1st January
Hill reps, two sets of ten. Start the new year as I mean to go on with a quality session
2nd January
Body pump at the gym, plus I ran there and back so about 5 miles of running.
3rd January
Not the long run I planned. Too icy to run outdoors so ran for an hour (11.1k or 7 miles near as dammit). Should have done another hour but really couldn't face it.
Monday 4th January
5 miles on the treadmill plus some core exercises. Much too icy to run outside.
Tuesday 5th January
Speedwork at the gym. Snow and sleet showers forecast so did not risk the track.
1 mile warm up then 10 * 2 minutes @ 14kph, 1 minute recoveries. 1 mile cool down. Did try to crank the speed up on some of the middle reps to 14.5 - 15kph but it nearly killed me. God I am so overweight and out of shape. I really have it all to do if I want a PB at the Bourton 10k.
Wednesday 6th January
The snow came down with a vengeance so had to walk to work! I think 2 hours of walking counts as good exercise!
Thursday 7th and Friday 8th January
As Wednesday 6th Jan!
Saturday 9th January
The snow hasn't melted but managed to move my car at last. Drove to the gym, did the new body pump release and a speed session (as per Tuesday) on the treadmill.
Sunday 10th January
Very disappointed that the rough n tumble has been cancelled as this has become one of my favourite winter training runs. Fortunately there was a 2.5 hour spinathon at the gym which cheered me up a bit. Greatly enjoyed this as always, nice to see the class full on a Sunday. Plus I ran to the gym (in the snow, with my off-road shoes on) so that's over 3.5 hours of exercise! I slept well later - unfortunately during a film I wanted to watch on Sky!
Monday 11th January
Very sore today so 5 miles slow on the treadmill. Felt a bit looser in the last two miles.
Tuesday 12th January
Speed session on the treadmill again as didn't know what conditions would be like at the track, or how bad the traffic would be. 1 mile warm up, then 10 * 2 mins, 1 mile cool down but it was actually a bit all over the place. Not sure how much of it was due to feeling tired from Sunday or the fact that the treadmill is seriously doing my head in and I just wish I could run outside in some way shape or form.
Wednesday 13th January
Body pump. Helped push Kathryn out of the gym car park after!
Thursday 14th January
RPM. Almost safe enough to run outside but decided not to risk it.
Friday 15th January
Rest.
Saturday 16th January
Body pump. Missed out legs to keep them fresh for tomorrow.
Sunday 17th January
Highworth Half Marathon. Was going well for the first 8 miles, then my legs just seemed to seize up. Still, enjoyed the run and finished in 1:56:00 which is not bad for the course, in fact I'd have taken anything under two hours today. Also did another 5 miles on the treadmill after to make this the first quality long run of 2010.
Monday 18th Janury
Legs seriously sore today! 5 miles easy jog (Blagrove route).
Tuesday 19th Janaury
Track session. 1 mile warm up, then I did 11 * 400m (actual session 15 * 400). 1 mile cool down. Not bad considering how sore I still am, in fact I seemed to get looser through the session.
Long runs, track sessions - this is much more like it :)
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Friday, 15 May 2009
And so it ends...
Just a quick note to say that I have decided to draw a line under this blog having completed the Flora London marathon. The reason is simply that whilst I fully intend to continue training and racing, I need to give other activities priority. The book I have written won't get itself published and I need to devote my energies to that particular project.
I shall also be following the Ashes series of 2009 with a great deal of interest, and this also gives me an opportunity to hone my writing skills in this area. To this end (and to relieve some frustration at times no doubt) I have set up a cricketing blog at http://jonscricketblog.blogspot.com/
I may still post reports of certain races here, but for now as they say, that's all folks.
I shall also be following the Ashes series of 2009 with a great deal of interest, and this also gives me an opportunity to hone my writing skills in this area. To this end (and to relieve some frustration at times no doubt) I have set up a cricketing blog at http://jonscricketblog.blogspot.com/
I may still post reports of certain races here, but for now as they say, that's all folks.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Jon runs London 2009
Saturday 25th April
The big day (or at least, the weekend) is finally upon me! Met Daniel at the station in the morning to catch the train to London, and we met Anthony and some of his friends from South Wales on the train. When we arrived in London we made our way over to the expo at Docklands and swiftly completed the registration process - the organisation at FLM is faultless.
Anthony and I then headed over to the pasta party for our meal and then spent an hour or two looking round the stands. I resisted any temptation to spend lots of money, but did grab a few pairs of running socks at the sweatshop stand.
Afterwards, I made my way to Kennington to pick up the key for the guest room at my Uncle Eddie's retirement home there. True to form, he offered me alcohol as soon as he saw me but I managed to resist. I had come too far to mess up my chances over a few rum and cokes.
