Marathon training

My blog has moved

2007-05-19T19:05:00.000+01:00

I have moved my blog to here:

http://runninginedinburgh.wordpress.com/

Windy!!

2007-05-19T16:58:00.000+01:00

Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: slow!

The weather was awful today. The wind was so strong in parts it actually stopped me making progress. This run was a bit of a struggle in the conditions, but I tried to keep things as smooth as possible.

My Training Plan

2007-05-19T16:35:00.000+01:00

Background

Last year I got back into running on a regular basis after a period of playing football which had been interspersed with periodic injury (shin splints and a couple of stress fractures).

I built my mileage up from January to June to a maximum of 50 miles per week following the Jack Daniels' Marathon Trainning Programme. This resulted in a 3:57:58 in the Edinburgh Marathon, which might have been a few minutes quicker had I not wilted in the heat in the last 6 miles.

From June to October I maintained my mileage in the 50 per week bracket, repeating the types of session I had been following in the Daniels programme. On 3 September I set a half marathon PB of 1:39:02, and on 17 September a 10k PB of 42:35. On 1 October I finished the Loch Ness Marathon in a PB of 3:54:03.

Shortly after the marathon I suffered what appears to have been a classic ITBS knee injury, which left me unable to run for over 2 months. Over the past couple of months I have gradually got back into regular running, and in the last few weeks have embarked upon a new base-building period.

The Plan

This year I want to concentrate on 10ks. If I can improve by just over two and a half minutes, I will break the 40 minute barrier, which is one of those major goals I want to achieve in my running career.

I have started a 12 week base-building period, designed to lead me into a Jack Daniels 10k specific training programme. July/August should see me move from steady mileage into regular faster sessions. September/October should see me begin to introduce a number of 10k races as part of that training regime. At the beginning of November I will taper off the mileage and run what will hopefully be my fastest 10k of the season.....

The key dates are:

May-28 July - base-building phase
28 July - 8 September - phase II of the Daniels programme
8 September - 20 October - phase III of the Daniels programme
20 October onwards - phase IV of the Daniels programme

Prospective 10ks are:

1 September - Moray 10k
15 September - Stirling 10k
22 September - Linlithgow 10k
6 October - Loch Ness 10k
3 November - Stranraer 10k

The Base

To reduce as far as possible the risk of a repetition of my ITBS injury, I intend to build up my mileage gradually, including a cut-back week every three weeks before increasing the mileage. From a starting point of 30 miles per week, I will probably increase up to a maximum of circa 50 miles. My planned base programme is below:

I am sure I won't be able to follow this base-building plan precisely because there's always potential for illness and life in general to get in the way, but I find it helps to put a programme down on paper.

After the base

I will add this post as a fixed link on the side of my blog and update it as my training progresses, and will set out what is involved in stages II, III and IV in the Daniels 10k training programme.

Marathons

I haven't given up on marathons completely and will probably aim to run the Loch Ness Marathon in October in 2008. This 10k phase will hopefully serve as a good basis for a future marathon programme.

End of week 2

2007-05-18T22:57:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4 miles
Time 35:28
1 - 8:44
2 - 8:55
3 - 8:54
4 - 8:55

An easy 4 miles this evening to round of the week. The weather's a bit weird in Scotland just now. When I got back to Edinburgh the sky was virtually black and it was pouring with rain. 5 minutes after embarking on my run (complete with waterproof jacket, hat and gloves) the weather broke and out came the sun...

Mileage for the week:
Saturday - 5.5m
Sunday - 8m
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 6m
Wednesday - 6m
Thursday - rest
Friday - 4m
Total: 29.5m

Another 6 miles

2007-05-16T21:56:00.000+01:00

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 52:15

Tonight was another run along the canal, this time all at a fairly easy, but not leisurely, pace. Not much to report on this run, other than a little niggle with my right hip. Hopefully nothing to worry about. Another 4.5 miles on Friday will give me 30 for the week, which is my target goal.

6 miles

2007-05-16T21:49:00.000+01:00

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 49:40

Yesterday evening I did my 6 mile run on the canal in the Inverness - 3 miles out and 3 miles back. All of my running at the moment is steady miles to build a base, but I'm going to include some threshold miles in 1 run per week just to keep things fresh and to ensure that when I come to embark on my 10k specific training, the speedwork won't be a complete surprise. So, to start things off, I included 1 threshold mile last night. That doesn't sound like much (and it isn't) but its the first semi-fast thing I have done in a few months. I think it worked out close to 7:30 pace, and it was a bit of a struggle towards the end, but I am definitely feeling stronger than the last time I embarked on a base-building period. I am also trying to do some stretches to avoid a recurrence of my ITBS. There's been no symptoms so far, and I want to do everything I reasonably can to ensure it stays like that.

8 miles

2007-05-13T16:45:00.000+01:00

Distance: 8 miles
Time: to be added

This morning I ran the furthest I've run in quite a while: 8 easy miles on an overcast morning in slight drizzle made for a fairly enjoyable run. Not much to report other than I need to start thinking about getting a second pair of trainers so I can rotate rather than use the same pair every day.

Morning running

2007-05-13T16:43:00.000+01:00

Distance: 5.5 miles

An easy 5.5 miles yesterday morning, following the route I ran the previous Saturday. I had the same feeling of sluggishness on this run as I had the previous week. I'm guessing this was caused by running in the morning as this is something I haven't done in a while.

End of the week

2007-05-11T20:08:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 37:20

An easy run back in Edinburgh on a drizzly evening. I wasn't feeling great on this run so just concentrated on keeping an easy rhythm going.

Mileage for the week:
Saturday - 5.5m
Sunday - 4m
Monday - rest
Tuesday - 6m
Wednesday - 6m
Thursday - rest
Friday - 4.5m
Total: 26m

This is broadly in line with my aim for the week. With the addition of a semi-long run, I aim for the next couple of weeks to be about the 30 mile mark. At some point in the next few days I wil definitely make the time to post my training plans.

Rest day

2007-05-11T00:29:00.000+01:00

I took a rest day today just to ensure I don't do too much too quickly as I build my mileage back up, particularly after having suffered from a nasty flu-like virus only a week or so ago. My back is still a little sore, but is definitely on the mend.

Another 6 miles

2007-05-09T22:49:00.000+01:00

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 51 minutes

This evening I did the same very enjoyable out and back run along the canal in Inverness. My back still hurts, mostly when I get up after having been seated at my computer for a prolonged period. Interestingly, both tonight and last night there was a marked improvement in how it felt after completing my evening run. Maybe I should just run all day!

Thomas (who continues to knock impressive lumps out of his PBs) asked whether I intend to run the Edinburgh marathon. Short answer is 'no', and the longer answer, which I will post shortly, is that I'm hoping to get back into races around about the autum but will probably focus on 10ks and half marathons.

Nice view - ouch my back hurts

2007-05-08T20:52:00.000+01:00

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 51 minutes

The title of this post sums up my day. My back is still giving me grief, mainly when I stand up after having sat down for a while. But I've decided to just run through it, and tonight I did an easy 6 miles along the scenic banks of the Caledonian Canal in Inverness. My back feels a bit better having done the run, but that could be down to the ibuprofen rather than the exercise....

Rest day, and a sore back

2007-05-07T13:45:00.000+01:00

I brought my rest day forward since my back is a still a bit sore. I could run through it if necessary, but I'm not keen to aggravate it further. It's only really properly sore when I stand up or sit down. Hopefully with a day off and some ibuprofen I'll be good to go tomorrow.

4 miles

2007-05-06T23:14:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4 miles

4 easy miles today. I have a sore lower back, caused I think by yesterday's run which in parts was over rough terrain. Hopefully its just a minor glitch and I intend to run through it.

Start of a new week

2007-05-05T22:19:00.000+01:00

Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 49 mins

My cold has now cleared and I went out into the blazing sun for a run this morning. I kept it very easy in the heat and felt a little tired at the end. A combination of the heat and the after effects of my cold I think.

I'm going to post my plans for the season shortly.

Being ill sucks

2007-04-29T23:31:00.000+01:00

Over the last few weeks I've average a steady 20 miles a week without any knee problems, and was ready to start increasing the mileage, (and with that the blogging frequency) particularly with the clocks having gone back and better weather arriving. Lo and behold I've picked up some sort of flu bug and have been suffering with a sore throat, runny nose, cough and achy muscles and joints for the past week. It's just starting to subside, so I may get a 20 mile week in next week before thinking about increasing the mileage.

End of week

2007-03-24T13:08:00.000Z

Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: 6 miles with watch, at 8:15 average per mile

If I claim 3 miles for my 90 minutes football on Saturday, my total for the week was 21 miles. More of the same next week, but probably aiming to creep up to the mid-20s.

4 miles, again

2007-03-22T14:33:00.000Z

Monday: 4 miles easy
Tuesday: 4 miles steady
Wednesday: rest

Not much to report. The running feels fine, and no niggles to complain about.

