Head over heels again

2 days off... then fell over again Friday night.   Clumsy? Tired? Old? Unlucky?

Carnage on the St Paul's Loop!

Concerned fans to make a candlelight vigil outside Pedro's flat in hope that he survives the night.   It's a tough gig this training-lark!

Hello - are you still there?

Yes, I am back again!  Been running for about 10 weeks and, for the first time in about 3 years, I'm really enjoying it.  Gradually picking up fitness and completing regular long runs.   My secret formulae tells me I might be able to do a 10k in around 41 mins...  not that I'm in any hurry to find out.

Trying to concentrate on fitness and enjoyment, but it would be nice to break 40-mins for 10k come the Midweek League.    It's all about finding the balance between fun and obsessive training.  Can I do it?  Watch this space!

Time to start running again

After a fallow year following the Rotterdam Marathon (and 4 months of zero running latterly) both I and my body have decided that enough is enough!  I am not sure how seriously I am going to take it this time around, but fitness and enjoyment are the watchwords.

Apart from starting to feel out of shape and sluggish and missing the folks at NHRR, the main prompt for the timing of this 'comeback' were the antics of Club-legend Chris Stokes at our recent kids' school sports-day.  True to form, he cheated in the Dads' race and I vowed revenge, challenging him to a head-to-head at the Trent Park Midweek League race.

I am now wondering if this was wise, as with a week to go, I thought I'd better go for a few runs and found myself struggling to run anything like 5-6 miles distance, let alone at speed.  Never mind - at least it has got me out of the door again with my running gear on.

It now remains to be seen if my blind-confidence and extra pounds can compete with the man, the legend, the personality, the sheer human force that is ..  Chris Stokes ... ;o)

The legend lives on!

NHRR - Male Long Course Champion 2014

Recognition for some of my 'heroic' efforts between Oct 2013 and April 2014.  Another pleasant surprise (and indicative of my 2013/2014 V50 performances overall)  was coming runner-up for the Best Male Runner award.  The worthy winner of this award was Mark Vaughan .

Apart from a short spell in August/September, I've done very little training or mileage since April.  Injury played a part, but for the last few months it's been simply a lack lack of inclination.  Just starting to pick things up again now, and with London 2015 in the diary, I need to not let my base fitness fall to far...

 

Yes, I'm still here!

A bit (well a lot) of a post-marathon lull, due to injury and jadedness

I went several months without managing a long run nor a training session - just barely ticking over really.  However, despite this,  I still picked up the 1st V50 prize in the Midweek League and avoided losing heart altogether.  Muscling through those severe calf-cramps at Rotterdam really did some damage.  My £20 three-in-one foam-roller set from Argos has been a fantastic buy!

I have no races planned soon, but I do have a guarunteed good-for-age place for the London Marathon next spring.  For now, I'm simply enjoying being able to run more frequently again without pain and do a few speed-sessions. 

Despite everything, I still think I'd be comfortably under 39 mins for 10k,  which is pretty good all things considered and not a bad place to build from.

A little bit of NHRR history...

...6-in-a-row

The first person ever to own Club Records at every distance simultaneously is - me!

Click on image to enlarge

Rotterdam - the report

A triumph of the will!

4 years ago I had an almost perfect race, only struggling (20-30s/mile loss) over the last 3 miles.  Yesterday, the last 5.5 miles were sheer torture, as 30s/mile loss rapidly turned into 60-75s.  By 23 miles I was totally shot. Cramp in right quad and calf started to manifest in last 1.5 miles. I lost about 6 mins off my time in last 9k. I`m not quite sure how I didn`t stop on several occations.

Still, the good news is time was still a respectable 2:57:32 - not bad for a shade under 51 and a new Vet 50-54 Club Record. I am the first person in Club history to hold a row of Club Records (every distance) simultaneously. 

In addition, I am age-cat champion in both Midweek Road-race and Cross-country league plus age-cat County Champion at 5k and half-marathon.  Not a bad year`s work!  So, that`s legendary status assured then - signed photos available in the foyer :).




On reflection, if I'd have aimed at 2hr 54-55 (rather than 2hr 51), I think I'd have done it and without the crash and burn. Never mind.  I've now experienced both sides of the marathon.

I had my first ever (and very long) sit-down shower post-race. Getting up again was another big challenge!  I then consumed 100g of dark chocolate (in one go), 2 litres of fine beer, a bowl of nachos and finally an excellent Thai meal.

Slept like a baby...

4 days and 10 hours to go

What, no bulleted headlines?!


Yes, it's time to express my inner marathoner - enough with the bish-bash-bosh highlights - time to let it all out in my best fluent English!  I shall take you into my confidence and share my thoughts on my near 15 weeks of preparation and how I'm feeling as the race approaches.   You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish I'd stuck to the bullet-points and graphs!



