I wish there were more things in life like Yasso 800s. Things that are actually 'one amazing trick to success'. Like when the internet tells you to click on this link to find out the one crazy thing to do to get rid of belly fat - only for real.
Yasso 800s are a running training regime which can predict your marathon time. If you run your Yasso 800s in 4 minutes, you can finish a marathon in 4 hours. If you for Yassos are 3 mins 30 seconds, your marathon time will be 3 hours 30 minutes. Crazy but true (by all accounts).
The 800 refers to 800meters, half a mile or two laps of a running track. Run that as hard as you can, ten times over, with one lap (400m or a quarter of a mile) between each set for recovery and collect your times. The average is your marathon time.
Last year when I was training for the Loch Ness Marathon, the Yassos defeated me. I don't regularly run on the track and doing the session was nerve-wracking. I usually run first thing in the day, and you can't do that at my local running track. I felt anxious and uptight throughout and didn't peform well at all. After that, I decided to throw in the towel on my sub 4-hour marathon hopes for Loch Ness in 2013.
Today I was really anxious about the Yasso 800s my coach had set for me. Combine it with husband going away for work for 2 nights, son leaving on a three-day school skiing trip (first time away alone!) and I was almost hysterical. It troubled my sleep and left me really uptight all morning before I got to the track.
However, I knuckled down and got on with it. The track was cold and windy but at least I was alone (unless you count the people in the gym who have a birds-eye view of the track while they're on the cardio machines!). The last two sets were performed in sleet which at least made sure I didn't linger on the track!
My average time was... (drum roll...) 3 minutes 48.7seconds!!
I am over the moon! I was exhausted for the rest of the day and my glutes are killing me. I don't think any of my previous Yasso 800s were this good - plus I ran 20 miles five days ago, so I'm not what you'd call fresh. It feels great to know I'm at the top of my game!
My next marathon is 2.5 weeks away at The Meadows in Edinburgh, and I'm getting my fundraising going. I am now REALLY excited that I can finally beat four hours!!
Showing posts with label marathon training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon training. Show all posts
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Monday, 30 December 2013
2013: twelve months in twelve sentences
In 2013, I ran 1226 miles; I had my 40th birthday; completed two marathons and three half-marathons; I started a running club in my children's primary school; I learned to do chin-ups; I joined a gym for the first time in nearly a decade; I totally overhauled what I eat. It's been my best fitness year ever.
In January I was rather miserable and got poorly.
In February I started training for the Edinburgh Marathon, feeling daunted but quickly realised that I could regain my speed and increase confidence.
In March I passed my CYQ Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification! It took a lot of hard work and practice but I'm really proud to have held my own in a class of people half my age and feel so much more confident in my fitness knowledge and my own fitness.
In April I finished up my HNC in Fitness, Health and Exercise from Edinburgh College. I'd originally signed up for the HND - one more year's study - but the course was geared towards university applicants, so I took what I had and decided to work for a Personal Trainer qualification in January.
In May, I completed the Edinburgh Marathon in 4 hours and 12 seconds, and accordingly developed a monkey for my back about getting a sub-4-hour marathon.
In June became a coaching client of Angie Spencer at Marathon Training Academy and learned the value of having a coach and mentor and exactly how that can make me a better runner.
In July I took a month off running to see if I could cure the plantar fasciitis which I'd suffered from since May. It didn't work but I did enjoy working out in the gym instead, including the lovely Elite in Broadstairs and the glorious Fitness First in Brighton.
In August I had one of my favourite, most transformative runs, 8 miles up and down the Royal Mile with Vicki Weitz, when I realised for the first time that running need not be solitary and need not be non-stop.
In August (also) I started a few new college courses: CYQ's Exercise to Music qualification via Edinburgh College at Granton; Applied Nutrition, and Pre- and Post-Natal Fitness, both at Edinburgh College at Milton Road (same institution, a few miles apart but a world of difference!)
In September, I completed the Loch Ness Marathon in 4 hours 7 minutes and learned how much fun running a marathon can be, especially when the scenery is beautiful, the race is well-organised and there's a bit of tourism involved.
In October I switched to a No Sugar, No Grains diet and loved it, and I'm still thriving on it, delighted to no longer be a slave to sugar and to instead have long-lasting, fat-fuelled energy.
In December, I managed to do 40 chin-ups in one week before straining a pec and having to take the rest of the month off, but also managed to run 40 miles in the week of my birthday, including a brilliant 22-miler on my actual birthday.
If you'd like to see some of what I plan for 2014, nip over to my fortyfest blog, for some forthcoming fitness fun. There will be more too, as I study for my PT qualification and set up as a PT - can't wait!!
In January I was rather miserable and got poorly.
In February I started training for the Edinburgh Marathon, feeling daunted but quickly realised that I could regain my speed and increase confidence.
In March I passed my CYQ Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification! It took a lot of hard work and practice but I'm really proud to have held my own in a class of people half my age and feel so much more confident in my fitness knowledge and my own fitness.
In April I finished up my HNC in Fitness, Health and Exercise from Edinburgh College. I'd originally signed up for the HND - one more year's study - but the course was geared towards university applicants, so I took what I had and decided to work for a Personal Trainer qualification in January.
In May, I completed the Edinburgh Marathon in 4 hours and 12 seconds, and accordingly developed a monkey for my back about getting a sub-4-hour marathon.
In June became a coaching client of Angie Spencer at Marathon Training Academy and learned the value of having a coach and mentor and exactly how that can make me a better runner.
In July I took a month off running to see if I could cure the plantar fasciitis which I'd suffered from since May. It didn't work but I did enjoy working out in the gym instead, including the lovely Elite in Broadstairs and the glorious Fitness First in Brighton.
In August I had one of my favourite, most transformative runs, 8 miles up and down the Royal Mile with Vicki Weitz, when I realised for the first time that running need not be solitary and need not be non-stop.
In August (also) I started a few new college courses: CYQ's Exercise to Music qualification via Edinburgh College at Granton; Applied Nutrition, and Pre- and Post-Natal Fitness, both at Edinburgh College at Milton Road (same institution, a few miles apart but a world of difference!)
In September, I completed the Loch Ness Marathon in 4 hours 7 minutes and learned how much fun running a marathon can be, especially when the scenery is beautiful, the race is well-organised and there's a bit of tourism involved.
In October I switched to a No Sugar, No Grains diet and loved it, and I'm still thriving on it, delighted to no longer be a slave to sugar and to instead have long-lasting, fat-fuelled energy.
