The great thing about the Hal Higdon marathon training universe is that Monday is a rest day. And the training programme starts on a Monday so yes, the very first day of training, when you’re all geared up and ready to roll… is a day of rest. OK, so for the other 17 weeks of the programme it makes sense, because Sunday is the big weekly effort. But on the first day?!
So last night I did half an hour on the exercise bike instead, and began to think about all the things I was going to do right this time round. Now let’s see: stretching… sorting out the shoe problem before it gets too late… regular massages… cross-training, including time in the gym… speed work to get a bit faster… take more notice of times… get more sleep… try cooking some of the internationally-renowned recipes of Ian Painter (memo to self: check life insurance contributions are up-to-date)…
Tonight was my first real, scheduled run of the programme. I’m repeating the ‘novice’ training programme, though I plan to enrich it with a few extras this time round. This week is supposed to be: 3 miles tonight, tomorrow and Thursday, but I want to extend that a little. So tonight I ran 3.67 miles. Time was 39:28 which gives me a 10:45 per minute pace. I’m pleased with that pace for a first run. It means that I’m starting this programme about 2 or 2.5 minutes a mile faster than I started the last one. That’s encouraging. My current goal is to finish in under 5 hours. Last time was about 5:55, though my aim was only to get round, so I accepted it. Chicago will be different.
Anyway, I’d love to stop for a natter but it’s way past my bedtime and tomorrow morning I have to be on the 06:10 train to London. Ludicrously early I know, but I’m experiencing a peculiar burst of conscientiousness at the moment, and I decided that it would be a nice gesture to get in at around 7:30 tomorrow morning to make an early start on my virtual in-tray.
Hey! How about that? Just realised – by some weird coincidence, England are playing Nigeria in the World Cup tomorrow morning at exactly that time. Wow, freaky or what…?
