Back to reality

It was refreshing to be able to head out into the real world this morning after 3 sessions in a closed, dark room; even if it did mean getting up at 7:45 when a lie-in would have been appreciated.

I met up with Nick and Andy and we headed out along the usual paths to Cora. I had plenty of energy after a reasonable night's rest, far longer than anything I had managed during the rest of the week. As a result, I was happy to lope along at 4:30 pace to begin with, chatting to the guys and seeing how their week's had gone.

By the time that we got to Cora, I could see that the sustained pace had got to Andy as he was dropping off the back slightly. Nick and I slowed up here to let him catch up and then we would talk together and Andy would gradually drop behind again. I don't think that this was any reflection on Andy's form, rather the great shape that both Nick and I are in at the moment.

Andy's suffering continued in this manner for the remainder of the run, while I enjoyed the trees, the breeze and the hills as I ran rather than the treadmill.

All up in 1:13 for 15.2 km today. I've run 75 km this week, so slightly down on previous week's mileage due to the Paris-Versailles race being shorter than the normal Sunday run. I have signed up for a 10 km race tomorrow in Vincennes which I'll be running with Laurence, accompanying her to a new PB I hope. She's been running well recently and a good race will do her the world of good mentally in preparation for the marathon.

I'm looking to jog back from the race so I need to find a pleasant route back home. A quick search of Google maps should do the trick.