Still running... not blogging much though...

Yes, I am still running, although I don't appear to get the time to update my blog these days.

My fitness did suffer somewhat following a four-week virus and it took me weeks to get back to a respectable fitness level once again!

However, because I've been pushing myself that little bit more in an attempt to regain that fitness level, having looked at my historic stats, I've noticed that I have not been recording better times against individual circuits for almost two years. I can say that I'm definitely enjoying running once again.

For instance, I have recently recorded a 4.45km Park Loop of 19:26 and then another of 19:25, my best times since 17th June 2006.

I also recorded a referees' 12 minute Coopers fitness test, completing a distance of 2,980 metres, in that time - again my best time since 2 years ago, when I only ran an extra 20 metres.

Today, I ran the 11.58km Dingle Loop at a deliberate steady pace (not once entering the high workrate band throughout the run) and completed it in 55:43. This course is very hilly, involves going through six kissing gates, over two stiles, and through two other gates. It includes some quality paths, narrow farm tracks, and a very uneven woodland trail track for about 1.5kms.

I have only run this circuit twice before back in September 2007 and my times then were 56:33 and 59:16. Additionally, my HRavg and HRmax for these individual runs would suggest that I found the going much tougher than today.


Spilts

Start run time: 1:29pm

01.00km - 04:20
02.00km - 09:03
05.00Km - 23:03
07:00km - 32:34
10:00km - 48:12 (This is through the slower woodland trail)
11:58km - 55:43

Average pace: 4:49 per km or 7:45 per mile
Average speed: 12.47km/h or 7.75 mph.

HRmax 160, HRavg 153, 774kcals.

Exercise Light: 02:26, Moderate: 53:06, Hard: 00:00.

11.58km Grappenhall and Dingle Loop with John

I ran a very slight variation of the original Gappenhall and Dingle Loop (Gmap) with John today in an improved time from that of Tuesday's very similar run.

The course consists mainly of park tracks, farmland tracks, countryside tracks, walkways, common land tracks, and woodland tracks. There are very few instances where a road is involved. I think that if you added the total distance of main roads that you need to run along the total would be in the region of approximately 600 metres.

As always, it's good to catch up with John. It makes the runs that little bit more interesting.


Start Time: 1:05 pm
Duration: 56:33 Grappenhall Heys and Dingle Loop
Distance: 11.58 km (7.20 miles)

Average speed: 12.29 kmh (7.52 mph)
Average pace: 4:53 per km (7:52 per mile)
Heart rate: HRavg 163, HRmax 177, and 890kcals

11.58km Grappenhall Heys and Dingle Loop

I ran the newly planned 11.58km Grappenhall Heys and Dingle Loop that I intend to run with John on Thursday (if he's up for it).

The route basically involves very few and very short bits of road running (600 metres in total), the rest is tracks, farmers fields, common land, and woodland.

The woodland part is a bit of a treat, which I discovered only on Friday - I never knew it existed and have run passed it many times without ever knowing it was there.

Whilst it is not particularly a fast course, it is a very enjoyable one away from cars and other traffic in some of the nicest areas.

Although I must admit, I began to find the going tough at about the 8km mark, this was probably due to refereeing last night, considering a referee will run between 10km and 12km in each game.


Start Time: 2:10 pm
Duration: 59:16 Grappenhall Heys and Dingle Loop
Distance: 11.58 km (7.20 miles)

Average speed: 11.72 kmh (7.28 mph)
Average pace: 5:07 per km (8:14 per mile)
Heart rate: HRavg 159, HRmax 167, and 874kcals