One Long Twitten: Steel City Half

[OutAlongTheRiver]

All too soon the next half marathon peeks over the horizon ... a month between runs is fine, I thought.

But it's now nearly the end of March and there's just over two weeks to go until Sheffield HM ... am I tapering or am I building up ... help! 

This is the challenge of repeat HMs each month. And I haven't found the best advice on this yet ...

So I've reverted to week 10 of the 14 week Asics plan prep ... which means back to tempo and sprint runs midweek, and longish 18-19km at weekends

I'll say more about the HM route - but as it says in the title it's effectively one long twitten - starting from City centre with steady climb of around 950 feet to half way and then back.

   

I resumed running after an involuntary week's break post-Moyleman (more due to work pressure than wish not to go out) - and since I was in Glasgow for work conference went for a lovely parkrun around Tollcross Park on the east side of the city.

A picture perfect park, with mature trees, rose gardens, gentle rises and falls, views over the city, a large international swim centre around the corner with parking, cafes etc ... should have been packed.

85 people there. Folks in east end of Glasgow - even in what seem leafy middle class streets - may not be into their exercise quite as much as you'd hope. The ones who were there were keen though - with two people doing their 100th, and running with balloons - which seems to be a thing there.   

Back in Lewes for the Sunday, we enjoyed a Twitten run and then tagged on a flat 13K up and down the Cuckoo trail. In late sunshine and no wind, it was a lovely way to take in a flattish run (there's a gentle 80m of climb on 5km out - enough just to be noticeable) - totally free of any cars or houses and lovely countryside all round.  Only downside is the drive to get there ....

Then this week resumed the tempo runs:  around Regent's Park 3 lots of 1.5km with 60s recovery aiming for faster pace than before (4:40 per km) and while tough it was doable.

I won't be testing out speed on parkrun this weekend since we're celebrating Beast of Bevendean's 100th parkrun - at Seaford Beach Parkrun. We shall run en masse in phalanx formation and cheer the BoB home at his club's new parkrun venue.

The Sunday should be in Sheffield - so will head up for same amount of climb as for the HM going up Porter Valley and back in 18km loop.  That would put another 150km total for the month, meaning in the three months at the start of this year I will have done well over 50% of the 880km total distance I achieved in 2018.  

On, on ...