DEFLATED AND COLD

I am not personally deflated. On Friday night as we headed out to meet friends for an Indian my "tyre pressure low" warning came on. Fortunately I have "run flat tyres" so didn't have to stop and got home OK. Unfortunately run flat tyres are not cheap and so having contacted garage next day I started my run yesterday 2 hours later than planned and £270 lighter! Ouch! And it was certainly cold with that bitter wind.

In fact as far as the training goes I am far from deflated. It is going very well. Ran a little less in total than planned last week at 89 miles (although still pleased with this) but total distance although important is not everything. Very pleased, however, with the quality and variety of my training. Have managed gym sessions, tempo runs, interval runs as well as long slow sessions. Again my main effort was on Friday when I did 26 very hilly miles in Lake District with a 10kg rucksack, followed by 21 miles running yesterday.

Friday morning and the alarm was going off at 6.15. Pitch black, wind howling around the house and peeing down! The delights of training! By the time I got to Coniston at 8.30 it was raining in a way that it can only do in the Lakes. Very tempting to stay in the car. On with full waterproofs and set of on Cumbria Way. By the time I had been going for an hour my gloves could quite literally be rung out. The photo looking towards Elterwater doesn't really show it but the weather was absolutely horrible. My route took me via Tarn Howes and Colwith Force to Skelwith Bridge and then via Elterwater and Chapel Stile to Dungeon Ghyll. I set off up the track at the back of Dungeon Ghyll to go to Stickle Tarn. It took me over 30 minutes to do the next 0.6 miles as it was very steep and very slippy with all the rain. Climbed about 900 feet during this time. Didn't make it to Stickle Tarn as was concerned about doing return journey in time before it got dark. Got back to car just before 5, having had a few hours with very little rain. However, just as I got back it started up again and so my "dry clothes" which I changed into for journey back where wet by the time I was back in the car.

Despite the exertion of Friday I also managed a slow 21 mile run yesterday - and felt fine at the end. Must be getting it right in time for MdS - 8 weeks today.

My full training week was as follows:

SUNDAY Gym - 10 minutes on bike and weights
MONDAY 7am - 5 miles slow - 46mins 33secs
1pm - 8 miles tempo - 2 miles warm up and warm down with 4 miles in
31.15 (average 7.49 per mile)
TUESDAY Gym - 10 minutes bike and weights
WEDNESDAY 7am - 5 miles slow - 48 mins 46 secs
4pm - 9 miles interval - 2 miles warm up and down with 4 miles
intervals and 1/2 mile recovery jog (mile times 7.40; 7.33; 7.33 and
7.55)
THURSDAY 12.30 - 15 miles slow 2 hours 37 mins 21 (average 10.25 per mile)
FRIDAY 8.45 - 26 miles with 7,500 feet elevation in 7 hours 55 minutes
SATURDAY 11.30 - 21 miles slow - 4 hours 10 minutes (average 12 minutes per mile)

Finally some good news from Sue in Kenya. BBC are showing a programme this Wednesday and next at 7.30 about the Children of Watamu (Inside Out - BBC1 North West). Hopefully will raise awareness of the charity I am supporting.