2 weeks to go!

Just 2 weeks to go now until the London Marathon, it's all getting rather exciting. The medal was unveiled today, and it looks a beauty!

Bling!

Training this week has gone fairly well. After a frankly disastrous attempt at a long run on Monday in Blackpool (it was raining and I was tired so I went home after 5 miles!) I managed a 6 mile tempo run on the Tuesday; midweek runs are the sessions I've been missing from my training so it felt good to do this. I also got out on my bike with my children; it was probably the slowest cycle ride ever recorded. I could have walked faster than we cycled, in fact I had to push my bike most of the way because my daughter is still not very confident. The club run-walk on Thursday was really good, my group ran for a longer period and at a faster pace, which meant they covered more distance :) Finally, I squeezed two walks with my daughter into the week, 2 miles on Friday evening and 0.75 miles home from her football training on Saturday.

Today's long run was planned to be around half distance (12-14 miles) at a fastish pace. I'd read earlier in the week about how you should do some speedwork if you're feeling sluggish during the taper, and I've been feeling unwell the latter part of this week (sore throat and headache, nothing major!). What better cure than a quick half marathon? The first 6-8 miles were great, but I began to slow noticeably from mile 9 onwards. I didn't eat breakfast though, so that is probably why! I also tested Lucozade Sport (mango and passionfruit) during miles 6-12, because that will be the drink on offer during the marathon and I needed to see if it would affect me adversely. I had some slight stomach cramping almost immediately, not sure if that was just a coincidence, but otherwise I felt fine and tolerated the drink OK. I will feel confident taking it during the marathon.

Febathon

Just joking, there is no such thing as Febathon. I'd have failed it by now anyway since I did no exercise on Feb 1st. I had planned to do a 14 mile long run, but I was hungover in the morning after a 40th birthday party on the Saturday evening, and I was scuppered in the afternoon because some friends came round with wine and taunted me until I gave in.

On Monday I decided to complete the 14 miler out of sheer stubbornness. I dropped my daughter at school and then planned a route in my head. Initially I thought I would run two laps of the Standalone 10K route, with a loop of Mill Lane/Malthouse Lane added on to make the distance 14 miles. However, after stopping to make a phone call (I suddenly wondered if I'd booked myself onto my regular circuit training class and had to check) I decided I would do a loop around Astwick, then perhaps run to Arlesey, cut through Fairfield Park, and then perhaps run around Letchworth.

As I ran around Astwick I wondered whether I really wanted to run all the way to Letchworth, thinking about possible injury or school emergencies. I had almost decided to do three figure-of-eight loops around Astwick and Stotfold Mill when I bumped into my friend Becca, who is training for Brighton Marathon. I tagged onto her heels and we ran around Astwick again for 4 miles. After that, I just decided to run laps of Astwick with the odd Mill loop added on, until I'd done 14 miles. It was tough after Becca went home (I'd run 7 miles at that point), my legs felt really stiff, and the temptation to call it a day after 12 and 13 miles was strong. But I did it! A great mental and physical workout.

I resolved to book a leg massage when I got home, and I'm off to see my friend Jane tomorrow evening, should be relaxing/painful.

Tonight I ran with my son around Stotfold, just 2 miles, like we did last week. He did a lot better, and would've been much quicker than last week if it weren't so icy on the last stretch. Still, it's a nice habit we've fallen into, and I love running and chatting with him.

Half marathon: Janathon day 18

I was supposed to run the Folksworth 15 today (15 mile race up near Stilton), but I decided to give the race a miss after I decided I hadn't done enough training. My marathon plan called for 12 miles, but a friend asked on Facebook if anyone fancied a 13 mile run on the Letchworth Greenway, at a pace somewhere between 9 and 10 min/mile. It sounded OK to me so I said I would go.

