This week was the last week of higher volume and I can now look forward to easing off and getting strong for the Toronto Marathon in three weeks.
It was a pretty decent week and the key runs I wanted to get done were all achieved - that being a more marathon specific session and the long Sunday run.
I was inspired by the Berlin Marathon, which played out around the German capital as I covered the more serene quiet country roads of Renhold and Wilden to the north of Bedford for the Sunday run. There were some decent performances in Berlin - a race I have always fancied. Conditions looked good.
I was due to run Berlin way back in 2002, but badly damaged my calf in the build up and had to pull out one week before, which was a hard one to take. I had tried to run up to 100 miles per week back then but my body was having none of it and eventually my calf got tighter and tighter before I tore a bloody great hole in it, which physios have since mentioned to me as they assess other injuries, noticing the shape of my calf around the old tear site.
I also pushed my mileage up to around 100 miles per week for the Amsterdam Marathon in 2005, and the result was a long break from running with an injury I never really got the the bottom of, it just disappeared. The point of all this history being that I've managed successive weeks over 100 for some time now, with no ill effects so far, so I'm a stronger runner than I was back then, if not quite as quick over the shorter stuff.
My left hamstring was slightly tight towards the end of the week, but better by Sunday. I got the long run done, pretty slow it has to be said, but no matter. Time on the feet and the distance covered. I certainly won't go to the start line in Toronto worried that I haven't done the prerequisite long runs.
The Tuesday session went well - 60 seconds isn't much recovery from a rep of nearly 2km, especially six of the buggers. My pace dropped slightly in the second half of the session, but I was well pleased with it and felt strong throughout the week.
I'm looking forward to backing off now, letting the strength take effect and tapering towards a big effort.
I snapped up some racers for Toronto this week. Nike Zoom Streak 3 - my Lunar Racers are getting a bit smelly now, and although I ran London in them this year, I've never really liked them. Too soft and wide. I think a racer should be narrow and offer a hard ride and the Streaks provide this.
M - 5.1 miles easy to get rested for the week ahead
T - AM [5.5 miles warming up/down] 6 x 1.17 miles Bedford Park reps off 60 seconds in 5:54, 5:56, 5:57, 6:00, 6:02, 6:03 - take around 50 seconds off these for a mile and I'm 5:05-5:10 pace, PM 5.1 miles easy 6:37 pace in Brentwood before a meeting
W - AM easy 5.1 miles just over 7 minute pace, PM 8.3 miles with tired legs at 6:38 pace
T - 15.1 miles before work feeling really strong at 6:27 pace, quick last two miles
F - AM very easy 6.7 miles at 7:10 feeling weary, PM 8.15 miles feeling strong again at 6:22
S - AM 8.9 miles inc 10 x 1min/1min fartlek - tight hamstrings? Felt flat, PM 6 miles from mum and dad's in Hemel after Arsenal game, felt ok 6:38 pace. Hamstring still a bit tight but gave it some attention afterwards
S - 24.6 miles at 6:44 pace - took 2:45 - hamstring ok.
105.5 miles
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Sunday 25 September 2011
Sunday 18 September 2011
4 weeks to go...
As this week began I had to quickly get my head down and forget about my half marathon disaster last week. It was clear the race was a result of having logged some big weeks, and I just couldn't recover for it.
I found some satisfaction in entering it in my training diary as '2 mile warm up, 10 miles at MP (baring in mind the wind), 3.1 miles warming down'. This was a far more positive entry than 'terrible race...felt awful...no energy etc'.
On Monday and Tuesday I jogged and to be honest felt bloody rough. I was having some fairly negative thoughts towards my upcoming marathon and this wasn't good, I needed to shake out of it quickly. By Wednesday I was feeling improved but by no means over it. I got better as the week went on.
I'd decided on just runs all week, no sessions. I needed to get myself in good order before pushing on and a session would have just dragged me back again. I increased the pace at the end of some steady runs, and did a bit of fartlek during my run on Saturday morning. I was feeling better by now, tired between runs, but fine once out the door.
I was delighted with my Sunday run. I felt strong and was moving really nicely. I cranked it up for the last four miles to 5:50 pace - nothing excessive but it felt good. I started to get right up for race day again.
Four weeks to go and I can see me getting through another fairly high volume week unscathed now before reducing things towards a taper.
M - AM - 5.1 mile, jogged it. Tired, PM - 5 miles in Brentwood at 7:04 pace. Legs screwed.
T - 10.5 miles at 6:38 pace. Quads just numb.
