Last week’s report can be found here.
Weekly Training:
This week I had planned 6 sessions; 3 runs, 1 Yoga and Core session and 2 weights sessions.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Weights | Run | Weights | Run | Yoga and Core | Rest | Gloucester HM |
Monday 14th January:
I had been in a work meeting in Northampton all day and got home a little later than usual. Mentally I was feeling tired, so opted for a body-weight circuit as per below:
- 3×10 Push Ups
- 3×10 Sit Ups
- 3×10 Triceps Dips
- 3×10 Squats
Firstly, I warmed up with 5 minutes on the stability board before moving onto my circuit.
I completed 1 set of 10 reps in each exercise (push ups, sit ups, triceps dips and squats) with a 15 second rest in between. After completing the squats I took a 30 second recovery period and then started the circuit over. I completed 3 sets of each exercise and then promptly made myself some food.
My strength and conditioning sessions are the ones that I find the hardest to stick to. I’m often distracted or in a rush to eat! I think it’s purely because I’d rather be running, however I know that I need to improve this part of my training. I am going to set aside some time to sit down and create a more structured plan so that each session feels more beneficial and I’m not just “winging” it. Ideally I’d also like to add swimming to my training and go at least once a month, if not more.
Tuesday 15th January:
Today felt strange. I hadn’t ran since last Wednesday as I had been ill. I’d been itching to get back running, especially as my mind was starting to bother me before my half marathon. Deep down I knew that I hadn’t lost any fitness in such a short amount of time, but my head was still nagging me. My body also felt a bit fatigued despite the extra rest. There would be no speed work or hill sessions this week; instead, just two steady paced 6 mile runs to keep my legs ticking over until race day on Sunday.
It was a pretty straightforward run, but one that I didn’t really “get into”. I’m starting to feel the pressure that I’m putting on myself to try and achieve a new half marathon personal best. I’d never really been targeting a half marathon time in previous events. I mean, I had a goal, but I wouldn’t have been too disappointed as I not hit that time as I hadn’t really put the training in. This time it’s different. I’ve put a lot of consistent training in and really want to do well.
My splits can be found in the image below. I wasn’t focused on pace as long as it felt comfortable but was quicker than 12 minute miles. I managed to keep the entire session within Zones 1 and 2. The run never felt hard, which was good, although mentally I felt more fatigued than my usual midweek easy runs. To be honest, that was probably more a mental thing as I hadn’t ran for a while and was still recovering my cold. That, along with the added pressure of having race day looming, definitely made it feel like more effort than it actually was!
Having not ran for a while it was tempting to pick up the pace and really push myself, but I knew that wouldn’t be beneficial. I won’t gain any fitness between now and race day so it’s important to just keep my legs ticking over but whilst leaving enough in the tank to push hard on the day.
Wednesday 16th January:
This was another prime example of me struggling with my strength and conditioning sessions! I got home and was starving. In an attempt to feel better and say that I at least did something, I completed 3×10 squats at 50kg.
Was it really worth it? Probably not… but at least it was… something! I need to get my head down and start putting more effort into these sessions. Truth be told, I was a little nervous about completing a full session as I was paranoid about injuring myself right before the big day!
Thursday 17th January:
Another 6 mile run, but this was a little harder. Work has been busier than usual, mainly because I was off ill on Friday. Monday’s meeting hadn’t helped as I had been out of the office all day and my emails had piled up. I got home before Chris, which meant that I had a few things to do around the house before starting my run.
I got onto the treadmill, armed with my audio book, and set off for the first mile. Due to being so busy at work, I hadn’t drank much throughout the day (yes, I forget to drink!). As such, the first mile was a little uncomfortable as I had to fight a little bit of side stitch. I battled through this and increased the pace from Tuesday’s session a little. It still felt comfortable, albeit a bit harder in comparison.
This also showed in my heart rate data. Most of the run was in Zones 1 and 2, however I had pushed into Zone 3. It wasn’t detrimental to be in Zone 3, especially as I wouldn’t be running now until Sunday.
My tapers aren’t the best and it’s been a mental battle all week. Should I have ran Wednesday too? Should today’s run have been 5 miles instead of 6? Would a short run on Friday be beneficial? Needless to say, my head has been full of questions and I have doubted my own plan all week. Training had gone well up until last week, so all I can hope for now is a good run on Sunday!
Friday 18th January:
In an effort to not cut today’s session short, I opted to eat first. I was starving when I got home, having not taken any snacks to work other than my lunch, and didn’t want any distractions from my session. This turned out to be a poor choice! After eating I got distracted, and despite trying to bribe myself into starting, I just couldn’t find the motivation or energy. Needless to say, this was a missed session.
Saturday 19th January:
No Parkrun today as it’s my big half marathon tomorrow. The first half marathon that I have actually trained for, and barring last week, training had gone well. I’m hoping for my first sub-2:30, but we will see what happens on the day. I’ve had a lot of pre-race nerves and “maranoia”. I don’t think even my first half marathon was this bad! From stressing about the logistics of getting to the starting area to debating which trainers to wear, part of me will be glad when the event is out of the way! Hopefully it’ll all go right on the day and my training will pay off.
I spent 3 or so hours at The National Running Show and even got to meet Jo Pavey! I asked her for some advice on cross training as I struggle with motivation. She admitted that she also doesn’t do as much cross training as she should, and recommended an indoor bike and aqua jogging. Indoor biking is probably my best option at the moment as I would be able to listen to an audiobook or watch something whilst I trained. We will have to wait and see.
Sunday 20th January:
Half marathon day! My first non-Parkrun race of 2019.
I’m not going to go into too much detail here as I will be posting my results and event review shortly. I will, however, say that I hit my sub-2:30 goal!
For the full results post, please click here.
For my review of the event, which is to follow, please click here.
Weekly Summary:
Total Miles = 25.1
Training Hours = 4:42:06
Positives = I resisted the urge to add an extra run to my taper week. This turned out to be a good move as I hit my sub-2:30 half marathon goal.
Negatives = My midweek weights session was poor – just 3 sets of 10 rep squats. I also skipped my Yoga and Core session completely.
Next Week = Monday starts with a well-earned rest day! 2 weights sessions, 4 runs and a Yoga session.
