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 Now Summer has arrived, the pool roof has been retracted and the enjoyment of an open air pool is just amazing.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.

Sunday slog

Well what a difference a day makes. Having written about how good I felt yesterday running with Nick, today was a different kettle of fish altogether.

The plan was to meet up with the usual Le Mesnil crowd at 9:15 and do the standard 10k loop before runing along to the terrasse at St Germain to see the end of the 18km Paris - St Germain race. I wanted to cheer on the guys taking part in the race and to see who would be the fastest from the club.

At 9:15, only Philippe had turned up so we set off together. The temperature was already a lot higher than yesterday due to the later start time and the humidity in the forest was high. My legs felt like jelly and I had to temper Philippe's enthusiasm by slowing the pace down as I found the going so hard. A combination of climate and the after-effects of yesterday's training took their toll. Philippe was eager to push the speed despite my condition, so we ran at around 4:30 pace for 4 or 5 kilometres. By then end, I had to ease up and was running at about 4:40 - 4:50 pace.

I was melting when we stopped at the end of the loop and I thought to myself that I was glad to be able to run to the terrasse at a more sedate pace by myself. I ran back past Chateau du Val and into St Germain forest parallel to the terrasse. I got to 16 km and had had enough so I walked from then on to the end of the race. I was dripping with sweat and lacking energy, having left the house this morning without breakfast.

I saw the finish line for the race and jogged on to see the runners come up the 1km hill from Le Pecq to St Germain. I didn't have to wait long as the first runner took just over 55 minutes to get to the 17km point where I was. He looked easy and must have finished inside the hour for the total distance. The second runner was a good 2 minutes behind and then a similar gap before the third. The runners started getting closer and then I saw José, sweating buckets as he made it to the top of the hill. I ran with him over the last kilometre and he was happy just to tuck in behind me as we accelerated away from the top of the hill towards the finish line. He ran a good race, beating Thierry, Jean-Marc, Miguel and Bruno in that order.

I was glad I didn't race as the heat and humidity would have been unbearable. Even training was bad enough. 16 km all up in 1:16.

Saturday morning

Arranged to go for an early morning run with Nick towards Cora as is our wont.

8:00 am saw me at Nick's house under a beautiful blue sky and a temperature that was already beginning to climb into the lower 20°C. We set off slowly both determined not to tire ourselves out this morning and just to enjoy the run. We did just that: set out at around 4:50 pace before slowly building up to 4:33 pace around Cora. The pace was comfortable enough to be able to hold a good conversation and it was only towards the 9th km that we began to tire a little as we ran up the slope back from Cora.

I was really happy to be able to get a few more kilometres into the training and started to feel that I had gotten over my illness and was back on track. By the time that we had arrived back in Le Mesnil, the sun had risen higher in the sky and the thermometer was beginning to climb rapidly too. My legs were tiring now but the pace was still very steady.

15km all up by the time I got back to the house, which I managed in 1:11. Pace was constant, and I was pleased with my run. Temperature was ideal in the forest and I need to get out before 9:00 am to run at the moment otherwise the heat and the humidity are too much for me.

Nick is looking in good form and we had a good discussion about the Marathon relay that we're envisaging for the end of October.

Thursday club session

I managed to get out of work in time to get to the club training session on Thursday. As usual, I was the last to arrive and Jean-Claude threw me the keys to the changing room as I entered the clubhouse while the others were having the pre-session chat. When we will they give me a set of keys for my own ?

I set off for the training with Nick and chatted to him easily during the warm-up. There was an average turnout with Miguel leading the session, and Thierry, José and Jean-Marc all there. There was still a lot of speculation as to who would be the first from the club in the Paris St Germain race on Sunday, with the money equally divided between Thierry and Miguel.

For those of us who weren't racing, there was a little interval session of 4' then 8' at 10k speed. I managed the first interval easily enough, staying with Jean-Marc, Thierry and José. When they set off on the second interval, I was already lagging behind after a couple of minutes. The heat and the humidity was getting to me and I found it really hard to put the effort in to tag along. Nick was just behind me and then when he cut a corner around the duck pond, I spent the rest of the interval trying to chase him down. Hard work and first real effort since the infection.

Amost 10 k all up in 55:53. Intervals were run at 15km/h (4:05 per km).

Tuesday run

Following my recent illness, since I was feeling a whole lot better yesterday, I managed to make it out of work on time to make it to the club training session last night.

It was a lovely evening but the turnout was fairly small: Miguel, Jean-Marc, Adrien, Alex and the 2 Nicks were there. I ran around with Nick W and we just took it very steadily which suited me fine. After 30 minutes of easy jogging (6:50 pace per km !!) , there was some debate about whether we should pick the speed up and do some intervals. General consensus was "sod it" let's just take it easy - so we did.

Nick and I picked up the pace slightly on the way back to the clubhouse, even managing to get one kilometre in at 4:24 pace before easing off again. Relaxing run to get back into things after a few days off.

8.5 km all up in 55 minutes so no great strain.

Buster Gonad

Haven't been running for 10 days now since I fell ill with a urinary infection after looking after the tail-enders on the mountain bike at the Foulées Royales on June 14. Not sure if the two events were related.




Found a picture of how I've been looking recently though. Credits to Viz for the picture.

Saturday long run

I ran twice around the normal Sunday training route in order to get a long run in this weekend.

It was another warm morning with the Summer finally arriving here. I was pleased to be running in the shade and even with the cap on, I could feel the heat of the sun on my head.

I set off at a comfortable pace and soon settled into a steady rhythm of 4:30 per km. In fact, as the Garmin beeped at me for every kilometre, I was impressed at how regular and steady I was.

I ran the total circuit in 1:43:26 for just under 23 kilometres, or an average of 4:31 per km.

I weighed myself both before and after the run, just out of interest: 77.9kg before and 76.0 afterwards (having drunk 1/2 litre of water on my return). So I lost almost 2.5 litres of water in sweat during the run. No wonder I have to watch my water intake so closely over the marathon. This was a real demonstration of the levels I need to be consuming: 2.5 litres for 23 km equates to 4.5 litres over a marathon.

I can afford to lose 2 litres without it affecting my performance too badly, so I need to drink 2.5 litres over the race, on a warm day, or 325 ml at each of the 8 feeding stations. This is a small bottle or a can at each stop. I've never done this in the past, but will take more care in the future.