In any case, I slipped out into the rainy streets and the Garmin got a signal almost right away, just walked a bit to warm up then set off expecting to suffer. A lot. Went at quite a quick pace and the first km was under 6 minutes, then followed the major downhill part which helped me recover a little, and did the next 2k in 5:37 which was a consistent pace given the hills and wind.

The big hill at 3.5k took it out of me somewhat and result in a 6.22 km, then just had to hang on. Looking at the Garmin I was starting to back pedal as I thought my season’s best was sub 29 and realised I wasn’t going to make that, and by the end I was more or less spent, but did recover quite quickly and felt really good for having pushed the pace all the way through the run, and hanging on when it felt really tough.

Turns out that the 29:18 is actually one of my fastest times for 5k since last summer, and I haven’t gone under 29 minutes for some time, and given the way I felt on the last few runs, this was at least a sign that the runs are paying off and I am starting to build some speed endurance.

Sooner or later I won’t have to say that sub 29 is my next target, maybe a time trial on the flat could see me break that barrier. We shall see!

Deliberately kept the pace slow, and felt fine, thinking the 3 rest days since my last struggle would see me nice and refreshed. Alas, when I hit 4k I started to feel wobbly, even though I was running 6:37 per km, not fast at all, and the lead up had been downhill.

Just tried to keep going then in the middle of the woods knew I would need to get back and tried to figure out a way of avoiding the big uphill on the way back. Found a path out of the woods but was feeling a bit rubbish by this point so walked up the big long hill, then started to trot again but found myself having to stop every 500 metres or so, felt thorougly puffed out and not great. And that was slowing down to 7 minutes per k.

Got out of the woods, so to speak, and just settle don completing 5 miles, which really seemed a long way off at times. Was really glad to finish and think a full rest week might be in order, as my body is not responding at the moment and might need some time to recover, which might be to do with the two longer/higher intensity runs last week.

Left the house and it was pretty cold and a bit misty with a threat of rain in the air. Set off down the road walking to warm up while I got a Garmin signal – and walked, and walked, and walked, by the time I had walked about 600m I was getting a bit frustrated as time was starting to slip by. Eventually it got a signal and I set off, aware I was going a bit too quick and also aware of a bit of pain in my feet and lower legs, which seemed to be down to the freezing concrete.

Planned a long looping route that takes in a lot of roads, and not a lot else, but there are a few big inclines over motorway bridges and the like. At 2.5k felt ok, but a bit puffy, and had to keep slowing myself down, reminding myself that the only aim was to reach 10k, not run it in any particular time. Was going OK but when I got to one of the big inclines I wilted a bit and stopped to get my breath, before ploughing on, and would have to stop a couple of times more just to collect my breath. I saw the canal was totally frozen over at one point so it was maybe colder than I thought.

I did start to struggle in the latter stages – after all, I had only just done a fastest of season 5 miler a few days ago and have not run more than 5 miles for a few months. But I kept going, and by the time the Garmin got to 9.7k I was ready for falling over, but somehow staggered the last few hundred metres to post a respectable (at this stage) 1 hour 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

I have the distance, the idea now is to steadily bring the 10k time down with a view to running a good time in the Great Manchester Run, and of course I now have another bite of the cherry later in the year in the We Love Manchester 10k. I may even enter some more races at this rate!

Had some things on in the afternoon and some notes to write up when I got in, so had to make sure I ate something and then the clock was ticking to get a run in before it got too late in the evening. Was very cold out and had been utterly pouring with rain most of the day. Fortunately this turned to light drizzle so I got out, trying out the green supernovas I raced in last year, for a change. It was cold out, so cold in fact that the Garmin froze before it found a signal and I had to take the batteries out to restart the damn thing! Then it took ages to get going as yet another paranoid looking youth smoking weed walked past me…

Set off a bit quick, hoping to do at least 5k to get some kind of proper run under my belt, and settled into a comfortable rhythm, then took the risk of heading down a route that would take me in a big circle and be about 5 miles. Attacked the hill over the motorway bridge and passed another mad runner, and noticed the hill didn’t hurt TOO bad, then it was a case of coasting to the half way mark, which I got through in about 24 minutes, and figured that all I had to do was keep my pace and I could run sub 50 for the 5 miles. So far so good.

Was barely breaking into a sweat due to the cold and the light, refreshing drizzle, which was nice on my head but I had to keep wiping the Garmin with my sleeve. Mind you this Garmin, battered as it is, has been with me for some 4 years now so can’t complain! As I turned the corner to start the long straight back home I felt my energy dip a little and had to slow down, as I knew another torturous hill was coming before I was done. Had put in a few sub 6 minute kms but the Garmin told me I was slowing. Even so, when I had 2KM to go I calculated I could probably run them in 7 minutes each and still get under 50 minutes, so just tried to keep my pace as best I could.

The big motorway bridge at Denton Rock slowed me as much as I attacked it, and I briefly stopped at the top, before ploughing on and trying to inject some pace. I now knew I would get under 50 minutes it was just a question of by how much, and I wanted to finish relatively near home. Saw another mad runner and then it was just a matter of reaching the last oasis of streetlight so I could see the Garmin, and the 8.05KM ticked over in a time of 49:10. According to my records, I have not run a 5 miler anywhere near as quick as that since 2010, so it may be a sign that I still have some speed left in me as long as I can stay uninjured.

