PROJEKT LONDON & STOCKHOLM

MARATHON TRAINING - WEEK 5

Monday

Week 5 started with the usual 14k recovery run, plus strides at the end of the session. After 34k yesterday I thought my legs would be tired, but that wasn't the case. I felt fresh and ready for the week ahead. This was my most disciplined run in a while as my splits were really even throughout the whole run. No pushing the pace at all, just steadily enjoying a classic out and back route. Overcook the recovery runs and the rest of your week becomes much harder.

Tuesday

Tuesday is usually a day of rest but I decided to run for 30 mins at recovery pace again. This was primarily to aid recovery and to keep the legs firing ready for a tough session the next day. Discipline was the plan of action again and that is what happened. Even splits the whole way round.

Wednesday

Today was a med-long run, totalling 24k. After a small warm up and 9k of easy running the plan was to try and find a marathon race pace. I attempted to hold 3:42/km which, as a guess, would be at the very top of my race pace range for a marathon. It felt fine! I would need to test this pace over a longer distance to experience what would happen. I called this "dream pace" as it would give me a 2:36 marathon. Probably overachieving with the wrong pace but further testing required! Next time I try a longer session I plan to run slightly slower and for a longer period of time. One, for a tough session and its benefits but also to accustomise myself to marathon pace.

The session went like this:

3k Warm Up

9k Easy

8k@MP

4k Cool Down

Thursday

I called this session THRursday as it was a threshold (THR) session. After a warm up, I went right into 5x5mins with 2 mins recovery running between sets. I ran the intervals at threshold pace (between 3:23-3:32/km) and felt great! Every single one of them felt really good, Topped off with a nice easy cool down!

Friday

The plan was to recover and I woke up feeling really good. I am not supposed to feel good after running 2 tough sessions back to back. Maybe I could have worked harder in my last 2 sessions, or maybe I am simply fitter and adapting? Instead I decided to go for third tough session with the intention of recovery running the next day no matter how I felt. The session was a 3000m,2000m,1000m decending set on the track. I ended up running the 3000m in 8:57! A new 3k PB. I didn't look at the watch once during the session. Just go hard as soon as the watch says go! I suprisingly ran quite even splits over the 3000m. The 2000m set was a tad slower per km. The final 1000m set was a blast, with the fastest KM of the day being set, running a 2:55!

14k got covered throughout the session after warming up and a long cool down. The mind was buzzing with excitement after a PB and good session, but now, finally the legs were tired!

Saturday

Today was 100% recovery no matter what. I suprisingly did not feel tired and the legs again felt fine, weird body. I think this is due to my good strength and conditioning sessions, combined with eating enough calories from good nutrition to recover between sessions. I have also been foam rolling and stretching daily. I made the recovery run exciting by running somewhere new. The venue was Thruscross Reservoir running from the car park at Blubberhouses. I covered almost 14k, whilst taking lots of pictures again (I find this helps me running my recovery runs slower whilst enjoying the run even more). I also had to walk some of the route as it was like a swamp in parts. It rained hard that morning but came out nice for the run.

Below are a few pictures of the run:

Sunday

Sunday is yet to happen upon writing of this blog but 32k will get covered. It is meant to snow but that doesn't matter. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing and preparation! The plan is to run steady throughout the whole run trying to stay as aerobic as possible. Enough hard work has been done this week! Feeling some kind of progress is being made!

Week 5 Total Distance:

120km

(74.5miles)

Some fun facts for the weekly distance covered.

I could have ran all the way from Harrogate to Newcastle.

This is also the length of 2400 olympic swimming pools!