Grouchy again

Making the most of my last few days in the current job by running at every lunchtime I can.

No exception this Friday with another run around the Grouchy castle grounds. I managed to catch F-X up at the end of my first loop (out of a total of 3) by pushing the pace to 4:05 per km. I ran with him for 3 km before pushing on again as he was already a couple of kilometres ahead.

I was running very well and when I hit 8.5km, I thought that I would have a chance of getting my personal best over this course. The last few kilometres were run at speed (4:08 then 4:05) as I chased the watch back to the swimming pool.

All up in 44:58 for 10.3 k or an average of 4:21 per km so just outside the fastest time recorded over the route but since I ran easily with F-X for 3 km this wasn't entirely surprising. Surprised myself by the speed I managed to record.

Grouchy

After a busy week at work, I've finally got round to writing up the blog with my runs for the week and what a week it's been.

Monday, I was running at luchtime around Grouchy castle grounds in some lovely weather, before heading off to Dijon in the afternoon.

10.3k around the grounds in 47:23 or an average of 4:40 per km. Easy running and no pushing the pace as I was recovering from the long run the day before.

Grouchy Wednesday

Managed to get out at lunchtime for a run around the castle grounds. Weather has been a little cooler of late so I left the swimming pool and started running easily and then picked the pace up as I was enjoying myself.

So a very easy first kilometre down the hill and into the park at 4:45 pace. I entered the parck and ran up the first hill and saw that the Garmin was showing me 4:35 for this second km. I carried on at the same pace thinking that I would be running at a steady 4:30 pace, but I forgot about the impact of the hill that I had just run up so this was now actually 4:14.

One I saw this time on the watch and taking into account how easy I was still feeling, all thoughts of taking it easy shot out of the window and the next splits went : 4:20 (including the hill), 4:08, 4:08, 4:27 (hill again), 4:06, 4:19, 4:24.

All up in 44:48 for the 10.3km and 10 seconds faster than my previous blast over this course, back in August. Feeling good.

Grouchy again

Not me of course, as I'm an even-tempered bloke (except when severely riled), but back to the castle grounds for a lunchtime run.

Went out with F-X again. He's still a long way off his peak form but I'm doing my best to encourage him back into running seriously again. He lost a lot of motivation after doing the Paris marathon this year which took a lot out of him. His problem is that when he enters a race, it's all or nothing and when you don't have the training in your legs, a marathon can be lethal.

Anyway, we were just taking it easy around the usual course in the castle grounds. He was reminding me gently of how I should be enjoying these sessions as I won't be able to in a few weeks time (due to job change). I just let him set the pace and used this as a recovery run. It was most enjoyable, enjoying the park and feeling fitter then I've felt for a while. These long Sunday runs must be beginning to pay off (there must be some good coming from them as they're painful enough), and to paraphrase Nietzche: if it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger.

End result was that we ran the 10.3k in 48:36 or an average pace of 4:44. This was a minute faster than last week with F-X so it won't be long before he's back to full form.

Swim after was fantastic. Felt very strong in my arms. Triathlon in a couple of weeks time and can't wait to see how I manage.

Recovery run

In my constant attempts to maintain mileage during the week, I decided to go for a lunchtime run around Grouchy castle grounds. I wasn't feeling up to much after last night's run with the club (almost) and my recent lack of sleep. Luckily F-X had decided to go for a run as well, so I convinced him that I wanted to take it easy and that we could run together.

We set out slowly from the swimming pool at Osny at a very easy pace down the hill. I wanted to show F-X that I wasn't joking when I said that I wanted an esay run and I let him set the tempo. He hasn't been training regularly for a while and he was telling me that it was already an effort to envisage a 10km run.

The first 2 km were really gentle in 5:02 and 5:11 before we settled into a more natural speed around a 4:40 pace. We took it very easily and when F-X told me he wanted to cut the course short, I managed to persuade him to carry on but at an easier pace.

The weather was really pleasant for a lunchtime run, with clear blue skies, a gentle breez and a temperature in the low 20°C. I finished the 10.3k in 49:38 or an average speed of 4:51 per km.
A nice pleasant run.

