Those last few weeks before Rotterdam

BELOW is my final five weeks training for the Rotterdam Marathon on April 15th. I feel I got the final stages of my preparation spot on, and by race day I was full of running.

I'm currently easing back into training, anxious not to repeat the mistakes of last year. May will be a steady month, and hopefully before long I'll have another marathon lined up for autumn.

The five weeks below commence immediately following the Bath Half Marathon, which was on 11 March.


M - AM 7 miles easy 7.09 pace, PM 5.5 miles easy 7.02 pace
T - 10 miles at 6.15 pace. Felt fine second half of run, still a bit sore from race
W - AM 7 miles at 6.37 pace, PM 7.5 miles at 6.22 pace - bit tired on both runs
T - 8.3 miles at 6.28 pace feeling a bit laboured
F - AM 8.9 miles inc 12 x 1min/1min fartlek, felt better after long sleep, PM 5.6 miles steady
S - AM 10 miles of fartlek (3.5 miles steady, 1 mile 5.05, 1 mile 6.06, 1 mile 4.59, 1.5 miles 6.13 pace, 2 miles in 10.23) - wet and breezy, PM 5.1 miles easy
S - 24.25 miles in 2.37 - average pace 6.31 but last 4 miles 6.11, 5.57, 6.34 (uphill), 5.57 and I felt great
99 miles


M - 8.9 miles steady
T - AM 7 miles, PM 6 miles at 6.11 pace - last 3 miles a bit swift as was pushed for time, 5.38 last mile
W - [5 miles warm up/warm down] 4 x 1950m [90s recovery] Felt tired so cut back to 4 as I'd planned 6. Concerned about doing too much, too tired.
T - AM 7 miles at 6.16 pace, PM 7.25 miles at 6.26 pace
F - AM 10 miles feeling superb, pushed last few miles 5.50, 5.38, 5.41, 5.28, 5.29, PM 5 miles feeling really easy at 6.28 pace
S - AM 8.9 miles inc 12 x 1min/1min fartlek, felt really good, PM 5 miles with brother after football 6.38 pace
S - 22.5 miles in 2.23 - average pace 6.22 - like most long runs lately, got quicker as it went on
98 miles


M - 5.6 miles easy 6.55 pace
T - AM 8.3 miles at 6.23 pace, PM 6 miles at 6.22 pace
W - AM 5 miles comfortable pace, PM [4 miles warm up/warm down] Session on Bedford Embankment with Matt Janes - long session - the long effort is 1.9 miles - recovery in brackets 2.38 [60s] 2.37 [2mins] 9.30 [2mins] 2.40 [60s] 2.42 [2mins] 9.34 [2mins] 2.41 [60s] 2.42 - very happy with session
T - 8.9 miles feeling heavy legged but still 6.19 pace
F - AM 5.3 miles of slow jogging 7.14 pace, PM 7 miles at 6.29 pace, started slow then picked up
S - AM 8.9 miles inc 10 x 1min/1min fartlek, felt heavy legged, PM 5.1 miles easy looking forward to getting strong during taper
S - 19.5 miles - average pace 6.10 - felt great, miles 8-16 all sub 6. Felt strong.
90.5 miles


M - REST
T - AM 8.9 miles at 6.15 pace, effortless, PM 5.1 miles easy
W - [5 miles warm up/warm down] 2 x 5km Bedford ParkRun course - 16.07 and 16.03 [5 mins recovery] felt really good, strong and comfortable
T - AM 5.6 miles easy - tired and a few niggles, PM 5.6 miles - same as this morning
F - 10 miles at 6.10 pace, felt good "running with brakes on now"
S - AM 5.3 miles easy at 6.57 pace after 10 hours sleep feeling lethargic, PM 5.3 miles at 6.15 pace after lazy day doing nothing
S - 14.25 miles at 6.25 pace "100% ready now, felt great"
71 miles


M - REST
T - 10 miles out to Bedford Park at 6.40 pace - middle two miles 5.07 and 5.22 - run back
W - 6 miles at 6.42 pace
T - 6 miles at 6.32 pace then 4 x 100m strides "felt great"
F - REST
S - 4 miles at 6.34 pace holding back feeling ok
S - Rotterdam Marathon - 2:22.52

Carbs from Wednesday night until Saturday morning. PSP22 drink Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Plenty of water and laying around.

Rotterdam Marathon 2:22.52

DESPITE not running a personal best in Rotterdam (in terms of actual time), I consider this my best marathon to date.

I haven't updated the blog since my half marathon at Bath five weeks ago because I wanted to keep my training to myself. Things had been going really well leading up to Bath. I had only really commenced proper training at Christmas and I was getting fitter by the day during January and February. I had learnt some hugely important lessons from last year, so I was prepared to start my Rotterdam build up 'unfit' in the hope that by April time I was still getting fitter and still full of running.

That is exactly what happened. I wanted to keep a cap on my mileage, and ensure I was mentally and physically fresh for the training I had planned. I rarely suffered a tired day of training in the weeks before Rotterdam, and my key runs and sessions were bang on what I wanted.

I'd managed to plan my Rotterdam weekend perfectly with a hotel yards from Central Station and a short walk to the start line where the 'fast runner' tents were. I wanted to fly out on the Saturday so I got to Rotterdam mid-afternoon. I was travelling alone so didn't want to be hanging around in Rotterdam longer than I needed to. It also meant I could take a short run on the morning before the race and have breakfast at home without having to rush around.

In Toronto I had valued being around other runners, but coupled with the long flight and the nagging doubts about my training, the three days in the race hotel before race day (in hindsight) unnerved me. I much prefer to be alone in the days leading up to the race like I did for this race, and at home in familiar surroundings until the last minute.

Those last two weeks of training were brilliant and gave me huge confidence for the race. Two weeks out from the race I ran really strongly over 20 miles, much better than prior to any other marathon I've done. The next day I reflected on the work I'd put in the bank and knew I could make a significant withdrawal on that work once I got to race day.

In fact, all of my long runs were very encouraging. I was tending to get quicker in the later stages of lonely runs around the Bedfordshire countryside. My two half marathon races went to plan, I felt good in both. Two really solid outings, always with an eye on the big goal come April.

One of my other aims, and a real reason for choosing an overseas marathon rather than London again, was that I wanted to pull on the England vest I was given for Toronto and race well in it. I didn't want that vest rolled up at the back of a drawer. I wanted to get out and sweat hard in it on the way to a solid marathon performance.

