Running Commandments

  To bring week 8 to a close on Sunday it would have been  easy to comply to the running commandment which states that "Thou shalt do thine longest run on Sunday" and top the week off with a steady 10 or more.
  But  my colour coded training sheet clearly indicated that there had been no miles faster than  8 minute mileing all week!  Clearly a time for some faster miles and a bit more uuumph!
  Going too early to share Sally's mile rep session I opted instead for 2 x 2 mile; sticking to another "commandment":   10% of weekly mileage should be at race pace!?   I'm just averaging about 40 miles weekly at the moment so  4 mile of effort seemed reasonable.

  I would have had to be "insane "  to do the same session some years ago.  Not because  of the structure of the session;   2 x 2 is a session  I have frequently set for others. No, "insane" because of the venue!  A circuit based largely in the grounds of the former HIGH ROYDS PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.
 The "hospital" first opened in 1888 as the West Riding (0f Yorkshire) Pauper Lunatic Association Asylum.
changing its title as practices changed.  It was closed gradually throughout 2003 for conversion to housing.
So if you fancy living in buildings where electric shock treatment and partial lobotomies took place you know where to buy!
 I first went inside the impressive main building of High Royds in 1968.  I was working as a conductor on West Yorkshire buses.  (Conductor being the guy who took the fares off the passengers, not the driver, as happens now.)  We had a  works football team and had a fixture there. No, not against the patients, we were playing the staff.

 Going into the main building with its Italian mosaic floor and ornate decoration we found it amazing but I recall finding the long, long corridors leading off it rather eerie and quite chillling, knowing some of the practices which were still takling place behind some of the doors we could see.
 Fans of the band KAISER CHIEFS will know of High Royds from track 4 on the CD, Yours Truly Angry Mob.  3 of the lads went to St. Mary's High School the school where I taught for 5 years which is opposite the former asylum.

                            They sang "Ruuning round High Royds isn't fun...but I quite enjoyed it!!

 Finding near traffic free flat fast circuits for speed work on the road as opposed to the track isn't always easy; but  this newly accessible mile circuit proved pretty ideal.  I was expectant of  2 mile efforts around the 15 minute mark ( 46 + 10k pace) which would be reasonable as a solo effort.
  Preceded by a 3 mile warm up (good to see you, Kevin!)  I wasn't far off with  the first 2 mile rep in 15.03 and the second in 15.02.  With a mile between and a mile after  it amounted to 10 miles anyway.  40 on the week.

Later in the afternoon Sally M. completed week 8 of her marathon training with 5 x mile reps at 10 K pace (41.20).  averaging 6.39 per mile; following  20 the Sunday before and 18 on Wednesday. Another commandment (of mine at least)   Rep sessions at faster than marathon pace; long runs at slower than marathon pace!   Excellent progress towards  her Manchester marathon!

SALE.......MILE HIGH CLUB!

 THE WEEK SO FAR............
I've never been 63 before so I'm only gradually working out what amount and quality of training I can cope with, how much time I need to recover from hard sessions and generally cope with day to day running.
 Now I can immediately hear half of you muttering to yourselves...."silly old beggar, the first thing he should do is STOP running every day!".  But hey I have to have something to get me away from this computer screen.
 I'm supposed to be semi-retired but the enquiries are coming in thick and fast for Fastrax vests at the moment; there are always some "quotes" to do.
 With regard to recovery,  I shunned a track session today and elected for a steady 5.5 on the canal.  Reason being that I have been fairly washed out all week since the run with Sally on Sunday.   When I look again at the splits I can see why.  I concluded the 14 miler with 4 miles at not much above 5K pace.
 As said on Monday in review, encouraging and enjoyable but left me a tad drained for the rest of this week.
I SHALL have a very easy day tomorrow before bouncing back on Sunday all being well.
 Sally is down for a 5 x mile rep session so I will probably go up and give her some support for that one.

WHAT YOUR FASTEST MILE?