Hot... damned hot!

Probably the hottest day of the year here today. The radio warned this morning that 7 departments in France were going to face record temperatures of up to 40°C, and although the Paris basin wasn't facing temperatures of this magnitude it was still a scorcher today.


I decided to go for a run despite the weather and the temptation just to take it easy at the pool at lunchtime. I made a serious concession to myself, nevertheless, in promising that I would take it easy. The car thermometer indicated 34°C when I arrived at the pool and as I stepped out, it felt like an oven outside. I got changed and set off very easily, making sure that I didn't overheat as I ran down the hill.

I ran into Grouchy castle grounds and enjoyed running in the shade of the trees around my usual circuit. The rare open patches were horrendous with the temperature rising a good 5°C in the sun, and my cap did precious little to protect me. I was not pushing the pace at all, so it was with great surprise that I saw the Garmin showing 4:30 per km along the flat. The short hills were another matter and I eased the pace by a good 20 seconds per kilometre when climbing.

10.3 km all up in 47:57 so 3 minutes slower than my last run at the beginning of last week over the same course. I felt happy with the run, just to be able to get out was already an achievement. I kept telling myself how this heat training was good for handling the end of a marathon. Hopefully, I won't need this at La Rochelle.

Back to work

First day back to work today after some lovely holidays. In order not to lose the benefit of all my running training that I've been doing over the last few weeks, and to ease myself back into office life, I took my running kit and went out for a lunchtime run in the Grouchy castle grounds.

The weather was lovely again today, with a clear blue sky and a temperature of about 27°C in the shade. I got changed at the swimming pool and headed out down the hill to the castle grounds at a comfortable pace. The intention was just to take it easy and enjoy the run and soak up some sunshine in the process.

My Garmin rang after the first kilometre showing 4:19. I was pleased since despite my impression that I was coasting, my pace was still relatively fast for a training run. Bang! The easy run just flew out of the window and I was now "scotched to the watch" (sorry French term - scotch being sellotape over here) for the remainder of the run. The kilometres went by at the same pace 4:09, 4:16 even a 4:20 up the steep hill until I got to the sixth kilometre. My abundant energy, from a couple of easier runs of late, left me and I started struggling for breath and cursing the heat.

I managed to keep the strides regular and continue making good progress nevertheless to finsih the 10.3 km in 44:59. This equates to an average pace of 4:20 which I'm still pleased with, especially since it includes 3 times up a steep hill and then a monster hill to finish.

10 lengths of the pool to finish (and no butterfly !)

Osny pool with the roof retracted.

Friday lunch

I have been trying to push the mileage lately and now that I feel that I'm getting back into shape, I decided to take me kit into work and to do a Friday lunchtime session again.

The weather had cooled from the previous day following a huge thunderstorm Thursday night. The thunder and lightning was so bad in several places that houses had caught fire and trees had been brought down in the winds, destroying property. I was happy to be out in cooler circumstances and looking forward to an easy run.

I set off from the pool and down the steep little hill, which is a great start to the lunchtime run. The only problem with this is the thought of having to climb back up the hill at the end. I put these thoughts out of my mind for the moment and just appreciated the blue sky and the pleasant conditions.

Normally, despite all my good intentions to enjoy rest runs, I tend to speed up gradually as the run continues before I'm at my cruising pace of around 4:35 per km. Not today. I oscillated between 4:33 and 5:00, only managing to push the pace to 4:28 on the last flat kilometre before that last hill back. This was a real rest run and my legs were feeling the effort from the previous days running.

The worst problem of all was my back though. Thursday night I had felt small twinges in the base of my spine, similar to the start of a lumbago. Today, these twinges were ten times worse and caused me to wince when my feet hit the ground unevenly. I wondered if this was down to my running shoes which probably need to be changed now having covered at least 1000 km.

Glad to get back and go for a swim in the pool.

10.6 km all up in 50:43 or an average of 4:45.

