Sunday, February 21, 2010

18/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 7.5km/ 4.7miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: -1°C/ 30°F
Weather: Cold and clear



 

17/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 6.44km/ 4.0miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 2°C/ 36°F
Weather: Cold and clear



 

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

16/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 15.8km/ 9.8miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 2°C/ 36°F
Weather: Cold wind with sleet flurries


Today is scheduled for a nine mile run, but as we'll be off the beaten track Saturday I swap for Saturday's 9 mile pace run as keeping up the required pace is easier on familiar territory. It won't be easy tonight however as Inverness has had snow on and off all day and the evening conditions are windy with sleet showers. At least the snow has not stuck around on the road and after warming up by jogging through town I up the pace on the road out to the A9. Once on the highway I continue northwest to the Kessock Bridge where the wind is pretty stiff from the east before I reach relative shelter for a stretch on the Black Isle.


I opt for a new stretch tonight, taking the side road from the A9 down towards North Kessock where I hit familiar territory in continuing under the bridge and up the steep slope onto the east side of the highway. From here I get buffeted by the wind returning over the bridge before I complete the target mileage by taking Longman Road home, ending the 9 miles in a few seconds under the target time. A little slower than recent pace runs but OK given the wind and a bit of up down en route.

 

15/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 5.4km/ 3.3miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 0°C/ 32°F
Weather: Cold and clear


 

14/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 27.1km/ 16.9miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 7°C/ 45°F 
Weather: Mild, occasinal sun and drizzle


 
 

13/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 4.9km/ 3.0miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 2°C/ 36°F 
Weather: Dull and damp


 
 

11/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 9.0km/ 5.6miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 3°C/ 37°F 
Weather: Damp


 
 

10/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 6.4km/ 4.0miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: -1°C/ 30°F
Weather: Clear and cold


 

09/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 12.9km/ 8.0miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 3°C/ 37°F
Weather: Chilly


 

Sunday, February 14, 2010

08/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 4.9km/ 3.0miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 2°C/ 36°F 
Weather: Chilly

It feels a little colder tonight but I only have 3 miles to run.

 

07/02/10 - Nairn/ Inverness (3 Runs)

Nairn 1

Distance: 12.2km/ 7.6miles
Altitude: 3m/ 10ft
Temp: 3°C/ 37°F
Weather: Dull and cloudy

Today calls for 16 miles (25.7km) and as I'm haring this week's hash run I'll get in a lot of mileage by setting the run (by dropping flour marks for the uninitiated) then following behind the group as they follow my trail. Barny will also get a good run today, joining me for both Nairn legs. Good thing he's a very energetic dog. I begin aiming west along the sea front before cutting inland, winding through a residential area, crossing a park and passing the railway. Running south past the hospital we pick up the footpath on the River Nairn to bring us back through town and down to the river mouth. As the map shows I also ran back and forth quite a bit to lay false trails.

 

Nairn 2

Distance: 8.8km/ 5.5miles
Altitude: 3m/ 10ft
Temp: 3°C/ 37°F
Weather: Dull and cloudy

Same as the above run, but this time other people run in the wrong directions and I just follow the main trail. I also added an extra half mile (km) by jogging from the end of the road to the pub!

 

Inverness

Distance: 5.1km/ 3.2miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 4°C/ 39°F
Weather:
Dull and cloudy

I make up the final part of today's mileage in a practical way, by running into work to catch up on a little paperwork.

 

06/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 14.9km/ 9.7miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 4°C/ 39°F
Weather: Damp

It is late in the evening by the time I get on the road today for an 8 mile (13km) pace run, so my favourite route on the canal is out with the weather returning to typical Scottish snow free, dark and damp conditions. Running at a set pace just under 7 minute miles (4:20/km) requires a reasonably familiar road so after a warmup for 1km I head for the A9 on the main Longman Road. I have often run over the Kessock Bridge but today I continue a little further on the highway until I guess I've gone far enough to get in the full run distance with a short warmdown at the end. Keeping the pace is difficult in the early stages as I only ate a couple of hours ago but I finally get into a comfortable stride and average a few seconds faster than my target.

 

04/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 9.5km/ 5.9miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 3°C/ 37°F
Weather: Damp

Today is hill sprints day so I run gently home, drop my bag and jog up to the hill I used 3 weeks ago, this time for 5 400m (1/4 mile) reps in a slight drizzle. It's not exactly thrill a minute running uphill hard then jogging down but I survive and maintain a good pace to the end. Running earlier than last time I get a few more strange looks from the passers by!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

03/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 7.9km/ 4.9miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 2°C/ 36°F
Weather: Chilly

Today I'm aiming at a 4 mile run, so after a practical start taking work documents to the postal sorting office I short cut through the railway station and aim south and west to cross the river and follow it south to Bught Park. Then I cross the park to the canal and run home on the east bank.

 

02/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 13.6km/ 8.5miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 0°C/ 32°F
Weather: Cold breeze

The distance for Tuesday has increased to 8 miles and it is a cold night that greets me, with a stiff breeze. I know that running to and over the Kessock bridge then home is approximately 8 miles so I start through the Crown area before heading over to the A9 and following the road north to the bridge. The wind is cold as I cross the Moray Firth, cut over the road and return back south, dodging repair men who are replacing street lights. Then I follow my regular loop past the Caley Thistle football ground, along the Moray Firth and up the river to the Grant Street Bridge before heading straight home.

 

01/02/10 - Inverness

Distance: 5.4km/ 3.4miles
Altitude: 5m/ 18ft
Temp: 2°C/ 36°F
Weather: Chilly


Monday is short run night so I use one of my standard routes to make up approximately 3 miles: along the A82 and up over the hill on General Booth Road/ King Brude Road and home through Scorguie.


 

Monthly Totals - January

Despite the cold, snow and ice I managed to stick more or less to my training throughout the month. In total I ran just over 250km or 155 miles. Weekly summary:

 3rd -  9th       42km     26 miles
10th - 16th      54km     34 miles
17th - 23rd     53km     33 miles
24th - 30th      61km     38 miles

That is quite a bit more mileage (105km/ 65 miles more) than February last year (my marathon in 2009 was 5 weeks later so Feb was roughly the equivalent month). We shall see if I can keep it up injury free until April!