Make that a tenner

I happily managed to follow up on yesterdays run with another easy run - this time a ten miler. Again, I kept things under controlled. Seven minute miling was again the order of the day. It was a pleasant little run - hark at me - when is a training run ever pleasant? Honest guvnor, the time passed quickly and I mostly managed to keep myself off road in and around Leigh Woods. I followed that up with an easy half on the bike to cool off.

I think I'm all set for tomorrow and the Clevedon Road Relay 5k. Definitely didn't over do it today so I should be reasonably quick. Not sure if I'll manage, or want to reach the heady heights of last years 18:13. Shouldn't do me any harm in the grand scheme of things so I might give it a blast - it is only 5k after all....

Thought for the day: Yield to temptation - it may not pass your way again!

Just a fiver

It was a quick up over Dundry tonight. An easy five - at just under 7 minute miling. I got up the hill in record time tonight. The strange thing was that I felt I was going slow and it was bloody hard work. When I got to the top it was a nice surprise - but perhaps I shouldn't be putting in so much effort. Still, it was only five miles. And the view from the top, across to Chew lake is marvellous, especially after a hard day at the office - just a shame I didn't have a hard day at the office (just joking Graham, I worked really hard to get the YL project finished).

Anyhow, it's a feet up night tonight. Need to catch a bloody good nights sleep. Opperation lie-in will commence in, oh, say, around ten hours. Not sure how long it's going to last but I shall be putting all my effort into it [wink].

Thought for the day: What is a free gift? Aren't all gifts free?

Oh happy day

I went down the gym after work and put in a solid, hour long, raise off the seat in places, bike session. Then a sprinkling on the weights but I felt a bit tired. I think it's more the fact of a long day at work rather than anything more serious.

I'm going to hit a short run tomorrow and then a longer 10 miler on Saturday - at an easy pace it has to be said. Might try a few little bursts of pace to mix things up a bit - ooh, what a devil I am.

Thought for the day: I'm writing a book - I've got the page numbers done.

Taking it easy at the track

Well, Rob turned up and looked to be going pretty quick - so I gave him a slap - not really. I'm pleased he did so well. Powerful he has become, taught him well, I have - and so the young student surpasses the master....

And it was another big roll call tonight. It looks like we could really be getting a good little group together. The lads were running 800m reps with some of the shorter distance boys alternating 800/400s. I can tell you they weren't hanging around either.

Breaking news - check out the "Nick Todd Fan Club" on face book - now that's just surreal in its bizarrity - and you all thought I was mad - well that's just plain sad. So go on, check it out and sign up - lets see how many we can get signed up [turns to the camera and raises eyebrow]. I think I've slipped out of reality and entered the twilight zone....

Anyway, I took things easy tonight running an easy 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m session at a relatively pedestrian pace but it was good to give the legs a stretch.

Thought for the day: Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.

Today is Tuesday

- my mind went blank - don't say it.

It was a good day Yesterday. I've decided, in a moment of frivolous disgregard for my training, that today can be a rest day as well - time for the body to heal me thinks. I'm going to head up the track tomorrow and put in some slow mile reps with a short recovery spent slapping Rob [winks at camera], just kidding. The keyword from now on is rest and relax - dammit, that's two keywords. The two keywords from now on are rest, relax and chill - doh. The three keywords from now on are ....

Thought for the day: The more you complain, the longer God makes you live.

Rob W athletic star of the silver screen....

Just saw Rob on the TV - being interviewed like a big bad athlete geaser - OK, it was more of a sentence along the lines of, "... had [breath] to [breath] give it [breath] a try [gasp]." Go Rob, he beat me by over two and a half minutes - the swine. I shall be giving him a slap if he turns out on Wednesday.

I'm giving it a rest this evening before resuming maybe tomorrow or perhaps Wednesday but either way it's going to be gentle stuff from here on in - apart from the Clevedon Road Relays next Sunday that is, but that's only 5k so shouldn't be too taxing. I wonder whether I get to run two legs again this year...

Thought for the day: It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help.