We met at 6:30 am, which meant I needed my headtorch for the first hour. It was quite fun running in the dark. I would never do this route on my own in the dark, I don't mind running on the roads in the dark, but not off-road. I felt really tired after only the first half mile, bodyshock or the immediate big hill or something, but it soon passed. I shrieked like a cat when an old man materialised in a bush, but I managed to wish him "Good Morning". We passed another runner after about 3 miles (he had no headtorch and was wearing black, very ninja-like) then a couple of men, one of whom I recognised as an old uni friend. We saw them again at mile 11, they were running the same route, so we stopped to say hello and make introductions.

Pace-wise, we maintained between 9 and 10 min/mile pace, about half the run was 9 min pace and the rest nearer 9:30, and miles approaching 10 min/mile were when we stopped to chat or cross the road. I felt very tired at the end, and having to run past my car for a minute to make the distance 13.1 miles was very hard! Strava says this run was two-thirds endurance and a third tempo, which I would agree with and am very pleased with.

Long slow run, 11 miles: Janathon day 11

I have finally decided to admit to myself that my London Marathon training started this week (the plan I downloaded started on Dec 23rd but I've been ignoring it). It was the first week when I actually paid attention to my plan and tried to achieve the required mileage and speedwork. Of course, I failed at the speedwork, and Thursday's run didn't go to plan either, but it is only week 1...

Today I was scheduled to run 11 miles. After the 9 miles I ran last week (in 4 small circles around town), I wanted to actually get out and run a large loop. I got up really late, so a morning run was out of the question. After making Sunday lunch for the family, then going for a walk with the children to get us outside in the fresh air, I couldn't put it off any longer.

The route I chose followed the Letchworth Greenway for 2 miles (from Stotfold to Baldock), then along the A505 through Letchworth towards Hitchin, turning off into a housing estate just before the Greenway crossed the road (it was going dark and I didn't want to run across fields), across the railway line (via a bridge!), then back onto a lit section of the Greenway for a mile, before following the road back to Stotfold. I had to do a small loop of town to make the distance 11 miles, but I bumped into my friend while I was looping round so I slowed for a chat :)

I'm quite happy with this run. I am aiming to run my long runs between 9:30 and 10 min/mile, because I am hoping to run the marathon in around 4 hours 10 minutes, which is 9:30 pace I think. I should probably check that! Anyway, I consistently ran just over 9:30 pace, but my average was 9:45 in the end because of the short walk with my friend.




19 miles run this week in total, which I'm also happy with. Plus one swim session, two circuit sessions, and Pilates.

Running in circles: Janathon day 4

I had a bit of a late night last night and today's Janathon effort could quite easily be the mile and a half run-walk from the pub to home in my heels to be back before midnight for the babysitter (we were 10 mins late).

I had, however, made sketchy plans to run 9 miles later in the morning. Waking up at 9am to thick fog and icy conditions made my decision easy: no running until the afternoon (giving me several hours to rehydrate also).

By 4pm I was ready to run, but it was going dark so my plan to run up hills in Baldock was foiled. (What. A. Shame.) I plotted a route around my town that comprised two 3 mile loops and two 1.5 mile loops.

My aim was to take the pace easy (between 9:30 and 10 min/mile pace) and I managed that, finishing 9 miles in 1 hour 27 mins. Very pleased with that, although I have blisters from my heel-dash so now my feet are sore :(

MK Marathon training: last long run

I've just finished my last 20 mile training run for MK Marathon on May 5th. I've not run since Monday, when I completed my fast mile for Jantastic, because I wanted to rest a tight hamstring. I've been stretching and rolling in the week to help it, and it feels OK now (except when I sit down for a long period).

The plan for the 20 miles was to run 10 laps of the village, which is a 2 mile route we run with the beginners group at Stotfold Runners sometimes. Running laps can be tedious, but it's good mental training for an endurance race, with the added benefit of being able to pop home for a wee :)

I ran with several friends: Ed, Helen, Adam, Tracey, and Ralph. Ed is tapering for Manchester Marathon next weekend so he didn't run far, but it was great he came and he's looking comfortable (and uninjured!) ahead of the race. Helen is coming back from illness and is training (with Adam) for a local 10K next week then their first half marathon in May; they both did really well. Tracey was out running while her family made her Mother's Day breakfast (hope it was good!). 