In many ways I've had an excellent preparation.  Living on my own, working at home, getting in plenty of training runs in daylight, indulgently lazing for hours in the bath after long runs.  Four years ago (time does fly)  I had to employ far more selfishness to train properly, negotiating my way around my obligations to two children under 6 and a wife recovering from serious illness.   This time I could be obsessively focused with a much clearer conscience as a relatively unencumbered 50-year-old born-again bachelor.    I may not ever have a better time to train for a marathon in fact.

Broadly, I stuck to the 2010 plan and it's gone pretty well, apart from hitting an over-training blip 6 weeks out.  I recovered from that, managed another mileage peak and the taper seems to be doing it's job - I feel fit, but my legs are now feeling quite fresh and, despite the blip, my confidence is returning.  I think I am in pretty good shape, but not as certain of my fitness this-time-around. 

I managed to average about 60 miles/week for the peak 6-week period of my training, which I was very pleased with.   Both my extended marathon-effort and my 20+-mile runs went well, perhaps even better than 2010 on the whole.  I also posted a few excellent 10k-pace training sessions along thee way, hitting some of my best splits since 2010.  Spending my last week before the taper in the beautiful surroundings of Lyme Regis was an excellent tonic and made my big 22.5-mile effort an absolute (albeit very undulating) pleasure.

So, what's going to happen on the day?   If I am in the shape indicated by my best sessions, I could have an excellent race - perhaps even close to my 2010 time of 2:51:40.   However, due to my blip 6 weeks out, I am no longer feeling so self-assured.    I'd certainly hope to go under 3 hours - even 2hrs 55mins is not unrealistic.  Perhaps feeling realistically-optimistic is the best way to approach the challenge of a marathon anyway?  In 2010 I knew I was in great shape, but this was tempered by having zero marathon experience.  This time, I have the experience of 2010, but tempered by a degree of uncertainty about the shape I'm in.  The result of this is that I feel pretty much the same mentally as four years ago at this point.   I simply hope I enjoy the race and give a good account of myself.

I've done the hard work, had a few bad weeks (but mostly good ones).  Time to trust in the work I've done, enjoy the rest of the taper, arrive at the start line feeling fresh and positive, set off sensibly and let the training do its work.  Thanks for taking the time to read my blog over the last 3-and-a-half months.  I hope you've enjoyed sharing my journey to the start-line of the Rotterdam Marathon 2014.

I dedicate my efforts to my two wonderful and beautiful children

Cheers
Asylum Pete

Rotterdam - 6 days to go

It's feeling a bit real now!

Last week's highlights

• A relaxing 36-mile total
• 6x 1k session at a controlled 5:33 pace
• 5.25-mile run at marathon HR (146 bpm) generating a pace of 6:24
• Easy 10-miler on Sunday

And now...

• Just 20 miles pre-race this week
• A few faster-paced miles, but nothing strenuous
• Fly out to Rotterdam Saturday morning
• Sunday 13th April - watch this space!

Rotterdam - 2 weeks to go

I think it's going to be ok

• Sprightly 3k-pace, 400m-rep session
• BAU runs getting good pace from low HR-effort again
• Ran last 9 miles of 13.1-mile run at 6:40-pace off an av HR of just 141 (vs marathon = 150)

Just 3 weeks to go

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

So, after a bit of a blip, that's the final high-volume week over.  I managed to push out another 60+ week, in no small part thanks to a relocation to Devon and Dorset, with some lovely scenery and challenging hills.  I particularly enjoyed my 22.5 mile excursion in and around the Axe valley

That's 12 weeks done and time for a 3-week taper.

Rotterdam - just 3.5 weeks to go

The plan falters, but there's still hope!

After the Milton Keynes disappointment, I took a very easy week (just 35 easy-paced miles).  At the start of this week, I was still feeling below par, but finally (in the last 2 days) I can feel the energy coming back.  Hopefully this will be a 60-mile week including a 6th and final  20+ mile effort.  The final big-one will be in the Lyme Regis/Axeminster area, so plenty of hills!

Then, the hard work will have been done and I can enjoy a 3-week taper.  Despite a 'wobbly' couple of weeks, I think  my overall 12-week preparation has been on a par with that of 4 years ago.  I suspected in 2010 that a 9 week block with a 3 weeks taper (rather than 12+3) would have been better.  My 2014 preparation has confirmed to me that 9+3 would suit me better.

Rotterdam - 5 weeks to go and...

... I have a bad week to process, get over etc

The Nike Milton Keynes half-marathon was meant to confirm how well my training is going, how strong I am in mind and body, maybe produce a PB and indicate the stunning marathon-time I might shortly achieve and in general bolster my confidence (as the same race did 4 years ago).  None of this came to pass.  After 48 hours of sulky self-doubt and loss of motivation, I think I am emerging from the gloom. 