Rounding up last week

2007-03-19T18:37:00.000Z

The rest of last week went as follows:

4 miles on Wednesday
Rest on Thursday
4 miles on Friday
90 minutes of football on Saturday
Rest on Sunday

That gave me 20 miles for the week.

I'm feeling all stiff and sore after my first 90 minutes of football in a long time, so I'll try and ease that with an easy 4 miles (in the snow!) tonight.

Another 4 miles

2007-03-14T18:52:00.000Z

Distance: 4 miles
Time: unknown

I'm running without a watch just now since I am in unfamiliar territory. Last night I managed 4 miles in a fairly blustery and cold wind. I plan more of the same tonight!

Temporary loss of access

2007-03-11T23:38:00.000Z

Wow, doesn't time fly. I've just realised that its been a month already since I last posted here. Quick explanation: I've been working away from Edinburgh since mid-January and haven't had easy 'unrestricted' (i.e. no internet access apart from my work laptop which filters out sites such as blogspot unfortunately) access to the web. That's solved now and, although I'll be working away from home for another month or so, my running diary should at least get back to normal.

Short summary of my running over the last month - ticking over, running on average every second day at mid-20 miles per week. My knee is (touch wood) fully recovered, and I've only really been hampered by an inability to force myself out running very early in the morning or very late at night. All of the time in between has been taken up by work, although that will hopefully slacken off now too.

This weeks running:

Saturday: 4.5 miles
Sunday: 4 miles (including an extremely steep and long hill section)

OK, time to catch up on some blogs....

Bit of pain, but seems OK

2007-01-21T13:08:00.000Z

Distance: 2 miles
Time: 14:32
Pace: 7:16 per mile

After my run at the end of last week I had a bit of pain in my knee. It was in the same knee as I suffered ITBS recently and I initially thought it was a recurrence of that problem. However, after a bit of prodding I established that the pain was below the knee, right at the top of the calf, rather than above the knee on the outside as previously. Anyway, I took that as my body telling me that I should bring forward my planned cutback week. That, combined with a week working away from home, means I only got back out on Friday. Thankfully the knee felt OK and I did a short, sharp two miles at a fast pace - which felt tough. I'll go for a run this evening and, if there's no reaction to that from the knee, I'll get back into things properly next week.

I hate the wind

2007-01-14T14:22:00.000Z

Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 55:45
Pace: 8:35/mi

The weather's still awful here but I couldn't face another treadmill session so ventured outside. Because it was so gusty I just concentrated on keeping a steady rhythm and didn't pay any attention to the watch.

For the week that gives:

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 4
Wednesday: 6
Thursday: rest
Friday: 6
Saturday: rest
Sunday: 6.5
Total: 22.5

Next week I'll turn the 4 miler into a semi-long run, which should take me to 30-ish miles for the week. The following week I think I'll cut the mileage back a little since I'll have had 4 weeks consecutive increases (albeit very small ones). That'll take me to the beginning of February, and I think I'll begin a period of base training then, starting from 35 miles a week off 5 runs. I'll draw up a provisional training schedule shortly.

Stormy

2007-01-12T20:57:00.000Z

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 52 minutes

The weather is absolutely awful here again - so stormy that its difficult to stand up against some of the gusts of wind. So it was the treadmill this evening after work for 6 miles.

6 miles

2007-01-10T23:51:00.000Z

Distance 5.95 miles (hit stop too soon)
Time: 48:04
Pace: 8:04/mile

6 miles this evening after work. This run felt good - I ran the first 5 miles fairly steady (quicker than a recovery run but slower than a threshold run) and then picked it up for the last mile. My breathing was much more relaxed than it has been since starting up again, and that probably just reflects that I have a few weeks of running (albeit low mileage) under my belt now.

4 miles

2007-01-09T19:42:00.000Z

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 33:00

4 miles this evening on the treadmill. Not much to report!

More miles

2007-01-07T20:45:00.000Z

Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 53:18
Pace: 8:12/mile

The weather has calmed down a bit so I headed out for a pleasant early evening run earlier on today. I deliberately picked up the pace a little just to mix things up after a couple of weeks of very steady running. I didn't push very hard, but still managed to run quite comfortably at close to 8 minute mile-ing, so I'm quite pleased with that. Milage for the week was a grand total of 19 (6.5 + 6 + 6.5). Next week I think I'll add a short fourth day, and the week after that I'll probably turn that 4th day into a semi-long run. If I can get through that I'll probably start relaxing about me knee. My plan is still to embark on a 6 week base-building at the beginning of February.

I decided to take an extra day's rest before today's run. As JoggerBlogger says, what is with running on treadmills giving you sore legs?

Treadmill

2007-01-06T01:16:00.000Z

Distance: 6 miles
Time: 50 minutes exactly

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the blog recently.

It was still stormy yesterday so I decided to make for the gym for an evening run. Its been a long time since I ran much more than 25 minutes on a treadmill and I'm assuming that, along with my general lack of running lately, explains why the lower part of my legs are feeling so beat up to day (not quite the calf area, slightly lower than that).

Windy

2007-01-01T13:04:00.000Z

Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 56:56
Pace: 8:45/mile

Its been a wet and windy New Year in Scotland, so much so in fact that many of the Hogmanay celebrations were cancelled: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6221557.stm

So I'll make no apologies for having a bit of a grumble about my run today, half of which was in to the teeth of a gale and driving rain. I've lost one of my gloves too so my poor hands were freezing by the end. Having said that, I felt surprisingly in control throughout the whole run - it was probably the strongest I've felt since starting training again.

Not so enjoyable

2006-12-31T15:42:00.000Z

Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 47:16
Pace: 8:35

Yesterday's 5.5 miles seemed to last forever. I'd done a fairly rigorous session of sit-ups and press-ups the night before, and I could feel dull tiredness in my stomach and arms the whole way round the run. There was also a fairly brutal headwind on the inward half of the run. Combined, these factors made the run somewhat less than enjoyable.

Assuming I don't get too drunk on Hogmanay I'm planning 7-ish miles tomorrow. 1 January seems an appropriate time too to recap on a year's worth of blogging and running.

More miles

2006-12-28T23:29:00.000Z

Distance: 5.5 miles
Time: 45:33
Pace: 8:21 per mile

5.5 miles today. Still no sign of trouble with the knee. I'm planning another 5.5 on Saturday, and then next week I'll go up to between 6 and 7 miles for three runs. Assuming I get to there with no problems, I'll probably add a 4th day on the following week.

I got one of the new ipod shuffles as an Xmas present. It's tiny, has good sound quality, and it's really easy to find the buttons whilst on the move - highly recommended to anyone thinking about getting an mp3 player whether a runner or not.

5 miles

2006-12-26T23:02:00.000Z

Distance: 5 miles
Time: [42-ish minutes]

I'm on holiday just now and away from Edinburgh so my run was on an unfamiliar route. It had a fair number of small inclines and declines so I decided to do an out and back 2.5 miles and call it a day at that just in case the hills aggravated my knee. The run was OK and nothing much of interest to report. A couple of more 5-6 milers this week as part of the slow build up. I'll reflect on things at the start of the new year, but hopefully by the end of january I'll be in a position to embark on a period of base building, to be followed by a 10k programme.

Another 4 miles!

2006-12-24T00:18:00.000Z

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 32 minutes

Another 4 miles this morning along the same route as my last two runs. Nothing much to report. No sign of the knee acting up during or after the run.

So, my first week back results in a grand total of 12 miles.

4 more miles

2006-12-22T00:36:00.000Z

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 32:45

My run today (Thursday) followed the same route as Monday and took roughly the same amount of time. It was freezing (literally) so it was a significant mental challenge to force myself outside after such a long layoff from regular running. But I did it, and didn't feel too bad during the run - perhaps a little tired on the last half mile or so, but I think the cause of that was a circuit session I did yesterday (my first one of those in quite a while).

My revised target for this week is simply 3 runs of 4 miles each. Next week I'll probably do 3 runs of 6 miles and so on. That's a fairly conservative increase, but even so it won't be too long even on that trajectory before I'm back to being a 'proper' runner. Its not that I couldn't do more mileage at the moment - I could, and reasonably easily I think - but I am very wary of pushing my knee too quickly. I'd never had an IT band-type injury before it happened after the Loch Ness marathon, and I was shocked at how quickly it arrived and how seriously it affected my running. I don't want to go back there any time soon.

4 miles

2006-12-18T22:23:00.000Z

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 33 minutes

4 miles today, which is my longest run in two months. It was freezing outside so it was a bit treacherous underfoot, and a little painful on the lungs. But the run went OK, and there seems to be no reaction from the knee. 6 miles on Wednesday hopefully.

A long way back

2006-12-17T00:54:00.000Z

I ran 2 miles yesterday at about 8 minute mile place. No reaction from the knee during or after the run, so that is good. But 8 minute miling was unbelievably hard on the cardiovascular system in comparison with how it felt before my injury. I had just got to the point where I was absolutely cruising at that pace, and I think my brain is still in that gear whereas my body is nowhere near it. So I think something closer to 9:00 or above is going to be required as I try to get back into a running routine.