Ralph came for the last 10 miles, his first run since a nasty accident while on his road bike (stupid dogs). I don't think he intended to stay for 10 miles, but he caught me during my moaning phase -- the point when I hit 14 miles and start to think marathons are a silly idea and I want to go home; he made me carry on despite me saying my legs hurt ("Are they injured hurt or tired hurt?" Tired hurt. "Let's do 20 miles then.")

I'm glad I ran the full 20 miles now I'm home and recovering, I'd have been kicking myself if I'd stopped at 18 miles. I had a cold bath for 10 minutes to help recovery, during which my children brought me Mother's Day breakfast. Eating a bacon sandwich in the bath is very wrong indeed. 


The run was my slowest 20 miler to date, but I'm happy (on reflection) because I've completed three 20-mile training runs this month and I only planned two, plus I didn't walk at all, and when I last trained for a marathon I ran-walked my only 20 miler while injured. Getting to the "end" of marathon training uninjured is a huge relief!

For the next 2 weeks I'm aiming to do some speed training with my husband. He's determined to have me running 5K in 22 minutes! I'm planning a 15 mile run around the Easter holidays as an official start to the taper. Race Day approaches!

March 31	Core	Rest	Pilates	5K tempo	Core	6-10 miles	Pilates
April 7	5K tempo	Core	6-10 miles	Pilates	5K tempo	Core	6-10 miles
April 14	Pilates	Rest	Rest	Club run	Core	15 miles	Pilates
April 21	5K tempo	Club run & Pilates	6 miles	Club run	Rest	Cross (bike)	8 miles
April 28	Circuits	Club run & Pilates	4 miles	Club run	Rest	NHRR 5K (easy)	2 miles
May 5	MK marathon

       

The "nearly finished" training plan

Last week...


I made a triumphant* return to circuits on Monday. It was partner circuits, which means you work in a pair and one person does a number of lunges (for example) while you do sit ups, then you swap over. I was with Tracey, and we were quite evenly matched, but she decided to take her time choosing a resistance band to use for lateral raises, so I ended up doing over a minute of non-stop climbers. I will get my revenge...

*Sloth-like

On Tuesday I helped at beginners running club and took some of the run-walkers on a 2 mile slow-paced run (2 min run/1 min walk). I think I broke one of the ladies because she told Pete after that her shins really hurt. Oops. Pilates was hard on arms and core this week, with more lateral raises and lots of press ups. I think Zanna and Pete are collaborating :(

I intended to run either after the morning school run or at lunchtime on Wednesday, but work meant I was busy until 2pm. Giving myself 45 minutes, I decided to run up to Wilbury Hills/Standalone Farm. It's just over 5 miles, and I finished in just over 45 minutes (no time for a shower before the school pick up!). A very good tempo run that made me feel happy at the end.

I went to both running club sessions on Thursday. Ed and I took the run-walker beginners for an underpass session (fast up and slow down). I joined in on some of the sprints but didn't push hard. For inters we did a pyramid session: 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m sprints. Didn't do all that badly really, even though I hate doing sprints. 

I didn't do anything on Friday and Saturday in preparation for my long run on Sunday. Original plan was 14 miles as a cutback week, but after chatting to Lewis about long runs he convinced me to run another 20 miler. (Completely screws up my Jantastic plan for March but nevermind!) Ed suggested we run 2 mile laps of Stotfold (the route we take our beginners on), which meant other people could join us for one or more laps and not have to run too far. The aim was to run at marathon pace, which for Ed is 8:30-9:00. I stuck with him for about 10 miles but then started to tire. Lewis joined us at 10 miles and I ran with him for a bit, then with Pete. I thought I was running backwards at one point, perceived slowness. Anyway, finished the 20 miles in 3:03, which is 12 minutes faster than last weekend, thanks mainly to Ed and his fast first 10 miles.


Next week...

