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A marathon in 4:15 (or maybe less)
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HNY to you too Suze. Hope the new house is sorting itself out. What are you going to do instead of a marathon?
Another week of getting behind here!
On Tuesday I decided I was feeling a wee bit antisocial so didn't go to speedwork at my club. Instead I decided to go out for a few miles and put some fartleks into the run instead. 'A few' ended up being 8.16 miles - whoops
The splits vary quite a bit, there were some quite long dark patches where it wasn't sensilbe to try to go too fast and then I did a big chunk faster at one point when trying to compensate for a very slow ascent of a hill:
11:32
10:50
11:03
11:06
10:17
10:12
11:01
11:23
Wednesday although I intended to run was a rest day instead. I'll do a post about that separately as it was quite a significant thing to do.
Yesterday was still quite windy here so I stayed close to home and did 5.52 slow miles averaging 11:28 min miling. The one stiff hill felt really hard and I slowed down badly.
Tonight i did another 5.25 miles but averaged 11:14 instead. A slow start but the uphills felt better and then I picked up:
11:26
11:36
11:22
10:49
11:04
Last bit in 10:54 pace.
Plan now is a rest day and a lie in tomorrow followed by 12 - 14 miles long run on Sunday.
OK, time to get the washing out of the machine and onto the clothes horse
The planned 12 - 14 miles came out at 13.64 in the end. I think it might have gone just over the 14 but at 12.5 miles I had to divert downhill to use the facilities in a pub and opted out of running back up the hill to regain the planned route.
Not as sunny as yesterday but still a nice morning for a run and although I stuck to long leggings I wore a t-shirt with them. Got a little bit chilly at times, mostly after the 2 stops for water and sweeties, but soon warmed up again.
I started off slowly as per usual and there were a few hills plus a bit of offroad so the splits are rather variable but the pace averaged out at 11:08 which was quicker than Monday's 12 miler.
Because of doing last weekend's long run on Monday I have come out of this week having run 45 miles (rounded up). I've looked at my log and I haven't done that amount since the middle of last February! I do need to watch that and make sure I don't overdo it as last year I did end up somewhat exhausted.
I'm planning on competing in my clubs championship. It's 12 races and your best 8 finishes count. It's done in leagues, it's the first time I've done it and I think I've been put in a league that is a bit quick for me but I guess it should be a bit challenging. I'm hoping that by entering as many as possible I will pick up a few good scores.
To keep the costs down its local races, a couple of x country which the club pay our entry fee and the club 5km done at the summer BBQ. First race on Sunday.
That sort of club champs is good as it rewards those who turn up! I have 3 trophies on a shelf because of that
Been a bit AWOL but have been running.
Monday was a recovery run that got a bit longer than intended but did at least stay slow. 7.54 miles averaging 11:27 pace.
Tuesday was a rest day and then on Wednesday I did a longer midweek run of 8.28 miles averaging 11:01. I've managed to find ways to get more miles in around the town without doubling back on myself which makes it less boring in the dark.
Thursday I was looking after our club Development Group for their second week and the route was 3.5 miles so I did a little bit first by myself. That bit averaged around 10:10 but then the rest was slower so a total of 5.21 miles with an overall average of 11:31. Everyone managed to run all the way
Friday I had another rest day and then this morning I layered myself up (3 tops, 2 bottoms, gloves and hat) and did 4.1 miles. Lovely weather with the frost and sun breaking through the fog but minus 4 degrees. For the first half mile or so I wished I had worn a buff to cover my mouth and nose with but after that it was alright. One of those runs where there is no clock watching and the running feels good so very pleased to look at the splits afterwards and see:
10:53
10:58
10:51
11:10
Overall I averaged 10:57. No proper hills though, just rises.
Long run tomorrow
Time for a weekly round up! I'm being a bit lazy about popping in here but things are busy and I've also had the privilege of being asked to mentor one of the Forum Six
Since I last posted I have run for 6 days out of the 7, taking a rest day yesterday. I actually did 7 runs though as having been forced to take a day off so that we could get a leak fixed I did intervals in the morning and a shorter slower run in the afternoon. Why? Because I could
Total of 47 miles run Sunday to Saturday.
