Week 23

Another success week of training. Fortunately I'm still doing lower mileage so time is fairly easy to come by. Two more interval sessions this week. Both went well but I can tell I'm tired. The thing is I'm suppose to be. Came up short of 40 miles this week which was unfortunate but due to an unforeseen circumstance. A friend from the US surprised me and visited for the weekend. So I missed out on a Sunday run. We did get out for a hungover hike though so all was not lost!

country lane running

The wife had to do some store visits for work, fortunately she took the little guy with, and I got to do some running in the daylight! I've started exploring a bit more on the country lanes. There's a ton of excellent road running here that I've never taken advantage of and I figure I'd start. Lots of hills, narrow winding roads, in the country. It's just beautiful.

early morning Kidderminster

I also gambled on an early morning run. The little guy had been fairly consistent waking after 6am and I didn't really have time to run on Saturday, so I got up at 430am. I sure miss running early; no cars, cold, quiet. Even saw a shooting star since it was clear out. I got back about 6am and something has started waking the little guy again! He woke at 530! The wife said the heat kicked on and woke him! The timer was set for the heat to be off but it still turned on, one thing we had determined was waking him in the past. Then the following couple days, same thing. It has been cold for the UK and I was wondering if the heat has a fail safe that over rides the timer to prevent freezing? I doubt it but that's the only reason other than the timer being broke. Lame. Sunday and today. 530am. He's still sleepy but something keeps waking him. All I ask from him is consistency! Anyway......

I had a great run none the less and I'm glad I got out because the wife had coordinated with my good friend Aaron from the US to arrive Saturday for a surprise visit since it's my birthday this week. He was jet lagged, I was tired, but we ended up out at the pub until 1am! That kind of shot running Sunday. Aaron and I got out for a hungover hike anyway, about 4.5 hilly miles on a section of the Worcestershire Way, but a good recon for future running! I'll add that in to my weekly mileage as it's definitely applicable to training! 

Abberley Clock Tower from Worcestershire Way

So begins week 22. Easier than the last. I've got one interval session planned and everything else easy running. Today, Monday, Aaron is still here. I've got the day off from running but we are driving to Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales, found a loop that tags all of the high Beacons in 11 miles. So, an easy mountain hike is planned. When I ran the Beacons Ultra a few years back I covered a portion of the route we are doing so it will be fun to revisit the area. I kind of wish we were running but hiking will be awesome none the less!