"It's a treat being a runner, out in the world by yourself with not a soul to make you bad-tempered or tell you what to do." - Allan Sillitoe


Sunday, November 20, 2011

151 km week (starting to feel normal)

This week's 151km felt like 110km used to feel last year.  I think I have adjusted to the higher mileage since I started this marathon preparation.

After a couple of 120km weeks, my mileage has been:
134km
136km
146km
147km
152km
134km (recovery week)
156km
146km (John Gilmour 10k race week)
155km
151km (this week)

Spent the first couple of days this week running very easy after last Sunday's hard marathon specific long run and main runs this week were:

18.5km on Wednesday which included 5 × 800m with a 1:30 jog recovery between. 


Averaged 3:31/km for the 800s with the recoveries at about 4:30/km.  I'm not that happy with the pace of these. First rep (2:53) would have been a couple of secs quicker as I slowed when the 5 secs to go countdown started as forgot about that Garmin feature. Maybe 10km is too far before an interval session. Legs didn’t feel that fresh this morning but still glad I did it as it provides a marker for future sessions. I did a proper jog recovery though not just a shuffle so I probably wasn’t fully recovered before the next one started so having the last one (2:44) as my quickest one is ok.


Friday I did a 26.25km medium long run in 1:57 (4:27/km).  I couldn’t get enthused about running out to Tranby House and back for 24km so copied a run Simon Elliott did on Wednesday. Ran to the Narrows then I carried on down the freeway and around the Canning and Mt Henry bridges loop before heading back the same way. Ran a bit quicker from kms 15-25 at under 4:20/km.


This morning's long run was 28km in 2 hours 14 mins (4:46/km) with Clown from City Beach.   Clown did 4km before I got there (a bit late as road closures for the Great Bike Ride made it a bit hard to get across the city from where I live) and then we ran 4km on pretty much the City Beach course and then into the city and back again along the City to Surf route.

Pace was nice and relaxed.  Clown is still struggling with his hammie.

Finished off with a swim in the ocean at City Beach.

Hit multiple traffic jams trying to get home due to the road closures.  Now I know how it must feel for people who live near the City to Surf route on the day that it is on … still it is only one day a year.

Not sure what my total for this coming week will be as I am going to do a mini taper over the second half of the week in prep for the Deepwater Point 15km on Sunday.  I'd like to go into this feeling as fresh as possible as it is my main tune up race for Houston given the lack of half marathons in the last quarter of the year.

I am putting together some videos for a mid week post which I think most people will enjoy.

1 comment:

Epi said...

Very impressive block of training there - I can imagine you'll really get a spring in your step when you eventually pull back the mileage.

Good luck next week - I might come down for a run.