Sun 15.39 miles
Mon 6.09 miles
Tues 6.0 miles (intervals of 5 x 1K with warm up and cool down)
Tues 3.66 miles
Wed 5.75 miles
Thurs 4.15 miles
Fri REST
Sat 6.39 miles
I'm almost up to my highest January mileage ever already which is fine as I am aiming to do more mileage and more longer LSRs this time.
Strange weather as at the start of the week I was running in layers and for the intervals on Tuesday my hands actually hurt during the warm up despite my gloves! Today I was back in capris and a t-shirt although it does seem to be getting a bit colder again now.
Plan for around 17 miles tomorrow
Please don't fall off your chairs but i'm actually posting on 2 days in a row
Long run today was planned to be around 17 miles. I decided to stick my Featherlight jacket into my backpack as the sky was veering from blue to very dark and back again and with the wind gusting around I didn't want to be getting soaked if I could avoid it.
The wind was a rather different creature though and there were times when I really did feel as if I was running to stand still. Most of the time I was able to see where I would turn out of the wind again but there was a mile stretch along an almost straight bit of road that was rather interesting.
I discovered the advantage of doing more of my mileage around the town before looping into the countryside - I was able to use the loos in the park and at the rugby club rather than trying to hide behind leafless hedgerows
The splits were somewhat variable due to the wind but I came out with an average pace of 11:18 which is my current marathon PB pace + 67 seconds so perhaps a little fast but not too fast.
11:33
11:34
11:19
11:06
11:37
10:59
11:30
11:07
11:04
11:25
11:14
11:20
11:31
11:21
11:17
11:07
11:13
Last 0.68 miles run at 11:04 pace.
That mileage leaves me with a week totalling 50 miles which is my highest ever.
I'm wondering if it would be sensible to have a drop-back week this week and if so what that would look like. I shall seek advice.
So the plan is to take the long runs up as far as 22 miles but do it in 2 week chunks. This will mean one week running slightly less on my shorter runs and increasing the long run and then the next week doing more on the short ones with the same long run. I'm intending to do 18 this weekend, then 2 weeks at 20. The week after is the Wokingham Half and i'll be reducing mileage very slightly but not tapering for it. 22 miles will come the week after (new territory for me in training).
Last night I went out and did just under 5 miles at a nice easy pace. Legs felt good except for when slogging up a steep bit but they eased up very quickly at the top so pleased with that. Splits went:
11:12
11:48 (that had the hill in)
11:29
11:10
Last bit at 11:12 pace.
Quite chlly and needed my gloves again.
Tonight i'd intended to do intervals with the club but realised on the way home from work how tired i was feeling. I also know that because of sickness I am going to be very stretched for the next couple of days at work.
Last year I had moments when was so exhausted I had to have forty winks sat in the car. I've felt much better after running slow and short for a couple of months so am keen to avoid getting to that point again. Just after New Year I was about to head out for a run when Mr USB pointed out that I looked tired. Initially I took the 'I'll just go for a short run' approach but when I went to get changed I thought better of it and put my slippers on. Shortly afterwards I went to bed and slept for 2 hours.
I commented that he had never told me this before and his response was that I wouldn't have listened. I'm 99.9% sure he was right there.
So I am supping a mug of Earl Grey (last year it would have been coffee) and will then have a lie down with a book. I'll email and find out what the intervals session was and probably do it on Thursday instead.
Did 9.4 miles tonight at a similar pace to Monday's run. I think it might have ended up a bit quicker but I tripped and fell full length just after 6 miles. Hole in my leggings and grazes on my knee. Will wait and see what bruising has appeared by the morning. Glad I hadn't gone for the capris though.
Warmer again tonight but the wind has picked up again.
Well there is some interesting bruising around my knee but I was getting set for a run after work last night when bang! Shortly before home time I got the zig zag warning of a migraine. Quickly took 2 ibuprofen which took the edge of till I got home (after collecting my daughter) but made runnning a bad idea
I had considered running tonight as we were going to be able to get out to the supermarket earlier than usual as said daughter has opted out of the Scout swimming gala but then I ended up with a meeting starting at 4 so left work an hour late
RD at parkrun in the morning but will do my long run later in the day as Mr USB is assessing student presentations in Greenwich all day. Means I get a lie in on Sunday.
Last Saturday's long run was intended to be around 18 miles - in ended up as 19.26 instead. That will make this weekend's 20 seem like not much more at all
Average pace was 11:22 so still on the quicker side of slow if you see what I mean.
