Heat training (sort of!)

I'm back on it but as I was away in Saville for the football followed by a trip to Madrid, I had to carefully plan my running.  100,000 Rangers supporters landed in Saville for a party and unfortunately we didn't get the result we wanted.  However despite a long day with a few libations along the way (!!) I was up the next morning for a 10k run.  I can't let the training slip and must keep my "eyes on the prize" no matter what challenges get in the way.
Madrid was hot, very hot but I managed 4 runs.  Nothing over 12 km but the heat had to be taken into account.  In Romania last year it was 35 degrees which was similar to one day in Madrid but I wasn't carrying a 12kg backpack and trying to run 250 km in a week up mountains.  So it was good to "suffer" in the heat as a reminder of what lies ahead.
But I'm feeling in a good place with all the hard work that's been done to date and the 125k Ultra two weeks ago was a confidence booster as I had to dig deep mentally to push through the pain barrier and keep going to the end.  Anyone with a desire to complete a multi staged ultra like MdS or URR should test themselves out on a 125km ultra over 2 days.  It give you a good insight as to the challenges you will face.
My coach has told me the mountain training will start again on Saturday and I can't wait to get back.  The scenery, the solitude and the silence of the mountains is sublime.  I'll also be doing back to back long days in the coming weeks and months, getting used to waking up with a days tough running in my legs and then repeating it.  That's what will get me ready for Romania plus I will be starting to run with a weighted backpack.  Scotland might not offer me the heat training but it got everything else I need.  Before 11th August (URR) I will source a training camp in the mountains abroad where I can be guaranteed the heat plus of course I have my heat chamber work with the UWS to look forward to.  Working towards challenging goals requires a well constructed plan where you stick to it and never lose focus on the prize and of course in the end the most important question is "how bad do you want it?"

Emotional roller coaster

Peaking for races requires meticulous planning in the months leading up to the event and my coach Genevieve got my training spot on.  She delivered me to the start line in a great physical and mental shape and as the balance for success in long distance events in 60% mental, in my opinion, you need to train to handle the emotional roller coaster you are on during the event but also be aware of the "post race blues" that can affect you after the high.  I remember in my 125 km race last weekend feeling low with 7km to go.  It was a drag, literally I was dragging my arse up a 3.8km road up the hill, and my blisters were hurting.  With 6km to go I took a gel as it was obvious I was "running on fumes" and was going to "bonk".  I forced the gel down, I almost threw it back up, and my energy level recovered. As I reported last week, coming through the steep descent through the forest was tough but hearing the crowd welcome in the runners 1.5km away spurred me on and when I entered the finishing 300m in the field, all pain evaporated as I heard the crowd cheer me on and completed my fastest km of the whole 125km!
I lost 3kg during the race and had burned 10,000 calories in 2 days.  When I got to look at my blisters they were bad and were going to take some time to recover.  As a result I didn't run until Sunday.  I took the time to rest, eat and sleep after all my body was fatigued and before I start my next block of training for Romania on 11 August, I needed to recover.
I have been eating for Britain!  2 breakfasts, big lunches and dinners with snacks in between.  My body was craving food and I dutifully obliged.  I also enjoyed a few beers and glasses of wine!
Yesterday I headed out for an hours walk as my legs were desperate to get going.  This was my way of testing them to see how they were.  I then asked my coach if I could run today and was delighted when she said to head out for a 10km run but not to make it a one pace run.  I was so excited when I woke up and headed out to an area which is reasonably flat.  To describe a run is sublime may seem strange as I ran round boring roads in a new town but just the feeling of motion in my legs again and enjoying the birds singing made me extatically happy.  It was a grey day with light rain at the end but nothing could shake how wonderful it was to be back running.  I even managed a negative split and it was a pacey run.  Afterwards I rewarded myself with coffee and cake before heading home for a protein drink and lunch.
I have two main messages today: the first is the importance of managing your emotions before, during and after a race as it is like being on a roller coaster.  I haven't suffered post race blues but I believe that's because I am focused on my "A race" in August.  If that wasn't in the diary then I'd probably now feel low.  The second is your recovery.  Take the time to let your body recover before you get back to training.  This means you will come back stronger and have less chance of injury.  Rest, eat, sleep and recover - you deserve the break.  Finally good luck to Wilson Kane in Ironman 70.3 Marbella next Sunday -  go smash it mate your training has been amazing!
 

