Training Log Archive: Cbruce22

Last long run and one week to go. Went to the railway line with Nicola and had a nice steady long run and was nice to have some company.

Splits: 7:21, 7:37, 7:28, 7:23, 7:17, 7:26, 7:27, 7:27, 7:5 and 7:26.

Set my race goals today and they are as follows:
A: 2:48.59
B: 2:52.00
C: 2:57.30

Good session this morning with one week to go. Did 2 mile wu park run then 2 mile cd. It was pretty cold and extremely wet this morning. Happy with how it went and just tried to keep a comfortably hard pace that I could keep up throughout.

Good first half and the lower prom was into the wind so faded a little.

Splits
WU: 7:41 and 7:37
Parkrun: 6:0p, 6:08 and 6:13
CD: 7:37 and 7:55

Easy run and strides at Aberdeen beach. Maranoi in full swing this morning and felt like stopping throughout this mornings run which is completely nuts!

Splits! 7:59, 7:4Runner, 7:32, 7:26 and 7:32
Strides! 9, 21, 19, 21, 21 and 22

Easy short St Machar Drive loop this morning. Ok run still feeling a little tired this week but to be expected with the travel yesterday.

Splits: 7:56, 8:0p, 7:42, 7:28 and 7:21.

Session was wu, 6 miles @ MP and cd. Early start at 5:39 am as had early train to catch this morning with work to Glasgow. Just did the session at AECC so a little undulation but mainly flat. Didn’t have a great sleep last night and stomach a little upset again this morning so had one or two little stops to regroup and go again.

Splits!
WU: 7m36 and 7:33
MP: 6:04, 6:19, 6:13, 6:15, 6:20 and 6:32
CD: 7:27 and 7:27

Easy run with some strides. Pretty tired with heavy legs this morning so just tried to keep things easy.
St Machar Drive loop

Splits: 8:20, 8:17, 7:58, 7:42, 7:52 and 7:37

Strides! 21, 21, 21, 20, 22 and 19

Nice easy gym session and last one before the marathon.

Nice easy run down at the beach.

Splits: 7:51, 7:36, 7:32, 7:40 and 7:33

Session was 5k x 3 @ MP (4mins easy) did session at AECC. Felt pretty tired at start and surprised myself as actually had a pretty good session although had some stomach issues in the run. Run was fasted with no gels. Starting to get colder again and wind picked up throughout the session so had to pull up a couple of times to clear my chest.

Splits:
WU: 7:42 and 7:20
(1) 6:18, 6:16, 6:11 and 38s @ 5:55
(2) 6:17, 6:13, 6:20 and 37s @ 5:48
(3) 6:24, 6:38, 6:33 and 41s @ 6:24
CD: 7:45 and 7:37

Easy run this morning at the beach but feeling pretty tired today.

Splits: 7:55, 7:51, 7:46, 7:48 and 7:53.

Did strides after.

Easy steady run out to B&Q and back including Greenbrae.

Splits: 7:58, 7:32, 7:31, 7:31, 7:45, 7:13, 7:17 and 7:23.

Was wet with no wind this morning. Warmed up out to the AECC and then did the hills up Parkway. Not a really steep hill but fairly steep and no flat for at least three minutes. Session was steady up hill and fast going down hill. Tried to work on my technique running down hill the whole way.

Overall happy with how it went. Legs were still not that fresh after Sunday last night so speed going up hill probably was not quite as fast as I would’ve liked it to be but happy with the splits heading downhill and really honed in on my technique.

Splits:
WU: 7:55, 7:38 and 0.3 @ 7:36/mile
Hills: (1) 7:11 and 5:59; (2) 7:33 and 5:39; (3) 7:46 and 5:42; (4) 7:53 and 5:38; (5) 7:55 and 5:31; and (6) 8:09 and 5:29.
CD: 7:11, 7:30 and 0.3 @ 7:15/mile.

Nice easy trail run up at Hazelhead. Just covered my watch and went easy. Can never understand why my first mile at Hazelhead is always awful, I know it’s uphill but it’s gradual and not steep

Nice easy gym session. Moving it down to just the Monday session now until the marathon.

Probably one of the toughest long runs to date, I had the stamina for it but it was like being battered backwards when running into the wind. I did the run down at the coast between Macduff and Whitehills. The plan was to do it here so I could hit MP at the end as it’s flat but my legs were destroyed by that point from having battled the wind for half of the run. I still enjoyed it but running into the wind knocks my breathing too which meant I struggled to get into a rhythm. Had porridge, banana, coffee and orange juice before heading out and then gels at miles 6 and 12, didn’t bother with one at 18 as hitting MP had already gone out of the window by the wind.

Splits: 7:14, 7:00, 7:09, 7:06, 7:20, 7:22, 6:52, 6:55, 6:52, 6:52, 6:59, 7:32, 7:48, 7:56, 7:42, 7:58, 6:29, 6:45, 6:55, 7:07 and 7:01.

Nice easy run at home this morning in the rain. Route was undulating and it was wet and windy. Ok run and just covered watch and ran.

Splits: 7:28, 7:33, 7:15 and 7:22.

Good session this morning. Session was 2 mile wu, 8 miles @ MP and 2 mile cd. Did session at the AECC and it wasn’t too windy. Finished session down at the beach where there was a bit more wind. Overall pretty much went to plan, the last 2 miles were slightly over MP but it was marginal and on average it would’ve been MP. Happy with it since I started at 5.30am and completely fasted so it was a good confidence builder.

