30.12.13-5.1.14: Week 1

date	km	time	min/km
05/01/2014	3.46	00:15:00	04:19
05/01/2014	1.38	00:05:00	03:37
05/01/2014	1.38	00:05:00	03:37
05/01/2014	1.23	00:05:00	04:03
05/01/2014	8.96	00:37:00	04:07
05/01/2014	8.73	00:36:00	04:07
04/01/2014	6	00:27:00	04:30
04/01/2014	5	00:17:00	03:23
04/01/2014	2	00:08:00	04:00
04/01/2014	2.12	00:13:00	06:07
04/01/2014	4	00:12:48	03:12
04/01/2014	1.69	00:05:30	03:15
02/01/2014	6.79	00:28:30	04:11
02/01/2014	4	00:14:40	03:40
02/01/2014	8.79	00:35:00	03:58
01/01/2014	14.19	01:00:00	04:13
31/12/2013	21.1	01:14:47	03:32
31/12/2013	2	00:08:00	04:00
total=	103	av pace=	04:00

R(%)=2.53, I=3.89, T=6.50, M=25.75, E=61.31

30/12 mon - as above
31/12 tue - as above
1/1/14 wed - easy 14km, down through St Lars and Klostergården, along the river and back to CIP. Some easy laps on the track + exercises to loosen off the legs after the half marathon the day before.
2/1 thurs - AM: easy-tempo-easy along the Hardebergaspåret. 3.4km easy to the yellow painted km markers on the path, then 2km at 3:40/km pace out to near the golf club, return 2km at the same pace (into the wind!), then 3.4km back home. PM: standard 8.7k winter route Skt Lars-Klostergården-F&F arena-CIP-Stadsparken.
3/1 fri - rest day
4/1 sat - AM: over to Kbh to run Amager Strandpark parkun. This was probably not such a good idea due to a) 1/2 marathon tiredness and b) 15-20m/s wind across the (very open) park, costing somewhere between 10-20s/km running into it! 6km easy back to the airport train station. PM: still felt fairly fresh, so did a warmup 3km, then 10x400m on the track at CIP in Lund at 3:15/km pace. Back home the quickest route!
5/1 sun - AM: hill training at Sankt Hans. 6xlong hill (48-50s per rep, jog down recovery), 5xshort steep hill (continuous). Run back via a loop in Nöbbelöv, around 8.5km. PM: standard 8.7k route as per 2/1.

Summary - probably overdid it somewhat this week, since it was the last one of holiday before getting back to work! In retrospect, I should've taken more time to recover from the NYE half...

6.1.14-12.1.14: Week 2

date	km	time	min/km
12/01/2014	4.48	00:19:00	04:14
12/01/2014	4.6	00:17:30	03:48
12/01/2014	3.2	00:10:24	03:14
12/01/2014	1.2	00:03:45	03:07
12/01/2014	1.2	00:04:48	04:00
12/01/2014	7.02	00:30:00	04:16
12/01/2014	7	00:27:00	03:51
10/01/2014	5.08	00:18:00	03:32
10/01/2014	1.44	00:07:00	04:50
10/01/2014	1.45	00:05:30	03:47
10/01/2014	10	00:41:00	04:06
08/01/2014	4	00:14:00	03:30
08/01/2014	8.9	00:36:00	04:02
08/01/2014	2.4	00:09:36	04:00
07/01/2014	8.7	00:39:00	04:28
06/01/2014	3.39	00:15:00	04:25
06/01/2014	5.07	00:22:00	04:20
06/01/2014	3.4	00:13:30	03:58
06/01/2014	4	00:14:40	03:40
total=	87	av pace=	03:58

R(%)=0.00, I=5.08, T=4.62, M=17.48, E=72.80

6/1 mon - PM: easy-tempo-easy along the Hardebergaspåret. 3.4k easy to the yellow markers, then 2k at 3:40 tempo, 5k easy out to the road crossing and back, 2k tempo again, then the 3.4k easy back. Felt very tired; probably not a sensible session to do after a hard weekend!
7/1 tues - PM: easy paced recovery run, standard 8.7k route. Legs very tired.
8/1 weds - PM: legs felt a bit better, so decided on some slower tempo (3:30/km) pace 1k track intervals. Warmup approx 5km at easy pace, then 4x1km at 3.27-3.30/km, followed by 5-6 laps easy + exercises and then 5km back home. Again, legs felt tired - couldn't go faster than 3.30...
9/1 thurs - another rest day, to try and recover a bit more
10/1 fri - some more tempo along the Hardebergaspåret. Tried with less warmup (1.5km), starting the tempo at where the path meets Nehrmans väg, turning at the Utmarksvägen bridge and using the other crossings (E22, Thulehemsvägen) for pacing. Ran just over 5km at 3.30/km pace (split at 9.20 for the uphill out and 8.40 for the return). Not sure if the warmup was enough - felt pain in my left ankle a bit.
11/1 sat - felt absolutely shattered again. Another rest day to try and recover!
12/1 sun - AM: legs feeling less tired but still very stiff. Easy 5km warmup to Lunds CIP, then exercises and 11x400m intervals at 75-78s pace (high wind cost 2-3s a lap). Took a few more easy laps and some stretches afterwards. These helped quite a bit to free my legs up. PM: easy-tempo run out along the Hardebergaspåret; 7km out easy to the road crossing (4.10-4.20/km), then 7km back at a faster pace (3.40-3.50/km). Return run was excellent; legs didn't feel so tired and the pace was very comfortable.

