If it's worth doing, do it right!!!

Week 7/12 Amsterdam Half Prep!!

Tuesday 10.9.19

4.50miles Recovery@8.57min/miles in 40mins 19secs

If i could have fallen asleep while running this to i would have been very happy, tired body & legs.

Wednesday 11.9.19

Rest Day, i knew few weeks back this was on the plan. Herself had meetings all day that ran into evening.

Thursday 12.9.19

9.75miles Gen Aerobic@8.25min/miles in 1hr 22mins 09secs

Glorious early evening run in Den Haag, the sun was out and it was warm, nice warm though. Looping back in via Kijkduin the sun shining off the North Sea was beautiful, some seriously big container ships visible out at sea also.

Friday 13.9.19

w/u, 40min Tempo, c/d.

I was dreading this since last week when i seen it on the plan, the unseasonal warm afternoon didn't help with the apprehension either. Set off on my usual route for doing these sesssions, two mile warm up brought me to the cycle lanes and off i went. One thought in my head only, stay relaxed. Into pace handy enough and on out past Kijkduin where i turned at 20mins in and back into the usual breeze. Working a bit harder on the return but nothing major, back to my starting point and i was done and very happy with job i made of the session. Apart from a few stops for bicycles i was in the zone the whole way, mile splits for Tempo were:

6.22, 6.23, 6.21, 6.21, 6.23, 6.24, 6.12.

Thigh and hamstring cramped a bit on cool down which has never happened to me before, 10.25 miles for the day.

Saturday 14.9.19

Rest Day, like Wednesday knew i wouldn't get out today.

Sunday 15.9.19

10.40miles Endurance@7.46min/miles in 1hr 20mins 52secs

Warm afternoon run out towards Kijkduin which was mental due to the weather and a more urban return back down Laan Van Meerdervoort and home, hamstring tightened up shortly after the run and remained that way for the evening.

Monday 16.9.19

Enforced rest due to said hamstring, was suppose to run 16 mile Endurance with last 3@LT but not a hope with the hammer.

34.90 miles for the week:(:(:(.

I had swapped my weeks around mileage wise from next week to this due to the two rest days being involved, but i didn't envisage a hamstring strain of some kind to come into effect though. Deal with it and hope it doesn't keep me off the road for long, never had a hamstring issue before.

Week 8/12 Amsterdam Half Prep!!

Monday 16.9.19

Rest Day, hamstring sore and was starting to worry as the day went on as there was no ease at all in it. Went to bed very despondent.

Tuesday 17.9.19

7.20 miles Gen Aerobic@8.27min/miles in 60mins 52secs

After zero feedback from the hamstring while walking and cycling delivering the mail i ventured out around the neighbourhood for a few miles to see how it held up, not a peep out of it thankfully and all was good in the world once more.

Wednesday 18.9.19

10.25 miles Gen Aerobic + 2(5x150m strides)@8.09min/miles in 1hr 23mins 34secs

Set off down Segbroeklaan and made my way onto Laan Van Meerdervoort and on towards Ockenburgh where after clearing the trees around the golf course i started the strides, cautious not to go off to hard but wanted to see how the hammy held up all the same. Need not have worried as it held up just fine as i ran back towards home along Cort Van der Lindenpad, 7 big container ships out in the North Sea snaking there way away from Europort and onto there next destination.

Thursday 19.9.19

9 miles Gen Aerobic@8.24min/miles in1hr 15mins 43secs

Loop around Westduinpark, the harbour, Westbroekpark, Nieuw Scheveningse Bosjes and home in the afternoon sun. Lovely afternoon to be running.

Friday 20.9.19

Enforced Rest Day, no window to run with herself heading out.

Saturday 21.9.19

8.10 miles Gen Aerobic@8.10min/miles in 66mins 33secs

Same route as Tuesday with a bit added on, was tight for time as the better half and myself were heading out, another sunny afternoon for a run. Loads of various types of sport being played in the pitches i ran past.

Sunday 22.9.19

5.65 miles Gen Aerobic@8.23min/miles in 47mins 21secs

A lap around Scheveningse Bosjes and the new version of same before heading to the ADO Den Haag match with the Chief. On the wrong end of the result again after totally dominating the game, could well be a long season:mad::mad:. Ajax at home next:eek::eek:.


Monday 23.9.19

12.85 miles Endurance@7.42min/miles in 1hr 38mins 57secs

Set off towards Monster in the prevailing wind and was feeling the love for this straight away, turned onto the drag along Schelpenpad, right at the top of the drag back towards Kijkduin along the cycle lanes. Bouncing off the surface even in the 90%+ humidity. One of those runs you wished would not end, got home drenched in sweat but delighted with my mornings work.

