Extracts Feb 16-23
MONDAY
Morning: 4½ miles (7 km) easy. Weights.
Evening: 8½ miles (14 km) steady - legs a little sore and heavy from weights.
(Total for day: 13 miles / 21 km)
Weight and gym work often makes the legs feel heavy and tired. After a few weeks, I find my legs adapt to the extra load and I hardly notice the weight work, but it takes a while.
TUESDAY
Morning: Easy 4 miles (6 km).
Evening: Track session. It was a beautiful evening. I felt great. 3 miles (5 km) warm up with strides, then 3 x 600 metres (Stuart Peacock took me to 400 metres).
600's in 1:36, 1:34, 1:37 and then 3 x 400 metres in 62, 63, 64. Very short rest. Legs like jelly at end of 8 miles (13 km).
WEDNESDAY
Morning: 14½ miles (23 km) easy run with Norrie Williamson. Weights.
If you remember, I'm a great believer in the mid-week longer run…
THURSDAY
Morning: 5 miles (8 km).
Evening: Most enjoyable session on Westcliff stairs. 3 miles (5 km) there at a brisk pace, then 6 x in 1:02, 1:00, 1:01, 58, 1:02, 57. I was never very tired. Cruised 4 miles (6 km) home feeling good. Good session. (Total 8½ miles / 14 km.) I am fit.
I used to sprint the section from Wexford Avenue to Pallinghurst Road, taking them two or three at a time. If you can run that stretch six times in a minute each time, you could be a Comrades winner!
FRIDAY
Morning: Lovely, but hot; 5 miles (8 km). Weights.
Evening: Tiredish 5 miles (8 km).
SATURDAY
Cruised an easy evening 7½ miles (12 km).
SUNDAY
Morning: Jogged Jeppe Quondam Marathon with Lynn Lombaard and Steve Novis in 2.55. I didn't feel great. Extra mile (1.6 km) jog to and from my car. (Total: 27 miles / 43.6 km).
Evening: Feeling washed out and drained - stretching and easy cycle.
I find a gentle cycle the evening after a long run helps to stretch out and ease heavy, tired legs. Later, I was to make cycling a bigger part of my training schedule.
Week's total: 99 miles / 159 km
Although this appears to be a big mileage week, it actually isn't. If you take away the miles I did at the Jeppe Quondam Marathon, in anticipation of the Korkie, it's still lower mileage with speed and quality a focus.
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