Let's look at it the other way. One day I will have figured out how to train for long races, and the mistakes I am making right now will provide invaluable lessons.
It's strange to read blog or forum entries from other Limerick runners who are getting seriously excited now while feeling utterly detached from it myself because it really is only a training run for me. The difference is all in the mind, but that difference is huge.
Last Sunday was supposed to be a dummy run for Limerick at the correct pace, but of course that went out of the window with that phone call on Monday morning. I did another dummy run on Wednesday but I had to keep the distance down because it was too close to Limerick for a serious workout. I just wanted to get used to the pace. I was surprised by how easy it felt, and indeed I lost concentration over the last few miles and inadvertently dropped down to about 7:00 pace without realizing. That's why we have 2 pacers per band, of course, to keep tabs on each other (except for 3:00. Mick Rice doesn't need that kind of thing). With Paul's help we all will run 3:14:30 in Limerick, I'm sure. By the way, Paul is the runner who came 5th in Connemara 5 weeks ago. The 3:15 group will be in good hands.
Yesterday and today were easy again, though the pace was a bit faster than expected, especially today. For any other training cycle I would be delighted to see my pace for easy runs drop like that, but with Bangor approaching I really am wondering if I am doing the right thing.
I'm starting to sound like a broken record. I better stop right here.
- 2 May
- 13 miles, 1:35:00, 7:18 pace, HR 153
- 3 May
- 10 miles, 1:17:08, 7:43 pace, HR 146
- 4 May
- 10 miles, 1:14:52, 7:29 pace, HR 147
I'm excited about Sunday and i'm pacing 3:45. There always a great buzz around marathons and helping others acheive their time goals does it for me. There's plenty of routes outside my front door for a 26.2 mile training run, but none that will give me that buzz. C'mon you gotta be a little excited.
ReplyDeletep.s. If Sunday is equivalent to a 26.2 mile jog you should have mo problem with recovery.
Enjoy your training run Thomas. Looks like Grellan is having a training jog!
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience (watching marathons with pacers), the critical mistake some make is running the first few kms too fast then slowing down to the correct pace, or starting too slow in the pack, then speeding up too much to get on pace (feels easy for them but it's not for those running with them).