wrong way so I am claiming it whatever). 

Mr suffering towards the finish line straining (though not aware of my time). 

This time last year my PB was 42:30 and I was not even in shape to do much more than run a sub 20 parkrun so safe to say that I have had a great year, really started after getting back into it after my back infection in March last year. 

Yearly Targets: 

Ahead of my stretch targets for miles, on 161 and need around 150. 

parkrun, still doing well but my local was cancelled due to ice this week so missed out on both the run and volunteer but still ended up doing results for juniors so at least got that.