Back to the Castle

I was able to slip away from work again at lunchtime and went with F-X to the swimming pool for a run around the Grouchy Castle grounds. The plan was to go for a run together and see how F-X has been improving lately. However, the plan remained just that as he had to return to the office to deal with an emergency.

I went out 'on my tod' and repeated the run around the grounds that I did on Monday. At least I know for certain now that it's 10.25 km so not quite the 10.5 k that I predicted. I was running surprisingly well as I'd thought that I'd be a lot slower after yesterday's training run. The first kilometre was done in 4:21 which was a pleasant surprise and then as I attacked the hill in the castle grounds I slowed down to 4:42. From then on I picked up the pace and ran more consistently between 4:10 and 4:30 up the hill.

Nobody was around today as it looks as though everyone has finally left for the Summer. This is fine by me as I get the park to myself, and then the pool afterwards is empty too.

10.25 km all up in 44:57 so an average of 4:23. This is great considering the steepness of some of the hills to be managed. My morale has improved considerably after today.

Mad dogs ...

Another roasting hot day today. Since I hadn't been able to get out with the club yesterday, I packed my running kit into a bag this morning and threw it into the car, hoping that I'd get the chance to go for a run at lunchtime. Sure enough, I was able to get out and I even managed to get François-Xavier to come along with me.

As we left the building, the first blast of heat caught us. It was probably 31 or 32°C and we both agreed that we wouldn't try and beat any records but just take it easy for a 10k run. We went to the swimming pool to get changed and then ran towards Grouchy Castle along a new path that I didn't know about. We were able to avoid the first hill which was a start, but the heat was already taking its toll after only a couple of kilometres. My legs felt heavy, my muscles were sore, my throat was parched and my head was sweating profusely.

I had decided that we would run 3 laps of the castle grounds but by the end of the second lap, F-X wanted a breather and told me to run on. We were running around 12.4 km/h pace at this point, but I began to feel slightly better now and picked the pace up ever so slightly to around just over 13 km/h or 4:35 per km. I was guessing now as to the pace as, stupidly, I'd left my Garmin on my desk before leaving the building. So much for technology ...

I caught F-X up towards the end of the third lap and we ran back to the swimming pool together. The last hill over, I changed into my trunks and the relief of jumping into the pool was tremendous. Now Summer has arrived, the pool roof has been retracted and the enjoyment of an open air pool is just amazing. It really feels like being on holiday.

10 lengths later and I had to get out already. Great swim and pleased that I'd made it out for the run. Wondering if the antibiotics aren't having an effect on my legs or if it is purely down to the hot weather.

10km all up in around 48 minutes.

Hill session

I went out for a run at lunchtime today as I want to get some last hill training in before next week's fell race.

I headed out ot Grouchy Castle in Osny from the swimming pooland did a warm up of about 4 kilometres before studying the hill that I planned to run up. It's not a long hil as it only last for about 160m but it is fairly steep and enough of a challenge to wear the muscles out and get the heartrate up. I told myself that I would run up 12 times as fast as I could and then jog back down slowly.

Good reps, as I started out steadily not knowing what to expect and then sped up as I progressed. Slowed at the end due to sheer exhaustion.

Reps went as follows: 46, 45, 44, 44, 43, 43, 43, 43, 42, 43, 43, 43

Lovely day. Pleased with session as really felt the lactic build up by the end. Getting stronger.

9.5 km all up in 52:43 or an average of 5:31 per km.

Lunchtime run

I used the most of the lunchtime to go for a run from the swimming pool.

F-X was having a day off today so I went by myself heading down to Grouchy Castle at a moderate pace for a 45 minute run. The marathon training schedule didn't include anything for today so I added a 45 endurance pace run into the schedule just to increase the weekly mileage.

It was a lovely day with a clear blue sky but a little cold. I felt great running around the grounds and the exercise was good to clear the mind about all that's been going on at work.

4:43 pace average for the distance. 9.2km all up in 43 minutes and a bit. Just right for a little extra on the marathon schedule. Followed this by a few lengths in the pool before heading back to work.