Hadds has HAD it!

After Windermere, I seriously thought about my Hadd training.
I realised that hills, snow, wind, heat, wearing a Camelbak... in fact, pretty much anything factored into the HR jumping too high and me being unable to maintain the correct level.
I then read a few peoples' comments on the Hadd thread after Windermere, all complaining that the hills had wiped them out. Then the "Elders", those who have been Hadding for 1-2 years all pitched in with "Oh yeah, I'm rubbish at hills". Well, I'm afraid that won't do! I have also chosen to run easier routes to avoid hills whilst doing this training, and have only recently changed this. Had I not "cheated" before the Kilomathon and started doing intervals and tempo training, I don't think I'd have got such a good time. Thank God that it was a relatively flat race or I'd have been knackered!

Today, leaving the house in 20.5 degree heat had my HR already at 113 bpm and I simply couldn't maintain a lower HR at all. At one point it was in the 170's and I was walking to compensate. It was 4 miles into the run when I rang for Graeme to pick me up. I had decided to change the way I run.

So, I have emailed a superb ultra distance runner called William Sichel who recently won a 1000 mile race in Greece. He does a thing called XL Training, which involves running with a backpack loaded with weight. Despite his speed and endurance, his weekly mileages are extremely low. I'm not sure on the price of their help, but I'm sure I will find out soon when I get an answer.

I bought a book on German Shepherds yesterday and have already read it. I've also got the Canix handbook which is really good. I've found out the dog can't wear a harness until he is 10 months old, and I will always have to run cross country with him, as the concrete I'm so familiar with will give him arthritis if he's on it for too long. Yet another reason to change the way I run.

I've also decided to start running a marathon every 3 weeks or so. Madness, I hear you saying, but there is method in the madness! I have become so bored with my training runs that are over 16 miles, and this way I get to go to new territory every month.
I got all of the bumf for Woodhall Spa 10K run yesterday. I can't believe I'm more scared about this than a marathon. It's uncomfortable territory for me, and if it's hot I'll probably have to walk!