W - AM - 8.15 miles at 6:25 pace with last two miles well under 6, PM 6.4 miles steady and tired
T - 11.5 miles at 6:18 pace - Started slow, last six miles at sub-6 pace
F - AM - 8.3 miles steady feeling ok, PM 6.7 miles steady
S - AM 8.9 miles including 10 x 1min/1min fartlek. Woke up feeling knackered but fine once running, PM 6.7 miles at 6:50 pace
S - 22.85 miles at 6:26 pace - felt great. Last four miles faster ~5:50 pace
100 miles
I found some satisfaction in entering it in my training diary as '2 mile warm up, 10 miles at MP (baring in mind the wind), 3.1 miles warming down'. This was a far more positive entry than 'terrible race...felt awful...no energy etc'.
On Monday and Tuesday I jogged and to be honest felt bloody rough. I was having some fairly negative thoughts towards my upcoming marathon and this wasn't good, I needed to shake out of it quickly. By Wednesday I was feeling improved but by no means over it. I got better as the week went on.
I'd decided on just runs all week, no sessions. I needed to get myself in good order before pushing on and a session would have just dragged me back again. I increased the pace at the end of some steady runs, and did a bit of fartlek during my run on Saturday morning. I was feeling better by now, tired between runs, but fine once out the door.
I was delighted with my Sunday run. I felt strong and was moving really nicely. I cranked it up for the last four miles to 5:50 pace - nothing excessive but it felt good. I started to get right up for race day again.
Four weeks to go and I can see me getting through another fairly high volume week unscathed now before reducing things towards a taper.
M - AM - 5.1 mile, jogged it. Tired, PM - 5 miles in Brentwood at 7:04 pace. Legs screwed.
T - 10.5 miles at 6:38 pace. Quads just numb.
W - AM - 8.15 miles at 6:25 pace with last two miles well under 6, PM 6.4 miles steady and tired
T - 11.5 miles at 6:18 pace - Started slow, last six miles at sub-6 pace
F - AM - 8.3 miles steady feeling ok, PM 6.7 miles steady
S - AM 8.9 miles including 10 x 1min/1min fartlek. Woke up feeling knackered but fine once running, PM 6.7 miles at 6:50 pace
S - 22.85 miles at 6:26 pace - felt great. Last four miles faster ~5:50 pace
100 miles
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Bad day at the office...
Last week's blog entry was all good news and set an optimistic tone for my training ahead of the Toronto Marathon in five weeks. This all came tumbling down on Sunday in the Grunty Fen Half Marathon.
Last week I suffered badly for the volume I whacked in the diary the previous week. Whereas I'd normally expect to bounce back after a couple of easier days running, this wasn't happening. An easy day lead to an even more tired day - this pattern continued all week.
I felt bloody terrible running on Friday and Saturday before race day, not the normal tired legs, but a deep rooted fatigue in my whole body and mind. I was totally screwed for want of a better word. I'd put a couple of miles into my evening run on Thursday at half marathon pace - but this was a real effort.
You don't mind tiredness in a marathon build up, in fact you're looking to get to a point where you can run well off the tiredness. However, during my pre race 'jog' on Saturday, I was struggling to put one foot in front of the other. Not good the evening before a race.
Come race day the wind was strong across the country and I travelled almost dreading the effort required to run, let alone race. This wasn't good. I'd chosen the Grunty Fen Half Marathon because it is low key, flat, fairly close to home and the prize money was good. I can usually run 69 minutes on any given race day at least, but this was going to be a very tall order today.
Aaron Scott was running and I expected him to go well as he's been solid all summer and should expect something in the 67 minute region under normal less windy circumstances. I had planned a solid run at Grunty, rather than racing it hard - this had worked for me before. When I've raced a half marathon hard, the marathon result a few weeks later wasn't so good.
I had also been suffering with an upset stomach and this was the case on my warm up. Nothing painful, just not normal.
We got underway and Aaron sped off - I knew immediately I wasn't going to be happy with the race outcome, but thought it was worth the effort regardless of the time or placing in the race - largely irrelevant anyway in the wind. From two miles to four miles it was incredibly strong and the pace was way way down on anything even reasonable.
For all my fatigue and state of mind I was feeling fair at this point, but if the two guys I'd been with had upped the pace, I'd had let them go. I'd have had no response.
As we ticked the miles off, one of the guys dropped off and it was me and a Hallamshire Harriers runner for a while. My stomach was turning over and I was getting really cheesed off as the wind battered us. This was making me more tired, obviously, and from seven miles my legs started to tighten up and my quads were so sore. My calves tight and my stomach hurting. I was having a bloody awful time but thought I should see it through, then get home and rest.