Monday: Rest day
Tuesday: Beginners running club (2 miles); Pilates
Wednesday: 9 miles, with 6 @ marathon pace
Thursday: Both running club sessions. I'm leading this week, so will be general runs out and back to Fairfield (for both groups). Will hopefully gain miles by looping back between groups
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: Bike ride, I'm behind on my annual target so I'm thinking of an early morning 15 mile cycle ride around the Greenway
Sunday: 13 miles, running with a friend on the Greenway from Standalone

The Hilliest Run I can think of, and MK marathon week 16 training plan

Northern hilly long run

The route for my long run this weekend has been planned for several months! I like to run at least once when I visit my parents in Lancashire, usually with my sister. I enjoy the challenge of running up some impressive hills: it makes a change from the relative flatness of Bedfordshire.

In 2011 and 2012, my sister and I used to run between 5 km and 10 km together. The 10 km route we run is a loop of Great Harwood, Clayton-le-Moors, and Rishton that is an undulating course; there are three distinct hills that are either steep or long. Tough, but good for training.

A few times in 2013, when my sister was training for her first half marathon, we started running a different route, a 9 mile hill loop through Great Harwood, Read, and Sabden that takes in the lower part of Pendle Hill. There is a huge climb at the beginning of the route, but that means there is a lovely downhill stretch at the end. We've never run it all the way though, my sister doesn't appreciate the fine art of running all the way up a hill ;-)  

I got chatting at a Christmas party with my sister's husband and his friend (who are both cyclists and fellow Strava fans) about creating the hilliest running route local to them. They both said that the Sabden route was hilly, but running up Whalley Nab from Whalley to Great Harwood (Moor Lane/Shawcliffe Lane) would be really testing, and I knew I wanted to try it next time I was up north.
This weekend I visited my parents, and I was really looking forward to finally trying out my hilly training route. I had to run about 18 miles, so I planned to warm up with the 10 km "undulating" route (with my sister), then to run the 9 mile route on my own (all the way up the huge hill without stopping!), and finally to add on a 3 mile home run over Whalley Nab. 

I was very happy that I ran up the hill to Sabden all the way, only having to stop for 2 cars on a narrow lane. The run down into Whalley was great, and I was feeling good (14 miles in). But I could see the hill I had to cross looming large. As soon as I put my foot on the incline I knew I would be crazy to attempt to run it as my 15th mile! Not crazy in that I would injure myself, or it was impossible to run, just that with 14 miles in my legs it would be as fast to walk it. So I walked up the Nab, and enjoyed the recovery time, then ran the rest of the way home. Including up one final hill (Bowley), which is steep but short.



Total elevation on the run was approximately 1700 feet! Total mileage was 17.7 miles (half a mile was run before my Garmin picked up satellites). I ran out of water on this run, but not until mile 16. I also tried SIS caffeine gels for the first time, pretty yukky compared to the High 5 gels that I'm used to, although they did the job. One happy Sarah.

At dinner that evening, my brother-in-law challenged me to run over Pendle Hill, rather than just the lower part of it. Perhaps he will cycle behind me :) I WILL run over Pendle sometime this year, and my sister and I have decided we will run to Whalley and back over the Nab, all the way NO STOPPING ;-)

Last week...

Lots of running last week, my weekly total was 36 miles, which I think is the most miles I've ever run in a week. I'd completed 10 miles by Tuesday evening, then I ran 8.5 miles on Thursday at run club (including 5 miles on the Greenway in the dark), followed by my long run on Saturday. Not much cross-training though, circuits was cancelled and I missed Pilates because it was half-term. I wanted to swim on Thursday while my kids had their lessons, bu work stressed me out and I finished too late to get myself organised. So I grumpily sat and watched them instead. 

Next week's training plan...

