w/c 4 August - A proper week's training?

Lots of things are said to be 'just like life', chocolates included. Training for a marathon is no exception - mainly cos you're never quite sure if you're doing it properly, even if it seems to be going well.

It feels like this has been a good week's training. It feels like I'll be stronger at the end of it than I was at the start of it because of what I did during it.

On the positive side, I ran a good number of miles (over 50), much of them being at a good pace. I raced well on Wednesday too, and felt strong for most of the week. The sessions were varied - off road, on road, steady, fast, hilly, flat, easy, hard.

One thing was missing though: Long

Sometimes, people in the groups I coach at Tattenhall ask me about training programmes. I'm no expert and so restrict my advice to the sage old stuff we all know, including the gospel that the long run is the cornerstone of any training programme. Miss any session, but not the long run.

I ran everyday this week, but after a long run every week for the last 7 weeks, I decided to do things a little diffrently. I decided to keep up the quality and get myself nice and tired before doing a 10 mile race on Sunday. The idea was rather than test how quickly I can run over ten miles (which would tell me nothing important right now given how far out from Berlin I am), I would instead try and simulate that last few miles of the marathon. What makes or breaks a good marathon, or any long distance event, is how well you can keep going at a good pace when you're tired. Can I keep going quickly? Can I stay mentally focussed? How would I hold up?

The tension here was missing the long run. The weekly long run seems sacrosanct. I actually changed my mind so many times this week but ended up doing the 10 mile race instead of the 20 mile road run my conscience was telling me to do. I stuck to the plan - after all it's only one week. This how I approached it:

Monday - 4M, run up Moel Famau (1000' ascent). Ran it hard - ascending from the lower car park to the top in 16 mins. That's quicker than during my Bob Graham training.

Tuesday - 5M, easy running at the club.

Weds - 7M, inc 5.1M Pie and Peas race. A lovely evening off road race, which I ran in 33.03. I've done this race 6 times before and this was my quickest time, but only by about 20 seconds. Conditions were muggy as hell. I felt comfortable. I worked hard and cruised home once I knew I was clear from those runners behind. I do wish I'd kept pushing and got under 33 mins, but I guess it makes the time easier to beat next time...

Thur - 8.5m - efforts at Tattenhall, short road efforts (3* 0.5M, hilly) and long off road efforts (2* 1.9M, very hilly and rough). Ran pretty well and climbed really well. Pushed hard.

Fri - 7M - Wrexham Industrial Estate. Oh what joy - the scenic delights. Pushed hard again, got around in 46 mins in the bloody headwind which seems to rack that place. Not flat out but was glad to stop.

Sat - 9.5M - Hilly circuit from home. Started steady and pushed hard again towards then end, 68 mins which is not bad going given those hills.

Sun - 10 mile race (actually 10.3!) plus a couple of miles warm up and a little cool down afterwards - so 13 in all. Did the 10.3 in 71 mins - pretty slow really, averaged about 6.55 mins/mile. Hilly course and legs quite tired, perhaps as tired as they might feel after 16 miles during the marathon? Didn't really have race head on and was pleased with the run, because if I can maintain that kind of pace from 16-26 at Berlin I'll be happy.

Totals: 7 runs, 54 miles.

There were 2 races in there, and 6 of those runs contained a significant quality element. I could have done less quality and more mileage, but less is more (see last week).

I think that constitutes a proper week's training, despite the lack of a long run.

Looking forward to next week, when the Sedbergh Hills fell race beckons - 16 miles, 6000'+ of ascent and descent and hopefully significantly under 3 hours!

Tune in head - the very very very awful Roseanna by the very very very awful Toto. Why God must you do this to me? For a man who is pathologically opposed to keyboard solos of any description this was a simply horrible moment from Saturday's run...