In December, I managed to do 40 chin-ups in one week before straining a pec and having to take the rest of the month off, but also managed to run 40 miles in the week of my birthday, including a brilliant 22-miler on my actual birthday.
If you'd like to see some of what I plan for 2014, nip over to my fortyfest blog, for some forthcoming fitness fun. There will be more too, as I study for my PT qualification and set up as a PT - can't wait!!
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Marathon ranting
I had a marathon moan a few weeks ago, and now I'm going to tell you about my marathon rant!
Yesterday I had the chance to bore the pants off my classmates about my marathon training. It was (for me) brilliant.
As part of the HNC course, we do a unit called Personal Development Planning. We each select five goals (academic, professional, or personal) and track our progress towards them. Theoretically it's a helpful skill to aquire, but it's impossible to make people achieve goals if they're not motivated towards them - which frankly is the main problem with the course. "You WILL achieve your goals, or else!" - it's not the best approach.
So anyway, part of the course was treating our classmates to a five minute presentation on the progress so far we'd made towards one of our goals. Looking at my goals and realising that there'd been a distinct lack of progress on four of them, I sighed deeply and opened PowerPoint to write about my marathon training.
My goal is to run this year's Edinburgh Marathon in a personal best of less than 4 hours. Cue a SWOT analysis of the goal, photos of last year's race and details of my training programme.
The truth is that once I got going, I really enjoyed telling everyone how I was getting on. Perhaps all I really wanted was the chance to share how my training was going - I don't really have anyone to bore with the facts of my training, and these guys had to listen - or at least, they had to not fall asleep. I finished off by giving them a jelly baby each - after all their are the secret of my training success. Why was I surprised to get the bag back afterwards to find all the black and red ones gone?
It also gave me the chance to look at my statistics and realise that I'm making progress.
Yesterday I had the chance to bore the pants off my classmates about my marathon training. It was (for me) brilliant.
As part of the HNC course, we do a unit called Personal Development Planning. We each select five goals (academic, professional, or personal) and track our progress towards them. Theoretically it's a helpful skill to aquire, but it's impossible to make people achieve goals if they're not motivated towards them - which frankly is the main problem with the course. "You WILL achieve your goals, or else!" - it's not the best approach.
So anyway, part of the course was treating our classmates to a five minute presentation on the progress so far we'd made towards one of our goals. Looking at my goals and realising that there'd been a distinct lack of progress on four of them, I sighed deeply and opened PowerPoint to write about my marathon training.
My goal is to run this year's Edinburgh Marathon in a personal best of less than 4 hours. Cue a SWOT analysis of the goal, photos of last year's race and details of my training programme.
The truth is that once I got going, I really enjoyed telling everyone how I was getting on. Perhaps all I really wanted was the chance to share how my training was going - I don't really have anyone to bore with the facts of my training, and these guys had to listen - or at least, they had to not fall asleep. I finished off by giving them a jelly baby each - after all their are the secret of my training success. Why was I surprised to get the bag back afterwards to find all the black and red ones gone?
 |
| (red and black ones still shown) |
It also gave me the chance to look at my statistics and realise that I'm making progress.
- My average speed for my easy runs has increased by 36 seconds per mile
- my average speed for my long runs has increased by 18 seconds per mile, and
- my 20 mile run time predicts a marathon finishing time 3 hours and 55 minutes.
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Marathon moaning
Today begins week 8 of my 16 week marathon training programme. My marathon training takes up the single biggest part of my brain at the moment. At the moment I have to confess that I'm getting a bit fed up of it.
When I finish my Monday run, I start thinking about my Wednesday speed training session (tempo run, hill run, mile repeats or Yasso 800s) - how fast will I go? will I manage it? how much will it hurt? Then, even when I'm stretching after Thursday's recovery run, I'm already thinking about my Saturday long run - what other workouts will I have the energy for before it? what will I eat on Friday? what will I wear, what fuel will I take? what's my route going to be?
And when I'm recovering, I'm thinking about what I'm eating (and wishing I wanted to eat things that aren't just chocolate), procrastinating about stretching, and contemplating which part of me is aching most at that moment in time - usually a choice between my hip flexor, my anterior deltoid, and my foot. Although right now my throat's pretty sore too.
Everything I do, I see it in relation to my marathon training. Does my college class in Current Exercise Trends work my legs too soon before my long run? If I work on Tuesday night, will I be able to run on Wednesday? Should I visit family the day after the tune-up half marathon race, or the day of teh 20 mile training run? It feels like I'm programming my life round my training programme.
Last year, my marathon training only lasted for 8 weeks - this year it's 16. So I've never had to work my body for this long before. I need to find new resolve - mental strength is required, because this is something I've never been through before.
I'm not considering quitting, I still want to run this marathon (Edinburgh on May 26th) and I want to finish in under 4 hours. But unless I continue to remember that really, really want it, my body's probably going to quit on my brain's behalf.
The hideous weather isn't helping. It's the middle of March and there's been snow every day for the last week. I ran in a full-on blizzard a fortnight ago. Yesterday's 18 miles had to be run on the relatively tedious cycle paths and when I was done, I didn't feel joyous, I really just felt relieved.
Right, that's enough moaning. The more I talk up the down, the lower I'll get! Sunday is recovery day and it's all right to feel tired today.
Tomorrow I'll be back on the pavement.
Tomorrow I'll feel better about myself again.
Tomorrow I'll try again to stop eating sweeties and chocolate like Augustus Gloop.
Tomorrow is the first day of the school holidays so hopefully I'll have a fortnight of better rest, more foam rolling and a general bit of R&R.
If you've got any tips to help me find the mental strength to get through this wobble, please share them with me!
When I finish my Monday run, I start thinking about my Wednesday speed training session (tempo run, hill run, mile repeats or Yasso 800s) - how fast will I go? will I manage it? how much will it hurt? Then, even when I'm stretching after Thursday's recovery run, I'm already thinking about my Saturday long run - what other workouts will I have the energy for before it? what will I eat on Friday? what will I wear, what fuel will I take? what's my route going to be?
And when I'm recovering, I'm thinking about what I'm eating (and wishing I wanted to eat things that aren't just chocolate), procrastinating about stretching, and contemplating which part of me is aching most at that moment in time - usually a choice between my hip flexor, my anterior deltoid, and my foot. Although right now my throat's pretty sore too.
