Enigma Need for Speed - 10 weeks to a half marathon PB (Week 3)?

After two high mileage weeks, this week was a reduced volume week before increasing and hopefully surpassing the previous two weeks volume.

Week 3 - 49.3 mi (6h 17m)

• Monday - Easy 4
• Tuesday -
  • AM: Easy 4 Cross Country
  • PM: 5 mi (1 mi warm up and 0.9 mi cool down including 5k race - Phil Johnson 5k)
• Wednesday - 12.5 mi (2 x 3 mile @ 5k pace with 1 mi recovery  plus 3 mi warm up and 1.5 mi cool down
• Thursday - 12.1 midweek LSR
• Friday - Easy 6.9 mi (in Dorking pre-friends wedding).
• Saturday -5 mi (3.1mi hard - ParkRun @ Reigate plus warm up and cool down)
• Sunday - Rest Day

The main two session this week was Tuesday and Wednesday, ideally I'd have fitted a tempo run in but with being at a Wedding on the Friday and general fatigue that just wasn't possible. Plus the back end of the week was focused on recovery in time for my clubs next Summer League race on the Tuesday.

As for Tuesday the race went well. Overall I was happy with the pace, in hindsight it would have been nice to go under my 5k PB but to match it gives me the confidence that I'm almost back to the same level of fitness I had at the same time last year. For full details on the race, see the Phil Johnson 5k race report.

Wednesday is one of the toughest session I'm currently doing. After a steady 3 mile warm up I did 8 laps (2 x 3 mi hard with 1 mi recover) of a 1 mi loop of East Park. My legs were screaming at me but with mile splits as follows:

• 06:28
• 06:21
• 06:28
• 08:03
• 06:27
• 06:32
• 06:26
• 08:34

The end of the week was finished off in Surrey, an easy run around Dorking/Reigate plus Reigate ParkRun. The ParkRun is a good off road course and I finished in 19:33 after only 5 hours sleep and too much alcohol!I was extremely pleased to tough it out and hit my target of 6.30 mi pace  (or under) for the 2 x 3 mile reps.

Next week is all about volume (70+ miles) plus Summer League of course.