Summary - reduction in distance and several recovery days required. I definitely overdid it the week before and didn't give myself enough recovery time then. I was also quite tired out from starting work again this week, which didn't help. Will start with some easier running next week and see if more time is required. Have decided against doing the DM kort cross on 25/1 - too fast and on the horrible course in Odense I wrecked my ankle on in 2012. Instead, I'll likely do the DuPont Cup in Århus on 26/1 (10k).

2013 Stats and Summary

(Left) Breakdown of training by pace at VDOT 62-63. Shown as a % of total weekly distance from week 15-52.
Wk 26=Dolomites.

(Right) Comparative idealised training percentages by pace for the same weekly distances (same VDOT range). Colour key as above.

The quantity of M pace (yellow) is limited to 26km pr. week.


Pace Details:
Very easy = >4.30/km, Easy = 3.50-4.30/km, Marathon = 3.35-3.50/km, Threshold = 3.25-3.35/km, Interval = 3.00-3.20/km, Repetition = <3.00/km


(Right) Total distance per week, 2013

I'm always a bit reluctant to bring science too much into running, given that it's supposed to be a hobby away from the day job, but sometimes it's good to look in depth into training. Above is a crude plot of my total weekly training distance post-injury (weeks 15-52+ aborted wk 12 attempt)  divided into percentages according to 5 per km pace categories (defined above) as per Jack Daniels in Daniels' Running Formula, based on a VDOT value of around 62-63 estimated from race performances. A second plot shows the approximate ideal training breakdown I should manage: M=90min or 26km, T=10%, I=8%, R=5% and E=remainder.

Overall, it serves as a very good descriptor of how my long term ankle injuries have affected me. I've done far more easy running than needed this year, making up on average 75% of all my training or around 75-90km per week, including the distance done very easy. I've also managed little* of the <3.15 pace interval or rep training as this often produced pain, especially on the track, and led to further ankle injury earlier in the year. This has also been done on an incosistent basis, depending on tiredness and how the ankles felt. Most weeks, intervals have been done at an easier lactate threshold pace instead, the result of which has been a choice between M and T pace sessions rather than incorporating both.

(*It should be noted that the figure does not adjust for gradient and hill reps are thus classed as M or T pace workouts; adjusted, this would give a higher R and I percentage for wk 45-52)

The effect of this training has been to hurt both my pace (through fewer fast intervals) and endurance (through less T and M tempo pace work). This was best expressed in 10k races, especially the Malmomilen; not enough pace to stay near the front, not enough endurance to keep it going past 6k.

The aim for 2014 will be to transition closer towards the form recommended by Daniels, with less easy running and more tempo and interval work - even if this requires a lower weekly distance average. I've found this year that running >120k is counterproductive, leaving me too tired to run harder sessions; I will thus keep the distance to around 100-120k, with more focus on quality over quantity.

This is something which must be done with caution though. Although it is improving, I still feel pain in my left ankle after most runs and also the right after hard sessions. By far the worst race\lesson for that this year was the Aarhus 1\2, where I pushed too hard early on, hurt the ankle and had to run 15k on it to a crap time. Overall, 2013 has been a hard year with slow recovery from what may well be a long-term tendonitis problem.

Best race times of 2013:
5k, road: 16.20 (Lundaloppet, Lund)
5.4k, hill, MT: 18.44 (Midtjysk Bjergløb)
10k, road: 34.18 (Friløbet, Copenhagen)
10k, cross: 35.08 (DM long cross, Viborg)
10k, hill, MT: 34.13 (Skrylleloppet)
15.1k, hill, MT: 57.30 (Himmelbjergløbet, Ry)
Half marathon, road: 1:14:47 (Nytarsløbet, Kbh)

Target races for 2014:
DM 10k, March
VM Half, March
(otherwise undecided...)

