Feeling fighting fit again (except for a niggling cough, which is going to be with me till the summer at this rate). A week off was a good policy. I'm actually well enough for a short long run tonight, but one more early night is too appealing. I could get used to the concept of taking the whole week off for a step-back - I wonder...? Anyway, a big week coming up, culminating in an 18-miler at the weekend.
Ah, back on the road with a 5 mile fartlek. The good thing about fartlek is that you can make it as easy or hard as you like. This one was probably... medium -- some good long strides blowing away dust if not yet rust from the muscles, while only really stretching the lungs to bursting point once or twice.
I'm feeling very refreshed after a week off -- I guess I'm very lucky that my couple of days below par didn't turn into anything worse. It's seems that nipping in the bud is a lesson for the future. I do wonder if a week off (maybe with a little cross-training) is actually the way to go before embarking on the hardcore, high-teens-mileage final push of a marathon campaign. Or is it actually exactly the worst time to be taking one's foot off the gas? Only time will tell.
Dan, from reading the odd article here and there it seems accepted that easing back 1 week in every 4 is good practice. Rest allows the body to adapt and rebuild; whilst easy runs help to flush out .... bad stuff .... from your muscles.
Obviously my comments are not particularly well researched; but I think you're in good company with this 'foot-off' approach before you tackle the big stuff.
Hope it goes well. Don't forget to stretch for 15 mins when you get home.
I agree... I'm already easing back every 4th week, in line with the Hal Higdon plan. What I'm advocating is more of a complete easing off... in fact there's no easing about it, I just mean doing bugger all.
Well anyway, the rest time is over for me -- 9 mile tempo session planned tonight, which I'm quite looking forward to. We'll see how long that sentiment lasts.
Lying awake last night panicking that the gorilla mask is going to be a disaster. Still haven't dared to send out the sponsorship email. A short test run is needed I think (before 14 miles in full costume planned for a couple of weeks time) -- maybe tomorrow night.
A great week ticked off. After the fartlek, I completed a good-length tempo run, a shade over 9 miles in 85 minutes. Maybe I could push even harder on these "quality" sessions, particularly as I always have several days' recovery. Maybe this week - the distances will be the same.
Friday night I popped out for a 5-minute jog in the mask and hairy hands, as a kind of technical test. Peripheral vision was much better than expected, no problems there. The real problem is drinking, as the mask mouth is not quite aligned with my own. So I need to either adapt the mask a bit, or fashion a custom bottle with a straw, that I can top up at the race day water stations.
Then last night, a really stonking 18 mile long run. Everything felt good, no real sticky patches, and finished with apparently plenty left in the legs and the engine room. I think the flirtations with the Wall a couple of weeks ago were more to do with the onset of mini-flu - but necking half a pound of jelly babies this time round certainly didn't harm the glycogen cause. Once again, the policy of starting with spoken word audio and then switching to feel-good music worked a treat. With about 5 miles to go I invoked a hand-picked playlist - I was beaming and flying and doing all I could to resist playing air guitar while running. I can't pick a TdJ, so the full list is attached for your tedium. Every one a winner, IMHO, although I must point out that I got home before the last track, which might have provided a somewhat camp finale to my efforts.
This week: same again for the short runs, then 14 miles on Sunday night in full costume.
That's a quality feelgood list there Dan; I can imagine belting out a decent pace to that lot myself.
Interesting you should credit the jelly babies. I've had similar results with wine gums. Somehow scarfing carb-rich confection as one goes along helps smooth out the long-run bumps.
You're going well, just reward for battling through a rough patch
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Wine gums are a bit hard for me. And I think I'll stick to gels for the race - 26.2 miles needs a lot of carbs, gels are just that bit more portable, and more quickly ingested.
Your own return to form seems complete - I spotted mention of 10 hilly miles in 90 minutes - not to be sniffed at. Or coughed, hacked, heaved, gobbed, etc....
Finally done the deed and gone public with my crazy scheme. No going back now. Still slightly concerned that this is the most ridiculous thing I've done in my life. Amazing how easily these things can happen.
(15-03-2010, 02:51 PM)marathondan Wrote: Your own return to form seems complete - I spotted mention of 10 hilly miles in 90 minutes - not to be sniffed at. Or coughed, hacked, heaved, gobbed, etc....
Yes, followed up with a last-minute cancellation spot at Bridge's House of Fun last night - text message out of the ether after my earlier request was turned down. 45 minutes of spin, a 'hill climb special' - 42 minutes up out of the saddle bouncing 'along' to an ecclectic mix of pumping tunes from the Eighties. Legs are a tad heavy this morning
Well done for coming out of the tyre swing. They tell me that's the joy of base jumping; once you've stepped off the egde there's no turning back ...
Speaking of which, here's a treat ...
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Bottled my dress rehearsal last night. Was already in a touchy mood, but 50 yards down the road decided I wasn't up to drawing nervous stares for two and a half hours, and ditched the mask. Then, feeling downright grumpy, curtailed my step-back 12 mile long run to a measly 5 miles. I think I just hit my self-conciousness wall; standing up in front of the public in that kit in a marathon is one thing, plodding round town worrying about freaking people out is another.
The good news is that I identified a couple of other tweaks needed to the rest of the costume. I'm relatively confident about the mask, it's certainly easier to run in than the ski mask I was using to condition myself. I might still try and slip in a 10K race (Easter weekend is the only possibility) but the chances are now I'm going to be winging it on the day with regards to the mask. Not too worried about that though.
I might bump up one of my short runs this week to make up for the loss, but this week is the big one, culminating in the 20 miler on Sunday night, so I'm probably better off saving myself.
For some reason, I read your reply thinking that it was from Sweder. I thought maybe his daughter would have been reminded of her old man's prowess on the dancefloor .
But yes, a true classic. Who'd have thought that the otherwise dry Rudyard Kipling could have penned such marvellous lyrics?
How old is your daughter now... has she entered her first race yet?
Luke (about to turn 7) was excited last year that the Thame 10K includes a fun run for age 7+. So he might run in that this year. Not sure of the distance. Naomi (nearly 4) looks as though she might be more athletic. Her sprint action at that age is a joy to watch. Luke has my gangly lope. Naomi is a pocket rocket. But I shouldn't pre-judge of course... fascinating to watch them develop.
Don't blame you not wanting to do your dress rehearsal MD. How will you manage to slug your gels etc with the mask on? Can you still reach your cake hole or will you need to shoulder the mask through the pit stops? I'm def. not going to have any problems recognising you at the start :-) but you'll be long gone by the time I reach the other end. Best of luck for the 20 this weekend, I'm sure it will be a breeze.
Was already in a touchy mood, but 50 yards down the road decided I wasn't up to drawing nervous stares for two and a half hours, and ditched the mask. Then, feeling downright grumpy, curtailed my step-back 12 mile long run to a measly 5 miles. I think I just hit my self-conciousness wall; standing up in front of the public in that kit in a marathon is one thing, plodding round town worrying about freaking people out is another.