Welcome To Fetcheveryone

Cheltenham midsummer open meet 800m. This was my first 800m race in about 3 years, so I was a little apprehensive not only about my hamstring but also how well I could run (and could I even finish!). The very hot weather made me feel a little heavy and sluggish while warming up, but I took my time and spread it over about 40 minutes. We had a lot in our race (12, including a wheelchair athlete) so once the gun went it was very tricky not to get boxed in. I got boxed in at the start and in the last 300m - with 200m to go I had to slow and then go around two of the guys and run wide - so I think I may have lost a second or two from being boxed in anyway. Official time was 2.15.7 but I clocked 2.15.3 on my watch (and I was slow stopping it after crossing the line). Came 2nd in my race (heat 3) after a nice 'sprint' finish with a few of the younger ones. I was quite pleased to run 2.15 as that was basically my goal. The plan now is to do Exeter BMC on Tuesday and try to run 2-3 seconds faster.

Warm up and cool down for race (including drills and strides).

Runch, which was going to be a recovery run and i was run at that pace, but a) it was too long for a recovery run and b) way way too hot to be 'easy'. I did a loop from the office to the golf course and back. The fields are currently very overgrown which crops that will shortly need harvesting. I ended up getting scratched to death and trainers full of spiky seeds from the wheat growing in the fields. The heat was very intense, but I actually coped with it relatively well - it felt a lot easier than running in similar temperatures in Mexico.

Pre-work swim and sauna. Managed to wake up early enough (just) to get to BOA with enough time to swim before the end of the session (9am). Felt bad rushing out and leaving Eunice with Tyler but if I am to start getting in earlier I'm going to need to do that more often anyway.

I had planned to do this on Saturday, but lack of time and still feeling quite tired/sore legs made me put it off until today. I did 400m, 500m, walk/jog, 300m, 400m walk/jog, 200m, 100m walk and then 100m - all about 90-95% effort. There was quite a strong breeze going across the track, plus I didn't have spikes on, so I'd say each split was worth a slightly faster time (61.8 for 400m would be more like 61 flat, 44.05 for 300m would be like sub 44 and 28.5 for 200m might have been sub 28. The 100m was run while still out of breath from the 200m so it was just 14.5). I was pleased with those times as I was aiming for sub 65, 45-47 and sub 30. I was sharing the track with 2 sprinters that did 3 x 120m with very long recoveries (although quite fast, I heard splits I think of 12.8 seconds). It made me laugh though because one of them was puking at the end of such a short session! I did a tiny bit of core on the grass after. Eunice and Tyler came with me and watched me do some of my warm up.

Pre-work swim and sauna. Managed to get up early again and did just 20 lengths (in preparation for tomorrows BMC race). Right hamstring still feels a bit fatigued and sore.

BMC region 800m in Exeter. I was in race D which was paced by Kane Lee at 66 a lap. Everything was about 10-15 minutes behind due to the open meet before running over. Which mean't I warmed up too early and then started getting cold. It has been raining heavily before hand, so the air was cold, especially with the strong breeze - and the track was wet. Felt OK warming up (except stomach felt quite bloated with water, which I could feel swishing around not long before my race) and nice and bouncy doing strides. Probably should have paid more attention (was distracted talking to other people) and done some more strides. We went off quite fast, but then slowed at about 200m and I think I relaxed too much. Went through the bell, I think in about 67, but didn't quite catch it. Felt quite strong on the back straight and picked it up and ran strongly all the way to the finish. Had a young lad on my tail but held him off. Felt OK at the end, not too dead. Just a bit annoyed it wasn't a second or 2 faster - I feel like I have a 2.12 in my right now.

Warm up and cool down for race.

Out and back along cycle track from Radstock. Felt very stiff and tired from Tuesdays race but legs had good 'bounce' in them. I tried out my new trainers and shorts, both were fine. Felt quite laboured going out (also only had music from 4-7 miles as battery was low). But not too bad coming back. This felt about as hard as the last time I did it and it was 40 seconds faster, which is great. Stopped twice for stretching. Hopefully I can get my average pace down to about 6.15 a mile by the end of the year (and with less stopping for stretching!). I did a tiny bit of core in the garden after.

Pre-work swim and quick sauna. Arms were tired and heavy today.

Managed to wake up early(ish) and get out before Tyler woke up. I did the K9 farm to Babington House and then back via Kilmersdown loop. 12 quality efforts of about 45 to 70 seconds (most were about a minute) at a strong hard pace - 4 of those were hill efforts, including the 'sting in the tail' vertical hill near the end (I saved that for effort number 12). Felt a little low on energy, tired and warm but otherwise not too bad. Finished with a tiny bit of core in the garden.

Runch from Avoncliff along canal and back. Did 5 x 2 minutes strong, 30 seconds recovery, 30 seconds hard and then 3 minutes walk/jog recovery. Finished with 2 x 1 minute hard with 1 minute recovery and then a tiny bit of core. It started sunny (so took my sunglasses) and finished with very heavy rain. Felt a little tired and fatigued, so found the session hard (calf's still stiff and sore).

Pre-work swim and sauna.

Met Becky and Louise at the field and I persuaded them to do the session on the golf course. It's a nice jog along soft trails and paths to get there. My left ITB was still sore and fatigued, so I wasn't sure if I could even complete a warm up let alone a session. Louise did some strides while we did 90 seconds on, 60 seconds off, 30 seconds on, 80 seconds on, 30 seconds on, 80 seconds on, 60 seconds off, 30 seconds on, 60 seconds off, 30 seconds on, 60 seconds off and then 30 seconds on. Felt reasonably OK, slightly fatigued but not too bad. Lovely company.

Took Tyler to Bath leisure for kids splash play. Hopped into the main pool and did a few lengths to stretch out.

Very gentle jog with 4 x ~200m efforts at about 800m pace (about 33 per 200m) ahead of Tuesdays race. With 400m walk jog between. Left calf still a little niggly but ITB felt a lot better.

Region BMC 800m at Tipton. My race was at 9.10, so I had plenty of time to warm up. Becky drove down, which mean't I was more rested and able to eat a light meal on the way. I was surprised to see Lynsey Sharp turn up to pace the women's A race. Also Jenny Nesbitt and Hayley Carruthers (both GB international athletes).

I wasn't particularly confident about hitting 2.12 on this one, so was very pleased and surprised to run 2.10. The pacer was supposed to go through 400m in 65 but went much fast, first 200m was about 30ish and I was at the back of a pack following. I saw the timer split at about 61.* going through the bell and I would guess I was around 2-3 seconds behind that. I felt reasonably strong most of the way around - I didn't blow up/die and managed to stay strong along the home straight. I finished 5th out of 9 in my heat in official time of 2.10.40 - which I'm pretty pleased with. Now I'm starting to wonder if I can crack 2.10 in 2 weeks at Exeter. Only time will tell.

Warm up and cool down for race. Left achilles felt very sore during cool down, so only did 2 laps.

Pre-work swim (and post race recovery). No sauna today as there were too many people inside.

Runch 'recovery' session. I had planned to do 5 x 3 minutes on, 3 minutes recovery at around 10k pace. As I was warming up I decided to only do 4 and then 5-10 x ~20 seconds at 1500m effort up a gentle hill. I did the 3 minutes a on long grassed field, that combined with the wind made it feel a lot hard than it should of. I think I'm slightly unwell too and was really struggling to just finish the second one - so I called it a day and after recovering jogged down to the hill and managed to squeeze 10 x 20 seconds up with walk/jog back before cooling down and doing a bit of core.