23.12.13-31.12.13: Jul and Änglamark Nytårsløb

date	km	time	min/km
31/12/2013	21.1	1:14:47	3:32
31/12/2013	2	0:08:00	4:00
29/12/2013	10.83	0:43:00	3:58
28/12/2013	5	0:17:10	3:25
28/12/2013	6.26	0:26:00	4:09
28/12/2013	7.86	0:30:00	3:49
27/12/2013	12.83	0:53:00	4:07
25/12/2013	21	1:30:00	4:17
24/12/2013	18.83	1:20:00	4:14
23/12/2013	12.23	0:50:00	4:05

Mon 23/12 - 12km in Lund; standard 10k route south along the river, with an extra loop in Papegojelyckan (aka parrot town!). Last run of the year in (Swedish!) Lund.
Tues 24/12 - at gf's parents near Horsens. 19km along the usual route I take there, the gamle jernbane (Horsens-Byrup-Sikeborg) - a former railway, now a paved cycle route. Ironically, started in (Danish!) Lund and ran to the edge of Østbirk and back. Very horrible weather; heavy rain and wind 20m\s+, but needed to build an appetite for Jul-dinner.
Weds 25/12 -Juldag! Normally Christmas day requires a shorter morning run to get an appetite for food, but this time food had been and gone. Therefore, a longer run to burn it all off! Same route as 24th, but right through Østbirk, Vestbirk and a loop back through Torp to make exactly 21k. Very hard work at the start - turkey-lag!
Thurs 26/12 - rest day 
Fri 27/12 - a shorter, more hilly run up the jernbane but turning at Lundum and back through an assortment of villages. Hard on every hill.
Sat 28/12 - in Aarhus. Standard Sat parkrun workout; 6.5k run to Hasle bakker, 5km parkrun in 17:20, run back 7.5k (a slightly longer way via the Veri center post office). 
Sun 29/12 - very easy 10k round Egå Engsø. 
Mon 30/12 - rest day
Tues 31/12 - Änglamark Nytårsløb, 1/2 Marathon, 1:14:47
One last race of the year and one last half. Conditions were fairly idea; cold, sunny and with very little wind - generally similar to those in Vejle back in Oct. The race started at 9.30am so an early start from Lund, meaning I was quite tired at the start (and sluggish after lots of julmad...). I'd also left my ankle support in Denmark, which was not ideal. The start was a bit crazy, with 5k, 10k and half starting at the same time into a narrow path and a good few slower kids (and slower 'ambitious' adults...) at the front. So I hung back for the first 200m until the wider road outside Parken, trying extremely hard not to trip over. The first couple of laps were done at around 17.20-17.30 pace, staying comfortably inside 3.30/km. The difficult part came on the 3rd lap, where I lost the accompanying 10k runners pushing me round and really hit the traffic of the slower 5-10k runners, costing me time as I had to zigzag past. I felt tired on the 4th 5k lap, but far less so than in Vejle a couple of months ago. With the length of Parken stadium to go I realised sub-75 could be on for the first time since early 2012 and I went for it, sprinting the last 400m. A great way to finish the last km of the year!

16.12.13-22.12.13: Post-Beamtime, Pre-Jul

Date	km	time	min/km
22/12/2013	2.5	00:11:48	04:43
22/12/2013	3.4	00:14:00	04:07
22/12/2013	5.15	00:21:00	04:04
22/12/2013	1.23	00:05:00	04:04
22/12/2013	0.23	00:00:49	03:33
22/12/2013	0.23	00:00:49	03:33
22/12/2013	0.23	00:00:49	03:33
22/12/2013	0.23	00:00:49	03:33
22/12/2013	0.23	00:00:49	03:33
22/12/2013	0.23	00:00:49	03:33
22/12/2013	1.15	00:03:30	03:02
22/12/2013	9.98	00:41:00	04:06
21/12/2013	10.06	00:41:00	04:04
21/12/2013	10	00:43:00	04:18
20/12/2013	10	00:41:00	04:06
19/12/2013	14.01	01:00:00	04:16
18/12/2013	16.15	01:07:00	04:08
17/12/2013	4.55	00:18:00	03:57
17/12/2013	6.18	00:23:00	03:43
17/12/2013	2	00:06:30	03:15
16/12/2013	8.8	00:35:00	03:58
total=	106.54	av pace=	03:51