I recovered pretty quickly and felt good, so was really happy to break 50 minutes, and if I could have kept going it would have been 10k well under the hour. So my next targets are really a sub 49 5 miles and a sub hour 10k, and then I will start thinking about intervals as I look forward to the Great Manchester Run.

I was a bit wary when I finally got out as the pavement felt very slippery. I saw a poor lass wobbling all over the place just trying to walk and had thoughts of abandoning the run. But I found a long stretch of quiet back street with very little traffic which was clear of ice and just nice black tarmac, so although it wasn’t ideal decided to run up and down that, abandoning any thoughts of a tempo or time trial pace to get under 29 mins.

Felt good so settled into a comfortable pace, got to the extreme end of the road then turned back, whereupon there emerged a mass exodus of church goers from the church that’s got a roof like the Sydney Opera House. Suddenly there were 4 wheel drives everywhere and running down the middle of the road was suddenly not an option!

Rather than get killed by these crazy people, I took a detour and found another stretch of road, which saw me passing a house several times, the smell of which suggested that the occupants, if not baking, were just very, very baked… Also passed a young chap who smelled of a similar substance, and noticed some youths playing snowballs in the (locked) playground.

Had to dodge a few cars and ended up running on the pavement slush anyway, it wasn’t really that bad, although the having to run gingerly made me feel rather heavy legged and I couldn’t get any pace up, so my finishing time was a dismal 33:20, but understandable since I was running in snow.

All in all it was quite fun, though will be glad to see the back of the snow so I can try to work on my pace, as running at speed in the conditions would not have been a great idea!

This run saw me setting off in appropriate running kit, ie jogging pants and hoody top, thermal hat, and shades. It was at least half way and a big hill before I even started sweating it was that cold! Decided it would be nice to run through the woods so set off in that direction, enjoying the contrast between the glorious sunshine and the freezing air. The pavements were thankfully clear of ice but there were lots of water filled ruts and pockmarks in the woods that were filled with frozen solid water showing how cold it was.

Kept a steady pace not pushing too hard as all I really wanted to do was run 5 miles and enjoy it, not really too bothered about a time. At about 5k the massive Stockport Road incline loomed and I took the opportunity to pause for a second to remove my Nike running beanie hat! Then it was up the hill with just a little pause for breath as I crossed – it’s a tough hill that one!

Once the hill was negotiated I kept going, noticing my pace was a little quicker without more effort, which usually happens with hills! I was starting to feel the pinch a little, and so slowed and just concentrated on getting to 7k, so I could decide how to run the last KM. I put in some pace towards the end, nearly collided with a pair of pensioners coming round a corner to a chorus of “Good god he nearly frightened me to death” for which I dutifully apologised, and then it was a stagger to make the last half km.

Stopped my trust Garmin in a time of 51:56, one of my fastest 5 milers since November last year, and since it included the hill I am very pleased with it. Can’t recall a sub 50 five mile run for some time, and of course the heady days of almost running sub 40 are way back in 2010 – maybe 2012 will be the year I get some pace and speed endurance back

About 3k in I was reaching the point of no return (long stretch without a way back or bus route etc) when my left hamstring twinged a bit, but nothing major. As I went up the hill over the canal bridge, I started feeling a bit puffy and considered turning back. The fact this would mean an uphill slog put me off somewhat and I thought it would be best to carry on and reach the main road section where I could jump on a bus, I checked the time and seemed to be OK.

However the slope over the bridge seemed to take it out of me a bit and I stopped for few paces to recover, realising I wasn’t feeling in the best of shape for a 5 mile plus run. So I decided to make it to the bus stop on the main road going back, and catch a bus there. I actually made it that far, to find I had missed a bus by 5 minutes, and the next one was in another hour (unbenknownst to me, the half hourly timetable in my head had been changed to hourly on Sunday Evenings!). So the only thing for it was to carry on running for the next 4 or 5k… So I trotted on, past caring about my pace and just thinking about food and drink and the stuff I need to sort for tomorrow. Managed to keep going and took one or two breaks, my feet were getting a little sore but I persevered. Eventually came to a stop just before my house and had covered 9.15k in 1hr 05 minutes. Was good to run long, but might have been better with more of a plan, then again it was enjoyable in retrospect!

Is an odd route that I first ran as a 10 year old primary school boy, and took in the funeral parlour where most of my relatives have gone through, the old people’s home where my mum died, and the house where I grew up. Was interesting to run a different route, and some of the dark stretches were quite spooky. The amount of roadworks and temporary pedestrian areas is quite amazing really. Hey ho!

Until the next run, cool runnings! (I went past a place called that the other day and thought it might be a running shop, but was a Jamaican fast food place, lol!!!!!!)

Felt I might be in with a shout of sub 29:30 but not even a last frantic 5:35 minute km could get me there, although the last 3 kms were all under 6 minutes and I had an average pace of 5:57. Looks like the 29 minute barrier is going to be significant and the heady days of running sub 25 are still some distance away, so that remains a goal to reach by the spring!