The two week taper went well and ten days out a 5km rep session was beyond what I expected. I ran two of the Bedford Park Run 5km course efforts with a five minute jog. 16:07 and 16:03 and I felt comfortable. Really comfortable. My other runs were getting quicker with no greater effort as my body started to get stronger and adapt to the miles I had exposed it to.

In the seven days before race day the weather was being forecast as windy - anything from 15-20 mph winds were being forecast. I really had started to think in terms of a PB at Rotterdam - a sizeable chunk off it as well. My mental state was spot on and I was looking forward to the effort. The wind was a minor distraction to be honest.

I spent the final few days resting, working from home, eating plenty of carbs and drinking plenty of water. My last few easy runs felt fantastic and I was holding myself right back at 6:30 pace. I'd tried to spend as much time indoors doing nothing so I'd be a coiled spring come race day. My only exception to this was a ten mile outing on the Tuesday with two quick miles in the middle at 5:07 and 5:22. I was trying to throttle back on the 5:22, saving something for five days later.

My mate Kevin Skinner was also down for Rotterdam and was looking for a sub 2:20 run - something he is very capable of from his half marathon best. I'd finished just over a minute behind Kev at the Wokingham Half Marathon back in February. His inclusion in the field was good for me and as the race unfolded we became very involved in each other's race.

The 'fast runner' set-up at Rotterdam really is perfect. It's not luxury by any standard, but then it doesn't need to be as we're running a marathon. It just needs to be convenient. This was all we needed. It was right on the start and finish line and we could leave our bags there and get some refreshments afterwards. There was ample toilets. We were right at the front.

I sat in a Pizzeria Restaurant the night before, surrounded by smart looking Dutch people ready for a nice evening out, whilst I was in the corner on my own in my running gear eating the final meal. Pizza worked before London, it'd work before Rotterdam. I strolled back to the hotel and sat on the bed watching BBC1 before dozing off to some music.

I slept really well, and woke up feeling sleepy before a coffee, croissant, PSP22 and Power Bar in the hotel restaurant. I went back to my room and sat on the bed until 9am. The race started at 1030am. I checked out and sauntered over to the start. It was nippy enough for gloves. After navigating my way into the 'fast runner' start area, I pushed the flap open and in the darkness could make out Kev at the back of the room sitting alongside Aussie legend Lee Troop (in town to do some pace making).

Me and Kev chatted the next few minutes away before having a little jog (which was limited with the space). I didn't really want much of a warm up - I'm sure you don't need it for a marathon. I'd rather not be too warmed up for the gun as I want to conserve through 5km.

I was well hydrated and poised as we were sent on our way. The first few yards were spent checking my steps and weaving around a few runners before finding a clear run. I felt good. Really good. I was going to hold back and see what the first 5km split said before assessing the race.

Feeling buoyant I clocked the first 5km at 16:33. Brilliant. If I kept clipping them off like this, I'd be fine. I could see Kev maybe 50 yards ahead, and drew strength from this as I knew what he wanted from the race, and from this distance behind I could be sure I was running well. However, it was blustery and I was taking those gusts without any shelter.

Maybe around 8-9km a group formed around me comprising two blokes I'd caught, and maybe five that had moved up to me. This would almost set the scene for my race, as I was able to let these boys take the wind as I sat at the back of the group and let them do all the donkey work.

In that group was Spanish, Italians for sure, maybe a Dutchman and a fairly aggressive bloke who started shouting when one of the others clipped his heel at a drink station. I sat off the back, occasionally moving alongside naturally before realising and pulling in behind. When I left the sanctuary of their shelter the effort increased slightly, so I pulled back in and felt like I was checking my natural urge to push on. "Fine" I thought. This is the marathon, and like Troopy had warned me beforehand on twitter - "Patience first half, desire second half".

The next two 5km splits were 16:32 and 16:42 - perfect! The race was just passing along nicely. However, I could see Kev up ahead starting to come back to us. He was taking the wind alone and I willed us up alongside him and moved to the front of the group at about 20km (after a 16:49 5km split).

Half way came in around 70:20, maybe a few seconds quicker. Shortly after we moved up to Kev and I was relieved to get a familiar face into the group as we moved onto the business end of the race. "Kev, get on this group and let them take the wind". We exchanged a few more words as we let these guys take us through 25km (17:03 - but a more blustery split).

I was taking water at every water station, just a couple of gulps, no more. The organisers were giving the water to us in cups with a sponge tucked in the top to prevent it going everywhere. An excellent idea.

At 25km Kev was blocked from getting a cup so I was able to pass some over to him. From here to 30km the group started to splinter, as a few bodies dropped away. Me and Kev seemed to be going strong leading to 30km, where I pulled my one and only gel from my shorts and sent the big glob of syrup down my neck before washing it down with a mouthful of water at 30km, which we hit after facing a bit more wind as the group had petered out, and thus our wind-breaker was gone (17:07).

Kev, fresh from an energy intake of his own, started to move away at this point, and he looked strong. I was maintaining my pace but he had put 50 metres on me over 2km. I thought he was on a Antonio Pinto-style surge to the finish. However, we were back alongside one another at 35km (17:03) before he started to move away again.

I was feeling good, as good as you could expect at 35km in a marathon. My mind and legs were in good shape. I was having to grind it out a bit more, but there was no alarming slowing, just a slight tapering off. I had a grasp of the splits and was able to calculate my finishing time fairly approximately. My PB was indeed under threat, but it'd be close.

The 5km to 40km was 17:23 and I knew the last 2.2km was going to be around 7:30. I started to try and keep the pace up because there was the carrot of a lifetime best for me up the road. It'd have to be very swift though, my fastest ever finish to a marathon by some distance.

That last 5km was so rewarding, I was working hard but not hurting. I kept trying to tell myself that I train all year round to be in this very position, the final stages of a strong marathon performance. Relish it because it doesn't happen often.

As I entered the final run-in the clock was ticking away at 2:22 and I saw the PB come and go with about 100 yards of running left. I crossed the line at 2:22'52 with a little raised arm and a lot of satisfaction.

Honestly, I've never finished a marathon anything like as fresh as this one. I really felt like I'd run a half marathon rather than the full version. My build up to the race had been ideal. I'd set myself a goal to race it properly, and do the England vest I'd been given last year some honour. Sometimes in life it's good to be proud of yourself, and I'm proud of this. I was on my arse after Toronto. Six months later I nearly eclipsed my PB again.

After the race a lot of talk was of the wind and its effect on times. My opinion is that the first two finishers ran inside 2:05. The winning female did 2:18. The wind was worth seconds, no doubt. But no more than that. I may well have run a PB without the wind, but I may also have pushed on past the group I was with at 15km and paid the price at 30km. Troop's words of patience rang in my ears at that point.

