the week that just was..

last week i didn't manage to get to the #runwithmo @buparunning event organized for Thursday lunchtime in Regent's Park. i knew i'd be too busy and so i ran on the Wednesday instead: 4m, usual route, about 30min.

this week: after a long weekend away in Budapest, for which packing was minimal (and my running shoes were banned), i came straight back to Tuesday night club training. that entailed a good warm-up with 3x100m strides then into the good stuff: we ran 6x1000m with 200m recoveries. i don't know the times we were clocking for the 1000s, but it felt fairly fast, probably 6min/mile pace. turned out to be excellent exercise and i was very happy to push home hard on the last lap. we ran the park to warm down, then i trundled off home, where an excellent couscous salad was waiting! really felt it in my calves the next day, so had to have a good stretch out, but no trouble in the Achilles any more..

Thursday i'd hoped to go out with one of the guys from work for a recovery run, but neither was available. i ran by myself and stretched it out to the 5mile loop up into Hyde Park. the first and last miles i covered quite relaxed as good warm-up and warm-down. the middle 3miles i started in at around 7:10 and built through to around 6:20. i didn't have my watch on me, so those speeds aren't accurate; just what it felt like. to make it a bit harder, as i was feeling good in that middle section, i tried out 3-3 breathing, instead the regular 2-2. it makes quite a difference! it's supposed to build up strength in your diaphragm if you remember to belly not chest breathe. it gave me something to concentrate on and the time went by quite quickly. i really like finishing along the road that runs the length of the northern side of the Serpentine. it's nice and flat, slightly downhill, and if you get on top of the camber, you have a lot of space around you..