Saturday 19/2 - run on whw

Time: 1hr 27mins
Distance: 10.4miles
Pace: ~8.45min/mile

Got up early this morning and headed out to the forest at my house. Did a little run there then went onto the WHW and out towards the Beech tree. It was a beautiful morning and honestly, that section of the WHW just after Carbeth before you meet the flat on the way to the Beech Tree I think is just fantastic. Not only is it completely downhill ( =D )but you are completely in the wilderness, with usually not another person in sight. I think it's great. Imagine running down there with "Disarm" by the Smashing Pumpkins playing on your ipod - fantastic. I normally like to run those open parts of WHW with no music on (to appreciate the surroundings and all that jazz) but I had some new music on my ipod which I wanted to listen to, and thought heading out in the morning would be a good chance.

I absolutely love this song by Chase & Status which my little sister actually introduced me to. It's maybe been a bit overused, but I still think it's a really nice song, and a good one to run to. Maybe not for those who don't really like dance music (and this video has some swears in it), but my little sister says that the film the song is from - Harry Brown - is really good too.



In addition, now I'm on a roll and once you start me talking about music...that's it... for those who haven't heard of the WONDERFUL Mumford & Sons, I would THOROUGHLY recommend some of their songs for running. One in particular - Little Lion Man - is very very good. It's kind of new-country/indie, and really (you know I love lyrics) who can dispute the words

"It was not your fault but mine
and it was your heart on the line,
I really f*cked it up this time -
didn't I, my dear?"

Epic. (: Oh, and the run itself ended up being very srong throughout =D



Anyways, back to the rest of this weeks runs.

Thursday 17/2

Distance: 5.15miles
Time: ~45mins
Pace: ~8.45min/mile

I had been in Aberdeen yesterday for what ended up being quite a busy day's trip to the ARI, so when I got home from work today I wanted to get out. Run was good, 3 major hills of note which I kept the same pace on as everywhere else. I'm trying to keep up with the hills this year, trying to either sprint them or keep the same pace on them. Only exception would be my long runs (15 miles+) but even then I am trying to run them as best I can. I actually saw my dad out running at the top of the final big hill (when I say big I mean takes 2-4mins to run up). I ran faster to catch up with him but he was keeping a fairly steady pace...and when I did reach him just before we cut off to my house I couldn't even speak I was so tired!!

There's something to be said for keeping an "even pace" throughout a longer run after all, I think!!

Tuesday 15/2

Type: Hill Sprints
Time: 50mins
Distance: ~5.10miles

Ran about 2.5miles to warm up then stopped on this big hill I normally include in my hill runs, and i sprinted up it 8 times for 30 seconds. I then jogged back down. My last run up was right to the top, which took 40 secs, and just about floored me! I jogged back to the house but overall I was very pleased at getting the 9 hill sprints done. My legs actually felt quite stiff afterwards too!! I reckon this can only be a good thing since I haven't actually done a run which made my legs hurt since some of my long training runs last year.