The week after

This week has been pretty low key running wise. I rested Sunday, ran 5 miles Monday, attempted to run Tuesday - ankle and knee were playing up so I thought best to leave it so cycled 20k then rested until today, popped in 10 miles today and was a little hungover but managed to do it an hour and 15 mins. There was a pain running up the back of my right leg which I am not sure what it is, will have to see how that goes. Going to pop out tomorrow for a similar length run, need to get back into training now for Thames Path 50 in 2 weeks.

Wendover to Paddington - 45 miler

Today, we started off at 8.30 in a pub in Wendover, today's run for me was a training run for the 100 miler, good way to get back into running after Christmas. We started off running through Wendover, through Chorley wood, all off road, muddy and slippery. When your running in this kind of terrain even though your running slower, you don't realise how much it takes out of your legs, they have to work harder. I was dripping after 10 miles and it wasn't amazingly warm and I was thinking this is going to be a long day. Ploughed on, we covered the first 25 miles in 4 hours which was good and then we were on to the Thames path into Paddington for 20 miles, head down running slowly, my ankle was playing up at points so took some of James' ibuprofen, he had to take a couple for his knee as well.When we got to around 32 miles I was really feeling hit, I had to walk for half a mile, I had only had one wee all day and had probably drunk 3 litres of waters, I hadn't really eaten much solid food as at the aids stations they provided sausage rolls and crisps but that's not really what you want, you want pizza, sandwhiches,etc.I think I was feeling sick because there were lots of energy gels and water in me swishing around, after walking for half a mile i picked up again and carried on at a steady pace ranging from 9.30-10 min miles, again at around 38 miles I was feeling rather sick again so walked for a while, then battled on, when I knew I had 10k to go we ran pretty much the whole way in, James and I ran with a few people today - a guy called Ian who was training for the Gobi desert Challenge and an American girl who was very fit (She won best girl in Sahara desert race last year). We finished the race in 7.09 which was pretty good considering last years time was 8.06 so happy with that, I feel pretty tired writing this but good to get a long one in. Got a 50 miler in 3 weeks and then Cambridge marathon end of Feb, I will try and get some other long runs in as well then taper out through March up to 2nd April for Umstead. Today was tough at points but very enjoyable.

Just 5 miles today

Just the 5 miles today in the gym in 36.28, pretty chilled out run. My Legs are getting used to running tired now having run the last 9 days with no rest days. I am starting to feel a little fatigued now in the afternoons, eyes watering, etc. I am going to give myself 2 days off now for legs to soften up and get some rest pre 45 miler on Saturday. I haven't run over 20 miles since November, I am actually really excited about Saturday, getting a long one in, hopefully the weather is better than last year. Speaking to James tonight, it looks like his injury has rectified itself so hopefully he will be there on the start line on Saturday.

Interval training and 5 mile run

The last 2 days have consisted of interval training and a 5 mile run
Interval training on Monday in the gym, it's very intense, you start by warming up for 5 mins. Then you set the speed to 17km per hour and gradient to 2% and you do 30 secs on 30 secs off. This then increases to a min on and a min off on 17km speed, then up to 18km speed for 1 min on and off, 45 secs on and off, then 2 mins rest. Then set the gradient to 1% for 15km for 2 mins and 1 min off x 2, then 8-12 x 20kms 15 secs on and off. This really is intense and gets your heart rate right up, the beauty of interval training is it increases fitness massively and gets your legs used to running to proper speeds. If you keep the above up 1-2 times a week you are on your way to breaking 3 hours in a marathon, something which I would like to do this year but not sure I have the time with lots on but we will see, you need to find the right race, conditions and timing, etc. Today I just ran 5 miles up the gym in 35.28, so quite a strong pace. With 3 days to go until 45 miles I am feeling a little tired having run the last 8 days, I think I will squeeze in a run either tomorrow or Thursday and take Friday off pre 45 miles. Last year I ran the race in 8.06, hoping to beat that this year but you never know how your body is going to react, specially after a month of boozing, this race is a funny time of year just after Christmas but great to get back into it. I am suppose to be running on Sat with my mate Elson but he may not be able to run now due to knee problems but he hasn't completely ruled himself out.... It's much more fun to run this race with someone as you can have a chat, bit of a laugh, etc but if Elson can't run I will have to go it alone.
P.S - 81 days to go

83 days to go....

