Another long day of running including a Parkrun PB

I've had quite a week of running this week, I did my first night run and I've maintained my runstreak. I decided, as last week to run at Studley Royal and Fountains Abbey. I sat last night and worked out a route similar to the route at Equinox24 then asked if anyone wanted to join me. I had only one taker. I think two things were possibly putting people off, lots of runners don't like laps and the other thing was the planned pace of 10-11 minute mile pace. But anyway Hayley was up for it.
This morning I got up and walked the dog to warm my constant aching muscles and bones then drove to Ripon and parked at the car park at Studley Royal before jogging and doing dynamic stretches to the start of the 76th Parkrun at Fountains Abbey http://www.parkrun.org.uk/fountainsabbey/

That was a mile worth of warm up. There was not much time for socialising as we were called to the start, as usual I went towards the back, Hayley joined me and after a few messages we were off. I didn't have any plans only to run hard, as the laps later would be steady. Its important to mix up the training, and if I want to run fast I run best in company. I got a PB last week of 26:21 but after a hard week of training I was thinking that I would not be quick this week. I set off weaving though the crowds and saying hi to friends as I passed. I am not a parkrun regular because Saturday has been long bike day for so long, but I got a feel that I was doing OK, I pushed myself hard and entered the second lap slowly gaining and overtaking people, as I approached the end I didn't have a sprint finish, I was done in. I stopped my watch, 26:01. Wow! PB, hopefully with 25 on the front as I had not stopped my watch immediately.
Hayley was talking to Dawn and we persuaded her to join us for a lap. she agreed to see how it went. We walked up to the visitor center and then jogged to Studley to my car to get water and fuel, another .87 of a mile.

We set off, up the grass hill to the St Mary's Church, out of the gate, past the visitor center and onto Howe Hill where we turned off across the fields with a great view of the Abbey,



Through the cows, the farm and up through the wood to the stone arch, through to to the deer field, down into Studley and over 5 of the bridges, up to Sam,s Seat, down to the entrance, up the main drive down the car exit road to the car park and to the car. Lap 1 complete, 5.6 miles done. Dawn decided to leave it at that but Hayley was happy to carry on. Hayley and I got more water and I refilled my Tailwind http://www.tailwindnutrition.co.uk/ then we walked/jogged Dawn back to the visitor center and ran our second lap, at the car we refueled and dehydrated and set off on the third lap, Hayley started to be bothered by an old injury and decided to make this her last lap. Good decision listening to her body rather than her head as she really wanted to do the four laps but its not worth risking injury and she had run 20 miles today. At the car she decided to go to the cafe to wait whilst I slogged out the final lap, it was tough but I managed and finally made it back to the car for a well deserved ice cream.
Really glad that Hayley and Dawn chose to accompany me today, they helped me get it done.
The 4 laps totaled 22.36 miles which including fuel stops took 4 hours 42 minutes and 52 seconds. I Checked my phone and had a message from Parkrun, Yey! a PB 25:49, position 97 and 2nd in my age cat.
Total running today
1.01 mile W/U 12:21
3.07 mile Parkrun 25:49
0.87 mile C/D
22.36 mile 4 lap run 4:42:52

Total run miles 27.31 time 5:31:10
Didn't take any pics today so they are all old ones.

Week 7 update, Carrying on regardless

Well what a week, Monday I did my runstreak mile before taking Jed for a Dogjog. I was really buoyed up by the quality of my run the day before at the Muddy Boots 10 km and stopped paying attention to what my sciatic half numb left foot was doing and so the dogjog was going well, until just before we reached home I misjudged a kerb with my dodgy left foot and went sprawling across the pavement, loosing my grip on the lead, fortunately Jed slowed and stopped. I got up quick grabbed the lead and glanced down at my sore knees

That'll be new tights needed then. The trip wax at a busy junction so I waited till I got home before investigating further

Oh great, a flap of skin removed and knees like a 10 year old. I cleaned it up and applied a massive plaster and hid it all with thick tights for work.

