Faster, further, stronger

I only have one 12 mile run during this schedule and I had planned on running the Ealing Half Marathon course but instead ran one of my favourite routes down the Thames Path to Richmond and back via Syon House and the canal to Ealing. Pretty much 12 miles although my watch ran out of battery with 3 miles to go so I had to guess the distance for the last bit. Turns out I was half a mile over which I suppose is better than half a mile under.

This week my speed session was 4x1200m which although not easy is starting to become easier as I get fitter and lighter. I finished the session in under 50 minutes which was a pleasant surprise. Next week though is a pyramid session with an extra mile in the middle (400m, 800m, 1200m, 1600m and then stepping back down to 400m). At least the mile is run at a slightly slower pace but it should be a big test of my fitness.

My tempo run this week is going to be a mile longer. They increase by a mile every three weeks so that by the time of the marathon I'm running 10 miles at tempo pace. This week though is 7 miles. I don't mind the tempo runs, the tempo pace is effectively marathon pace so it's a good indicator of how I should feel on the day.

My longest run this week is on Saturday, 10 miles, with only 8 miles on Sunday. I might run the canal route again that I did two weeks ago but slightly extend the first run. It's getting lighter all the time in the morning so there's no problem anymore in running along the path, just so long as it isn't raining or freezing. Puddles can be a right pain, and frozen puddles even more so!

My weight keeps coming down at the moment. I'm sure it'll plateau eventually but it's looking good and I'm almost in the ideal BMI zone. This time next week I should be so long as I keep away from the drinks cabinet.

Saturday 24/01/2015

Weight - 82.5kg - BMI 25.1

Waist/Hip - 94/100 - 94%

Going in the right direction

So, two weeks without alcohol, new shoes, new training schedule and things are starting to fall in place.

This morning I ran 5x1km fast. Last year when I did this session I struggled and had to stop a couple of times to get my breath back. Today I hit the right pace and completed the session feeling great. Speed sessions are like that. I start off hating them but as the weeks go by I get fitter and faster and begin to look forward to them as a challenge rather than dreading them as a punishment. Next week will be 4x1200m which I am now really looking forward to.

The weather is getting colder, dropping to below zero overnight which can be a bit of a shock to the senses first thing in the morning. But after about five minutes of running I'm warmed up and don't notice the freezing cold. Also, I'm still wearing a short sleeve top and shorts although if it gets any colder I may dig out the long sleeve tops.

Last week I ran two sessions of 8 miles on Saturday and Sunday. It was just light enough in the morning to be able to run along the canals around here. It's still too dark to run in the parks but as we head towards BST I hope to be able to get off the streets more and more.

Having said that, this weekend I've got a 12 mile run on Sunday and will probably follow the Ealing Half Marathon route. It's got a fair bit of hills in it which should help build up my stamina more. It was after this run last year that I had to give up the Hanson training schedule because I was suffering from shin splints. I've had nothing like that this year. A few muscle groans as my feet and legs get used to the new running shoes but they seem to have adapted now.

My weight has dropped dramatically since last week which either means last week was an anomaly or I've been starving myself. Considering I definitely haven't been too careful with my diet I suspect it to be the former. Also, my waist has dropped by a cm. So it's all going in the right direction at the moment.

Saturday 17/01/2015

Weight - 83.6kg - BMI 25.5

Waist/Hip - 95/100 - 95%

New shoes

I normally have two pairs of running shoes on the go at the same time. Rotating between them so they have time to recover between runs as well as apparently being better for my feet since they won't become used to just one pair.

My old running shoes were well past the date when they should be replaced. The rule of thumb is to replace them after every 400 miles. Mine had both gone past 600 miles. Time for a couple of new pairs.

Recently I've worn Brooks and Asics. This time I've decided to go for Nike and Asics. I fancied the new Lunarglide 6 since they've had good reviews. Here's a couple of photos of me wearing them before I take them out:

Nike Lunarglide 6

The Nikes have a great feel to them. Very responsive. I took then out for a 10 miler on Sunday, they passed with flying colours.

Asics GT 2000 v2

The new Asics are very similar to my old pair and respond exactly the same. I've worn them twice including for a speed session. They should both last until the marathon at the end of April.

My training schedule is tough but not beyond me. I still dread the Tuesday speed sessions but I've not failed one yet. Next week is 5x1k at 5k pace. That will be hard and was my breaking point last year. Fingers' crossed and all that.

Here's my training schedule for January:

As you can see, it's quite intense!

I've also decided to weigh myself in every week. I'm carrying a lot of extra timber since Christmas and I'm hoping that the running combined with not drinking (1 week so far with no drink!) will help me lose weight. My target weight is 78kg although I'll be happy to get down to 80kg with a BMI of less than 25. Also, I'm going to measure my waist/hip ratio as this is also a good indicator of health. It should be below 95% for a male, and ideally below 85%.

Saturday 10/01/2015

Weight - 85.6kg - BMI 26

Waist/Hip - 96/100 - 96%

If I can reduce these figures over the next few months I'll be extremely happy and it should help my marathon time too.

New year, new marathon training

Well it's been a while since my last entry. I hadn't really done much since then, just ticking over with four runs a week with a long-ish run on Sundays.

As I mentioned before, I'm planning on running the Shakespeare marathon in Stratford following the Hanson marathon training method (no runs longer than 16 miles).

As I write this I'm at the beginning of week 3 of 18. All the runs are at least 6 miles long with a speed session on Tuesday, tempo run on Thursday and a rest day on Wednesday. It's pretty tough since the distances run are spread over the week rather than smaller runs during the week with a much longer run on the weekend that other training plans seem to follow.

I hadn't planned it but the training plan actually started on Christmas day! I always go for a run first thing on Christmas day anyway, it just so happens that this time I was starting my training. We were staying with my parents in Swansea so I had the added excitement of running in a different environment than I usually do. Six miles at 7am running down a cycle path along a disused railway track. What better way to begin the festivities? It was pitch black and I could barely see the path in front of me. It's odd but if I were to walk along there in the dark it would probably make me slightly wary but stick a pair of running shorts on and I'm happy to run pretty much anywhere. It's all a matter of perspective.

My weight has gone up over the last couple of months. Christmas celebrating has taken its toll. I'm about 6kg more than I want to be (just less than a stone in old money). To counter this I have decided to give up alcohol for the next four months until after the marathon. I'm not going to be super strict about it, I'll make exceptions for special occasions (if we go out for a meal etc) but generally I will not be drinking at all in the house. To be honest I'm looking forward to going without the booze, I'm hoping it will help me lose my excess weight quicker. Going back to work after the holiday break I struggled to get my trousers on they were so tight around the waist!

I have a 10 mile long run this Sunday. It's still too dark to run by the canal so I'll have to find a street route I can follow. It's never as interesting running along the streets as it is on the canals (unless it takes me into central London) but until the sun starts getting up earlier I'll have to make do.