  I know some of you follow Alan Dent's blog    dentysrunningblog.blogspot.com/   This week he brought our attention to a new U.S. website devoted to a revival of mile track races. www.bringbackthemile.com
 The mile was an event I ran more in local school competition meetings as for club events I had started to specialise in the steeplechase. I did run 4.26 in barefeet on a grass track and did go through the first mile of a 2 mile race in 4.30. but it was some seconds behind my Sale teammates.   Then again I was better at getting my leg over (barriers!) than they were.
  However we did combine well in breaking  the UK record for 4 x 1 mile (under 17) on August 3 1965.  We recorded 18:28.8 which  I believe still stands. Probably because today's youngsters run mainly 1500 metes. Having said that 18:28 averages out at about 4.17 for 1500 metres  so would take a good club squad to do it.
 A more amazing feat however was achieved by Sale Harriers on October 7th 1973.  100 members turned out to run 100 x 1 mile relay on cinders at the home Crosford Bridge Sale track.  Our total time was
8 hours 15minutes 20 seconds.  That averages out to 4:57 per mile!  My contribution was 4:40.6.
It was a new British record. I don't think many clubs nowadays could beat that time. Who knows perhaps it still stands; which means I've a (bit) part in 2 UK mile records!
 I'll be happy if I get under 7 minutes for a mile again nowadays.  But as I said in opening  I've never been 63 before I might just surprise myself and find 63 is the new 62!
                       HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND. IF YOU ARE RACING, HAVE A GOOD ONE!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST......

  In  a recent post looking back 25 years at this time I reviewed the HABERGHAM 9 mile road race.  The race was organised by the local high school P.T.A (with Clayton Le Moors harriers). It doesn't take place any more  and perhaps the reason for it's demise was that driving force behind the event  has left the school or left teaching.
 But races with the longest history  are more likely to be organised by clubs, I suppose.  The changing  membership taking  up the responsibility of perpetuating the event.

  One such club run event was the HOLMFIRTH 15 mile road race; first put on by Holmfirth Harriers 43 years ago.  It was by no means an easy event. the  (Land)  of the Summer Wine is not exactly the flattest part of the U.K.  But every year a few hundred put thenselves up for the challenge and latterly it served as a Yorkshire Vets Championships event.  So it certainly had a regular following.
 However, The 2012 event has been cancelled with the organisers citing    "issues of cost, road safety and the declining quality of the field".
  The club felt that they would have to raise the entry fee to over £10  to cover road closure cost, which they were reluctant to do.   Now some of you younger readers might raise an eyebrow at this point, I know.
What's £10 for a race nowadays.    After all it costs £48 to enter the GNR?!

Photo: flaming photography. Problem is for us long time runners (including no doubt the H.H. organisers) we're not used to paying the high entry fees even if we can afford them.  Or as one "mature" recent customer in the Complete Runner nelson said,  "I 've never paid more than £50 for a pair of trainers  and I'm not starting now".   As opposed to younger  customers who often say,  "I don't want an expensive pair....something about £80, if possible."
Similarly with race entries there is a reluctance to having to charge too much.
  As for "declining standards"  there is no doubt about it for whatever reasons the race results of 2011 do not
compare well with those of the past.  I ran the race in the mid 1970s when Pat and I  attended selling "mobile".   In 1975 I was 49th. in 83.47 for the tough undulating course. The following year 26th in 81.48 and in1977  21st in 81.55.  All times which would have been good enough for 2nd place last year.  The 49th finisher  ran  107 mins+.    24 minutes slower than that time of 1975.
 I just wonder  whether when they refer to "declining standards"  they are really referring to the problems of marshalling.   Perhaps volunteers are reluctant to stand for over 3 hours whilst runners complete their 15 mile "challenge"?
 If so it's a concern.  We may see more and more races cancelled OR see them impose stricter time rules for entry or cut off times to ensure that the events are "done and dusted" earlier with minimal inconvenience to other road users.  Many races of course are forced to start at 9.00 or even 9.30 a.m. for that reason.
 Fortunately we do not generally suffer such high temperatures to necessitate much earlier than that.
Wouldn't do for me:  I need my beauty sleep,  being old and ugly!
  On a more personal note; the last 2 days have certainly been challenging after Sunday's 14 miler on the road. Last night I dragged a very weary body around the grass in driving rain and gale force winds. Today was a lot better but still a trial as I ran through STRID WOODS  witnessing the rapids on the River Wharfe after recent rains.  Rain which apparently we should be bottling and sending down to the south east of England where they are experiencing drought!
                      In contrast our reservoirs are overflowing!  But that's a run for tomorrow.

A magnificent 7?!

