After 6 days of no running this was a stiff and ugly effort where I wasn't flowing at all. The left hip is not as bad as it was, but the aches have moved to the groin and glute. It's a repeat of what I had in 2019 when I ran 13 hard marathons in 13 weeks (that was clever).

I'm going to see if I can keep the runs short and get through this without further rest because I don't want to miss the chance of running whilst I am in Cyprus. I'm not in pain; I just feel a bit stiff and jammed up in the tfl, quad, groin, glute and hip.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:54(9:54/mi) 138/151bpm [1365b/mi] 113cal
2) 1mi - 9:52(9:52/mi) 146/154bpm [1442b/mi] 114cal
3) 1mi - 9:39(9:39/mi) 143/150bpm [1381b/mi] 109cal
4) 1mi - 9:31(9:31/mi) 148/153bpm [1409b/mi] 111cal
5) 1mi - 10:05(10:05/mi) 148/152bpm [1491b/mi] 109cal
6) 1mi - 10:08(10:08/mi) 148/153bpm [1499b/mi] 98cal
7) 1mi - 9:15(9:15/mi) 149/153bpm [1377b/mi] 109cal
8) 1mi - 8:54(8:54/mi) 152/160bpm [1354b/mi] 107cal
9) 0mi - 1(5:41/mi) 160/160bpm [909b/mi]

905 [C=449, H=451, M =5].

My word! This was horrible. First morning in Cyprus at the top of Yesiltepe going into Ilgaz and it is a mountain. It did not matter which way I went it was either steep uphills or downhills.

Didn't enjoy this because I was knackered from a long day of travel and a bad sleep.

Will do better on Monday.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 11:53(11:53/mi) 143/162bpm [1699b/mi] 132cal
2) 1mi - 10:58(10:58/mi) 148/161bpm [1622b/mi] 125cal
3) 1mi - 10:55(10:55/mi) 147/161bpm [1604b/mi] 122cal
4) 1mi - 12:12(12:12/mi) 155/167bpm [1890b/mi] 141cal
5) 1mi - 9:58(9:58/mi) 154/170bpm [1535b/mi] 114cal
6) 1mi - 10:27(10:27/mi) 154/169bpm [1609b/mi] 121cal
7) 1mi - 11:55(11:55/mi) 172/183bpm [2049b/mi] 158cal
8) 0mi - 2(6:05/mi) 164/164bpm [997b/mi]

906 [C=449, H=451, M =6]. Nice stretchy mat session on the veranda.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 10:19(10:19/mi) 123/134bpm [1268b/mi] 98cal
2) 1mi - 9:38(9:38/mi) 138/151bpm [1329b/mi] 105cal
3) 1mi - 9:45(9:45/mi) 149/156bpm [1454b/mi] 116cal
4) 1mi - 9:41(9:41/mi) 150/154bpm [1453b/mi] 116cal
5) 1mi - 9:52(9:52/mi) 157/161bpm [1550b/mi] 121cal
6) 1mi - 9:39(9:39/mi) 159/164bpm [1534b/mi] 118cal
7) 1mi - 10:14(10:14/mi) 163/169bpm [1668b/mi] 129cal
8) 1mi - 11:31(11:31/mi) 175/185bpm [2015b/mi] 155cal
9) 0mi - 2(8:25/mi) 181/181bpm [1524b/mi] 1cal

907 [C=449, H=451, M=7]. Tired and this felt like hard work.

I drove down to the Lapta Coastal Path for a plod this morning. I woke up late at 5.30, so didn't get down there until gone 6.30 and missed the coolest part of the day.

This was a horrible run. I felt dreadful because I've not been eating carbs (kebab diet). Also, the sun was intense and the temperature was 30 degrees when I finished (which is not that high but I am not acclimatized and when your legs are dead from the first mile, it made for an unpleasant run).

Over the years I have rarely enjoyed my running in TRNC and this year is no different.

Did something to my back yesterday whilst goofing around. I've got a goof injury.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 10:22(10:22/mi) 127/137bpm [1316b/mi] 106cal
2) 1mi - 9:54(9:54/mi) 138/146bpm [1366b/mi] 111cal
3) 1mi - 9:53(9:53/mi) 144/151bpm [1424b/mi] 113cal
4) 1mi - 9:51(9:51/mi) 148/153bpm [1458b/mi] 116cal
5) 1mi - 9:50(9:50/mi) 153/159bpm [1504b/mi] 118cal
6) 1mi - 9:48(9:48/mi) 158/161bpm [1548b/mi] 119cal
7) 1mi - 9:52(9:52/mi) 162/167bpm [1599b/mi] 120cal
8) 1mi - 9:48(9:48/mi) 166/170bpm [1628b/mi] 121cal
9) 1mi - 9:13(9:13/mi) 172/181bpm [1585b/mi] 122cal
10) 0mi - 1(4:48/mi) 178/178bpm [855b/mi]

908 [C=449, H=451, M=8]. Easier this morning.