Not so good

It wasn't my best day - not my worst - just not my best. Now, I'm not bitter - well maybe I am, but the old GPS gave the distance at 21.5km - and that's 400m over distance. Even measuring on my OS maps gave the distance at 21.3km and that too is over distance by 200m. I finished in 1:23:56 from the gun and to be honest I'm pissed - a minute slower than my PB. I paced myself on the GPS to 3:54min/km which is 6:15 mile pace and bang on what I wanted - and faster pace than my PB - but when I finished I was over time. 6:15 should be inside 1:22 so to be honest I'm pissed - well actually I am - I went down the boozer afterwards and met up with a few mates but never the less I'm disappointed by the time. Eight o'clock and I'm home now but I can't help doubt the true distance. I just didn't run that shit. My GPS has never been that far out. Yes it can be the odd twenty or thirty metres but never 400m!!!

At the end of the day I have to accept the race result - and be pissed off with it - but I know in my heart I ran well today. I ran even pace throughout and should have got the reward. Anyway, irrespective of the official time I know how I ran and I ran well.

Putting the disappointment aside - and me being ever so slightly mad - I even managed a quick 30 minutes on the exercise bike down the gym afterwards so I obviously wasn't too worn out by it all. I'm now going to hit the taper ahead of Berlin knowing that I can break 3 hours - regardless of what today's clock told me.

Thought for the day: Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

I might leggit, I might not...

I'm in two minds regarding the Bristol half - never a good thing - twice the madness. Do I pace it at my intended marathon pace or do I go for it? There are 21 days in between now and Berlin so I don't feel it will do me any harm if I do decide to leggit. If I run at marathon pace and feel tired at the finish then it could be a psychological blow. If, on the other hand, I just go for it then I expect to be knackered and it would be a good test of how ready I am. Don't really know what to do so I guess I'll suck it and see on the day - shh, - sshhh. I'll start steady and see how I feel.

It looks like its heading for another hot one - so I think we can expect a fair number of casualties - but not it a life threatening way I hope. Just hope those not fully trained take things easy. I think we can all agree that we want it to go off OK. I'm pretty sure there will be the usual crap organisation at the start. Do I care? Not really as I'll be standing near the front - as I was 129th last year I think that entitles me to a good start position. I do hope they get it right this year - if London can organise things right then we should be able to as well. Come on Bristol get it sorted - fingers crossed.

Thought for the day: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and a flat tyre.

Not much going on

After a long day at work I was called into action to go and collect my brothers cat from the Vets after it came out on the loosing end of a cat fight. It's the biggest cat you've ever scene - the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the cat world - but just too timid. After spending ages at the Vets I was too fed up to even attempt a run so that was that. I shall attempt something tomorrow, don't know what but something easy......

Thought for the day: Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Easy does it

Oh I felt so totally not up for it tonight. I knew there was no point in attempting a hard session - I wouldn't have made it. And after the hard race yesterday an easy session was the most sensible option - hang on, when the hell have I ever taken the sensible option? This is a most worrying development - I think I must be going down with something.

It was another big turn out from the lads - ooh, now that's just plain nasty - what I mean was that there was a large number of them present. Running three sets of 800m followed by 400m and finished off with a relay style set of three 200's.

I decided to run four slow 1600's with a strict one minute recovery. It was actually a pretty decent recovery session and wasn't nearly as boring as I was expecting. Anyway, I chugged out reps in 6:30, 6:22, 6:04 and 5:59. It was all pretty easy and well within the comfort zone. Even so the last one was surprisingly quick for such a low level of perceived effort.

Well I'm really not sure what to do tomorrow. It all depends how much time I have but I'm thinking that a session on the bike might be an option. Might try and fit in a short forty minute run in first - just have to see how much of a portion I get from old father time - oh er.

Thought for the day: Don't judge a book by its movie.

The good, the bad and the ugly...

Well I'm not laying claim or allocating the roles but we, of the mighty Bristol Water, only managed to field three runners in the Axa Inter-Companies Road Race (5.5 miles). It's not like we would have won but it would have been nice to score a team of four. At least then we could have had the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful.

And so, to the race. Colin 'Cruise Control' Hunt, running in the M60 category, was up for it. The fire burning within - granted, it was deep deep within but never the less the pilot light was on. And Graham 'I don't think I'll break forty' Crump doubting his strength and inner resolve to the last. Me, well, I was ready and totally up for it.

From the gun I led it out from about fortieth place. I was happy to let John Duncan set the early pace at the front, ably followed by Jon Goodland. In fact, I was quite happy to let John set the late pace as he romped to an emphatic victory in the Axa Stadium of Dreams with Jon coming home third.