  With some fellow bloggers struggling a tad at the moment  I'm a bit reluctant to over enthuse about how well things are going at the moment as we wrap up week 7. But on the other I hope reading that the calf strain I suffered at the end of November merely served to give the old body as a period of restoration and things are at present looking good for the  race season which I'm keen to start very shortly.
  With 42 miles banked week 5 and 45 week 6 I was looking to add a  couple of miles this week as long as the legs held up.  I'd arranged to cover the middle section of Sally's 20 miler today but I must admit to being somewhat apprehensive as yesterday's 4 mile jog on the field took over 40 minutes.  Very, very tired!
Mind you there was a very strong wind blowing down Wharfedale.
  I'd "earnt"  an easy day after 4 really solid days. Includng 2  outings on the trail around the res and a promising road run .   But it was THURSDAY'S track session which was the most encouraging and reassuring.
  I'm roughly working to a 4 week rotation starting with 5K down to 600 reps. So it was a chance to compare WEEK 3's  5X1K rep session with this week.  I kept the number of reps the same but hoped for better speed with another solid 4 weeks banked and despite cutting down the recovery from 2.20 to 1.30.
WEEK 3 splits        4.44    4.42    4.40    4.37    4.37.............AVERAGING 4.40  
WEEK 7 SPLITS   4.36    4.34    4.33    4.30    4.23..............AVERAGING 4.31.6

The average gives a good idea of current 10K capability at 45 minutes but knowing me with adrenalin added to solo speed something slightly faster might be a reasonable forecast. Result!
  With it being half term, I teamed up with Sally for a tour of Fewston and Swinsty.  With company and the trails  de-iced since Tuesday  again the run was encouraging as we completed the loop in just over 60 minutes.  Again result!
  So on to today.  I knew that it would take me a couple of miles to work up to Sally's 8.30 steady long run pace so she ran 6 whilst I started later and  did my slower 2.  But from that point we shared 14 miles in beautiful bright winter sunshine.  Not that the run was relaxed.   Chat being impeded by the constant threat of colliding with  well over a hundred cyclists rightly anxious to enjoy the narrow country lane as we were plus  of course the usual Sunday drivers  seemingly unaware of riders and us runners hidden behind the twisting hedgerows.
  Incidently, emphasing the comparative popularity of cycling to running, we counted just half a dozen runners in 14 miles compared to that 100 plus total for bikers.  I said to sally I am in the wrong retail business!  Should be selling cycling gear!
  Sally is continuing her Manchester marathon build up. Hence the 20 today.  The race is at the end of week 17.  Most of you know I STRONGLY BELIEVE that these long runs SHOULD NOT be executed any where near marathon pace.  To do so leaves the runner with little in the tank for the rest of the week in which at very least a hard 10K speed session has to be completed.
    Problem today was my natural inclination to wind up my last few miles. So having told her not to go under 8..00 mins pace there was I going through MY 13th penultimate mile in 7.38 but Sal was on her 17th mile!
 I have NO races entered at the moment but going through the 1/2 marathon point in approx. 1:51 certainly it looks like I could cope with that race distance at the moment.
  All I need to do is find a race that is not extortionate, does not start at 9.00 or 9.30, and is not "FULL"!
Could be a tough call.  So week 7  done and dusted.  A good track session, a 14 miler and 49 miles in the back!

SORE LEGS. THEN AND NOW......

  Week 6 done and dusted and despite the weather conditions I actually managed to up the average a tad with  45 miles: best week of the year so far.  The lack of safe access to the trails is reminiscent of the time of the foot and mouth restrictions  and  has forced more time on the cleared roads than I would normally enjoy.  Still a solid undulating 8,  a good 4 x mile session, a steady 10 today with easy days spent crunching through
snow on the fields.  
  The 10 miler went entirely as could be predicted.  The pace improving as the distance unfolded. 
                 9.26 9.04 8.54 8.51 8.50 8.49 8.45 8.25 8.19 8.08
Getting used to the initial languid opening miles is a frustrating feature of running at my age as life creeps slowly into the legs. But then again the books say we shouldn't go all out straight out of the door, don't they?
   The knees particularly are sore from too much road this week or is it from praying for a thaw to come shortly?

 THIS DAY 25 YEARS AGO: THE HABERGHAM "9"
  The legs were really no better 25 years ago!  Perhaps spurred on by failing to win the Brass Monkey half again and missing a sub 70 mins. half by 23 seconds I put in a week of 88 miles including a hill session and a mile rep session.  This week with a race coming up the mileage dropped to 74 but  the diary tells that after an "easy" 10 on the Friday I was "very tired".   Clearly  I was regarding the Habergham 9 as a build up race with an eye to the challenge of the SPEN 20 to come on March 15.
  This approach was clearly reflected in the race day performance as after a good start  the lack of  any taper kicked in and I "died on the hills".  Again the diary tells of "legs were shot!"  "and sore".