What is clear to me is that Rotterdam is a brilliant marathon for guys of my capability. You have loads of company for the race, no big gaps. I was 45th and from 2:10 there was a constant flow of runners. I'm very pleased indeed that I chose Rotterdam.

I spent a few hours at Schipol Airport nursing some ice cold Heineken waiting for my flight back to Luton. Certainly the Marathon is the most rewarding of all distances because it can go so wrong, so you appreciate it so much when it goes right. Especially with a well earned glass of ice cold lager in your hand.

At the moment - no solid plans for the rest of the year. Just two weeks of no running to let the legs and mind recover. I made a mistake last year of training too soon after London and by late summer I was a wreck.

5km splits : 16:33, 16:32, 16:42, 16:49, 17:03, 17:07, 17:03, 17:23 last 2.2km 7:37
Half way : 70:21

Full results here

Bath Half 1.08.45

I wanted to go into the Bath Half Marathon fresh, having backed off in the week beforehand, to see me into three weeks harder work before the Rotterdam Marathon on April 15th.

Added to the obvious benefit of feeling fresher I also wanted the boost of a good run at Bath after another very modest outing on the mud at Parliament Hill two weeks earlier, albeit over my least favoured surface.

I was expecting a similar run to the Wokingham Half Marathon last month, and with good reason. The National apart, my training has gone very well and my decision to reduce my maximum mpw is working. I feel fresh and snappy in training and the pace of my training runs is very respectable. My sessions too have been really encouraging.

Following the National I ran 96 miles in the week, with a good set of Bedford Park reps in the fog and a strong session with Neilson Hall and Janesy in Chicksands Woods at the weekend – much quicker than the sub-zero temps session me and Janesy had done four weeks previous.

I bagged a 22 miler on the Sunday before taking a day off to recharge the legs in anticipation of Bath. I opted against a mid week session and went for a brisk 10 miler on Wednesday with some strong miles througout.

By race day I was well rested and drove to Bath looking for a good run. The course is advertised as quick, flat and fast times are possible. It's also a big race, with 15,000 people entered.

I felt good warming up in the mild air and jogged about waiting to be called for the start. There was a fairly good line up of Brits, alongside the standard pair of Kenyans this calibre of race features.

We finally got away after a load of introductions. I had got word that the first mile was quick, so purposely backed off the lead group, which was full of ambitious Brits and the two Kenyans, one of whom is 62 minute pedigree.

Through the first mile the lead group was big and I'd clocked 4:59 myself. That was plenty fast enough. I was expecting a few of those boys to suffer later as I knew some of them were certainly no faster than me on a good day over the half.

I kept the hammer down and started to feel 'right'. One of the features of getting fit for me is the ability to make it hurt. I was skipping along at a decent pace, certainly similar to Wokingham. This was good.

We hit a couple of inclines in the first three miles or so, one of which was fairly steep for an advertised 'flat' course. I went through five miles in 25:40, already feeling happy to be baring down on a few of the quicker starters. The 10km split was a couple of seconds over 32 minutes.

By this time I knew I was going to run well, and with this a lot of tension disappears and I find I start to enjoy the pain in a way, because it's leading to a good outcome. It's not the pain of suffering, it's the pain of effort. A different pain altogether.

I noticed my splits were all over the place. Surely these were inaccurate? I don't run with a GPS in races, so take splits at the mile markers. These were really erratic. I knew I was going well, as I was moving nicely and reducing the gaps ahead.

Ten miles came and went in 52:09 – not as quick as I'd have liked though. I was looking forward to peeling away from the lapped runners as it was a bit off-putting. I passed Andy Rayner (18th in the National XC when I was 122nd – says something about my XC ability) and moved alongside Dan Watts. I felt I would push on as I had moved up on Dan in the previous miles, but he seemed to have something extra and held me off before opening up a small gap to the finish.

I finished with a strange cramp threatening to grip my arm(?), but it didn't. I was strong enough, but not as fast as I would have liked over the final 5km (16:33) but, as I said earlier, the mile markers can't have been exact.

I warmed down and got into the car and travelled back the 120 odd miles to Bedford with that post race buzz. Good tunes on the stereo and no traffic.

So with five weeks to the Rotterdam Marathon, I am feeling very happy. Two very solid half-marathon performances and some enjoyable training. Three weeks of high 90s and then a two week taper and a possible crack at last year's PB from London could be on the cards.

Splits 4:59, 5:16, 5:08, 5:24, 4:52, 5:11, 5:26, 5:16, 5:17, 5:17, 5:20, 5:02 last 1.1 in 6:11

1st Edwin Kiptoo 62:01

2nd Tadele Geremew Mulugeta 64:33
3rd Chris Powner 64:45
...
14th James Lawler 68:45

The National

What a brilliant event 'The National' is.

This year the race returned to Parliament Hill, the home of Cross Country in England, for the 125th running of the event.

We arrived at the event fairly strong and with medal hopes. Steve Naylor had to withdraw due to a dodgy Achilles, but Mark Draper had come in. My aim was to make the top six for Bedford and hope the team could get a medal. I had hopes of returning home with some metal.

The day was very warm for February and the ground was as firm as you could possibly expect for a cross country at this time of year. It was unprecedented really. I've never seen it so dry, and I thought that would suit me.

I had raced the Wokingham Half Marathon just six days before but had run easy all week and felt fine on race day. I had decided to go out fairly aggressively and hope I could hang in and make the scoring six.

We assembled at the start and looked up the hill, poised for the off. We were soon on our way and I felt like I was racing the National more than previous, when I've just been swallowed up and gotten frustrated fairly quickly. I seemed to be going well as we went over the hill and the race started to sort itself out. I was fairly well placed and was feeling quite strong. I was anticipating a decent run.

I started to push on past groups and was making some good progress with the right people around me. Nigel Stirk was alongside for a good while, and I seemed to be holding him quite well as we skipped over the firm ground. I could see guys like Martin Williams not too far ahead.

My fairly good start meant I was the 5th scorer for the team, and although I couldn't control how the team would perform, I could control being among the scorers. This continued for a while before we commenced the second lap and team mate Will Mckay drew alongside, and then fairly quickly pushed on. Likewise, Nigel Stirk and started to move away and I went into the second lap feeling a bit tired but on course for 6th scorer.

