Westminster 3 bridges

Alan had promised a steady run although "light step" Simon Egon was with us today which pointed more towards something fast. I had roped in Paul with the hope he would keep me company when the fast boys went.

Set off ahead of time and Simon and Alan tucked in behind letting Paul and I set the pace. Nothing spectacular out to Westminster with the fast boys chatting away. We traded places over Westminster bridge and the fast boys set the pace, again bearable at 7min miles. We did the 3 bridges loop with Paul ominously chatting away the whole time - I tried to ask him tell me about questions while I responded with one word or a grunt.

There was a film crew and they were acting like they owned the place directing people around them on the footpath. I was last through and one of them refused to move so a well aimed shoulder ensured I came out of the crash the better off.

It all unravelled for me going back over Westminster bridge. Up the stairs I could cope with, but the injection of pace on the bridge was just too much for my legs. A gap appeared and there was nothing I could do about it. Paul's reps yesterday did not slow him down one bit. He went with the fast boys.

My hrt was 150 at this point. I decided not to let it drift up to race pace and leave them to it. I had thoughts of saving myself for mega race reps on Sunday so wanted to be on top form. Thought it odd that after two days of rest it was tired legs that slowed me down not the heart or lungs.

Garmin made it in spite of tunnels and bridges and trees and underpasses and overhangs reporting 7.25 miles cleared in 51 minutes, so a shade under 7 min pace. That does count for a long threshold with hrt solid in the low 150s all the way.

There was some parade that I managed to run through and got whistled at by the police, but that was worth it to get back to the start at roughly the same time as Paul who had taken a slightly different route up from the river.