My target for the next week is to do three runs of about 6 miles each, and take stock after that. It seems like an eternity ago that I was comfortably running 6 times a week, with a weekly mileage over 50! But the last thing I want to do is bump up the mileage too quickly, causing a recurrence of the injury and then being out for another couple of months. So slowly does it.

Starting up again

2006-12-10T22:30:00.000Z

Over the past few weeks I've done a few short runs of a couple of miles or so. There's been no reaction from my knee so I think its probably safe to start building up the mileage. Also, there's a step in my house which, if I pushed off of it at a certain angle, caused some pain in my knee for about 4 weeks or so after it started playing up, but now that's not happening, even if I try to induce it - so I'm taking that as confirmation that I've mending well.

There weather here's been awful and I've been busy at work, so those factors have helped ensure against rushing back too quickly.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll build up the mileage and the frequency and take it from there. By January I'll hopefully be ready to start on a period of base building.

Almost there

2006-11-12T22:23:00.001Z

2 miles today. I experienced a bit of pain in the knee after about 3/4 of a mile, but it went after about a further half mile and I was able to finish the run pain free. There's been a very little tendernish in the knee since the run but nothing particularly painful or worrying. So on that basis, I'm assuming I'm not too far away from being able to get back to training. There's no danger that I'll do too much too soon, as my cardiovascular system has fallen through the floor after 5 weeks of virtual inactivity!

Almost, but not quite

2006-11-05T19:58:00.000Z

I tried a 2 mile run last wednesday. Things were fine for about 1.5 miles, but then the pain in my IT band began to come back. Much less than previously, and not enough to stop me finishing the 2 mile run, but enough to suggest that I'm still a few weeks away from proper recovery. My knee was a little tender the day after the run, but it seems to have settled down once again and I haven't had any twinges since. So, sometime in the middle of next week I'll try another 2 mile run and see how that goes.

Recovery?

2006-10-29T23:31:00.000Z

I played 5-a-side football on Saturday for 50 minutes and, rather surprisingly, there was no reaction from my knee during the game. I iced it afterwords and took some ibuprofen to be on the safe side, and there hasn't been any obvious reaction since. So, at least I now know I can play some pain-free football in order to keep my fitness up. Over the next day or so I'll try a couple of miles straight running to see if the knee holds up doing that.

Still injured

2006-10-21T22:58:00.000+01:00

My knee was completely normal whilst walking, twisting, stretching etc. over the past week. But, alas, when I went for a run today to see how it would stand up to physical exercise, I only managed about half a mile or so before the pain came back - not as pronounced as last time, but still of an intensity where there was no point in trying to run through it so I quickly ended the comeback attempt. Thankfully there's been no after-effects during the day, so I'll rest up and ice and stretch for another week and try again next Sunday.

Recovery

2006-10-15T21:18:00.000+01:00

Still resting my knee. The twinges are now much reduced to the point of being almost gone completely, and over the course of the next week or so I'll venture out for a short run to test it out. I'm no doctor but it seems to me I have a classic case of ITBS. I had a few twinges in the run up to the Edinburgh marathon, but no actual pain. I think it was probably still there in the background, and the many ups and downs of the Loch Ness marathon, especially on tired legs, aggravated it to the extent of causing injury.

Injury

2006-10-10T18:38:00.000+01:00

After Sunday's run my knee seized up during the day for some reason. I thought the problem had gone away but it clearly hasn't as I had to abandon tonight's effort after a few hundred yards. Its an IT Band injury of some sort which has emerged from nowhere. Hugely frustrating as I don't know what's caused it and I was looking forward to getting back into training. There's no good time to be injured but I suppose immediately after a marathon is as good as time as any since there's plenty of time to get over it. So, enforced rest for a few days, some stretching of the band, and hopefully I can get back to it without too much delay....

6 miles

2006-10-09T00:15:00.000+01:00

6 miles at 8:08 average place. Felt ok, but my knee seized up during the day. Not sure what caused it, but it seems to have disappeared now anyway. I'll call it a post-marathon niggle.

Aim for next week - 30 miles at 8:00-8:30 pace.

Getting back into it...

2006-10-06T21:05:00.000+01:00

My legs felt sore on Monday and Tuesday, stiff on Wednesday, pretty good on Thursday and normal today. So I went out for a couple of miles tonight. I felt suprisingly good - very good in fact - and was only stopped from running far too quickly by a stitch.

My plan is to run 30 or so miles next week. 50 miles or so the following week. And hopefully 70 miles or so the following week for 4 consecutive weeks. This will all be steady running - 8-ish minutes per mile. It will take me to a new high weekly mileage, and lay a solid base for beginning the Jack Daniels 10k training programme. At least, that's the plan.

Photos

2006-10-05T21:52:00.000+01:00

Some drowned rat photos from midway around the course....

And some photos from the comedy sprint at the end....

Marathon - 3:54:03

2006-10-02T22:48:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was the Loch Ness Marathon in Inverness. I ran this marathon 3 years ago without properly understanding the training required and blew up quite spectacularly at 18 miles (at which point you reach two steep and long hills), plodding home a couple of seconds under 4:30. In Edinburgh this summer I crept below 4 hours, but the wheels came off at 20 miles in the stifling heat there too.

So for Loch Ness I was hoping for better things and ideally a time close to 3:45. Balanced against 10 months training solid training behind me and a couple of decent half and 10k PBs in the last month, was the fact that for a variety of reasons my weekend long-runs had suffered in the lead-up to the run. On the day I set off at 3:45-4:00-ish pace with a colleague from work who I ran the whole distance with. We ran a pretty solid race, keeping as steady a pace as was reasonable on a fairly undulating course. The scary hills from 18-20 miles came and went without too many problems, and I even felt confident enough to mention at 20 miles that the wheels were at least still half-on. The weather was difficult - very, very wet in large parts - but I would take that any day over the heat from the Edinburgh marathon. In the last mile my legs began to tighten quite noticeable, but only to the extent where I couldn't speed up for any great distance, rather than the feeling of just wanting to stop which I had experienced in my previous two marathons. Indeed, apart from a couple of calls of nature I didn't come close to needing to stop, which for me was a small personal victory. And so it ended with a 3:54 - not the 3:45 I had been hoping for, but sub-4 nonetheless.

Overall I think the time is a fair reflection on my training. I knew I was in better 10k/half shape than marathon shape, but I also knew I should be able to finish a marathon in (relatively) comfortable shape for the first time. A few minutes quicker would have been nice, but if I had run the first 20 miles at a slightly quicker pace I am quite sure I would have paid for it in the last few. And a PB is a PB, so I'm not complaining.

Quick reflections on the year. From a standing start at the beginning of 2006, I've managed all of my year's goals - sub 50 for the 10K (45:05 and 42:35), sub 1:45 for the half (1:47 and 1:39:02), and sub 4 for the marathon (3:57:58 and 3:54:03). I've enjoyed the training. I can judge paces in training with or without a watch. I'm beginning to notice differences in my performance - running sub-8 pace in training runs is becoming relatively easy compared previously. And I believe I've now got a decent base of steady running behind me now from which to build towards better times.

I'm probably going to steer away from the marathons for a year or so and concentrate on the 10k and half. Although more painful in some ways, I do prefer these distances and on the basis of my times so far I probably have more aptitude for them too. But the training regimes aren't hugely different from marathon training, and I will be aiming to build on my current 50/60 miles per week to 60/70 in the next cycle. So if I do concentrate on 'shorter' distances for a while, I expect it won't particularly be to my detriment for the next time I attempt the marathon.

I think the next target will be to run a half marathon and 10k in consecutive weeks in March of next year. I need to devise a training plan, but its looking like steady running until December, building to a new high weekly distance and also averaging a slightly quicker pace per mile than previously. From then it will be the Jack Daniels 10k training plan with two or three quality sessions per week. Next targets - sub 40 for the 10k and sub-1:30 for the half. Both ambitious, but both achievable I believe if I put the effort in and hit the appropriate balance between pushing myself and not over-training.

Marathon photos to follow if any are available.

Couple of great runs to mention. Mike with an 8 mile PB, and Andrew with a simply fantastic and thoroughly deserved 2:57:08.

10k - 42:35

2006-09-17T14:32:00.000+01:00

This morning was the Stirling 10k, which I managed in 42:35 (unofficial). The weather was running-friendly - overcast and a bit damp. The course was virtually flat, making it perfect for a PB effort - although that was balanced by a few narrow sections where overtaking was impossible. I felt fairly good during the race, perhaps setting off a touch too fast, but feeling quite strong at the end - strong enough to outsprint a couple of people who pulled level with a quarter of a mile to go. 42:35 is aPB by 2 and a half minutes from May, so I'm happy with that. After the Loch Ness marathon I'm going to prepare for a half and a 10k in march of next year - hopefully with some 10k specific training, I'll be threatening the 40 minute barrier. Splits below:

1 - 6:48
2 - 6:44
3 - 7:03
4 - 7:02
5 - 6:50
6 - 6:53

Half marathon - 1:39:00

2006-09-03T14:52:00.000+01:00

Today was the half marathon in Glasgow. The weather was awful for spectators but great for running. I ended up with 1:39:00 flat on my watch - my chip time should be available shortly.

