Back....again

Monday 21 February 2011
Back...I hope, after 7 months out with achilles problem. 6kms this evening from work, 8 weeks till London. Early days but it is on!

Back into it

Weighed myself this morning, 81kgs, 4.5 kgs since the World Cup started, has been a mad month but today the quest begins. Ironman race next year has been firmly imprinted in my mind, and the dream is about to begin. Went to gym today and did 30 mins on the stationary bike, then ran 1 lap of Clapham Common after work. Felt ok apart from bruise on my shin from god knows where. Ankle ok from the sprain last week (miraculously!). Researching bike today at work, will drop form off at HR tomorrow. I think best idea is to go for about a £750 bike and get accessories with the rest of the 1000 quid.
Main problem though is where am I going to store the bike? Will suss out the options, hanging it from the wall is an option however will require me drilling a decent sized hole in the wall...
Running at lunch tomorrow with Mike Clarke, will go to Evans at Wednesday lunchtime to look at bikes I think.

Watford Half Marathon

Today was a seminal moment in my running - went to Watford hoping for around 1:20 and blew the course apart in 1:17:25 - only 6 minutes off my best, with a hilly course and only 3 weeks of training. A tad emotional as I wandered to the drinks table at the end, after 3 years of angst and underachieving, am finally back. And it feels right. Can't really analyse the race in depth as from start to finish just felt extremely strong. Went through first km in about 3:40, felt pretty good but was a little worried as had forgotten to take a puff of my inhaler - felt a little wheezy but it didn't get bad at any stage (also need to mention customary shit in the bushes before the race). Settled in nicely on the back of a bunch of about 5 guys, and a familiar feeling of comfort mixed with adrenaline washed over me, that feeling when you are moving so effortlessly at a cracking pace, listening to the lads around breathing and just feeling a good rhythm. A few solid hills came up after 5 kms, and the second 5km split was about 18:35 and felt a little out of breath and struggling a tad. So backed off for about a km or so, got the heart rate down to about 168bpm and from 12 kms onwards started feeling absolutely superb. Kept two guys ahead of me within reach, and settled in for 13-16km to save energy for a long drive from 4-5kms out. Really nice downhills around that stage, and put in in a couple of 3:30 splits. Got to 19km and knew that a 1:17 was on, flew past the two guys and got into the park which was about 1.5km go. Last km really hurt but managed to punch out a 3:28 or so, good sprint for the line though couldn't quite catch a guy in front of me, and ironically ran 1:17:23, same as my Palmy time in 2003. Well and truly back. A wave of emotion came over me, haven't had that feeling for 3-4 years, have exorcised a demon. Need to carry on, good to be back.

Last 2 weeks of training as follows:

Tuesday January 26th - lunch 20km cycle (Blair's baby)
Wednesday 27th - Clapham Chasers - 2/4/7/4/2 round Battersea Park, hammer time
Thursday 28th - Run at lunch with Tim
Friday 29th - Bike at lunch 20kms
Saturday 30th - 5km TT; 17:40 + lap of Richmond (20km)
Sunday 31st - Rest day
Monday 1st - 11.5kms with Mike, 8.25kms work home 31:19
Tuesday 2nd - Weights
Wednesday 3rd - lunch 20kms bike, PM 10km treadmill 38 mins
Thursday 4th - Morning, 20kms on bike, PM 29:56 work to home; 8.25km
Friday 5th - 6km with Andy and Tim lunch (sore foot)
Saturday 6th - rest
Sunday - Half marathon 1:17:23

It's on

January 25th - Absolutely shattered today after the 50kms of running in the weekend. Could barely get out of bed and hence stayed in bed till 8am. Consequently was running late for work and missed bus so caught overland and tube, made it to my desk by 9:02am though.
After Saturday's 5km TT and 15 kms of other running, was a little sore but still was up for another long run. Ended up going to bed a little late Saturday night after 45 minute chat to Zach and then another 45 mins to Mark, so didn't hit the pillow till about 2am. I woke at about 9:30am, and contemplated sleeping in longer but instead put on some tennis, Henin v Wickmayer, was pretty good. Got up and moving around 10am, coffee and cereal and then out the door at 11am. Not to cold so ditched the gloves for the first time in a while. First few kms tough as always running up Lavender Hill, in fact the whole journey to Richmond feels up hill! Made it to the park in 35:17 which was fairly decent, and legs started to free up a bit. Better run than last week around the park, a few new tunes on the Ipod to change the vibe and after week of no drinking had renewed energy! Once again I think I missed a turn though, and did the full loop in 48 minutes or so. Pretty comfortable the whole way round, then headed home which is great, the nice long downhill West Hill. Since was going to be under 2 hours decided to do a loop of Clapham Common to pad it out a bit. Plenty of gas in the tank at the end but the legs were definitely seizing up a bit. Another 30kms or so, to make it about 125kms in 8 days - most since 2006, and great feeling! Forest is back motherfucker! 3 years, hard to believe but I have well and truly found the zest, motivation and drive to launch a full scale assault first of all on Mark's time at Rotterdam, then assail my 2:40 in Berlin -September 26th will hopefully crush 2:40 and maybe get down towards low 2:30s.

