English Half Marathon!

Yesterday I ran in the English Half Marathon.  You can read how I got on here!

Week 11 Marathon Training Starts...

with a busy day at work followed by some running speed intervals finishing off with some swim speed intervals, and I wonder why I feel tired!

Straight after work tonight I went for my run!  The plan stated a 4 mile easy run followed by 6 x 30 seconds at 8.00 to 8.20 minute mile pace with 2 minutes slow recovery in between.

My legs felt heavy initially but after the first mile or so they loosened up and I felt OK.  It was nice to run at an easy pace and I completed the 4 miles at a 9.34 minute mile pace. Then came the speed intervals and today the 30 seconds seemed to go by in a flash and I was delighted that I managed to maintain the pace (or faster) for all 6 intervals completing them in a 7.19, 7.04, 7.04. 8.17, 8.05, 8.14 minute mile pace!

I was delighted with this especially since it was on tired legs!  I ran a total of 5.50 miles at an average 9.45 minute mile pace!

My Heart rate monitor showed my average heart rate as 84% of max.  I still haven't worked out training by heart rate yet but I'm getting used to the numbers at the moment!

After my run and a shower I had a quick bite to eat before heading out again to the Tri Club swimming training session where the focus was on speed intervals!

Considering I had already done a run I managed to keep up with the others in my lane and swam a total of 2000 metres or 1.24 miles!

I am pleased with both my performances this evening!

WHOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!

Yesterday, I booked to go to Madrid for a weekend break in March with a couple of friends to run the Madrid Half Marathon!

I am very excited about it!  

I loved Barcelona Half Marathon so hoping Madrid is as enjoyable!

BRING IT ON!

End of week 10 Marathon Training!

My Week 10 stats look like this:

Running: 42.11 miles in 4 runs (6.87 in 1 trail run and 35.23 miles in 3 road runs).
Walking:  7.65 miles

Total Weekly Training Miles: 49.75 Miles


My total training for the marathon to date since 7th July 2014 is:

Running : 321.44 miles (47.11m trail and 274.33m road).
Swimming: 10.21 miles (2.74 m open water and 7.47m pool).
Walking: 123.27 miles
Cycling: 15.41 miles (15.41m Indoor)
Rowing: 2.49 miles (2.49m Indoor)
Cross Trainer: 1.52 miles
Hand Pedal: 2.75 miles

Total Training Miles: 477.09 Miles

Week 10 long run ... Done!

Today the marathon plan said I was to do a 20 mile LSR!

After going out last night with friends which resulted in overeating and downing copious amounts of Sangria I wasn't feeling the love for running when I got up this morning - particularly not the love for a 20 miler!

Anyhow, determination won and my husband offered to keep me company by traveling alongside me on his bike carrying all the necessary drinks etc.

I am bored with running the same routes locally so we decided to go to Preston and do the Guild Wheel circuit.  This also meant it would be safer for my husband on his bike too!

So we set off at around 10.15am for the 40 mile journey to Preston to "do" the Guild Wheel.

It was a glorious morning when we got there and started running/cycling at around 11am.

David alternated between cycling alongside me chatting and going off ahead and waiting for me to catch up.  

It was very hot, probably too hot to be running but thankfully we had plenty of fluids with us to keep me going!  One benefit of taking a chaperone with me!

It was a great route, and despite passing many cyclists I was surprised that we didn't come across very many runners!  To me it is an ideal running route! Picturesque and traffic free!

I felt great until mile 18 when I think I hit the wall! Despite fuelling up with gels and energy drinks I was sadly lacking in energy and did contemplate making my husband run so I could have the bike!

However, I didn't want to fail so pushed on and made it back to the car weary, hot but pleased to have persevered!  I think having company helped when the going got tough!

The plan had said to keep to a 9.20 to 9.40 pace and my average minute mile pace for the 20.81 miles was 9.41, so not too far off the mark!

I also wore my Heart Rate Monitor which confirmed I had worked hard with a average HR of 87% of max.

I am pleased that I have another long run behind me!

Week 10 Marathon Training

The start of week 10 began on tired legs after running in The Great North Run on Sunday.

However, I was determined to stick to the plan and the plan for Monday said speed intervals!

This consisted of 1 mile slow, before moving on to intervals of 0.62 mile keeping at a 8.05 to 8.15 minute mile pace followed by 1.5 minutes slow repeated 5 times finishing before finishing off with 1 mile slow.

It was another warm and muggy evening and I was feeling rather lacking in energy after a busy day at work but I gave myself a good talking to and managed to persuade myself to go!

I managed my one mile slow and did the first interval @ a 8.09 minute mile pace, followed by a too slow 8.24 minute mile pace.  I managed to speed up for my third interval which was @ a 8.11 pace but then slowed down for the 4th and 5th interval only managing a 8.27 and a 8.23 minute mile pace! 

The total run was 5.81 miles at an average 9.17 minute mile pace.  

Even though I didn't hit the correct pace goal I pushed as hard as I could and felt like I had worked exceptionally hard so all in all I am pleased with how it went - considering!

On Tuesday I had another interval run to do which I really, really struggled with!  My legs were objecting big time by now and they weren't going to be forced into running fast again!

The plan had been to run 3 x 2 mile speed intervals with 3 minutes slow run recovery in between.   Basically, after maintaining the first 2 mile split at a 8.46 minute mile pace it all ended up slow thereon afterwards!  The 2nd 2 mile split was at a 9.35 minute mile pace and the 3rd was at 9.25 minute mile pace! 

The total run was 8.62 miles at an average 9.26 minute mile pace!

I found this extremely hard work and  didn't enjoy it at all!

I was delighted to finally get a rest day on Wednesday - although I did get to have a good stretch at yoga!  This is the first yoga I have been to for a couple of months and it felt great to be back!

On Thursday night the plan was for a 7 mile easy run so I opted to go off road for a change!  With it being an easy run and with being off road I didn't look at my pace at all and it felt GOOD!

I just ran how my body and the terrain dictated and thoroughly enjoyed not having the pressure of hitting a certain pace!  

I even braved running through cows - all in all I had to go through 4 fields with cows in them!  Thankfully there was only on occasion where I had to go through the middle of the herd the other times I managed to scoot around them giving a very wide berth! I can't believe how brave I was!

The run ended up being 6.87 very enjoyable miles at a slow 10.36 minute mile pace!

My ankles and Achilles felt slightly uncomfortable when I got home but I think (I hope) that that is just the change in running terrain!  


Fingers crossed its not the start of anything sinister!

The Great North Run!

On Sunday I ran in my third Great North Run!  

To see how I got on click here!

End of week 9 Marathon Training!

My Week 9 stats look like this:

Running: 33.27 miles in 4 runs (5.57 in 1 trail run and 27.70 miles in 3 road runs).
Walking:  3.57 miles
Swimming: 2.12 miles 
(1.00 open water and 1.12 pool).

Total Weekly Training Miles: 38.96 Miles


My total training for the marathon to date since 7th July 2014 is:

Running : 279.34 miles (40.24m trail and 239.10m road).
Swimming: 10.21 miles (2.74 m open water and 7.47m pool).
Walking: 115.64 miles
Cycling: 15.41 miles (15.41m Indoor)
Rowing: 2.49 miles (2.49m Indoor)
Cross Trainer: 1.52 miles
Hand Pedal: 2.75 miles

Total Training Miles: 427.34 Miles

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!

Another race done!

Yesterday I ran Blackpool Hilton Illuminations Half Marathon.  

You can read all about my experience by clicking here!