Ultra X 125 Scotland

And so it is over.  Months of meticulous planning, a training schedule that took me from 5km to the start line of a 125km race, weekends in the mountains in all kinds of weather and a lot of time and money spent on keeping my body going through Pamela my sports therapist, Gill my chiropractor and Rhondda my masseuse (my medical team).  
Last week I was complaining about niggles.  To be more accurate, golfers elbow, lack of mobility in my shoulder and neck, tight hammy and foot and calf pain.  But my "medical team" came to the rescue and made sure I was standing at the start line ready to go on Saturday morning at 7am.  A thought that had crossed my mind a few weeks ago having done 35km in the mountains was how would I feel knowing I had another 40km to go that day followed by another 50km the next day?  It's not something I wanted to dwell on as it could have a negative affect on my outlook on the race.  I came to the conclusion that the 35km I'd just done was all about the elevation in the 4 Munros I'd just tackled and the time on my feet - end of discussion, with myself!
Before getting to the start line I had picked my Canadian friends Mike & Kristine up from Inverness Airport.  I was dressed in my finest kilt and ready to promote Scotland but the look on Kristine's face when she saw me suggested it was either a fashion gaff, or that her luggage with some race kit hadn't turned up.  It was the latter.  Thanks KLM you are consistent!  It happened to me in Romania (KLM) and it's not a good start to a race.  Poor Kristine wasn't in a good place mentally with the stress but we managed to get her kit (thanks Roddy Riddle for your assistance) and food with the exception of poles so she was good to go.  Except in the morning of the race she took the wrong medication which could have been a major problem so another fraught few hours.  I only mention this because you can lose a race before you start it if you have negative thoughts draining your energy as you wait for the start.  It plays on your mind constantly and even standing next to someone who is going through this, is draining.  Mike and I both had a decision to make.  Do we run with Kristine and make sure she is OK or run our own races?  Mike was always going to go for it and I had intended to run with Kristine but I knew she had some injuries and I might have to leave her.  She a very experienced runner so "knows the score".  As the doctor had given her the OK, Mike & I ran our own race.
I marvel at how the mind works.  One day you think a 20km training run is long and then I'm standing ready to run75km followed by 50km!  The way I approach it is only focus on the next check point so you're looking at 10-16km max.  I had recced the start of the race so was comfortable with my pace knowing what lay ahead, or at least I thought I did.  After a big climb we hit the BOG!  It must have taken over 40 mins to navigate through the peat bog and it was very tiring and wet.  Thanks goodness I had the GPX map on my watch as you couldn't see the flags that were there to direct you.  I think I've finally worked out the functionality of my Garmin and I'm so in love with it.  
While the route is pretty, when you get on top of the mountain and can look up and down the length of Loch Ness, that takes all the pain away.  By this time I'd hooked up with a bubbly 1st time ultra runner Chloe McNiven.  We had similar interests about positivity and we kept each other going when in truth, we were hurting.  She'd injured her ankle and the back of my left knee was tightening up and causing me concern.  But if you can chat away it's amazing what you learn and also the distance melts away.  In the end we both needed a quick massage with 10km to go and then hunted down the runners that had passed us while we were getting treated.  Chloe had friends supporting her and in the last kilometer sprinted away as she was high as a kite and couldn't contain her energy.  That's the great thing about Ultra's - the interesting people you meet.  I came across the line in 10hrs 39 mins.  Mike had smashed the course and was 4th while Kristin, without poles, had done amazingly well.
During the day I'd had 7 gels, 2 mini pork pies, 2 energy bars and 3 boiled potatoes in butter and rock salt.  I had one 500ml bottle which always had water in it, another with water and electrolytes (zero) and my emergency bottle of Coke - rocket flue!  It's worth the weight.  It's a balance of replacing some of the calories, you can't replace them all, and making sure your stomach doesn't get upset.  Hydrating is essential and I never got caught out like a number of runners who ran out of water.  There weren't many streams to drink from if stuck and the weather was warm so your sweat rate was high. 
