Training Log | When work & training collide: Week 6 Ultra-Training

WEEK SIX

27th November – 3rd December 

Monday 27th November

Walk to work first thing (30 mins). Diary a total blur. Evening board meeting. Home by midnight and successfully managed no exercise. Exhausting rest day.

Tuesday 28th November

Tiredness from the night before leads to a tube commute. This has the advantage by lunch time I’m keen for some time outside and runch club with work is back on. Warm up jog to Highbury Fields then freedom parkrun time trial at a great pace. Cool down jog back. Another evening working but pleased to have had some time outside.

Running: 7.3km | Time: 38:46 | Av Pace: 5:17/km | Elev Gain: 60m

Wednesday 29th November

Double Day! Early morning hills before bills by commuting to work. Surprisingly pacey which is pleasing when I check my watch at the end. Leave work bang on time to run to Camden Town Brewery and smash out Run Like Hells. My first time taking on Highgate Hill and I love it. Post-hills, post-pizza run home and I’ve snuck in my long run for the week without any stress on my body. Boom.

Running (commute): 7.6km | Time: 40:02 | Av Pace: 5:15/km | Elev Gain: 80m

Running (Run Like Hells): 10.6km | Time: 59:19 | Av Pace: 5:35/km | Elev Gain: 120m

Running (commute): 4.3km | Time: 24:55 | Av Pace: 5:42/km | Elev Gain: 51m

Total mileage for Wednesday: 22.5km

Thursday 30th November

It’s Thursday - it’s Beigel day! Legs are tight as I run to the tube and I’m literally running late so meet the gang on route. As it’s nearly Christmas I’m wearing one of my best Christmas jumpers for the occasion. As ever, London is beautiful at 7am on a Thursday morning. 

Running: 9.6km | Time: 54:24 | Av Pace: 5:38/km | Elev Gain: 185m
Beigel bagels eaten: 1

Friday 1st December

It’s 1st December- time for Advent Running! Last year I did advent running from afar - committing to running 3km every day. This year I’ll be joining in with lots of the activities in London. The challenge is to be healthy in the run up to Christmas by doing just 30 minutes exercise a day. This year, I’ll be committing to 5km running a day. 

Start Friday morning with Adidas Runners recovery week practicing drills to help increase cadence (the number of steps you take while running). In the evening the worlds most casual run round Primrose Hill for the launch of Advent Running this year in another Christmas jumper and Christmas leggings. It’s so important to have fun otherwise my training falls apart. 

Running: 5.3km | Time: 32:49 | Av Pace: 6:10/km | Elev Gain: 93m

Cycle (commuting): 10km | Time: 45:27

Running: 3.9km | Time: 25:55 | Av Pace: 6:29/km | Elev Gain: 53m

Saturday 2nd December

Up super early to catch the train back to Cambridge. My wonderful friend Michaela is celebrating her 250th parkrun (also my speedy friend Chris!) and I want to be there to eat brownies in her honour. Run from the station to warm up and the tight legs, early start and wrong shoes mean the 24:55 parkrun feels hard. Still pleased to have got it done. 

Running: 7.0km | Time: 37:39 | Av Pace: 5:22/km | Elev Gain: 15m

Cycle (commuting): 4.7km | Time: 19:20

Sunday 3rd December

Very reluctant about leaving bed this morning. The Speedster got me out and let me crash his run. Gentle pace. Crash in the middle where my mind just gave up. Sometimes running isn’t easy! 

Running: 7.4km | Time: 41:00 | Av Pace: 5:32/km | Elev Gain: 32m

Week Six Totals

Running: 67.7km | 6:23:00 | 742m

Cycling: 14.9km | 1:04:00 | 142m

Swimming: 0m

Thoughts: Good solid cut back week. Great to have got the same ascent as last week even though I ran a third less. Work has got in the way of the cross training and S&C again. Need to plan better especially as next week is even busier at work.