53.05 miles for my week that was supposed to include a race but for the first time i'd say since i came here there was no race of any kind on around Den Haag. Not a bad thing i suppose considering how the hamstring was at the start of the week. Happy to get the mileage back up even though it was mostly easy stuff. Three weeks of decent training left to go!!!

Week 9/12 Amsterdam Half Prep!!

Tuesday 24.9.19

9.45 miles Easy/Gen Aerobic@8.26min/miles in 1hr 19 40secs

Wet, wet, wet out but the usual 90%+ humidity still lurked. A lap around Westduinpark, the harbour and around by Scheveningse Bosjes and home. A sweaty wetty run.

Wednesday 25.9.19

Rest Day, had to due to family circumstances.

Thursday 26.9.19

11.35 miles Endurance@7.42 in 1hr 27mins 29secs

Another sweaty wetty run on up Laan Van Meerdervoort around Ockenburgh and back home through Kijkduin along the cycle paths.Humidity still in the 90's. Last mile of this was at LT plus 30secs and it felt very comfortable, was travelling at 5.15 pace along the last section of it according to Garmin Connect:eek:.

Friday 27.9.19

6.20 miles Easy@8.28min/miles in 52mins 34secs

Lap around Scheveningse Bosjes, Madurodam and Westbroekpark and back home. Body feeling good. Watched the woman's marathon later that night, dropping like flies because of a measly 78% humidity, pfft, come run with me!!!

Saturday 28.9.19

w/u, 6x1,200m@5k(50% rec), c/d

Really was w/u, 4x1,200m@5k and plug pulled. I was looking forward to this all week when i seen it on the plan, i enjoy 5k paced sessions to be honest. From the off though i was working to hard, breathing very laboured and legs weren't feeling it. I considered pulling the plug after 3 but gave it one more to see before knowing that was my lot. Few years back this would have thrown me but i know by now that there will be a few bad sessions in a plan, i haven't had many during this one so i was due. Longer cool down than expected for 10.35 miles for my afternoon.

Sunday 29.9.19

Enforced Rest Day, weather warning in Den Haag and man did it rain, crazy stuff at times during the day. Weather has to be severe for me to not run, today it was.

Monday 30.9.19

16.70miles Endurance@7.41min/miles in 2hrs 8mins 18secs

The effects of yesterdays weather in full view as i made my way up Laan Van Meerdervoort at 10am this morning, surface water everywhere made it feel like a steeplechase at times, turned onto Monsterweg and on out towards Monster and Ter Heijde into a fairly still beeze that never really bothered me. On past the cannons that commemorate the [URL="http:///en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Scheveningen"]http:///en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Scheveningen
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for a mile then turned around and glided along with the wind at my back on through Kijkduin then the cycle paths and home. Like last Monday, a run i did not want to end. Feeling super strong on this.

54.05 miles for the week with one run missed because of weather. Another week i'm happy with, no real bad signs of fatigue and getting used to the consecutive 50 mile weeks. One more of those left before i enter taper, will be living like a monk till the 20th of October:):):). Another thing that cheered me up today, i started the year weighing 85kgs+ currently just above 75kgs, loss of over 10kgs which can only help my running.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

The thing with weight is be careful loosing weight when building towards a race. I think it's better to drop a few kg in the winter time when you're ticking over. Food is the fuel and runners need a lot of it, especially if training towards a half or full. I would rank food and sleep and two of the most important things for runners.

No issues with food anyway, getting plenty of it and all the right stuff. Fruit, veg, diary and cabs in my diet and my wife is very conscious of me having a good diet with running as well as setting a good example for our children. Sleep can be up and down but that’s something i’ve suffered with all my adult life, it’s good at the minute so hopefully it will stay that way for another few weeks.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I'm all caught up, you won a race (well done!), you adjusted your fuzzy rabbit ears to get a clearer picture (glad to hear the picture is clear again..) and you're a boards 'drug' addict - yep, there's a definite pull back to this place for sure!

Good to see a new log, with some new, very impressive goals. No better man.

Thanks for the kind words AM, great to see you back up and about again to after your ordeal.

Thanks so much for the messages, PM’s and posts here lads. A/R really really is a great place to be a part of and I appreciate the sentiments so much.

Weather looking perfect for tomorrow so I can’t come on here and offer excuses after the race. Fingers crossed it goes well, talk to ye tomorrow afternoon.