Mon 16/12 - AM/PM/whatever time it was! Still coming off nights, so standard 'beamtime' run.
Tues 17/12 - PM: 5x400m intervals at CIP at around 80s/lap pace. Probably too early to do intervals, felt absolutely shattered still from nights at the beamline! Warmup and return back home of appx. 5k and 6k (extra loop in Papegojelyckan).
Weds 18/12 - PM: 16km\10miles up to Skt Hans and back via CIP, around 4/km pace. Felt a bit better.
Thurs 19/12 - PM: 14k along the Hardebergaspåret. Felt really tired again from work, couldn't manage the full 10miles.
Fri 20/12 - AM: standard 10k route down along the river past the sewage works and back via CIP and Stadsparken. Felt better than the previous night. Final day at work before Christmas.
Sat 21/12 - AM: hoped to do the parkrun in Kbh, but the weather was horrible - high wind and driving rain. So ran the same 10k route as Fri. PM: standard 8.7k route with an extra loop in Papegojelyckan to make 10k.
Sun 22/12 -AM: hill training at Skt Hans. Usual 6xlong hill, 5xshort hill and 2.5k lap of the extreme running route. Extremely muddy after the rain, which was fun! PM: same route as per Sat evening, just a bit quicker.

Summary - hard couple of weeks due to lots of work inc beamtime, which totally wrecked me for a week and a half. Now have a couple of weeks holiday over Christmas with a bit more time for running. Wll run the 1/2 marathon in Copenhagen on NYE, so everything will be planned to that. God Jul!

9.12.13-15.12.13: Beamtime!

Date	km	time	min/km
15/12/2013	8.7	00:35:00	04:01
14/12/2013	8.7	00:35:00	04:01
13/12/2013	8.7	00:35:00	04:01
12/12/2013	8.7	00:35:00	04:01
11/12/2013	8.8	00:35:00	03:58
10/12/2013	11.86	00:44:00	03:42
09/12/2013	11.06	00:46:00	04:09
total=	66.52		03:59

This week was essentially a write-off due to exhausting beamtime at Maxlab, including nights Thurs-Mon. Managed a single run per day on the standard 8.7km route through Skt Lars and Klostergården in Lund, with a bit extra if I felt up to it.

2.12.13-8.12.13: Recovery from DM Cross, Storm and Snow

Date	km	time	min/km
08/12/2013	10	00:45:00	04:30
08/12/2013	9	00:36:00	04:00
07/12/2013	3.61	00:15:00	04:09
07/12/2013	5.13	00:22:00	04:17
07/12/2013	2.5	00:12:00	04:47
07/12/2013	0.23	00:01:00	04:22
07/12/2013	2.76	00:12:00	04:20
07/12/2013	16.13	01:08:00	04:12
06/12/2013	8.38	00:32:00	03:49
06/12/2013	10	00:45:00	04:30
04/12/2013	16.38	01:08:00	04:09
02/12/2013	16	01:08:00	04:14
total=	100.12	av pace=	04:16

Mon 2/12 - PM: 10 miles (16km) along the Hardebergaspåret, fairly easy pace.
Tues 3/12 - rest day
Weds 4/12 - PM: 10mile (16.5km) tour up to Skt Hans in Lund. Added an extra loop round past Willy's and the Max IV site. Weather not so great, but not as bad as...
Thurs 5/12 - DEATH STORM II, 30m/s wind = no run!
Fri 6/12 - good pace standard 8.5km route down to the river south of Lund to survey the storm damage. Far fewer trees down this time, probably since Death Storm I took out most of the weaker ones last month. PM: 10k aroudn the centre of Lund, waiting for Katrine to arrive on a cancelled train!
Sat 7/12- AM: No chance of the parkrun in Kbh, since it snowed very heavily over Fri night! Thankfully this has been the only snow this winter so far. So went and did some snow-hills up at Skt Hans. Hard work in deep snow, but good training. Had to dodge the sledges of the kids coming down the hill :-) PM: easy-ish 10miles (16k) along the Hardebergaspåret; still quite snowy.
Sun 8/12 - tired legs after snow training. AM: standard 10k route along past the sewage works south of Lund. PM: easy 9k rounds Stadsparken and out towards CIP. Snow had been melted mostly by heavy rain by the evening.

