Last week was a very good week as I continued my return to fitness. With 44.25 miles ran, including twice up Lobley Hill to Sunniside, and a Beach Bootcamp session, it was the biggest haul of miles achieved since I broke my ankle back in May. Moreover, it was the biggest sign since that injury that my endurance levels are on the way back.Today, I started building on last week's running with the quickest 5 mile run for ages (00:45:54). See the split times to the right. OK, it's not exactly breaking records but it's the smallest glimpse of quality I've seen in my running for quite some time. I didn't set out to run quicker than of late. The plan was simply to concentrate on posture, technique and breathing. When I get these things right the running usually falls nicely into place as was the case today.
I've got a few more short and quick runs to do this week before I attempt a 20ish miler on Sunday. I'll hopefully have a bit of company on that one with Mike Lewis helping out.
There are only 6 weeks left before I run 105 miles in 3 days from Edinburgh to Newcastle. There are no training opportunities to be missed if I'm to successfully complete that one. Every single run is important now. Each morsel of food that I put in my gob is equally as important. Where I have succeeded with various runs in this campaign, I have mostly failed in the food stakes. Will I ever get that aspect right? Who knows? I guarantee that I will get the running right, however.
I've taken some good running scalps during this training campaign. 00:46:48 in last year's Blaydon Race, completing the 2009 Chevy Chase, a couple of 37 mile runs and a very pleasing 32 mile effort in the Borders this year. The run from Edinburgh to Newcastle must be the next success story if I'm to keep progressing towards USA 2011. Make no mistake, it's a big 6 weeks for Run Geordie Run. My foot (and the two pins inserted into my ankle) will be pushing down hard on the gas in search of quality and to reach Newcastle in 1 piece having run 35 miles a day for 3 days.
