After a pretty indifferent few weeks I was pleased to be enjoying my running again this week.  Unusually I trained on six days, deciding to pass only on Friday evening.  All runs were cautious and slow but I was anxious not to push myself back into a dip.  It’s not as if I’m in specific training yet anyway.  Talking of which I must set a programme for Edinburgh.  Shall I stick to Hal Higdon or look at other plans that are out there – maybe something with a bit more pace guidance so that I can maybe get closer to four hours this time around?  There’s time to decide yet anyway.

After my gentle 10 x 300m this morning (Sun) I tried my usual barefoot strides but I wimped out after one rep with the sodden infield only a degree or two above freezing.  Instead I watched John Hillier coaching Kathryn and Shadine – they are both now throwing at a very good and advanced level and virtually all of that is down to John who is both a fantastic technical coach and an excellent motivator.  One technique John employs with discus is ‘cage throwing’ where the athlete’s technique is honed with dozens, nay hundreds, of throws of a rubber discus, of correct weight, into the cage netting.  This is instead of throwing a couple out into the sector and continually plodding after them.  It is totally logical and it works.  It works for Kath, Shadine and Zane as well as it did for Jamie, Lauren and others.  So why do so few throwers and their coaches do this?  Because coaches tend to be arrogant and won’t consider that there might be ways that they could improve what they’re doing, that’s why.  I got queer looks when I started coaching in Irishtown doing this but guess what?  It worked.

Yesterday (Sat) it was a wintery scene at St Ouen’s Manor for the junior cross country.  Not surprisingly the turnout was smaller than usual as the weather threatened – it doesn’t take much to bring Jersey to a standstill.  As the snowflakes grew thicker the youngsters slithered and skidded down by the lake to be scooped up by parents at the finish and whisked off home.  At one stage it looked as if we might be putting up at the manor for the night, toasting feet in front of a blazing fire and sampling the Seigneur’s claret.  Unfortunately the roads remained clear. 

Miles on the week – 28.3
Miles ytd – 1,243.7