Finally back up to proper mileage this week, with 60.5 miles logged. The week ended up a little backloaded because the track was busy Wednesday and Thursday, with a speed session on Friday and a long progression run Sunday. I was pleased with the speed session, as I managed to keep the reps consistent (especially the 200m) despite running early morning on an empty stomach, and I wasn’t too far off the paces I managed for this session a few weeks before one of my best 10K races. Combined with the run in to work, it made for a pretty tough 14 mile session.
On Saturday I headed back to the track to watch some rather faster runners at the Highgate Harriers Night of the 10,000m PBs. Watching the best athletes in the country running on your home track for spots on the Olympic team was great fun, especially from the amazing vantage point of the edge of lane 3. It was also slightly surreal, with a samba band playing at one end and a Michael Jackson impersonator at the other. Oh, and with a Lamborghini parked up on the back straight. Great stuff.
The women’s Rio qualifier was the best race for me. Former world champion Linet Masai pushed out a lead from the main pack just after halfway, but Jessica Andrews managed to close that gap and ended up winning with a decent lead, guaranteeing her Olympic place and taking 80 seconds off her PB in the process. Beth Potter finished 2nd Brit, inside the qualifying time, so also guarantees her place. Disappointing for Jo Pavey who lead the main pack early on, but faded and ended up being lapped by Jess. I understand she had been ill, so her 5th Olympics is sadly looking unlikely now.
Standing all evening for that, plus the speed session the day before, meant my legs felt pretty tired for Sunday’s long run. I seriously thought about binning the planned 3 miles at LT effort as my calves were feeling achey and I didn’t want to overdo it and ruin next weeks training and the London 10K race on bank holiday Monday, but I’m glad I pushed on and did it. Pace wasn’t stunning, but decent enough given tired legs, and faster than I managed for the 5 mile race in Victoria Park just two weeks ago – shows I’m making good progress back towards peak fitness.
I’m hopeful now that sub-40 is doable in the London 10K – would be nice to put it another sub-40 performance, especially at an event I’ve run every year since I started running.