As we begun the second lap I was aware I was now more tired and was unlikely to improve my position. I've no idea where I was but "top 100" kept being shouted out, which I was a bit disappointed with - I thought I was going better than that (actually having since seen footage of the race, at halfway, I was 122nd - which was my final finishing position).

Huw Lobb came alongside and quickly went five, then ten metres ahead. He was running strongly. I'd last seen Huw about 800 metres into the race and now he was back and moving through strongly. This was a real blow to me as I knew I wouldn't medal if we did manage to be up there in the team positions. I tried to focus on Huw but he, like Will and Nigel before, was going away too fast.

I seemed to have the same guys around me generally, but occasionally I'd get passed by those moving through the field and I wasn't moving in the same direction. The volume of bodies seemed crowded, there were barely any gaps where I was. This was after all the best attended National for nearly 20 years.

I was starting to long for the end and had nothing like the strength I'd had in the Wokingham Half just a few days before. I tried to keep motivated, despite being 7th Bedford scorer, by what I thought might be my best ever National placing. As we were finally directed towards the finish and the final run in to the line, I dropped a good few places and couldn't get on terms with a line of blokes ahead of me and wound up 122nd.

I got a bit confused at the finish line as they handed out '125th anniversary' pin badges as I have got a '125th anniversary' shot glass at home from 2001, but it all became clear that the pin badge commemorated the actual 125th running of the National, due to the years lost to the war. The shot glass was just for 125 years. Anyway, a nice touch.

Upon reviewing the results I was in front of most of the guys I was disappointed to finish behind at the Southern XC four weeks ago - but I expected this as I'm quite significantly fitter than I was then. I felt fairly dejected at being 7th Bedford man again (it's happened in the two most recent Nationals I've run when the team have scooped medals), but to be fair I was nowhere near Huw to make a race of it in the end, which was disappointing.

As it was Bedford didn't make the medals, despite Neilson Hall being 8th and Mark Draper 12th. If I'd been one minute quicker I'd have been 74th. That's almost 50 people through in 60 seconds.

We warmed down and headed off to the pub for a few pints - the Dartmouth Arms. After that we got the train home where I managed to lose my wallet before rolling back into Bedford. With seven weeks left to Rotterdam I afforded myself a night out, which went on a bit longer and featured a few more pints than planned (and no proper dinner, which was a schoolboy error) - but I reckoned I've earned it recently.

The 22 miler the morning after was therefore a bit of a slog, and I woke up off just five hours sleep and with a fairly sore head and got myself out the door. After 10 miles I felt fine, but as it was still (relatively, for February) warm I was feeling tired and dehydrated. I seemed to be moving pretty well but the last two miles were very tough and I was on my knees at the end. That's the last night out I'll have for a good while.

Wokingham Half Marathon 1:08.00

My training leading into the Wokingham Half Marathon had been really positive following what I considered a bloody awful run at the Southern XC Championships three weeks before.

Not wanting to dwell on that race too much, I set about a three week lead in where I committed myself totally to April 15th and the Rotterdam Marathon. Hotel, flights booked. Race number sorted on the front start. Perfect.

A good run at Wokingham was going to be key as I felt that would see me perfectly into an eight week period of training specifically for Rotterdam. Straight after the Southern XC I hit mid 90's for two weeks. After discussion with people I trust I'm not going beyond this as a maximum volume now. I can muster 100+ mile weeks, but the chance of getting tired and stale is too much for me to risk, and I know I can run well off less anyway. A lesson was learned in the weeks before Toronto last year.

The highlight of those two weeks of running was a brilliant tempo session I did with Matt Janes on Bedford's Embankment during the coldest few days I can remember running in during my 23 years as a runner. We jogged the Embankment first to ensure it was free of ice, and unbelievably it was. We then set off for exactly seven miles at tempo, working together to keep the pace going. We stayed together for just over five miles before I moved away over the later stages. Knowing what a consistent trainer the fella is (65:44 half marathon pb), and despite his recent niggles, I was well pleased to average 5:14 over the seven miles, with the last two miles strong at 5:15 and 5:11. On the warm down I really did feel like I was back on it and ready to race on the roads.

The winter really did bite hard during the week. On the long run I did the Saturday morning after the tempo my clothes literally froze when I headed out of town. It was minus 12 degrees in town but as soon as I was amongst the fields a fog descended like a dense blanket of dry ice and turned everything I had on with moisture on it white. My eyebrows, tiny bit of stubble, hat, gloves. Despite this I got a good 21+ miles in the bank.

In the days leading up to Wokingham I really felt I had to have a good run as it has been some time since I raced well. In fact, since mid summer last year I've not really performed anything like decent, and then had my injury problems. I was honestly starting to think my legs had gone at 37.

Wokingham is a good half marathon, fairly flat and fast with a decent group of lads on the line. I slowly got word of who was entered. Phil Wicks, Phil Nicholls, Paul Martelletti, Kev Skinner, Steve Way, Dave Wardle - all were there.

Race day was bright, a little breezy but nothing to worry about, and a bit cold - pretty much perfect. I felt mint on the warm up so was fairly upbeat as I stripped down and dumped my bag before heading to the start. The first mile was going to be quick as it featured a short but steady downhill and long straight with the wind behind. I've done Wokingham three times, but not for years.

We got on our way and I felt good immediately, which was a great relief. I had a bit of company through the opening mile where Wicks had opened up a lead already ahead of Nicholls. A group of five followed including Skinner, Way, Martelletti and Wardle. My watch said 5:06 and I was more than happy with that.

At two miles I'd moved away from the guys I was with and was now alongside Steve Way, who'd dropped back to me. I gave my dad who was watching a thumbs up here as I passed him because I knew I was going to have a good run.

I ran to four miles with Steve and I did contemplate asking him if we could work together as I could see we were detached from the guys ahead. As I took a corner and waited to ask him, he'd dropped back, so I knew I would be alone for a while and put my foot down a bit, sticking in a 5:04 mile to five miles. This felt easy and I was moving really nicely through five in 25:45. Happy days.

I was able to concentrate and keep the pace honest whilst feeling totally controlled. The next few miles whizzed by and I was isolated in 7th, but grateful to be alone and just enjoying the race. I hadn't really calculated what I could run but the 10 mile split of 51:42 suggested low 68 minutes was on the cards. Before the race I assumed this was best case scenario as I doubted I was in low 67 'pb' shape, and the last three miles featured some annoying little climbs up and over a dual carriageway and the M4.