25.11.13-1.12.13 - DAF Vinterturnering / Cross Challenge,  DM 10km Cross Viborg

date	km	time	min/km
01/12/2013	22	01:23:00	03:46
29/11/2013	10	00:42:00	04:12
28/11/2013	8.7	00:36:00	04:08
28/11/2013	8.7	00:36:00	04:08
27/11/2013	15.31	01:03:00	04:06
25/11/2013	8.7	00:36:00	04:08
total=	73.41	av pace=	04:04

Mon 25/11 - PM: easy recovery run in Klostergården, Lund after Nytårscup.
Tues 26/11 - rest day. Horrible weather, so easy choice.
Weds 27/11 - PM: easy 15.5km, up to Skt Hans and a loop back via Gunnesbo in Lund. Quite late after work, so hard going.
Thurs 28/11 - AM/PM: easy standard Klostergården route, as Mon.
Fri 29/11 - AM: 10km in Lund, past the sewerage works in Källby. Easy again - tired legs.
Sat 30/11 - rest day, before race.
Sun 31/11 - DM 10k Cross, Viborg: 35:08, 34th place

Photo: fra Herning Løbeklub,fb

I had pretty much zero expectations for this, other than to not get injured. But I was quite keen to do well though, hence the easy week of training beforehand. Race was at an idrætshøjskole, next to the lake on the edge of Viborg, which was a very nice setting with a good view across the lake to the cathedral (and some good changing facilities and somewhere warm to sit, an improvement over the last round in Roskilde). No train this time - went on the bus from Århus with the others from AGF and 1900. Weather was dry, sunny but not too cold at 8-10C but it was quite windy ~15m/s max. The course itself, although quite a nice 2k lap, stretched the definition of 'cross country', with 1/3 of the lap on grass and 2/3 on prepared hard trail paths. I thus ran in the trail shoes I won at the Himmelbjergløbet, which proved excellent for the job. Took a warmup of 2x2k lap at a decent pace; immediately felt some pain in my left ankle on some of the tighter turns. But "once you've come this far, you can't go back..."!

Race itself started off slowly for the first half a lap - I suspect some of those racing the EM cross next week were slowing the pace as much as possible (or tactically taking the first bit slow). Ran the first 3 laps at 6.20, ~13 and ~20.30 to 6k. I went off fairly hard, as I usually do now to maximise the amount of 'good ankle time'. On the 4th lap, it started to hurt quite a bit and I dropped in pace to finish in just over 35min. Took 5x2k laps afterwards at an easier 4.00/km pace to build up the distance to 22k total and for a bit of endurance work, and to stay warm while the women's race took place. Overall a race to be pleased with, a good improvement and my best cross performance since the DM 2011. A good haul of medals for 1900, particularly in the vet category - soon i'll be a M30 'veteran'; 'den unge gamle'!

This is definitely one of the days where Danish running can be very good. The VT is great since Denmark is small enough and the events prestigious enough to regularly have the best runners from the entire country showing up, from juniors upwards. This something which is very difficult in other places (such as England or Sweden) due to the size of the place, meaning local or regional races and leagues can often dominate the objectives of clubs and the race calendar.

Summary - easy week before DM cross. Next week back to regular training. Have no (major) races now for the rest of 2013, but I'll do a race on New Year's Eve. As yet undecided between the Nordea Nytårscup 10k in Århus or the Änglamark Nytårsløb in Kbh - 5k, 10k or even one very last half marathon of the year.....

18.11.13-24.11.13: To Nytårscup II

date	km	time	min/km
24/11/2013	16.14	01:04:00	03:57
24/11/2013	10	00:35:12	03:31
23/11/2013	6.47	00:25:00	03:51
23/11/2013	7.85	00:33:00	04:12
23/11/2013	5	00:16:58	03:23
22/11/2013	10	00:43:00	04:18
21/11/2013	16	01:04:54	04:03
20/11/2013	3.41	00:15:00	04:23
20/11/2013	5.15	00:18:00	03:29
20/11/2013	2.18	00:00:00	00:00
20/11/2013	1.23	00:05:00	04:04
20/11/2013	8.7	00:38:00	04:22
18/11/2013	20	01:30:00	04:30
total=	112.13	av pace=	04:00

Mon 18/11 - PM: 20km run along the Hardebergaspåret from Lund to Sodra Sandby.On a summer evening, this is a nice and pleasant run but in the winter, it's very hard going in the dark, wind, rain and cold! Very slow pace in the end, primarily due to having the wind against me on the way back to Lund.
Tues 19/11 - rest day, Sweden vs Portugal football qualifier on tv.
Weds 20/11 - AM: hills at Skt Hans. Standard training 5xlong, 5xsteep with appx. 3.5km warmup and 5k return back home. PM: standard 8-9k route in Lund along the river and back up via Lunds CIP.
Thurs 21/11 - PM: track intervals at Lunds CIP. 5x1km at appx. 3.30/km pace, with usual appx. 5k warmup and return from home. Ankles really were not happy - not sure if this was due to Weds hills or that it was a very cold evening just above freezing; they felt better after 2x1km but still not great, so I didn't push so hard.
Fri 22/11 - AM: 10k, usual route past the Källby ponds and sewage works. Took it at a bit of an easier pace; ankles better but still not great (and legs tired...)
Sat 23/11 - AM: usual Sat morning training in Århus - run to Hasle bakker, Brabrand parkrun, run back to Skejby. Still a dull pain in my left ankle, but felt quite up for it. Ran 16.58 for the hilly 5k, which is my best ever time after having run there first. This was probably not ideal preparation for the Nytårscup on Sun, but my 'building-for-spring-1/2' goal is more long term and in that respect it was ideal.

