Week 9 Marathon Training and GNR build up!

Week 9 is coming to a close and I have yet to blog about my training runs this week!

I have been very busy since going back to school on Tuesday!  It's been a shock to the system being back with the littlies after 6 weeks of relaxation but I am slowly getting a grip on reality now!

Monday was my last day of freedom so I decided to make the most of it and go on a trail run.  It was a very warm, humid but cloudy day.  I was still feeling tired and a little stiff from the half marathon the day before so I planned just to go gently.  I didn't want to get injured at this stage of the game!  The training plan was asking for a 6 mile steady run.  

I enjoyed going off road but found the run very hard as I didn't have much umph in my legs but I managed to persuade them to keep going for 5.57 miles although it was at a pitifully slow 12.23 minute mile pace!  I am going to blame the hills and tricky terrain for this!

Anyhow, in the hope that the water would sooth my weary limbs I decided to go to The Tri Club Swimming session on Monday evening despite feeling exhausted! The session was speed intervals! I'm not a speedy swimmer at the best of times but I stuck with it and managed 1.11 miles in total or 1800 metres or 72 lengths!

After a tiring day at work on Tuesday I had a 7 mile interval training run to tackle!

The plan stated 1 mile slow, 1 mile @ 8.10 to 8.20 pace, 90 secs slow, 1 mile @ 9.20 to 9.40 pace, 90 secs slow, 1 mile @ 8.10 to 8.20 pace, 90 secs slow, 1 mile @ 8.10 to 8.20 pace finishing with 1 mile slow.


My legs were still feeling heavy and it was another hot and humid evening!  After buying a Heart Rate Training book earlier in the week I decided to wear my Heart Rate Monitor for the first time in ages!

I managed to do the first 1 mile fast at a 8.10 minute mile pace, but couldn't sustain it for the other 2 and ended up running a 8.23 pace followed by a 8.35 pace  - so slightly slower than the goal!

However, I couldn't have done any more as I pushed myself as hard as I could to get these results on tired legs! Altogether I ran 7.05 miles at an average 9.23 minute mile pace!   My heart rate confirmed that I had worked hard as it showed my average HR was 91% of my maximum!

There is no rest for the wicked and my next run was the very next night, on Wednesday evening.  This time the plan stated a 7 mile run consisting of 1 mile slow, 5 miles @ 8.40 to 8.50 minute mile pace, finishing off with 1 mile slow.

I wasn't feeling the love for running by this point in the week as this was my forth run in a row and I was exceptionally tired! 

However, I wasn't going to let it get the better of me and off I went to try my best! I surprisingly managed to keep the pace for the first 3 fast miles running at a 8.47, a 8.44, then a 8.44 minute mile pace before slowing and doing the 4th fast mile at a 9.00 minute mile pace then I did one last push to manage a 8.53 minute mile pace for the final mile.  

Altogether, I ran 7.44 miles at an average 9.11 minute mile pace! 

I was quite pleased with that under the circumstances and thankfully that was my last run until The Great North Run tomorrow!

However, I was still not allowed to rest as on Thursday evening I went to Lake Windermere for the last Open Water Swimming training session of the season! 

Although it had been another warm and sunny day by the time we were swimming the water felt exceptionally chilly!  

I swam a mile and really enjoyed it despite being chilled to the bone! It took a long hot shower and a bottle of wine to warm me up!


I did no exercise Friday or Saturday so hopefully I will be fully recovered and raring to go tomorrow.  I plan to try experimenting with a positive split run and hope to start the first mile slow at around a 9.06 minute mile pace working up to a 8.46 minute mile pace.  I have never done this before so who knows what will happen!  As long as I get a sub 2 hour time I will be happy!

Pop back tomorrow to see how I fair!