I was ok still but didn't really feel I could go any faster at this point, but in hindsight would have appreciated a heads up on my projected finishing time, as I wonder if I could have squeezed out the few seconds that would have guaranteed a sub 68 clocking. I turned into the finish and was surprised to see 67:4x ticking away on the clock. I tried to muster something but didn't really do enough and stopped my watch at 67:59 - but could predict the additional second the official results always add. As it was chip timed I can't complain - 68:00 - my 4th fastest half ever and, as always with a good run, I felt pretty damned good from the off.

1. Phil Wicks 63:14
2. Phil Nicholls 65:15
3. Paul Martelletti 66:19
4. John Hutchins 66:49
5. Kev Skinner 66:56
6. Dave Wardle 67:06
7. James Lawler 68:00
8. Ben Shearer 69:15
9. Fabian Downs 69:29
10. Darrell Bellinger 69:43

Mile splits: 5:06, 5:14, 5:04, 5:14, 5:04, 5:15, 5:07, 5:08, 5:10, 5:14, 5:18, 5:15, 5:11 +32s

I've got the National XC next but can't get too excited as it's on the mud and I seldom do myself justice over cross country. It'll be a hard race but I'll race it full on and see what happens six days out from a half!

Training over the last three weeks:

30 January (week after Southern XC)
M - 10.5 miles with Janesy in 65 mins. Quads sore from Southern XC
T - AM 6.4 miles @ 6:16 pace, PM 7 miles @ 6:06 pace
W - AM 5 miles warming up/down then 4 x Bedford Park reps (1950m) in 5:56, 5:52, 5:51 and 5:58 - good efforts off 90s. Very cold, PM 5.6 easy at 7:00 pace
T - 8.9 miles at 6:09 pace.
F - AM 5.6 easy at 6:32 pace, PM 5.6 very cold at 6:56 pace
S - AM 4 miles warming up/down then session in frozen Chicksands Woods with Janesy - 8 x hilly lap off 90s - strong and consistent 3:45-3:48 throughout. Minus 6, PM 5.1 miles after Arsenal game and before huge dumping of snow
S - 20 miles on glorious gritted roads at 6:22 pace
93 miles

M - Two full laps of Chicksands to avoid snow - easy - 7.25 miles
T - AM 5.6 miles easy, PM Tempo with Janesy 7 miles @ 5:14 pace (5 miles warming up/down)
W - AM 7 bitterly cold miles easy, PM 7 miles as this morning
T - 10.5 miles at 6:04 pace.
F - AM 5.6 easy, PM 7 miles at 6:19 pace
S - 21.3 miles in the coldest temps I have ever run in. Beyond bitter. 6:30 pace.
S - 10.5 miles after weekend away with wife - thick head then got going. Second half all well under 6 minute pace. Chatted to a guy on a bike (who seemed interested in how fast I was running) for nearly a mile then noticed Garmin said 5:50 so knew I was going well.
93 miles

M - 7 miles steady
T - AM 5.1 miles easy, PM 5.5 miles warming up/down then 5x Kempston mile reps (actually 1490m) with Matt Janes off 90s. 4:30, 4:30, 4:32, 4:31 and 4:33. Felt a bit leggy so all easy now to Sunday
W - 7 miles easy
T - AM 5.6 easy, PM 7 miles at 6:39 pace
F - 7 miles at 6:25 pace - not moving too well!
S - 3.7 miles at 7:10 pace feeling good
S - Wokingham Half Marathon - 68:00 7th. 3 miles warming up/down
68.5 miles

Southern XC Championships

This past weekend saw the Southern XC Championships take place at Stanmer Park, Brighton. By all accounts the course was going to be firm (good) but very hilly (not so good). I was pretty unsure how I would run going into the race. My best placing is 20th way back in 1999 and 2000 (same year I won the County XC). I was 40th last year at Parliament Hill.

Over the years I've managed to keep my longer road times fairly close to what I was capable of 10 years ago, but my cross country running has declined quite a bit - and I was never brilliant at it anyway.

We got down to Brighton and immediately thought it was a brilliant venue. Bedford had managed to get a decent team together to defend the team title. I scored 6th last year for the team. I was fairly confident I could squeeze into the scoring six again but would have to run well.

Reports were coming back to us that the course featured a huge hill and a second one, just as steep but shorter. I was ready for whatever was to come. We'd be hitting each hill three times over three laps as the Southern Championships is over 15km rather than the normal 12km.

We got ourselves sorted out and the team of Neilson Hall (last year's winner), Darren Deed, Steve Naylor (new signing), Will McKay, Matt Janes (recently injured) and Huw Lobb lined up for the gun. I'd made a promise to go off conservatively and work through the field. It worked a treat last year.

We were sent on our way and the field just closed up around me as it always seems to in the Championship XC races. I don't go off too confidently in the early stages, no idea why that is.

We were getting strung out after the first small loop before heading out and starting a climb towards the woods. I was alongside my mate Richard Scott of Highgate who I ran the entire London Marathon with. Richard would be the first to admit Cross Country isn't the strongest for him either, we acknowledged each other. I was feeling ok here, running sensibly in the 50's. Up ahead I could see some familiar backs and heads as we went into the woods and the hill kicked up ahead. It was massive.

It was one of those hills where you get to the top but feel you're still climbing for 200 yards afterwards as the legs get over the ascent. I'd say the entire climb bottom to top was 800 metres. It was just a long way up.

I'd dropped a lot of places going up here as we swung round and started to head down. The surface was very firm and I maintained my position alongside Richard for a while. The course was a mixture of flat and downhill before we hit the second hill. This was equally as hard but not so long and again I fell back through the field, feeling pretty helpless on the climb and not really pulling back on the downhill and flat sections. If I lost five positions going up, I picked up three going down or on the flat.

The first lap was over but it felt like we'd been running for ages already. The second lap saw me drop back some more places, but I was late 50's here and I'd have taken that as a finishing position - I'm just not running that well right now with a lack of recent background evident.

By the end of lap two Richard was putting some daylight between us and I was trying to figure out how I was going to conquer these climbs one last time. It was brutal when going up and my quads were burning and making me feel totally unprepared and woefully short of fitness. My plan of going through the field later in the race was starting to look like a hugely optimistic one at best.

We hit the bigger hill one last time and I was starting to get passed by groups of blokes, not just one or two. Richard went from 20 yards ahead to 80 yards in very little time.

At the top of the bigger climb I literally stumbled up it and got a cramping sensation across by body at the top that would last to the end of the race. I was trying to run free on the down and flat, but was being passed fairly constantly at this point, Will Cockerell of Belgrave being among them.