This is a pb of over 8 minutes from the half I did in Edinburgh at the end of March, so I've got to be happy with the performance. Stupidly, I left it until a few minutes before the race to turn on my Garmin. The result was that it didn't pick up the satellites until over a mile into the race and has only recorded 11.83 miles - but at least it kept hold of them from that point onwards (allowing for a couple of tunnels we ran through). The available data is below. It reflects my race strategy pretty accurately - try to hold 7:40-ish pace (which roughly equates to 1:40:00) and then push for the last 3 miles.

Lap 1: 13:53 (hit the split button while trying to get it off the 'tracking satellites' screen..)
Lap 2: 7:34
Lap 3: 7:37
Lap 4: 7:35
Lap 5: 7:43
Lap 6: 7:30
Lap 7: 7:25
Lap 8: 7:39
Lap 9: 7:29
Lap 10: 7:05
Lap 11: 7:10
Lap 12: 7:06 (pace)

*********************************Update

The official results are now available (bang goes my annonymity if anyone can actually be bothered to check the finishers) and my chip time is 1:39:02. Its a pity it hadn't been a couple of seconds the other way but no big deal.

Further post race reflections....As usual, I can remember very little about the race. This is a common phenomenon for me and must be because I'm so focused on the run. From what I can remember, the course itself was OK - a few tight bends, a few uphill sections, a few narrow bits. Nothing special, but equally nothing to complain to much about about. 20,000 people took part in a 10k or half marathon yesterday, so considering the numbers involved I think the event went rather smoothly. Compared with the edinburgh half in March it was clockwork.

The most pleasing part of yesterday's run was definitely the last few miles. I usually die in the last part of a race, so to be able to pick up the pace to close to 7 minutes per mile after averaging 7:40-ish for the first 10 was something of a novelty. I didn't quite manage a caveman finish, but I overtook substantially more people in the final couple of miles than overtook me. I think the result bodes well for the 10k in Stirling in a fortnight (the target at which is to beat my 45:05 from May), but I'm pretty sure I'm in much better half/10k shape than I am for the marathon.

Three other things happened when I was in Glasgow - I saw Paul Le Guen at the finish (Rangers manager, who finished just ahead of me in 1:36), I saw Willie Miller (ex-Aberdeen and Scotland legend, leaving a hotel to make his way back north I imagine), and I passed the hotel where Tommy Sheridan was launching his new Socialist party (I couldn't understand to begin with why there were TV cameras away from the race course to begin with).

Pictures to follow shortly, depending on how badly they turn out...

Tuesday and Wednesday

2006-08-16T21:52:00.000+01:00

Tuesday - 4.5 miles recovery run.

Wednesday - This evening I went for a steady/tempo run of 8 miles. I set off at a 7:40 pace and ran each mile pretty close to that pace (and which is the pace I would ideally do in next month's half marathon). I'm pretty confident I had 10 or 11 miles at 7:40 in the tank this evening if I had decided to keep going, but 13.1? I'm not so sure, but I'll find out on 3 September when I run in the Glasgow Half Marathon.

1- 7:37
2 - 7:38
3 - 7:40
4 - 7:38
5 - 7:42
6 - 7:39
7 - 7:41
8 - 7:24
1:01:03 at 7:38 average pace

End of the week

2006-08-14T23:17:00.000+01:00

19 miles today in the heat, averaging exactly 9:15 pace (2:56).

Miles for the week:
Tuesday - 5.5
Wednesday - 8
Thursday - 10
Friday - 8
Saturday - 5.5
Sunday - rest
Monday - 19
Total - 57 miles

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

2006-08-13T12:13:00.000+01:00

Thursday - 10 miles at 8:40 pace (1:26:42). 5 with the wind behind, 5 into the wind. Not much to report.

Friday - 8 miles. 6 miles steady, 1 mile pushing hard, 1 mile easy to warmdown. Splits as follows:

1 - 8:02
2 - 7:50
3 - 7:52
4 - 7:38
5 - 7:33
6 - 7:36
7 - 6:51
8 - 9:25

The 7:xx's felt unusually easy. The 6:51 was in no sense of the word easy, but I wanted to dip below 7:00 as I don't think I've done so in a training run before.

Saturday - 5.5 miles easy at 9:20 pace.

Today should have been my 20 miler but I started sniffling and coughing on Saturday afternoon, which continued all evening and into this morning. So I'll put it back until Monday, which is when I've been doing most of my long runs of late anyway. 20 tomorrow will give me 57 for the week which is a new high mileage week by 5 miles or so.

Tuesday and Wednesday

2006-08-09T22:13:00.000+01:00

Tuesday - recover run after Monday's 18 miler of 5.45 miles in 48:03 (8:49 pace).

Wednesday - 8 miles in 1:02:29 (7:48 pace)

1 - 7:47
2 - 7:42
3 - 7:46
4 - 8:02
5 - 7:55
6 - 7:51
7 - 8:00
8 - 7:17

This was a fairly hard run at half marathon pace with a strong wind behind on miles 1-3 and 8, and a strong wind against in the other miles - the last mile was a hard one to prove to myself that there was still a bit to spare. I tried to hit a pace for the first 7 miles which was reasonably fast, but also safely below the red line point at which the lactic would begin to build. There were definitely a few miles at 7:45 pace left in the tank, but another 5.1? I'm not too sure.

I'll decide what to do tomorrow depending on how my legs feel, but I'm due to do a 14 miler (probably at LSR pace) shortly.

End of the week

2006-08-09T22:04:00.000+01:00

Summary of last week:

Tuesday: ill
Wednesday: 8 miles @ 7:56 pace
Thursday: 10 miles @ 8:09 pace
Friday: 5.5 miles @ 7:58 pace
Saturday: 10.5 miles @ 9:18 pace
Sunday: rest
Monday: 18 (17.9 on the Garmin) miles - 2:43:45/9:08 pace
Total: 52 miles

A decent week. 52 miles in 5 sessions, and an 18 miler to boot. I hydrated well for the 18 miler and it wasn't too uncomfortable to end up with. After a few weeks of struggling in the heat I managed to drop my pace back down to 8 minute miles for a couple of steady runs without too much difficulty.

Target for this week is high 50s or low 60s, with a 20 miler.

Better

2006-08-02T22:18:00.000+01:00

I binned Tuesday's run because I was feeling unwell. I think I have a minor sinus infection again. When I get this it always seem to spread to my left ear for some reason.

I still wasn't feeling 100% today but went running anyway, and once I was out I felt great - in fact, that was the best I've felt during a run in a couple of weeks at least, and it probably qualifies as one of my most enjoyable runs of the year.

I ran 7 miles at a steady 8 min/mile pace and ran the last mile as a hard effort which ended up at about 7:19 (which wasn't as enjoyable as the first 7 but worth doing ). Even the splits were the most consistent I've produced in a while. Conditions in certain parts of the route were idyllic - gravel path, sea to one side + nature trail to the other, cool, overcast, slightly damp underfoot, calm and no-one else to be seen. After the crazy heat of the last few weeks this was bliss.

1 - 8:07
2 - 7:54
3 - 8:00
4 - 8:01
5 - 8:01
6 - 7:57
7 - 8:02
8 - 7:19

If I get my entry shorted out I am due to run the Glasgow half at the beginning of September.

When I ran the Edinburgh half at the end of March my time was 1:47 and comprised 11 miles at 8 min/mile pace before I blew up for the last couple. I'm aiming for about 1:40 in Glasgow which equates to 7:40 pace - I'm rationalising this as ambitous but not impossible. As a confidence booster to go out at this pace I'm planning to try a 13 mile training run at 8 min/mile pace in the middle of August - I figure if I can do that without too much difficulty it is evidence that I've progressed since March (which I am sure I have).

Cool at last

2006-07-31T20:14:00.000+01:00

At last the heat wave seems to have passed and things are back to normal - wet and windy.

Summary for the week:

Tuesday - 5.5 miles
Wednesday - 10 miles
Thursday - 8 miles
Friday - 5.5 miles
Saturday - 10 miles
Sunday - rest
Monday - 12 miles
Total - 51 miles

My Sunday long run got sidelined because of personal commitments, but 51 miles for the week is still OK.

Target for next week is to get in a Sunday LSR of no less than 18 miles - no excuses.

Still hot

2006-07-26T23:36:00.000+01:00

Tuesday - 5.5 easy miles.

