An update on week 4, and the plan for week 5

I didn't get 100% on week 4, but I was pretty close.

The long run on Thursday was perfect.  I set out in the morning in leggings, a t shirt and sunglasses and did the same route I had done at the weekend, so I only did 12 rather than 13 miles.  This time I consciously kept it slow and steady until halfway.  At halfway I sat on the same bench I had lamented on on Sunday. Well it wasn't the same bench, the same bench was covered in dew, so I sat on the one opposite it that was undercover, and I took an SiS Go energy gel.  I didn't hang around too long before I got going again, just long enough to take the gel and put the wrapper in the bin.  Then I started on my merry way back.  I had got to 6 miles in just over an hour, so hopefully should be able to get back in the same time.  By mile 8, I was really running well- when I looked down at my garmin I was doing 9min mile, so I decided to push it to marathon pace to see how I coped with it within a long run.  Although this route is flat, it is on a trail most of the way, so although I hit the pace, I wonder whether I would have found it easier on road.  When I did a 2 mile marathon pace section the day before it did sit faster than I needed it to be, although not by a lot.

I'd put the long run on Thursday as I had a gym instructor course over the weekend.  Based in a gym but with no time to work out due to the long train journey was a bit off! But in learning all the equipment I suppose I did do a fair few weights over the few days.  I could certainly feel it in my arms and shoulders by the Sunday.  On Sunday I drove, which gave me a little more flexibility on when I could leave.  We finished the course a bit early on the Sunday, so I did a treadmill run and some weights.  Only did 30 minutes but that incorporated some 1 minute hill reps.  So a shorter run than was on the plan, but better than nothing.

Week 5 looks to be a step back week- only 18 miles scheduled:

Monday: strength- I practiced some of my dumbbell exercises

Tuesday: 30 min run CD - easy run cadence drills at 44. 46 and 42 (strange the last one was less, maybe my leg turnover deuces as a I get tired)

Wednesday: 40 mins- some at pace.

Thursday: 50 mins Acg and hills

Friday: rest

Saturday: stretch and core - might do a Parkrun too

Sunday: 6 miles with 5 hills.

I'm writing this on the train into work and have just realised that although I've packed my kit, I forgot my garmin, which makes doing pace work pretty hard.  So I'll either do the 50 min run in London tonight, or come home to do the pace work at home- only problem being it's quite hard to run at pace in the dark, even with a head torch!