Half Marathon ending not so well

I am tapering.  So I decide to go out and run 13.1 miles without being to hung up on it.  I skip the morning run as the baby is being an nightmare.  I move it to this evening.  So I tuck the kids up and head out down the A21.  On the way out, despite it being uphill I find it pretty easy.  I get to the run around point and its all good.

With about 3 or 4 miles to go I stop to get a drink.  I also buy a couple of very sugary sweet bars.  From there it seems to deteriorate.  I struggle to hold any sort of pace.  I know I shouldn't get hung up on it, but it's annoying.  It's mainly the legs that seemed tired.

Rest day tomorrow and maybe I'll take another one.

13.1 Miles 1:51:00  (With 10 minute refreshment stop)

How I want to feel when I run the Marathon

Tonight a nice gentle 5km to Beckenham Cinema and back.  Except as soon as I start running I feel fantastic.   Proper fantastic.  Life is easy, I am smooth, powerful graceful for little or no effort.

I zip in and out of the people on the high street.  It's more uphill on the way back but not a problem.  Problem one of the best (not necessarily the fastest 5km I have run)  Got caught crossing the road in Beckenham for ages as well.  Looking back in the history this is forty seconds faster than I have ever run it.  I also wasn't pushing it as I know I am meant to be tapering.  I also plan to do 13 miles tomorrow.

Hope this how I feel on the big day.  Would love to know what brought it on?

5km 24:08

Gentle Roll Down the Hill From Crystal Palace

I'm not sure what benefit I'd get from a hill session at this late time so I decide a nice gentle roll down the hill from Crystal Palace.  It's light now in the evening so I turn right out of the station and into the park.  I run past the dinosaurs.  I stop for a wee in the toilets before continuing.

It's easy running down the hill and I am not caning it.  To be honest I am quite enjoying this.  The wind is quite strong which slows the pace.

The long miles are behind me.  I'm looking forward to an easy 13 miles this weekend.

5.85km 31:40

Slippery Track Intervals

I go for a quick beer after work as Larry is leaving.  It's only my 5th drinking event this year because of the marathon training.  I'm still determined to go to the track though.

At the track it is cold, snowy and slippery.  We do 8x800 with 1:30 recovery.  I run these slightly faster than the group I am with.  I average about 1:37 a lap or 3:14 for the 800m.   Yasso 800s would be 10x800 with a 3:14 recovery.  This should be your marathon time but in hours not minutes.  I don't know how good a predictor this is, but I should be good for my just under 3:30.

I can feel the race is near, and I'm looking in good shape.

8x800m with 1:30 recovery

Clock Change Delight

Having done the hard miles I am going to taper.  I'm not going to over-taper.  I plan to run as much, just a little less each time.  So tonight instead of running back from Lewisham, I go to Lewisham and then jump on the bus to Catford.

By Catford Police Station I realise it is light enough thanks to the clock change to run through Beckenham Place Park.  So I do.  Running offroad through the woods, skipping over roots is fantastic.  I think my regular hill sessions even made the big hills on the other side not too bad.

Hopefully Spring and Summer are now on the way.  We have the light, now all we need is the warmth.

5.6km 31:13

Club Night

My wife has been doing club night recently.  She has a cold and so I get to go.  I see some familiar faces.  In the end I decide to go with group 5 led by Karen.

The pace is high, just a little below my marathon pace.  Considering I did 20 miles yesterday it's not too bad.  In the end the run is cut a little short.  It's good to be out and running

6.02 miles 50:00

Last Long Run

I was going to do the last long run last night.  But work intervened and I had eaten too much, too late.  So I get up at 7:00am.  I head out towards Biggin Hill.  Last time I tried this route I gave up, diverted and abandoned after 11 miles.  Today I am determined to see it out.  This is a hard route.

I'm not too fussed about hitting any pace and it's likely to be slow on the way out as it's such an uphill slog.  I trundle along.  It's not too bad.  I go up through Biggin Hill, all the time as I climb it is getting cold.  My hands feel like near frost bite.

At the top of Westerham Hill I run out of Pavement.  I have about 1/2 a mile to run so I do an out and back along a country lane.   The run home will be easier as it will be mainly downhill.   I stop at the Petrol Station in Biggin Hill and refuel on wine gums and sports drink.  I also need to do this to warm up a bit.

As I start to lose altitude it warms up.  Through Hayes I am bored of the podcast and stick some music on.  This gives me a lift.  Once I reach the top of the final Hill on Pickhurst Lane, the pace picks up considerably. I run the last mile or so at 7:40 a mile; faster than marathon pace.

It's been hard, but not too bad.   I walk in the front door, my 7 year old girl jumps out on me and goes:
"Pinch, Punch, First of the Month".  Ruthless.

Last long run done, feels good.

19.87 miles 2:57:13