Home and shower then straight over to Blair's for a roast dinner at the Dove, shared a whole chicken with Blair was great. Then home to watch a movie Lake Tahoe, not bad, Spanish movie about a guy who has lost his father. Quaint and perfect for a Sunday night. Liz bounced up and down on the Swiss ball and seems to have done the trick as currently in labour. Amazing to think that in a few hours will be a new life on this earth. Hope all goes well and it is over quickly!

Tonight finally made it down to Clapham Chasers, and an important day for my running career. Was almost too late after waiting for bus, but got there with plenty of time in the end down to Nuttfield gym. About 70-80 people down there, a really good buzz and immediate good impression. Fast group had about 30 in it, really decent pace but could feel tightness in calves halfway round, settled down by the end though. OVerall 46 mins, I'd say around 10kms was a decent Monday effort. Had a chat to Neil about other training sessions, tracks sessions on Tuesday and fartlek type stuff on the Wednesday. My next 5 months just fell into place to coincide with my saving mission. And not a moment to soon. The booze hag is dead, bring on Rotterdam. Yeah baby.

Forest is back

January 23rd Saturday - First 5km time trial in 2 years at Wimbledon, had forced quick tempo run down there in about 30 minutes and was blowing pretty hard when got there, but was on time. Not too cold which was good, legs felt a little dead when I got there but once started race felt really good. Conditions were pretty awful to run well, boggy as fuck and certain parts of the run very slippery. Went through 1/2 way in 9:10 feeling pretty good, on 2nd half had only one guy ahead of me so just moved up on him slowly then when had about 500m to go really put the hammer down and finished v strongly, 18:15 - but probably more in the tank than I realised. Easily in sub 18 shape since ran 8kms or so to get down there, plus muddy conditions probably cost 15 seconds or me. Very happy! Walked to Tibbets corner then ran home so another 6kms or so, 20kms all up and legs fine. Sub 2:52 is on, maybe had a fleeting moment on the way home that could push the boat out and try to break 2:40...will see how the next few weeks go...

January 22nd - Ran home from work, forgot inhaler so horrible frustrating run as asthma kicked in quite early which makes it stressful, raining and shit conditions, legs quite tired but ok. 10kms

Weekly total about 96kms - happy days

Hammer time

Tuesday January 19th 8kms- lunchtime run from work to Westminster, 16:13/15:27 (31:40), I think a record for the run, pretty happy, no pain whatsoever in legs, hammys a tad tight but knees are finally totally free of a niggle. Went to Blair's for roast dinner, awesome as always!

Wednesday January 20th - lunchtime went to gym and did 5 mins rowing plus some chest and shoulder exercises, decent set on 20kg dumbells. After work had unexpected free time as movie flagged, so went and hammered out 39.5kms in one hours, absolutely flying and very happy. Kept rpms no lower than 110, and alternated with burst of 120+. Decent bout of stretching afterwards.

Thursday January 21st - 17kms - Cruisy run with Tim to WM and back, 19:05 and 16:30 or so, stopped at Mil bridge, very comfortable. After work ran home, early on a little tweak behind right knee and a smidgen of shin pain, but loosened up. Didn't get time to WM, but after that was 6:28 to Lambeth, 12:30 to Chelsea, 18:46 home - on my record run of 31:35 splits were 12:44 to WM, 19:14 or so, 25:34 then 31:35, happy with energy, really starting to fly!

Checked out buying Garmin 305 GPS today, Jason has run, I think will revolutionise the way I train, cannot wait.

Murdoch...I'm coming to get you

January 18th - It's well and truly on.
Jan 11 - 5kms in 18.59 on treadmill
Jan 12 - 34mins to Westminster and back at lunch
Jan 13 - 7kms on treadmill
Jan 14 - 31:35 home
Jan 15 - 10kms at gym
Jan 16 - rest, write off from Friday night
Jan 17 - 2 1/4 hrs to Richmond, back, 4.3 kms on treadmill
Total 50kms or so for week

Jan 18 - Lunch - 20kms on bike
PM Work to home, 13 mins to Big Ben, 19:44 to Lambeth, 25:34 to Chelsea Bridge, 37:38 to Battersea gate, 38:30 to crossing, 41:01 to home. Shattered

All good, it is on. Legs feeling fine, energy levels good, really pushed on way home today and came through ok. Will finalise goal for Watford in next week or so but sub 1:20 not out of the question. Will go to Clapham Chasers Monday run next week, then track session on the Wednesday. Should tweak the fitness a bit. Also will go to Wimbledon this Saturday for the 5km time trial then another long run around Richmond Park on the Sunday. Will have slow jog down to Wimbledon Saturday, so will be total of about 50km next weekend. Fingers crossed injuries stay put...