Another very rough effort and I felt empty. Just a case of putting one foot in front of the other. The 1.7 mile stretch up the mountain back to the villa is not much fun

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 10:19(10:19/mi) 114/125bpm [1177b/mi] 87cal
2) 1mi - 9:48(9:48/mi) 126/135bpm [1234b/mi] 97cal
3) 1mi - 9:38(9:38/mi) 142/150bpm [1369b/mi] 112cal
4) 1mi - 9:38(9:38/mi) 145/151bpm [1398b/mi] 111cal
5) 1mi - 9:57(9:57/mi) 150/159bpm [1493b/mi] 118cal
6) 1mi - 10:22(10:22/mi) 159/167bpm [1649b/mi] 128cal
7) 1mi - 11:39(11:39/mi) 169/179bpm [1969b/mi] 152cal
8) 0mi - 1(5:31/mi) 165/165bpm [909b/mi]

909 [C=449, H=451, M=9]. Much easier.

My last run this year in TRNC and I found a park. It was about 1.15 miles for a lap. However, the park was still a run down and back up the mountain.

Glad to be done with this year and will look for a villa on the flat next year!

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 10:02(10:02/mi) 117/135bpm [1175b/mi] 89cal
2) 1mi - 9:39(9:39/mi) 132/146bpm [1274b/mi] 101cal
3) 1mi - 9:41(9:41/mi) 135/143bpm [1307b/mi] 101cal
4) 1mi - 9:58(9:58/mi) 144/153bpm [1436b/mi] 113cal
5) 1mi - 9:48(9:48/mi) 149/156bpm [1460b/mi] 114cal
6) 1mi - 9:39(9:39/mi) 152/159bpm [1467b/mi] 114cal
7) 1mi - 9:08(9:08/mi) 154/161bpm [1408b/mi] 109cal
8) 1mi - 9:49(9:49/mi) 162/169bpm [1591b/mi] 124cal
9) 1mi - 11:06(11:06/mi) 172/184bpm [1908b/mi] 147cal
10) 0mi - 2(7:19/mi) 183/183bpm [1340b/mi]

I felt pretty dodgy for most of this run, but it was nice to be back on the tow path. This was a very humid morning and I was drenched in sweat when I finished.

Although I feel pretty rubbish and suspect that I am lacking some training/fitness to race a marathon right now, I might well enter this weekend's Goodwood and go and get the miles in, even if it's a 4:10 effort. Feels like I need to get a grueling long out of the system before I get back to race fitness and Goodwood is a pretty easy course to plod round and tick off another marathon.

I will decide tomorrow.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:15(9:15/mi) 131/146bpm [1211b/mi] 99cal
2) 1mi - 9:46(9:46/mi) 141/151bpm [1377b/mi] 110cal
3) 1mi - 9:48(9:48/mi) 139/145bpm [1362b/mi] 105cal
4) 1mi - 9:57(9:57/mi) 140/144bpm [1393b/mi] 108cal
5) 1mi - 9:47(9:47/mi) 143/149bpm [1400b/mi] 109cal
6) 1mi - 10:07(10:07/mi) 146/156bpm [1477b/mi] 112cal
7) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 148/152bpm [1421b/mi] 110cal
8) 1mi - 9:13(9:13/mi) 148/151bpm [1364b/mi] 105cal
9) 1mi - 9:09(9:09/mi) 151/155bpm [1382b/mi] 107cal
10) 1mi - 9:22(9:22/mi) 154/159bpm [1443b/mi] 109cal
11) 1mi - 9:11(9:11/mi) 157/165bpm [1442b/mi] 104cal
12) 1mi - 8:46(8:46/mi) 164/170bpm [1437b/mi] 113cal
13) 0.01mi - 2(5:50/mi) 169/169bpm [986b/mi]

910 [C=449, H=452, M=9]. Easy, given I've not used my Reformer since last month.