Everything I do, I see it in relation to my marathon training. Does my college class in Current Exercise Trends work my legs too soon before my long run? If I work on Tuesday night, will I be able to run on Wednesday? Should I visit family the day after the tune-up half marathon race, or the day of teh 20 mile training run? It feels like I'm programming my life round my training programme.
Last year, my marathon training only lasted for 8 weeks - this year it's 16. So I've never had to work my body for this long before. I need to find new resolve - mental strength is required, because this is something I've never been through before.
I'm not considering quitting, I still want to run this marathon (Edinburgh on May 26th) and I want to finish in under 4 hours. But unless I continue to remember that really, really want it, my body's probably going to quit on my brain's behalf.
The hideous weather isn't helping. It's the middle of March and there's been snow every day for the last week. I ran in a full-on blizzard a fortnight ago. Yesterday's 18 miles had to be run on the relatively tedious cycle paths and when I was done, I didn't feel joyous, I really just felt relieved.
Right, that's enough moaning. The more I talk up the down, the lower I'll get! Sunday is recovery day and it's all right to feel tired today.
Tomorrow I'll be back on the pavement.
Tomorrow I'll feel better about myself again.
Tomorrow I'll try again to stop eating sweeties and chocolate like Augustus Gloop.
Tomorrow is the first day of the school holidays so hopefully I'll have a fortnight of better rest, more foam rolling and a general bit of R&R.
If you've got any tips to help me find the mental strength to get through this wobble, please share them with me!
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Chilly for March
I'm marathon training again. It's week six. I didn't do a week six last year, I didn't start until week 8. So a full 16-week marathon training programme is new to me. It's fantastic. Well, it usually is, but I'm a little bit tired today.
I ran 16 miles, the second time in three weeks I've done that distance. The first time, I managed an even split after a super-speedy final mile. Today I managed a negative split the same way - about half a minute faster in the second eight miles than in the first. Yay!
When I got home I went for a cold bath. Cold baths - a form of cryotherapy, which sounds so science fiction and Doctor Who that it makes me love it - is recommended to reduce swelling and stiffness after a tough run, and promote a speedy recovery. As somebody who really hates rest days, anything that can help me recover faster is worth a go.
Today was my third cold bath, the first two after challenging speed sessions. I haven't had the organisational skills for an ice bath - I imagine you'd need a fair old bit of ice to have even a slushy bath and my freezer's too full of old fish fingers and bags of veggies for that. I'm hoping that water from the cold tap does the job nearly as well.
So I sit for ten minutes in a hip-deep bath, still in my running hat and jacket, browsing Facebook and reading Dean Karnazes. My kids look bemused. My husband ignored me (how can you ignore someone wearing a hat and jacket in the bath?!)
These ten minutes of cold take more stamina than the two hours and twenty minutes that promted them. After the first minute my breathing returns to normal (instead of that juddery, catching, shallow breathing that you normally only do when you get into the sea on holiday) and after that, it's not actually too bad.
Well, not too bad except for my feet. My feet and especially my toes hate the cold. They properly hurt, like somebody's stomped on them with big boots. They hurt worse than any part of my body hurts while I'm running. I haven't found a way to really keep them out of the water while I'm soaking my legs. My feet hate the cold bath.
But the rest of me? Well like any recovery solution, it's hard to tell if it works. Unless you do just one leg, you don't have a control experiment, right? I do know that after the last two ice baths, (which were following speed sessions which push me harder than I've been pushed before) I haven't had DOMS, and I've been able to continue dancing, walking, zumba class - albeit at a lower intensity than if I hadn't run! So I suspect it's beneficial. Although I know in my heart of hearts that learning how to take proper rest days would be better.
I'm battling my old hip flexor demon too (with an icepack while I type!) which is another incentive for the cold bath. So far the icing, pilates and trying to keep my hip in alignment when I run seem to be keeping it together. Long may it continue.
Thinking of a cold bath? Go on, give it a shot. I recommend waiting until you're so tired you'd sit down anywhere - that's when it starts to look inviting!
I ran 16 miles, the second time in three weeks I've done that distance. The first time, I managed an even split after a super-speedy final mile. Today I managed a negative split the same way - about half a minute faster in the second eight miles than in the first. Yay!
When I got home I went for a cold bath. Cold baths - a form of cryotherapy, which sounds so science fiction and Doctor Who that it makes me love it - is recommended to reduce swelling and stiffness after a tough run, and promote a speedy recovery. As somebody who really hates rest days, anything that can help me recover faster is worth a go.
Today was my third cold bath, the first two after challenging speed sessions. I haven't had the organisational skills for an ice bath - I imagine you'd need a fair old bit of ice to have even a slushy bath and my freezer's too full of old fish fingers and bags of veggies for that. I'm hoping that water from the cold tap does the job nearly as well.
So I sit for ten minutes in a hip-deep bath, still in my running hat and jacket, browsing Facebook and reading Dean Karnazes. My kids look bemused. My husband ignored me (how can you ignore someone wearing a hat and jacket in the bath?!)
These ten minutes of cold take more stamina than the two hours and twenty minutes that promted them. After the first minute my breathing returns to normal (instead of that juddery, catching, shallow breathing that you normally only do when you get into the sea on holiday) and after that, it's not actually too bad.
Well, not too bad except for my feet. My feet and especially my toes hate the cold. They properly hurt, like somebody's stomped on them with big boots. They hurt worse than any part of my body hurts while I'm running. I haven't found a way to really keep them out of the water while I'm soaking my legs. My feet hate the cold bath.
But the rest of me? Well like any recovery solution, it's hard to tell if it works. Unless you do just one leg, you don't have a control experiment, right? I do know that after the last two ice baths, (which were following speed sessions which push me harder than I've been pushed before) I haven't had DOMS, and I've been able to continue dancing, walking, zumba class - albeit at a lower intensity than if I hadn't run! So I suspect it's beneficial. Although I know in my heart of hearts that learning how to take proper rest days would be better.
I'm battling my old hip flexor demon too (with an icepack while I type!) which is another incentive for the cold bath. So far the icing, pilates and trying to keep my hip in alignment when I run seem to be keeping it together. Long may it continue.
Thinking of a cold bath? Go on, give it a shot. I recommend waiting until you're so tired you'd sit down anywhere - that's when it starts to look inviting!
Friday, 7 September 2012
Race calendar update: new training schedule!
