Nearly there.

I can't say I'm 100% satisfied with my preparation over the last two weeks, but it hasn't been terrible. The hamstring strains from early December persisted long enough to cut down running to just two or three times a week. The race simulation on Dec 7 was a surprise: I was a minute ahead of each the first and second splits I'd set on: 8 minutes instead of 9 at the turn for Telegraph Corner, and 14 minutes instead of 15 minutes at the mirror turn. But I was still at 18.30 at the summit of the last climb. This is a bit confusing. At first I thought I'd slowed down, 'knowing' I had a minute in hand. But looking at it objectively, I think it's also that I had misjudged the length of that section. Even now, it's hard to reconstruct in mind exactly why it should take so long. If I run through the curves and straights of it, it doesn't seem like a 4.5 minute run. But I went back there the day after and ran it again, in three hard efforts with just one minute rests, and it still took me 4.5 minutes. So, one thing is, it's longer than I thought or think. My body hasn't taken the measure of it properly. Also, that's the point where the real strength is needed, and who knows if I have it? What I hope is I'm rested enough, and have made enough gains in strength, to really race over that section. I should be holding back at all there. In the sim, and the reps the next day, the 'central governor' was kicking in at that point. What I want is to be strong enough to run right up to the limits of the central governor at that point. Can I? My training hasn't answered that question. Which is where my dissatisfaction lies. The race will answer it. Will I be able to run myself into complete oxygen starvation at that point? Will my fitness allow it? Or will I shut down?

It's interesting, running at that pitch of intensity, how the brain starts to take a position as it were outwith the body. The brain observes. The body decides. I'm curious what will happen. I hope I can stay in that state of curiosity and not psyche myself out.

The training log is really helpful at this point. It really helps to be able to review all the sessions I've done and tell myself I've done, if not enough (it's never enough), then at least enough of enough.

So since the sim and the following session, I've done one wednight run with a sort of loose, but nevertheless fast, run up the peak, followed by a short rest then a hard run around the Peak, another rest at the end of that, another road loop but at a much lower intensity (conversational) and a fast, relaxed descent back to Central. Followed that with hard bike intervals on the Friday- 6 x five minutes with 50 second rest; and then a run of the Tai Po Mountain Half route the following day. The sunday after that I had a very tough hike through dense bush, uphill, with a pack- good strength work- and since then, basically just tapering using the bike. Tuesday it was 2 minutes hard with 20 second rest, 6 times. Wednesday it was 30 minutes spinning in the morning, and in the evening, accelerations over 10 seconds, 20 seconds all out, 10 seconds deceleration, and repeat, 12 times. This morning, 40 minutes spinning. Tonight, not sure I'll do anything. Stretching probably couldn't hurt. Tomorrow I'm very busy, but I should get out and do some accelerations, maybe just two, up to race pace, over 500m. Saturday a jog and some strides.

Weight has to come down, that's one thing to be very careful of. It's stuck at just over 80.

Already planning for next year.

Looking forward to tapering.

No training yesterday at all, but my quads are still sore today. Is this carryover from Tueday's bike reps (in which case, they were more demanding than I thought) or from Wednesday's night run (which didn't feel demanding at all)? Not sure, but somehow I still feel confident that I'm doing the right kind of training. I think there are some key concepts that I'm sure I harp on again and again and again, but at least right now I have them very well built into my training.

1. Keep the schedule flexible and organised around "key sessions"; for me, this means at least one taxing tempo run, one session of 800s, and one session of long reps on the race course itself. (More thoughts on that later.)

2. Race specific speed. I think this is to be avoided during the base building or endurance phase, in favour of long times out on the hill. But now, with the race close, I'm fine tuning my target pace with the calculator and lots of practice on the course. These sessions feel efficient and worthwhile and, I suppose, are the root of my confidence. I'm getting more than used to the actual feelings I will induce in the race.

3. The bike. No more of the long indoor rides I did back in September. Now it's, again, all about simulating the intensity of the race in gradually lengthening chunks. These sessions build from one to another. Three weeks ago it was 10 equal reps/ rests of about 2min30 to 3min. The following week, 10 reps but the efforts started out equal to the rests, and gradually lessened while the rests shortened. By the end, I was at effort for nearly 5 minutes with a < 1 minute rest. Very important session. The next week, two long 15 minute reps with a five minute rest in between (the rest being spinning at the same rate but in one gear up). These sessions really bring on the lactic, but without the pounding of reps run on a hard surface, or even a track.

4. Weight. Keep it down, including muscle mass. Increase upper body strength by hill sprints (neuro-muscular proramming, improved muscle mass recruitment).

How worried should I be...

..that training seems to have hit a hitch since last Wednesday night? That was a superb run with some of the most aggressive hill racing I have ever achieved- which also left me with tweaked, twanging hamstrings.. Thursday, Friday, I rested them. Saturday, long repetition in Kadoorie that certainly showed I wasn't losing ground, but I can't say for sure advanced my fitness either. Sunday, Monday, nothing. Tuesday, very late, I completed two long repetitions on the bike at a high heart rate and high cadence, pushing the hardest gear: 20 minutes at 100- 120; 5 minutes spinning in the next gear up at the same cadence; then the 20 minutes again. Left me with shaking legs. A good session. Then wednesday night comes around. I wrote in my training book, NO RACING, on account of still worrying about my hamstrings; and the run up to the Peak felt easy at a tempo pace. But Chuck just left me for dead on the rocking, ant-Nazi awesomeness of the HK Contour Trail around to Aberdeen Reservoir road. I couldn't get a rhythm. He accelerated and was beyond of flashlight range in the space of two bends. Which is not to say I wasn't running fast, I'm pretty sure that was one of the faster runs I've ever had, and I caught everyone who'd started 10 minutes ahead by the end of that trail. But it didn't fee like I was eating it up. Plus I was able to smoothly go to 800-pace on Bowen road and 800-pace again into the finish.

So, I'm hitting a plateau? What now? Back off? I'm very worried about losing 'capacity', the big endurance base that I've topped off with the long reps. On the other hand, isn't it time for speed work.

My long-planned race simulation is this weekend- Saturday or Sunday. I've convinced myself that an 18-minute time to the summit of the very last climb will let me know I'm ready. Not making that split will mean, I think, getting off my legs and absolutely killing myself on the bike in long reps. The last Sunday before the race, I'm going to jog from home to halfway the race route, then go at race pace over the second half, to hit the 'top' in as close to 15 minutes as ever I can. That will be the last piece of useful race strategy information I can plug in.

Just typing this has sort of convinced me to shift my training in favour of the bike really from now until the race; and everything now should be at race specific speed and/ or intensity.

Outrageous hotness.

From way back when Brits still had sex appeal.

If you liked that, you may also enjoy Louise Wener in a Fred Perry mini dress.



It's a very rare woman that can carry off a fringe.

More 90s sex appeal:

Opening their 1970 concert at the Albert Hall...

.... Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty firmly in the driving seat, with a swaggering, bitching, hollering, rocking statement of intent, Boooooooorn on the Baaaaaayou, it's alright...



Foo Fighters do a pretty faithful rendition:

For all the times when you still want to just lose it.



Of 5,000,000 versions on YouTube I chose that one because I liked her dress. The original, if you prefer:



And for curiosity value, here she sings Valerie by The Zutons.

Not sure exactly how this is done, but here goes. Hope Sandoval and the JAMC, a song you probably remember:




Dance, do whatever.