Monday: Interval run (5 miles, alternate 0.25 mile fast/slow)
Tuesday: Pilates
Wednesday: 8 miles @ marathon pace 
Thursday: Running club
Friday: Rest day
Saturday: NHRR First Saturday 5K
Sunday: 18 miles

17 mile long run, and MK Marathon week 13 training plan

Last week

Janathon finished on Friday, and I was so relieved! It's difficult thinking up ways to exercise daily without causing injury or burning out, but to then have to write about what you did too is tough. Particularly if you're just knackered and want to sleep. Hopefully I didn't post too many dull reports.

Last week's plan went well, I had to miss my usual circuit class on Monday because of work, so I did a home tabata-style workout in the evening. On Tuesday at club I ran 3 miles, then had my Pilates class. Wednesday I swam 600 m front crawl while my daughter had her lesson; I was pleased to get some more swimming into my training schedule, although I won't have chance the next few weeks now because of after-school activities that clash with her lesson.

At club on Thursday we did intervals, 200 m sprints followed by 1 km intervals. Quite hard, and I was nursing a sore knee so didn't want to push too hard. On Friday I felt a bit better so went out for a 6 mile (ish) tempo run, but some poor food choices in the morning meant I didn't really feel up to speed. I really need to remember to eat properly.

Saturday was February 1st, which meant I didn't have to do any exercise! A proper rest day. I enjoyed supporting my husband at his first FSOTM 5K in Letchworth, and some club friends ran the race too.

Long run: 17 miles

Today was my long run. After last week, when I burned out at 7 miles and felt like crap by 12 miles and had to run-walk the last 4 miles just to finish 16, I really wanted to have a good run. I'd taken a few lessons from last week: start slow and steady, don't get drawn into stupid speedy miles; and eat properly before and during the run.

I met my friends at 7:30 am this week: Ralph and Chris were running the full 17 miles with me, Ed came along for about 7, and Sarah, Scott, and Lewis ran 5 miles. I'd had chance to eat some breakfast before the run (for the record, crunchy nut cornflakes), and I had with me to eat some little Special K chocolate bites in my running belt (apologies to Ralph who I offered one to, they were a touch warm and damp...). I had an emergency gel (I didn't use it), and 1 L of homemade sports drink in my backpack (50/50 fresh orange/water and half a teaspoon of salt). I've recognised that I need to take in salt on my long runs because I lose a lot when I run (I can taste it on myself!). I didn't plan to burn out on this run.

We started off at a fairly easy pace. Some of the group set off at their usual 9 min/mile pace but I just ignored them and stayed behind running 9:40-10 min/mile. I didn't want to deviate from my plan! Also I've recognised that it takes me a good 2-3 miles to warm up and get into my stride, so I knew I'd be able to maintain their pace shortly. By the time we hit Baldock I had caught them up (or rather, the others had slowed down to let me catch up) and I was running comfortably. Unfortunately my breakfast (or last night's dinner) was causing some alarming rattling internal noises at this point, no external wind thank God but it must've sounded like I was hollow or something.

We said goodbye to the 10 milers soon after, and Ed about a mile later (he'd already run to Stotfold so had done 17 miles). We followed the Baldock Beast half course for a few miles, I'm already regretting entering this race (hills!). Stopped to remove a stone from my shoe, then again for a police car (which fortunately must have seen us so put its siren on), so mile 6 was the slowest we ran. But it's a sign that I get faster as I run, because the next 10K was my fastest of the whole run. Had to cross two A roads on this route (A505 and the A1! But we didn't die, fortunately.) but otherwise the roads were quiet, just a few cyclists and walkers.

Pleased that I didn't have any of the knee or hip problems that troubled me last week, I just felt tired in my hips by the end of the run, but we were maintaining 10 min/miles at the end. Enjoyed some great conversation too, Chris trying his best to convince me and Ralph to sign up for an ultra race, me discussing the Marshal Ulrich book I'm currently reading, and a brainstorm about the best way to train for a marathon :) At the end we all had a piece of Ralph's tea loaf, which was a perfect way to end a long run. I walked the half mile home eating it.

