7.0m Mouette Genevois

Today Aurelien and I decided to take the little yellow boat called the Mouette (which is also the French name for a lake bird that looks like a small seagul)

We were late out and suddenly the short jog to the boat became the warm up from hell as we sprinted down the hill between cars and trams. Mapped here. Just before we got to the main road we could see the thing pulling in and as if by magic the traffic lights changed and the cars were stopped and full sprint was on as we hammered it to the jetty waving like mad to the guy on the boat. We then waited for 5 mins before it pulled out and chugged across the lake to the far side.

Ran away from Geneva first and then switched back and ran all the way back to the office. It would have been only 2.5 miles back without the 4 mile extra bit so pleased to have done that.

Route on map my run here.

More about the Mouettes here.

5m recovery in Rolle

After Patrick's mountain madness it was a super slower than 9 min miles jog around my regular 5m route.

Set out at 7am and it was too hot by the time I got back.

Did a few high knee and butt kick drills but was still feeling stiff at the end.

13.5m at least with mountain man Patrick

Patrick lives here in the village of le Vaud which has stunning views back over the lake to the French mountains.

Patrick is training for a mad mountain ultra marathon - 60km race - straight up. So after I ducked out for last week's 5 hour run today was going to be a short 2 and half hours. So nothing to worry about then!

We set off at pretty much 7:32am and did not get back to the house until 10:16 so we ran for a good 2h 44mins which is the longest time on feet I've had for ages. Patrick kindly lent me a water bottle and he had his camel back and we were going no where near civilisation, let alone be passing any fountains that my usual lake site routes offer.

At every junction Patrick went for the steepest incline. Choice of route became clear. Straight up, no compromise. Hey ho. He told me not to run on the super steep sections to conserve energy - but his non-running soon put distance between up as he leapt from rock to rock effortlessly as I stumbled alone behind.

Mixture of forest trail and running through meadows in valleys flanked by tall trees and it feels like we are the only people on the mountain.

The air is thick with wood chips burning as we pass a buvette where a couple of guy say hi.

Suddenly there is a house lost on it's own in the mountain and an old guy with a big beard comes out in pick truck so we open the gate for him - he looks like an old version of Davy Crockett.

After just over one hour Patrick makes a surprised observation that we're only 3-4 minutes behind his normal schedule to get to that point. I'm flattered.

Best bit of the run was at col de la coix, which has a massive new wooden cross put up in 2011 and stone outlook from which we could see the lake and the whole Mont Blanc massive right down to where the snow line stops. Amazing for me as living at lake level I only get to see the summit peaking over the foot hills. Visibility was clearest I've ever seen it.

The cross marks a high point and we head home.

Patrick runs through a muddy puddle much to my amusement and I'm feeling the pace.

We negotiate a herd of cows and the associated Alpen pizzas and fly clouds that come with such things.

I took three gels and needed each one. The downhill was great and when the signs started mentioning le Vaud 1 hour I knew there was not much more running to do.

I was whacked at the end, but very please to have not dragged Patrick's pace down too much and was delighted to have seen the view and explored some great new trails.

Only disappointment was the Garmin which even with the full battery has decided to turn itself off if I touched it or move it in the wrong direction. So zero data today in that department.

Bad combo of old shorts and gel leak meant some nasty chaffing.

Back in Rolle the recovery was a swim in the lake and a spin in a kayak. Both were the business!

10x 100m reps

Garmin was a disaster today. Kept turning off after 9 seconds, which is particualy annoying when attempting 100m reps.

Lia was on 40m, Paul alternating between 60m and 80m (I could nearly catch him on the 80s) and then Lia started cycling some of the reps which was something I had not planned on.

Managed 10 reps and Paul timed me on rep 9 and 10 which both came in at 14 secs.

Very hot and was glad of the water bottle.

5.5m new airport hill with Piero

When I bumped into Piero at the water cooler he casually dropped into the conversation that he might run out of the office at lunch time, so this was the second opportunity in less than a week to run with the uber elite.

He was prepared for a "low intensity run" to see the trails I do and so I should be able to keep up. I opted for the reverse variation of the new airport hill and it was a great run. Piero graciously ran slowly for me and I don't think his hrt climbed much above 100 through the whole run. He runs like his legs are springs, effortlessly eating the hills and gliding along. I dreamed up very open questions to keep him talking and got some great stories about elite runners in Italy and the mountain races he's done.

I mentioned the Signal race, ah yes I did that a year ago and I was 2nd, was the typical way the conversation went.

We saw a peacock in the park with it's display open which was very nice.

My garmin failed completely so no stats, but roughly 46 mins, so still off my PR but started right away at the office and stopped at co-op so probably a shade more than the normal route.

