Here is what has happened since my last post:
In the week after my 21 mile run I got over my stomach bug and attempted a 10K tempo in the middle of a 14 mile run. I did the tempo section on my favourite 1 mile park loop. This is flat and allows me to just focus on running rather than worry about traffic and hills. I did the 10K in about 41:45 which is a training (and race) PB for me.
The day after I had a 20 mile run to do. This is when I was re-acquainted with the running term "bonked" which means to run out of carbs. I am not really fit enough to do 34 miles in one weekend, especially when they include a tempo section. This first 15 miles of the long run were OK and I stuck to my normal long slow pace of about 8:20 minute miling. After that point the fatigue and lack of energy kicked in and I ended up 9 minute miling the last 3 miles. Although unpleasant this carb depletion experience is apparently very good marathon training as it is teaching your body to burn more fat.
The next week I had a cross country race at the weekend so I did my marathon pace run on the Thursday morning instead. This went well and the 12 miles at 7:30 pace felt surprisingly comfortable.
The cross country race was at a very muddy Wythenshawe Park. Despite having only two days to recover from the marathon pace run and doing a slow 13 miler the day before my legs felt strong and I finished in 5th place in my club, in front of some club mates who often beat me.
This week just gone was a cut-back week - thank goodness!
I did my first interval session on Wednesday with 6 * 800m as part of a 9 mile run. The 800s came out at about 3:05 and felt good.
As loads of my club mates were doing the Woodbank Parkrun yesterday morning I decided to join them and have some fun. The route incorporates a 50 foot hill that you have to do twice. The first mile came out at 6:20 but the next two included the hill and were more like 6:50. I was pleased to finish the last 400 metres at sub 6 min/mile pace and hold off the challenge from two guys behind me. Thirteenth place and a course PB of over 15 seconds made it a job well done.
This week will finish off with a 15 mile run this afternoon and then it is one of the hardest weeks of the schedule. As well as a 15 mile mid-week run there is a 22 mile long run and a 7 mile tempo session. Aaargh!
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