Back at the campsite I wasn't looking forward to my freeze dried dinner but had spotted a fish and chip shop on the way into Fort Augustus so I headed out to replace some of the 6,000 calories I had burned.  It was delicious.  Once of our tent companions had a massage gun so I treated my legs before bed and in the morning which was a real bonus.  A very cold night in a tent meant a broken sleep but when I woke up I felt refreshed.  Some freeze dried porridge followed by the all important poo, and I was good to go. 
Everyone around me was saying the same thing; ONLY 50km to go!  Again, amazing how the mind of an ultra runner works.  Chloe joined me at the start line but on the second downhill her ankle was holding her back so we parted company.  I spent the majority of the race on my own although I was overtaking then being overtaken by the same people so we had some chat along the way.  What keeps you going are the volunteers who cheer you into the check points.  It's so uplifting and you float out of the aid stations full of hope - thank you.  I was comfortable on the hills, was cautious on the downhills because of my continuing tightness at the back of my knee but the long flat tarmac sections were hard. I knew I had blistered toes but there was little point in stopping to treat them so I just tried to block out the pain but thinking about my "dot watchers".  Towards the end there was a 3.8km tarmac road that just kept going up.  Where it flattened out I'd try and run, very slowly by now, but on the uphill I just walked.  This is where your motivation and positive mind set comes in.  I think about my friends that I have trained with to get to the start line.  I know they will be thinking of me and probably watching my painfully slow dot moving along on their smart phone.  I know they will be willing me on and I don't want to let them down so I push through the pain because after all, it's only temporary.  I didn't have any dark moments during the race but the slog before the last summit was tough.  At the last checkpoint they told us not to follow the GPX map and follow the signs which was slightly disconcerting as my GPX map had done me well.  When we diverted off course the route was a steep downhill narrow and twisting trail.  I had to focus really hard as my legs were tired and I didn't want to fall.  I'd seen enough runners walking backwards and sideways down the hill as their quads had gone, so was taking it easy because of the tightness in my left hammy.  Half way down the hill I could hear the crowd cheering in the runners - it was such a lift to know the end was close.
When I got down to the road I could hear the crowd and saw a runner 100 yards ahead of me, I'm having him was my immediate thought and I began chasing him down with 1km to go.  There was a sign, "Runners Crossing" but unlike the others in the race, the crossing was about 100 yards further on - what a kick in the nuts that felt like.  As I crossed the road into the finishing field I overtook my "prey" and probably ran the fastest 300 yards of the race.  They sent us all the way round the field and I could hear the cheers from the crowd as they could tell I wanted to finish ahead of the other guy.  There was a "hill" in the field of at least......5ft but it wasn't welcome at this stage.  I turned into the final straight, I had a surge of energy and was celebrating with the crowd and my finish picture makes me look like a mad man.  I crossed the line and lay down on the ground before receiving my well earned winner medal.  I had given everything, including a further 4,000 calories, and now wanted to curl up in a ball and rest. 
Mission accomplished and I have to thank my coach Genevieve who once again against all the odds with my injuries, work and family life gets me to the start line in great condition.
Mike came in 3rd overall which was an unbelievable result.  Kristine came in 1st V50 female which is even more impressive when you understand the challenges she had face.  I came in 22nd overall and 1st V50 so was very pleased with the result.  We went out and celebrated with a memorable meal where we stuffed our faces and I introduced them to whisky!
Thank you to everyone who has supported me to the race, who sent encouraging messages, who dot watched and cheered me across the line.  Thanks to my family and wife for putting up with my absence while I was training in the mountains.  Ultra Race Romania is on 11th August so after a short recovery I'll be back at it so your continued support is always welcome.
This race was tough but I suffered no DOMS as a result of the training regime.  It was more a mental challenge and I feel it has set me up for Romania and that possibly I am getting the hang of how to manage ultra events.  The running is one thing but the hydration, eating, race management, sleeping in tents, eating freeze dried food are all part of the race as fail on one of those and you're finished.  It was a great event made even more special by having my friends Mike & Kristine there plus the new friends I made on the trails.  It was so good to see such a young field of runners and even Chloe, at 32 taking on her first ultra (125km FFS!) and finished it despite her painful injury.  Truly inspirational.  Ultra runners rock!