For over a month now I've been swithering about training for the Liverpool Marathon. After running Edinburgh I don't want to lose my newfound abilities for distance running! But my main concern was that it might interfere with my college course - or rather, my college course might interfere with my training. I didn't want to be pushing myself hard in the gym at college and finding nothing left for training.
Well as it happens, it turns out that an HND in Fitness Health & Exercise should not be expected to be remotely physically arduous (so we were told today by the course leader). But that's not really what swayed me against running Liverpool. It's only five weeks away now, and in two weeks time I'm competing at Shimmy in the City, a bellydance festival in London. This has involved months of training by my troupe, the Peacock Project. What's the point in putting in months of work to turn up at the competition tired from running, and thinking about having to get my 20 mile run in that weekend too? I've decided, with a heavy heart, that I won't be running another marathon this year.
Instead I'm aiming for a PB at the Hawick Half Marathon on 28th October.
The Glasgow Half was so tough, tougher that the full marathon. Perhaps the difference was following a real training programme for Edinburgh. So I'm going to follow a programme for Hawick. This has given me the same excitment and motivation that I expected to get from deciding to run another marathon, so I'm feeling pretty good.
Training day 1 was Thursday, starting with a 40-minute tempo run. Three jelly babies before I started and I felt set up! Now, I've never bothered about speed before, apart from the occasional set of intervals, so this was a departure. Thumbing through a copy of Runner World I found in the loo, I read this:
I ran 5.39 miles in 45min18s, average pace was 8.24/mile.
Tomorrow's 8 miles, shorter than my usual Saturday run, but with renewed motivation I'm really looking forward to it.
Well as it happens, it turns out that an HND in Fitness Health & Exercise should not be expected to be remotely physically arduous (so we were told today by the course leader). But that's not really what swayed me against running Liverpool. It's only five weeks away now, and in two weeks time I'm competing at Shimmy in the City, a bellydance festival in London. This has involved months of training by my troupe, the Peacock Project. What's the point in putting in months of work to turn up at the competition tired from running, and thinking about having to get my 20 mile run in that weekend too? I've decided, with a heavy heart, that I won't be running another marathon this year.
Instead I'm aiming for a PB at the Hawick Half Marathon on 28th October.
The Glasgow Half was so tough, tougher that the full marathon. Perhaps the difference was following a real training programme for Edinburgh. So I'm going to follow a programme for Hawick. This has given me the same excitment and motivation that I expected to get from deciding to run another marathon, so I'm feeling pretty good.
Training day 1 was Thursday, starting with a 40-minute tempo run. Three jelly babies before I started and I felt set up! Now, I've never bothered about speed before, apart from the occasional set of intervals, so this was a departure. Thumbing through a copy of Runner World I found in the loo, I read this:
"On good form: Your trailing leg should bend swiftly. A long lazy trailing leg tilts the upper body forward."The phrase "long lazy trailing leg" kept running in my head as I warmed up. "Lazy"! So pejorative, so motivating. I know that I don't bend my trailing leg swiftly, I've seen pictures of myself running. So for this run I worked my hamstrings like a beeatch and lifted my heels. It was effective - running "comfortably hard" in that style for me turned out to be about 8.5min/mile, which was faster than I thought it'd be.
I ran 5.39 miles in 45min18s, average pace was 8.24/mile.
Tomorrow's 8 miles, shorter than my usual Saturday run, but with renewed motivation I'm really looking forward to it.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
15 hours to go!
Race day is tomorrow.
I've made it though the last eight weeks without getting a cold, or getting injured. I've completed my training programme, and I've enjoyed it. I've got my running kit and fuelling sorted out. I've planned how to get to the start line, and packed my post-race bag. After 10 hours sleep last night, I've spent today resting, not getting dehydrated and stretching. Later on I'll load up my ipod with podcasts and eat my last two, carefully planned post-race meals.
Today's been more about mental strength than any other day in the last 8 weeks.
Change in the Weather: The last week has been sunny and hot, which is extremely rare in Edinburgh. As I run before 7am, I'm not accustomed to running in warm weather - in fact, this week was the first time this year I've run without a jacket! Where I live, by the coast, sunny days are usually preceeded by a good few hours of haar before the sunshine kicks in, so early runs are invariably cool, even in summer.
Today: When I woke up at 7am today the sun was beaming through the house. I went from asleep to hysterical in about five minutes flat. I couldn't think about anything else all morning - how the hell was I going to cope with running in those conditions? I was panicking. When I got some time to myself I did my best to distract myself (recollecting my most amazing night at Club Bellydance on Thursday night!) and trying to surround myself with postive thoughts instead of panic.
The Bright Side: The forecast for tomorrow is for early fog, and the temperatures are not as warm as today, only 16 degrees. Most of the marathon course is coastal so there should be a nice breeze (in different weather I'd be more worried about the wind!) There's going to be loads of water stations, and I'll take my running bottle with me too. I've run in heat before - last year's Haddington Half Marathon was practically mediterranean, and I survived that (although it wasn't a pretty sight!) And I bet lots of locals living along the marathon route will be spraying us with their garden hoses - they did that last year and it wasn't even all that hot!!
My goals: I want No Negative Thoughts to creep in, and I want to Stay Positive throughout. I was hoping to finish in 4 hours 30minutes but if the weather makes me slower, so be it. I'll aim for 9m45s/mile. I want to keep running the whole race and I want to finish strong. I'm going to be thinking of how good I'll feel when I cross that finish line, and how amazing it'll be to meet the other Leith Primary School runners in The Parlour later on, having completed my first marathon. I'll be thinking of pizza later, and fish, chips and icecream with my daughter (which we've promised ourselves as a post-marathon treat for weeks!)
The Pep Talk: I have what it takes to run this marathon. I have trained and prepared for this marathon. I will give this race all I have, and leave it all out there on the course - no point in taking anything home with me. It will be hard, but I've done things that are hard before, and succeeded.
Bring it on!!
I've made it though the last eight weeks without getting a cold, or getting injured. I've completed my training programme, and I've enjoyed it. I've got my running kit and fuelling sorted out. I've planned how to get to the start line, and packed my post-race bag. After 10 hours sleep last night, I've spent today resting, not getting dehydrated and stretching. Later on I'll load up my ipod with podcasts and eat my last two, carefully planned post-race meals.
Today's been more about mental strength than any other day in the last 8 weeks.