With 83 days to go until Umstead 100, my mind is really focused now...2nd week back running looked like this http://www.attackpoint.org/log.jsp/user_8677. 44 miles in the last 6 days, not a bad effort with tomorrow still to run. I am getting used to running everyday now and running with tired legs, runs are taking a lot longer, for example yesterday 9 miles took me an 1 hour and 17 mins and that was along the seafront which is flat, wind against on the way back, it was a tough run but good to finish. Today I ran 8.95 miles on an off road course, really muddy and slippery around Benfleet and then up Essex way which is 3 quarters of a mile uphill, that took me an hour and 17 mins, admittidely I was a bit hungover as had a few beers last night for my brothers birthday. To put 9 miles into perspective, it normally takes me 1 hour and 5 mins to run 9 miles so running everyday takes it's toll but it's good to get the body running through pain. Hopefully as the weeks go on, training will get easier. This week I am going to do a few small runs in the gym Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then I will take 2 days off as have Country to Capital 45 miler on Saturday which I am looking forward to, ran this race last year with my mate Elson and running this year as well with him, it's the first big run of the year, not sure I am in good shape but we will see. I must say writing this at the end of this week I am glad to be back into running, todays run was really fresh, sunny, bit of wind and good to sweat out a few beers.

Getting back into it...

After the Amsterdam marathon I was on a massive high and training died down a bit...I kept running when I could, I had Luton marathon in the diary on 6th December. In the build up to that I went out on quite a few runs but unfortunately this was called off due to snow, very disappointing as wanted to get a cheeky marathon in pre Christmas. I was running 2-3 times a week in December as December in the media industry is very boozy, your out 3 nights a week and out with friends as well, with all this going on training goes out the window but still tried to get the odd run in when I could. I started running again properly this week, I had this week off work so it was a good opportunity to get some proper runs back in... specially with Country to Capital 45 in under 2 weeks. So this week consisted of Tues - 16.2 miles, Weds - 13.7 miles, Thurs10.2 miles and Sunday 14.35 miles. I hope to run 10 miles tomorrow as well to put in a 66 mile week- I do have some massive blisters on my heels though as put some orthotics in my trainers which have been rubbing against my heels. This week has been tough, specially putting 3 biggish runs in 3 days in a row and I haven't run over 40 miles a week for at least 10 weeks so good to get back into it.I am now going to run a lot over the next week and half in the build up to Country to Capital 45, but wont be running anything over 10 miles. My main focus this year is the Umstead 100 miler which is on 2nd April - just under 13 weeks away......99 days to be exact...I have the Thames Trot on 5th Feb which starts in Oxford and finishes in Henley, Cambridge Marathon 27th Feb, Brentwood Half mid March and any long runs I can get in. I am nervous about the 100 miler as when you think about it, it's a massive distance to cover in one go without stopping, well stopping for food and drink...Elson reckons I can do it in 24 hours...also you need to think no sleep and on your own for 24 hours, my brain is going to be going f8cking crazy but lets bring this big boy shit on, life is all about testing yourself, Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