  But this is something we have to accept if we are using as a race "one on the way" to a more important goal  though the initial after race feeling is one of disappointment.  Not that the race was totally without satisfaction.
I did manage 45.31 (28th)  of  the 489 who tackled the undulating course from Burnley via Padiham and Huncoat.  (The race  whilst called the Habergham 9 was said to more like 8.3!)  But that wouldn't have had quite the same ring about it would it?
  Clayton's ROGER BREWSTER (pictured above)  won the race in 41.30 (still on the scene) with PAUL PICKUP of Longwood 2nd (42.12).  MIKE CRITCHLEY (Bolton) was 3rd. Many will know Mike as organiser of the attractive Dales race, the Arncliffe 4.
   Other notable in the first 50 that day were Blackburn stalwart GEORGE WOODBURN (7th) .   Just behind me were DAVE WOODHEAD (Horwich)  better known now for the great work he does putting on several races from Penistone Hill and ,further back was legend RON HILL (Clayton) 3rd in the M40 age group in 40th place.
  The race is one of many from the '80s which no longer takes place.
 

COOL RUNNINGS...

9.00 a.m.No sign of a thaw out there this morning so no chance that any of the local Wharfedale trails will amount to anything other than miles of compounded ice.  Hard to accept and believe that fresh snow that was walked upon and compounded to lethal ice last Sunday remains 6 days later. It's been that kind of a week.  Looks like another safe jog on the grass; I'll leave the road for Sunday!

  With time short I managed a short 3 mile jog then dashed over the border for the last of 5 events in the MANCHESTER & DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE organised by East Cheshire Harriers at Clayton Vale.   Our fears that the course might include some precarious stretches proved correct as the start of the was moved  for safety reasons and there were post race reports of several falling on icy corners.   The near zero temperatures also made racing problematic for asthma sufferers for whom I have great sympathy!

 One runner who attracted quite a bit of attention and comment was guest runner Sarah Murphy of Belgrave Harriers; not simply because  she chose to wear her summer club racing gear of crop top and pants despite the fact she was not racing for her southern team but also for the fact that she unfortunately missed the start by several minutes.  Presumably running as an individual guest she had not been aware of the change of the start position.  To her credit she raced through the field to finish  31st !  But boy I bet she was cold......I was wearing 1 base layers, 2 mid layers ,  a hooded top, a body warmer and my Sale H. club jacket!  Cosy!!
     With no camera in hand it was good to concentrate on encouraging a reasonable turnout of SALE HARRIER  lads and lasses but  quite clearly a significant number overall gave the event a miss.  The thoughts of many must  had switched from "league" mode to championship mode.  Top runners had already run a county championship and the Northern regional championship since the New Year; why continue involvement with a pre Christmas league competition to interrupt the build up towards the National XC championships and possiblty the Inter Counties.
   Only 3 of the top 12 male finishers from pre-Christmas Wythenshawe Park league event raced today.  Perhaps the structure needs to be re-examined!?
  

Cuts no ice with me........!

  Another good 8 hours sleep. It's 7.20 a.m.  I'm cosy and warm and there's  a chill on my face so I'm not inclined to leap out of bed . I lie and listen for the sound the cars make as they pass  the house starting out on the journey to work ;  cautiously  negotiating the  road which despite paid council taxes and our road  being one of the steepest in Ilkley, Bradford Met seemingly refuse to grit.
  The sound which I hear will largely determine today's run.  If I hear the sound of crunching ice I know the trails will be treacherous. It's snowing lightly again now and the fresh snow will look inviting but will be shielding ice below.   If I hear the sound of slush I know there's been a thaw and trail possibilities open up.
It was CRUNCH!  CRUNCH!  CRUNCH!    I turn over and plan the day ahead....
  Running wise, one thing is certain the old knees are saying , "no more road,please"".   We have to listen to the body don't we!?  So it'll be down to the playing fields to have an easy jog and clear a loop for Sally's up and coming daughter, Georgia, to be able to tackle a tough 3 x mile rep session later in the day.  Hope she turns up,  many wouldn't on a day like this!

