I spoke with Peter this morning and after feeling really tired yesterday he asked was I ready to do a tempo run, I felt I was (just about)

The day was a bit windy and as I was going out for dinner I needed to get this run during the day.

I got out about 15:30 and between the wind and the hills I wasn’t sure would I manage 6:50 min/mile pace.

I feel I cheated a small bit as I ensured the finish of the warmup (and stretching) was at the top of the hill, so the tempo started downhill.

So the warmup was ok, and I started the tempo, initially I ran too fast (downhill and with the wind behind me) but it wasn’t long before I had an uphill with the wind in my face. I managed to maintain the pace.

I went out for 13 minutes and turned around, knowing I would face an uphill and the wind in my face for the last few minutes.

As I rounded the last corner I looked at my watch and I had 4 minutes left – the wind was in my face and tough to push through – so after my pace slowed to about 7:20 min/mile I turned around to allow me maintain the 6:50 pace.

I was tired for this run and I’m happy I pushed myself out the door.

The run was slow and I just couldn’t go any faster. this wasn’t helped by wearing a running jacket instead of just a top and I was melting.

I found this run hard, but for some reason I still ran faster than I intended.

After the run I knew my quads were at me, and my right foot was a bit sore.

This was a race I was going to push! I told Peter I was planning on running 6:45 min/miles and this was 27 seconds a mile faster than my last 10 mile pb

The race prep started yesterday when I did the easy 20 min run with strides, but with the craziness of families dinner was a Chinese (mixed veg with king prawn with boiled rice – no msg) which wasn’t an ideal way to prep for a race.

The race was starting at 10am, so the plan was to get up before 7am have breakfast, drink a pint of water with 1000mg vitamin C & a Berocca Boost, followed by a pint of water with lean greens. a cup of strong coffee between 8am and 8:30am – Stop drinking water by 9am when I leave for the race, bring ZYM tab, to put into 600ml of water and a protein shake (another 600ml of water to put into the shake)

I arrived at 9:30 and it was busy, I started my 2 mile warmup and finished we a single stride (I was to do a few strides, but with timing I just had to line up!)

The race was mad! I went out fast and kept saying to myself to hold back. within the fist mile I started to run with someone at my pace and it helped me to maintain a steady pace, I left this guy around mile 3.

I went through the first mile in 6:14 – a bit fast.

I picked up someone else around mile 4 and stayed with him for about 3 miles before I left him behind.

From mile 4.5 until about mile 9 there was a head wind which slowed me down, but the wind really picked up around mile 6 and meant my pace was just under 7 min//mile.

I finished the race in 1h 7m 26s a whole 5 minutes faster than my last 10 mile race (30 seconds faster per mile!)

In the last mile I had more in the tank – and I went for it, increasing my average pace for the last mile to 6:35

After the race I ran 3 miles to cooldown, before I went for the run I changed my top, and drank 250ml of water. I drank a further 250ml of water while running the 3 miles.

I found the 3 miles difficult, but I could have continued for another few miles if we needed.

After the cooldown I drank my protein shake and 600ml water with a ZYM tab.

I had a slight headache from about mile 7 and while after the race the headache went away, it has now come back.

I’m really tired after London, between how tired I am, the cool sore and the pimple on my nose I couldn’t push myself out the door yesterday – I was even dressed for the run and that didn’t get me out!

So today I needed to just get out, I did a bit over 2 miles followed by 4 strides with a total distance of 2.63 miles

It felt good to get out!

On top of everything my new watch reset during the run and it recorded rubbish!

I had planned to go for an easy 10k with John, but due to a poor nights sleep for John I ended up doing this run by myself.

I reverted to doing a 25 min tempo run