In the evening, I met up with Anthony, Daniel, Martin, Claire and other members of the Swindon Striders for dinner near their hotel at Vauxhall. It was a really nice meal and incredibly cheap - £5.50 for a huge plate of lasagne and chips!
There was a slight scare for me in that I seemed to have developed blisters on both heels; my new shoes weren't as comfortable as I at first thought. Fortunately Claire gave me some blister plasters to out on in the morning so all I could do was get to bed and hope for the best in the morning.
Sunday 26th April - THE 2009 FLORA LONDON MARATHON
Good news. My feet were less sore than the previous evening and with the blister plasters on I was able to walk normally again. Packed my bag, had my pre-race breakfast of rice pudding and made my way to the tube station. Somewhat serendipitously I met Anthony et al there, and teamed up with Martin and Claire, who was in the same pen as me at the blue start. If I had wasted energy the previous day by spending too much time on my feet I wasted more energy this morning sprinting between trains and getting stressed - a result of platform alterations and delays at London Bridge. Fortunately we still got to the start with a few minutes to spare. No time for a stretch but the first few miles were going to be my warm-up anyway.
Before long we were off and I was noticeably closer to the start this year - it only took 5 minutes or so to cross the line, unlike 10 two years ago. Whilst the pace was slightly faster, the streets were equally crowded and it was hard to get any sort of speed up. The first mile took 9 and a half minutes, and as my plan was to run 9 minute miles all the way round I was already behind schedule.
Not to worry, or so it appeared; I managed a few faster miles and by 5 miles was ahead of schedule. The mood of the runners was very positive and good-humoured; cries of 'Oggy Oggy Oggy' at the start and boos and hisses for the runners from the red start when the race converged at mile three!
On a more sombre note I will always remember passing a young man with an artificial leg in the first few miles wearing a 'Help for Heroes' t-shirt. I mused that he had possibly lost a leg fighting for his country in Iraq and Afghanistan, so I vowed at that point I wasn't going to whinge during the race, no matter how much it hurts.
I was still going strong at mile 10 and by now was starting to count down the miles. 16 to go, how many times have I done that in training?
Like I say, it was very crowded and there were plenty of near misses, and already I was getting sick and tired of people's elbows bashing into me as I tried to pass them.
The first major collision took place on Tower Bridge. Some TV or radio presenter, in his wisdom, decided to stop a lady right in my path. I couldn't stop and went straight into her. I'm guessing it hurt her more but it knocked the wind out of me. That notwithstanding, I felt reasonably strong at halfway, which I passed in about 1:56 so sub four hours was still a possibility at that stage.
I think it would have been at about mile 16 that things started to go wrong. I suddenly felt tired, my legs were heavy, and I was increasingly annoyed at having to avoid collisions. By now people were stopping in front of me, and it was as much as I could do not to crash into them. I didn't realise it at the time, but it was also now getting pretty warm.
I very nearly had a nasty accident in docklands when a bottle of lucozade rolled under my foot (whose idea was it to have bottles this year instead of pouches?!) and I could have ended up flat on my back. Fortunately I was still alert enough to realise what I had stepped on and roll my foot over it.
By miles 20-21 I was really starting to suffer and as much as I tried to tell myself it was only another 10k, it still seemed like a hell of a long way. My stopwatch had been stopped in another collision but I knew I was slowing down and hopes of finishing in under four hours were disappearing fast. I had to have a few walk breaks, usually at the drinks stations so I could regain my composure (I was feeling faint and dizzy) and take some fluid on board, which I badly needed. Truth be told, I can't recall ever wanting a pint of beer so badly in my life!
The signs saying Lucozade station in 500m were cruel by mile 23, as 500m seemed a very long way by that stage. I remember the crowd cheering me on and all I wanted to shout in return was 'Where's the f***ing lucozade station?!' I'm glad I can remember the humorous aspect of this painful passage.
By now I was just trying to hang in there and whilst I was moving slowly and really wanted to just stop I tried to remember the words of one of my true sporting heroes, the legendary Shane Warne: 'Never give up. Never, ever, give up.'
I tried to focus on the sights of London and the cheers of the crowd as I edged towards the finish. It was nearly over; soon I was passing the Houses of Parliament and beginning the final passage along Birdcage walk. By the time I got to the 600m to go sign I was in all kinds of pain; among other things my spine was hurting and so a sprint finish was out of the question. I did manage to raise my arms aloft as I crossed the line. I didn't know exactly what my time was, it was about 4hrs 6 minutes so I hadn't managed four hours but it was a lot faster than two years ago. A good 25 minutes, roughly speaking. Despite still being in agony I still managed the broadest smile possible as I had my finisher's photo taken.
