These words here. These very words. The ones you are reading. They were written at 36,000 feet over Greenland. I am on my way to Utah, Salt Lake City to be precise, to work for the week. This is the 2nd of 3 weeks of travel in a 5 week period. Remember those threats I was talking about a couple of weeks ago? This is arguably the biggest.
Looking back on the week gone it’s been another good progressive week of training. There’s another 1kg off the timbre too. And that is showing up in the running. The last few weeks have seen me get comfortable again at marathon+ distance.
Now, I know this is all relative. Just like the people of a small village.
But, I also know when I am getting fitter and how it feels. A real prove it run to me is a 50k loop from home around the Carron Valley. It’s a bit of a brute as it involves the Tak to start and then the Crow Road. The markings on the road from the UCI World Championships, celebrating various world famous cyclists I have never heard of, give an indication of how hard the hills are. Allez Allez Allez with drawings of phallus and more than one mention of jobby. Ah the famous West of Scotland humour.
When I do this route under 4 hours I feel really good. The best bit of this week’s run was the fact that I was able to finish super strong for the last 8k. Up until early July I was finding anything 22 miles and above was just a tad, and this isn’t a word, grindy.
My run was in the company of the first Jack Parlabane novel. If you have never read Christopher Brookmyre’s early novels with the aforementioned Parlabane you are missing out. This mid-90s novel – Quite Ugly One Morning – is simply one of the best books of all time. The opening chapter involving a jobby on a mantelpiece is hilarious. A reoccurring theme of this week’s blog now I think of it.
For the last 8k though I employed the tactic of tunes to boost me by putting on some Pearl Jam. Yep, it was a very 1990s theme actually to the run, with Vs the album of choice. From Go to Animal, what a way to start an album and get your skates on to. Rearviewmirror is simply the greatest song to run to ever. Ever.
If Friday’s run was good what was truly pleasing was that I did a 10 mile Tak run the next day and felt exceptionally fresh and strong. The mark of getting fit for me is always the pace of recovery and being able to go again the next day with no major stress.
My running week isn’t finished yet. The flight to SLC is a long one. I left home at 0300 and will arrive in Utah close to 2100 UK time. But I just love getting out for a run as soon as I check in. It gives an energy boost that helps see off the threat of jet lag, but also, it is 30 degrees in SLC, thus the opportunity to get some sunny delight is a welcome one.
Next week I have a 10k race Sunday. I arrive home Saturday so expectations are low and there’s no pressure to perform other than to have a fun run. After this transatlantic trip there should be no more biggies, which means I can back into a proper and revised gym routine too as we head into the winter.
The lesson for this week for me is that excitable anticipation is a precursor to performance. More of that to come!
James Stewart 