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!