Change in the Weather: The last week has been sunny and hot, which is extremely rare in Edinburgh. As I run before 7am, I'm not accustomed to running in warm weather - in fact, this week was the first time this year I've run without a jacket! Where I live, by the coast, sunny days are usually preceeded by a good few hours of haar before the sunshine kicks in, so early runs are invariably cool, even in summer.
Today: When I woke up at 7am today the sun was beaming through the house. I went from asleep to hysterical in about five minutes flat. I couldn't think about anything else all morning - how the hell was I going to cope with running in those conditions? I was panicking. When I got some time to myself I did my best to distract myself (recollecting my most amazing night at Club Bellydance on Thursday night!) and trying to surround myself with postive thoughts instead of panic.
The Bright Side: The forecast for tomorrow is for early fog, and the temperatures are not as warm as today, only 16 degrees. Most of the marathon course is coastal so there should be a nice breeze (in different weather I'd be more worried about the wind!) There's going to be loads of water stations, and I'll take my running bottle with me too. I've run in heat before - last year's Haddington Half Marathon was practically mediterranean, and I survived that (although it wasn't a pretty sight!) And I bet lots of locals living along the marathon route will be spraying us with their garden hoses - they did that last year and it wasn't even all that hot!!
My goals: I want No Negative Thoughts to creep in, and I want to Stay Positive throughout. I was hoping to finish in 4 hours 30minutes but if the weather makes me slower, so be it. I'll aim for 9m45s/mile. I want to keep running the whole race and I want to finish strong. I'm going to be thinking of how good I'll feel when I cross that finish line, and how amazing it'll be to meet the other Leith Primary School runners in The Parlour later on, having completed my first marathon. I'll be thinking of pizza later, and fish, chips and icecream with my daughter (which we've promised ourselves as a post-marathon treat for weeks!)
The Pep Talk: I have what it takes to run this marathon. I have trained and prepared for this marathon. I will give this race all I have, and leave it all out there on the course - no point in taking anything home with me. It will be hard, but I've done things that are hard before, and succeeded.
Bring it on!!
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Taperama
Two weeks till the Marathon, and the taper's kicking in. Tuesday was 4 miles, today's was 6, and tomorrow's is 3 miles. Three miles? Is that worth getting out of bed for?!
It is harder than I thought. I need to practice tapering!
Yesterday I supplemented my run with 19 lengths (not quite a kilometer, bah!!) of the Commonwealth Pool while daughter was in her swimming lesson. Today I ran another 2.5miles in the gym at Meadowbank while daughter was in the gym class (I had new trainers to try out and Run4it will give me a new pair if they don't work out, as long as I only use them on a treadmill.)
Otherwise this week I've been really fatigued - with rehearsals every weekend in addition to my marathon training I've been working my body really hard. Three early nights in a row and I feel much more human.
The visit to the gym at Meadowbank was really good. I don't like gyms much - the last time I went to a gym was the last time I had new trainers! Running on a treadmill takes a bit of getting used to - the first miles felt tedious but I got used to it.
After my run (trainers felt okay but my left wee toe got a bit tingly after two miles - need to examine my lacing options!) I had a wee shot on the PowerPlate. Ryan the Gym Guy was really helpful and I was really impressed. As well as showing my how it worked, he gently but *extremely* effectively tweaked my posture (well, he does teach pilates too) to make sure I was working properly. He went on to show me improved technique for a hip flexor stretch, which was reveleatory!! So, all in all, well worth the £3.50 for the visit to the gym.
Tomorrow... three miles... and maybe just a wee teeny bit of hooping after??
It is harder than I thought. I need to practice tapering!
Yesterday I supplemented my run with 19 lengths (not quite a kilometer, bah!!) of the Commonwealth Pool while daughter was in her swimming lesson. Today I ran another 2.5miles in the gym at Meadowbank while daughter was in the gym class (I had new trainers to try out and Run4it will give me a new pair if they don't work out, as long as I only use them on a treadmill.)
Otherwise this week I've been really fatigued - with rehearsals every weekend in addition to my marathon training I've been working my body really hard. Three early nights in a row and I feel much more human.
The visit to the gym at Meadowbank was really good. I don't like gyms much - the last time I went to a gym was the last time I had new trainers! Running on a treadmill takes a bit of getting used to - the first miles felt tedious but I got used to it.
After my run (trainers felt okay but my left wee toe got a bit tingly after two miles - need to examine my lacing options!) I had a wee shot on the PowerPlate. Ryan the Gym Guy was really helpful and I was really impressed. As well as showing my how it worked, he gently but *extremely* effectively tweaked my posture (well, he does teach pilates too) to make sure I was working properly. He went on to show me improved technique for a hip flexor stretch, which was reveleatory!! So, all in all, well worth the £3.50 for the visit to the gym.
Tomorrow... three miles... and maybe just a wee teeny bit of hooping after??
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Here begins the taper
On Saturday I did my 20 mile run - the longest of my marathon training, three weeks before the race.
I was a bit nervous and was very grumpy with my children the evening before! I sorted my playlist (podcasts - Kermode & Mayo, Marathon Training Academy, The Food Programme, Simon Mayo); got my fuels ready (one SIS gel as soon as I got out of bed at 0530, the one each 35-45 minutes during the run, and a protein bar for as soon as I got home); planned my route (heading East or West along the coastal roads depending on the wind direction!); then I set my alarm clock and settled down for an early night (9pm). I was a bit too excited to sleep, but nothing ever keeps me awake for long!
I like the wind to be against me on the way out, and giving me a helpful push as I head home. So on this occassion I headed west - noodling around the newbuild housing developments at Leith and Granton as I headed for Barnton, Cramond, and back along the coastal roads and paths. The weather was dry and bright, and it was daylight by the time I went out - lovely
But it was utterly brilliant. Awesome. I don't know if it's endorphins released by the effort, or being really chuffed at my achievement, but afterwards, colours were brighter, people were friendlier, smells were smellier - every sense I had was heightened!
And tastes were tastier... I can be sure of this because my bacon & fried egg roll was really, really delicious!! And the protein bar was really, really unpleasant!
So now I start to wind down my distances - which is apparently its own set of challenges and my family should watch out for even more grumping from me!
