28 Days To Go - Wherrymans Way Cross Country

Date & Time : 28/03/10 15:00
Distance : 15 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 515 miles
Route & Stats : Wherrymans Way

Didn't really enjoy this route.  I started out from Whittlingham and then followed the Wherrymans Way to Surlingham and then back again.  There was too much uneven ground along the river that meant I really had to concentrate on not turning my ankle which was quite mentally tiring and meant I couldn't really get a decent rythym going.   There were some lovely views and on another occassion the fact that the route takes in The Woods Ends at Brammerton, The Ferry Inn and Coldham Hall in Surlingham it could be a nice way to take in a summer evening run.

I had intended to run a bit further, however was quite tired after the cross country running so decided call it a day at 15 miles.  I had been for a 4 or 5 mile walk with the family in the morning I think that took something out of the legs as well.

So the plan is for one more long run - need to do at least 20 miles - on Good Friday morning.  I'd originally planned to do the Wherrymans Way again but I think the risk of injury is too high so will find a route that stays on flat surfaces.  Apparently the route for the London Marathon is one of the flattest of all the marathons - let's hope they aint lying!

32 Days To Go - 500 Miles To Proclaim

Date & Time : 24/03/10 18:00
Distance : 6 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 500 miles
Route & Stats : Whittlingham Hall & Through The City

I ran 6 miles tonight.  Not because I wanted to, but because I needed to.   6 miles took me to 500 miles since I start training in September - FIVE HUNDRED MILES!!!

It was probably 6 of  the worst miles of the 500.   No energy, sore ankles, heavy legs.  In fact at one point I actually felt quite sick.  After the high of last Sundays half marathon, this most certainly was a low.   However, my experience now tells me that this is OK, it happens, don't get down about it.  So I haven't and I won't.  I think last Sunday took it out of me and I am still recovering. 

It's only 4 and a bit weeks to the marathon and I know I can do it.  So whatever happens between now and then is not an issue.  If I run well great, if I don't no bother.  I will complete 26.2 miles.

Anyway 500 miles, that is the point of this posting.  I have worn out one pair of running shoes and have already broken in the next pair - the same make and model only half a size bigger which feels more comfortable - apparently your feet swell quite a lot when running a marathon!

35 Days To Go - Smashed It

Date & Time : 21/03/10 10:00
Distance : 13 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 494 miles
Route & Stats : Broadland Half Marathon

By far the best run of my life to date. Everything was just great - the weather, the course, my performance, even the medal was cool.  Having previously stated that I was hoping to break 2 hours, I was delighted with a new personal best for the half marathon (I have only run three) of 1h 51m which was 9 minutes under my previous best which is 40 seconds a mile faster than I have run before.  Anyone who runs regularly will know that is a big improvement.

I was a little apprehensive before the start, not knowing how I would go and if my achilles tendon would give me grief again or not.  However, I had prepared well.  Got some carbs on board on Saturday, drank loads of water, a good nights sleep and got up early on Sunday, even remembered to put some sun cream on my shoulders - who would have thought that would have been the case only a month ago when I nearly froze to death in Bungay.

The weather was perfect, bright blue skys, light breeze, not too hot.   I got to the race start in South Walsham with plenty of time to spare and spent a few minutes soaking up the early morning sunshine and chatting to a few people.  Everyone who had run this course before was warning me that there were quite a few hills to deal with, which was a concern.   This only made me make sure I stretched my achilles even more.  After a couple of pre-race pee's and an energy gel I was ready for the off.   I jogged down to the start.

The race started bang on 10am.  I was in the middle of the field of 260 odd runners and set off at a fairly brisk 8 min mile pace for the first couple of miles, which is faster than I expected but I was feeling OK and just like the Wymondham 20m I found a nice rythym early on.   The first hill came at about 2 miles and although I slowed a little I didn't find it too much of a problem and more importantly no achilles tendon pain either.