I don't think there is cause for concern re the main event in Rotterdam.  Just recently I've felt on fire and was flying.  The problem is I ran a very hard week up to 7 days before Milton Keynes, including a 3rd consecutive Sunday run of 20+ miles.  This is only a problem if you expect to run a good 13.1 mile race a week later and also did not ease off sufficiently in the week immediately preceding.  In 2010, rather than completing 66 miles 7 days before the race, I'd been ill and had completed 16 miles.  This was an an unintentional mini-taper which should have penned-in this time!

This what I put on the NHRR forum when I got home last Sunday...

I registered only my 2nd-ever DNF in 8 years of running! When your legs feel a bit tired after 3 miles (most of which was downhill or flat) and you've had enough by 6 miles, something is telling you it's not your day. I contemplated stopping at about 8 miles, but made it to 10 where I knew of a shortcut back to the car-park. By this time my calves were begging (rather than their earlier polite requests) to go home too.

This has put a rather large dent in my confidence re the marathon, but hopefully it's just due to overdoing it a bit and under-doing the 'mini-taper' for this race. I might have to ease off this week before putting in one final heave next week before the 3 week taper into Rotterdam.

Rotterdam Diary - 6 weeks to go

Getting exited!

Just 3 weeks to the taper now and 6 weeks to the the race. I am managing my highest ever consistent mileage and am feeling strong again after my easier week. I might even be in something close to the shape I was 4 years ago, which would be really quite something. Next Sunday's half-marathon sharpener in Milton Keynes should be a good indicator of where I am.

• Good Tuesday session with 3Miles at 6:00 pace, 2Miles at 5:52-pace and 1Mile at 5:49 pace
• Very encouraging 20.7-miler in windy conditions at 6:59-pace with an average HR of only 135
• Very encouraging 11.2 miles marathon-effort in good conditions (av HR = 148) > 6:23 pace. 
• 5 runs of over 20 miles now completed (2 to go before taper)
• 66 mile week (highest ever) - target peak before taper = 70
• 6-week rolling weekly-average mileage = 59 (highest ever) - target peak before taper = 62
• Last 4 weeks; 59, 64, 56, 66

Rotterdam Diary - 7 weeks to go

An easier week

I was ready for an easier week as I was feeling tired and also picked up a cold.

• No speedwork
• No marathon-pace effort
• Mileage reduced (56)
• 20.1 mile-run in very windy conditions, so pace much reduced from around 7:10 to 7:27.  Av HR just 132
• 6-week rolling weekly-average = 57
• Last 4 weeks' mileage: 59, 59, 64, 56

Rotterdam Diary - 8 weeks to go

Another solid week

• 64 mile-week
• 6 week-rolling weekly-average mileage = 56
• 11.8 mile section of 2nd long run at marathon effort (av 146 bpm) with 6:30 pace - very windy!
• 21.7 mile run completed in 2hr 35min (7:09 pace) - av HR 135 bpm

Rotterdam Diary - 9 weeks to go

Training adaptations kicking in well

• 16.2 mile run in very windy conditions, but with an average pace of 7:00/mile and an average HR of only 132 bpm.  This is very encouraging.
• 10.1 mile segment of a longer run at marathon HR-effort (148 bpm) with an average pace of 6:24.
• 3x 1.7M Dive Centre Loop at 10k effort - average 9:56/rep (5:50 mile-pace) - only a shade below my best ever session on this route 4 years ago (average 9:53/rep) when in my best-ever shape.  However, last week's session was only off 90s recoveries vs 2 mins in 2010!  
• Mileage last week = 59 (last 4 weeks 56, 51, 59, 59)

Rotterdam Diary - 10 weeks out

Working hard and feeling good!

• 21 miles at 7:13 pace (2hr 30min) in breezy conditions - Av HR just 137 bpm
• 8s per rep improvement since Nov 2013 on 3x 1.6-mile Bedford Rd 10k-pace session!
• 2nd long-run contained 9 mile marathon HR effort (av 148 bpm) - very windy, hence 6:35 pace (compared with sub 6:30-pace for previous efforts)
• 6 week rolling average mileage now standing at 49 (last 3 weeks 56, 51 and 59)

Rotterdam Countdown - 11 weeks to go

Starting to feel stronger

• A good week’s training done (51 miles) and feeling good
• 6 week rolling-average weekly-mileage now standing at 47
• Another good marathon HR-effort (10 miles), generating an encouraging average pace of 6:29
• 16.5 mile run on the Sunday, easing down a little ready for another 20+ effort next weekend.  Happy with 7:08 pace for this, given low average HR and awful weather!
• Promising 5k-pace workout (2.5s/mile quicker than same session on 3rd Dec)  

Click to enlarge

The graph to to the left shows a comparison of my 2010 preparation vs 2014 (to-date and planned).  Due to illness (and perhaps doing too many 20-mile+ runs too soon) mileage peaked around 9 weeks before the race rather than 3 in 2010.  Hopefully (as projected in the graph) this time will see me peaking at the right time with a higher mileage.