No real long run this week so it looks pretty rammed to hit those target pts which are lighter than the average. Quite a few nice easy runs in there where you can just chill and tick off the miles. Any issues with the S&C let me know, definitely lots of potential to mix that up if there are any exercises you don’t like.

140 Points Target

119 Points Achieved

A good week, but not quite all training completed, having missed a few of the S&C exercises, 5 mins of the speed session and a 30 mins easy. However, given what I had to deal with on Friday, missing a little bit of training is no biggie. I feel like I’ve had a massive weight lifted from my shoulders, which is only going to have a positive affect on all aspects of my life, including running. Happy with where I’m at

85% of training given what you had to deal with this week is a bloody good effort. I too feel like this is a good switch up and the focus now going back to the longer distances will hopefully get your doing what you love the most. Let’s do this, and fuck the haters.

MONDAY

27pts | 90 Mins Run

27 POINTS

90 Mins @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

Keep this nice and easy. Focus on good form & efficient running economy. RPE should be around the 3/10 which means you can run and chat.

27 Points

Wind. Rain. Great run! Expected it to be a lot harder than it was. Felt good

Character building. Padraig would be impressed 😂 Great work Joe.

TUESDAY

36pts | Continuous Hills

36 POINTS

10 Mins WU @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)
40 Mins @ HM-Marathon Effort (RPE: 6)
10 Mins @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

Find a hilly route and push the pace a little. The uphills will naturally make the RPE increase. Try to attack the downhills as well, then ease off a touch on the flat. This is a session though so effort should be quite high during the 40 mins on.

36 Points

That was really tough tonight, as I was nackered. Finished on 35 mins, but to be honest, if I’d continued, then most of the remaining 5 minutes would’ve been downhill, so I’d done the hard work!

Like with embracing the bad weather, for you feeling knackered at the end of a day is a massive positive. Because it’s a chance to practice how you’re going to feel on many of your long runs and ultras. So it’s a chance to practice running when it’s tough. Well done for getting this done Joe.

WEDNESDAY

12 Points

Did this session on Friday, but unfortunately missed our the exercises that a bar was required for – deadlifts, hip thrusts, squats – as there were people using the bars

Hate when that happens. But well done for getting in the gym Joe. One option is to do them at home. Alternatives are single leg deadlift, single leg glute bridge and squats. If you don’t have weights at home just increase the reps by x2 or 3.

thursday

13pts | 30 Mins & Strides

13 POINTS

30 Mins @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

8 x 100 metre Strides (RPE: 8)
60 Second Recoveries

Sometimes a 30 minute shake out can help recovery or just give you some much needed head space. Keep it easy. Strides are crucial here.

FRIDAY

24pts | 60 Mins Run Hills

24 POINTS

60 Mins @ Easy Pace (RPE: 2-5)

60 mins on the flat is quite different to 60 mins on the hills. So it’s important to differentiate between the two and if you do a hilly easy run, to account for that extra training load and how it might impact the rest of your week.

14 Points

Not really sure what I’ll have time for later, with what’s going on today, so I did 45 mins, just on the flat. Breathing felt awful, which is down to nerves about later. Everything will be ok and there will always be running! Hoping to get out of court early enough to get to the gym later

Good luck mate! Let me know how it all goes! Well done for getting out there as well.

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

30 Points

Proof yet again that if I turn up to a race feeling relaxed, happy and not expecting too much from it, then it generally goes well. Really happy with how the race went…another top 10 finish, so I think that’s 6 out of my 8 club races this year that I have been in the top 10 of. Just over 19 mins and less than 20 secs off of my PB time. However, the best part of it was seeing so many of my HR friends…it really is a very special running family that we have

You said it all there at the end. Times are great but at the end of the day the community is the most important thing and arguably the best thing about being a runner. Great work Joe and nice to get that improvers award trophy presented too.