Marathon Training Week 6

This week has shown how a running schedule has to be adaptable to events beyond our control. Namely work sent me to the Netherlands from Tuesday to Thursday on business. This is where Google and Mapmyrun come into their own. Knowing where I was staying I was able to work out a 3 mile circular route for the two runs I needed to do on Wednesday and Thursday (9 miles and 6 miles respectively). I woke up at 6am on Wednesday morning and headed out for 3 laps of the route, only to be faced with a freezing coldness the likes of which I had never faced before. I had only packed my shorts and t-shirt and after one lap I was so cold I had to face the truth and call it a day. Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Waking the next morning at 6am I checked the temperature on my iPhone weather app and found it was -5 (-9 with wind chill!) so my sensible gene took over and I went back to bed. Disappointing but practical.
Next week I have to go back to the Netherlands so I am going to pack some cold weather gear (and thus will break my hope of running all winter in t-shirt and shorts, although I'll still wear my shorts. Some things are set in stone!).

The week started as normal with a four mile leg loosener. Tuesday saw my first hill session of the schedule. Ten reps. I had decided to try a new hill that was not so steep as the hill I had normally used. This had a modicum of success but the hill wasn't long enough so I ran the last four reps back on the "steep" hill. Next week I have twelve reps and will go back to the tried and tested hill. It may be a bit steeper than ideal but at least it's long enough.

Saturday morning was the regular five mile run. It was good to get back in the groove after the disappointments of mid-week.

This morning's long run was an 18 miler. As soon as I woke up I didn't fancy it. Not physically but mentally. I wasn't sure what route I was going to take and I had overslept by half an hour so knew my run wouldn't finish until about 10am which may not sound like much but I really like to be back in the house before 9am and if not then shortly afterwards. But, I had already missed a run and a half this week and from experience I know that you never regret doing a run, only missing one. So on with the gear and out through the door before any more doubts crept into my head. It was a cold morning. Not Netherlands cold but still in the minus zero territory and I still (foolishly?) ran in my shorts and t-shirt, a decision I regretted for about 15 of the 18 miles until I warmed up for the last 3 miles and felt reasonably comfortable (given the conditions). I cannot wait for the temperature to heat up. I made up a route that covered some familiar ground but also went down some roads I had never been before which tested my homing instincts. I managed to get back into familiar territory and was then able to utilise my knowledge of some extremely familiar roads to make up the distance and finish the run.

A problem I haven't faced for ages has started again, namely nipple rub. I will have to get out the surgical tape which can be almost as painful removing as if I didn't put any on at all!

Anyway, here's this morning's run which took in a meandering route that shows I really didn't know where I was going.

Next week is more hills (12 reps), hopefully two runs in the Netherlands (10 miles and 7 miles respectively) and a long run of 20 miles (the first of three over the next few weeks). Let's hope the weather warms up!

Location:Ealing,United Kingdom