Took a rest day (and an evening nap) on Monday before doing some intervals on Tuesday night. I decided that as I was going to do 400m reps I could manage to do most of them on reasonably non-undulating bits of the town. The pace wasn't brilliant and never dipped below 9 min miling but at least I was putting in fster bursts. Weather getting colder.
Wednesday night and I set out with my phone in my bum bag as Mr USB was going to need to be collected from the station at some point. By this point I was wearing gloves, hat and 3 tops and still didn't get that warm. He rang just before 6 miles so by the time I got home I'd done 7.13 miles (pace 11:03)
Wrapped up well again last night for another 6.17 miles (11:08)
I intended to have a rest day today, short run tomorrow before taking MiL shopping and then long run on Sunday. Then I got called to pick up my daughter from school as she was feeling ill. Later in the afternoon I left her in the care of her big brother and went out for a run instead. Still all the layers as it was sub-zero again. 6.26 miles, pace of 11:17.
January was a record month for me in terms of running.
187 miles and almost 35 hours spent running (nearly a working week)!
Weekly totals of 45, 41, 50, 39. The 50 mile week is another first!
February sees my first race in ages - Wokingham Half on 19th. Getting rather nervous
Rest day yesterday as planned. We got to the MiL just as it began to snow which gave us a ready made excuse for not hanging around after the shopping had been unpacked. We left E at her flat with a list of things that needed doing. As usual they didn't take him long at all but he'd brought a DVD to watch. Thankfully turned it off when we got back as it was entirely unsuitable for his grandmother!!!!!!
The snow had arrived here too by the time we got home around 5 pm and it carried on until after we'd gone to bed. I was feeling quite excited about my long run as I quite like running in snow. My longest has been 18 miles when snow was falling and settling as I went but today's run was planned to be 20 miles in existing snow so wasn't sure how it would go. Had to be done though because of Febulous.
Plus points
Lots of people out clearing drives, smiling and saying hello.
Lots of kids also smiling and saying hello.
No snowballs thrown in my direction.
Sledges out on Page Hill.
Nice patches where i could run in tyre tracks on compacted but not frozen snow
Saw a snow bear in the middle of the path at Stowe.
Discovered that public school pupils can sound just like a primary school playground when all let loose in the snow at once.
Minus points
Slushy bits on the main roads where the grit/salt had been thrown up by cars
Churned up snow on pavements
The 3 drivers who past me fast enough to splash my legs with icy water
Had to walk up a couple of hills
Splits
11:17
12:08 (tried to look like I was running up a hill)
11:45
11:45
11:55
12:51 (walked hill)
12:13
11:55
11:11 (out of town on acountry road)
12:14 (into the offroad stuff at Stowe)
12:11
14:22(another walked hill)
11:31
11:44
11:44
12:28 (allegedly ran up a hill)
12:00
12:08
11:59
11:35
Average pace was 12:03 mm.
Box ticked. Planning a rest day tomorrow as I suspect my legs will be aching and at the moment the paths are still very snowy here.
So I did indeed have a rest on Monday although my legs were feeling pretty good.
I had wanted my legs to be fresh for some speedwork on Tuesday but couldn't find out in time if the footpath that my club uses was clear so stayed local and ran just over 6 miles. Not a bad pace either (11:06) but then I did seem to have picked a relatively ice free route.
Wednesday was rather different with me picking all sorts of iced up footpaths! Did 6.64 miles but averaged 11:27. My legs grumbled for a lot of the run so I finished early despite having planned for about 8.
Tonight I was going to go and do a speed session on my own but then I heard the weather forecast and decided that it wasn't worth chancing it by driving 10 miles just for that. Good decision as the snow has been falling steadily here since about 7 pm. So I went out and had a lovely run. I do like the way everything seems that bit more quiet in the snow. Took it gently and had one steep bit of hill to do so only averaged 11:37 for the 6.2 miles but my legs were perfectly happy with it
Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day, Saturday will be spent lap counting at the Quadzilla and then I have 20 to do on Sunday. There is a chance that I will end up working from home tomorrow in which case I'll do my long run too (keep me in the good books at home)!
