6.2m a new route discovered and a fast finish

New route today: started with the airport hill and then in a mad moment decided to follow the path I had discovered with Pierro in the snow.

At the end of the narrow bit next to the railway I was not sure if down was ideal, what I had done with Pierro took us along the lakeside road which was rubbish, but I had no idea what "up" would mean. 

Aurelien called it up, and what an up it was. Super steep very wide unmade road coming out at the church near the Brasserie de la fontaine. We battled up in 8:45 reeling in people as we went. At the top, the hill people were merging with the plateau people and as Aurelien and I asserted the natural order (us at the front) he started shouting and cheering as he over took his boss and another guy from his team also out for a run. 

By now the effort from the hill and the over taking had us both pushing along at what felt like a fair clip. Now Aurelien has a habit of sprinting the last 400m or 100m and for anything under 400m he is miles faster then me. So I just held the perceived effort from the hill and kept going. I figured we were 1.5 miles out, which seemed too soon to kick for home, but ratchet one had certainly been called. As the slope steepened down to the American Mission, I sensed Aurelien was dropping off a little then I heard him put some effort in and draw level with me again. Ever so slightly I nudge the pace up again. We were less than a mile out and running sub 6:30 pace. He pushed again as the slope returned to our favour and this time I matched and added a shade more. Silence all the way down. I could feel a slight gap and at the road kicked for home expecting the flash to go past at any moment. It never happened, I had a good 50m on him by the end and we were both delighted with a new hill conquered and stonking race back to the finish.





Last mile was 6:15!

Garmin

8m lakeside

Tunnel version of the lake side classic, 4 out 4 back.

No drama, ice nearly all gone and wearing shorts in the sun for the first time this year.

Felt bouncy after yesterday's rest day and looking forward to running a fast one tomorrow and then it's sport switch as we go skiing for a few days.

Garmin

22m Gland, Prangins Airport, Bois de Craux and back (50 miles this week)

Nice lolly pop route connecting paths I've run before (Prangins section only once) with the usual route 4 to Nyon from Gland.

Lovely day for a long run, light mist on the lake, sun out and little to no wind.

At he Sentier des toblerones in Gland, I thought that's about one third - 7 miles, should be 14 or 15 when I get back here - infact it was exactly 14. I noticed I felt much better than I have all week and was rather chuffed about that.

When I turned up to the castle in Prangins I worked the stairs to loosen up the legs and break the monontony. The cobbles were not pleasant and then it was odd not to continue to Nyon as I would normally, but to turn for the aerodrome de Prangins.

Garim confimed about 2 more miles to get to the half and something in me really wanted to go through that mark at less than 1h 50m. I figured I could just about do it, but the hill up to the castle was annoying for the pace, but the long straight section next to the aerodrome was ideal for picking up the speed. Nearly there and a light aircraft taxi-ed out and turned to take off and it felt like I was racing the plane as it took off to over take me just as the watch buzzed 13 with 1 minute left to make 0.1 miles for the half, I tanked that last 0.1 and made it. Took a gel to celebrate!

The top of the Sentier des toblorones above where I had been earlier was much muddier and I enjoyed going through the tunnel under the railway, somehow satisfying to have gone through both the tunnels on this path in one run (the other gets you under the lake road to get to the golf course).

I was fine until mile 17 where the mind games started to kick in and I was worrying about rubbish like the climb up to the house at the finish or the bit around the Rosey, so I decided to put that out of my mind by finishing lake side.

Had another gel and felt better. On the down hill I decided with 3 miles to go to see if I could hit target race pace. It was hard. Even on the down hill, but I made it. Perceived effort went through the roof and the hrt climbed. By the lake side I'd cleared mile 20 and mile 21 in 7:51 and 7:56 respectively and I was looking for another sub 8 mile to finish. It felt like I was sprinting along past the port and the castle and then to the beach trying to get to 22, but alas 8:03 on the flat with 21 miles already in the legs was all I could manage.

Now lots of ifs and buts. Ave pace was 8:19 which at that pace for another 4 miles would get me a marathon time of 3:37:54.  However, going through the half at 1h 50m means the last 9 miles were at 8:07 pace and another 4 at that pace would give me 3h 35m. Unfortunately, neither of those are actually under 3h 30m which is the target, but lets not confuse long run training with race day performace.

I went for 2 hours with no gels and all the fountains were frustaitingly dry. I think the last few miles were hard as I forced the pace and had not had anything to drink.

