Week 2 of taper this week, and the madness is beginning to set in.
Already eaten too much, beginning to feel quite lethargic except when running, and the temptation to run as fast as I can is beckoning!
Half term this week, so busy with life. I now have the final instructions email from Votwo for the 3 marathons in 3 days, so the fear and terror has started too.
Why do I do this to myself???
Monday 25 October 2010
Monday 18 October 2010
Taper
After a really hectic weekend, I am now beginning to taper for the 3 marathons in 3 days around the Pembrokeshire Coastal path on Nov 5th.
I managed 80 miles last week reasonably well. I have learnt that the best way to deal with aching legs, tiredness, and worry about whether I will be able to complete the distance or not, is just not to think about it! Having done 18 miles offroad on Wednesday, and another 12 road miles on Thursday as well as a couple of power walks, I was not looking forward to Friday's 23 miles. Rather than worry about it though, I actively put it out of my mind, and trusted that as in the past my body would rise to the challenge and get it done. And, would you belive it, it did!
The 23 miles was done on a circular route (no opportunities to cut it short), with plenty of hills (keeps the boredom at bay), and a strategy of 3 miles run 1 minute walk. The run/walk really helped. During the walk breaks I fuelled up, reorganised anything I needed to, and gave myself a bit of breathing space. Only having to concentrate on the next 3 miles, made the run a whole lot easier, and my pace was actually exactly the same as on previous runs which had had no walk breaks at all.
After the 23 miles I made tea for the family then drove to my parents' near Bristol. On the Saturday I got up at 6.30am and drove up to Solihull where I spent the next 2 days doing an Initial Tutor Training course for UK Athletics. The course was incredibly intense but very interesting, and I even managed to get up at 6.15am on the Sunday to complete 5 miles. Not getting home til 9.15pm last night was tough though. I missed my family, and I have had no break this weekend, so I feel shattered today. That hasn't stopped me doing a 6 miler though.
Lessons learnt this week - if you've done the planning, there's no need to think about it any more, just get on and do it!
I managed 80 miles last week reasonably well. I have learnt that the best way to deal with aching legs, tiredness, and worry about whether I will be able to complete the distance or not, is just not to think about it! Having done 18 miles offroad on Wednesday, and another 12 road miles on Thursday as well as a couple of power walks, I was not looking forward to Friday's 23 miles. Rather than worry about it though, I actively put it out of my mind, and trusted that as in the past my body would rise to the challenge and get it done. And, would you belive it, it did!
The 23 miles was done on a circular route (no opportunities to cut it short), with plenty of hills (keeps the boredom at bay), and a strategy of 3 miles run 1 minute walk. The run/walk really helped. During the walk breaks I fuelled up, reorganised anything I needed to, and gave myself a bit of breathing space. Only having to concentrate on the next 3 miles, made the run a whole lot easier, and my pace was actually exactly the same as on previous runs which had had no walk breaks at all.
After the 23 miles I made tea for the family then drove to my parents' near Bristol. On the Saturday I got up at 6.30am and drove up to Solihull where I spent the next 2 days doing an Initial Tutor Training course for UK Athletics. The course was incredibly intense but very interesting, and I even managed to get up at 6.15am on the Sunday to complete 5 miles. Not getting home til 9.15pm last night was tough though. I missed my family, and I have had no break this weekend, so I feel shattered today. That hasn't stopped me doing a 6 miler though.
Lessons learnt this week - if you've done the planning, there's no need to think about it any more, just get on and do it!
Monday 11 October 2010
Being lucky
Whilst out on my 13.5 mile run this morning, I was lucky enough to enjoy some quite spectacular views, and here they are.
There are some advantages to doing lots of running!
Saturday 9 October 2010
76 miles - done!
A big week before the 3 in 3 in November. 76 miles all done.
I have found eating enough pretty tough this week,mainly because after a long or particularly hard run I feel a bit queasy not at all hungry. This is something I need to work on before RunWales, as the day after I always struggle. I have been experimenting with grazing when I feel I can eat, and although I feel I am being a bit of a pig, it seems to be working.
As it was my son's 11th birthday party this Friday (a sleepover, groan), I did all my long miles during the week so that I didn't have to run on little sleep. It now means that I am seriously tired, but satisfied I have completed all the miles I need.
80 miles next week, here I come.
I have found eating enough pretty tough this week,mainly because after a long or particularly hard run I feel a bit queasy not at all hungry. This is something I need to work on before RunWales, as the day after I always struggle. I have been experimenting with grazing when I feel I can eat, and although I feel I am being a bit of a pig, it seems to be working.
As it was my son's 11th birthday party this Friday (a sleepover, groan), I did all my long miles during the week so that I didn't have to run on little sleep. It now means that I am seriously tired, but satisfied I have completed all the miles I need.
80 miles next week, here I come.
Saturday 2 October 2010
Easy week a 5k and a big change of plans.
Well, the plan was for it to be an easy week this week, but given the marathon last Sunday, it didn't feel that easy.
I last took a rest day on Tues 21st September, that's 11 days running on the trot, so just getting through all the running this week was a bonus. However, I ran the Women's Running Network All Soles Fun Run today, a 5k and managed to win my age group. About half way round I was wondering what I was doing there, and why I was running so fast (9mm, fast for me right now)! It was a very small race, but taking a trophy home is always a nice thing to do.
The big news this week though is that given my performance at the Tenby Marathon, and the impressive way my body has coped with the lack of rest this week, I have decided that I will be running the length of Wales a little earlier than planned. The original date was to be the last week of May and first week of June, but Wales tends to be quite warm around that time, and I don't do well in the heat. It might also cause a problem with accommodation, especially if it coincided with school holidays. What finally decided me though was knowing that I have enough time between recovering from the 3 in 3 to getting my mileage up to 100 a week before I need to taper for the RunWales challenge.
So many people have offered to come and run with me, or to support me that I need to finalise dates in the next 2 weeks, and get on with it. I know physically I am capable of doing it now, so I just need to get on and do it!
I last took a rest day on Tues 21st September, that's 11 days running on the trot, so just getting through all the running this week was a bonus. However, I ran the Women's Running Network All Soles Fun Run today, a 5k and managed to win my age group. About half way round I was wondering what I was doing there, and why I was running so fast (9mm, fast for me right now)! It was a very small race, but taking a trophy home is always a nice thing to do.
The big news this week though is that given my performance at the Tenby Marathon, and the impressive way my body has coped with the lack of rest this week, I have decided that I will be running the length of Wales a little earlier than planned. The original date was to be the last week of May and first week of June, but Wales tends to be quite warm around that time, and I don't do well in the heat. It might also cause a problem with accommodation, especially if it coincided with school holidays. What finally decided me though was knowing that I have enough time between recovering from the 3 in 3 to getting my mileage up to 100 a week before I need to taper for the RunWales challenge.
So many people have offered to come and run with me, or to support me that I need to finalise dates in the next 2 weeks, and get on with it. I know physically I am capable of doing it now, so I just need to get on and do it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