A bloody dreadful run. I was up at 4am and on the road at 5am and felt extremely out of sorts. This was a slog from start to finish.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:39(9:39/mi) 136/149bpm [1313b/mi] 106cal
2) 1mi - 9:58(9:58/mi) 144/149bpm [1435b/mi] 109cal
3) 1mi - 9:49(9:49/mi) 146/150bpm [1434b/mi] 110cal
4) 1mi - 9:42(9:42/mi) 151/159bpm [1464b/mi] 113cal
5) 1mi - 9:46(9:46/mi) 154/161bpm [1505b/mi] 115cal
6) 1mi - 9:34(9:34/mi) 154/157bpm [1472b/mi] 110cal
7) 1mi - 9:31(9:31/mi) 157/160bpm [1494b/mi] 113cal
8) 1mi - 9:11(9:11/mi) 161/169bpm [1479b/mi] 116cal
9) 0.01mi - 2(5:56/mi) 166/166bpm [985b/mi]

911 [C=449, H=453, M=9]. I'm feeling pretty knackered.

I decided late last night not to run the Goodwood Marathon today. I spent all day yesterday feeling rough and given that they'd got a 4-hour cut-off and there was no clarity on whether they would disqualify me if I ran over 4-hours, I decided to give it a miss. I will look to run next weekend instead.

I woke up in the night feeling a bit better and then got up at 7am feeling reasonable enough to go and put a workman's effort in for 15 or 16 miles.

It was actually quite an enjoyable run and I felt really clever for not going to Goodwood because the legs weren't lively enough to run well today. The endurance was there though and although I was feeling whacked by the end (partly due to refusing to carry water because 16 miles is not a long run), I was well in control of this run from start to end.

Feels like I'm 2 or 3 weeks away from running well, which means I might need to be patient next weekend and do my usual trick of getting one out of the way in 4:15 and then get back to it properly in October.

I am of the opinion that July broke me. What I did in July left me feeling well out of sorts. I ran 3 hard marathons in fairly hot weather and broke 4-hours on each one, but ran positive splits and was holding on to get to the end in each one. Since July my running hasn't felt normal and I've missed a load of training and not really applied myself well enough. Now that the weather is getting good, I reckon I'll get my act together.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:44(9:44/mi) 139/153bpm [1353b/mi] 110cal
2) 1mi - 9:24(9:24/mi) 147/156bpm [1383b/mi] 113cal
3) 1mi - 9:11(9:11/mi) 146/156bpm [1340b/mi] 107cal
4) 1mi - 9:23(9:23/mi) 152/158bpm [1427b/mi] 111cal
5) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 156/164bpm [1497b/mi] 116cal
6) 1mi - 9:33(9:33/mi) 160/166bpm [1527b/mi] 118cal
7) 1mi - 9:29(9:29/mi) 160/168bpm [1518b/mi] 116cal
8) 1mi - 9:07(9:07/mi) 154/159bpm [1404b/mi] 106cal
9) 1mi - 9:41(9:41/mi) 165/175bpm [1596b/mi] 123cal
10) 1mi - 9:22(9:22/mi) 160/169bpm [1498b/mi] 108cal
11) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 160/168bpm [1536b/mi] 113cal
12) 1mi - 10:11(10:11/mi) 166/173bpm [1691b/mi] 120cal
13) 1mi - 9:37(9:37/mi) 164/169bpm [1578b/mi] 113cal
14) 1mi - 9:01(9:01/mi) 163/166bpm [1469b/mi] 109cal
15) 1mi - 9:13(9:13/mi) 168/171bpm [1549b/mi] 113cal
16) 1mi - 8:51(8:51/mi) 173/179bpm [1530b/mi] 117cal
17) 0.01mi - 2(4:37/mi) 176/176bpm [812b/mi]

912 [C=449, H=454, M=9]. Feeling much better for having rested this weekend. A bit tired though with yesterday's 16 lingering in the legs.

Felt quite ropey for the first half of this run and then gradually started to get going. It was then time to stop and go home. Been getting a lot of sleep. I often remind myself that running has always had its ups and down when it comes to form and I am very likely on brink of some uptime very soon.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:38(9:38/mi) 132/147bpm [1271b/mi] 102cal
2) 1mi - 10:06(10:06/mi) 142/146bpm [1434b/mi] 113cal
3) 1mi - 9:46(9:46/mi) 145/154bpm [1417b/mi] 113cal
4) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 147/150bpm [1410b/mi] 113cal
5) 1mi - 9:26(9:26/mi) 151/160bpm [1425b/mi] 113cal
6) 1mi - 9:29(9:29/mi) 155/162bpm [1470b/mi] 115cal
7) 1mi - 9:15(9:15/mi) 159/165bpm [1472b/mi] 111cal
8) 0.01mi - 2(6:45/mi) 162/162bpm [1095b/mi]

913 [C=449, H=455, M=9]. Getting better.