5m recovery in Rolle

Stunning visibility today with the Mont Blanc in all it's glory looking particularly impressive, poking it's snowy summit up above the mountains that frame the lake.

Super slow holding hrt under or on 122. Close to no effort, perceived or otherwise.

That translated to 9 min miles, so 45 mins for the loop I normally do at pace. Made a point to read the inscriptions on all the fountains I drank from to slow me down.

Aches and niggles started to go around half way and some high kicks and drills speeded that up.

Perroy gates were closed. That was a sign.

Breakfast on the balcony in the sun.

8m with the elite ladies

Not been running with Tenke for a while, does that explain the over weight "slow" postings of late?

Our plan was to meet somewhere along the lake front and that worked pretty well as I crossed the bridge I could see Tenke zipping along chatting away to some I'd not met before.

It was Sofia, who has a classment overall in the Tour de Pays Geneve of 5th, so that means she's super fast, just a shade behind Tenke. Just done her first ever half marathon in Geneva and strolled home in 90 mins. Grrr, I've been trying to do that for 10 years.

Tenke wanted to run the Airport hill, so I agreed, but with the new variation to get me back to my office at a decent time.

We chatted away and I was telling Sofia about Jason and Richard, to which she politely inquired "Are they your children?" That sent Tenke and I into fits of giggles.

There was a patch on the field out to the airport woods where there was a bug swarm of Biblical proportions. My  sunglasses were covered in little insects, my light blue top was practically black and yes I managed to swallow one of the critters. Yuck!

Pace picked up somewhere on the plateau and then down back to my finish point felt fast. As we ran over the square in front of the Palais des Nations the water fountains kicked in and covered us in a fine spray of cold water. Perfect finish to a great run.

65 minutes time on feet and it really felt like a good work out, 8 min miles on the aiport hills is repectable enough.

Note to self, run more with Tenke!

Thank you ladies.

7m up the hill with Jason and Richard

Pre-run banter was all about getting Richard out of bed early to run in his night clothes, but the normal clockwork was not well oiled and by the time I had found Jason's new place we were already late for Richard.

We glided into the compound a full 15 mins late and by the time the Garmins found their satellites and we'd all gone "aw" at the baby rabbits the traffic on the road to the forest was heavy compared to normal. Ie, one car with the milk control man in it passed us on the way down and on the way back from his place to do whatever he does in the village.

I mistook two goats for baby horses with horns much to the boys' amusment.

At the kink in the forest we checked out the oldest tree and I admit that I hugged it.

It seems that Jason spent his entire six months dreaming up witty things to say about us - he was really on top form in that department today.

We then saw a deer in a field that was pretty cool, some white snails and a toad.

The way back without the protection of the forest meant it was like running on wet day in Wigan as Richard put it and while the rain was near horizontal and very heavy Jason's assertion that it was hailling struck a cord with me, but Richard reminded us the state that true hail leaves a runner in and we agreed it was definately not hail, just heavy rain.

If you see Jason, ask him about the car door window. Great story, which I've heard end to end twice now.

On the hill home Jason sprited off, but Richard and I let him go and then when he realised we were not right behind he slowed down and so Richard and I accelerated to full speed going past Jason effortlessly. While Richard got out of the blocks before me there was just enough hill for me to draw level with him by his drive. If I did not know him better, I could have sworn I was shoved hard after 10m. I must have imagined that.

7 super slow and very wet miles. But the time on feet was good as was the company and going up 1,000 feet is always good for something.

Garmin

5.5M New Montbrillant Airport Loop

New Montbrillant Airport Loop.

I like this version of the loop and it is a nice 5.5 miles. The Botanic gardens are a joy to run through, if busy on sunny afternoon like today.

The sun also provoked that odd Geneva reaction to hot weather, that is the topless bloke out running. Saw several sporting only shades and hrt straps above their racing shorts. Gave and received the runners' sign.

Looped the bottom hill, the top field out to the airport woods and back stopping at every fountain to quench my thirst. I love the one outside the bistro. Got a great look at some bloke's salad as I slurped down a handfull of water.

Home is down, not the airport hill but past the Amerian mission, the red cross museum and the Russian mission plus some swanky eateries. Finishing up outside the palais des nations who had thoughtfully turned on the big water square thing with plenty of jets to run through - that was a welcome cool down.
Killed the Garmin at the underpass and then off to the Coop to get some lunch in.

Ave. Was 8min miles and while it was only the second time I've done the route it was still a PB at 44 mins!

Garmin

5m Steady to Hard

Felt the need for speed and got out just as the rain stopped, but before the sun burnt through the clouds so it was still refreshingly cool and not too hot.

I did a PB for the loop. What I thought was my previous PB was 0.3 miles shorter which explained the minute difference.

What I was pleased about today was how I eased into the run getting steadily stronger as the run went on. Lizards jumping out of my way into cracks in walls, birds overhead and the workers tending to the vines in the fields. Great to be out.

