Blister

Team Thie circuits. It felt hard today because I'm a) still recovering from tonsilitis and b) still have a cold. It was 30 seconds on/5 seconds off repeating each exercise 3 times before moving on.

Got to the track late after picking Xmas tree and having to get Tyler's dinner ready. Left home and got there stressed and tired, especially as I still have this cold. I wanted to do the 400m, 800m, 400m session, but an easier version. So I did 400m, 200m walk/jog, 800m, 200m walk/jog, 400m and 400m walk between sets. I decided to only attempt 2 sets because of how I felt. I ran the 400s faster than 3000m pace and the 800s slower. I timed the first set using my phone but didn't time the second set - it felt as if I ran the second set at least as fast, probably faster, especially the last 400m, which was probably closer to 1.10 than 1.16. Saw Dave Gunston and had a chat with him.

I was planning to do a hill session at Ammerdown, but felt exhausted after cutting the grass, so instead, I did an easy-steady run from Ammerdown to Kingsdown Camp and back, then an extra loop at the end to bring it from 5 to 7 miles. Even this felt hard and I had to walk a few times (because of mud and wearing road shoes) and stop a few times to recover.

Took Tyler on one of his 3 weekly runs for Beavers badge (in my jeans!).

A short loop around the Norton area with 10 efforts ranging from 30 seconds to just over 2 minutes, including the hill on Pit Road.

I felt really tired before leaving and the weather (strong wind and very heavy rain) really didn't give me much motivation to go, but I managed to persuade myself to go to the club because it was the last track session before the 3000m in Cardiff that could give me any training benefit. I arrived on time for once (6.30) but the wind and rain were horrendous, so I waited in the car for another 15 minutes and it more or less passed. Louise was there and I warmed up with her (only a short warm-up, 2 lap jog, no bar work, drills and then 4 strides outside on my own). Based on how I was feeling I decided on 3 x 1km at as close to 3000m race pace as I could with at least 3 minute recovery, but maybe more if I needed it. I was pleased to get around the first rep in 3.21 with strong winds approaching the home straight, but I felt exhausted after, so decided to have 4-5 minutes recovery and ended up with 5. Did the same 2 more times and managed to keep a reasonably even pace. The first rep splits were 200m 38, 400 1.19, 600m, 2.00, 800m 2.41 and the other two reps had very similar splits. I struggled on the last rep, especially the last 300m of it, but I was pleased to 'get it done'. The wind probably added 1-3 seconds per rep too.

Took Tyler on one of his Beaver challenge runs after school in heavy rain, wearing jeans etc, and got soaked!

Team The circuits no. 193. 20 seconds for each exercise repeated 3 times and running arms in between each two exercises. The postman came with 10 minutes to go, so I had to rush and give him the parcel quickly.

Taking Tyler out on one of his weekly runs for Beavers during storm Darragh.

Slow run around the housing estate after shopping and taking out recycling. My left achilles was sore before and especially during the run, calves were achy and tired too.

Taking Tyler out on one of his weekly runs for Beavers after Tesco shopping.

Taper session for 3000m race in Cardiff on Sunday. I planned to do 6-8 x 400m at the target race pace with a 2-minute recovery, but overcooked on the first rep in 74 (target was 79/80) I think mainly because I had a group of runners chasing behind me. After that, I decided to increase recovery to 2.5 minutes and break it into two sets with a 400m walk in 5 minutes between sets. I maintained the faster than race pace efforts. Felt hard, but not exhausting, although I was feeling very tired, and with the headwind on the back straight (which was very cold) I was running the first 200m in 37 on most reps and the second in about 39.

Took Tyler on one of his 3 weekly runs for Beavers badge (in my jeans!).

A bit of core (plank, crunches/leg raises and back extensions) and my 'rehab' exercises in the bedroom.

Took Tyler on one of his 3 weekly runs for the Beavers badge after taking Eunice and him home from her craft in Radstock.

Taking Tyler on one of his weekly Beaver challenge runs.

Slow out, dynamic drills and back along cycle track while Tyler was at gymnastics practice. A little shakeout ahead of my race tomorrow.

Cardiff Christmas Classic Indoor 3000m. After a stressful weekend/morning, I wasn't in the mood to drive to Cardiff to do this, but I didn't want all the training to go to waste. I was originally in heat 6 of 7, but they reduced it to 6 heats and that messed up my warm-up by making me rush it - although I had plenty of time in the end. There were 15 of us in our race, plus some much faster runners that should have been in heat 5, but they messed up the start list, so 4 of us (including me) weren't assigned to a heat. I started at the back and felt quite comfortable/smooth for the first couple of laps, hitting moreless exactly 10 10-minute pace - my goal was as close to 10 as possible, hopefully under 10.10. I reached 1km in about 3.21, but soon started to struggle. I found myself leading a few runners, including Simon Anderson (who I hadn't seen for years) but the few runners that I was chasing moved away and I didn't feel I had the pace to stick with them, so I found myself running my own race until the final few laps. I got lapped by some of the faster runners, including a very speedy M60! I had a little race with another runner who passed me with about 400m to go. I stuck with him until the bell and then used my finishing speed to finish ahead (by 0.26 seconds).

Warm up and cool down for 3000m race.

Team Thie circuits. 4 sets of 25 seconds on/5 seconds off, mainly focussing on the core. Calves were still sore from the race.

Out and back along the cycle track from Radstock before taking Tyler to school. My calves were still tight and sore and my achilles felt tight/sore, but otherwise, fitness felt good. Weather forecast suggested zero chance of rain but when I left it was raining! Luckily the rain stopped as soon as I started the run.