Wednesday - 10 mile total split into 5 miles steady + 6 x 0.5 miles threshold with 2 minute recovery, and 1 miles warmdown

Splits
1 - 8:07
2 - 7:58
3 - 8:09
4 - 8:11
5 - 7.42
6 - 7:58
7 - 8:00
8 - 8:02
9 - 8:37
10 - 9:xx

It is still terribly warm, but I hydrated properly this morning and managed a decent workout without feeling nearly as bad as I have during some leisurely long runs recently. 8 minute pace felt fairly comfortable considering I've been mostly plodding along at 9:xx for over a week now, but the 0.5 thresholds of 7.00-7.30 weren't quite so enjoyable - but I guess that's the way its meant to be.

Too hot to handle

2006-07-24T17:45:00.003+01:00

Saturday - 4.5 miles easy

Sunday - rest

Monday - 14 miles LSR

Today's run was horrible - probably my worst training run yet. Its unusually hot in the UK just now and me + running + heat just don't seem to mix, as I found out during the Edinburg marathon last month.

The first ten miles were OK today but after that I just wilted under the sun and bailed out 2 miles short of my scheduled distance because I was feeling so bad. It didn't help that I'd forgotten to buy my usual sports drink to carry with me on my long run and I was definitely dehydrated by the end.

Week's review
Tuesday - 7 miles
Wednesday - 11 miles
Thursday - 5.5 miles
Friday - 10 miles
Saturday - 4.5 miles
Sunday - rest
Monday - 14 miles
Total - 52 miles ( a couple short of the schedule but my longest week ever - by 1 mile...)

Still hot

2006-07-22T00:51:00.000+01:00

We're still going through a summer heatwave here in Edinburgh, although thankfully it has been cloudy in the morning during my last couple of runs.

Thursday - 5.5 miles easy pace.

Friday - 10 miles with 3 miles threshold (it should have been 4 but my Garmin started playing up - cutting miles short - and that was enough for me to bail and take it easy home)

The top of my left hip is still tender - ignoring it hasn't done any good so I'll try some gentle stretching next.

Scorchio

2006-07-19T22:54:00.000+01:00

Its roasting in Edinburgh just now - the hottest we've had it in a while. Even though I'm doing my runs in the early morning , the heat is still a factor.

Tuesday's run was 7 easy miles - circa 9.15s
Today's run was 11 similar miles.

My standard pace (i.e. when the schedule doesn't call for anything special) has slowed quite noticeably over the last week or so since I did my fast 10k. I think there's a number of reasons for this. I have a tender left hip abductor (at least that's what I think it is as its not something I've really had before). (I think that in turn has been caused by my getting off the road and onto a trail route (which is great) which has a lot of uneven stones in paces.) Having a tight hip abductor is not conducive to wanting to go fast. Its also been crazy hot, and my mileage is getting back up to the max of what I've done before. Anyway, the decrease in pace isn't bothering me too much at the moment and I think its as well to just ride it out until I feel a bit fresher. I've a 4 mile threshold on Friday which ought to blow away the cobwebs anyway.

Knee report - its still there; it still twinges once or twice each run; but its not getting noticeable worse.

That was the week that was

2006-07-17T23:29:00.000+01:00

For a variety of reasons, a one-post week:

Monday: 11-a-side football (I'll claim a mile)
Tuesday: 6.5 miles (6 miles@7:34s - hard but enjoyable)
Wednesday: football training (I'll claim a mile)
Thursday: 7 miles easy (circa 9 minute miles)
Friday: 8.5 miles (6@8 mins - legs still tired from Tuesday)
Saturday: 4.5 miles (easy - no watch)
Sunday: 12 miles (very easy - 9:00-9:30s - toiled in the sun)
Total: 40.5 miles (a mile short of the schedule, but I can live with that).

I really enjoyed Tuesday's run - my pace was virtually identical to what I did my 10k in May in, and there was still a bit left in the tank. so that bodes well for the future. But it did take its toll, and my legs have been a little stiff in places all week. I'm sure that's not been helped by the football over the past couple of weeks.

This week things start to pick up and I head back into the 50s.

Its roasting here. I've got a tan without even trying.

10 miles

2006-07-09T21:42:00.000+01:00

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:29:03

10 easy miles this morning, trying to do 9 minute miles (which is about 15 seconds a mile slower than my target marathon pace). It was a decent morning for running, but maybe just a little on the warm side for my liking. I started to feel a little tired in the last couple of miles, which I wasn't really expecting, and I think that is probably just a consequence of playing football on Friday.

My knee was fine for most of the run, but I did feel a few twinges along the way. Its difficult to explain - its not pain as such, but a feeling of a tendon being inflamed on the lower outside of my right knee. The sensation is not dissimilar to what I used to get when I played a lot of golf as a youngster. The righthand bone on my right wrist would swell up after hours hitting golfballs on the range. Anyway, so long as there's no serious pain I'll just carry on - icing, ibuprofen and getting off the concrete are my recipe to trying to keep it under control.

1 - 8:48
2 - 8:49
3 - 9:00
4 - 9:01
5 - 9:09
6 - 8:59
7 - 9:02
8 - 8:53
9 - 8:49
10 - 8:29 (a short threshold burst to finish off the run)

Summary for the week
Monday - 90 minutes 11-a-side football (I'll claim a mile)
Tuesday - 4.5 miles
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - 4.5 miles
Friday - 60 minutes 5-a-side football (I'll claim a mile)
Saturday - 7 miles
Sunday - 10 miles
Total - 28 miles

Running and more football

2006-07-08T22:43:00.000+01:00

Wednesday - rest day.

Thursday - 4.5 miles, steady (35:30).

Friday - 5-a-side football.

Saturday - 7 miles easy, with 7 x 100m strides.

My running in the second half of the week was knocked off slightly by football commitments, but I'll still have a healthy total for the week.

10 easy miles planned for tomorrow.

My only gripe is a little niggle with my knee, but icing the area is keeping it manageable at the moment.

running and football

2006-07-04T20:37:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 34:30
Route: Arthur A

Tonight's run turned into a steady effort which was a little surpising as I'd played football the previous evening (for which I will claim a mile) and my legs were feeling a little tight. Nothing much to report, apart from the fact that I currently have no real niggles, but I'm still not running as smoothly as I'd like.

End of the week

2006-07-02T16:36:00.000+01:00

Distance: 7 miles
Time: 1:00:31

7 miles this morning, which I managed to get in before the heavens opened, at an easy pace with a couple of short threshold bursts thrown in at the end to relieve the boredom. That's the most consistent mile splits I've ever run I think, and that was without paying much attention to my watch.

1 - 8:53
2 - 8:46
3 - 8:52
4 - 8:49
5 - 8:55
6 - 8:02
7 - 8:28

End of week 1 of the new schedule:

Monday - 4.5 miles
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - 5 miles
Thursday - football (I'll claim a mile)
Friday - 4.5 miles
Saturday - 5 miles
Sunday - 7 miles
Total: 27 miles

Next week's schedule calls for more of the same, with the mileage increasing slightly to a planned 32.

5 more miles

2006-07-01T10:40:00.000+01:00

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 44:44

5 slow miles this morning, all on grass. Easy, at least, in relation to the pace. It was already scorching at 7.30 this morning and although I've found a handly mile loop on grass near where I stay it does include about a third of a mile which is a steady incline. So while my pace was deliberately slow, I still ended up sweating more than I normally do. I expect the following is a familiar feeling, but in many ways I find my slow pace (9 min miles) to be harder than my steady/easy pace (8:00/8:30 min miles).

Big day today. Every 2 years for a period of about 2 weeks I live in dread of England progressing and, god help us all, actually winning the Euro Championships or the World Cup. Now, where's my Portgual scarf...

Another 4.5

2006-06-30T20:20:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5
Time: 35:15

An easy/steady 4.5 miles in between world cup games this evening. I'm still not running very smoothly but at least I'm back running. This is tempting fate no doubt, but tonight and when I was playing football yesterday, there was no sensation of anything being wrong with my knee. I'm not sure why things should change so quickly - perhaps my first two runs loosened up some scar tissue or something?

5 miles tomorrow and 7 on Sunday will give me a high 20s first week back.

5 miles

2006-06-28T21:36:00.000+01:00

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 41:14

5 easy miles at lunch time as per the schedule. I didn't quite manage to get off road for the full distance, but I did get some bits on canal-side trails. Still feeling a little tense when running, but hopefully that will pass once I'm back into a routine. No pain in the knee, but still a sensation of things not being 100%. I'm sure the new trainers are helping a bit.

Back to it

2006-06-26T21:12:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 45:00

My first run in two weeks, and I can't say it was my most enjoyable. It was a little on the warm side, I felt a little tight and I found it hard to get into a rhythm. My legs felt fine and if anything it was my cardiovascular system which felt most strain. My knee didn't feel 100% As usual there was no pain, just a sensation around the outside of my right knee. There has been no reaction from the knee since the run, so that can only be a good thing.