Next week

Monday: Circuit training
Tuesday: Beginners club run, Pilates
Wednesday: 6 mile run with 0.5 mile alternate fast/slow
Thursday: Club runs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 16-18 mile long slow run

16 miles, more or less: day 25

MK marathon training today, and I had planned a 16 mile long run. Bearing in mind I'd run 15 miles at "slightly faster than marathon race pace" last Sunday, I intended this to be a slowish ramble. 

I packed my water carrier backpack with water, biscuits, my phone, and a gel for emergencies, and I wore my hat, gloves, Buff as a scarf, and my headtorch. I headed out to meet my friends (Tracey, Ed, Paul, and Simon) but soon realised I had a wet bottom, and my backpack was leaking :( So I had to run home again to drop off the water and retrieve a bottle. Glad I kept the backpack because I did need it. 

The route was the "usual 10 mile route" to Letchworth (which isn't 10 miles), but when we reached the A505 we turned off towards the golf club and ran through Willian. A new route for us! (Tracey said it was a great route, which I'm pleased about because it's one we will definitely use again.) Had to take off all my warm gear at this point because I was dripping.

Reaching Letchworth Gate, we carried on over the road down Baldock Lane into Baldock (rather than running on the Greenway, which we would usually do), down Weston Way, and then past the Orange Tree Pub and the Arena to pick up the Greenway again. I thought we'd have lost miles because the last bit wasn't the route I'd planned. But we'd run 12 miles when we got back to Stotfold. 

I was struggling to keep up with my friends in Baldock (probably from mile 7 onwards if I'm honest). I walked a bit through Stotfold with Tracey (who then went home) and then tried to catch up with Paul and Simon who had carried on to Arlesey. (Paul was supposed to be running back so we'd have met on the way.) Paul is the only person I know who can get lost on a straight road. So I never saw him again! (He's fine BTW.)

Garmin ran out of juice at mile 14. I stopped for water and biscuits and then ran-walked the last 2 miles with my phone recording the last few miles. Tough run, mentally and physically. I've had a few like this, in fact both were 16 milers, so maybe I'm jinxed?

Letchworth Greenway: Janathon day 11

My long run this week was a planned 14 mile run along the whole Letchworth Greenway. This route passes all around Letchworth Garden City, through beautiful countryside near Norton, Baldock, Willian, Hitchin, and Stotfold (and through the scenic Letchworth Industrial Estate, past the council tip, and alongside the railway line and the A1M...). It's a great trail for long runs and I feel very lucky that it is so close to where I live so I can use it for training runs (and cycling, when I can be bothered).

I have always thought of the Greenway as a 14 mile run; the Greenway trail is 13 miles but I have to run to it and back home again, and that works out as 14 miles. However, yet again, I failed to remember the run to the shops to meet my friends, which adds on 0.6 miles altogether. I am a noob.

I didn't need the hat either...

I was a touch more prepared for this run this week, unlike last week when I had to walk home because I'd run out of energy. I had my new running back pack with me, which has a 2 L water carrier inside, and I packed it with my homemade cookies, a gel, my phone, and my headtorch (although I didn't need it). I've also been careful to eat a bit more this week; last week I was focussing on trying to lose my Christmas podge, and I suspect 6lb in a week was rather an excessive amount of weight to lose. I've eaten plenty of biscuits this week to compensate.


I met everyone on Stotfold High St just before 7:30am: the usual group of runners (Ed, Tracey, and Paul) and some new faces too (Andy and John). We ran the towards Baldock and set off at a comfortable pace; there was some yo-yoing going on when Ed was trying to make me run at 9 minutes a mile, but I resisted and he eventually slowed down ;-) ("It's a marathon not a sprint" etc etc).

We were running really well and chatting too, which is a good sign the pace is comfortable for a long run. I love hitting that pace when you feel you can run forever (knees permitting), and I reckon I nailed that today. We had a bit of a walk up a long hill in Hitchin to get some energy back (around mile 9). By mile 10 I could tell John was struggling with the distance; Tracey and Paul had raced ahead, so Ed and Andy carried on the Greenway to try and catch them (taking a shortcut!), and John and I took the road back to Stotfold, which I knew would cut a mile off the total run. We ran-walked the last 2 miles, and I broke out my homemade choc chip cookies to see if they would help! We got back to Stotfold around the same time as Tracey and Paul, who had both run 15 miles! Whoops (sorry!).

