Wednesday 29 June 2011

Training update

I set myself some goals for June and much to my amazement I have achieved them so I'm happy with that.
I had 2 13milers, a 16 miler and an 18 miler. In fact the 18 miler yesterday was 20 because I couldn't think of an 18 miler.
I've had calf and hamstring probs ongoing but a massage on Sunday has helped and the 20 miler was only troubled by intermittent calf discomfort. Yesterday was a great TDS with Kerry although pretty warm
I have also had 2 long days on the hills and a shorter day.
So thats the 1st part of the training done. July has 3 races in it so I am looking forward to them and hopefully these niggles will disappear.

Saturday 18 June 2011

Its all abit of a struggle

Since my last post I have been pushing on with the training but its hard work.
Last week I did 31m and on Sunday went up to do the 3 munros at the west end of Glendessary. Had a superb day with Aidan which took just over 9hrs. Followed that with a good meal and refreshment at the Old Station in Spean bridge.
This week I did do 16m on Tue which went OK, nice and slow and followed that with 8 on Wed, a horrible run last night and a tough speed session this morning. On the days I haven't run I have swum and thats another story but hopefully now getting better.
Wed I woke with a hamstring strain!!
I think if I can come through the next couple of weeks OK things will start to feel better.

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Let the training begin

This year (like last year) I feel that I have done a bit of running in between injuries. So it is with some optimism that I entered the Mersey marathon a few weeks ago. This happens on the 9th of October. Both my sister, Liz and my Father, Jim have also entered.
Back in 1982 I trained up for the Mersey marathon along with my Father but literally the day before had to withdraw with glandular fever. Jim went on to complete it in a creditable 3.38 and I didn't do much running for the next 18 years. Jim reckons I would have run well under 3 hours but I suspect I would have run a fast 18 miles and fallen apart. We will never know. Anyway the race was discontinued in 1992 so it was with some interest that I heard about it being resurrected this year. It is a quite different course with half of being run on the Wirral.
I have decided to try and train properly for this but have low expectations of it all going smoothly.
This is the 1st week and the development of an urti at the Harriers weekend away was not a good start. I felt dreadful yesteday and couldn't have run a bath but this morning felt improved. I am aware that if you are going to these things well then you need to stick to the plan and my plan says 13 miles today. I thought it was worth being careful so set off on my 10.5 mile loop from Auchengarrich. My calf is still tight so I made my way round carefully and did the 10.5 feeling not too bad. Lets stick to the plan then so I did an extra 1,25 miles out and back and then my watch 13 miles in 1.38.38.
So 1 run down and lots to go but its a start and I feel a bit more optimistic about the next 16 weeks