Judith's Marathon Journey

After a rest day yesterday, I went to the gym to run intervals on the treadmill. The plan was 7x800m at about 10k race pace, with 2 minutes jogging between each interval. I managed OK, covering 9km in all. It was hot work in the gym, but I felt pretty good, and gradually increased the interval pace up to about 5k race pace.

Although it can be uncomfortably hot running in the gym, I can feel more confident about hitting the pace I want. It’s also easier than running in the wind! However, I’ll almost always do my tempo runs outside – just so that I get the feel of running hard into the wind!

Took a rest day on Friday – and then it took me until the end of Saturday to force myself out for an easy 5k run!

Today I ran 14km, with an increase in speed over the last 4km. It was a very windy morning, and I felt hampered by that for most of the run, especially those last 4km. I couldn’t say this was one of my better runs, although I guess 1hr:35min isn’t too bad considering the wind.

My sacroiliac joint was aching during and after the run, although some time with a cold pack on it has helped.  I also felt some soreness in my right achilles tendon – but that disappeared later in the run.

I haven’t yet entered the February half – and I’m worried about injury again. But if I can get through next weekend’s 16km run, I’ll feel much better about it, and hopefully will enter then.

Don’t you hate it when Christmas Day coincides with a rest day???  Fortunately, not today!

My training called for a 6k tempo run – actually, it called for a 3k tempo run, but I mis-read the plan and did that last week! So this morning I ran 8k, with the tempo at an average of about 6:15min/km – which was ab0ut right. The first 3k of this section made hard work, running into a northerly stronger than I expected, but that made the return much easier!

I found it hard to find enough breath to wish all the other runners/walkers a happy Christmas – had to make do with a smile and a grunt! Highlight of the run was the sight of a ‘pelaton’ of cyclists I encountered near Hataitai Beach! There must have been 30 of them! I gave them a clap and a wave (given I couldn’t shout out!) and got some friendly waves back!

Tried a new recipe for breakfast afterwards – pumpkin porridge!  Delicious, but a bit too fiddly for everyday!

No Express Fit, of course – but the gym was still open, so I made up my own circuit!  Good work, me!

After a rest day yesterday, I thought I’d be ready for the double training today. ExpressFit is off the menu until mid-January, so I just did a basic circuit at the gym this morning. I was hoping for a good 5km time this evening, but again I was disappointed with my effort. There wasn’t a strong wind, so that wasn’t really the problem. But it was very hot (for Wellington, that is!) and I just couldn’t get into a strong rhythm. I actually felt a bit stronger than last week, but my time was even slower – 29:55.

I’ll try to be philosophical! I guess it’s unrealistic to expect that my time will keep going down. And it was warm….

I won’t be doing the 5k series again until February – the Tuesday speed sessions are just about to get longer and more challenging!

Another week has gone by, and another week on track. Having this blog is keeping me honest, even if no-one is reading it!

Today was the first of my ‘long’ runs in the build-up to the February half – at a mere 12km, it was just a taster of what is to come! My route through Newtown, Berhampore, down to Island Bay and back around the South Coast, has plenty of hills, and the last 3-4km was an effort into a strengthening northerly.  I did the same run a couple of weeks back, and today’s run was almost 3 minutes quicker (82min) – regrettably, I think the improvement says more about the wind that first day than my fitness!  Still, I felt reasonable at the end, so hopefully next week’s 14km won’t be too horrendous!

I did the run today in the middle of the day – just to get used to running in the heat – because that could well be the case in February, even if it’s an early start. And, of course, my marathon in Masterton in October is almost certain to be run in heat!

Am pretty weary – hoping for a good night’s sleep!

On Wednesday I ran 7k at a leisurely pace – I actually felt slightly better than in the race on Tuesday – although the old gluts were really, really sore! Then I had a weights session.

Thursday – Express Fit – a good hard workout. Afterwards I even renewed this for another 6 months, because I’m actually enjoying it!

On Friday I was a lot busier than I expected to be – or more disorganised, maybe! The wind was quite strong, so I elected to run on the treadmill – unfortunately I lost track of time and by the time I got there, I only had time for 4k. But I was happy with my pace – I did 20 minutes at 10k race pace, and the 4k took just over 25 minutes.

Today I had a longer run, mostly on the treadmill, and including ‘hill’ spurts – about 6k in 40:35. Then I took to the weights again.

I’m afraid I had a ‘nana nap’ this afternoon!

This morning’s Express Fit was hard work! I think it took too much out of me, because my run tonight was a shocker!

I had been looking forward to a gale-free Tuesday to see just how fast I could run the 5k – and tonight was the night! Light southerly, although quite warm – thought this would be it.  But had no strength in my legs, and just couldn’t get into a rhythm. My time was a disappointing 29:50, more than a minute slower than last week!

I’m not sure what the problem was – I’ve run after doing Express Fit classes all season. Maybe it was the heat – that’s Wellington heat, so not exactly sweltering. Or maybe I didn’t have enough to eat at lunchtime?

Next week there won’t be a class, so it will be interesting to see if that does make a difference.

A beautiful morning for a run!  Light southerly, so ran around just past Island Bay and back – checking on Map My Run, it seems it was a wee bit more than my intended 10k, so probably about 6 1/2 minutes per km!

It did feel a bit slower – not my best day – but happy enough.

The coming week sees a ramp up in intensity again, as I start training for the Round the Bays half-marathon – now 10 weeks away.

Have really cut back on volume and intensity this week, with an eye to ramping up the training next week.

On Thursday, all I did was the Express Fit class…. I did intend to run an easy 5k later, but had a bit of an upset stomach.  As it was a rest week, I decided to give it a miss.

I didn’t feel much better yesterday – so an extra rest day!

Today, drizzly this morning, so just 3k on the treadmill, after cricket.

Nice and easy does it!