Changes

2006-06-25T18:19:00.000+01:00

Since the Edinburgh marathon 2 weeks ago I've done no running at all, and very little physical exercise in general. I hope that that rest, during which I've had a cold, will have allowed my body to recover from the marathon. I'm also hoping it will have cleared the niggle I was feeling on the outside of my right knee in the lead up to the marathon.

The new 3 month schedule starts tomorrow, building up to the Loch Ness marathon on 1 October, with a 10k and half marathon along the way. Target times as follows:

Marathon target: break 3:45 (3:57:58 PB)
Half marathon: break 1:40 (1:47 PB)
10k: break 43:00 (45:05 PB)

All challenging, but all I believe are achievable if I can get some solid miles under my belt.

I've decided to incorporate a number of changes to my routine this time round. Nothing major, just a series of small refinements which I hope will help me along.

Surfaces: most of my running in the last cycle was on pavements/roads, and this time round I'm going to try and get onto a few trails and some grass. Its not entirely straightforward to do that in Edinburgh, but it just means I'll have to travel a bit further than my front door before starting my sessions.

Mileage: my maximum mileage for the last cycle was low 50's. This Pfitzinger cycle calls for a few weeks of mid to high 60s. I think this increase in mileage should be manageable.

Trainers: I alternated two pairs of trainers since new year and have replaced them both for this cycle. They probably had a few miles left in them, but with my iffy knee it seemed like as good a time as any to make a changes.

Stretching: I've never felt the need to do much stretching, and don't plan to change that too much now but I've found a ITBS stretch which I'll use as insurance against the sensation I was feeling on the outside of my right knee in the lead up to Edinburgh

Core stability: during the last cycle I didn't get into a routine of doing sit-ups, and that's something I'll try to rectify this time around.

Hydration: with the summer (such as it is) upon us, I'm going to try to take on a bit more water throughout the day. It might not make me any quicker, but I'm sure it can't do any harm. So, a few trips to the water cooler at work and a few bottles of water in my fridge at home.

It begins with 5 miles easy tomorrow, hopefully on grass.

Schedule

2006-06-17T19:52:00.000+01:00

I'm toying with whether to have another week without running next week. I think there is merit in having an extended rest because I the marathon was so draining in the heat, because I had a niggling knee tendom problem leading up to the marathon and because I've been suffering with the cold this week.

On the basis that I will take the week off, I have prepared my schedule from now until the Loch Ness Marathon on 1 October as per below (the image is larger if you click it....).

Its basically the Pfitzinger and Douglas 12 week "multiple marathon" schedule, tweaked to take account of the 10k and half marathon I plan to run, and also to reflect the fact that I've got just over 14 weeks to play with.

The highlights of weekly mileage, midweek semi-long run and the weekend long, slow run are summarised below. Its not radically different from what I did in the build up to Edinburgh, and I think it should be achievable. My training paces will be calculated on the basis of 8:30 miles during the marathon.

From week beginning 26 June;
Week 1 - 27 miles (7 miles)
Week 2 - 32 miles (7 miles midweek, 10 miles LSR)
Week 3 - 42 miles (9 miles midweek, 13 miles LSR)
Week 4 - 54 miles (12, 16)
Week 5 - 60 miles (13, 18)
Week 6 - 58 miles (12, 20)
Week 7 - 60 miles (13, 18)
Week 8 - 64 miles (15, 15)
Week 9 - 66 miles (15, 20)
Week 10 - 50 miles (11, half marathon race)
Week 11 - 67 miles (15, 20)
Week 12 - 46 miles (14, 10k race)
Week 13 - 47 miles (9, 13)
Week 14 - Marathon week

Post-marathon thoughts

2006-06-16T23:57:00.000+01:00

A picture from the marathon. It is a bit difficult to tell, but judging from the background I think this may be from the home straight.

Post-marathon has been a mixed bag. Within a couple of days my legs were completely back to normal and there appears to be no muscular after effects from the race. I had a few twinges of my knee on Sunday but that has also receded. I have, however, succombed to the classic post-marathon illness and have been suffering with a cold since Wednesday. I still haven't been out for a jog and don't plan to do so until next week.

My weekly mileage totals since January are listed below, along with the distance of my Sunday long run and midweek semi-long run. I think they show an honest 6 month training effort - a gradual increase in mileage, a gradual increase of the long run with several 20 milers, and a decent semi-long run during the week. Looking back at it, having begun from a near standing start at the beginning of January there isn't too much I would change. I could have done more miles, or upped the pace on my runs, but at the stage I was at I think that would have been inviting injury.

Two of the year's goals have been achieved already: a sub-50 10k was never going to be difficult, and my PB of 45:05 makes a handy next target. As does the sub-4 marathon time of 3:57:58. The only goal not achieved so far is a sub 1:45 half marathon, and hopefully that will be achieved before the end of the year.

What next? Well, the main target is the Loch Ness Marathon on 1 October. I plan a little more rest and then a gradual build up into a 3 month training plan. Between now and then I'll probably try and complete one 10k and one half marathon. Target time for Loch Ness - on the basis of last week's effort, I don't think a target of 3:45 is unreasonable.

-----------
Weekly mileage January - June 2006

1 - 29 miles (8 miles long run, 6 miles mid-week)
2 - 13 miles (illness) (10 miles long run)
3 - 23.5 miles (12, 4)
4 - 29 miles (8,6)
5 - 35 miles (14,6)
6 - 32 miles (16,6)
7 - 35 miles (10,6)
8 - 14 miles (illness)
9 - 20.5 miles
10 - 37 miles (12,6)
11 - 37 miles (14,6)
12 - 33 miles (18,6)
13 - 42 miles (half marathon, 12)
14 - 46 miles (20, 12)
15 - 47 miles (20, 8.5)
16 - 50 miles (20, 12)
17 - 50 miles (20, 12)
18 - 22 miles (taper for 10k)
19 - 40 miles (10k, 12)
20 - 51 miles (20, 12)
21 - 44 miles (20, 120
22 - 20 miles (taper)
23 - 15 miles (taper)

Edinburgh marathon - 3:57:58 (watch-time)

2006-06-12T19:10:00.000+01:00

A hard marathon in the blistering heat of Edinburgh! Having trained through a Scottish winter I was somewhat peeved when the weather turned last week to glorious summer weather.

The marathon was mostly enoyable. The first 13.1 miles went past without any problems. I took on plenty of water (enough to require a couple of pit stops over the race), got into a nice rythmn of 8.30-ish miles and was feeling very good. The temperature was warm, but there was a cooling breeze and parts of the course were shaded. 8.30-ish miles was very slightly faster than I had been planning, but not by so much that I felt the need to slow down. At the 13.1 mark I was 1:54 into the marathon which was just where I wanted to be for a 3:45 marathon.

Miles 13-18 I decided to up the pace because I was feeling so good. I didn't up it by that much - just about 20 seconds a mile or so - but it made a noticeable difference to my position in the field and I overtook a substantial number of runners in the process. This was my basic race plan - get to the halfway point, and if you feel good then push things a little.

Miles 19-21 was where thing started to get interesting. The course moved from a relatively sheltered industrial and residential area down to the open shoreline of Portobello. I think this coincided with a drop in the wind and a rise in temperature as we approached noon, and I really began to feel the heat quite badly. At 20 miles I was at 2:52, which was still on course for a 3:45-ish finish but I was beginning to realise I had used up all of my "good" miles. What I find most interesting (in retrospect at least) was that my last few 8:00-8:30 minute miles didn't feel strained at all. I wasn't breathing heavily and my legs weren't feeling very tired.

But from mile 20 on I just buckled in the heat as did a lot of other runners and my splits below demonstrate how quickly I began to slide. Lots of local residents had thankfully taken to their gardens to hose down the passing runners and I zig-zagged through as many I could on the last few miles. I had a wobbly moment at 22 miles when I started to feel naseous and wondered if I could keep going to the end. But at 24 miles I reached the last water station and decided to walk through it until I finished my water - the first time I had walked in the marathon. It was probably the most sensible thing I did all day - after a couple of minutes of comparative rest (although my legs were pretty stiff as I walked along) I broke back into a jog and completed the last couple of miles feeling a little bit fresher than I had for the previous 4.

I spent yesterday afternoon in my bed with a sore head and feeling sick - dehydration and/or mild heat exhaustion I assume. I managed to drift off for a brief sleep and felt much better after that.

So after all that, I'm just pleased to have broken 4 hours. I would like to think that on a cooler day I could have gone a little bit quicker. Should I have tried to speed up at the halfway point? In retrospect probably no, but I was feeling good enough to try it and I don't regret it. It also takes 30 minutes off my PB from only previous marathon - 4:29:58 at the 2003 Loch Ness Marathon.

Some reflections on training etc. later.