I got up the final hill ok and started to rally a bit now these were out of the way, the body cramp wasn't so bad and rather than being passed I was holding my position, but there was hardly any distance left to run. The downhill into the finish was a relief and I crossed the line having dropped at least 10 positions on that last lap.

I was 72nd, which is just bloody disappointing. I'm feeling a bit fed up right now as I haven't had a remotely decent run for months and months. I've stuck a good month of training in the bank and expected better than 72nd in the Southern.

I caught up with the guys afterwards. Richard had been 56th, so on that last lap he'd picked off 16 positions. Whilst I tried to execute my plan with zero success he'd been strong through the final stages.

I did a warm down with the lads. I'd been 7th scorer and we'd ended up second team to Highgate, so I didn't get a silver medal for the effort to put with the gold and bronze team medals from previous years.

I was keen to press on and get the train home. I got back to the station through the throngs of Geordie 'toon fans in town for the FA Cup 4th round against Brighton. I picked up a four pack of lager at Brighton station and kicked back on the train listening to some Northern Soul on the headphones. The lager started to ease the legs and I tried to be positive but wasn't really feeling it. It was a good train ride home though, and the ice cold suds worked a treat.

I did 20 miles this morning to round off an 80 mile week and my quads were like bricks. At least I got out and did a run I suppose, feeling quite fed up.

Cross country running is just nothing like the road, and I am a road runner. In a rhythm on the road I can rattle off consistent miles, but the country is all about broken rhythm and varying terrain and I find it difficult to get into a groove and I just find the entire race shows no mercy or respite at any stage.

I've got three weeks until my next race and I'm going to stick some good training in and see how that goes. If I make some good progress then the Rotterdam Marathon becomes my primary goal again as I'll start to believe I'll get to the start line there in decent shape.
Must keep positive.

Fred Hughes 10

This past weekend I got my racers on for the Fred Hughes 10 in St Albans. It's a small, low key 10 mile road race and ideal for trying to get some fitness. I've been winning it on occassions that I've entered it ever since 1998, but I'm sure I ran it as early as 1992. I've also got the course record of 51:55 when I last ran it in 2009.

The course for 2012 was back to the original course from the 90s, and it's a right bastard, loads of hills. Coupled with the wind it was going to be a decent workout without a time to be proud of.

I'd trained ok all week and did a satisfying session with Jack Goodwin on the Tuesday night on a frozen field adjacent to Bedford Athletics Track. We did a fartlek session of eight miles and with warming up and warming down made for a decent night's volume.

I was pleased with how far I was behind Jack on the longer efforts as he's running very well and has a GB vest from his recent races over the mud. This was a decent sign as I'm getting fitter day by day whilst keeping my mileage 'safe'. On the shorter efforts Jack schooled me.

Sunday morning arrived and I took my place on the start line. A quick glance around suggested nobody was likely to push me too hard for the win.

We set off and after the first mile I was out on my own and feeling ok, but apprehensive as this was my first road race for a while. I had had a bit of company up to then in the form of a bloke who was alongside me trying to hold a conversation, but he quickly dropped off, possibly annoyed with himself for setting off a little too fast (given his eventual finishing time).

I was moving fairly well at 53 minute pace and this went on until four miles, which was basically the start of a two mile uphill section that suggested my time wasn't going to be too satisfying.

I handled the hill ok, and expected some downhill to chip off some seconds from what was going to be a modest clocking. I wanted 53 minutes at least, and this was looking a tall order now.

The race was set up around a juction at two, five and eight miles with a water station at this point. At two miles no other runners were there, at five miles likewise. At eight miles, when I was feeling very good and clipping off some quicker miles in my quest for a 53 minute clocking, I swung round a bend and was met with utter mayhem. There were dozens of runners coming my way, stationary cars, bikes, paper cups, spectators. All very narrow as well.

When full of adrenanline most runners I know just go into 'elbow' mode and force a way through small gaps at pace. I shouted ahead and managed to squeeze through without anyone getting knocked about. The marshalls were taken by suprise and were all over the place trying to get some order.

As I emerged from all this I took a wrong turn and ran maybe 100m before realising, swung back and retraced my steps before getting back on course towards the finish.

The problem was that the lead bike was being pedalled by an older guy who struggled to keep up, and I'd dropped him at this junction (not for the first time). Suffice to say I didn't break 54, in fact nowhere near.

Although my last three miles with the slight deviation was a moderately satisfying 16:17 (relative to fitness) and I was feeling pretty good with it. I reckon the cock up cost me 30-40 seconds. I managed 54:34.

Anyway, another race done and another step towards race fitness. Proper race fitness. I've got the Southern XC Championships this coming weekend in Brighton and apparently the 15km course is reported as bone dry and very hilly. I like the former description more than the latter.

M - AM 7 miles @ 6:28 pace, PM 8.3 miles @ 6:20 pace
T - 8 miles fartlek on frozen grass (2x4 mins, 3x3 mins, 4x2 mins, 5x1 mins off 1 min consistent 5:00-5:10 pace on efforts) with 4.5 miles warming up/down
W - AM 5.1 miles easy, PM 6.6 miles steady
T - 10.5 miles with last 5 miles well under 6 min pace
F - 8.3 miles steady at 6:27 pace
S - 7.4 miles easy in wind
S - FHM 10 in 54:34 and 6 miles warming up/down

82 miles

Rotterdam?

After a tough few weeks following the Toronto Marathon, my last marathon and a DNF, I found myself nursing a calf injury and then some dodgy and painful Achilles problems, my training up to Christmas would be best described as ‘sporadic’.

Allied to this I felt demotivated and in need for some downtime. I always felt I’d bounce back and focus on a race to get fit for, but with Toronto still fresh in my mind I wanted to get a fresh perspective on my running and this was a period for that.

I hope my blogs are seen as an interesting read and no more than that. I’m aware of my limitations as a runner, but quite a few people have asked me when the blog will return, so for those that are interested, here it is.

Over Christmas I got myself out for a few runs. The pace was honest and I didn’t seem to be terribly unfit. I was running ok, but not race fit by a long stretch. My immediate goal became a race in January and a gradual increase in mileage to see how the Achilles would respond. So far, so good.

My opinion on mileage for my own training is still a bit in the balance. I trained well in excess of 100 miles weekly for most of my London Marathon build up last year; yet similar training for Toronto yielded the complete opposite result.

I’ve always felt I run better off slightly less, yet always get tempted to increase it when in the marathon training bubble. It worked for London, so I chanced some big weeks for Toronto – and it didn’t work there.