I was a bit nervous and was very grumpy with my children the evening before! I sorted my playlist (podcasts - Kermode & Mayo, Marathon Training Academy, The Food Programme, Simon Mayo); got my fuels ready (one SIS gel as soon as I got out of bed at 0530, the one each 35-45 minutes during the run, and a protein bar for as soon as I got home); planned my route (heading East or West along the coastal roads depending on the wind direction!); then I set my alarm clock and settled down for an early night (9pm). I was a bit too excited to sleep, but nothing ever keeps me awake for long!
I like the wind to be against me on the way out, and giving me a helpful push as I head home. So on this occassion I headed west - noodling around the newbuild housing developments at Leith and Granton as I headed for Barnton, Cramond, and back along the coastal roads and paths. The weather was dry and bright, and it was daylight by the time I went out - lovely
But it was utterly brilliant. Awesome. I don't know if it's endorphins released by the effort, or being really chuffed at my achievement, but afterwards, colours were brighter, people were friendlier, smells were smellier - every sense I had was heightened!
And tastes were tastier... I can be sure of this because my bacon & fried egg roll was really, really delicious!! And the protein bar was really, really unpleasant!
So now I start to wind down my distances - which is apparently its own set of challenges and my family should watch out for even more grumping from me!
Monday, 30 April 2012
Reassuringly un-injured.
So it's day 1 (rest day) of my biggest marathon training week. 40 miles in 5 days. Bring it on!
I went to the osteopath today. I have a recurrent problem with the alignment of my pelvis, not really helped by my dancing and my tendancy towards hypermobility in my pelvis. I am lucky enough to see an amazing osteopath, Lynne Bennet, who knows my body really well and never fails to make things right when I'm feeling out of sorts.
For about a fortnight I'd been having minor backache, especially when dancing, and especially in rehearsals. Rehearsals are different to real dancing because there's so much hanging around - it's not continuous movement, it's waiting to have things explained, waiting to make decisions, walking through stage patterns, then perhaps a minute of dancing, then some more waiting. It means often having to dance on cooled muscles.
I haven't been in agony but things haven't been right so I was off to Napiers this morning. Lynne laughed when I said I was marathon training. She looked at my back and said that of course, I will finish the marathon because I'm so determined (how nice to be seen that way!) but that I might suffer for it afterwards. She treated me and called it 'damage limitation'. Hmm. But she did say that I don't have an injury - it's just that my 'body is treating the alignment of my spine *as if* it's an injury'. Oh.
So, no injuries, come on then!!
The down side is that she gave me quite a lot of treatment. I left feeling quite light-headed and the day went downhill from there. I became unable to stop eating (aaaargh) and just wanted to go to bed!
I forced myself to go to pilates class, because missing 3 weeks of pilates over the Easter holidays was, I think, one of the reasons my back has been playing up. Sadly there was a substitute teacher and the class was much more rushed and harsh than usual. After 10 minutes I suddenly felt like crying, and spent the next 50 minutes with tears running down my face! And even though I was having a terrible time, I'm so thron that I wouldn't leave a class I'd paid for, and snivelled till the end!
And it was a freezing, rainy day.
It's 9pm and I'm going to bed right now. I know I'll do a brilliant 5 miles in the morning, with my no injury. It's already been decided.
I went to the osteopath today. I have a recurrent problem with the alignment of my pelvis, not really helped by my dancing and my tendancy towards hypermobility in my pelvis. I am lucky enough to see an amazing osteopath, Lynne Bennet, who knows my body really well and never fails to make things right when I'm feeling out of sorts.
For about a fortnight I'd been having minor backache, especially when dancing, and especially in rehearsals. Rehearsals are different to real dancing because there's so much hanging around - it's not continuous movement, it's waiting to have things explained, waiting to make decisions, walking through stage patterns, then perhaps a minute of dancing, then some more waiting. It means often having to dance on cooled muscles.
I haven't been in agony but things haven't been right so I was off to Napiers this morning. Lynne laughed when I said I was marathon training. She looked at my back and said that of course, I will finish the marathon because I'm so determined (how nice to be seen that way!) but that I might suffer for it afterwards. She treated me and called it 'damage limitation'. Hmm. But she did say that I don't have an injury - it's just that my 'body is treating the alignment of my spine *as if* it's an injury'. Oh.
So, no injuries, come on then!!
The down side is that she gave me quite a lot of treatment. I left feeling quite light-headed and the day went downhill from there. I became unable to stop eating (aaaargh) and just wanted to go to bed!
I forced myself to go to pilates class, because missing 3 weeks of pilates over the Easter holidays was, I think, one of the reasons my back has been playing up. Sadly there was a substitute teacher and the class was much more rushed and harsh than usual. After 10 minutes I suddenly felt like crying, and spent the next 50 minutes with tears running down my face! And even though I was having a terrible time, I'm so thron that I wouldn't leave a class I'd paid for, and snivelled till the end!
And it was a freezing, rainy day.
It's 9pm and I'm going to bed right now. I know I'll do a brilliant 5 miles in the morning, with my no injury. It's already been decided.
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Fuelled up on Jelly Babies
Today's running lesson: don't put jelly babies in your pocket on rainy days.
I read in Runner's World that some runners shun isotonic energy drinks and other advanced fuelling strategies in favour of good old jelly babies. I liked the sound of that, and got some jelly babies to keep in my pocket for big runs. The yellow ones were disgusting, but apart from that they were quite a nice distraction, along with my energy mix.
But today at 5am it was seriously rainy when I headed out for my 9 miles. I didn't sweat so much and didn't munch my sugary treats - and when I got home they'd turned to goo in my pocket. They were still discernably jelly babies. Just covered in an kind of sugary amniotic fluid.
And the yellow one was still disgusting.
Otherwise, the running is great. My 18 miles on Saturday felt pretty good - no niggles, no problems, and man! did the bacon & egg roll I had afterwards taste GOOD!! I had an incentive to get home fast - I had to take my daughter to her ballet class - and I'd asked the kids to make their own breakfast while I was out and not to wake up daddy! There comes a time in every child's life when they have to pour their own Blueberry Wheats and peel their own satsuma - and for my cherubs, it was last Saturday at 7.30am. Anyway, I did 18 miles in 2 hours 50 minutes. Not that I was really counting.
Fuelling is preoccupying me at the moment. I always run on an empty stomach, but that's mainly because I run first thing in the morning - 0530 or 0600. The Marathon starts at 1000 and I really don't think I can make it till 1000 any day without any food! So I'm thinking I'll get up at 0600 to eat, that way I'll be empty by race time, just top up my glycogen levels with an energy gel before the race. But I won't get the chance to check the tactic before the race.