1 - 8:53
2 - 8:44
3 - 8:27
4 - 8:08
5 - 8:57
6 - 8:40
7 - 8:24
8 - 8:59
9 - 8:36
10 - 8:50
11 - 8:46
12 - 8:35
13 - 8:32
14 - 8:21
15 - 8:25
16 - 8:35
17 - 8:17
18 - 8:26
19 - 8:19
20 - 9:06
21 - 9:19
22 - 9:42
23 - 10:17
24 - 10:37
25 - 11:30
26 - 9:49
26.2 4:32 (26.52 according to the Garmin)

Sunday run

2006-06-04T23:06:00.000+01:00

Distance: 8 miles
Time: 1:06

8 miles early this morning. Not a hugely enjoyable run. Temperature was a bit warm and I was struggling a bit with a steady pace - 8 minute miles for me - which is usually a easier than it was today. Not sure whether it just the after effects of last week's cold but, beyond this blog note, I'll not worry about it too much.

Up the hill

2006-06-03T23:43:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4 miles
Time: 34:30
Route: Arthur B

I was feeling pretty stiff and sore yesterday following my football on Thursday so I took it as another rest day. Today I was still pretty stiff and sore but went for a run anyway and felt better for it. Only a week to go now. Knee appears to be OK after last week's rest and my cold has essentially gone, so full steam ahead....

Football

2006-06-01T23:22:00.000+01:00

My cold is gradually receding but my nose remains a bit red.

4.5 miles yesterday round Arthur A - 45:155, which was a touch faster than I expected from a comfortable effort.

This evening was football, which is probably worth a couple of miles in the weekly total.

Preparations could have been better...

2006-05-30T22:29:00.000+01:00

I took 3 days off Friday through Sunday to give my knee a rest and it seems to be almost back to normal. 4.5 miles hard yesterday to blow away the cobwebs were done in 31:55. Unfortunately yesterday evening I also came down with a headcold - one of those where your eyes and nose are constantly streaming. More of the same during the day today, but it has dried up a little this evening. This week's mileage is going to be pretty low, but if nothing else I should be well rested for the marathon...

Another marathon racked up for Duncan in 2:36- not the time he was looking for, but the sub-2:30 reward for the step up in his training he has made lately will surely come his way before too long.

Last week's mileage:

Sunday: 20 miles
Monday: 4.5 miles
Tuesday: 3.5 miles
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 12 miles
Friday: rest
Total: 44 miles

12 miles

2006-05-25T23:33:00.000+01:00

Distance: 12 miles
Time: 1:37:27

Tonight's run was was my usual Thursday threshold session - 3 miles easy, 6 miles of 5 minute threshold with 1 minute easy, and 3 miles easy to finish (although I think in reality the 3 miles were closer to steady than easy).

Tonight was another wind tunnel experience. One of the drawbacks about doing my long runs on an out and back route along the coast is that every so often I turn into an extremely strong headwind. I'm with Duncan on the wind - running is hard enough without nature making this worse. My 6 mile splits were 47 and 50 despite putting in more effort in the second half.

On the positive side I was able to keep pushing into the wind in the second half without feeling like I was going to blow up, which would not have been the case probably only a month or so ago. On the negative side, my knee was playing up a bit in the last few miles and is probably not far from developing into a full blown injury. So I suppose the sensible thing would be to take a couple of days off before enjoying an easy 2 week taper.

Treadmill

2006-05-24T22:49:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4 miles

It was pretty windy today and my gym membership is just about to expire, so I thought I'd have one last whirl on the treadmill. I haven't done a treadmill session in months and the pros and cons all came flooding back - music, TV screen, no wind, place to keep a drink vs boring, tedious, dull and hot.

The thing I'd forgotten about is how much I sweat when I crank up the pace on a treadmill. If I trundle along at an easy pace I don't get too hot, but boredom forces me to go faster and then I start to sweat - buckets. And I also chose today as the first time in ages to wear a cotton, non-wicking t-shirt - not a good combination.

Today should have been a relatively easy session but, because I hadn't been on the treadmill for so long, I couldn't resist on going through an old pyramid session (increasing pace 1km per hour per minute) to see how it felt. And it felt pretty easy compared with how it used to, which was no real surprise but I expect to feel a little tired during tomorrow's theshold session.

My knee is still a bit weird. No pain, just a fuzzy sensation which seems to have migrated from the outside of my right knee to the front of the knee. If it starts to get painfull I'll probably follow joggerblogger's advice and try an ice pack.

Hello to Brett who had the misfortune to run past me going round Arthur's Seat. I had been thinking about getting a new outift to run in but I'm comfortable with my hat, my gloves and my lightweight t-shirt - I wash them every day, honest!

More easy miles

2006-05-23T23:05:00.000+01:00

Distance: 3.5 miles

Today was usual Tuesday run with a work colleague at lunch. Not much to report, apart from the fact that I spent a little time studying my knee and I thought I detected a little bit of swelling. Its still not painfull in any meaningful way, and I'm guessing I've just upset whatever tendon or tendons run over the knee and to its outside. I'm also guessing that a complete break from running for at least a week after the marathon will be enough to sort it out.

Easy run

2006-05-23T23:03:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 36:00
Route: Arthur A

Yesterday's run was my usual Arthur A route, and was probably the freshest I've felt the day after a 20 mile run.

20 miles

2006-05-21T17:14:00.000+01:00

Distance: 20 miles
Time: 2:57

Today was (phew) the final long run before the marathon on 11 June. The weather was cold and wet, but at least it wasn't windy. I carried on with my recent practice of running 10 miles easy, 5 miles steady and 5 miles easy. I don't want to count my chickens too early, but that is the strongest I have felt in the closing stages of my long run, and I'm 99.999% sure there's enough in the tank to deliver a sub-4 hour marathon. How much I can dip below that is another matter of course. My knee had a few twinges again today - again, not so much pain as a strange sensation - but nothing too major given that it had to carry me for 20 miles.....

Some pics below from my long run route:

Portobello promenade, about two miles into my long run route. My route takes me along the coast, which curves around to the left (and beyond the the left-most point of this picture!)

The picture below is about 6 miles into my route with my eventual destination of the local power station just visible in the top left.

The picture below is taken at almost the same point from the picture above, but facing in the opposite direction - the large hill in the background is Arthur's Seat beside where I live.

End of the week

2006-05-20T00:17:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 36 minutes
Route: Arthur A

Another run in the wind tonight. I was also feeling a little stiff and tired, and for the first half mile or so had that Thunderbird puppet feeling of the various bits of my body being forced to do something very unnatural. Once I got going things were OK. My knee was also OK, but still not 100%.

Saturday - rest
Sunday - 20 miles
Monday - 4.5 miles
Tuesday - 3.5 miles
Wednesday - 6.5 miles
Thursday - 12 miles
Friday - 4.5 miles
Total: 51 miles

51 miles for the week. Only the third 50 miles week I've done, and only one more to go before the taper.

Arthur's Seat

2006-05-18T23:16:00.000+01:00

A couple of pictures of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, just beside where I live and which my running routes take me past a couple of times a week at least. I should make clear that my runs aren't actually to the top, but around the front or back, which is steep enough for me.....

12 miles

2006-05-18T22:38:00.000+01:00

Distance: 12 miles
Time: 1:40:00

Tonight's run was 12 miles, broken down into 3 miles easy, 6 miles of 5 minute threshold and 1 minute easy, and 3 miles easy to finish.

It wasn't a great run. First of all it was windy. It wasn't running into a headwind which caused me difficulties, so much as the fact that it was a gusty cross wind which made it difficult to get into a comforable stride. I was also a little stiff, which I put down to Sunday's 20 miler and the fact that my runs since then probably haven't been as easy as they should have been. Although I don't feel particularly tired this evening, I did during the threshold session of the run, and its the first time I've felt like that for a few weeks. Not necessary a bad thing (or surprising given the mileage I have been doing) but worth noting for the record nonetheless. My knee was also feeling a little funny again towards the end of the run. Not sore, just a sensation that something is not quite right on the outside of my right knee.

A run round Arthur A tomorrow will give me 51 miles for the week.

One more week like this week to go and then I've got the taper to the marathon to look forward to. My goal remains the same - break 4 hours. I think I'll try to set off as close to 9 minute miles (but erring just under rather than just over if possible) as I can, and just take things from there. My fear is of a marathon which goes something like: 14 miles of enjoying the scenery, occasion and ambience, followed by six miles of starting to feel tired and worrying about completing the distance, with the final 6 a death march on legs which are shot to pieces. That is basically what happened when I ran the Loch Ness marathon 3 years ago without doing any proper training for it (I did three runs over 10 miles, none of which were 14 miles or over). Not a clever thing to do, nor an experience I particularly want to repeat, and it shouldn't happen this time because of the training I have done - but the worry is there in the back of my mind. Serves me right.

More easy miles

2006-05-17T22:39:00.000+01:00

Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 54:15

An enjoyable run tonight in a light drizzle - not hard, but not too easy. Lots and lots of people out running. Young and old. Fast and slow.

My knee is still not 100%, but it has not yet developed into anything serious. Tomorrow will be the test - 12 miles, half of which will be at threshold pace.

