Silver wedding aniv long run

25 years ago got married to mrsmackem, a long run seems an appropriate way to mark that,all joy, comittment, stamina,fun and a little pain (but pain that passes and leaves you stronger).
Worked out a way to run together too.
So I drove out to Kettlewell and ran back along the warfe to burnsall where I met L (customarily late having sprayed the decking, sorted the boys, collected the lawnmower and done the recyling), At slightly slower pace we returned to Kettlewell with my long run (mara training) and hers (half mara training done.
Having realised that my training schedule will result in me running Kielder a week later than the other 1800 I needed to lose a week, in my head I need to not miss those 32K runs, and holiday may complicate matters, so I effectively jumped forward a week, so now on schedule for oct 17. It is odd how I swing with each run, sometimes sure I will run 3:30 and today no so sure I will do 4.
Managed the water better today with backpack sucky thing, 4 sucks a mile kept my wee pale. Must get some gels though.
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Soggy July Evening

A slightly earlier finish allowed me to get out for session before family meal time.

The plan was for a tempo session and today the goal was mid tempo 4:32 for 7km in the middle of 10km.

Did it again along the flat section beside golf course and along beyond the pool.

By the end of my warm up at an easy pace the rain started and stopped as I finished my tempo effort. Not that I noticed it, these more intense sessions don't lend themselves to meteorological musings nor any kind of musings at all.

Pleased with 4:30 average pace for the 7km, one wobble at 4:35 mid run when I just lost concentration but finished with 4:24.

Long run Friday or Sat, will need to fit it in, long runs don't lend themselves to fitting in.

800's

Straight forward one on the programme. Actually it was on last weeks programme but I read the wrong line last week so switched them

slobby warm up, then 800m with 2min RI

Aimed for 3:10 on the back road by the golf club

did 06 09 07 12 - 09 and 12 sl up hill.

I could have given a fifth one a go but was sticking to programme and might just do my long run Wed as a i have a early finish for a change and busy weekend coming up.

These interval sessions are hard but brief. Keeping a mental focus and consideration of good running form seem appropriate.

The training lark is a lot mental - motivation, focus, dissociation from pain, probably (along with being fat and untalented) are where what little talent I may have gets squandered. Upping these things seems incremental at the moment. Each week seems a bit more on the money than the previous one, and phsyically feeling the step up too.

So today - this is good.

Run times, fun times

Should have done tempo run today, but given the rest of life getting out for the 3 rd time in a week is major achievement.

Bin trying to catch up with 2 mates, John S and John E, "d'ya fancy a run" - 30mins later having made the decision based on my off road shoes we ambled down the the town and then took the route of the trail race.

Sometimes it's all about the company, catching up, chewing the cud of life, what's hard, what's joy and what's basically just weird.

A bit warm and sticky, but nice breeze on top. I love this run, and with the best mates a man could have it was just a tidy hour or so and 14.1km for the running log.

Life's made for moments like this.

That's better

Hospital visiting have put paid to runs last 3 days, but a free morning so long run time.

After last weeks shambles I aimed to run 2 hours after getting up, had my porridge and maple syrup on waking and plenty to drink. Had fluid stratergy for the run so off I toddled.

Plan was MP+28sec - I did MP +25sec for the 24km run.

I ran with the little man on my watch, and resolved to not get too far ahead, the aim was to run with him not race against him.

Felt pretty good all the way around, usual aching limbs and evolving stiffness towards the end, but please with that.

Not so warm today but pretty blowy and showery. I ran back road to Bolton Abbey and down beyond Cavendish.

HR stuck in zone 2 all way around.

Next week I'll be doing 27km so will need to start to think about on run nutrition as well.

I've just put some dates on my programme and realised I started a week late. I'll probably have to remove a week, but need to watch I get the v long runs in. It may get tricky around holiday time late Aug and GNR time but I think I have a plan (just depends on what I can churn out in CA.

Tempo run on Sunday and then another week ticked off

Speedy Efforts

A bit cooler

1200, 1000, 800, 600, 400 with warm up and cool down and jog recovery 200m

descending efforts are more forgiving

Just had some bad news about a good friend as I was writing this up, odd how the best things and worst things in life sit next to each other

Feeling hot hot hot

Sat am and a window to do my long run

Plan was MP +19sec per km

Did MP +18sec

But that isn't the whole story, a combination of some MP -20sec km early on, temp pushing above 24C, no breakfast and no drinks when out meant a bit of a dip to finish with.

I reckon when marathon running the half way point is mentally about 19-20miles and then the race starts - if that's true I ran a crap "race" today.

So next week - run with the little man on the watch and not ahead of him - at least in the first 2/3

Get up a little earlier and have porridge

Plan to have on run fluid and a little sugar

Can't plan for the weather - if it's hot I need to just get over it! and take on more fluid.

The temperature thing is a niggle for me, I really struggle sometimes in the heat (though today there were a few other schoolboy errors). I've just put my long runs alongside the calender and I've a long run in Death Valley California in late August - perhaps I'll move my runs round that week!

Temp Running

Session 2 week 1

3km pootle, 3km short tempo pace followed by 3km pootle.

The tables said to run at 4:23/km did 4:20/km

HR zone 3 first tempo k, zone 4 second and zone 5 final one, so the tables are probably about right - weird if you ask me!

Dry and sunny first tempo k, cloudy 2nd tempo k, tipping it down 3rd tempo k - wierd if you ask me!

Tour of north east england tomorrow to pick my mum in Durham, say happy birthday to my sister in Newcastle seek out my bro in north yorkshire somewhere and arrive home with only one of them tomorrow night - so perhaps no running and that'll set me up nicely for long run Friday early :-)

July Goals

So the plan is to stick to the programme

Weekly then

That's one effort session pace all in the tables, so no messing around boy

One Tempo session, the programme gives 3 levels of tempo intensity depending on length of effort again in the tables

One long run - the plan this month is 21K and MP +19sec, 24K, 27K and 32 K (at MP + 39sec).

I'll run/bike easy one or two other days.

No messing then

Mara Training Starts Today

A week off work, so no excuses for not nailing this first week.

I'm using Furman Institute Marathon Plan which will be 3 proper sessions - usually intervals, tempo and long run - with fairly clear pace instructions. The plan suggests some cross training/real slow recovery on top of this. Being realistic I see the proper sessions as obligatory, the cross training/slow recovery as ideal but optional twice a week. If I get down to Harriers I'll probably run slower than otherwise and call that a recovery.

Anyway today

20min warm up

3x1mile at 6:50 pace with recovery

10 warm down

Done

The Month that was

Lost my way a bit this month
I did run but didnt' really train, and lost the blogging routine - which is part about accountability as well.

Did some racing which I'm not sure works for me when I'm training

Did do some early morning sessions

Did eat better

Did do some good sessions but...

Did enjoy myself - and this is important

I conciously backed off a bit as I know how hard I can find the marathon programme which for me starts today - so now nowhere to hide.

I'll blog today's run then later this week put down my July plan.