The campaign begins

[stillwaddler]

well actually, it sort of stutters a bit. I fished out good old Hal's schedule to share with my nearest and dearest Mr SW My Marathon Mate for next year. He winced a bit and ignored the first midweek runs, however I dragged him to the gym for the planned 7 miles this weekend as the pavements are lethal with ice so no chance of running outdoors. He was knackered afterwards and that's putting it politely! but fair play to him he doggedly went back on Tuesday for the next planned 3! I'm just about managing the schedule, but things very busy with Christmas festivities and I don't finish work until today. Then there is just the little matter of Christmas itself, as usual everyone is descending on us so it will be 9 at table for Christmas lunch, 11 for Boxing day and 15 for the Monday following. Just hope there are enough sprouts left on the lottie! and I still haven't iced the Christmas cake, ah well.

[stillwaddler]

have been pottering out as per Hal's marathon (Snickers?) regime. The 10 miler a week ago was duly completed but at a pace a little slower than I would have liked, averaging at about 11 minute miles, but only walking up a very steep section of steps and hill in the park. At least Mr SW was game to do attempt it, which I'm taking as a Good Sign.

This weekend the planned 7 was taken at a slightly brisker pace, average of 10.5 minute miles, again walking up the dreaded steps. Rain was sluicing down the whole time, my beanie hat was heavy with the stuff by the time I got home, had to ring it out! My calves, just above the the achilles, are quite sore today. I'll try stretching them out and massaging them a little to see if it helps, it's not something I usually suffer with. it's a 12 next weekend - ouch! getting older is not making things easier.

[marathondan]

Good work SW! If you can bank most of the planned miles and stay injury free then you will arrive at the start line in fine shape. It sounds like you and I are fairly synchronised in our training now - I too have just done the 7 miler, and have 12 this week. This is when it gets serious - double digit runs every week, and the midweek distances starting to creep up too.

I'm guessing those steps are the cause of your achilles / calf trouble?

I don't know how anyone can run in a beanie hat. As you may know I am blessed with zero insulation on top, but unless the temperature is close to freezing I feel the need to take my cap off after a couple of miles. Last night in the rain was no exception.

Keep up the good work Mr & Mrs SW!

[stillwaddler]

Cheers MD! It is strangely comforting to know that Hal's schedule is synchronising our training at opposite ends of the country but with the same final goal! i.e. I'm glad someone else is suffering too;-) I am cheating a bit with the mid week runs and only doing the distance I have time for at lunch times, probably pan out at not much more than three miles for each of the three mid week outings, but I'll make sure at least one of those is a slightly quicker affair to make up for the lack of mileage.

I wouldn't normally run in a hat at all, but it was raining cats and dogs and I thought about a baseball cap to keep the rain out of my eyes, but it was far too windy for that, at least the beanie caught some of the drips. It did get hot but I couldn't be bothered to take it off and carry it.

How's the stick of rock idea shaping up??

[marathondan]

I'm sticking to the specified midweek durations, but only running two of them (three per week in total).

Stick of rock is coming along, have purchased some materials, will post some design sketches here in a while to solicit feedback!

[stillwaddler]

I can't wait!! Does it involve pink lycra;-)

[marathondan]

No it involves two children's play tunnels and lots of gaffer tape. Think It's a Knockout!

[Sweder]

Steady progress SW, the best kind. I've opted for the 'none is more' program of not running at all in the week and flogging myself mercilessly on increasingly long, hilly, muddy runs on Sundays only. I may have to come up with a pithy epiphette for such devout if unorthodox behaviour.

Keep up the good work. You're right on pace with the Jog Shop/ Brighton group. Most of them did 9 or 11 this Sunday, looking to move up to 12 next weekend.

[stillwaddler]

12 was done duly 'done' yesterday. The pace was just a smidge quicker than last week. We had the perfect preparation for it the night before - 4 pints of good strong beer each and an excellent Rusholme curry, oh, and I didn't get any breakfast beforehand, I did chomp a couple of wine gums along the way 'though.
Something tells me I should be taking the training more seriously perhaps?

[marathondan]

Something tells me I should be taking the training more seriously perhaps?

I disagree -- no food for 12 hours, dehydrated, hung over, a variety of mildly toxic chemicals swilling around your system.... sounds like you have simulated Mile 20 very well. If you can knock out 12 miles from that point with just a couple of wine gums then you're in good shape!

[stillwaddler]

So MD, you think I might have come up with the perfect training method for the post 20 mile section. You could be right!!! How are the play tunnels shaping up? I still think you should add a modicum of pink lycra for the full effect;-)

[stillwaddler]

13 miles didn’t seem too daunting a prospect after the 12 we had done just a week ago but this was to be a very different run (did I say run? stagger more like), both of us felt lethargic right from the start.
We began well below last week’s average pace and although we managed to pick it up for a couple of miles we ended very slowly. Mr SW found the last couple of miles particularly hard. 13 and a bit miles in 2hours 26 and a bit, but, I’m not going to beat myself up about it, sometimes you just have a lousy run, the mileage was banked and so it’s onwards and upwards. Next weeks scheduled long run is a step down to 10, bliss, I’m almost looking forward to it.

[marathondan]

...I’m not going to beat myself up about it, sometimes you just have a lousy run, the mileage was banked and so it’s onwards and upwards.

Wise words SW. It's all grist to the mill, and after the step-back week you'll be fresh to tackle the next challenge...

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

What's the latest SW? Still on track?