My next checkpoint was 6 miles.  I wanted to be there somewhere between 50 and 55 minutes to give myself a good chance of going under 2 hours.   I was amazed when I glanced at my watch and found that I was at 50m 38s as I passed the 6 mile marker and was feeling pretty strong.   As the course was an out and back layout I knew that I had about a mile of a hill to climb just ahead of me, but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as it looked on the way down and having gone through 8 miles still on track to smash my personal best and feeling no pain in my legs I decided to go for it.

There were a couple of short nasty little hills on the way back which really slowed me down and felt like I was running through treacle, but after each one I managed to regain my rythym again and get my breathing regulated.  I passed 12 miles at 1h 41m 22s, I was feeling tired by then having really pushed myself in the second half of the race but thought to myself that I would never be as fit as this again or have better conditions so why not go for it.  So I did.  I got my head down and dug in, passing several runners in the process.  I knew I probably wouldn't break 1h 50m but I was determined to get as close to it as possible.  According to my Garmin I actually completed 13.1m miles in 1h 50m 17s however as always in these races that is never where the finish line is and I still had another 0.1 mile to go.

1h 51m 08s - Smashed It!!!

What a great feeling.  I finished 140 out of a field of 267, I think I have earnt the right to call myself a runner and not a jogger from here onwards.  You never know on a flat course I might be able to go under 1h 50m, perhaps that will be my next target after 25th April.

I loved every minute of it.   However, no more of this fun running, the serious business of the marathon now needs to be my focus again.  I need to get another couple of long runs in and then come Easter I can start the much awaited taper towards the big day.   Bring it on.

39 Days To Go - I Want To Drink Guinness

Date & Time : 17/03/10 19:45
Distance : 6 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 481 miles
Route & Stats : Inner Ring Road

I saw a few people out and about tonight wearing those St. Patricks Day Irish top hats that Guinness provide. I must admit that I was very jealous of the fact that they were probably on their way to the pub to consume a few nice cold pints of the black stuff as I struggled along trying to keep my pace below 9 min miles. I want to drink Guinness, not worry about sore achilles tendons or my minutes per mile.

The funny thing is, when I was running the Wymondham 20m a couple of weeks ago, after about 15 miles I started to get think about how much I would like to down a pint of Guinness right there and then.  This also crossed my mind again last week while I was watching the Eddie Izzard marathon man documentary when he stopped at a pub half way through one of his 42 marathons and downed a shot of Vodka.  Maybe I should give it a try, I know there are lots of pubs along the route of the London marathon, just need someone on or around Tower Bridge to have one ready for me.  Might have to do some research on the subject.

The run itself was OK, I thought I was running quite fast (for me) and then was disappointed to find out that I was only just under 9 mins per mile, when I thought I was nearer 8m 30s, which is what I am hoping to do for the Broadland Half Marathon on Sunday.  Although, if my achilles tendon is still playing up then that might be a bridge too far, although I am determined to get under 2 hours.

43 Days To Go - Tendon Trouble

Date & Time : 13/03/10 14:45
Distance : 9 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 475 miles
Route & Stats : Whittlingham & Big Broad Loops

After last weeks 20m high this was a 9m low. A very disappointing run.  I had planned to run at least 13 miles and hoped for more like 16.  However, after only 3 or 4 miles my achilles tendons started to get quite sore. I carried on for another lap hoping that they would loosen up a bit, but they just got worse, so as the experts would say, I "listened to my body" and decided to cut the run short to reduce the risk of doing any further damage.  Perhaps I'm still not fully recovered from the exersions of last Sundays 20 miler.

As I sit here writing this blog entry 24 hours later, I am pleased to say that the soreness has reduced considerably.  I will take it easy this week with a couple of light jogs and lots of stretching and hopefully I'll be OK for the Broadland Half Marathon on Sunday 21/03.

It's only 6 weeks until the marathon and I feel like I am pretty much ready for it, just need to do everything I can to avoid injury from here on in.   Got one more 20m run planned sometime over Easter that will give me a full 3 weeks to fully recover before the big day.

49 Days To Go - The Dreaded Wymondham 20m

Date & Time : 07/03/10 10:00
Distance : 20 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 466 miles
Route & Stats : Wymondham 20m

This race has been on my calendar for several weeks now as a benchmark and line in the sand. Everytime I thought about it the self doubt and concern would come - will I be ready to take on 20 miles 7 weeks before the marathon?  Even as little as 2 weeks ago I had virtually decided not to run, using the excuse that the event had come 2 weeks too soon for me.