On the upside the hrt was amazingly low for most of the run. This also takes me to 50 miles for the week.

Garmin

6.1m Airport Hill in reverse with lower field

Bumped into Paul (my boss) and elite Pascal on their way back from their run as I left.

They were both in shorts with sleves rolled up and neck zips un-zipped dripping in sweat. I was wearing two tops, a wind breaker, hat, gloves and long pants. Opps. I thanked them for the weather update and stuck the hat and gloves in a pocket. All the way around the loop people were carrying bits of excess kit.

Made it to the top of the airport hill in 8 mins, which is ok and then cleared the next two in 7:30s and then decided to ease off a bit for the middle climb. Did the bottom field for the first time in ages and it was very muddy where the ice on the path had melted. Bits in the sun were fine.

Last clip back up to the office was a slog, but focused on TRP and held the last mile together to get that one done in 8mins.

So, this week everything as been at TRP or less. Aiming to do a long run tomorrow. A faster week next week, followed by a recovery week then a 15km race and then a final long one before the taper. 28 miles so far this week.

Garmin

5m Classic Rolle Loop

Struggled to get going and was gutted when after what seemed like an eternity the Garmin finally buzzed after 8 and a half minutes to announce mile one. Bother, too slow already.

Tried to get back to at least TRP and took advantage of the hill to claw back some time. Was now too fast for an easy run so eased off.

Added to the mix today was a bloke ahead that looked like he might be on reps. He was going faster than me but not by much and then he stopped and I over took him. Just after the castle on the lake side I had to run the gauntlette of the local school kids having lunch and hanging out. A couple of girls giggled and as I returned their bonjour rep guy goes flying past and the girls look at me as if to say "are you the fit scottish bloke or what?" and so I can't help myself, next thing I know I'm tucked in behind him running in his foot falls watching him adjust his speed by constantly glancing down at his watch. I sneak a look at mine and Garmin says 7 minute miles and I figure no worries even if this goes for a mile I'm in. After 400m he stops, I fly past holding the pace and offer a hearty "Pas mal! Bonne course" and he looks suitably miffed that someone just hijacked his rep.

Almost ice free to the end of the jetty, made it all the way today, first time since the big freeze hit.Well under TRP over all, the mile with rep man was 7 mins!

Garmin

8m lake side

I'm still not right. Head still bunged up and although my chest is fine I am coughing up some muck.

Headed down for the tunnel and enjoyed a stunning day. Clear blue skys and little wind. Perfect lake side running conditions.  The jet d'eau was splendid and along the promenade she produced an incredible rainbow for me to admire. A rare treat indeed!

I turned at the marina at Geneve Plage which was 4 miles. Lots of people out and a very muscular young guy in black skins was louping along in a spritely fashion checking his watch every minute just ahead. I tried to catch him, but he was doing 7:30 min miles and then I gave up when I was going at sub 7 min miles. That kept things interesting and got back the time lost with the slow start.

Was tired through the last mile. Must eat more and sleep more.   

Garmin

9m lake side

Yesterday had me in my underware before I realised that I had nothing to wear on my lower body in my kit bag. Opps. Still, I was feeling rotten from the bout of man flu so probably a good thing.

Today the kit was in order and Aurelien and I set off, with me muttering about still being sick and needing to take it easy. Pace was fine and after some de-snotification I was functioning as well as could be expected.

Aurelien dragged me along and I think he enjoyed setting the pace.

We made it all the way to the far Yacht club marina and back. It was petty still, sunny and felt warm at +7 as recently it is more like -7. At the last bit Aurelien made it known he planned to sprint up the hill, so I kept going in search of an extra mile along the lake side. My reward was that I discovered by accident that the tunnel under the route de Lausanne is now open - so the Botanical Gardens and the Lake are re-united on a traffic free route. Whoop Whoop.

Garmin

4.5m family run to test the machine (30m this week)

After the cold became worse on Thursday night and horrific at work on Friday and I slept most of Sat, missing out on running and skiing, I was back out today.

Massed family run which helped keep the pace appropriately slow. Stayed in and around Rolle to avoid any stuck miles away issues.

Survived and kept going to make it 4.5 miles - boke through the 30 mile barrier for the week.

Moral of thisweek, is that my "run when you can" philosophy paid off. Even with 3 days unable to run I still cleared 30 miles this week.

Garmin

6.1 Rolle loop

Easy again as I have a slight cold. Pushed up the hill and down the other side as the snow has changed to rain and the temperature soared to 3 degrees melting much of the ice, but leaving leathal patches of ice under water.

