Some weeks just don't go to plan. I'd scaled back my strength training a bit because it was taking too long and all was going well until Thursday when the car needed an unscheduled trip to the garage to get the brakes sorted. An accident on the way home from work and rush hour traffic meant that Thursday's run and strength session just didn't happen. I probably could have fitted a few miles in but on Wednesday I'd tried a more advanced hip flexor stretch. It was very effective but I paid for it on Thursday when a day long meeting combined with 4 hours driving meant everything seized up.
Friday wasn't a lot better between heading out to buy new hiking boots and another trip to the garage when they hadn't solved the noise problem and strength training went by the wayside again, though I did get some running in while waiting for the garage to have a look at the car.
Saturday was Parkrun and another PB - the 4th so far this year. A full 24 seconds off my previous PB and my highest ever age grade score, so I've awarded myself a big smiley star in the training diary. I managed to get in a few extra miles on Saturday which mostly covered the miles I'd missed on Thursday, but then ran out of time for any strength work (and didn't get a lot of other jobs done either).
Planning for camp at half term and issuing kit took a big chunk out of Sunday though I did manage to get in an easy 7 and a bit miles. It had to be easy because after yesterday's tempo runs my legs are feeling it a bit today.
This weeks stats:
Miles: 25.42
Elevation gained: 420 m
LeJog: 485.92 miles (Beattock - crossed the border into Scotland on Tuesday)
Sunday, 19 May 2019
Sunday, 12 May 2019
2 seconds
Second recovery week and started to increase the effort level on a couple of runs and a slightly longer long run.
I had been trying to do more strength work but it's taking 45 minutes at a time to do everything which just isn't realistic some nights. Will have to look at what can be scaled back a bit on those nights. Funny how there's always time to do a hour plus run but strength work is so boring it just gets pushed out by other things, especially when it takes months and months of doing the same exercise to see any improvement.
Highlight of the week was Parkrun. At the finish my watch said I'd equalled my personal best. Usually my watch is a second or two less than the official time so I wasn't really expecting anything. But when the results came in my official time was 2 seconds less than my watch and a new PB. Not bad two weeks after a marathon.
This weeks stats:
Miles: 16.97
Elevation gained: 223 metres
LeJog: 460.5 miles (1.5 miles to the Scottish Border)
I had been trying to do more strength work but it's taking 45 minutes at a time to do everything which just isn't realistic some nights. Will have to look at what can be scaled back a bit on those nights. Funny how there's always time to do a hour plus run but strength work is so boring it just gets pushed out by other things, especially when it takes months and months of doing the same exercise to see any improvement.
Highlight of the week was Parkrun. At the finish my watch said I'd equalled my personal best. Usually my watch is a second or two less than the official time so I wasn't really expecting anything. But when the results came in my official time was 2 seconds less than my watch and a new PB. Not bad two weeks after a marathon.
This weeks stats:
Miles: 16.97
Elevation gained: 223 metres
LeJog: 460.5 miles (1.5 miles to the Scottish Border)
Sunday, 5 May 2019
Recovery Week #1
A very easy week with only two runs and no strength work. By Monday morning most of the stiffness from the Stratford Marathon had gone and it was fine so long as I didn't sit for too long. Just 15 mins walking on Monday and Tuesday, then 20 minutes on Wednesday. Thursday should have been an easy 2 mile run but I'd gone down with a cold so gave it a miss.
Then Parkrun on Saturday at a steady pace and a short trail run Sunday to round off the week. Parkrun was fine with no problems with putting in a faster paced mile. It was on the uphills on Sunday that it was clear that the legs still haven't fully recovered, just tired not sore which is good.
Normally after a long run I can eat like a horse. To be honest I did eat quite a bit on Sunday afternoon starting with 500ml of chocolate soya milk and a protein bar at the finish, then progressing through toast, yoghurt, full cooked dinner, then hot chocolate and flapjack before bed. Monday though I just couldn't face food. Looking in my bag and smelling a banana at lunchtime almost made me sick. My stomach was in a complete knot and nothing would go down. This continued until Wednesday evening before I could really face food again, but the only fruit that appealed was apples. So I'm still 1kg lighter than when I started the marathon although now I'm back eating again I don't think that will last long now.
Stats for the week:
Miles: 7.58
Elevation gained: 148 metres
LeJog: 443.53 (12 miles south of Carlise)
Then Parkrun on Saturday at a steady pace and a short trail run Sunday to round off the week. Parkrun was fine with no problems with putting in a faster paced mile. It was on the uphills on Sunday that it was clear that the legs still haven't fully recovered, just tired not sore which is good.
Normally after a long run I can eat like a horse. To be honest I did eat quite a bit on Sunday afternoon starting with 500ml of chocolate soya milk and a protein bar at the finish, then progressing through toast, yoghurt, full cooked dinner, then hot chocolate and flapjack before bed. Monday though I just couldn't face food. Looking in my bag and smelling a banana at lunchtime almost made me sick. My stomach was in a complete knot and nothing would go down. This continued until Wednesday evening before I could really face food again, but the only fruit that appealed was apples. So I'm still 1kg lighter than when I started the marathon although now I'm back eating again I don't think that will last long now.
