Sunday club session

Turned up for today's session at the club with Laurence, not knowing what had been planned and expecting to see a reduced contingent with the start of the cross-country season at Sartouville and the corrida at Issy. Actually, there was a large turnout and Jean-Marc, Gérald, Thierry, José and Vincent were all there from the fastest members of the club The most notable absentees were Nico, Bruno, Mireille and Nick (still injured), not to mention Miguel who was probably at Sartouville with Nico and Mireille.

The session was announced by Thierry as 2x15' at threshold pace and we were avoiding the muddy forest tracks after the thaw and sticking to the roads. The plan was to head up the Princess Road and then do a small loop towards St Gemme before heading back the same way. I chatted to Gérald and Adrian as we warmed up Princess Road. We stopped half-way up and then Gérald and I continued our conversation and were just behind Laurence with some friends when we realised that the first interval had begun and the leading group was already well ahead up the hill.

Gérald had told me he was taking it easy until year end but the temptation to accelerate a little and to catch up other runners from the club was too great (actually it was more a question of impressing the female runners) and so Gérald and I took off up the hill in pursuit. I don't know actually how fast we went up this hill but it was pretty impressive and the Garmin showed 4:59 for the kilometre when we had started during the kilometre in question. We reached the top of Princess Road and along the flat towards St Gemme and Gérald was pushing the pace further. So much for taking it easy - we obviously don't have the same definition of threshold pace. We were running at 3:54 speed now and catching the group at the front.

Gérald left me at this point as I just couldn't stay with him. I fixed my own objectives on some runners in front and went past Laurent and caught up Jean-François just as the first interval ended. 3 minutes rest and then we set off again. This time I was better prepared and at the front with Thierry and José. Gérald stayed on my shoulder for a couple of minutes before taking off again leaving all 3 of us standing. "Don't worry - he doesn't know the way", I shouted and Thierry and José let him go. Well to be precise, letting him go was relative since we were running at 3:44 pace and he was still extending his gap. He's in impressive shape at the moment and well capable of further improving his current PBs.

A kilometre later and I had to ease off the pace. José and Thierry gapped me here and my pace dropped to 15 km/h. This was probably due to the after-effect of yesterday's run and the effort it had taken out of me. My other surprise was to be encouraged by a runner going in the opposite direction at this point who shouted out "Vas-y James". I didn't have time to see who the mystery runner was but it's nice to know I have some supporters! It was only when we started to go down Princess Road again that I was able to speed up slightly. Bruno passed us in the opposite direction now, running quietly up the hill by himself. He's still recovering from 2 successive marathons sub 3 hours in the space of 3 weeks, so he's legitimately excused.

Interval finished with Thierry about 30 metres ahead and José and Gérald another 50 metres ahead of him. I was really pleased with the session as I still have some speed and the endurance is not too bad compared to previous years at the same time.

18.8 km all up in 1:41 or an average of 5:24 per km.