Still wheezing I made a phone call to my Dad to let him know I had finished. When I told him how much I had suffered in the last six miles but kept going, he told me that was 'true grit'.
Yes, you could say that I guess.
After the race
Met up with Anthony et al in the meet and greet area, but when they made their way home my day wasn't over as I was very lucky to have an old mate, Roger, come to London to spend a few hours having a celebration drink with me. It was great to see him and a fantastic atmosphere in London. People were randomly shaking my hand, high-fiving me and saying well done when they found out I had done the race. In fact, it was easy to pick out anyone who had run as they were the ones hobbling...
We had a nice thai meal in Covent Garden (a cheap restaurant opposite The Salisbury, one of my favourite watering holes) and a few beers and generally caught up. Later I headed back to Eddie's but wasn't able to have a drink with him - I was well and truly whacked and a well-earned good night's sleep beckoned.
I treated myself to an overdue day out in London the next day before catching the last train home. In the morning I spent some time with Eddie and checked my result on his computer. My exact time was 4:05:52 and I came 11,808th overall, so well within the top third I guess. Again I was unlucky not to meet any celebs as Gordon Ramsay had finished just fifty seconds ahead of me and Ronan Keating 10 minutes later! Not sure if Matt Dawson was running though...
The weather was a bit rubbish which was a shame. I had anticipated relaxing in St James' Park but it was too wet for that so I bought my theatre ticket for the evening, had some lunch, spent a long time browsing in Waterstone's, bought a paper and had perhaps a few too many rum and cokes and pints of Stella in some of my favourite pubs. The play was Three Days of Rain starring James McAvoy (who I would love to play the lead character if my novel Ashes Summer ever gets made into a film) and I wish I could tell you all about it but my memories start getting hazy after dinner in Chandos...but to be fair, even Ali O'Hara told me to have a few beers after the race so if he thinks I deserved it then I guess I did.
The big day (or at least, the weekend) is finally upon me! Met Daniel at the station in the morning to catch the train to London, and we met Anthony and some of his friends from South Wales on the train. When we arrived in London we made our way over to the expo at Docklands and swiftly completed the registration process - the organisation at FLM is faultless.
Anthony and I then headed over to the pasta party for our meal and then spent an hour or two looking round the stands. I resisted any temptation to spend lots of money, but did grab a few pairs of running socks at the sweatshop stand.
Afterwards, I made my way to Kennington to pick up the key for the guest room at my Uncle Eddie's retirement home there. True to form, he offered me alcohol as soon as he saw me but I managed to resist. I had come too far to mess up my chances over a few rum and cokes.
In the evening, I met up with Anthony, Daniel, Martin, Claire and other members of the Swindon Striders for dinner near their hotel at Vauxhall. It was a really nice meal and incredibly cheap - £5.50 for a huge plate of lasagne and chips!
There was a slight scare for me in that I seemed to have developed blisters on both heels; my new shoes weren't as comfortable as I at first thought. Fortunately Claire gave me some blister plasters to out on in the morning so all I could do was get to bed and hope for the best in the morning.
Sunday 26th April - THE 2009 FLORA LONDON MARATHON
Good news. My feet were less sore than the previous evening and with the blister plasters on I was able to walk normally again. Packed my bag, had my pre-race breakfast of rice pudding and made my way to the tube station. Somewhat serendipitously I met Anthony et al there, and teamed up with Martin and Claire, who was in the same pen as me at the blue start. If I had wasted energy the previous day by spending too much time on my feet I wasted more energy this morning sprinting between trains and getting stressed - a result of platform alterations and delays at London Bridge. Fortunately we still got to the start with a few minutes to spare. No time for a stretch but the first few miles were going to be my warm-up anyway.
Before long we were off and I was noticeably closer to the start this year - it only took 5 minutes or so to cross the line, unlike 10 two years ago. Whilst the pace was slightly faster, the streets were equally crowded and it was hard to get any sort of speed up. The first mile took 9 and a half minutes, and as my plan was to run 9 minute miles all the way round I was already behind schedule.
Not to worry, or so it appeared; I managed a few faster miles and by 5 miles was ahead of schedule. The mood of the runners was very positive and good-humoured; cries of 'Oggy Oggy Oggy' at the start and boos and hisses for the runners from the red start when the race converged at mile three!
On a more sombre note I will always remember passing a young man with an artificial leg in the first few miles wearing a 'Help for Heroes' t-shirt. I mused that he had possibly lost a leg fighting for his country in Iraq and Afghanistan, so I vowed at that point I wasn't going to whinge during the race, no matter how much it hurts.