I'm indebted to the Marathon Training Academy for keeping me going these last few weeks and for all the information on fuelling, training and recovery. More on them later.
What's blowing my mind at the moment is how my perception of distance has changed. This morning I did 9 miles and didn't think twice about it - didn't worry that it might be hard, just went out and took it on like it was easy. And when you think something's easy, it does become a whole lot easier. Until a month ago, 10 miles was what I considered to be a challenging big run! But now 10 miles isn't a big deal. I'm amazed at how my attitude's changed. I guess I know now that I'm capable of more!
Last night I'd organised a training and/or recovery with the other Leith Primary Runners, who are all running legs of the Marathon Relay. I was the only one there... but as I don't want them to feel guilty or in any way put off, I've told them that it was a great evening (it was, I went home and kept warm!) and we need to meet up again soon (we do!) I know they're all training, and we're all busy - but at least they have to meet each other so they know who they're supposed to be handing their batons too!
I read in Runner's World that some runners shun isotonic energy drinks and other advanced fuelling strategies in favour of good old jelly babies. I liked the sound of that, and got some jelly babies to keep in my pocket for big runs. The yellow ones were disgusting, but apart from that they were quite a nice distraction, along with my energy mix.
But today at 5am it was seriously rainy when I headed out for my 9 miles. I didn't sweat so much and didn't munch my sugary treats - and when I got home they'd turned to goo in my pocket. They were still discernably jelly babies. Just covered in an kind of sugary amniotic fluid.
And the yellow one was still disgusting.
Otherwise, the running is great. My 18 miles on Saturday felt pretty good - no niggles, no problems, and man! did the bacon & egg roll I had afterwards taste GOOD!! I had an incentive to get home fast - I had to take my daughter to her ballet class - and I'd asked the kids to make their own breakfast while I was out and not to wake up daddy! There comes a time in every child's life when they have to pour their own Blueberry Wheats and peel their own satsuma - and for my cherubs, it was last Saturday at 7.30am. Anyway, I did 18 miles in 2 hours 50 minutes. Not that I was really counting.
Fuelling is preoccupying me at the moment. I always run on an empty stomach, but that's mainly because I run first thing in the morning - 0530 or 0600. The Marathon starts at 1000 and I really don't think I can make it till 1000 any day without any food! So I'm thinking I'll get up at 0600 to eat, that way I'll be empty by race time, just top up my glycogen levels with an energy gel before the race. But I won't get the chance to check the tactic before the race.
I'm indebted to the Marathon Training Academy for keeping me going these last few weeks and for all the information on fuelling, training and recovery. More on them later.
What's blowing my mind at the moment is how my perception of distance has changed. This morning I did 9 miles and didn't think twice about it - didn't worry that it might be hard, just went out and took it on like it was easy. And when you think something's easy, it does become a whole lot easier. Until a month ago, 10 miles was what I considered to be a challenging big run! But now 10 miles isn't a big deal. I'm amazed at how my attitude's changed. I guess I know now that I'm capable of more!
Last night I'd organised a training and/or recovery with the other Leith Primary Runners, who are all running legs of the Marathon Relay. I was the only one there... but as I don't want them to feel guilty or in any way put off, I've told them that it was a great evening (it was, I went home and kept warm!) and we need to meet up again soon (we do!) I know they're all training, and we're all busy - but at least they have to meet each other so they know who they're supposed to be handing their batons too!
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Marathon Training Week 1
This was my first week of marathon training. It was *varied*.
Tuesday was my first run. The weather was attrocious. Blowing a gale, rainy with sleet. I had 4 miles to run, well within my comfort zone, and if it hadn't been "my first run in my marathon training", I would NOT have gone out in it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a woos when it comes to getting out there. I have run three times a week, EVERY week through the winter. Snow has not stopped me, cold has not stopped me, rain has not stopped me. In fact, now that the streets are busier with runners, I feel quite sniffy that they've not been on the pavements through thick and thin, like I have. But when I heard the wind howling down my chimney, I knew it was not going to be the greatest run ever.
You know how we say that we never regret a run? Well I *very nearly* regretted this run. It was *miserable*. My face ached from the freezing blasts of wind and sleet. Every so often I'd be suspended in mid-step, unable to run through the force of the wind. Some roof slates crashed to the ground from a tenement as I ran past (scary!).
When I got home, I took off my clothes - full-length leggings, 2 tops and a jacket - and my skin was *burnt* underneath. I've never seen anything like it - bright red like sunburn on my legs, arms and tummy. Add to this the fact I was pretty stressed about running anyway, and I actually wanted to cry. What else could it be but an omen? The first run of my training was one of the worst runs of my life!
So for the rest of Tuesday, I was preoccupied with my imminent failure as a marathon runner. I was pretty close to logging on to the EMF site to register for the half marathon.
Wednesday's weather was a bit better for my 8 miles, but not much. Scaffolding was blowing loose above my head in Portobello. When I got home and discovered I'd actually only done 7.6 miles, I wanted to cry once more. It looked like half marathon for me.
Thursday morning I did 5 miles, to make up for being half a mile short on each of Tuesday and Wednesday. Thankfully it was a bright, clear spring morning. I went to Holyrood Park and really enjoyed the scenery. I did my 5 miles without any stress and felt much better. I could possibly conceive of continuing with my marathon efforts now, phew.
Today's run was 16 miles. I've never run 16 miles before, my max has been a half marathon at 13.1miles. I was a bit nervous. I had a lovely rest day yesterday, resting a lot and eating a lot (although failing to avoid sweeties and wheat as I'd hoped to do), and thinking about doing my 16 miles. With my bottle of water and energy gel, I hit the road at 5.20am.
Well, it was *amazing*. Just brilliant. It was cool and drizzly with light wind. For the first mile I felt nervous and ran too fast - running nervous is something I've only done on race days before, because my regular runs are for pure enjoyment. I worked hard at calming myself and listened to podcasts.
I ran to Cramond and back, with few little detours to make up the distance. I had a big grin on my face the whole way. I kept checking my watch to see how far I'd gone with my feelgood factor, planning to blog "I felt really happy until X miles" - but the bubble never burst, and I felt really happy all the way through. This is training, I thought. The nerves, the change of expectation from relaxed enjoyment to achievement, stepping up and realising that it *feels different*.