Easy miles

2006-05-17T22:37:00.000+01:00

Distance: 3.5 miles

An easy 3.5 miles with a colleague from work yesterday.

Hmmm

2006-05-15T21:27:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 35.15
Route: Arthur A

After my run yesterday I developed an annoying burning sensation on the outside of my right knee - I've never experienced the sensation before but, after a bit of digging about, it does seem similar to iliotibial band syndrome - and by the end of the evening had become something of a concern whever I flexed my leg. The sensation was gone during the day today, returned a little during my run at tea-time, and has disappeared this evening. An injury of this sort just now would be very annoying, but on the other hand I only have a week and a bit to go until my taper. If it doesn't develop into anything serious and I can get through the next couple of weeks and then the marathon, I'll be able to take a couple of week's complete rest to hopefully get rid of any niggles. Anyway, definitely something to keep a close eye on.

Today's run was easy, recovery miles which in general felt OK after yesterday's 20 miles.

Today I downloaded Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird to my laptop.

20 miles

2006-05-14T13:25:00.000+01:00

Distance: 20 miles
Time: 2:58:00

This morning was a 20 mile effort along my usual long run route and is probably my second last long run before the marathon in June. I was feeling pretty good so did 10 miles easy, 5 miles in that grey area between marathon pace and threshold pace, and 5 miles easy to finish. Although I wasn't trying to push it, this run was 4 minutes faster than I've run 20 miles before, and breaking 3 hours for 20 miles in a training run is a nice little confidence booster before the marathon. In fact, I was feeling so good I half wished the marathon had taken place today. The only grip from today occurred in the last half mile - twice in quick succession I got noised up by some local teenagers who though it was funny to walk into my path and to hurl abuse. I should really just ignore this sort of thing, but it is just too tempting to hurl abuse back...

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Over the past week I've been watching Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere - hilarious...

End of the week

2006-05-13T23:27:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 35:15

Yesterday's run was an easy-ish 4.5 miles to end the week. Not much to report apart from that I felt OK considering that was my 6th consecutive day running including last Sunday's 10k.

Saturday - rest
Sunday - 10k race
Monday - 4.5 miles
Tuesday - 3.5 miles
Wednesday - 9 miles
Thursday - 12 miles
Friday - 4.5 miles
Total - 39.5 miles

There is now 4 weeks to go until the Edinburgh marathon. The basic plan is for two more hard weeks of circa 50 miles which will each include 1 long run of 20 miles and 1 semi-long run which will include a threshold element. The last two weeks will obviously be a taper, and I was thinking of something like 30 miles in the 2nd last week and about 15 miles in the last week. But any comments on tapering would be gratefully received. I had a look at the marathon course map today, and rather amusingly it passes within about 20 feet of my front door.

My Garmin appears to be well and truly screwed. It is, however, still within its warranty period so I'll send it back to the manufacturers and see what happens. I'm even considering buying one of the new 205's and selling on my 201 if it is replaced by Garmin.

Threshold

2006-05-12T00:00:00.000+01:00

Distance: 12 miles
Time: 1:37:15

Tonight was my weekly threshold session: 3 miles easy, 6 miles of 5 minute threshold and 1 minute rest, and 3 miles easy. I didn't feel quite as good as I have done previously on this session. I think that is a combination of the weekend 10k, and the fact that my runs since then haven't been done at a completely easy pace. But I still managed to complete the 6 miles of threshold without too much difficulty. I have a slight niggle around my right knee cap - no pain, just a mild burning sensation which comes and goes. I don't generally have problems with my knees but will keep a close eye on this.

Also, my Garmin appears to be having a delayed reaction to being put through the wash. It is sticking in an "on" position and trying to pick up a satellite. I can't switch it off and the buttons aren't working. Not good. And I can't really afford to replace it at the moment.

Back training

2006-05-10T23:20:00.000+01:00

Distance: 9 miles (no watch)

There's only a month to go until the Edinburgh marathon, so my basic plan is to put in two more weeks of effort (circa 50 mile weeks) and then taper for the two weeks before the big event.

Tonight's run of 9 miles gets me back into the wing of training properly after the weekend's race. The weather is beautiful in Edinburgh just now - in fact, too warm for my liking if you are out running.

Tomorrow I'll aim for a threshold session.

Photos

2006-05-09T17:32:00.000+01:00

Distance: 3.5 miles

Today was a lunchtime run with a colleague from work - fairly easy, and just as well as I probably ran too fast last night and was feeling a little stiff.

One of my pictures from Sunday's 10k is below. I can't quite work out where it was taken, but I think it is from the home straight.

Confirmation of my entry to the Loch Ness marathon has arrived. It is scheduled for the beginning of October, so that provides me a 3 month build up after the Edinburgh marathon in June. My current plan is just to aim to break 4 hours in June, and then try for something a bit better in October.

The day after

2006-05-08T22:55:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: no watch
Route: Arthur A

Today's run probably should have been a very easy effort, but I wasn't feeling much of an after-effect from yesterday's 10k so it ended up as being a fairly steady run.

The provisional chip times are available for the 10k and my time is shown as 45:05 which is the same as what I got on my watch - and which, in retrospect, shouldn't really be surprising although I did expect the odd second or two's difference. The final results and photos have yet to be posted.

Edinburgh Great Run 10k - 45:05

2006-05-07T11:32:00.000+01:00

Distance: 10k
Time: 45:05 (watch time)
Event: Edinburgh Great Run 10k

This morning was the Edinburgh Great Run 10k - about 8,000 people took part in the race, which took in most of the sights of central Edinburgh and cut across one of weekly training routes.

This was my first 10k in about a decade and a half and I managed to break my season's taregt of 50 minutes - which wasn't too difficult. I'd been hoping to break 45 mins given the amount of running I've been doing over the past few months but unfortunately it looks like I didn't quite make it. The event was chipped, so I'll be interested to see how my official time works out.

The weather was a gloomy in Edinburgh this morning - cool, misty, raining but not too windy. Good conditions for running, but not so good for hanging about waiting to start.

The course was tough but not too bad - there were lots of little steep inclines and declines, and one long hill which I run about a couple of times a week on my Arthur A route. The changing elevation made it a little tough to judge pace, and I seemed to lose places on the downhill section and make them back on the uphill parts.

I'm always amazed by people who can give mile-by-mile accounts of their race - it all just blurs into one long slog for me.

My only gripe about today - the slow runners who insist on starting near the front of the race and cause mayhem for everyone else trying to get past them.

End of a light week

2006-05-06T21:52:00.000+01:00

Distance: 4.5
Time: 34:00
Route: Arthur A

To round off an easy week of running in preparation for tomorrow's 10k, yesterday's run was a steady effort of 4.5 miles.

Sunday - 10 miles
Monday - 4.5 miles
Tuesday - 3.5 miles
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - rest
Friday - 4.5
Total: 22.5

I've managed to put my Garmin 201 through the washing machine and, although it still switches on, it is making a funny buzzing noize and I'm not overly hopeful of a complete recovery.

No kit

2006-05-03T23:29:00.000+01:00

Distance: 0

I accidentally left my kit at work over the last couple of days so I had nothing to go running in this evening. No big loss as I was planning another rest day tomorrow anyway, so will just swap the days round. Even though this week I'm heading for about 40% of the mileage I did over the past 2 weeks I'm not (at the moment at least) feeling any more energetic than I usually do.

Fergus was asking about injuries. Knees have never been much of a problem for me (touch wood). My main problems over the past couple of years have been stress fractures and shin splints - the former brought on by football and the latter by running I suspect.

Easy miles

2006-05-02T22:32:00.000+01:00

Distance: 3.5 miles

My usual Tuesday of an easy 3.5 miles with a work colleague at lunch. My legs are still still from DIY-ing at the weekend, so I'll have to put a halt to that until after Sunday's 10k.

Not long to go

2006-05-01T22:03:00.001+01:00

Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 45:15
Route: Arthur A

My legs are still a little stiff because of my DIY-ing, but they soon loosen up once out running.

Sunday's 10k will be mt first 10k in at least 15 years, which is a little bit scary to think about. My season's target is 50 minutes and I've no doubts I'll beat that. If I had to guess what time I'll actually run, I'm guessing somewhere near 45 minutes and with this race being chipped at least I'll have an official PB.

The 10k route is around the centre of Edinburgh, which I obviously know well, and at circa 4 miles it even takes me up the hill I run every week on my Arthur A route. I suspect this will be where my time is made or broken - if I can keep it steady up the hill without taking the energy out of legs I reckon I'll be on for a decent time.

10 miles

2006-05-01T22:03:00.000+01:00

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 1:30

Sunday's long run was cut in half as part of my combined mini-taper toward next week's 10k and an "easier" weak after two 50 mile weeks.

My legs actually felt stiffer after the 10 miles than they have after 20 miles recently - but that was caused by lots of kneeling and squating through DIY-ing rather than the running itself.