Stats for the week:
Miles: 7.58
Elevation gained: 148 metres
LeJog: 443.53 (12 miles south of Carlise)
Monday, 29 April 2019
Week 16 - Race Week
Lots of travelling for work this week with a trip up to Scotland. Not ideal preparation for a marathon with the travel, eating in hotels and restaurants and long days. Good job it was taper week or I'd have got no training in.
Managed a couple of 3 mile runs along the Clyde - very, very flat compared with home.
Saturday was a very chilly day as timekeeper at Parkrun. Very glad that the strongest winds went through on the Saturday rather than during Sunday's race.
Sunday was very cold first thing. Managed to hang on to all my layers until about 20 mins before the start of the Stratford Marathon, then bundled them into my bag and dropped them off. Lots of people shivering on the start line then discarding clothing over the first couple of miles.
Plenty of water points but the bottled water tasted vile. Even flavoured with Tailwind it wasn't great. But needs must ...
Also a lot more runners in the Marathon this year, so it wasn't quite running on your own once the half split off. And some support around the course, except on the Greenway where you need it most. At least I had my head prepared for the lack of support on lap 2 this time.
It wasn't the best race I've ever run (in fact it's my slowest ever marathon time 😢) Possibly a bit undertrained - certainly didn't manage all of the pace work and long runs. Also started a bit too fast - easy done but it took it's toll later. Was doing well up until about 21 miles when suddenly I ran out of steam. It always happens at this point, perhaps I'm just not meant to run marathons. Ended up running 300 paces then walking 100 until mile 25 which I walked just about all of. Managed to save a bit for running in the park at the finish but my legs had gone pretty stiff by that point.
Crossing the finish line was lovely, but within seconds my legs had seized up. Struggled to walk to the bag drop and then to the car. Have spent the afternoon eating and drinking - managed to drop 1.5kg during the race.
As always a really nice finishers medal for this event.
Stats for the week:
Miles: 31.13
Elevation gained: 184 metres
LeJog: over half way to John O'Groats
Managed a couple of 3 mile runs along the Clyde - very, very flat compared with home.
Saturday was a very chilly day as timekeeper at Parkrun. Very glad that the strongest winds went through on the Saturday rather than during Sunday's race.
Sunday was very cold first thing. Managed to hang on to all my layers until about 20 mins before the start of the Stratford Marathon, then bundled them into my bag and dropped them off. Lots of people shivering on the start line then discarding clothing over the first couple of miles.
Plenty of water points but the bottled water tasted vile. Even flavoured with Tailwind it wasn't great. But needs must ...
Also a lot more runners in the Marathon this year, so it wasn't quite running on your own once the half split off. And some support around the course, except on the Greenway where you need it most. At least I had my head prepared for the lack of support on lap 2 this time.
It wasn't the best race I've ever run (in fact it's my slowest ever marathon time 😢) Possibly a bit undertrained - certainly didn't manage all of the pace work and long runs. Also started a bit too fast - easy done but it took it's toll later. Was doing well up until about 21 miles when suddenly I ran out of steam. It always happens at this point, perhaps I'm just not meant to run marathons. Ended up running 300 paces then walking 100 until mile 25 which I walked just about all of. Managed to save a bit for running in the park at the finish but my legs had gone pretty stiff by that point.
Crossing the finish line was lovely, but within seconds my legs had seized up. Struggled to walk to the bag drop and then to the car. Have spent the afternoon eating and drinking - managed to drop 1.5kg during the race.
As always a really nice finishers medal for this event.
Miles: 31.13
Elevation gained: 184 metres
LeJog: over half way to John O'Groats
Sunday, 21 April 2019
Week 15 - Happy Easter
A big drop in mileage this week for the taper. It seems strange to have time to do other stuff than just run.
Tuesday was 3 miles at target marathon pace. I've no idea what my target pace is really, so I opted for the faster end of my easy pace. I doubt I'd be able to keep it up for a whole marathon though, especially going up hill out of Welford.
Thursday's tempo run was just 2 miles (plus a warm up and cool down). Strangely the first mile, where it's running slightly downhill, was 20 seconds slower than the second where it's slightly uphill. Maybe it's to do with not being properly warmed up as the first mile felt much harder than the second.
I didn't run at Parkrun this week, the temptation to ignore easy injunction would have been too much. Instead a took a turn at volunteering, handing out tokens and congratulations to the finishers. There's only so many times you can say "well done" or "good running" in a morning.
Sunday's long run was just a baby at 8 miles. It was the first long run of the year in warm conditions (19C) which made it feel quite hard at times even though I wasn't pushing the pace at all. Forgetting to drink for the first 3 miles probably didn't help, as did feeling thirsty before I'd even started to run. The forecast is for the temperatures to drop back again next week.
Happy Easter.
This week in numbers:
Miles: 19.03
Elevation gained: 227.38 metres
LeJog: 402.82 (not quite halfway)
Tuesday was 3 miles at target marathon pace. I've no idea what my target pace is really, so I opted for the faster end of my easy pace. I doubt I'd be able to keep it up for a whole marathon though, especially going up hill out of Welford.