Amsterdam Marathon

Haven't blogged for a while so a bit rusty.....this was the marathon where I was aiming to run 3.15......that was my target...I flew out with my friends Ash and Tom who were both running the marathon as well. Tom running his first and Ash running his 2nd, Tom had hardly done any training for this run, longest training run being 12 miles, so I was quite worried for him, Ash had trained very hard......not having a drink for 4 weeks pre race and was in good shape.We flew out on Saturday, then had to go to the Olympic stadium to pick up our race numbers and chips which was a mission but got there in the end, on the way back to the hotel we bumped into a Women from Israel and got chatting to her and she said she was having a pasta party with 20 of her friends at the hotel and invited us. We all had a lot of pasta, me 2 plates worth (That's a p.b), Tom 1 and half and Ash just the one plate then we went back to the room and went to sleep at 9 - pretty sad ...3 lads in Amsterdam asleep on a Saturday night at 9am but we were all pretty focused on the task in hand and there was an opportunity to have drinks on Sunday night. We woke up at 7.15 showered up and we were off, we all just had shorts and t-shirts on as didn't bring any tracksuits..school boy error as was f8cking freezing- excuse my language. People were staring at us on the way to the marathon thinking who are these chumps, we were like the mighty ducks...everyone else had hats, gloves and tracksuits on...I was freezing, I am not very good in the cold as it is. We arrived at 8.30 and went into the running exhibition to keep warm, I was looking at all the trainers...love running trainers, pretty sad hey but there you go. I was p8ssing a lot so had to keep going to the toilet, we headed over to the Olympic stadium at 9.15, got in there and waited on the track and took another wee, then I left Tom and Ash as I was starting in the 3-3.30 section where Tom and Ash were starting in the 3.30-4 section. Tom did look worried and was a little quiet that morning and I can understand why, in all honesty I was worried for him. I went and stood next to the 3.15 pacers and my aim was to stay with them the whole way. There was great atmosphere in the stadium, music playing..lots of people, I was thinking this is quality, this is what a big marathon is like...so the gun went and we were off, first mile was 7.39 which was a little slow for 3.15 pace but I honestly think this helped me as I normally go off too quick, the marathon started off through the city, was congested for the first few miles then we got going.There were lots of people cheering on the sides and music playing, was a great atmosphere, the music was playing...it was brilliant, I was feeling pretty strong, I was taking a gel every 40 mins, first marathon with gels and no salt tablets.When I got to 10 miles, I needed to go for a no 2 and was starting to get worried as couldn't see a toilet, I was thinking could I hold it for a couple of hours, it wasn't going to be possible...I came across a toilet at 12 miles luckily, done the job and was off, by this time the 3.15 pacers had passed me...I caught them up and turned in 1.36ish and was on track for 3.15, I felt pretty strong.When I got to 15 miles I was running with the the 3.15 pacers and thought I feel really good, I have more in the tank, I thought I am out of here and started running 7.10, 7.07,7.11 miles..was on fire, I ran the whole way to the end in miles under 7.30...no wall, finished in the Olympic stadium with a time on the clock of 3.14ish but on my watch it was 3.13.46, checked the chipped time this morning and it was 3.13.48 so pretty accurate.Yesterday was possibly one of the best days of my life, what a relief to break 3.15, I was buzzing, I got some water and bananas and sat down at the Water balloons where I was meeting Ash. Ash came in saying he had ran 3.39, he was very happy with that ...he checked this morning and had run 3.35 so great run from him, he was happy...it's great when you see one of your mates finish a marathon.Ash has talent running his 2nd marathon in 3.35, he has really got into it, I see him smashing 3.30 next year.Ash and I waited around for 4 hours to pass as that is what we agreed with Tom, he wasn't there so we headed back to the hotel, getting the wrong tube back, managed to get back, bath and lie down.I was sitting on the bed worried about Tom, he walked in about 45 mins after us, he ran 4.19...this is possibly one of the greatest sporting achievements, to run a 4.19 marathon without much training and the longest training run of 12 miles was an epic effort, I was very happy for him, he got his medal and he was happy.We went out to a nice Argentinian restaurant and had quiet a few beers in the Dam Sq...ended up rather drunk which isn't the best recovery, I have felt ill all day today but was worth it.So 3.15 is now done, my next target has got to be to break 3 hours..it's on my radar, it's in my head, bring on next year....what a great marathon Amsterdam is, very well organised and a flat one, I highly recommend it.

Garmin report - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/53516033
Race analysis and photos- http://evenementen.uitslagen.nl/2010/amsterdammarathon/index-en.html