The back pack was really good, it didn't get in my way while running and didn't rub anywhere. I even managed to work out how to drink from it (note to self: I don't need to fill it with 2 L water!) I'll be taking it on all my long runs in future.

This was my last long run before the Folksworth 15 next Sunday. I'm feeling a bit more confident about running that race now, after this run. It's going to be a training run, so I'll be carrying my back pack I think, but I'm aiming to run it at my target marathon pace, which is 9 min/mile (which is why I didn't want to run at that pace today!)

Never running again, until perhaps next week: day 4 of Janathon

At one time, I think Thursday night, I concocted a plan to run 15 miles today, and it seemed a good idea at the time. It came about because some friends from my running club said they would run our local 5 km race today, and they would run to Letchworth and back with me, making a 9 mile long run. I realised if I got up a bit earlier and ran a 10 km route, I could make a 15 mile long run and cross it off for the weekend. Plan sorted.

By Friday night I realised the weather was going to be pretty terrible on Saturday morning, but never mind, the plan had been set and people had agreed to run with me so I couldn't back out.

Simon and Jane came with me at 7am to run the local Standalone 10 km route (which turned out to be 7.7 miles, I'd not factored in me running to meet them and a bit of running up and down at the end to keep warm). The pace was fairly slow to begin but got a bit faster towards the end, as we headed back to Stotfold. The weather was awful, and despite wearing my waterproof jacket and doing lots of hopping around to avoid puddles, I was pretty soaked when we finished our run. I was a bit early to meet Lewis who I was running to Letchworth with, so I ran out and back to Arlesey a little bit to keep warm.

At 8:10am, Lewis turned up, super-prepared with his backpack and a change of clothes and trail shoes for the mud, I probably should learn from him (I didn't have anything with me, not even water!). It was pretty horrible weather, I was drenched already and I felt a bit guilty for dragging him along with me. We ran a nice slow-paced 3 miles to Letchworth and arrived at 8:45am, ready to register for the FSOM 5K that takes place on Norton Common (and completely sodden). I was really pleased to see we weren't the only crazy people who'd run to Letchworth, @movingalong79 (who is also doing Janathon) and @ChrisCrippsPT looking equally as wet as we did!

The ground was really boggy, and the organisers (North Herts Road Runners) had had to make some course adjustments to avoid some especially muddy sections (which made the route a full 5 km, instead of the usual 3 miles, so perhaps they should stick with the new route). There is a section at the start that we run on three times, and this was very muddy and difficult to run on (I don't have trail shoes so I was slipping everywhere). The next section on gravelled path was covered in either running water or puddles, so wet(ter) feet were inevitable. The new section was clear, but then we turned straight back onto mud, water, wet leaves: all the hazards in one place. The last path along Icknield Way was so flooded I just decided to splash all the way through making a loud roaring noise. Much to the marshal's amusement.

Shoes and socks after my run!

I've no idea yet of my 5K time; I met Lewis at the finish (already changed and ready for me) and we ran straight back home. But my legs were really tired from all the mud struggling, and I asked to walk twice, the last time I sent him on his way so he could get home (feeling massively guilty about me being slow and him being wet). I was prepared to walk the last mile home.

My friend Kate caught up with me from her long run, and she gave me an energy tablet to help a bit, because I was feeling dizzy. About half a mile later, another friend pulled up alongside in his car and made me get in. I've never been so happy to see anyone! 16.3 miles running/moving in total.

So that, I think, is a classic example of how not to run a long run. I should have at least taken Jelly Babies* with me, or some Lucozade*, although I did have money and could've stopped at a shop. Anyway, I've amended my long run plan now, which means next week I'm running 14 miles (the full Greenway), and I'll be racing Baldock Beast instead of running to it. Which I'm quite excited** about :)



*Other sweets and drinks are available.
**Not all that excited, but relieved to be running 13.1 and not 17 miles.

