Tough Challenge

This is certainly the toughest challenge I have faced both physically and mentally, but I need those challenges to keep me going . I do tend to set myself high targets and, following a conversation with Tom, I think I will have to set myself a lower target for Edinburgh. Two reasons: 1) I don't think I am capable of a 1:35 half marathon yet and I know I really need this to achieve 3:30. 2) I really want to do London and if I can get under 3:45 I will get a gfa place and if I aim too high and miss it I could blow my chances of a London place. I am doing my physio and stretch exercises as often as possible although I don't have time to do it every day. I have done this volume of training before although not at the same intensity I don't think and had no problem with it except being a little more tired. So I was trying to work out what was different and came to two conclusions - I am working more hours than before and I am having difficulty refuelling straight after a run. This is because most of my runs are done after school while madam is in aftercare or clubs and I can't eat until I get home which could be an hour later. If you have any ideas as to what I could take to eat in that 20 minute window I would be grateful. Please don't suggest nuts though (the packet I bought with hope after our marathon meeting went home with Kay last night!).

Week 4

Well it's a quarter of the way through training now and I have had a good week's training. Tuesday was a tempo run along the route Kay suggested which worked much better and I was able to hold the pace. Wednesday was a recovery run. Thursday was 6 x 800m intervals which was not easy, but I managed the right pace in all but one. Friday was my medium run of 7.5 miles (all I could fit in while madam was at Brownies). Today I was aiming for 14 miles, but missed a turn on my route, tried to make up the distance later and ended up at 15 miles. Mileage for this week: 37 I know that I am achieving the speeds and distances required by my schedule, but I am wondering whether I can possibly be ready in time. Today's long run was tough going and my legs felt very tired. It was a hilly route and quite windy this morning, but I had thought that the training I have been putting in over the last year or so would have meant that that distance would have felt like relatively easy. I did manage to pick up the pace at the end and finished in 2:13. Is it normal to feel like this at this stage of training? When does it start to feel like it is coming together?!

Podiatrist Visit

I finally got a name for my knee problems today - I have equinus. This means that my foot doesn't flex properly at the ankle and my foot points downwards. It could be something I was born with, or caused by walking on my toes for 33 years! I have been fitted for orthotics and she tried some templates under my heels and I was amazed at the difference just 4mm made - I could actually bend my knees! Thinking about it, it is no wonder I have difficulty with hills. If my foot doesn't flex upwards and my knees don't bend, I can't possibly have the power needed to push my body upwards. I'm going to awfully disappointed if these don't turn out to be a panacea when they arrive in a couple of weeks!

Week 3

have been really sensible this week (for a change!). I didn't feel brilliant on Tuesday so stayed near home instead of run club and cut my run a bit short as well. I also took Wednesday as a rest day which meant two in a week which is a bit unusual for me. Thursday I attempted a tempo run, but I think I was still feeling the after effects of the bug I had because my legs did not want to move as fast as I needed them to. Also found that there where I thought would be fairly flat near work wasn't that flat. Need to try to find somewhere else for future runs. Friday was much better and I did a 4 x 1 mile interval session. Got some strange looks from the police as there was an accident on the route I found to run around so had to run past them 3 times. Saturday was parkrun and I took it easy. Today was a 12 miler which I really enjoyed. Quite a hilly route, but I finished in a reasonable time and completed the week on a high note. More reasonable mileage this week at 33 miles which my knee has been grateful for I think. Podiatrist visit on Tuesday afternoon and I am really hopeful that they will be able to help me complete the higher mileage I know is coming up very soon with little or no pain.