The little detours were lovely, just like when I'd just moved to Edinburgh and my runs to explore different streets in my neighbourhood. When I hit 16 miles - 2 hours 27 minutes - I had a wee walk before I got home, which was actually the hardest part of the run! My knees twinged and the change of muscles in use was challenging!
I wore my grin *all day*. was starving for my porridge and loved every mouthful, it tasted amazing. I danced with my daughter and tickled my son in a way I never usually have the energy to do on a Saturday. I dragged them out leafletting for the elections in the afternoon (they didn't enjoy that quite as much). It's dinner time and I still feel fantastic.
So today I added 6 miles to my regular run. That's a big step-up and there'll need to be stretching before bedtime. But it was *fine*. And now I feel like that marathon experience is in my reach after all.
Tuesday was my first run. The weather was attrocious. Blowing a gale, rainy with sleet. I had 4 miles to run, well within my comfort zone, and if it hadn't been "my first run in my marathon training", I would NOT have gone out in it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a woos when it comes to getting out there. I have run three times a week, EVERY week through the winter. Snow has not stopped me, cold has not stopped me, rain has not stopped me. In fact, now that the streets are busier with runners, I feel quite sniffy that they've not been on the pavements through thick and thin, like I have. But when I heard the wind howling down my chimney, I knew it was not going to be the greatest run ever.
You know how we say that we never regret a run? Well I *very nearly* regretted this run. It was *miserable*. My face ached from the freezing blasts of wind and sleet. Every so often I'd be suspended in mid-step, unable to run through the force of the wind. Some roof slates crashed to the ground from a tenement as I ran past (scary!).
When I got home, I took off my clothes - full-length leggings, 2 tops and a jacket - and my skin was *burnt* underneath. I've never seen anything like it - bright red like sunburn on my legs, arms and tummy. Add to this the fact I was pretty stressed about running anyway, and I actually wanted to cry. What else could it be but an omen? The first run of my training was one of the worst runs of my life!
So for the rest of Tuesday, I was preoccupied with my imminent failure as a marathon runner. I was pretty close to logging on to the EMF site to register for the half marathon.
Wednesday's weather was a bit better for my 8 miles, but not much. Scaffolding was blowing loose above my head in Portobello. When I got home and discovered I'd actually only done 7.6 miles, I wanted to cry once more. It looked like half marathon for me.
Thursday morning I did 5 miles, to make up for being half a mile short on each of Tuesday and Wednesday. Thankfully it was a bright, clear spring morning. I went to Holyrood Park and really enjoyed the scenery. I did my 5 miles without any stress and felt much better. I could possibly conceive of continuing with my marathon efforts now, phew.
Today's run was 16 miles. I've never run 16 miles before, my max has been a half marathon at 13.1miles. I was a bit nervous. I had a lovely rest day yesterday, resting a lot and eating a lot (although failing to avoid sweeties and wheat as I'd hoped to do), and thinking about doing my 16 miles. With my bottle of water and energy gel, I hit the road at 5.20am.
Well, it was *amazing*. Just brilliant. It was cool and drizzly with light wind. For the first mile I felt nervous and ran too fast - running nervous is something I've only done on race days before, because my regular runs are for pure enjoyment. I worked hard at calming myself and listened to podcasts.
I ran to Cramond and back, with few little detours to make up the distance. I had a big grin on my face the whole way. I kept checking my watch to see how far I'd gone with my feelgood factor, planning to blog "I felt really happy until X miles" - but the bubble never burst, and I felt really happy all the way through. This is training, I thought. The nerves, the change of expectation from relaxed enjoyment to achievement, stepping up and realising that it *feels different*.
The little detours were lovely, just like when I'd just moved to Edinburgh and my runs to explore different streets in my neighbourhood. When I hit 16 miles - 2 hours 27 minutes - I had a wee walk before I got home, which was actually the hardest part of the run! My knees twinged and the change of muscles in use was challenging!
I wore my grin *all day*. was starving for my porridge and loved every mouthful, it tasted amazing. I danced with my daughter and tickled my son in a way I never usually have the energy to do on a Saturday. I dragged them out leafletting for the elections in the afternoon (they didn't enjoy that quite as much). It's dinner time and I still feel fantastic.
So today I added 6 miles to my regular run. That's a big step-up and there'll need to be stretching before bedtime. But it was *fine*. And now I feel like that marathon experience is in my reach after all.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Marathon Training Programme
This is the marathon training programme I'm going for. It comes from the Edinburgh Marathon Festival site and I think that 4 runs per week will work better for me than the 6 that my friend Luis recommended to me! It is their "First Timer Option 1" schedule, no tempo or pace runs, which makes things a bit more straighforward and a bit less daunting. If I'm finding it too easy (which I doubt!!) I can always step it up a bit to one of the other programmes.
I'm a bit disappointed that tomorrow is a rest day - I'm desperate to get started! But since this schedule is designed for a Sunday race, I'll stick with this programme. Maybe a bit of stretching and some weights tomorrow instead. After all, tomorrow is the first day of the Easter holidays, which means that I'll have an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old at home all day with me. I will need to do all I can to keep my sanity intact and a workout will be a good start to the week!
I'm a bit disappointed that tomorrow is a rest day - I'm desperate to get started! But since this schedule is designed for a Sunday race, I'll stick with this programme. Maybe a bit of stretching and some weights tomorrow instead. After all, tomorrow is the first day of the Easter holidays, which means that I'll have an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old at home all day with me. I will need to do all I can to keep my sanity intact and a workout will be a good start to the week!
| 9 | W/E Apr 8 | Rest | 4m run | 8m run | 4m run | Rest | 16m run | Cross Train |
| 10 | W/E Apr 15 | Rest | 4m run | 8m run | 5m run | Rest | 12m run | Cross Train |
| 11 | W/E Apr 22 | Rest | 4m run | 9m run | 5m run | Rest | 18m run | Cross Train |
| 12 | W/E Apr 29 | Rest | 5m run | 9m run | 5m run | Rest | 14m run | Cross Train |
| 13 | W/E May 6 | Rest | 5m run | 10m run | 5m run | Rest | 20m run | Cross Train |
| 14 | W/E May 13 | Rest | 5m run | 8m run | 4m run | Rest | 12m run | Cross Train |
| 15 | W/E May 20 | Rest | 4m run | 6m run | 3m run | Rest | 8m run | Cross Train |
| 16 | W/E May 27 | Rest | 3m run | 4m run | 2m run | Rest | Rest | EMF Marathon |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)