I went through 10 miles in 55:42 and then, almost taking myself by surprise, pulled to the side of the road, let the group behind me pass, and then jogged the last 3.1 miles. I had to stop in the bushes as well (not nice but necessary). I finished it, and the last few miles still hurt my legs even at a jogging pace.
This was not the result you want ahead of a marathon, especially in the final race in the build up. However, the one and only reason I raced so poorly was down to the tiredness from the weeks beforehand. I don't necessarily think the weekly volume has been the reason, but the relentless long runs on Sunday - 20, 20, 22, 22¼, 24, 24¼ in the six weekends before the race took a toll on me in the end, I'm convinced.
I'm having a few days of relaxed jogging to get my legs back before pushing on. I know I can overcome this setback, because I know why it's happened. I still expect to be right for Toronto. Looking on the bright side, this was two miles warm up, 10 miles tempo run, 3.1 miles warm down - with trashed legs!
Onwards...
Last week I suffered badly for the volume I whacked in the diary the previous week. Whereas I'd normally expect to bounce back after a couple of easier days running, this wasn't happening. An easy day lead to an even more tired day - this pattern continued all week.
I felt bloody terrible running on Friday and Saturday before race day, not the normal tired legs, but a deep rooted fatigue in my whole body and mind. I was totally screwed for want of a better word. I'd put a couple of miles into my evening run on Thursday at half marathon pace - but this was a real effort.
You don't mind tiredness in a marathon build up, in fact you're looking to get to a point where you can run well off the tiredness. However, during my pre race 'jog' on Saturday, I was struggling to put one foot in front of the other. Not good the evening before a race.
Come race day the wind was strong across the country and I travelled almost dreading the effort required to run, let alone race. This wasn't good. I'd chosen the Grunty Fen Half Marathon because it is low key, flat, fairly close to home and the prize money was good. I can usually run 69 minutes on any given race day at least, but this was going to be a very tall order today.
Aaron Scott was running and I expected him to go well as he's been solid all summer and should expect something in the 67 minute region under normal less windy circumstances. I had planned a solid run at Grunty, rather than racing it hard - this had worked for me before. When I've raced a half marathon hard, the marathon result a few weeks later wasn't so good.
I had also been suffering with an upset stomach and this was the case on my warm up. Nothing painful, just not normal.
We got underway and Aaron sped off - I knew immediately I wasn't going to be happy with the race outcome, but thought it was worth the effort regardless of the time or placing in the race - largely irrelevant anyway in the wind. From two miles to four miles it was incredibly strong and the pace was way way down on anything even reasonable.
For all my fatigue and state of mind I was feeling fair at this point, but if the two guys I'd been with had upped the pace, I'd had let them go. I'd have had no response.
As we ticked the miles off, one of the guys dropped off and it was me and a Hallamshire Harriers runner for a while. My stomach was turning over and I was getting really cheesed off as the wind battered us. This was making me more tired, obviously, and from seven miles my legs started to tighten up and my quads were so sore. My calves tight and my stomach hurting. I was having a bloody awful time but thought I should see it through, then get home and rest.
This was not the result you want ahead of a marathon, especially in the final race in the build up. However, the one and only reason I raced so poorly was down to the tiredness from the weeks beforehand. I don't necessarily think the weekly volume has been the reason, but the relentless long runs on Sunday - 20, 20, 22, 22¼, 24, 24¼ in the six weekends before the race took a toll on me in the end, I'm convinced.
I'm having a few days of relaxed jogging to get my legs back before pushing on. I know I can overcome this setback, because I know why it's happened. I still expect to be right for Toronto. Looking on the bright side, this was two miles warm up, 10 miles tempo run, 3.1 miles warm down - with trashed legs!
Onwards...
Sunday 4 September 2011
6 weeks to go...
This week was excellent, I felt pretty good all the way and achieved my two main objectives (that being the session and the long run). I'd been feeling flat the week before, but the total reverse this week. This week also ended in a gold for Mo Farah after last weekend's silver to keep the theme going.
I'll try not too get too carried away as I'm only an injury or infection away from a total change of attitude, but this seems to have been the week things have really clicked into place. I've mentioned before in my blogs that I am always a bit susceptible when going beyond 100 miles per week - the benchmark for marathon training versus 'normal' training in my book. It seems I've trained myself by applying the basework and can now climb beyond the tonne.