 This was the state of the fields.  Some sign of recent activity but plenty of ice and quite a bit of work required to create a decent loop.
 I  managed a 3 mile jog at about 10 minute mile, pace,  thankful that Sal and I had done our speed session on the road on Wednesday and it wouldn't be me having to cope with this.
 Of course, it would have been  far easier for G. to do her session on the road as well but her big races to come will be on the country so I think it 's logical and most beneficial to do some  speed  sessions on less than favourable terrain as this field will offer up.  

  G.  turned up for the session apparently a tad apprehensive. Many of her rivals might well have given such as a solo session a miss. But that's what it's all about isn't it?   Not being a fair weather runner; sticking to the plan, showing commitment, showing determination showing  resolve.  Proving that natural talent alone is not enough.
  G.  showed in the session why she has improved from 81st in the Northern of 2010 to 6th this year  coping well with the rutted underfoot conditions                                         clocking 5.53, 6.13 and 6.13 for her mile reps. Not bad for (nearly) 16!
                                           






 

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW....

Firstly, let's say "gud day" to new follower,"once a runner", down their in (no doubt) sunny Australia. Welcome.  Judging by his profile pic he enjoys or used to be a 'chaser as I was some 40 years ago. No jokes about getting the leg over anymore!


Further to "discussion about the competitive instinct" (nature or nurture) I had to smile about this insight given in the Competitive Runner's handbook...Glover writes about an experience with 4 and 5 year olds...

You can lead a horse to water......


I would like to report that I was competitive shoulder to shoulder with Sally M. when we joined forces a speed session today.   But her recent mile rep times clearly indicated I would not have been any real help on the efforts.  Still  it was good to share the warm up and cool down as she executed 4 x 2K and I managed 4 x 1 mile.  
 With the occasional vehicle trying to force us off the road onto snow covered verges on the narrow country lane the reps were a tad inconsistent at 7.16 7.05 7.13 and 7.22 but a solid session nevertheless.  Tomorrow will reveal the impact on the old legs compared to my normal speed session on the more forgiving track surface.
 Mind you we could have no complaints about the scenery....

                                                       (photo:  yorkshire.blogspot.com)

COMPETITIVE. NATURE OR NURTURE?

  The snow hit Ilkley earlier than I thought it would on Saturday.  It was around 1 p.m. I was on the ridge on the Middleton side of town and could see it sweep in from the west.  It drew a curtain over the moor on the opposite side of the valley and continued to envelop the town for the rest of the day.   It built up on the garden table until it reached 6" deep. A  bit more than I had expected.

 I thought that it would have disappeared by late afternoon on Sunday so I planned to leave my daily outing until then but that didn't happen.  I'm sure many of you switched your Sunday session to Saturday but I was too optimistic and perhaps too cautious not wanting to do a long run the day after a 5K time trial on Friday.

 In days of old when I was bold (!) I'd go up on the moor,  I would have frolicked  in the white stuff on the moor risking whatever was hidden under foot.  But that spirit of adventure has somewhat  disappeared  and I settled for a safe 5 miler on  a section of road just out of town.
 So no progression in terms of quantity last week maintaining the average of 42 but the considerable improvement recorded for the 5K trial bodes well for any races coming up.
COMPETITIVE?  NATURE OR NURTURE?

 If I had switched Saturday/Sundays I would have missed some excellent races featuring local Wharfedale
primary school children.   It was the under 11 girls race which started me thinking about the competitive aspect of our character.   We hear the phrases  "I'm very competitive" or the opposite, " I'm not competitive at all"  quite often. But is being competitive down to the genes we inherit or is it learn behaviour?
  Whilst the previous winner of under 11 girls races in this league held back on the first lap, well off the pace in about 6th position, out front a rival was determined to score a victory on this morning. She lead from the gun, resisting any challenge from behind.   With half a lap to go  she seemed to spy the league leader out of the corner of her eye,  rapidly closing from behind in an effort to continue her winning streak. But the contender was having none of it.  She kicked again from the front and once more opened up a gap of a few metres.
 Undeterred the closing girl came at her again with 100 metres to go.  I'm sure many watching expected at this point the girl who had lead throughout would buckle at last.  But no this was HER morning for victory and she was not going to give it up without a damn good fight!
  They turned the final corner and raced shoulder to shoulder through to the finishing funnel.  I think the majority were disappointed to see the race leader miss out by the thickness of a vest.  But our disappointment was nothing compared to the way she felt.  At the age ten or eleven she was already so hungry for  success.  Clearly very upset, several of us, including mum of course,  rushed over to console and congratulate her on the way she had given 100% from "gun to tape"  only to be beaten by inches.  But I'm not sure she was buying it....second was second. She had come to win!
 Nature or nurture?  Who knows; but certainly an inbedded trait at an early  age.
 I couldn't help but think about that Sydney Olympic 10K final. It was Gebrselassie  and Tergat all over again ......on a grass field in Wharfedale.
  I have read that whether learnt behaviour or natural, being competitve is an "undesirable" trai. It tends to "make people more unhappy than not".   Certainly this 10/11 year old was very unhappy.  What we have to learn in life is that  when we do compete we try to do our best but on some occasions doing our best is just not good enough to win. Nevertheless we should be proud of our efforts;  which is how I hope she will view the race in retrospect.
 There is one more  event in the league;   perhaps on that day her tears will turn to smiles of victory.