Thursday's tempo run was just 2 miles (plus a warm up and cool down). Strangely the first mile, where it's running slightly downhill, was 20 seconds slower than the second where it's slightly uphill. Maybe it's to do with not being properly warmed up as the first mile felt much harder than the second.
I didn't run at Parkrun this week, the temptation to ignore easy injunction would have been too much. Instead a took a turn at volunteering, handing out tokens and congratulations to the finishers. There's only so many times you can say "well done" or "good running" in a morning.
Sunday's long run was just a baby at 8 miles. It was the first long run of the year in warm conditions (19C) which made it feel quite hard at times even though I wasn't pushing the pace at all. Forgetting to drink for the first 3 miles probably didn't help, as did feeling thirsty before I'd even started to run. The forecast is for the temperatures to drop back again next week.
Happy Easter.
This week in numbers:
Miles: 19.03
Elevation gained: 227.38 metres
LeJog: 402.82 (not quite halfway)
Sunday, 14 April 2019
Week 14 - Now is not the time to get injured
This was to be the biggest mileage week, but things don't always go to plan. Early in the week I felt a bit of a "niggle" in my right knee, always one of my week spots that can pick up an injury. As the program I've been following only has a two week taper rather than three weeks I decided to cut my mileage a few days early and make sure I was completing the strength training. As they say it's better to arrive at the start line undertrained and uninjured than not to start at all.
Tuesday's run was cut short because a meeting at work over-ran by an hour! How a meeting can run double its planned length and still be going round in circles is one of the wonders of the modern world. Thursday's run was cut from 8 miles to 5, Saturday's from 10 miles to 6 and Sunday's from 20 miles to just under 13. There's nothing magic about running 20 miles in training, especially if you've run the distance previously.
Parkrun formed 3 of the 6 miles on Saturday, run at a steady pace with each mile 10 seconds faster than the previous one. Well outside my PB but I'd always intended to take it steadily and the pacing was good.
Sunday's run was at an easy pace, though around 30 seconds a mile faster than I usually do my long run at. The benefit of 14 weeks training and knowing that it was only 13 miles to run. If (and it's always a big if with a marathon) I can manage that pace on the day I'll be very happy indeed.
Stats for the week:
Mileage - 26.43 miles
Elevation gained - 515m
LeJog - 383.79 (a few miles north of Preston)
Tuesday's run was cut short because a meeting at work over-ran by an hour! How a meeting can run double its planned length and still be going round in circles is one of the wonders of the modern world. Thursday's run was cut from 8 miles to 5, Saturday's from 10 miles to 6 and Sunday's from 20 miles to just under 13. There's nothing magic about running 20 miles in training, especially if you've run the distance previously.
Parkrun formed 3 of the 6 miles on Saturday, run at a steady pace with each mile 10 seconds faster than the previous one. Well outside my PB but I'd always intended to take it steadily and the pacing was good.
Sunday's run was at an easy pace, though around 30 seconds a mile faster than I usually do my long run at. The benefit of 14 weeks training and knowing that it was only 13 miles to run. If (and it's always a big if with a marathon) I can manage that pace on the day I'll be very happy indeed.
 |
| Bluebells in The Warren |
Mileage - 26.43 miles
Elevation gained - 515m
LeJog - 383.79 (a few miles north of Preston)
Sunday, 7 April 2019
Week 13 - Brrr...
The start of April and we seem to have gone back to winter, with temperatures stuck in single figures, heavy rain and dull, grey days this week. I managed a couple of chilly runs in shorts before reverting to the full longs for Saturday and Sunday, plus hat, buff and gloves.
Bought some tailwind to try this week. Quite nice, very mild taste. Used it on Sunday's run and felt pretty good throughout without any feeling of stomach churning that gels can produce.
Not much else to say really. Still struggling to fit in the strength sessions and the longer mid-week runs. Now the schools have broken up for Easter I'm hoping that will improve as there are less demands on time in the evenings. And by the time they go back I'll be well into the taper for the Stratford Marathon.
Highlights of the week were a close up view of a Red Kite taking off from the ground not 50 metres from home and an even closer encounter with a male Yellowhammer sitting in a hedge at the side of the road as I ran past, both on Sunday.
Stats for the week:
Mileage: 38.02
Elevation gained: 538.81 metres
LeJog: 357.36 - just north of St Helens
Bought some tailwind to try this week. Quite nice, very mild taste. Used it on Sunday's run and felt pretty good throughout without any feeling of stomach churning that gels can produce.
Not much else to say really. Still struggling to fit in the strength sessions and the longer mid-week runs. Now the schools have broken up for Easter I'm hoping that will improve as there are less demands on time in the evenings. And by the time they go back I'll be well into the taper for the Stratford Marathon.
Highlights of the week were a close up view of a Red Kite taking off from the ground not 50 metres from home and an even closer encounter with a male Yellowhammer sitting in a hedge at the side of the road as I ran past, both on Sunday.
Stats for the week:
Mileage: 38.02
Elevation gained: 538.81 metres
LeJog: 357.36 - just north of St Helens
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