3 Weeks To Go

A good weeks training. No injury worries - legs actually feel quite good. Sunday saw my longest nonstop run ever 24 miles done in under 3hrs 30mins - i could have walked another 2 and still have been quicker than my best marathon time. I have hit the wall around 21/22 miles for the previous two marathons so to keep going until 24 was great. I actually got a tad excited and was to be seen punching the air after finishing. Probably the most excited and pumped up I have ever been after finishing a training run. The taper off has started now so hopefully the legs arent going to feel as tired and I should start to get a bit more refreshed. 3 or 4 sessions this week with a long run of 20/21 possibly on Mothers Day so I will need to be on my best behaviour to get away with that one.

4 Weeks To Go

Ok no excuse but working hard, studying for my MSc, training for the marathon, two boys, and writing a blog one thing had to give and it was this but hopefully for the next 4 weeks I will be here and let you know what the run in is going to be like.

Whats happened over the last few weeks.

RACES

Parbold Hill Race - Hill being the word you need to take from that - After running up numerous ridiculously steep hills we encountered a bizarre situation were you are stood at the top of a hill you have known most of your life to be the highest peak in the vicinity and the relief that the next 4 miles must be downhill you then somehow manage to keep on running uphill but somehow end up back at the start. How we got back to that point I will never know, and running through farmers fields is also not the easiest thing in the world. Other than that it was a cracking race and a brilliant change from the usual tarmac slog. A big thanks to Paul & Chris for running it as well, and a special well done to Chris who managed to kick for home in the last 5 metres to leave me trailing 3rd out of the there of us. Cross Country, trail running and fell running will be the next challenges - just dont tell the wife.

The only road race I am doing this year before the marathon was the Great North Western Half Marathon - lets get the times out of the way first I was 8 1/2 mins slower than last year whilst Paul was 12 1/2 mins slower. But thankfully I didn't need to dip on the line to edge out the 8 min/miler who also happened to be a woman. A funny old race, besides the mad wind that hit you each time we turned back north, I got a stitch which i never do and also felt a bit sick after about six miles which I never do, usually after 21 and I bring the whole works back up. It is a good flat race but i guess we both just werent up for record breaking this time. Would like to come back and do it when there is no wind but I think after this year my running time is going to be seriously challenged by my better half.

INJURIES

These have been bad this year and much worse than any of the previous 2 years - which basically means I am going to run the best time I have ever done.

Dodgy left knee - became very sore and at times felt like it was just bone on bone grinding - would cease up on a night and would hurt and become stiff though the night but somehow and I have no idea how it just went. Very dull little pain now but gives me no grief what so ever.

Achilles on the right leg, very sore, very stiff and basically could hardly walk. Not sure if this was down to the trainers but after stamping all over the back of the trainers it seemed to disappear so unless it was just the stiffness of the shoe rubbing constantly as I was running that was causing it i dont know but that also was bloody sore.

Shin Splints (We believe) - right leg - ridiculously sore and painfull - 18mile run done in wigan then later that week leg started to hurt could hardly walk, no training done and just stupid pain, 21 mile run done at home following sunday daft as it is rested felt ok ish so did it once the adrenelin kicked in forgot about the pain, then that night leg swelled up to about 20 times its normal size - ice pack on and compression socks finally brought the swelling down - very very sore then - x-rays done following morning but didnt show any fractures so nurse believes shin splints. Told to rest and it has been ok since.

TRAINING

Very mixed bag last few weeks with all the old injures etc etc. 18 miles in Wigan was tough, very hilly really shoudnt have done so many hills. A big thanks to Swav who joined me for the last 10miles and dragged me through it. Though it did give him the chance to look ridiculously fit and healthy next to me. A 20 mile run the the outlaws which culminated in me "sprinting" the last mile to try and get under a certain time which I achieved - not sure what I was really playing at there but the mind does play funny tricks on you after 3 hours of running the streets. A couple of 21 mile runs over the last 2 weekends both very good and over 10 secs a mile quicker that what i had been doing up until then so very pleased with that - might not sound a lot but it is to me and is a big "get in". I just wish the lock keeper would shut the canal gates in Castleford as for 2 weeks now they have been left open and it means that after 12 miles I have to run up and over a very steep foot bridge and let me tell you that aint easy. 1 last long run this sunday which i hope to try and do 24miles - I seem to have a barrier at 21 and just cant seem to break through it so I am trying a new pace tactic this week and will see if I can crawl past it. A short 18miler the following week so that should be like a little stroll in the park then.

Number has come through 40350, not sure what pen i am in or what start i go from but the number really does mean it ain't that far away.

WEIGHT LOSS

Very brief - there hasnt been any - compared to the last 2 years I am well over a stone heavier - was about 14.10 the other day last year I think i ran at 13.5 so still a bit of work to do.

Stats so far

Week 12 - 31.1miles - avg pace - 8.34min miles

Total - 457 miles - avg pace - 9.01min miles

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