PROJEKT LONDON & STOCKHOLM

MARATHON TRAINING - WEEK 8

Monday

After yesterday's long run I started this week off with a 12k easy run. The weather was lovely outside, sunny and dry! This was a perfect day to break in my race shoes. I like to race in shoes that I havent ran hundreds of kilometers in, but are just broken in slightly with that new fresh, springy feeling to them. This sounds fussy but trust me, it helps! I will probably perform one more interval session and a long run in them but for now it's back in the box they go!

Tuesday

Nothing fancy about today's session. A 6k recovery run around the block. Simply to get blood to the legs to aid the recovery process. I felt great after this short but simple session.

Wednesday

Today's med-long run was made tougher by adding some marathon paced efforts. The session totalled 24k with 3 x 5k efforts, with 2 minute recoveries. I ran the efforts on the cycle path near where I live. Although I find this route quite boring, it is very good for efforts, and in particularly flat long efforts. This mirrors what London will be like. I find simulating efforts that are similar to the course you're about to race really help make the session more specific. Accustomising the muscles to working for long straights. Between London and Stockholm I will alter the training to run some false flats and involve more turns, to mirror Stockholms route.

Thursday

Thursday is usually Threshold session but today I had a progressive run planned. The goal of the session was to start steady, progressing to a steady tempo before 2/3k at marathon pace. Followed by a 3k cool down. The session went great and it was another sunny, dry day. I found it very tough to not get carried away in the middle of this workout.

Friday

Although my legs, energy levels and body feel great today an easy 14k was the order of the day. Or should I say night! After working 6:30am until 6pm this session had to wait until after work. I rarely run in the evening and it felt really weird to run past sunset. I ran grass laps to lower the amount of time spent pounding the pavement. Alongside regular S&C sessions and good nutrition, I think doing this has been one of the main factors in staying injury free during this marathon block. It also may come in handy if I wish to run trails later in the year. Today was also a huge achievement as it was the first time that I've ever ran over 500km in one month. With the end of March in sight, I should end up on 558k after this weekends sessions.

An interesting stat:

During my build up to The Yorkshire Marathon 2017, in my training block at the same point, 5 weeks prior to race day, I only covered 49km for the week! Week 8 this time round I will have covered 130km (80 miles), a whopping 81km of extra work! Let's hope it pays off. I am taking it more seriously this time round that's for sure!

Saturday

An easy 18k over a very scenic local route around the Yorkshire Show Grounds & Valley Gardens before heading back to the Stray for a few grass laps to cool down. The pace was on the side of caution slowing down according to how I felt. If I felt the pace was too quick I'd simply adjust and slow down. The goal was to get some aerobic capacity work done but not to fry the legs before tomorrows long run (36k). 18k was also enough that it will allow me to start on semi tired legs tomorrow. Running long runs on semi tired legs is a good way to make me feel uncomfortable, all in good prepartion for race day.

Sunday

Today's long run was 36k (22 miles). My joint longest run of my marathon block. It was another progressive one, building up the speed until 30k before a cool down to follow. I started around 4:35 pace and picked it up roughly every 5km until 20k. After 20k of running, the goal was to run 10km at my aerobic threshold. The aerobic threshold is the level of intensity at which you can run without accumulating significant lactic acid in the blood. For most runners this pace will sit at or close to current marathon race pace. The last km of the aerobic threshold work was ran at goal marathon pace to see what it felt like in the legs. It felt a tad tough but so it should, I ran 18km yesterday and was 29k into a long run. The form and lungs felt good throughout the effort. A 6k grass lap cool down was to follow. My first ever 130km (80 mile) and 500k+ week. A great way to round it off!