Extended the classic rollois loop round to the pre verte and still not enougth so round the back of the lets go fitness and through schenk to get up to 10km. Ave pace, bang on TRP. Happy days.

Garmin

6.1m lake side and city centre

Easy run, hooked up with Francois and lent him a pair of gloves. He was brave in shorts. However, with the temperature hitting a balmy high of plus 3 it was warm in the sun with all the gear on.

Rain turning to snow was melting the ice and more places were passable.

Super easy and cruised home just a shade over TRP.

Garmin

6.25m airport hill and varembe

Wide airport hill loop, cold eased to zero snow never showed and the sun came out. Perfect.

Felt so good about the mile down the hill (6:54) that I wandered around the back streets vaguely looking for the pool at Varembe to get up to 10km.

At time of writing it looks like the snow for tomorrow won't come either....

Gamin

8m lake side

Ran with Aurelien down to the lake.
Icy sections next to the lake with kids playing ice hockey on the promenade!
On the far side of the lake an ice scuplture of a cockrel adorned the lake wall. A tree before the yacht club was completely entombed in ice that looked a foot thick.
Aurelien wanted to turn back sooner, but i convinced him to come to the yacht club before we turned to get a full 8 miles done.
At the end Aurelien wanted to "do the hill properly" so we sprinted up the hill back to the coop corner. Killer in the cold.

Garmin

6.1 wide airport hill with new trails (12 this week)

Pierro came by my desk and suddenly the long slow run to finish the week became a fast one.

We set off up the hill, cleared the Airport Hill in reverse in less than 8 minutes. Then only the ice on the passage next to the railway at mile 3 slowed us below 7 minute miles.

Pierro wanted to explore the forest beyond where we normally turn back and we did that opening up a new area of unexplored running.

Annoying that the parks were "closed" due to ice as that forced us to run all the way back along the main road.

Garmin

6m Ice run

Did the airport hill including the bottom field.

Was very sunny and yet very cold. When the wind blew it was bone chilling stuff.

I slipped on the way up in the top field and fell over, hurt my hand and pride more than anything else and so decided to go super slow from then on.

Got round the loop in 55 minutes, which is pretty slow for a 10km run, but still at least I got out.

More minus 10 plus the wind chill for tomorrow, so I'm going to the pool for a swim.

Garmin

16m St. Prex (weekly total 21)

Total was so cold. But thankfully ever so slightly less windy than the rest of the week so I set off for a long run.

To give you an idea of how cold it was:
The fountains in Perroy were frozen. The farm one had over flowed and the whole water spill all the way down the road was ice, a dramatic image.
The trees at the edge of the Aubonne had collected ice around them and strange ice bells were hanging from the tips of the trees that reached down to the water.
At the weir where the footpath crosses the Aubonne a stick jammed in the weir had collected more and more ice around it from the spray and had made an ice sphere about the size of a beach ball.
Most amazing of all was the pier at St. Prex. The whole thing was completely encased in ice. There were people queuing up to take photos of it. The mist rising from the lake added to the erie atmosphere, I would not have been surprised to see a ghost ship appear from the depths....
The break water bolders were all covered in ice.
The lake side walk way was, in parts covered in ince - whole 60 foot sections where I had to slide over the ice and pull myself along on by the hand rail.
A small tree on the beach was completely encased in ice.

Garmin started saying out of power at about 8 miles and it made it for another 2. Shame as I felt distinctly more spritely after having 5/7 days off this week. I guess I did the half in around 1h48m.

Sun came out at Perroy on the way back. Face defrosted and legs heated up. Went for the Rolle harbour, but the ice covered it from half way out so was forced to turn slightly sooner than normal.

Slight niggle on left knee. Could feel it at Allaman beach so stopped and wiggled it and stretched it out and then on the up to Perroy it seemed to sort itself out.

Partial Garmin.

5m super cold

Ran the five mile route in reverse today, to be blown back on the last mile.

The snow was off the paths, but the melt had refrozen so it was still a day to be careful. With a high of minus 5 and wind so cold and hard it almost stopped me completely a few times.

The dusting of snow was made of small very ice flakes and the wind had them whipping and swirling along the ground making rather pretty chaotic patterns. As they approached I could tell when the icy blast was going to hit. Dressed in kit more normally used on the ski slopes, I survived.

But there really was no danger of any speed today! After 4 days of being stuck inside it was good to be out again.

Garmin