However, after last weekends really good 14 miler, I was determined to give it a go, even a stinking head cold all week wasn't going to stop me.  And boy am I glad I did it - I absolutely loved it.  Having completed it in a respectable time of 3h 12m, I now feel very confident that I have a sub 4h 30m marathon in me and am really looking forward to the next 7 weeks as I prepare for the big day.

The race itself was great and well done to Wymondham AC for putting on such a good event.  The course was really nice, starting in the market square in Wymondham, out into the countryside and then a couple of 8.5 mile laps through Wicklewood, Deopham and Morley and then back into Wymondham.  It was pretty flat, with exception of a long hill up into Deopham at 6m and then 14m which didn't bother me at all, and a nasty little hill a few hundred metres from the finish which did bother me.

However, probably the best part of all was the weather.  Clear blue skies and cold light breeze, just about perfect running conditions.  It must have been the best day weather wise since early October. What a difference from my last event in Bungay a couple of weeks ago.

I had a deliberate race strategy to treat the race as 4 lots of 5 miles.

0-5 miles
I started quite steadily, trying not to go too fast at the beginning, 20 miles was new territory for me and all the advice I had been given was take it easy at the beginning.  I dropped into a nice steady rythym almost straightaway and was really enjoying the countryside and the weather.

6-10 miles
The first 5 miles ticked by without incident and then I found myself running with Moses from work, who is a fellow novice at this sort of malarky.  His company really helped and while we didn't talk much it was certainly a positive distraction having someone to run with.  I remember noting all the uphill sections on the first circuit, thinking I wonder what this will feel like after another 8 miles.  Going through the 10 mile marker was great, I said to Moses "OK, we're on our way home now".

11-15 miles
The next 5 miles were quite challenging and I had to dig in a bit.  The hill between 14m and 15m was tough, but after getting to the top and having a drink and my last Go-Gel I felt pretty good and therefore decided to up my pace a little.











16-20 miles
The legs were starting to hurt, but the breathing was OK and my energy levels felt good.  I found a decent rythym and was also encouraged by the fact that I started to catch and pass quite a few of the runners that had passed me earlier in the race.  To be honest the last 5 miles seemed to go quite quickly - I was delighted when I reached the 18 mile marker for 2 reasons - a) I had forgotten that I had passed 17 already and so this felt like a free mile and b) it was the point at which we turned back towards Wymondham and the finish.  I have already mentioned the nasty little hill before the finish, but having conquered that I even had a little left in the tank or a sprint finish!

All in all a great experience.   I even had enough energy in the afternoon to cycle down to Whittlingham Broad with my 8yr old daugther Ellie and her friend Carmel, who have a school cross country this week and wanted to do some training - how cool is that?  Talk about a proud Dad!

53 Days To Go - Up Hill Struggle

Date & Time : 03/03/10 19:15
Distance : 4.5 miles
Total Training Distance (since beginning Sept 09) : 446 miles
Route & Stats : Chapplefield and Back (plus a loop round Carrow Hill)

Decent short run tonight, felt good, didn't want to go too far as have half an eye on the 20m race in Wymondham on Sunday.  Bumped into a fellow Virgin London Marathon runner, Susanna, from work going up Brackendale.  She was doing some hill training using Carrow Hill, so I decided to join her for a loop round.  Blimey, that was hard work - I was knackered after just one lap.  Susanna had done eight or nine, RESPECT!

I've settled into a weekly training programme that is basically as follows,

Mon - rest
Tue - 1 hour cross training
Wed - 1 hour running
Thu - 1 hour cross training
Fri - rest
Sat - 3 hours (or more) long run
Sun - rest

I'll continue this throughout March getting at least two 20 mile runs in and then start tapering in April.   I'm sure some people will look at this and think it is not enough, but don't forget my race objectives are quite straightforward - a) finish on my own two feet in somewhere between 4 and 5 hours and b) maintain control of my bowels during that 4 or 5 hours - simples!