I ran my own race. I took it out hard and slowly picked my way through the field. I knew I'd run hard by the fact I met Huey after the finish. Haven't met him in quite a while so it was good to know I can still get acquainted and run on the edge. According to the GPS I ran pretty even splits apart from the quick downhill and the slower uphill. Even so, I was pleased with a 4:20km on the uphill as it's pretty steep. In the end I powered through the line to finish 13th with a time of 34:06. Just outside my ultimate target of 34 but well inside the 35 minute barrier. To be totally honest I didn't really think I could go under 34 so to get so close is top dollar. I've confirmed to myself I'm in good shape and with that I am happy. And looking at the times of some of those ahead of me and extrapolating the data together with previous key performance indicators I believe my time corresponds well with a flat 5 mile time of around 30 minutes and certainly faster than my current PB pf 30:43 - I will have to run some of the Weston Prom races in the coming months to test my hypothesis.

Second home for the Water was Graham, destroying the 40 minute barrier, obliterating the 39 minute barrier and smashing his way through the 38 minute barrier - OK, smashing may be a bit strong but 37:58 sees a much improved performance from him - onwards and upwards from here me thinks.

And what can I say of our third man home - no, really, what can I say? Only kidding, Colin had a corker - mind you, he looked completely shagged at the end but what a run from the little known man of running. Surprising even himself, he came home in around 46 and half minutes. I think the pilot light is starting to fire up the boiler.

All in all it was a great little race which went off without a hitch. Well done to Jon for Organising it and thanks to all those who helped and marshaled. I shall return next year do defend my 13th place.

Thought for the day: Always try to be modest and be proud of it!

Ready, set, go

Dance floor pro, I know, you know, I go psycho when my new joint hit, just can't sit,
gotta get jiggy wit it. Yes, I shall be getting jiggy with it tomorrow in the AXA Road Race.

I have rested today. No flooring, no painting, no DIY, nada for me today. Just an easy half hour gentle spinning down the gym to get my weekend runs - no, that doesn't sound quite right - to get my two training sessions on the weekend out of my legs. Other than that I'm just kicking back listening to soothing whale music - OK, I made that up - but I am just relaxing ahead of the race.

I feel I'm due a good one. Haven't really raced for a while, not properly anyway and I feel up for this. My PMA is in overdrive. I'm going to hit it fast and hard and see how I go - ooh misses. I know there are going to be some good runners at the front, that goes without saying, but I aim to run a fast (it's all relative) personal time and pace my own race, not chase with haste those at the front in first place.

Thought for the day: Five out of four people have trouble with fractions.

Slightly too fast

My recovery run today was just a bit too fast. I was working pretty hard early on but there was no sign of soreness or stiffness after yesterday's run. That, I have to say, is a very pleasant surprise.

There was just two of us this morning up at Ashton Court. The two Dave's. Dave always goes along very nicely, leading it out, until around the 8k point, today he made it to 9k before his legs lost the ability to run - it really is like someone switching the power off. What Dave doesn't realise is that I have this secret leg control device with which I intend to use to take over the world [deep, evil, booming laughter]. A simple flick of the switch is all that's needed to completely neutralise someones legs. I let him get to 9k today before I switched it on. [more deep, evil, booming laughter.....]

Thought for the day: Don't piss me off! I'm running out of places to hide the bodies.

23 before tea

I had a reasonable run this afternoon, covering about 23 miles. I decided to go commando - no, not without pants, thank you very much - without fuel or liquids - to give my body one final bash of going through the wall. In that respect it was good.

My route was a bit too hilly (and off road) to worry about the time - which was a bit slow but the important thing was that I managed to find the door in the wall and scooted straight through to infinity and beyond.....

Well, that's was the last of the long runs. I just hope I've done enough - and fast enough - to enable me to maintain 6:45 pace for 26 miles. There isn't much more I can do now so I'm not going to worry. I have to admit to feeling a bit tired of late so I'm just hoping the next few weeks tapering back will get my energy levels topped back up.

I might just mention that I did manage to put in a quick 45 minutes on the bike afterwards! You know me - [turns to camera and winks]

Thought for the day: Friends may come and go, but enemies tend to accumulate.