Week 2

How quickly have the last two weeks gone?! It will be May in no time at all at this rate... Week 2 done and dusted and (no surprises here...) I did a bit much this week. Not that I feel that I have done too much, just know I should have done a bit less. Monday - 4 mile recovery, Tuesday 7.8 mile run club session. Wednesday didn't go as planned because Tuesday night I didn't sleep because my leg was aching from the physio on Monday and I couldn't get it comfortable. I thought I had escaped lightly this week, but during my Wednesday session I got my numb leg after 2 of my 3 1.5 mile intervals on the track. It's so frustrating when it goes because it just turns into a dead weight. I did mention it to the physio but she said it was understandable because she had stirred my leg up lots and not to worry. Easy for her to say when I ended up dragging myself back home. Luckily it went off again after an hour or so. Thursday I battled the dreadmill. I just can't get my head round why it is so hard nowadays when I used to love it. Still, I did a mile warm up and 4 miles tempo at 7:30 min mile pace. I was very glad to finish though! Friday was meant to be a rest day, but I needed to see my doc and the appointment they had meant that if I didn't run there I wouldn't get there in time and it's only 2 miles each way and I didn't push it - honest! Saturday was an easy 3 miles at HPTT. This morning was a toughy. I have been tired all week despite not being at work (fighting off another cold maybe?). 10 miles supposed to be at 8 min mile, but the tiredness and the horrendous wind this morning left me exhausted. I did it, but slower than I wanted averaging 8:25. I'm not worried though because it is still early days. Total mileage for this week: 40.41 Stretches and physio exercises also done almost every day

Week 1

Okay, so one week in and so far so good. I have done 5 training sessions this week and got out of them exactly what I wanted. Tuesday's hills were a killer though! The thing that I have been most pleased with is my pace judgement. I have been absolutely amazed (and I'm sure Rick will be as well lol) to have done 3 approx MP runs (2 of 4 miles and 1 of 8 ) without having to be beeped at by my Garmin. They averaged at 8:03, 8:04 and my 8 miler today I completed in 1:03:44 - spot on! Total miles for this week: 26.33.

pb pb pb and marathon training

Didn't realise it had been so long since I had written on here.
It's been a busy few weeks.
Got a new pb at HPTT thanks to Rick dragging me round :) 21:54 and I won again as well!
Did too much though because my knee started playing up - typical - a week before Brass Monkey. So I cut back.
Brass Monkey was okay. Set off with Rick and we stayed together for the first 7 miles at which point I just couldn't push the pace. I was running with a knee support on and was very aware of how uncomfortable it was and the fact that I may hurt my knee more meaning my marathon would be compromised. When I realised I wasn't going to get my time I lost it mentally and slowed down instead of speeding up. The last 3 miles were hell. Instead of thinking yeah it's only 3 miles and I do that easily every Saturday morning it went the other way and I was thinking oh no that's another 23 minutes at this speed. Support from my club mates at 12 miles helped, but only for a short distance before my negative mental state took over again. I still managed a pb in 1:41:23, but it was 2 minutes slower than I wanted to get. I did get a new 10 mile pb in the process of 1:16:55.
I was fed up after the race because my knee was bad. I went to see a different physio and was amazed at how quickly she picked up on my problems. The usual tight calves and hamstrings, but weak calves and glutes and tight adductors to add to it. She also wants me to see their podiatrist to get orthotics rather than running in support shoes because I overpronate to different degrees in my feet. But, I am allowed to run because she wants to see how I cope with it. Great, except now I have a coldy type virus and feel dreadful. So bad that I missed my long run for the first time in months.
I am trying to think longer term now and aiming for Edinburgh. A fantastic seminar yesterday on marathon training. I learned loads about long runs and nutrition and listening to stories about pace made me realise how important it is not to set off quickly. I have an image of Helen's pacing balloon in my head and will keep it there to remind me. I can't do Leeds Half because I have to do a 22 miler that day so I am doing Sheffield Half instead. I have to use my race time there to work out my marathon pace. Tom's rule is double it and add 10%. Currently that would be 3:40. I fully intend to get sub 1:40 in my next half. Tom reckons that I am capable of a 1:35 half at some point. That sounds awfully fast to me, but is only really the equivalent of my sub 45 10k in terms of thresholds.
Looking at my race pbs my HM, 10 mile and 5k times are all in line and it is my 10k time that stands out as the best. Maybe 10k is my distance. That surprises me because I have felt more comfortable doing longer distances recently. I need to crack the mental nut though.