Tapering tandrums

This time next week I'll be on the 2nd and final day of my 125km ultra, hopefully.  I'm so glad I had the long weekend of training last weekend as it allowed my tapering to start but as anyone knows who has tapered before a race, strange things can happen during this period.
To set the scene it wasn't a normal week.  4 days and 3 nights in London meant no gym work, other than working out every day in my room, and a couple of runs.  I love running round London very early in the morning so that you see the sunrise over the iconic buildings while running beside the Thames.  I have stopped taking my phone with me as I'd be stopping at every other corner to take a picture.  I'm happy that the "pictures and memories" are inside my head and that I'm out to run, not see the sights!
But London is flat so my second run was out from Trafalgar Square to Regents Park and then to Primrose Hill.  The only hill in London, no kidding.  It doesn't look much and I ran up it a few times but this wasn't meant to be a hill rep day for me.  I marveled at the runners who were on hill reps and it certainly looked a tough work out.  I enjoyed all the parks and got back to my apartment feeling amazing having had the best start to my day possible.  I was primed and ready for my 8.30 breakfast meeting!
The downside of London which I won't forget again, is walking in business shoes causes me problems - I should have walked in my running shoes.  When I got home my foot started to play up and yesterdays run was cut very short due to pains in my hammy.  My hammy has been tight for over a week but I have my "medical team" lined up for next week to prepare me for my race.  Fingers crossed as 125km will put a strain on the hammy.
This is typical for pre-race week, tapering always causes niggles to appear so I am not going to over think it.  Plenty of rest, stretching, hydration and feeding for the next week.  My friends Kristine & Mike from Canada will be racing with me and one of the best aspects of ultra's is the people you meet along the way who become lifetime friends.  Ultra runners are definitely very special people who run in very cool places (some of them also hot!).  Enjoy your bank holiday weekend. 

Finding the right path!

It's not often I'm given 3 days off running but following last weeks back to back mountain running on Friday & Saturday, those were the orders from my coach Genevieve.  Her data indicated a rest was required so I happily obliged.  That didn't mean there wasn't any gym sessions however!  I had two runs of 14 & 16km later on in the week and I felt the benefit of my rest.
Her generosity was because this weekend was a biggy.  Going solo in the mountains and staying overnight, in a hotel not a tent, to get the early start today without a long drive made sense.  The weather forecast was fantastic and it didn't disappoint.
I headed off to Kinlochleven to gain access to the Mamores.  A stunning mountain range that I raced the Ring of Steall last year.  On Saturday it was blue skies all day.  The scenery was stunning and my pal Michael had planned the route for me using the online OS map so I had it on my phone and watch - what could possibly go wrong?  Starting from the right place is so important and after 200m I checked my phone which showed I was on the wrong path!  Once on the right path it was fine, until there was no path to be seen.  Apparently Michael's red line on the map doesn't mean there is a path!  So it was a straight climb up the front of the mountain.  Mostly through heather but that can be very tiring.  If there was a path, I never found it until the last quarter of the climb where a path appeared from nowhere!  The views from the summit of Stob Ban were absolutely stunning. I met a few climbers and we took pictures using each others cameras to capture the views with us in them.  Then it came to finding the way off the summit down to the ridge.  It wasn't obvious at first as it was a very steep drop and it was one of the other climbers that spotted it for me.  It was a precarious descent and I had to pick my way carefully through the rocks, making decisions about the direction to take.  I then followed a stunning ridge to East Top then Mullach nan Coirean.  On reaching that summit I could see across the mountain range to the sea loch at Fort William. Although it wasn't on my plan I decided to add another 30 mins to my run and go across another ridge to Meall a' Chaorinn.  The picture I got was worth the effort and I took ten minutes to eat some food while enjoying the mountain to myself.  These days are very rare.
But then the descent, which is connected to the title of this blog, was awful.  In short there was no bloody path and once again I was walking straight down the face of the mountain.  It was slow and painful but I almost made it unscathed.  15 m before the track at the bottom my foot disappeared down a hole, I fell over an my right ear landed on the handle of my pole - ouch.  Thought I'd burst my eardrum but as I hadn't lost my balance I picked myself up and ran out to the end.  A wee reminder of how easy it is to hurt yourself and why you always need to be on guard even when safety is in sight.  That could easily have been a broken limb which is why I always carry a survival bag and other provisions.  But 21km with 1,500m of ascent was just what I needed.
Today was always going to be a tough one on tired legs which was the plan to build me for my 125km race in 2 weeks.  33km with 2,000m of ascent and an out and back just to muck with my head.  From Glencoe over the Devil's staircase to Kinlochleven then out the other side and up the initial climb of the Ring of Steall and summit Am Bodach then back down and over the Devil again.  Another nice day although windy so I kept my jacket on until I had descended Am Bodach - it was definitely chillier.  The path is fine till you start the final climb to the summit and it's a boulder field.  There are numerous routes because the one I went up was definitely not the one I came down.  When you're solo on these mountains you are hyper aware that every step is important and when running down from the top, every footstep is an potential ankle turn or break.  So you are constantly making decisions about which path to follow as the path splits giving you two or three options.  You have to concentrate so hard as you are travelling at speed over loose rocks, shale and soft peat.
In my head I wasn't looking forward to the route from Kinlockleven back over the Devil so I imagined my running pals were with me.  It was good to have some "imaginary company" and the amazing thing is, I flew up the hill quicker than I'd thought possible.  It's a reminder of what goes on in your head makes a difference to how you approach challenges.
When I'm out on the hills solo, finding the right path is essential and constantly being aware of the risks of descending quickly needs my full concentration.  And starting from the right place or heading off the summit in the right direction, even if you can't see the path is important.  Sometimes the right path isn't visible until you've started and your vision of the landscape changes.  Have fun out there but be careful and if your head is in a negative place or your nervous (as I was on the summit) call on your "imaginary friends" - it works!