Image: http://spotted.stiften.dk/

Sun 24/11 - AM: Nordea Nytårscup 10k, 35:12, 1st. Same endurance training drill as last time: 10k Nytårscup as effectively a hard tempo running session, followed by about an hour in running in the woods down the coast. The route this time was an improvement over the last round, a 5k lap so that you didn't crash into the back of slower runners. This was at the expense of making the route very hilly and probably why (along with the DM cross) a number of the usual faster suspects for the 10k either didn't run or took the 5k instead! Decided to race with the 5k guys due to lack of competition on the 10k, so managed a fairly quick first lap. I really paid for this on the second round, especially up the long hill of Carl Nielsens vej, where the parkrun the day before also caught up with me. I had some difficulty running on the softer ground in the woods and esp. downhill, which produced a bit of ankle pain; a reminder that I still have to be very careful at the DM cross next weekend.
Last time I hung around a bit too long and got quite stiff legs, so I took the after-race session as soon as I'd finished. Ran all the way down to Moesgård strand this time and back at 4min/km pace, which I was quite pleased with although it was very hard training...

Summary - again less distance, but 4 higher intensity sessions this week which I think is definitely the right way to go at the mo. Major issue has been the ankles, esp. the injured left one, which have given a bit of pain this week. This seems to have been coincident with it getting cold = either reduced blood flow or more tightness = more tendonitis problems. Next week will the the DM 10k cross in Viborg so I'll rest ahead of that, but my expectations for it are low. If the course is as it was in Middelfart (i.e. - lots of sharp, steep hills) I'll not risk getting injured by hammering it.

11.11.13-17.11.13: Training and Spectating in Roskilde

date	km	time	min/km
17/11/2013	1.38	00:05:12	03:46
17/11/2013	2.43	00:06:00	02:28
17/11/2013	5.28	00:20:30	03:52
17/11/2013	3.45	00:15:00	04:20
17/11/2013	11.58	00:41:00	03:32
16/11/2013	15.7	01:10:00	04:27
15/11/2013	8.93	00:38:00	04:15
15/11/2013	6.75	00:27:00	04:00
14/11/2013	4.38	00:18:00	04:06
14/11/2013	4.39	00:17:30	03:59
14/11/2013	5	00:16:40	03:19
13/11/2013	3.3	00:15:00	04:33
13/11/2013	4.9	00:19:00	03:52
13/11/2013	2.5	00:10:30	04:11
13/11/2013	2.18	00:00:00	00:00
12/11/2013	15.31	01:01:00	03:59
11/11/2013	15.32	01:06:00	04:18
total=	112.78	av pace=	03:42

 
Mon 11/11 - PM: easy 15-16km along the Hardebergaspåret. This was a pleasant Monday run in the summer, but now it's dark, cold, wet and grim!
Tues 12/11 - PM: as Monday, but on a different route in Lund for some variety. Ran out along Dalbyvägen to Linero and then uphill along Utmarksvägen to the Hardebergaspåret, then right from that up through the uni to the Elite hotel and back via Kemicentrum and Victoriahallen. Nice to do a different route once in a while.
Weds 13/11 - AM: hill training at Skt Hans. Warmup run there the quick way past Stortorget appx 3km in 15min, then 5xlong route up the big hill and 5xsteep route up as hard as possible, followed by 1 2.5km lap of the extreme running course. Good workout in the trail shoes I won for the Himmelbjergløbet. Ankle(s) hurt on the first few efforts, but the pain seemed to subside as I went on - not sure if this was down to stretching myself a bit or just adrenaline from the hill efforts masking it. Ran back a longer route via Lunds CIP and Stadsparken.
Thurs 14/11 - PM: track intervals at Lunds CIP 5x1km at 3.18-3.20/km pace with jog 200m recovery. Ankles not too bad after hills, but still took a good 5km warmup and stretches before doing this session.
Fri 15/11 - AM: standard 8.5-9km route along the river and back up through Klostergården. River had overflown, blocking the path in the horse field near Källbybadet (as it regularly does in winter), so took a diversion round on the road. PM: good quick run to the recycling station nearby, then a loop of Stadsparken and the F&F arena before collecting gf from the train station - just about made it on time!
Sat 16/11 - Went with Katrine over to Roskilde to the second round of DAF's Vinterturnering, 6x1km relay. Just to watch though; no way I was going to do this after the same round last year in Odense, where I comprehensively wrecked my right ankle by a) running whilst already a bit injured and b) keeping going after making it worse on the 3rd km effort. Extremely glad I didn't do this round, since there were a good many rabbit holes and thick grass off the racing line; not something I want to run flat out through. The major downside was that watching was extremely cold! The men's relay was totally dominated by Sparta Copenhagen - unsurprisingly with 3 of their best runners racing. Katrine finished 16th, which was a good result.
Instead of the race, I ran an easy 16km when I got back to Lund along the Hardebergaspåret (to get some heat back into me!)
Sun 17/11 - AM: went up to Skt Hans in Lund for some hills - 5xlong in 50-52s, 5xsteep, max effort, while gf ran an easy recovery run on the grass. Standard warmup (3km) and return (5.5km) routes. PM: usual 8.6km route, except with an extra loop in Papegojelyckan adding another 3km on. I thought this would be 10km, but actually it was about a km longer than that. Ran at a good tempo pace of appx. 3.30/km. This was perhaps a little bit too much, as I felt a bit of pain in my left ankle after finishing.