Having stubbed my toe this morning the continued bruising and pain have led to Mr USB (ex A & E charge nurse) to proclaim a fracture
I have counted on my fingers and MK marathon is 11 weeks away. Mr USB reckons I'll need 2 weeks which wouldn't be a disaster although my waistline might not like it.
**delurks from the ether and this time not via nhs email
**
I'm sending you healing vibs, hope you can feel them. Your febulous team may be a bit miffed but I'm sure you'll do an amazing job in the weeks you have left to MK (which I am also doing- gulp).
I am doing the Valentines 30k tomorrow (weather permitting) which is all your fault because you made it sound so good last year. It'll be the furthest I've ever run and my race plan is to enjoy and get round with Mr va voom, maybe finishing holding hands
.
Your running continues to be an inspiration to me and had a large hand in giving me the courage to enter MK.
Keep us posted on the toe.
Hx
Thanks H, good to hear from you via the proper channels
and lovely to find out who one of my lurkers is too!
You'll have a great time at Stamford if it is on. Enjoy the Lovehearts in the goody bag too
What sort of time are you thinking about for MK? They have lots of pacers lined up.
Stamford got cancelled due to ice which is a real shame
, it sounds like the running club did all they could to clear the course. Mr va voom and I did make full use of the babysitters to still get out this morning and do our own 30k so I feel v proud to have run so far. But we didn't get to hold hands over the finish line and get our special couples gift! Our run probably wasn't as hilly but it involved about 10k on snow on the Brampton valley way so it was pretty hard work but very beautiful.
As for MK, my game plan is to a, finish without getting injured, b, not go off too fast and c, try to do it around 4 hours but be delighted with anything less than 4 and a half. I have a couple of 20 miles scheduled before and 2 halfs so that'll give me more of a pacing guide.
I feel it is a real leap into the unknown but the run this morning made me feel very positive about it all.
Do you know what "pace" pacers they will have?
H
From what I heard about the course at Stamford I'm not surprised. There has been some ice/snow both times I have done it but seems to have been impossible to get the course safely clear this time.
Glad you got the 30K done though.
This is copied from the FB page for the MK marathon:
"MK Marathon will have pacers! sub 3, 3.15, 3.30, 3.45, 4.00, 4.15, 4.30, 4.45 and sub 5. Thanks to Enigma Running."
I am good friends with the 4.15 pacer although when he told me yesterday I might need to keep him in check as he isn't used to running that slowly I was a bit worried.
This is the FB page
My toe and I have spent several hours with the mother-in-law which was ok as any walking was so slowly I could keep the weight off my toes without noticeably limping
Thanks for the link, but that is a worry when the pacer thinks he might go off a bit quick. Maybe we could make him sing constantly to slow him down or he could push us up the underpasses.
After all these months of reading your posts I have an amusing mental picture of you and your mother in law's relationship. A presume she isn't a silver surfer and these pages are safe
The chap upstairs has given her an old laptop and as far as we can tell access to his WiFi when it is available. I'm not sure she is going to get as far as here though! *crosses fingers* If you wonder why my side of the family get less mention it is because my mother is definitely a silver surfer and did read the original Paris thread
Don't worry about the pacer - I'll threaten to nobble him for his 10 in 10 marathons in May if he doesn't behave!
I went for a walk last night.............................a whole mile!
While I was walking my foot felt comfortable but a little odd which I thought might be due to the strapping. It felt so OK in fact that I was glad i hadn't put trainers on as I'd have been very tempted to try a little jog in my work clothes. I even started planning where to walk today.
But then a niggling ache started and has lasted all day. So no walking tonight and we shall see how things are tomorrow instead.
I walked 1.6 miles on Thursday and then a whole 2.11 on Friday
All seemed well so the plan was for a short run on Sunday in the chilly sunshine.
That was until the phone went on Sunday morning and we found ourselves heading to the MiL for a 3rd week in a row
I did still do the run but in the gathering dusk after we got home. 4.05 miles averaging a pace of 11:14 mm and all still felt well.
Today I developed achy toes mid-afternoon and as these disrupted weekends seem to be really tiring have decided to stay home tonight.
Luckily these past couple of weeks I haven't been able to go for a long run on Sunday so things haven't been too bad but I have decided that for the moment it is probably safest to get my long runs done on Saturday just in case. The exception would be if we were doing our usual Saturday trip to take her shopping.