I was still going strong at mile 10 and by now was starting to count down the miles. 16 to go, how many times have I done that in training?
Like I say, it was very crowded and there were plenty of near misses, and already I was getting sick and tired of people's elbows bashing into me as I tried to pass them.
The first major collision took place on Tower Bridge. Some TV or radio presenter, in his wisdom, decided to stop a lady right in my path. I couldn't stop and went straight into her. I'm guessing it hurt her more but it knocked the wind out of me. That notwithstanding, I felt reasonably strong at halfway, which I passed in about 1:56 so sub four hours was still a possibility at that stage.
I think it would have been at about mile 16 that things started to go wrong. I suddenly felt tired, my legs were heavy, and I was increasingly annoyed at having to avoid collisions. By now people were stopping in front of me, and it was as much as I could do not to crash into them. I didn't realise it at the time, but it was also now getting pretty warm.
I very nearly had a nasty accident in docklands when a bottle of lucozade rolled under my foot (whose idea was it to have bottles this year instead of pouches?!) and I could have ended up flat on my back. Fortunately I was still alert enough to realise what I had stepped on and roll my foot over it.
By miles 20-21 I was really starting to suffer and as much as I tried to tell myself it was only another 10k, it still seemed like a hell of a long way. My stopwatch had been stopped in another collision but I knew I was slowing down and hopes of finishing in under four hours were disappearing fast. I had to have a few walk breaks, usually at the drinks stations so I could regain my composure (I was feeling faint and dizzy) and take some fluid on board, which I badly needed. Truth be told, I can't recall ever wanting a pint of beer so badly in my life!
The signs saying Lucozade station in 500m were cruel by mile 23, as 500m seemed a very long way by that stage. I remember the crowd cheering me on and all I wanted to shout in return was 'Where's the f***ing lucozade station?!' I'm glad I can remember the humorous aspect of this painful passage.
By now I was just trying to hang in there and whilst I was moving slowly and really wanted to just stop I tried to remember the words of one of my true sporting heroes, the legendary Shane Warne: 'Never give up. Never, ever, give up.'
I tried to focus on the sights of London and the cheers of the crowd as I edged towards the finish. It was nearly over; soon I was passing the Houses of Parliament and beginning the final passage along Birdcage walk. By the time I got to the 600m to go sign I was in all kinds of pain; among other things my spine was hurting and so a sprint finish was out of the question. I did manage to raise my arms aloft as I crossed the line. I didn't know exactly what my time was, it was about 4hrs 6 minutes so I hadn't managed four hours but it was a lot faster than two years ago. A good 25 minutes, roughly speaking. Despite still being in agony I still managed the broadest smile possible as I had my finisher's photo taken.
Still wheezing I made a phone call to my Dad to let him know I had finished. When I told him how much I had suffered in the last six miles but kept going, he told me that was 'true grit'.
Yes, you could say that I guess.
After the race
Met up with Anthony et al in the meet and greet area, but when they made their way home my day wasn't over as I was very lucky to have an old mate, Roger, come to London to spend a few hours having a celebration drink with me. It was great to see him and a fantastic atmosphere in London. People were randomly shaking my hand, high-fiving me and saying well done when they found out I had done the race. In fact, it was easy to pick out anyone who had run as they were the ones hobbling...
We had a nice thai meal in Covent Garden (a cheap restaurant opposite The Salisbury, one of my favourite watering holes) and a few beers and generally caught up. Later I headed back to Eddie's but wasn't able to have a drink with him - I was well and truly whacked and a well-earned good night's sleep beckoned.
I treated myself to an overdue day out in London the next day before catching the last train home. In the morning I spent some time with Eddie and checked my result on his computer. My exact time was 4:05:52 and I came 11,808th overall, so well within the top third I guess. Again I was unlucky not to meet any celebs as Gordon Ramsay had finished just fifty seconds ahead of me and Ronan Keating 10 minutes later! Not sure if Matt Dawson was running though...
The weather was a bit rubbish which was a shame. I had anticipated relaxing in St James' Park but it was too wet for that so I bought my theatre ticket for the evening, had some lunch, spent a long time browsing in Waterstone's, bought a paper and had perhaps a few too many rum and cokes and pints of Stella in some of my favourite pubs. The play was Three Days of Rain starring James McAvoy (who I would love to play the lead character if my novel Ashes Summer ever gets made into a film) and I wish I could tell you all about it but my memories start getting hazy after dinner in Chandos...but to be fair, even Ali O'Hara told me to have a few beers after the race so if he thinks I deserved it then I guess I did.
