Running by the Ribble

Weekly Totals - Miles - 31.5 Run, 30 Cycled

I have had a bit of an easier week this week, as the legs were starting to feel the ascent they have done over the last couple of weeks, and I am just feeling a little bit of pain around my knees. We spent the weekend in Kendal for Chris's birthday at the Castle Green Hotel so I had a good realxing time, I swam a few lengths of the pool whilst we were there but thats about as energetic as I got. Had a good sweat in the steam room as well.

I had the Monday morning syndrome and didn't spring out of bed so missed the bike ride to work, but ran well at lunchtime around my usual 5 mile loop from work. Tuesday I ran the 5 miles in the opposite direction (variety is the spice of life after all !), and had a good climbing session at West View, although I appear to have gained a stiff neck since ? must be my age !

Wednesday I had a meeting over lunch time so missed my run but had a bit of a walk at night, delivering parish newsletters for the scouts. I cycled into work as well, a fresh morning with a great sun rise, its quite a good time to be up at the moment with all the sights and sounds of spring starting to show. Its also nice to be in the light after the dark winter mornings.

Thursday I ran 5 miles at lunch time (for a change), I managed to get a lift to work on Friday morning so I could run home. Its a while since I ran more than about 8 miles on the road so it was a bit of a shock to the system running 16.5 miles, I thought I was going to get wet on the way home, as the sky was really grey, so I put my new coat on that I bought last weekend (bargain) to road test it. After about 4 miles the sky cleared a bit so I put it in my ruck sack, but it felt good to run in.

My run home takes a different route than my bike home, by the River Ribble as far as Lower Penwortham and then through Lostock Hall and Leyland, I was pretty please as I managed to average 7:32 a mile over this distance. I'm not going to break any records but it's the sort of pace I was training at for the Marathon last year and it felt okay, my heart rate averaged about 80% so it was a pretty good threshold run. To top the day off I won £10 playing poker.

Next week I don't have anything in particular planned, I'm back in the lakes the week after, so It'll probably just be a week of cycling and running. Sunday I'll no doubt be on the fells early doors to try and get about 20 miles in and then I think I should get chance to get out on the fells again Friday afternoon. First evening race of the year in a couple of weeks and my first of the year at Liver Hill, its not a race I've done before but its free so should be fun.

I've also been asked to join a team for the Ribble Way Challenge in June, but its two weeks after my BG attempt so I have said I'll be a reserve. Looks like a good route though at about 100km.