  

OPEN ATHLETICS .........BUT NO MEN THANK YOU

 In order to learn just how fit/unfit I was at the start of 2012 on January 5th I subjected myself to 12 and a half laps of the Nelson track in  25.31.  Since then with 4 weeks of pretty solid training (40, 42,43, 42) including weekly track sessions  the strength has gradually returned to the old legs and fortunately the weather has been generally kind enough not to limit the breathing.

 Time for another 5K time trial this week.  I probably would have done the ALEXANDRA  PARK  5K on Sunday but as previously mentioned men the event  (an Open Athletics event) is now closed to men!   Instead I kept recent routine of Friday as my "speed" day but opted for an out and back effort on the canal from Salterforth, near Barnoldswick.

With the wind absent for once,  a cloudless blue sky and bright February sunshine conditions  were pretty favourable but I was concerened how the lungs would cope with the zero degrees temperature. All being well   I was hoping for something around the 24 minutes mark.
  No problem as it turned out.  A 7.33 opening mile,  a 7.31 second mile finishing with a 7.17 plus .44 as I pushed on to  try to dip under 23!  Just missing to clock 23.06.  An improvement of 2 and a half minutes.  Satisfying reward for the last month's efforts.
 So the canal towpath proved a good venue, (only once being jumped at by a lead less dog!) and saved me a trip to and from Manchester. Oh, I forgot they don't allow men in their race anymore and I not prepared to
don a skort and a wig to prove point.
 Below is the stated aims of OPEN ATHLETICS.  Anyone else  smell a hint of hypocrisy .........
Welcome to Open Athletics
Open athletics is an organisation for the promotion and development of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transexual (LGBT) athletics in the broadest sense - including track and field, fell and trail running, and race walking.
We aim to be a forum and a network of individual LGBT athletes, groups and clubs across the UK - in Aberdeen, Berkshire, Brighton, Lancaster, London, Manchester, Midlands, North Wales, West Yorkshire.
Our broader objectives are to encourage open and active participation of the LGBT community in the sporting world and in the wider community and to remove homophobic barriers, contributing to individual sport development and to the development of communities through sport.
We welcome anybody who wants to join our forum - irrespective of their gender, sexual orientation, or athletic ability, who loves athletics or subscribes to our values.
       Think they might have to rewrite the bit that states irrespective of gender!

A RUN IN WITH GOOGLE CHROME......

Goodness knows how many times in my life I have used the expression, "if it's not broken, don't  mend it!"
Computer systems ,for example, that work perfectly well day after day and fulfill all that we need  from them.
 But then up pops that message again which suggests that perhaps Blogger's new dashboard interface would be better. You click on to have a look, knowing pretty well that it will be the one that you looked at some time ago and rejected.  Only now when you do you can't get back to your old trusted favourite.
 The message YOUR BROWSER IS NO LONGER SUPPORTED BY BLOGGER etc...
 Even now as I write this I do not have  100%  of the new version: hence not blogging this week. It all seems to be some kind of conspiracy to cajole us into using Google Chrome as our browser.  Looks like I'll have to install Chrome but it will probably with the new interface.  
 Many changes to systems etc are indeed improvements but so often I think changes are made just to give the designers in their offices something to do.
 One consequence is that the blogs I follow aren't coming through to me; so I hope all is well with you guys.
One thing that is not changing at the m,oment is the training routine which seems to be taking the same shape each week at the moment. So today, Friday,  it's time to ask the old legs to  respond with a few faster miles.
 With the snowy conditions coming in from the east  I should be OK for a track or canal speed session but the longer run on Sunday  might be  a white one.