Friday, 24 April 2009
Highworth 5 mile race and final taper
Sunday 19th March
Competed today in the Highworth 5 mile road race. This is usually the weekend before, or after, the London marathon. This year, as was the case two years ago, it was the weekend before which is convenient for me as I can use it as my last hard run before a week of next to nothing.
I decided before the race to use as just that - a hard run - as I was planning to do another five miles after the race to bring me up to 10 miles as my last long run. So when I set off I didn't start the timer on my watch, I just concentrated on running hard but enjoying the race.
I didn't look at my watch at all during the race but I imagine the first three miles were faster than the last two. Certainly the last mile would have been the slowest - the hill at the four mile marker would have made sure of that.
In any case I was surprised and delighted with a time just under 37 minutes (36:59 official) as this was more than a minute and a half faster than my previous best at the distance. As I've been concentrating on distance rather than speed I can only put this down to improved fitness and the weight loss.
And yes I did do 5 miles on the treadmill afterwards - in a much more sedate time of 43 minutes. I'm feeling good and confident at this point.
Monday 20th April
Stupidly went out with the running club and soon regretted it. I made it clear that I had done a race the day before and had to taper for the marathon but they still went off at a pace that was too fast for me today. So I let them go about half way, and just ended up doing the Blagrove route on my own, which is about 5 miles.
Tuesday 21st April
Just a very easy jog tonight, about 3 miles. Went from work and jogged up the path which runs parallel with the dual carriageway. Should really take more advantage of this as the path leads to the bottom of the railway path where I start a lot of my runs from. There is a shower at work so really there is no need to head to the gym just to go for a run.
Time to rest and carbo-load now, and started both in earnest with a trip to the cinema. The film was the excellent Let The Right One In, a love story between a young boy in Sweden and a female vampire. It might sound silly, but it really was a beautiful film and I think I liked it because it was an impossible love story between two people who feel alone and ostracised for very different reasons but find some common ground. Don't listen to me ranting on about it, see if for yourself.
Wednesday 22nd April
Complete rest. Can't say I missed body pump. It can be tiring at times, a constant treadmill of work-gym-dinner-writing. Instead went home and did a quality editing session.
Thursday 23rd April
Full body massage with Ali. Felt some aches and pains during the run on Sunday so knew I needed this. He found a great deal of tension in my back, which he got rid of. Another quality session on the book and finished the second round of editing! Still some work to do - need to add in a few scenes and give it at least another read through but am very close to sending it out to agents and publishers now. Really wanted to reach this particular landmark as I feel in a funny way it will give me confidence in the race on Sunday, knowing I have got this far with the book as well as training.
Friday 24th April
Complete rest. Made the last minute preparations for the big day. And a few more donations came in which brings my total up to £1200 with £50 still to come from Dad.
Under the circumstances, it's been a fantastic effort whatever happens on Sunday, even if I say so myself.
Competed today in the Highworth 5 mile road race. This is usually the weekend before, or after, the London marathon. This year, as was the case two years ago, it was the weekend before which is convenient for me as I can use it as my last hard run before a week of next to nothing.
I decided before the race to use as just that - a hard run - as I was planning to do another five miles after the race to bring me up to 10 miles as my last long run. So when I set off I didn't start the timer on my watch, I just concentrated on running hard but enjoying the race.
I didn't look at my watch at all during the race but I imagine the first three miles were faster than the last two. Certainly the last mile would have been the slowest - the hill at the four mile marker would have made sure of that.
In any case I was surprised and delighted with a time just under 37 minutes (36:59 official) as this was more than a minute and a half faster than my previous best at the distance. As I've been concentrating on distance rather than speed I can only put this down to improved fitness and the weight loss.
And yes I did do 5 miles on the treadmill afterwards - in a much more sedate time of 43 minutes. I'm feeling good and confident at this point.
Monday 20th April
Stupidly went out with the running club and soon regretted it. I made it clear that I had done a race the day before and had to taper for the marathon but they still went off at a pace that was too fast for me today. So I let them go about half way, and just ended up doing the Blagrove route on my own, which is about 5 miles.
Tuesday 21st April
Just a very easy jog tonight, about 3 miles. Went from work and jogged up the path which runs parallel with the dual carriageway. Should really take more advantage of this as the path leads to the bottom of the railway path where I start a lot of my runs from. There is a shower at work so really there is no need to head to the gym just to go for a run.
Time to rest and carbo-load now, and started both in earnest with a trip to the cinema. The film was the excellent Let The Right One In, a love story between a young boy in Sweden and a female vampire. It might sound silly, but it really was a beautiful film and I think I liked it because it was an impossible love story between two people who feel alone and ostracised for very different reasons but find some common ground. Don't listen to me ranting on about it, see if for yourself.
