Wednesday 31 December 2008

Be advised - I'm posting this using my iPod touch...cool stuff but it is more twiddly than a normal keyboard.

So - no gym over the Xmas break but I did two half marathon distances.

I reckon 16miles will happen in Jan but the distances are heading towards the top end of my endurance. I need new and flatter routes. Training on the hilly route is fine up to half marathon distance but any more is too much of an ask right now.

So, the coming week brings an easy 10 miler on Brighton sea front, a PT session and a much needed sports massage. Oh, and back to work too... :-)

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Longer than I thought...

Last week was longer than I thought. I spent a couple of hilarious hours running an easy ten miler with El Bobbo. Nice route, nice weather (running in shorts!) and great company.

That finished off last week with a grand total of over 29 miles! Not quite the full 30 but I'm still really chuffed with progress thus far.

Injury free and ready to lay down the winter fat - Goose for xmas day ;-)

So, the next Pt session is booked - 08:00 on Jan 2 '09 and the next sports massage is booked for the 5th @ 10:00.

16 miles in Jan.

Hmmm!

Sunday 14 December 2008

Long week!

Total mileage this week - 18.5 - that was 4.5 midweek and 14 today. Oh, and two gym sessions too.

S'funny, going up to 10 miles is now a relatively easy prospect. As soon as I head beyond 10 I get some sort of weird panic like I'm about to get out if my depth; the pace goes up so does respiration...almost as if I'm normally on the finishing straight. Today took a real conscious effort to chill out and cruise the last mile like it wasn't my last mile. It helped. I'll get there.

Oh and the scumbag pikey across the road from me tried to run me over at 14 miles! It was deliberate and he is a bully. It is hard not to smash his face out through the back of his head. He would be in hospital and I would be in custody. I don't want to be in custody but I do want him to leave me alone.

I hate bullies.

Sunday 7 December 2008

Quality route!

So, summary of last week - gym x2 and 16 miles total. Had a great 5.5 mile mid week run.

I decided to up the mileage this weekend and tried out a new route. Most of it is familiar. Basically it joined up a couple of other routes from Harefiled to Ruislip. Ducks Hill road around Northwood is friggin steep - some good hills to start with. Later, coming down Breakspear Road North there is a fantastic long slow downhill. With the frost of Sunday morning, slightly misty, fields on my right, hedgerow on the left it was like running in the countryside for real!

Positives:
- endurance is getting better
- recovery is getting better
- running in the morning
- good fueling

Stuff to work on:
- don't finish too soon - slow during the last mile
- hydration - take the camel pack?
- run with music less - it does work!
- run longer!
- keep stretching

The strategy (too loose to call a plan) is:

December - 14 miles
January - 16 miles
February - 18 miles
March - 20 miles
April - taper and race

I aim to do two runs at each distance intersperced with easier distances in between.

Top Gear was good last night too ;-)

Monday 1 December 2008

*Proper Marathon training*

Unlike this morning, yesterday dawned cold and wet with a biting wind. about a mile into my ten miler I asked Nors if this counted as proper marathon traing. 'Yes, but you really need snow during a 20 miler to get the full effect'...I can't wait!

So, 10 miles yesterday - decent pace, not quite easy but the Wokingham Half Marathon route is nicely flat-ish apart from motorway bridges. T'was a good session running with 5 others - quite sociable.

So, the summary for last week was Gym x2 and a 3 mile mid week. After the 10 mile Pb last week I learnt how decent prep can make a run. I had a lowsy night sleep before the 10 miles yesterday and felt it. I was fairly bushed after a tough day last week so the 3 miler, although a fraction slower than the previous Sunday felt harder. Proper rest anf ueling makes a run for sure.

I'll be well rested for a 12 miler this Sunday. If I can get a 5-6 mile mid week total and 2 gym sessions I'll be well happy this week.

Waddling on...