Last week's training was a marked improvement on the previous week's despite working 13 days straight. I managed two whole runs and they were both reasonably successful.
I covered the interval session already, so let me tell you about the long one yesterday.
That run was 29km at a pace of 8:11 minute per mile (5:04 per km), which was considerably faster than I have run all my other long runs previously. The other runs were around the 5:20 per km mark. So I was happy to smash myself up and down a hilly run to get a quicker time. I didn't feel that good and I probably didn't look pretty, but it felt good to push my body to the limit one last time before the marathon. That's not to say I won't be running more long runs before Melbourne, but they will be shorter and probably not as quick. I've learnt that I work best when I don't overdo it before the race.
The run itself was simple enough. I ran from Waverley south towards La Perouse for 5 miles, then turned back. On the return to home I felt a little "crook" and had to stop at the petrol station to sort myself out. Somehow when I started running I managed to go the wrong way and promptly got lost. I had a rough idea where I was and which direction I needed to run, but was just enjoying the unexpected as I tootled along the streets between Kingsford and Randwick. After what seemed like forever running uphill I came out at a junction near Randwick, (one I didn't expect to see) and realised where I was. A short run downhill and past my local Bunnings got me back home after 10.3 miles. From there I decided to nip down to Bondi beach and see if I could kill some miles not too far from home. Down at the beach you can do this loop which is fairly flat and uninterrupted by traffic lights, but it is about as boring as listening to Tony Abbott, so I chose the hard route instead. Running past Bondi beach I headed past the North Bondi RSL winding up and through the fancy apartments overlooking the sea and beach. Eventually I came back to the main road at North Bondi which heads up hill for ages. It is a right mother effer, but I thought "why not!" It's definitely a mile up hill if not more and by the end I was "rooted" (knackered/tired/shot for my English pals) and did not know how I was going to finish the run off. I told myself to run an out and back towards Watson Bay, which meant that when I was heading back I would finish the run with a reasonable distance under my belt. I knew at this point I was running way too fast to do more than 30km, I just didn't have it in the pins. So I distracted myself from the hurt in my lungs and heart and trudged onward, getting through the out and back to enjoy a mile downhill back to Bondi beach. From there I ran along the promenade and up the hill towards home. Part way up the hill I had to stop and have a rest overlooking the sea, I had only drunk 500ml in 2.5 hours and I had a little cramp setting in. If I had taken any money with me at this point I would've got a cold beer and kicked back. However I had no money on me and no bus pass to get home, so after a little stretch and breather I picked myself up and headed up Bondi road. I thought the rest would do me good, but it is another half a mile (easily) up hill from there and I felt worse as I struggled up the hill. At 18.25 miles I stopped and called it a day. I had nothing left to prove to myself and was happy with what I had achieved for the run.
Looking forwards there are only two long runs left before race day in Melbourne. The next one will probably be around the 25km mark and the week before I will run 15-20km. My focus for these last week's will be to get my training in during the week, doing tempo and interval sessions. These are the confidence and fitness boosters before the marathon distance. They rest the body and legs from the long distance, but keep you prepped for what's to come. I am fairly good at listening to my body and after all I am Tomthesloth, so I will never over do it!
This week will see me run tomorrow and Wednesday before a long one on the weekend. Fingers crossed I can get time to fit yoga and massage in over the next two weeks, otherwise I'll be running like a pencil on race day.
Happy training,
Tom ;)
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