Wednesday 22nd April
Complete rest. Can't say I missed body pump. It can be tiring at times, a constant treadmill of work-gym-dinner-writing. Instead went home and did a quality editing session.
Thursday 23rd April
Full body massage with Ali. Felt some aches and pains during the run on Sunday so knew I needed this. He found a great deal of tension in my back, which he got rid of. Another quality session on the book and finished the second round of editing! Still some work to do - need to add in a few scenes and give it at least another read through but am very close to sending it out to agents and publishers now. Really wanted to reach this particular landmark as I feel in a funny way it will give me confidence in the race on Sunday, knowing I have got this far with the book as well as training.
Friday 24th April
Complete rest. Made the last minute preparations for the big day. And a few more donations came in which brings my total up to £1200 with £50 still to come from Dad.
Under the circumstances, it's been a fantastic effort whatever happens on Sunday, even if I say so myself.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Starting the taper
Tuesday 14th April
Speed session tonight but decided to mix it up a bit. 1.6k warm up, then 10 * 2 minutes @ 14kph but cut the recovery time back from 60 seconds to 30. It would have helped if I hadn't had to switch treadmills after the first 3 reps because the belt was slipping, but I felt I coped well. It was a lot harder with the shorter recoveries, but that pace is obviously more comfortable for me now.
Wednesday 15th April
Just body pump tonight. Went a tad lighter on some of the tracks. Wasn't tempted to do RPM afterwards. Well, ok maybe a little. But instead I had a 'For Goodness Shakes' milkshake (now is not the time to be skimping on calories) and got myself home and had a quality editing session.
I read later on runners' world it is not a good idea to do any weights in the two weeks before a marathon as it won't help you in the race, will sap your strength, and may even cause an injury. Oh well I won't do pump again before the big day.
Thursday 16th April
7 (11.2k) miles on the treadmill, nice and steady. Resisted the temptation to crank up the pace at the end. Think I may have upset Terry by refusing to join him for a run outside, but it was raining and the last thing I should do is take any silly risks, so why risk catching a cold?
Friday 17th April
Not raining this evening so managed to get outside. Did a five mile jog, very steady. My legs felt very sore, which just goes to show how much they need a week of next to nothing before the big day.
Saturday 18th April
Complete rest. Competing in the Highworth five mile race tomorrow but am thinking it may be as well to jog round as opposed to going for broke and risking an injury.
Speed session tonight but decided to mix it up a bit. 1.6k warm up, then 10 * 2 minutes @ 14kph but cut the recovery time back from 60 seconds to 30. It would have helped if I hadn't had to switch treadmills after the first 3 reps because the belt was slipping, but I felt I coped well. It was a lot harder with the shorter recoveries, but that pace is obviously more comfortable for me now.
Wednesday 15th April
Just body pump tonight. Went a tad lighter on some of the tracks. Wasn't tempted to do RPM afterwards. Well, ok maybe a little. But instead I had a 'For Goodness Shakes' milkshake (now is not the time to be skimping on calories) and got myself home and had a quality editing session.
I read later on runners' world it is not a good idea to do any weights in the two weeks before a marathon as it won't help you in the race, will sap your strength, and may even cause an injury. Oh well I won't do pump again before the big day.
Thursday 16th April
7 (11.2k) miles on the treadmill, nice and steady. Resisted the temptation to crank up the pace at the end. Think I may have upset Terry by refusing to join him for a run outside, but it was raining and the last thing I should do is take any silly risks, so why risk catching a cold?
Friday 17th April
Not raining this evening so managed to get outside. Did a five mile jog, very steady. My legs felt very sore, which just goes to show how much they need a week of next to nothing before the big day.
Saturday 18th April
Complete rest. Competing in the Highworth five mile race tomorrow but am thinking it may be as well to jog round as opposed to going for broke and risking an injury.
Easter training
Thursday 9th April
Running club tonight. I had suggested a long-ish run of about 10-11 miles as it would be a nice way to wind down before going home for the Easter weekend.
As it turned out, we only covered 6.2 miles in about 57 minutes. There was the option of carrying on at the 5 mile point with Gerry, but by then I was tired and just wanted to go home and enjoy being off for a few days.
Friday 10th April
Went to Ali's lunchtime body pump class then did a speed session on the treadmill afterwards. 1k warm up, then 8 * 3 minutes @ 14kph, 1k cool down.
Went quite heavy on some of the tracks in pump, Ali advised me after the class to always have a good selection of weights handy so I can adjust during a track if needs be.
