To say I was apprehensive about Friday’s long run would be an understatement. I knew that I could manage it, and I probably knew that I would be feel fine once out on the road, but a 21 mile training run was uncharted territory for me, and I expected to be shot to pieces afterwards. In the end, all the anxiety was for nothing. If you can run 20 miles in training one week, you can manage 21 miles the next, and all you have to do is – actually do it. In fact, it went a lot better than last week’s long run. Back then I had started too fast and suffered on the last 5-mile-loop. This time I paced myself better, and my time for the last 5 miles was 42 minutes, 8:24 pace, compared to 45 minutes the week before. I still felt fine at the end of the run (and felt that I could have run faster, which is good), and I certainly felt able to run another 5-mile-loop, if I had chosen to do the whole marathon distance. Later during the day I felt ok, the muscles were fine, but I did notice some fairly bad chafing, and my left heel hurt as well; but all in all I felt fine, really.
Saturday was a rest day, and for once I was glad about it. My muscles were surprisingly sore (I hadn’t felt any soreness last week), and definitely welcomed a bit of recovery. I managed to refrain from too much work in the garden (just an hour or two), and took it easy all day.
A good night’s sleep would have rounded off the recovery, but that part of the plan didn’t come to fruition. The kids were up at 6:30, and between breakfast, telly, and about a dozen fights between them they ensured that neither Niamh nor me got another minute of rest. It was raining quite heavily in the morning, and I delayed my run for as long as I could, because it was easing up eventually. I finished the week with 10 miles, and for the first time I strayed away from Pfitz’s schedule. Rather than running 10 miles with 8x800 repeats I chose to do some hill repeats. I didn’t see the point of doing speed work at this stage of training and thought the hills might be more beneficial. It’s not quite a hill Lydiard would recommend, it entails a climb of nearly one mile up to a picnic area from where you have a spectacular view over Caragh Lake and Dingle Bay, and I ran it up 3 times. I tried that Lydiard thing of pushing off strongly and lifting the knees high, but one mile is too long for this kind of thing (certainly on the first hill outing), and after a while I was content just to make it up the hill.
I ran too fast on the way back home. Niamh wanted to bring the kids to see Cars in the cinema, and I didn’t want to leave her waiting – as if two minutes more would have made any difference. Anyway, I made it back in time, and the kids all loved the film.
Weekly mileage: 70+ miles
4 Aug: 21 miles, 2:53, 8:14 pace
6 Aug: 10 miles, 1:21, 8:06 pace, 3 long hill repeats
Cars is a great movie - Ash loves it! His nana bought him a new bed, which is a Cars-themed bed, and he has a Cars outfit and tons of Cars toys. Nothing like teaching your child crass commercialism at three years old. He loves it though, and I found the movie to be one of the better ones around...so many kids movies are full of violence.
ReplyDeleteAnyway - I absolutely loved your first paragraph! I can't wait to have apprehension about my own long runs, especially when it ends well.
Good deal Thomas! It's encouraging to hear you say:
ReplyDelete"If you can run 20 miles in training one week, you can manage 21 miles the next, and all you have to do is – actually do it."
I've been worrying about the 16-18-20 progression coming up, but I'll just substitute the right numbers into your quote and be fine!
You're moving along nicely and nice move on the change in approach to your long run this week. It sounds like the slower start helped you finish a bit stronger.
ReplyDeleteGreat long run this week! There's a bit more to it than, "If you can run 20 miles in training one week, you can manage 21 miles the next, and all you have to do is – actually do it." You've accomplished a lot. Just going out and running 21 miles is a real accomplishment, especially when you had plenty of gas left in the tank at the end.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've got things dialed in, Thomas - nice work on the long run and the weekly mileage.
ReplyDeleteWhew, too fast for me - you do your long runs at my speed workout pace! As Rob mentioned it sounds like the slower start was beneficial. I know I've done much better with my long runs since I found my tempo - now I only need to get faster :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Thomas
ReplyDeleteI must admit I have not followed you for a while, but haven't you increased your training a lot lately? 70+ miles/week. Good stuff.
Nothing much more to add except that the weekly mileage 70+ must be a new peak and you're now doing your long training runs at faster than your old marathon pace. It's looking good for Dublin, really good ;-)
ReplyDelete31 miles in 3 days with that pace are 2 great performances. It's important the way you use to approach the "next workout" (do it!)
ReplyDeleteA fantastic week's training into your marathon bank. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteIt's the "actually do it" part that's the hard part!
ReplyDeleteIn response to your question: I can only find it at one of the local grocery stores. They are caled FlexAble - a natural glucosamine and flexibility blend - shellfish free formula. Distributed by Amerifit Nutrition. Their address is 166 Highland Park Drive, Bloomfield, CT 06002. I hope that helps. If you can't get it from them, let me know and I'll pick some up for you and ship it your way.
ReplyDeleteNice long run Thomas. To feel like you could have done another 5 mile loop speaks volumes of your fitness level and how you will most likely perform in the marathon. Wow - a 1 mile hill. Ouch. Nice job getting that workout out of the way.
ReplyDeleteGetting to the point where these longer runs feels normal, as well as the higher mileage you've been putting in is a monumental step. If you can keep it up, those old 50 mile weeks will seem so easy by comparison. Plus, when you do taper, you should really feel a difference as you'll be cutting a greater percentage of your volume.
ReplyDeleteI'm seriously impressed with how you've taken this on, and while I don't throw around the word "breakthrough" often, this kind of training can lead to one.