Wot no reps?

Aisha got to the meeting point just ahead of me and we stood on the hot air vent as the freezing rain drizzled down and the Rockets started arriving.

About 17 rockets headed up to the canal.

I asked Steve Scrutton if he saw us yesterday and he was complaining about the amount of noise three blokes from Hertfordshire can make and he admitted he was trying to sneak some speed work in while no-one was looking.

Ian called the session and I could not believe it. 1x24 mins. That's not a rep it is a tempo run. The top guns had a long loop to follow and Karen explained the B group plans. Aisha tried to get a mutiny of reps, but Ian himself said no so that was it.

Later I agreed with Martin if they do that again we'll just do 10x1 instead.

Having done a long tempo with Martin and Paul yesterday I did not fancy this shorter faster tempo much at all. Instantly decided to do it in two halfs. Slower out and then try to come back harder.

Quickly I overtook Aisha who complained about the pace, but by now I felt it was not too bad. Elite had vanished and the B group of Karen, Sarah, two blokes and Scrutton were ahead. I watched this group with interest. Karen led and looked very strong.

Behind I had Aisha and a bloke who was going to do the luton marathon on Sunday so was taking it easy.

At the turn I'd reduced the 35 seconds Scrutton had on me to 30. I noticed too that Karen's group had dropped him. As we left the park the elite came through at speed and I used their momentum to drag me closer to Steve. 24 seconds and closing.

By the next tunnel 18. Then 14. Then 8. Gottcha.

Locked in at 4 seconds behind timing the footfalls to match his and breathing quietly. Total stealth mode engaged. I decided to make my move on the bridge. As we came out the tunnel before it I eased wide and took a deep breath. At the foot of the bridge I focused on the top of the hill and pushed off hard with the toes which had the desired effect of propelling me to the top of the bridge at exactly the same time as Steve, who gave me the look of death. I let rip down the other side and figured I was 10m ahead. Held that for 40 seconds then risked dropping the pace a shade for some instant recovery, enjoyed that for 30 seconds then picked it back up for home. 80 percent all the way back with just enough in the tank for a sprint finish if it came to that. I need not have worried he was nowhere.

I was over the moon with that. 4.42 miles cleared in 29:27 which is an ave of 6:40 min miles or 4:08 min kms. BUT this was massively negatively split. I was so much faster on the way back, I was probably near 7 min miles out and more like 6:20s on the way back, which is well under my magic 4min km target.



I graciously listened to Steve's long list of excuses, which basically boiled down to it is much easier to catch someone from behind than to stay ahead at the front. Oh yes Steve, I know...