Winter long runs, and week 2 marathon plan

My plan for the next few months is to maintain half marathon distance until January, before I begin to extend the long runs towards the slightly overwhelming 20 mile distance. Winter long runs aren't very enticing, but if you can run them with someone else then they are much more bearable. Which is why last Sunday I got up at 05:45 to prepare for a 10 mile run at 06:30 with some club friends.

Four other equally mad runners met up and headed to Letchworth, on road for the first few miles and then via the Greenway once the sun was up. The pace was a touch quicker than I anticipated, but my heart rate managed to remain around 140 bpm so I wasn't too bothered, although my post-Stevenage legs weren't mega-happy. I started to struggle around the industrial estate in Letchworth, just by the tip, but I'd just run up a hill, and the next few miles were downhill, so I felt OK again quite quickly. I also set a few Strava segments from the tip to Nortonbury Lane, so I had to concentrate on running fairly fast!

As we headed back into Stotfold we spotted a car in a hedge, it had obviously crashed because the bumper had come off and there were tyre marks across the verge. We stopped for a minute to check there were no casualties, I wouldn't have felt right just running past. All seemed well.

At the end of the run, my friend produced peanut butter cookies from her jacket, which were perfect to finish with! They should be compulsory.

Next Sunday I'll be running 11 miles. I have a hankering to run around Baldock for a change, so I'm going to plan a route that meets that requirement but is safe for dark mornings. It might be impossible without a headtorch (Dear Santa...).

Other stuff this week...

On Tuesday I missed my Pilates class because of school parents' evening, so I ran at both club sessions. I took the beginners for 200 m sprint intervals, a session that I think they just loved going off the comments I received. I managed to swear at a new chap who I could hear catching me rapidly when I was "demonstrating" and who I assumed was Ed... He took it in good humour! Pulled my groin muscle again though, stupidly. The intermediate session was a run out to Arlesey and back, my first Arlesey loop for a long time. The muscle strain felt OK while I was running so I'm not that concerned by it. The second run was 4.5 miles, making 7 miles in total, so I won't bother running on Wednesday.

Instead I have Pilates, which I postponed by a day. I'm hoping this class sorts out my sore groin (from the sprints) and aching shoulder (from being old and creaky). I don't hold out much hope though.

Thursday will be club again. I've promised my friend that if it's speedwork again I'll take him for a run instead. He's had to do 2 weeks in a row of speedwork (1km intervals and then 400m/200m sprints) and I think he's getting a complex.

I need to get back to ab work soon too. I'm in a "can't be bothered" mindset at the moment. I know a plank a day and some ab curls won't kill me, but I'm lazy.

Stevenage half training: last long run

On Saturday afternoon I ran my last long run before Stevenage half next Sunday. I was trying to avoid the wind and rain forecast for Sunday but ended up completely drenched. Serves me right I guess.

I wasn't sure how far to run, after running 12 miles last week I could either cut back to 10 but run nearer race pace or run longer (14 miles). I decided to run longer, to heart rate, so headed out on the Letchworth Greenway (which is about 14 miles). 

As I received my drenching, just as I crossed the road at Letchworth Gate, I decided to cut out the Hitchin part of the Greenway and run on the road to Willian, in an attempt to cut back onto the A505 halfway down. (I want to "learn" the roads around south Letchworth.) Anyway, I got lost and 2 miles later ended up back at Letchworth Gate. So I just ran home the way I'd come, resolving to check a map when I got home!

12.5 miles in total, my fastest long run over the past 3 weeks of heart rate training. So perhaps it's starting to work. 

Next week is my last week of training before the race. Not much I can do really to get any faster, but I'll do the club runs and perhaps my long tempo run on Wednesday if work goes OK. And continue with my diet and strength work (I've lost 2 lb in 2 weeks so far).