Possibly two marathons in a year is a bit much, I don’t know. I didn’t really rest up properly after London and raced all summer long. By September I was a spent force.

This past weekend I ran my first race in three months over the mud in the Chiltern League at Slough. It was all a bit Déjà Vu as I started my racing on the corresponding weekend last year in the Chiltern League after a long lay-off. That day I was 13th and got fit very quickly after that.

The course was a three lapper over a flat field, firm underfoot. I had two weeks of 55 and 82 going into the race, with just one session of 2km reps around Bedford Park, which was a bit of a shock. The race got underway and I felt ok, nothing special. Surrounded by some young lads I was unable to go with them towards the end of the first lap and became detached on the last lap and, after dropping one lad, I couldn’t make inroads on the next guy up ahead.

I wound up 9th. Afterwards I didn’t feel as if I’d been in a race but at the same time hadn’t been able to really crank it up, a lack of sharpness. Somebody mentioned I looked strong but visibly couldn’t go with the pace as it was quite flat, fast and short (5.4 miles exactly). I managed just inside 5:20 pace on the mud so that’s ok. Just pleased to get the first one done.

I ran 19 miles the next morning and during the run I decided on another crack at the Marathon on 15th April in Rotterdam. Despite a PB last year, I feel there’s some unfinished business over 26.2 after dropping out of Toronto.  

I've decided against London for 2012 as I had such a good race there last year I don’t want to get duped into trying to repeat that day. As well as this, Rotterdam is a proper ‘old school’ marathon, famous for the 1983 race between De Castella and Salazar. And with Carlos Lopes running a world record there in 1985, aged 38, there’s plenty of reason to believe I could run close to my best there at 37(!) Rotterdam is flat and fast, so it’s ideal and I’ve always fancied it.

Over the coming weeks I’m going to increase my training but am committed to training for Rotterdam off 90 miles a week. I don’t want to get injured or stale like I did for Toronto. I know 90 miles per week over the coming months will be fine for me, so that’s the plan. Better to go to the start line under-trained than over-trained.

I’ve got my race plans sorted between now and 15th April. These include a 10 mile road race in St Albans at the close of this week, the Southern XC Championships in Brighton the weekend after. On 19th February I’m running the Wokingham Half Marathon, the weekend after that the National XC Championships at the home of Cross Country (Parliament Hill). On March 11th I’ll do the Bath Half Marathon and then focus on Rotterdam five weeks later.

I love training at this time of year, you have a focus in spring to get you out of the door every day through the cold and dark weeks ahead. Training for a marathon properly whilst living an otherwise normal life makes for a busy lifestyle but marathons are worth it when you nail one.

Bad Day at Toronto

When I decided to start a blog I knew at some point I was going to have to tap out a down beat entry reporting back on a bad day at the office. Here it is.

These past weeks have been filled with preperation for my first ever race in an England vest off the back of April's London Marathon. It was a real honour to get the vest and I set about preparing from late July after a mixed summer where I felt I raced reasonably, nothing special. But as I considered the Marathon my number one event (especially after London) I could understand some of the performances I put in during those months.

I met up with Adrian Marriott and Paul Molyneux at Gatwick Airport on the Thursday. Adrian was managing the team and is a guy I have a great deal of time for. Paul is someone I know from London this year as he was one place ahead of me that day. Also at the airport was one of the ladies - Sarah Stradling.

The flight over was uneventful but we soon made the hotel and set off for an easy run to shake the legs out. Just a four mile jog. I was relieved that my hamstring, which for some reason had gotten very tight on a 10 mile effort on the Tuesday (with a couple of miles at marathon pace), was fine. We sat down to a plate of carbs and chatted before bed.  As I was putting my head down Michael Green, who I was rooming with, arrived in from his base in Alabama. His unique accent of Lancashire/Southern American blend was unique enough. I could tell I was going to get on well with Micheal and did so.

Also in town was Nigel Stirk from Tipton, who'd been brought in to pace a Russian woman looking for a quick time. Nigel's a good lad and we had a real crack together. The mood was good but I felt apprehensive. I never ever feel 100% confident ahead of a marathon. This was no exception.

Friday we headed into the Expo to attend a press conference. The main topic of discussion was Canadian Reid Coolsaet's attempt at the 36 year old Canadian record. The weather was looking distinctly rubbish at this point, with strong gusts and rain forcast for race day. This didn't deter Coolsaet, who was going to have a crack at the record. We were approached by another Canadian who wanted to nail 2:21. I found myself agreeing to getting amongst a group setting out at this pace. I hadn't planned something so specific in my head, but Michael and Paul were talking about going out at this pace and running a negative split so I agreed to it as the aim was for 70:30 at the half way point - slower than my midway London split.

The rest of the time was spent relaxing about the hotel and getting carbs and water in. The Kenyans stocked up on food by just robbing it from the eating area and loading their bags with it. I could scarcely believe the amount of Coke these boys guzzle.

I ran the morning before the race and felt pretty damned good. Just easy jogging as you'd expect, but I was bouncy and the hamstring issue wasn't evident. The day was spent lounging and taking a stroll to get some fresh air. I got some more carbs and loads of water and the usual PSP22 down me.

The night before the race was a pre race briefing and everyone was labelling up their bottles and getting them ready for the tables at the pre determined drink stations. I'd decided not to complicate things by doing this as I normally only drink water and this was readily available all over the course. I tucked a gel into my shorts for the 30km point. I was keen to replicate London as much as possible.

Me and Michael chatted in our room before dozing off and after a decent night's sleep I was up and about feeling fairly neutral about the race. I was slighly anxious about keeping with the pace group, but the wind had eased off somewhat as we took a look outside. The temperature was spot on and there was no rain. In Amsterdam at the same time my brother was finishing his Marathon as I contemplated mine.

We were ferried across to the elite preperation area in the Scotiabank building just 600 yards from the start and started to gather ourselves for the effort. It was strange that I was laughing and joking with the others despite feeling pretty tense. I'd been having headaches for a good few days, which I put down to a bit of tension to be honest, and this morning I had an absolute bastard of a headache, but I didn't let it worry me at all. It certainly wasn't due to dehydration as I was pissing for England at this point with regular trips to the toilet.

Micheal, Paul and the girls seemed really relaxed and I think I was keen to appear to be likewise despite not quite feeling with it. As we packed our bags to one side and left to go out to the start I got a little jogging done, not too much. We finalised our plans to set off together. I did worry a little that Michael's last marathon was a 2:20.20 effort and he nailed a low 65 half back in the spring. Maybe I was a little hasty in agreeing to head off with them, but we weren't planning any fireworks through half way, so it shouldn't had been any problem.

