Weekly summary – 14/04/13

Mon – AM 45 mins easy (7:15) PM 30 mins recovery (7:36)
Tue – New River session
Wed – 60 mins easy (6:50)
Thu – 10/10/10 threshold (6:26 avg)
Fri – REST
Sat – Parkrun & marathon pace session
Sun – 60 mins easy (7:25)

Total – 45 miles, 5:16 hr, 6:54m/m avg

First week of the taper and the miles have been dialled back, but still a few sessions scattered around.

Tuesdays session was not quite as planned, as on arriving at the New River stadium we found the track closed for cleaning! Initial thoughts of “well, maybe a night off then” were dashed when we headed to the rugby pitch for some intervals on the grass.

The session was quite light to accommodate those with imminent marathons – 5 mins threshold followed by 3 x (4 x 1 min), with 1 min rests between reps, and about 3 mins between sets. It was nice to do some speed work and the session went well, the average pace was 4:46 for the efforts.

I picked up a slight hip/glute strain on the tight corners round the rugby pitch. Nothing too bad, just a dull ache when running. I expect it to get better as I ease down into the taper.

Thursdays session was a 10/10/10 progression run, felt a bit leg weary in this one. Probably down to doing 60 mins at 6:50 the day before, really didn’t worry about it as at this point I know I have done the necessary hard work. One duff day isn’t going to throw me now.

Saturday’s schedule called for a Parkrun, followed by 10 mins easy, 20 mins marathon pace. I have only done one Parkrun before (2 years ago), so printed off my bar code and headed off to Gunnersbury Park in Ealing.

I was a bit nervy beforehand as I rarely run 5k these days and the fast pace required was a bit scary. However in the end it turned out very well, I played it safe in 3rd for the first half before moving up and taking the lead with about 1 mile to go. Managed to hold off the competition and finished 1st in 16:47 (though my watch said 16:44), a PB 🙂

My 5000m track PB is 16:45 so this was a nice result, especially considering the very slippy, muddy conditions at several points on the course.

After a brief rest it was off for 10 mins easy and 20 mins race pace, which went fine and of course felt very easy after the 5k pace.

1 hour easy on Sunday, and that’s it. Just a very light week and wrapping myself in cotton wool in preparation for the big day itself.

Weekly summary – 07/04/13

Mon – 30 mins recovery (7:34)
Tue – AM 45 mins easy (6:59) PM 30 mins easy (7:09)
Wed – 1h10 easy (7:01)
Thu – REST
Fri – 90 mins in 10 x 3 mins thr, 3 mins steady (5:44 efforts)
Sat – 45 mins recovery (7:30)
Sun – 2h inc 3 x 15 MP in final 60 (6:42 avg)

Total – 62  miles, 7:11 hr, 6:55m/m avg

Another good week, as things begin to wind down into the taper.

The first half of the week was mostly easy or recovery running, letting the legs freshen up after a pretty full on time the week before.

Things got a bit more interesting on Friday with a 1h30 run including 10 x 3 mins threshold, 3 mins steady (delayed from Thursday with the prospect of lighter winds). Went down the Regents Park for this, the perimeter road is ideal for uninterrupted sessions like this. All went very well, much better than my previous attempt at this session back in February. Held the pace well on the reps, apart from a slight drift on one going into the wind and up a small incline.

Sundays long run included 3 x 15 mins at race pace in the last hour. Completed this round Hyde Park, Green Park and St James Park. Apart from a few crowds round Buckingham palace it went well. Did feel a bit tired in the final 15, but not to worried as it was only 2 days after a pretty tough session.

Reasonable mileage, and another week averaging under 7mm. Going into the taper feeling good.

Weekly summary – 31/03/13

Mon – 45 mins easy (6:53)
Tue – 2h35 long run (6:57)
Wed – AM 30 mins recovery (7:41) PM 30 mins recovery (7:30)
Thu – 60 mins inc 8×5 mins threshold (5:43 efforts)
Fri – 45 mins easy (7:17)
Sat – REST
Sun – 2h20 long progression run (6:43 avg)

Total – 73  miles, 8:27 hr, 6:55m/m avg

Catching up on a few weeks of missed posts…

This week felt a bit more like it, 2 solid long runs and a challenging 8 x 5 mins threshold session.

I had the week off work from Tuesday so able to do most of my runs in the light and get plenty of recovery.

Tuesday was a key run – two and a half hours at an easy pace. Held the pace at just under 7 minute miling and finished feeling good. Even put in another 5 mins, and got it up to 22.3 miles.

Thursdays 8 x 5 mins threshold was a but daunting, for some reason doing 8 reps sounded really tough. Drove down to Bushy Park to do this one, as I wanted a flat, distraction free course. In the end it went very well, and held a good average pace across all 8 reps.

Sunday was another long run, but in a progression stylee. The plan was 6 miles easy, 6 miles MP-15, 6 miles MP, 1 mile fast, 2 miles easy. Signed up late for the Richmond Half Marathon so I had a bit of company for the harder sections. Conveniently the start line was a 6 mile run down the canal, arrived and picked up number about a minute before the gun, perfect. Ran the rest of the race as per the plan, feeling good all the way round.

A solid week.

Weekly summary – 24/03/13

Mon – 30 mins recovery (7:54m/m)
Tue – AM 45 mins easy (7:12m/m) PM New River session
Wed – 60 mins easy (7:18m/m)
Thu – 45 mins 15/15/15 threshold (6:29m/m avg)
Fri – REST
Sat – 30 mins easy (7:09m/m)
Sun – 60 mins inc 30 mins MP (6:37m/m avg)

Total – 45  miles, 5:10 hr, 6:54m/m avg

Catching up on a few weeks of missed posts…

This was meant to be a bit of a cut back week as the Southern 12 stage toad relays were on Sunday, but unfortunately it was cancelled. Replaced this with an unremarkable 60 minute run with the middle 30 at MP. Should probably done a threshold session, but wasn’t really feeling it (and it was cold).

The rest of the week was quite light, just two sessions.

Tuesday was at the New River stadium for 10 mins MP , 2 x 5 x 400m, 10 mins MP. Numbers were low as Nick was away in Portugal with the 26.2 crew, and the remaining hardcore pushed the MP efforts more up into threshold levels (5:52 and 5:42).

Thursday was a 15/15/15 progression run on slightly tired legs, averaged 5:52 for the last 15.

That’s it for this week.