So all that stuff you read in your magazines seems to be 100% true and if you do all the right things it really does make a massive difference. A full 9 hours sleep is definitely better preparation than staying up till after 2am to win $24 at poker. Eating an early breakfast of food that will be digested before the run starts makes a real difference. Actually working out the right amount of fluid and fuel for the run does leave you in a reasonable state to get through the last 2 miles. Eating pasta the night before the run rather than a spag bol does help as does running at 80% pace rather than trying to run faster than ever before over the longest distance you have ever managed. One well planned run and I'm back on track, I can actually see myself running across the line on the 22nd April with 26.2 miles in the bag.
On the multi-sport front everything looks set for the Marlow Duathlon, just have to wait for that confirmation email before I start packing my bags. I'm still not 100% decided on my first triathlon, but Kent on the 27th of May is looking favourite. I think I'll invest in some clip on aero bars, not sure I will have time to get them in place and set up properly for my next event, but by May I should be ready and able.
Week 9
Monday is sooo a rest day, I know I'm feeling good when compared to being a member of the living dead, but I'm still pretty knackered. Surprisingly my calves feel okay, but the rest of my lower body is feeling very much like the legs of a wilder beast that has been out running after a lion for a week only to find a better looking male has run off with Mrs Beast. As with most Mondays now I satisfy my triathlon craving with reading magazines and looking at sexy bits of kit I'm never going to be able to afford.
Tuesday I usually like to do a spin class, but work is pretty full on at the moment and with so much to do it's hard to find the time early doors or lunch time or before dinner, so I comfort myself with a 2 hour turbo training session well after my dinner had gone down. This weeks film was Predators, not too bad considering it's at least the third of four outings for this franchise. Normally by number 4 all the good stuff has been done and the film studios are just milking it. The good thing was it was action all the way so not being able to hear some of the pointless dialogue didn't diminish my enjoyment of the film at all. This gave it a butt rating of over an hour, say 65 minutes which was slightly better than Paycheck last week, although I have seen it before. At some stage I'll produce a full butt rating film list that may come in useful.
Marlow confirmation received, happy days
Wednesday, yes that will be swimming day, or not as work has gone from full on to off the scale. The only time I have for any exercise is after Debbie gets home from work at just before 11 o'clock. Not the ideal time to train, but beggars can't be choosers so a late night run of 4.4 miles it is. 4.36 miles is the distance of both running legs in the Marlow duathlon so its a good bit of prep for next Sunday. I have mentioned it before but I do actually enjoy running at night, the roads are clear plus it's nice and cool. I run the miles at a good lick to see how I'll feel in the race and I reckon I should be able to keep within my leader +50% time target.
Thursday I usually like to do at least 2 session, but like yesterday work just doesn't allow any time for anything beyond bashing away at my laptop's keyboard. By the time the wife gets home from work I'm not awake enough to mange any kind of strenuous workout. If I really wanted to I could have gone out for a run, but I'm so tired that it would just be wasted miles. I listen to my body and give it up as a bad idea. So as not to see the day wasted completely I do summon up enough energy to do 30 minutes of core exercises. I've let them slip from my sessions and I really need to start putting some back in again.
With Thursday pretty much a blow out I decide to put a bit extra into Friday. Work is still manic so I can't get my run in until just before tea time. 7 miles is on the planner so I decide to run down to the pier and back, 7.5 miles. I know I shouldn't be overdoing it as I have nearly 20 miles to run on Sunday, but with the Reading half marathon less than a month away I wanted to get an idea if my 1:45:00 target time is achievable. So I give it a rip. 59:51 later and I've hit my target time, not sure if i can hold it together for the full 13.1 miles, but at least I know it's in the realms of possibility. Just time for some dinner and then an hour of cricket nets.
Sunday is here and that means 19.4 miles to cover. The legs don't feel too bad and I get up early enough to have a small breakfast like last week. Drinks ready, kit ready, a good stretch completed, watch checked and off we go. The first 300 metres seems like a real effort, after that I get into it and manage the usual pains and aches right up until about 5 miles in when I decide to bite the inside of my mouth twice while eating my rather tasty energy bar. Blood tastes horrible but the pain in my mouth gives me something to think about and before you know it I'm 9 miles in. My route along the sea front is packed with people as the sun is out. It's actually warm and I long for the light drizzle of last week. I follow the eating and drinking plan from last week; carrying a second drink is annoying, but the benefit out weighs the annoyance factor and the way it affects my running. Things don't get that tough until the last mile or so when everything starts to ache and a sharp pain behind my right knee affects my stride. Nothing too major though and 3:06:10 later I'm at home and thankful that I only have to run this kind of distance 3 more times in my life. Time to empty the fridge.
Training this week
Swimming 0 hours
Cycling 2 hours
Running 4.5 hours
Cross training 1 hour
Core work 0.5 hours
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