Reframe the challenge

The key to building up for a long distance race, is back to back runs.  If you are doing a 75km race there is no need to run the distance before the race.  Running two consecutive days of say 40km followed by 30km will suffice as it's running on tired legs that you need to practice. Getting "comfortable being uncomfortable" is the phrase that springs to mind as you need to prepare your mind for the discomfort that lies ahead and get used to pushing through that potential hurdle.  To some people hurdles are an obstacle but to others they are a form of exercise - yes we're back to mindset again.
I exactly 3 weeks time I will be putting this to the test as I will be on day two of my 125km Ultra.  Day one will be 75km so my legs definitely will be tired and there is plenty of elevation to remind them that it's going to be a tough day.  I'll have dined alfresco eating a freeze dried meal and slept in a tent which is not quite the same as having a warm shower, a lovely meal and sleeping in your own bed but I will feel much closer to nature which will be invigorating. 
On Friday I headed off to the mountains with my pal Michael and we completed 4 Munro's over 35 km with 2,240m of climbing.  It took 6.5 hours and we were met with low cloud base, snow fields to cross, high winds and eventually some sunshine.  The last summit was spectacular and we enjoyed taking some pictures before heading down.  Even with the best navigational equipment we couldn't find a path and had to walk straight down the mountain which hurt, quads, knees, ankles, & toes - picked up a blister!  There was a short run out at the bottom through a lovely forest but we both decided just to walk it as our legs had had a tough day.  The thought occurred to me that in 3 weeks time I'd have a similar ascent to climb but over 75km not 35km but that I'd still have 40km to go to finish day 1 - just short of a marathon!  Then I'd have another 50km to go the next day.  Thinking like that isn't good for me so I reframed it into a wonderful day out in the mountains with like minded people and how much fun we were going to have with the beautiful scenery.  That felt better and more positive.
On Saturday I headed off for a solo trip up Ben More and was hoping to continue onto Stob Binnein.  This is the forth time I have aimed to do this but once again the weather conditions were poor.  I choose Ben More because the ascent is relentless - 1hr 14 mins of constant ascent with no break.  But even before I set off I could see the cloud base was half way up.  When I got to the summit I couldn't see anything.  The sun looked like it was trying to get through but visibility was very poor and being solo I didn't want to take the chance of being on a new route.  My legs had "enjoyed" the short sharp reminder that they had had a hard day the day before so I decided to take my time on the downhill which is tricky and as the rocks and mud were slippy, I strolled down the hill.  It was busy so I chatted to people who were heading up and based on the footwear of some, if they made the summit the descent would have been extremely slow.  When will people learn the Scottish mountains are dangerous and proper equipment is required or you are putting yourself and others in danger.  The other reason for going slow was my feet were sore from the final descent the day before and I had an annoying blister on my toe in an unusual place.  So the pressure of a steep descent was, uncomfortable and I did what I could to make it less uncomfortable which resulted in a stroll.  It gave me a chance to take a load of pictures when I was out of cloud base as the scenery is spectacular.
I might not have covered the miles that I was scheduled for, but I'm here writing my blog which means I got off the mountain safely.  Had I been with others I'd have gone on but the ascent certainly gave my legs a workout.  Getting off the sofa last night required quite an effort as my quads were complaining and required an extra push.
It's been a good weeks training with a few mid week 16km runs to keep me ticking over.  My gym work is slightly hampered by golfers elbow and a shoulder injury but that doesn't stop me working my legs. Whether you are running your first 10km or marathon or ultra marathon, if doubts flood your mind on the approach to the event (I haven't done enough training is a fairly typical one) then reframe the challenge.  I was not going to enter the Tahoe 200 in 2019 because I'd heard negative stories about the organising of the event and safety concerns but then I reframed the challenge and regarded it as a "survival course".  Turns out that was the case and allowed me the mental strength to get through the challenges that came my way.
I am really looking forward to the challenges that Ultra 125 X Scotland will offer me but running with my Canadian friends Kristine and Mike will make it an exciting adventure.  I've enjoyed the journey to prepare for this event and the "cherry on top" will be completing it successfully.
I leave you with the message, we're all capable of so much more and if you want to overcome challenges then reframe them in your head.  Go on.  Raise the bar and enjoy the journey.