Saturday 11th April
Body pump again, Rachel covering for Ali today. Ran to the gym from home and back again but didn't do any more cardio than that because I wanted my legs to be fairly fresh for my final long run tomorrow. And I have to admit, I found it hard doing pump two days in a row.
Sunday 12th April
Last long run today before the big day in two weeks. Set off to do my usual 20-miler, the Swindon half route but starting from the gym.
I felt surprisingly strong for most of the run, so much so that as I started the trek along Queens Drive into town I decided I could probably run a bit further, so when I ended up heading through Cheney Manor and along Akers Way, past the lake and along Cartwright Drive to the gym. That must be a good 24 miles and I managed it in less than four hours, despite tired legs and dehydration from enjoying being on holiday.
I'm optimistic now that the hard work will pay off on the big day. Whilst I haven't got a 10k or half marathon PB in the build up, spending long periods on my feet and all the strengthening work should pay off in the last few miles. All I need to do now is taper down, load up on carbs and avoid any nasty bugs and illnesses doing the rounds.
Monday 13th April
Ran to the gym and did RPM in the morning. Thought this would be a good way to get some of the lactic acid out of my legs. Did some core exercises as well as I was more than a little reluctant to go home and do housework for the rest of the day.
It wasn't that bad in the end, it was a lovely day weather-wise so I managed to cut the grass and do some tidying up in the back garden. Summer is coming!
Running club tonight. I had suggested a long-ish run of about 10-11 miles as it would be a nice way to wind down before going home for the Easter weekend.
As it turned out, we only covered 6.2 miles in about 57 minutes. There was the option of carrying on at the 5 mile point with Gerry, but by then I was tired and just wanted to go home and enjoy being off for a few days.
Friday 10th April
Went to Ali's lunchtime body pump class then did a speed session on the treadmill afterwards. 1k warm up, then 8 * 3 minutes @ 14kph, 1k cool down.
Went quite heavy on some of the tracks in pump, Ali advised me after the class to always have a good selection of weights handy so I can adjust during a track if needs be.
Saturday 11th April
Body pump again, Rachel covering for Ali today. Ran to the gym from home and back again but didn't do any more cardio than that because I wanted my legs to be fairly fresh for my final long run tomorrow. And I have to admit, I found it hard doing pump two days in a row.
Sunday 12th April
Last long run today before the big day in two weeks. Set off to do my usual 20-miler, the Swindon half route but starting from the gym.
I felt surprisingly strong for most of the run, so much so that as I started the trek along Queens Drive into town I decided I could probably run a bit further, so when I ended up heading through Cheney Manor and along Akers Way, past the lake and along Cartwright Drive to the gym. That must be a good 24 miles and I managed it in less than four hours, despite tired legs and dehydration from enjoying being on holiday.
I'm optimistic now that the hard work will pay off on the big day. Whilst I haven't got a 10k or half marathon PB in the build up, spending long periods on my feet and all the strengthening work should pay off in the last few miles. All I need to do now is taper down, load up on carbs and avoid any nasty bugs and illnesses doing the rounds.
Monday 13th April
Ran to the gym and did RPM in the morning. Thought this would be a good way to get some of the lactic acid out of my legs. Did some core exercises as well as I was more than a little reluctant to go home and do housework for the rest of the day.
It wasn't that bad in the end, it was a lovely day weather-wise so I managed to cut the grass and do some tidying up in the back garden. Summer is coming!
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
White Horse Half Marathon
Thursday 2nd April
Complete rest. I actually had a day's leave, as I had arranged a trip with the Sports & Social Club to see the musical Oliver. It was my intention originally to spend the day in London, but I ended up not bothering, for various reasons. Mainly, I can't afford it - the credit crunch has put an end to any unnecessary expenditure - but also I know I'd probably end up spending most of the day in the pub which is not ideal three weeks before a marathon.
As it turned out I had a most pleasant evening with my friends, and being the organiser meant I could choose who I sat with, which was Louise from my department, her boyfriend Ian, Tamara and her nine-year old son, Cameron, who I ended up entertaining during the interval.
Friday 3rd April
Complete rest. Came home from work and had a really good evening, watching England actually win a one-day international and winning a one-day series in the West Indies for the first time. Seeing my new facebook friend Andrew Flintoff take a hat-trick was just the icing on the cake really.
Saturday 4th April
Body pump and core work. Another day's rest might have bee sensible but I was bored of housework and missed out the leg tracks anyway. Plus it gave me an opportunity to learn the new routine.
Sunday 5th April
Competed in the White Horse half marathon, for the third year running. I've always liked the event, but never posted a PB, even though it is a PB course. Two years ago I was recovering from a PB effort at Bath the week before and last year I had tired myself out the week before trying to shed a few pounds.
