Track season!

It's about this time of year i start to get excited, the weather (tries) to pick up, the days become lighter and it's time for the track season. I can honestly say i feel giddy with excitement, it's a weird feeling, but after all, this is what all the work over the previous 6 months has been for.

I prefer the track as i can gauge things that much better. When i started running for Sale my first race was a 3k, although not my finest race, i found it easier to gauge the pace and distance than i would in a cross country race. Although i am finally coming round to surface of cross country, it's never been my favorite. It's also only been in the last 3 years that i have raced consistently over the roads, in fact my first road 10k was at the end of 2008. However i have always looked forward to the end of April when the track season is in sight.

To the training and racing diary...

Sunday 2nd May: 9:48 (59:30, 8.63mi, 6:54 min/mi) steady run on my own.

Monday 3rd May: 8:58 (32:42, 4.71mi, 6:57min/mi) again steady on my own, very steady pace.

15:20 Light drills and strides

Tuesday May 4th: 17:51 (WU 10:06, 1.44 Trafford 3k 5th 8:18.29, WD 11:55, 1.48mi) First race and i was slightly dissappointed, the pace was taken out fairly quick with the first lap at the front in 62, i was off the pace in about 65. Kept the same pace with Matt Barnes and Matt Bond as the rest of the field came back, was going through in about 66's. Came to the bell in 7:10 and felt ok, 300 to go and the wheels fell off. Ran the last 200 in 34 so was the equivalent of a 69. Coach feels that we need to do some more anaerobic work. Plan to race another 3k in 2 weeks time.

Wednesday May 5th 7:31 (23:56, 3.32mi, 7:13min/mi) Steady shake out felt a little tired after race but no real concerns.

18:29 (WU 12:37, 1.74 Norman Poole 5k, 2nd 15:17 WD 12:35, 1.63mi) More of a training run than a race, first mile in 5:27, but the pace then stepped up a bit to a 4:57. After that it went into race mode with the pace picking up to a 4:38 there was 3 of us at the front Niall, Dave Proctor and myself. I was then out kicked by Niall at the finish and was able to hold off Dave. Was a fun race!

Thursday 6th May: 7:22 (21:59, 3.04mi, 7:14min/mi) not too bad after two successive races just a little sluggish.

Lunch: Physio no real problems to report.

18:00 (Approx 35min, 5:21mi) Not sure of pace and exact time, my watch died. Felt ok.

Friday 7th May: 13:00 (33:03, 4.44mi, 7:27mi) Went on a new route which led me up a lot of hills, thus the slow pace. Pretty tiring.

Saturday 8th May: 10:43 (WU 14:09, 1.86mi, 3*5:30 min 2min rec WD 7:42 1.0mi) Good session, was able to push on with each rep, felt strong.

16:55 (21:49, 3.19mi, 6:51min/mi) With the shorter session in the morning felt like an evening run with some strides at the end.

Week total Approx 48 miles

Low miles with the two races and feeling a little jaded towards the end of the week. Know it's early season but wanted a bit more on tuesday, was only 0.27 of a second off my PB. More quality sessions next week and a bit of hurdle week.

Bailey