A good talking to!

Spoiler alert.  Not to be read while eating. 
What a shit week - literally!  The first rule of an ultra is "don't trust a fart".  I have a well practiced routing in the morning making sure I'm as "light as possible" if you get my drift before I leave for my run!  But the "runners curse" kicked in and let's just say it was a very messy last kilometer!  But I didn't slow down as I had a target to hit!
My first race of the year is 4 weeks away.  125km over two days with an over night under the canvas to look forward to.  3,513m of elevation is the key and as you know I've spend a lot of time in the mountains to get my legs used to the ascending but more importantly the descending - that's where the damage is done.  In training you need to regularly "shred your quads" to get them used to the strain because if they fail, and it's happened to me before, it's the equivalent of going down hill with no brakes.  You lose control over your legs.  The training in the gym makes them stronger but trashing them on the descents makes them race ready.This weekends weather meant it wasn't safe for me to be high in the mountains on my own.  I decided to recce the start of the race because I have run it in the other direction when I ran the Great Glen Way (73 miles) but I have no recollection of coming off the hills except I did too much walking because my head was in a bad place, despite coming top over 50 vet.  I drove up the night before and at 8am headed off on the trail.  I remembered none of it some of which was due to a lot of the trees having been cut down.  But the first 10km felt awful with my legs being tired and my head telling me to turn back as I obviously "wasn't well" and the snow was starting to fall.  I find the greater the distances I run the longer it takes to warm up.  The route out of Inverness isn't a steep climb but it's generally upwards.  I stopped and took a gel and drank some water.  I jogged on and within a few minutes started to feel better and I talked to myself about how lucky I was to be in this beautiful forest.  In short I'd given myself a good talking to and reminded myself of the journey I'd been on to get to this place and the goals and adventures I'd set myself for the rest of the year.  I imagined what it would be like on race day with the excitement of running with my Canadian pals who I met in Romania and my spirits lifted.  I thought of all the tough training runs with my friends over the years, yes years as you can't run these kind of distances on one seasons training.

It was an out and back and I did miss on very small waypoint and will make sure on race day that I don't.  32 km in the bag and nice to know that I felt comfortable with the start.  I headed straight down the road and stopped for food as I was starving having burned 2,817 calories.  I haven't stopped eating since getting home!
This morning was 15km, 2 laps of Chatelherault.  The first minute is a gradual climb and I could feel my legs which up and till then had seemed fine.  I told myself how important this run was because it's the combination of the back to back runs that matters.  Running when your legs are tired is the only way to prepare for long distance runs because in reality it's 3 marathons in 2 days and it's hilly and on trails which drains your legs.  I've ran longer, 205 miles in 3.5 days with 40,000 of climbing, and while this might give me confidence in knowing I can do it, it's down to my physical and mental conditioning on the day.  So this mornings run was important and I dug in deep.  I ran on feel and was surprised when I completed the first lap in 43min 33sec - faster than normal by a couple of minutes.  I set off again and said, let's make this a negative split (a faster lap than the first one) but I knew it would be hard as I was fatigued.  I felt good as I'd warmed up with the first lap but knew it wouldn't be easy as I rarely manage a negative split around Chatelherault.  But then I'd never consciously decided this was what I was going to do. 
And this is where you help me.  I think about what I am going to write in my blog while running. I want to pass on any tips or to inspire to you "raise the bar" as we are all capable of so much more.  So thinking about you reading the blog made me push myself on the second lap.  I could feel the fatigue in my legs but again I gave myself another good talking to.  FFS I said, in 4 weeks time a 15 km run is nothing so what are you moaning about.  I applied "rule 5" (Man the fuck up).  I made my split negative, by 20 seconds.  Had I not set that target I would have been at least 3 minutes slower so thank you for being there for me.  Pushing me on when I needed it.  I know you'll be with me in 4 weeks time when I will really need your positive energy.  I've rested all afternoon and haven't stop eating or rehydrating.  My Garmin said I should take the next 4 days off.  My coach gave me 1 day off and I have 14 km to run on Tuesday and a gym session.  She understands what I need better than my Garmin.  
Set your goals high for the season because there is nothing worse than setting them low, and achieving them!