I knew I would have to have a good time to beat my PB from Chippenham but was fairly confident I could do it. Indeed, I started strongly (too quickly as usual) but managed to maintain a sub 8-minute mile pace. The good news is, I felt comfortable doing it as well. Much more so than at Chippenham.
Where it all went wrong I don't know. I'm sure I passed the 12-mile marker in 1:33 so I was confident then of a 1:42 finish but somehow managed only 1:43:21, four seconds slower than my PB. I can only assume the heavy mileage caught up with me in that last mile.
That notwithstanding, I did feel strong most of the way round and had a pleasant day out. I love the event because it is such good value at £8 and the mug this year was a nicer design than the last two. I also bought a race t-shirt with the names of the runners which was great value as well for £5.
I stopped at the gym for a stretch, steam and shower and had a nice surprise when I bumped into an old friend, James Joel who I haven't seen for a couple of years. We exchanged numbers and will try to arrange a weekend in Bournemouth in the summer (where he lives) so that will be something to look forward to hopefully.
Monday 6th April
Nice steady run this evening, a bit further than usual at nine miles. I am definitely recovering better these days.
Tuesday 7th April
Lovely evening tonight so went outside for a speed session, did an 'old-school' sprints and hill session, 2 sets of 5 sprints and 5 hills. Even though my legs were tired I could tell I was quicker than I used to be. I weighed myself at the weekend and according to the dodgy scales am bang on 15 stone, so nearly 20 pounds lighter than when Ali and I had our famous 'chat'. I think 14 stone would be ideal but boy can I feel the difference.
Wednesday 8th April
Body pump and RPM as usual. Good classes as usual. Really can't wait for the Easter weekend now.
Complete rest. I actually had a day's leave, as I had arranged a trip with the Sports & Social Club to see the musical Oliver. It was my intention originally to spend the day in London, but I ended up not bothering, for various reasons. Mainly, I can't afford it - the credit crunch has put an end to any unnecessary expenditure - but also I know I'd probably end up spending most of the day in the pub which is not ideal three weeks before a marathon.
As it turned out I had a most pleasant evening with my friends, and being the organiser meant I could choose who I sat with, which was Louise from my department, her boyfriend Ian, Tamara and her nine-year old son, Cameron, who I ended up entertaining during the interval.
Friday 3rd April
Complete rest. Came home from work and had a really good evening, watching England actually win a one-day international and winning a one-day series in the West Indies for the first time. Seeing my new facebook friend Andrew Flintoff take a hat-trick was just the icing on the cake really.
Saturday 4th April
Body pump and core work. Another day's rest might have bee sensible but I was bored of housework and missed out the leg tracks anyway. Plus it gave me an opportunity to learn the new routine.
Sunday 5th April
Competed in the White Horse half marathon, for the third year running. I've always liked the event, but never posted a PB, even though it is a PB course. Two years ago I was recovering from a PB effort at Bath the week before and last year I had tired myself out the week before trying to shed a few pounds.
I knew I would have to have a good time to beat my PB from Chippenham but was fairly confident I could do it. Indeed, I started strongly (too quickly as usual) but managed to maintain a sub 8-minute mile pace. The good news is, I felt comfortable doing it as well. Much more so than at Chippenham.
Where it all went wrong I don't know. I'm sure I passed the 12-mile marker in 1:33 so I was confident then of a 1:42 finish but somehow managed only 1:43:21, four seconds slower than my PB. I can only assume the heavy mileage caught up with me in that last mile.
That notwithstanding, I did feel strong most of the way round and had a pleasant day out. I love the event because it is such good value at £8 and the mug this year was a nicer design than the last two. I also bought a race t-shirt with the names of the runners which was great value as well for £5.
I stopped at the gym for a stretch, steam and shower and had a nice surprise when I bumped into an old friend, James Joel who I haven't seen for a couple of years. We exchanged numbers and will try to arrange a weekend in Bournemouth in the summer (where he lives) so that will be something to look forward to hopefully.
Monday 6th April
Nice steady run this evening, a bit further than usual at nine miles. I am definitely recovering better these days.
Tuesday 7th April
Lovely evening tonight so went outside for a speed session, did an 'old-school' sprints and hill session, 2 sets of 5 sprints and 5 hills. Even though my legs were tired I could tell I was quicker than I used to be. I weighed myself at the weekend and according to the dodgy scales am bang on 15 stone, so nearly 20 pounds lighter than when Ali and I had our famous 'chat'. I think 14 stone would be ideal but boy can I feel the difference.
Wednesday 8th April
Body pump and RPM as usual. Good classes as usual. Really can't wait for the Easter weekend now.
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