Summary - another week back to training and a bit more distance, plus 2 interval sessions. Feeling significantly less tired now than previous weeks; I seem to be recovered from the autumn racing. Next week = much of the same, but with the 2nd round of the Nytårscup on Sunday. This is now (thankfully) a 2x5km lap route, but at the cost of making the route significantly more hilly. I have decided to enter the DM 10km cross in Viborg the week after (1/12), but with extremely low expectations - if I can finish without injury, I'd be delighted. But these races are extremely good for fitness building; I already feel the hill training becoming much easier, for example...

4.11.13-10.11.13: No more racing - back to normal training!

Date	km	time	min/km
10/11/2013	21.93	01:30:00	04:06
09/11/2013	6.28	00:25:00	03:58
09/11/2013	5	00:17:30	03:29
09/11/2013	7	00:27:00	03:51
08/11/2013	10	00:43:00	04:18
07/11/2013	4.51	00:18:30	04:06
07/11/2013	4.52	00:18:30	04:05
07/11/2013	4	00:12:30	03:07
07/11/2013	2	00:06:40	03:20
06/11/2013	7.04	00:29:00	04:07
06/11/2013	6.83	00:28:00	04:05
06/11/2013	2	00:07:08	03:34
06/11/2013	1.97	00:10:00	05:04
04/11/2013	9.99	00:43:00	04:18
total=	93.07	av pace=	03:57

Mon 4/11 - PM: 10k at easy pace. Standard 8.7km route through Skt Lars\Klostergården\etc... and a few laps on the track at Lunds CIP. Very very very very tired after racing + early train start.
Tues 5/11 - still feeling tired, so rest day. Not so keen to go to Skryllegården on Tues this year in the cold!
Weds 6/11 - Considered doing some cross intervals at Skt Hans, but my legs still felt tight - no sense in pushing too early and getting injured! Decided to do two, shorter, easier recovery runs. AM: shorter run rounds Stadsparken in Lund, down past the F+F arena, under the railway and a loop back via CIP. PM: similar route appx. 7km each.
Thurs 7/11 - PM: return to intervals! 5km warmup in appx. 18.30, then  16x400m with Bjornstorps IF on the track at Lunds CIP. Started off the first couple at appx. 80s pace, then 12x70-75s pace, then back to 80s for the last few. Doing the first few slowly I think helped a lot, just to stretch the legs and get back into it. Ran back via Stadsparken back the same way as I came, same pace.
Fri 8/11 - AM: 10km easy, along the river and past the sewage works south of Lund.
Sat 9/11 - in Århus. AM: Too tired for 1900 cross intervals so standard Sat training - run out to Hasle Bakker, Brabrand parkrun, run back to Skejby. I was a bit late this week, so had to run there quickly; I was still about 1min late for the start of the parkrun, but ran 17.30 on the slightly easier winter course. Good tempo session.
Sun 10/11 - AM: visiting gf's parents out near Horsens. 22km 'landvej' lap Vinten-Lundum-Østbirk-Vestbirk-Torp; nice and hilly route on small country roads and a former railway line. Lovely winter conditions - 10C, blue sky and sun :-)

Summary - legs starting to feel less tired towards the end of the week. Getting back into normal training now after a good few weeks of hard racing. I've decided to skip the VT round in Roskilde next week, partly to get back to focusing on road running training (which I don't think 1k cross intervals will help) and partly to play it safe after what happened at the same round last year, where I really destroyed my right ankle...