Saying that I'm going to come down for a week ahead of next weekend's half marathon outing. Whilst I am of the opinion 100+ miles is needed to go into the last six miles of the marathon confident and strong, relentless 100 mile weeks and those out towards 150 are just not for me. For very few people they get stronger (Paul Martelletti), but I've seen enough blogs of guys hitting 130-140 and beyond - you can read the over training unfolding ahead of the disappointing race performance that results.
I've got a plan now heading into the six week countdown to Toronto. The thought of running in an England vest, no matter what the race or others opinions, has me hugely motivated. Next week I'm looking for a week in the 80-90 range to consolidate my recent block of training (last five weeks of 102, 76, 103, 95, 114) ending with the half marathon next Sunday. I'm really looking forward to this race to break out of the marathon training cycle for a weekend and lace up some racers.
Thereafter I'm looking for another two weeks of higher volume, a week of slightly lower volume and then a two week taper leading into race day. Adrian Marriott got in touch this week to see what my plans were going into this crucial period when so many mistakes can be made. It was good to get the thumbs up from Adrian and gives me further confidence in my build up.
Final note, the Achilles and calves eased right off this week. Result.
This week's training:
M - 10 miles at 6:12 pace - feeling good after yesterday's 24
T - AM 8.3 miles easy feeling good @ 7 min pace, PM 8.15 easy feeling very good @ 6:50 pace
W - AM [5.5 miles warming up/down] 2 x 2.36 miles [2 mins] 2 x 1.17 miles [90s] Good solid session totalling almost 12km @ 5:05 pace. Managed 12:08 and 12:05 for the longer efforts, 5:57 and 6:02 for the shorter ones, PM 5.1 miles easy
T - AM 6.4 miles easy @ 6:59 pace, PM 9.25 miles @ 6:36 pace (119 miles in the last 7 days, highest ever)
F- AM 8.3 miles steady feeling good, PM 6.4 miles steady feeling good as this morning
S - AM 8.9 miles inc 10 x 1min/1min fartlek - legs weary but dealt with it, PM 6.1 miles steady feeling jaded
S - 24.25 miles easier than recent @ 6:43 pace - took me 10 miles to get going!
114 miles
I'll try not too get too carried away as I'm only an injury or infection away from a total change of attitude, but this seems to have been the week things have really clicked into place. I've mentioned before in my blogs that I am always a bit susceptible when going beyond 100 miles per week - the benchmark for marathon training versus 'normal' training in my book. It seems I've trained myself by applying the basework and can now climb beyond the tonne.
Saying that I'm going to come down for a week ahead of next weekend's half marathon outing. Whilst I am of the opinion 100+ miles is needed to go into the last six miles of the marathon confident and strong, relentless 100 mile weeks and those out towards 150 are just not for me. For very few people they get stronger (Paul Martelletti), but I've seen enough blogs of guys hitting 130-140 and beyond - you can read the over training unfolding ahead of the disappointing race performance that results.
I've got a plan now heading into the six week countdown to Toronto. The thought of running in an England vest, no matter what the race or others opinions, has me hugely motivated. Next week I'm looking for a week in the 80-90 range to consolidate my recent block of training (last five weeks of 102, 76, 103, 95, 114) ending with the half marathon next Sunday. I'm really looking forward to this race to break out of the marathon training cycle for a weekend and lace up some racers.
Thereafter I'm looking for another two weeks of higher volume, a week of slightly lower volume and then a two week taper leading into race day. Adrian Marriott got in touch this week to see what my plans were going into this crucial period when so many mistakes can be made. It was good to get the thumbs up from Adrian and gives me further confidence in my build up.
Final note, the Achilles and calves eased right off this week. Result.
This week's training:
M - 10 miles at 6:12 pace - feeling good after yesterday's 24
T - AM 8.3 miles easy feeling good @ 7 min pace, PM 8.15 easy feeling very good @ 6:50 pace
W - AM [5.5 miles warming up/down] 2 x 2.36 miles [2 mins] 2 x 1.17 miles [90s] Good solid session totalling almost 12km @ 5:05 pace. Managed 12:08 and 12:05 for the longer efforts, 5:57 and 6:02 for the shorter ones, PM 5.1 miles easy
T - AM 6.4 miles easy @ 6:59 pace, PM 9.25 miles @ 6:36 pace (119 miles in the last 7 days, highest ever)
F- AM 8.3 miles steady feeling good, PM 6.4 miles steady feeling good as this morning
S - AM 8.9 miles inc 10 x 1min/1min fartlek - legs weary but dealt with it, PM 6.1 miles steady feeling jaded
S - 24.25 miles easier than recent @ 6:43 pace - took me 10 miles to get going!
114 miles
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