Training Log Archive: bendover

was out late on saturday night with franchi and friends, got in at 3am, not too boozy though so just took a long lie in to recover. got up at 1pm, and had my standard race breakfast of a hard boiled egg, cereal, and a slice of toast with jam. mooched around the apartment for a bit and did some foam rolling, then took the train out to case de campo. by this time it was just after 4pm, and it had just started raining.

the plan was to drop franchi off at a cafe near Lagos station, and run 3 loops of around 6-7 miles from there, to make it 21 miles. i'd take on sports drink and water each time i passed by the cafe.

in spite of the rain, it was fairly mlld, so i decided to run in just shorts and vest. it was quite chilly for the first couple of miles on my arms, but i settled into things and after around 3 miles got into a good rhythm.

after 30 mins, the rain got heavier, and it was really pelting down when i got back to lagos for the first time. it stayed quite strong and heavy until around mile 14 when it eased for about 25 minutes, but was steady again for the last 3 miles. i slowed up a bit on the final lap; Casa De Campo is so much hillier than the routes that I run from home, and the sandy trails had really deteriorated from the heavy rain. I'd already decided at 15 miles to just push through and make it to 20 miles, which i did by running straight past franchi in the cafe at the end of my 3rd loop, and doing a lap of the lake to take me just over 20 miles.

all good i guess, that's the last long run done now, and in theory the taper starts tomorrow. i'm tempted to drop in one last hard intervals session this week though, just to make up for some of the weeks earlier in my marathon training when things didn't go right. Last year, my final long run was 19.95 much flatter miles in perfect conditions from home - flat, hard trails, and completed in 2.33.03. I can remember feeling totally destroyed at the end of that run. today i was definitely fatigued, but kept a similar average pace in tougher terrain, and felt much clearer in the mind at the end of the run. so i guess those are good signs.

a sensible 3 weeks now before race day. i'd like to drop a little bit of weight before then, still carrying a few extra unnecessary pounds. going to have a real good shot at bushy park run next saturday providing the conditions are right.

really easy recovery run with franchi, who is on her way back from injury.

Convoluted laps of Retiro.

This is shaping up to be a great running blog:

http://acceptableintheighties.wordpress.com/

C • Blog 5

Travelling to Madrid.

5 x 1 mile with 3 min rec in bushy park

first two reps mainly on trails; last 3 reps on the tarmac but in the dark.

6.01
6.03
5.59
5.58
5.59

pretty happy with that, tried to run smooth and with decent form, and practised thinking positively and applying motivational thoughts/mantras during the recoveries. slightly less new age than it sounds.

not long to go now.

proper tuesday legs.