29.10.13-3.11.13: Week to Nordea Nytårscup

date\day	km	time	min/km
03/11/2013su	12.09	00:53:00	04:23
03/11/2013su	10	00:34:00	03:24
02/11/2013sa	5	00:18:20	03:39
02/11/2013sa	6.33	00:26:00	04:06
02/11/2013sa	7	00:28:00	03:59
31/10/2013th	8.7	00:38:00	04:22
31/10/2013th	1.6	00:06:00	03:44
31/10/2013th	8.7	00:38:00	04:22
30/10/2013we	8	00:35:00	04:22
30/10/2013we	7.2	00:28:00	03:53
29/10/2013tu	10.13	00:40:00	03:56
total=	84.75	av pace=	04:00

Monday in Skåne...

Mon 28/10 - SUPER MEGA STORM!!111! no run on account of tired legs and slightly adverse conditions: 35m/s winds, rain and flying tree branches. I know you should 'use the conditions', but that's just too much!
Tues 29/10 - AM: easy 10k to survey the storm damage; few trees down in Stadsparken and more branches down along the river. Weather far better, sun but still a bit of wind. Legs still very very stiff and tired; no hard interval training.
Weds 30/10 - AM/PM: easy laps of Stadsparken and the F&F Arena in Lund. Legs still stiff and tired. AM done slightly faster, PM much slower.
Thurs 31/10 - AM: easy standard 8.7k route Malmovagen-along river-up to F&F arena-loop to Central IP-back through Stadsparken. PM: same, but with 4x400m on the track at CIP. Legs still tired;  not near doing hard intervals again yet.
Fri 1/11 - rest day.
Sat 2/11 - Back in Århus. I'd considered going to the cross training in Mindeparken with 1900/AGF, but decided it was better to continue to avoid hard intervals and recover (plus NYC on Sun). Did the standard Sat morning of run out to Hasle bakker 6.4k, then Brabrand parkrun 5k in a very slow 18-something (this was part tiredness, part taking it easy and part mud), followed by a run back to Skejby on a longer 7k route. Hadn't done the parkrun for a while, so it was good to get a run out round there again. Final week of the summer course and rightly so, since the paths were quite slippery. Legs feeling a bit more alive after the session.
Sun 3/11 - Nordea Nytårscup: 10k, 34:02 (tempo training)
Signed up for this some time ago, vastly overestimating how quickly I'd recover from the Himmelbjerg and cross races. Therefore decided to take it as a hard tempo run session towards marathon training, pushing a bit harder in the first 5k and then trying to keep around 3.20-3.30/km pace, combining the race with an easier 13-15k Sunday run out along the coast to Moesgård afterwards.  This was the first NYC round I've done from Marselishallen (being injured for it last year) and it's a great improvement from the old start at the clubhouse, in terms of having somewhere inside to wait and more toilets!

My club (Aarhus 1900) have become more strict on club clothing, so far more people were running in club colours than previously. This is something I have mixed feelings about; it's good to see, good for the club's image and getting sponsorship cash but can also be quite excluding for those more casual runners who maybe don't wish to go to such expense (or get frustrated by very anal running rules&regs!). My opinion has always been that all you need to run is a cheap plain cotton t-shirt, a pair of shorts, any old trainers and a bit of motivation - not fancy gear!

The course was effectively a makeshift one due to AGF playing their home match on the same day, being 4x2.5k laps mainly through the woods around Tivoli Friheden (I  suspect that we might have shortened each 2.5k lap by 10-20m  (so 4x5-10s) by cutting a corner unintentionally...). This was far from ideal: 75% twisty, slippery, leaf strewn route and naturally after 2 laps us faster runners ran right into the back of the slower ones, thus making it a slalom. The winner Tom Wade, another (far faster) Englishman, slipped over and I came within millimeters of crashing full speed into the back of a girl wearing headphones who obliviously cut across me. A longer lap is definitely necessary for a mixed-ability event with a broad distribution of times, else chaos ensues and it can also causes a great deal of friction between faster & slower runners (I hate the Danish and Swedish distinction between 'Motion' and  'Tävling/Konkurrence' - a race is a race and a runner and runner to me!)

Despite this, the race was very enjoyable and a good workout. The Nytårscup is an excellent idea which for me really helps motivate myself this time of year, when it's getting a bit cold and horrible. It and other tilskudsløb really do make 1900 membership worthwhile.

Summary - Now it's time for a racing break and back to some more ordinary training!