How do you do love hearts? I need to tell you:
I bloomin LOVE your new shoes. I got my first pair of asics the other day. I've been brand loyal to New Balance for my 12 years of running but had to get something different this time due to availability. I made the fatal mistake of just trying shoes and buying the ones that fitted the best. It was only after we'd left the shop i realised I spent £125 on a pair of shoes! (It was a v complicated transaction with a refund and a pair of brookes shoes for Mr vavoom too.)
In the shoes defence they do seem pretty fab and it's nice to be told you are a neutral runner BUT I wish I had your pink ones.
Those are neutral shoes, original price of £110 but heavily discounted so £56 instead. The current version is £123 I think. Never had bright shoes before but couldn't ignore that saving!
I went for another short run tonight but cut a bit off as there were too many bits where my foot just didn't feel 'right'. I discovered when I got back that the strapping had slipped so the splinting wasn't really doing its job. I'm just letting some air get to the toes but will get Mr USB to strap it again.
Probably just a walk for me tomorrow as I am being very very cautious about this.
So tomorrow will be sloooooow and in reasonable (or even new) shoes.
Hmmmmm. Thursday's run was done in the nice new pink shoes but it wasn't really as slow as I intended. I even had to make myself slow done early on when the average pace showed as 9.xx
I'm pretty certain that the issues on Tuesday were in the main due to the age/miles of the shoes I was wearing as my more problematic bunion was also giving me grief this week. So I ran in the new shoes (felt good) and have also contacted the podiatry department to ask for a new insole (I wear one in my work shoe which averted the need for referral to a surgeon about the bunion).
I've not recorded my splits recently but this one was:
10:55
10:48
10:28
10:25 and this one included the only real uphill!
Rested yesterday and opted out of helping with the supermarket shop too as I felt completely crap on the way home from work. Giddy, sweaty, stomach pain and feeling queasy. Went to bed and slept so solidly for 2 hours that I didn't hear them get back from the shop or E doing his usual impression of an elephant on the stairs. Felt oddles better after that so I suspect I was just completely wacked out. I think I've spent a lot of the past few weeks running on adrenaline at work and am now that things are settling down I am on the rebound. Made me realise that my decision yesterday not to authorise a particular day of leave for a member of staff due to me having to pick up the slack alongside my busiest patch in the month is entirely sensible (haven't told her yet though).
Woo hoo! Another 5.43 miles yesterday afternoon and all felt good (except for the bunion but I am used to that from life before the insole anyway). The rest does seem to have done me good.
11:03
11:03
11:08 with an uphill
10:57
10:29
The last almost half mile was done at 10:39 pace.
Lovely day today and i am intending to see how much of the town I can cover. Hoping to hit double figures and will be inflicting my new shoes on the local population in daylight
Confession time. I didn't manage to go more slowly today
Once again I was surprised by how many miles I can do staying within a small town that is mostly within a mile from home as the crow flies. I did 10.5 miles and actually had to cut off some planned bits to keep the distance down (my plan was to do 10 if the foot lasted). Felt early on I was going too quickly and would suffer later but I didn't. It always amazes me that I can do a 10 mile training run faster than my very first 10 mile race.
10:47
10:44
10:58
10:49
10:44
10:49
10:32
10:35
10:45
10:56
10:18 (this involved a fair bit of downhill)
Last half mile at 10:35 pace.
That looks like a negative split for a training run once again. If only I could do that in races.
A few odd aches from the toe but nothing too much although it did throb a bit in the hot bath afterwards.
I had really thought that my aim to run at least 100 miles a month was going to be scuppered on the second month but with 14 miles left to run in 3 days (good old Leap Year) I am starting to feel more positive.
About to enter a half marathon for 2 weeks time as a replacement for the Wokingham one that I DNS.
all sounds v positive, which half are you going to do? I was hoping to see you at MK half or 10k this weekend.
I've set myself a bit of a pb target for the half this weekend as my Marchvellous goal but I'm getting all worried now remembering the awkward little rises in the 10k part of the route. Are there any more suprises in the rest of the half marathon part?
I'm also going to do the Bournemouth bay half as a slow training run with hopefully a 7 mile run to it to make it a 20 miler. I also entered it last year but I came down with my daughters D&V bug 12 hours before the start ( i thought it was the carb loading making my tummy feel grumbly first of all
)
Happy running
H