Made use of Garmin's compare function to see how I did against last week's version of the run.

Garmin compare

7.7m Jason, he's back!

Today Jason was BACK. I'm so pleased as he now lives just 2.8km through the vineyards straight down to my house.

I was also very pleased to have Stefan with me too, it felt like the stars of TPV were back.

After a mile or so I dropped a gel much to the amusement of both guys, but they knew that having run off fast when I had to go back for my gel would be paid for at some point.

Payback came at the sprint to the gates of Perroy park, Stefan went off full pelt and both of them were in front of me for 50m, but Stefan faded as he did not  know where the finish line was and as Jason did my first kick worked as I went though miles ahead and then as Jason and Stefan walked to the park Jason sprinted the last 5m to go through in 2nd place.

Ave.  9.16 min miles, so a slow pace, but at least not the super slow pace that Richard prefers.

Garmin

7x 500m reps at the track in Rolle

Seemed like a good idea to take the kids to the track. However they we more interested in the long jump than shouting the splits which I suppose I did get for the first couple of sets. By the third they doing long jump and by the fourth they we chucking pine cones and sticks at me as I went past. From the 4th on I was sprayed by a water bottle which was actually rather refreshing.

Messed up the first lap as I had miss programmed the Garmin for a 5min rest between sets, so I had to edit the session without the computer which is possible, but takes ages.

Once that was sorted the rest we done with the regulation 1 min off.

I declined quickly after about half way and although I had planned eight as the 7th one was starting to make me feel sick I decided to call it a day and head home.

Garmin rep 1
Garmin the rest

5.5m easy airport run

Had planned to do reps around the bottom field, but drinks till late at the floating bar on the lake last night mean neither Aurelien nor I were in any fit state to do any serious work.

So we looped around the bottom field, then the top field, enjoyed the view, nattered in French and English and generally enjoyed being outside.

There is a fountain in Pregny which is right next to the terrace of a bistro and we both needed a drink so there we were slurping and huffing and puffing away when I noticed a rather annoyed customer of the place glaring at us as our heads were 20cm apart and we'd just gate crashed their lunch!

Pace was snail like and the highlight was running back down from the top of the airport hill directly to the office passing all the UN buildings and the Russian embassy which was on high alert for something.

Garmin

4.35m odd run in Geneva

I managed to sell my gym membership so doing the paperwork meant I missed Tenke and Emma for the start of the run, but bumped into them coming back on the lake just after the jet d'eau.

Great to be in winning company as got to hear first hand about the victory at the TPG two weeks ago and the podium last night.

No where near enough by the time we were back to I ran with Tenke to her boyfriend's office which explains the weird and wonderful route through Geneva city, plenty of stopping at major roads to cross and so on, but as ever Tenke keeps the pace sharp while we are moving.


Garmin

5m Rolle Perroy

Headed out into the sunny day and noticed how the high vines filling out make the first stretch much less bleak.

A few people out and about and some orange jump suited guys working on the railway at the Perroy bridge. Whipped round the town and drank at the Perroy gates fountain and failed to find much more speed on the down hill clip.

Hard to keep the speed when you are surrounded by sunbathers and swimmers and dog walkers and coffee drinkers all taking it easy on the beach. Hit the port and focused on the clip home a little too much as my elbow clipped a flag pole as the racing line was mis-judged.

Suddenly a group of people span around and then I heard the thunder and could see the massive black clouds heading straight for us. Sprint up the hill to make it home was no problem with that behind me!

Turned out to be one of my fast efforts over this distance, coming in at just under 37mins.

Garmin

5.4 New Airport Hill

New that I know how the whole shower thing works I settled on seeing how far the Airport Hill loop is from Montbrillant rather than Holmes Place.

2.6 miles less is the answer. So I now need to figure a way to get that run longer. Conversely all my short runs are now unfortunately 2.6 miles longer. Eek.

Steady effort, drifting up to z4 in the second half but disappointing 8min mile return on investment. Still tired from the long weekend at the salon randonne in Villars....

Garmin

4m? Showers in Montbrillant

The new office now has showers! So, Speirsy if you are ever in Geneva....

Aurelien was up for a short run and we negociated the underground warren of passages and doors and stairs to run along the car park and out the main door. Feeling very smug at how we'd avoided all our collegues in our shorts we promptly bumped into one!

Took for ever to cross the main road  at Sechron, but that was fine we were right outside the botanical gardens and I figured only about 1km from half way up the airport hill. Some works in the gardens meant we needed to drop down to the bottom of the gardens. Crossed over to the lower field and hit two circle before jogging back to the office.

There were some cute deer in the park's animal pen.

New showers were great. I'd popped into Holmes Place earlier to get a towel....