Weekly Summary: Dec 5-11

Monday: zippo
Tuesday: 3.5 miles 0h33
Wednesday: 14.3 miles 2h27
Thursday: 14.3 miles 2h23
Friday: 14.3 miles 1h59
Saturday: zippo
Sunday: 13.1 miles 1h46
Total: 59 miles 9h09

Not sure what to make of that week really. I was convinced on Tuesday that I wasn't going to be able to run for another few days at least due to a chest infection lingering on for a couple of weeks. Then I went to see the doc and his diagnosis of asthma (??!!!) meant I could resume training straight away albeit with the aid of inhalers. I always intended for base training through December in time for the usual early season main event, Country to Capital 'if you're not there, you're nowhere'. So as per the last post, I selected my route and then put in three days of grafting. The incredible difficulty I had in breathing on Wednesday and Thursday scared me somewhat and I was left feeling like I was in trouble even running 10 minute miles on fairly moderate trails.

Anyway, Fridays effort was better and didn't feel too difficult. Saturday I rested up and Sunday I paced a friend at the Bedford Half Marathon. His aim was to run 8:20 miles for a 1h50 effort and stayed nicely on pace until the final three mile stretch where he stepped it up to 7:30s. I felt ok, easy enough to make conversation at that pace but any climb and I coughed and spluttered my way up the hill. I tried to pull him along a little bit quicker than 7s at the end and felt fine doing that. My legs were great, absolutely no grumbling whatsoever but my lungs are really a big issue. Whatever the case I am absolutely miles off where I need to be at this stage but I am ready for a lot of hard work and long slow miles on the trails over Christmas to get the base fitness I need going in to the new year and a bit more tempo/ hill stuff.

Staying fit and healthy is the number one priority and shaking this asthmatic chest is more than important.

This past week saw three of the four major US 100 mile lotteries drawn - and I was ofer three as they say over there. Hardrock had 720 applicants (some with up to 7 tickets each) for 100 places. Western States had 1960 applicants (some with up to 3 tickets each) for 273 slots. Massanutten had around 400 for 200 places. So I am on to plan B for the first 7 months of the year and I am equally excited about what I have lined up. For once I am not trying to over-reach and run a crazy early season race. The only time I built up slowly was in 2010 and I had my best season ever so that's exciting. My 'a' races are the Thames Trot 50 in Feb and then Comrades and the WHW race in June. What comes after will be down to the UTMB lottery. It will either be that or Sparta. Either way I am excited about the potential of all of those races.