Splits: 7:53, 7:26, 6:16, 6:17, 6:13, 6:16, 6:17, 6:20, 6:26, 6:22, 7:26 and 7:13.

Another early start as did actually have physio this morning as the last session before Inverness! Just an easy run with my watch covered before doing strides. Felt ok but toe still bleeding/rubbing.

Physio went well and James happy with everything. Just loosened off my feet and hips and gave me some advice on how to protect my toe so going to try out some of the suggestions over the next few days.

Splits: 7:48, 7:23, 7:49, 7:19 and 7:27.

Strides: 21, 21, 21, 24, 26 and 21.

Early session this morning as I thought I had physio at 7.40 to only realise it’s tomorrow. Quite mild this morning and a little breezy. Tried to work in as many hills this morning as possible. Felt ok on most of them bar the one up from the Haudigan roundabout which was brutal and legs certainly felt that one. Otherwise happy enough. Still not running freely with blister on third toe on right foot which burst in race on Sunday.

Splits: 7:52, 7:42, 7:32, 7:56, 7:33, 8:09, 7:22, 7:17, 7:25 and 7:30.

Warm up and cool down to gym

Strength and conditioning session at the gym.

Nice easy run this morning. Legs a little tender still after Sunday but not too bad. Just went down to the beach so I had a flat route. Dry and a little breezy.

Splits: 7:59, 7:41, 7:40, 7:37 and 7:36.

Nice and easy warm up on the cross trainer before going into my plan. Felt ok this morning which surprised me and legs probably felt better than after the 10k a few weeks ago. Toes still a little tender in my trainers.

Race Day - Great North Run. First time running the great north run. Pretty warm with the boards around the course saying it was 15 degrees, clear sky and a little breeze. Started well and managed to hold back the speed on the first mile reasonably well which wasn’t easy to do in the elite field. Happy with how the first 8 miles played out and feel like I paced it pretty well and managed to get reasonable splits on the uphill sections. My shoes were rubbing really bad on the top of my right toes from around mile 6 and one of them burst at mile 7 making it really painful each time my right foot pushed off. Gradually slowed down from mile 8 and found miles 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 a struggle. One of the problems I had was that I couldn’t take advantage of the downhill sections as my right foot was too painful with the rubbing. Managed to pick it up on the last mile thanks to the amazing crowds at that point which must’ve been 12 deep in places!

Overall thought on course was that I’m surprised it is an overall net downhill course as it certainly feels as though it is net uphill when running it. There are a few big declines however it feels as though you are spending a lot of time running up gradual inclines.

A lot of positives to take from the race: (1) my avg. pace was still under what I’m aiming for the marathon; (2) managed a reasonable time after being off colour for most of the week: (3)finishing time was still within the elite time criteria; (4) didn’t finish last in the elite field; and (5) paced it quite well over the first 8 miles.
Splits: 5:43, 6:10, 5:58, 6:19, 6:22, 6:03, 5:59, 6:03, 6:37, 6:25, 6:46, 6:47, 6:16 and .1@6:05.

Easy run with 3 strides this morning in Gullane, Edinburgh before driving down to Newcastle. Didn’t have a great sleep last night with my stomach really upset again which eventually wore off late afternoon today. Lovely crisp morning and part on road/ part off road.
Splits: 7:52, 7:40, 7:33 and 7:39
Strides: 21, 20 and 20

Just an easy run up at Hazlehead this morning before heading down to Edinburgh this afternoon.
Session was wu, 4 x 1 min on 1 min off and then cd.

WU: 7:54, 7:36, (1) 5:42 and 7:16;(2) 6:56 and 7:55; (3) 6:02 and 7:14; (4) 6:42 and 8:11, CD: 7:30 and 7:11.

Even later tonight at work but at least I’ve tomorrow off to try and get some rest before Sunday. Dark when I was out tonight. Just an easy run but legs still feeling a little tired.
Splits: 7:51, 8:09, 7:44, 7:41, 7:41 and 7:49

Tough shift tonight. Long day at work and late getting out and once did get out it was drizzling and really windy. Headed out to B&Q and back.session was 5 x 3 mins @ 10k pace (although struggled to get anywhere near it tonight) with 1 min recovery. Really struggled tonight and legs felt heavy. Wind was also pushing me back and sideways at times making the session more difficult.

Splits:
WU: 7:47 and 7:31
3 mins: (1) 6:22/mile and 8:18/mile; (2) 6:18/mile and 9:31/mile; (3) 6:23/mile and 10:10/mile; (4) 5:51/mile and 9:58/mile; and (5) 5:54/mile and 7:01/mile
CD: 7:11 and 7:19

Wasn’t sure if I should do today’s run having been off work with a stomach bug and fever yesterday but felt ok once out and just took it slightly easier than normal.
Splits: 7:36, 7:40, 7:48, 7:33, 7:40, 7:39 and 7:3e
Strides: 21, 23, 21, 20, 20 and 19

Session the morning after a wedding equals tired and late morning session. Was a really nice day and went up to Hazlehead to run on the trails. Slow start and found it difficult to find the pace on the first half of the session but worked into it. Session was 12 x 1 min on one min off.

Splits:
WU: 7:49 and 7:22
(1) 6:16 and 7:36; (2) 7:15 and 7:33; (3) 6:32 and 7:40; (4)6:30 and 7:19; (5) 6:17 and 7:22; (6) 6:47 and 6:48; (7) 6:17 and 6:42; (8) 5:56 and 7:40; (9) 6:07 and 7:02; (10) 5:48 and 7:02; (11) 6:51 and 7:20; and (12) 6:21 and 7:36
CD: 7:01 and 7:05