After work and a dog walk I changed the plaster for a waterproof one and headed to the pool. I managed 2650 yds in 57.44 minutes. I then went home, grabbed a couple of rice cakes then headed back out, this time to Ripon Cycle Studio for a watt bike session. The session was a warm up, then 4 minutes at 90 cadence then a minute 3-4 gears higher trying to maintain cadence and repeat 10 times. I really struggled with this session. But I tried really hard.

Tuesday means a lie in before walking the dog. I awoke with a dreadful pain in my shoulder which made breathing difficult. After work I jogged to the Rugby club to run with the junior runners. I was ok jogging, but I could not run, I couldn't breathe deep enough, the kids were having to wait for me. One of the youngsters was feeling unwell, I accompanied them back to club at a walk. 

I ran slowly at the back of the adult group, I was fine as long as I didn't try to run hard.

Wednesday, and it was back to an early start with a runstreak mile and a dogjog. I could breathe a bit better but my knee was still bleeding a bit. The runs were uneventful, phew. After work I walked the dog before my swim and watt bike sessions. Whilst on the walk, a dog went for Jed nightmare.

For my swim session I did 100yd sets, I managed 3 sets under 2 minutes, the rest were just over.

I only get a half hour swim session on a Wednesday and go straight to watt bikes. The watt bike session was a long warm up then a 3 minute test. I managed 253 watts, an improvement since last time, not bad on tired legs, I wanted to redo the test another day.

Thursday, almost a rest day a dog walk in the morning and running club training in the evening. The training was 2 x 4 min efforts, then a 400 m effort and then 2 more 4 min efforts and another 400 m effort. It was tough, but good to attempt to run faster than usual.

Friday was again an uneventful runstreak mile and dogjog before work. In the evening was strength and conditioning, in other words a rest day.

Saturday is endurance day. The plan called for a 2 hr 20 min walk at high heartrate followed by a 3 hr 20 min run with a low heartrate. 5 hr 40 min of steady exercise. The weather was nice so I went to Fountains Abbey, so here are the pics

This was a heron in the river on the walk section along the River Ure

I noticed how orange and black the Abbey looked as I did a freedom parkrun.

I love this view, you get it twice on the Fountains Abbey Parkrun

I liked the way the snowdrops and skeletal trees reflected in the River Skell.

There are signs saying no public access to this Fairey Glenn, shame.

I went up to the Banquetting House for the first time.

It was a lovely view from there.

Sunday was endurance ride day, I didn't sleep well with wierd queries going around my head about Equinox24 and how I'd rack my bike with it's Adamo snub nosed seat, and other random stuff. So I got up tired and my legs were tired from the running too. The plan asked for a 4 hr 30 min ride at heartrate 130-140. After walking the dog Billy and I set out seperately. We were both heading for Richmond but my pace would prevent him training effectively, he was going with similar paced friends.

I set off and soon was paced by them, I worked hard to keep them in sight. At Masham they had stopped. Jeff decided to ride with me as Billy and Martin's pace was to much for his training plan.

It was nice to ride with someone for a change, Jeff said he would probably head back at Leyburn. I had to work hard at times to catch up, at other times we rode together. At Leyburn Jeff decided to continue on with me. The route is undulating and hilly with no flats, by Brompton on Swale my tired legs were arguing, I slowed to get some nutrition in me and soon felt a bit better on the long slog up to Richmond. Then it was time to head home more downs now, some quite fast, but there were still a couple of tough hills. We stopped to offer assistance to a couple with a puncture on one of their mountain bikes, but didn't have appropriate equipment. It was now apparent that we had totally over run our planned time, but Jeff had completed his longest toughest ride. 5 hr 35 min was the time it took to complete 66 miles with 3,839 ft of ascent, Jeff did 70 miles because he had to get home.

It was nice to ride with somebody.

When I got home there was still the small matter of runstreak. I struggled around a mile, before cleaning up my mucky bike.

So that's how my week has been, a good training week with a couple of minor incidents.