Non Training Week 6

MONDAY: I was aiming to pick up the pace a little when running this week, as I seemed to have got into a bit of a rut, running reasonably comfortably at one consistent pace for the last few weeks. I was thus pleased to start the week with an improved 8.75km/45min run before my Body Pump class.

TUESDAY: Body Attack was cancelled this week so I ran to the gym with the intention of doing intervals on the treadmill. However the winter weather has seen many people seek refuge in the treadmill, and I literally could not get on one. Rather than spend the entire session wistfully watching people run and willing them to finish, I decided to do intervals whilst cross training instead. 

WEDNESDAY: I ran to the gym again (well a gentle jog more like as my breakfast had definitely not settled!) for another stint of 7am Body Pump - however the class was cancelled - so I turned around and ran home! In the evening I resumed my usual routine of an 8k run before my Body Pump class. I felt tired after a long day and an early false start, but managed to keep my running pace quicker at 5.13min average kilometers.  

THURSDAY: Rest Day

FRIDAY: it was a wet and wild Friday evening but I was still keen to get out and run. I ran 8.5k at 5.12min average kilometers, pleasingly getting ever so slightly quicker all week! I contemplated running a bit further but I was pretty wet through by now, and also knew this week was heading towards a high cumulative distance, so opted for being sensible.

SATURDAY: my right hamstring was bothering me today - it felt tight and actually sore to touch in certain places. I was a little perplexed as to why, then remembered I had played some football on Friday at work, for the first time in a long while, and had been striking the ball repeatedly with my right leg. Having not played for so long my enthusiasm was high, whilst my technique probably not so much!  I thus think my hamstring was paying the price. I avoided running to give it some rest and cross trained again at the gym as well as doing some upper body weights.

SUNDAY: on waking my hamstring still didn't feel right, so I approached my run with caution. Pleasingly, it held up over the ten miles, only at times feeling a little tight and tender. The weather was warm but very windy, and it seemed strong gusts were blowing from virtually any direction! I chose to incorporate a hilly loop on my run which was tough, head winds up long hills - my two least favourite things! But I ran reasonably well, accepting that my pace would drop a bit in the conditions, and also spotted two touching tributes to the victims of the Paris Attacks (see image). In total I covered just over 41km for the week - my highest weekly distance for a long while... bring on marathon training!