The gun popped and we headed downhill, which was something we were cautious of. Michael, Paul and the Canadian guys were just ahead of me after a couple of minutes, maybe just 10 yards. I was eager to be running alongside them so eased up to them and said a few words to Michael and Paul. This felt like more of an effort than it should have. Going through the first 1km I already felt I was working harder than I should have been. There were pot holes and tram lines everywhere on the road at this point.

My point of reference for the entire build up and pre-race preperation had been London back in April. I was looking to not exactly replicate that training but at least do similar with a similar result. The early miles at London were an absolute breeze. At Toronto I was having to work to grind it out far too early in the race.

The first water stop was 5km and both Michael and Paul grabbed their bottles. As mentioned, I was happy with cups but could see a passing around of drinks. I had to close some yards up to take a bottle and a quick swig. We exchanged words. At 5km in London these were fairly long exchanges with Richard Scott, at Toronto they were snatched words between breaths as I concentrated on keeping pace. The watch digits were just over 17 minutes at 5km and reflected the wind, but again I was just working way too hard.

I tried to keep calm and knew the course swung back towards the city at 11km, so wanted to give myself a chance to start feeling decent from then on with the benefit of the wind. I was still on the back of the group through 10km in a sluggish 34:12.

We swung around at 11km and the group broke up. Both me and a Canadian fell back and Michael and Paul forged on with some other guys. My hamstring was starting to twitch and I was being dropped from a slow pace. It dawned. I was having a bad day.

Being dropped at about 14k

I grabbed some water out of habit, but small sips developed into a slight stitch. I've read Dave Norman saying that the low point of a marathon does tend to get lower, and here this was in glorious technicolour. My England team mates were off up the road and I had to gather myself to just finish the race. My mood became deeply negative and my hamstring got tighter. I couldn't see me getting through without that becoming a big problem. My 15km split was no faster than when I was into the wind, so in real terms I was already slowing as my 5km split was the same as previous. Bad times indeed.

It was here that I asked myself a question, if I was out on a long run on a Sunday, and I felt this shit, could I see it through? The answer was yes. I asked myself then, could I finish this long run? The answer was no. I was contemplating the inevitable.

I DNF'd in Amsterdam in 2005 and felt similar that day. The splits were no great shakes, and I was working way too hard too early on. That day I stepped off the road at 19km. The same as this. I walked 50 yards away from the road into a small harbour area. I took a long breath and accepted what had happened. The same thing that has effected Haile and Paula. I'd pulled out of a marathon. I was gutted, standing there in my England threads. Totally dejected.

The worst feeling was having to tell people and explain. Surely they'd just think I'd been a pussy, bailed out when it got tough. Couldn't hack it. Having to explain to the other guys in the team what had happened would be horrible. Dealing with the disappointment would be worse.

If I'm honest with myself, my training just didn't click as I wanted from early August. My little girl got ill and I spent a lot of time dealing with that, training through it. I then ran some hefty weeks, with my biggest week of training ever, not a huge jump from my London volume to be fair, but it was too much I think. My Achilles were both sore for weeks and weeks, without ever developing into a 'proper' injury. I had some really tired weeks through the build up, the half marathon I didn't finish properly should have sent alarm bells ringing, and it did.

Michael ran a superb race. He said he would try to run negative splits and did so. I was very impressed. He went through 10km in 34:12 and would go on to run 2:22:54. Paul, who admitted later he was forcing it through 10km, and was with Michael at half way, ran 2:29:29 - so obviously struggled quite badly. Nigel had done a cracking job bringing the Russian through to 30km and deserved any reward coming his way tangible or otherwise in the Dublin Marathon in two weeks. Both the ladies put in solid efforts.

At the moment I'm just trying to let the dust settle before planning anything. My gut feeling is, yes I do want to have another go at it. I need to weigh up my work and family commitments and my commitment to running. I also need to ensure my hamstring is ok and maybe give it a few days. I'd like my Achilles to ease off as well. I was offered an elite start in the Dublin Marathon in two weeks, but that wouldn't be possible. My mental state wouldn't allow it as I'm now fairly flat in that department and need to get off the canvas.

I met some great people in Toronto. I can see me meeting up and training with Paul, Michael is in the US permanently, but is someone I'd like to keep in touch with and meet up with when he comes over to the UK next time. Nigel was a great bloke, Adrian managed the trip brilliantly and is someone I've known for some time now. Tim Hutchings was over for TV commentary telling it as it is and pulling no punches over a pint or seven. The Canadians were geniune, Reid Coolsaet who ran 2:10:55 for third place was keen to find out about my own preperation despite being an Olympian and all that entails. Nice people.

So there it is, one good marathon and one total disaster in 2011. I'm down but not out, and I have come back from these setbacks before.

Final week before taper

This week was a super week of training and ended on a real high as I completed my last harder session with a twist as I ran the Bedford Parkrun 5k as part of a session of 1 x 5k, 2 x 2k effort (the 2k is actually 1.17 miles, but near enough).

I had been getting some grief from my left leg all week, numbness in my calf and a sore IT Band, an old injury serving as a reminder of the volume I’ve banked recently. By the end of the week this had eased off somewhat and I felt really good on the Saturday morning as I headed over to Bedford Park, my favourite training venue, for the session.

I jogged the three miles from my house to arrive at the start line ready to crack on with the session. The start was delayed so I got some strides done before we were off. I was keen to treat this as a session, not a race. I didn’t want an eyeballs out 5k race followed by two piss poor 2k efforts.

I was soon out on my own and felt smooth and relaxed for the entire 5k, covering the two full laps in 5:42 and 5:52 – I cruised the final half lap and finishing straight full of running before going straight through the funnel oblivious to the finish time (15:42 – a course record) and straight into a five minute jog before cracking out the full lap ‘2k’ efforts off two minutes rest. These I did in 5:49 and 5:54. This made for a really satisfying morning of running.

During midweek I’d managed a 10 mile tempo run at ~5.30 pace and didn’t need to push too hard for this, another encouraging sign with Toronto now less than two weeks away.

My England kit turned up on the Friday, which gave me a real boost heading into the weekend. The embroidered red rose on the chest a nice touch.

The weather was lovely and hot all week and I managed 85 miles, reducing things enough to start feeling stronger when I felt ready to push my runs. The Sunday run of just over 18 miles was a bit of a grind but nothing too hard was called for. It’s taper time now and I am really looking forward to this marathon.

3 weeks to go...

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

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