914 [C=449, H=456, M=9]. My left elbow is hurting

Still getting better but not yet back to my normal self. I felt fresh in the first mile but then the legs returned to that aching fatigue feeling.

I'm actually looking forward to Sunday's Marathon as an opportunity to get my head down and see what I can do for 4 or so hours.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:48(9:48/mi) 134/149bpm [1314b/mi] 105cal
2) 1mi - 9:11(9:11/mi) 153/172bpm [1406b/mi] 112cal
3) 1mi - 9:41(9:41/mi) 149/154bpm [1442b/mi] 110cal
4) 1mi - 9:21(9:21/mi) 155/163bpm [1448b/mi] 112cal
5) 1mi - 9:43(9:43/mi) 153/159bpm [1487b/mi] 111cal
6) 1mi - 9:33(9:33/mi) 156/163bpm [1490b/mi] 113cal
7) 0mi - 2(5:55/mi) 157/157bpm [928b/mi]

Phoenix Strictly Running (Marathon): 04:16:52 Pos 7/29

Another dose of medicine. I had a go in the first mile and quickly realised that I was a long way away from being raxe fit. So I turned this in a training run and pretty much hated every step, but it did at least let me get the distance and time into my legs.

Bored out my bloody head. Halves of 2:06 and 2:10 showed that I was lacking some endurance.

I'll back in two weeks' time for another one and will keep plugging away until I'm back to full fitness.

Split Summary
===
1) 1mi - 9:22(9:22/mi) 142/150bpm [1330b/mi] 107cal
2) 1mi - 9:25(9:25/mi) 148/152bpm [1393b/mi] 111cal
3) 1mi - 9:35(9:35/mi) 148/154bpm [1419b/mi] 112cal
4) 1mi - 9:40(9:40/mi) 152/156bpm [1470b/mi] 117cal
5) 1mi - 9:41(9:41/mi) 150/154bpm [1452b/mi] 112cal
6) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 150/154bpm [1439b/mi] 111cal
7) 1mi - 10:08(10:08/mi) 149/156bpm [1511b/mi] 116cal
8) 1mi - 9:28(9:28/mi) 152/159bpm [1440b/mi] 109cal
9) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 154/157bpm [1478b/mi] 113cal
10) 1mi - 9:43(9:43/mi) 156/160bpm [1517b/mi] 111cal
11) 1mi - 9:35(9:35/mi) 156/160bpm [1495b/mi] 109cal
12) 1mi - 9:37(9:37/mi) 156/159bpm [1501b/mi] 111cal
13) 1mi - 9:38(9:38/mi) 158/166bpm [1523b/mi] 107cal
14) 1mi - 9:45(9:45/mi) 160/164bpm [1559b/mi] 115cal
15) 1mi - 9:36(9:36/mi) 162/164bpm [1556b/mi] 114cal
16) 1mi - 9:41(9:41/mi) 164/167bpm [1589b/mi] 114cal
17) 1mi - 9:55(9:55/mi) 165/168bpm [1636b/mi] 123cal
18) 1mi - 9:40(9:40/mi) 168/171bpm [1623b/mi] 116cal
19) 1mi - 9:50(9:50/mi) 168/170bpm [1652b/mi] 118cal
20) 1mi - 10:14(10:14/mi) 168/170bpm [1719b/mi] 126cal
21) 1mi - 9:49(9:49/mi) 171/174bpm [1678b/mi] 121cal
22) 1mi - 9:59(9:59/mi) 171/174bpm [1707b/mi] 119cal
23) 1mi - 10:02(10:02/mi) 172/174bpm [1726b/mi] 124cal
24) 1mi - 9:59(9:59/mi) 173/177bpm [1728b/mi] 125cal
25) 1mi - 10:24(10:24/mi) 174/177bpm [1811b/mi] 128cal
26) 1mi - 9:56(9:56/mi) 175/178bpm [1738b/mi] 128cal
27) 0.33mi - 2:58(9:04/mi) 178/180bpm [1614b/mi] 40cal