TP100 2015

Last weekend saw the TP100. Richmond to Oxford on the Thames path. I need to write it up, but for now a few pictures from the event.

Photo by Stuart March Photography

Photo by Nigel Rothwell

Photo by Angharad Thomas

10th Athens Ultra festival

I have added a new race report here for the 10th Athens International Ultra festival

Training Week 4 2015

Week 4 2015 - Next race Athens 24 hour on March the 28th

Monday	Cycled to  work and ran home - 22k,21k
Tuesday	Ran to work and cycled home - 21k, 22k
Wednesday	Cycled to  work and ran home - 22k,21k Ran 6.2k at lunchtime @ 4.21 per km
Thursday	Ran to work and cycled home - 21k, 22k
Friday	Ran to work - 21k
Saturday	Rest day
Sunday	Ran 2.6km

Run: 113.6k

Bike: 88k

Swim: 0k

A tiring but rewarding week.  I ran to or from work every day.  So a 1/2 marathon a day for 5 days.  With a bit of speed midweek, when a steady recovery run turned into a bit of a race with work colleagues. On Wednesday I felt a twinge at the back of my left knee on the run home.  It didn't stop me running but twinges every now and then and I have to be careful not to twist it.  I rested Saturday and had the opportunity to run Sunday, even though I was at home with my family. The twinge was still there.  So I stopped running and walked home.  Hopefully next week it will be better.  It's not something I can't run with, but I want to be careful not to compensate and cause a real injury, with only 8  weeks to go until my first race of the season and with the build up going so well.

Training Week 3 2015

Week 3 2015 - Next race Athens 24 hour on March the 28th

Monday	Cycled to  work and ran home - 22k,21k
Tuesday	Ran to work and cycled home - 21k, 22k
Wednesday	Ran 7k at lunchtime
Thursday	Cycled to  work and ran home - 22k,21k
Friday	Ran to work and cycled home - 21k, 22k
Saturday	Rest day
Sunday	Cycled to pool and swam 35k,2.25k

Run: 91k

Bike: 167k

Swim: 2.25k

A good week, building up running distance nicely. I am pleased with how I felt and the pace on the 21k runs was consistent.  Wednesday being shorter was faster and with company to push me on a bit. Friday was due to be my rest day, but with the weather below freezing I decided it was safer to run to work than cycle and took Saturday as a rest day instead.  Sunday the legs were still a little tired so I opted for a swim instead of a run. 

Training Week 2 2015

Next race Athens 24 hour on March the 28th

Saturday	Ran - 12.8k
Sunday	Rest day
Monday	Cycled to  work and ran home - 22k,21k
Tuesday	Ran to work and cycled home - 21k, 22k  (also took my C25K group out)
Wednesday	Cycled to and from work Ran 6k at lunchtime - 44k, 6.3k
Thursday	Cycled to and from work  (also took my C25K group out) - 44k
Friday	Cycled to and from work - 44k
Saturday	Ran - 25k
Sunday	Rest day

Run: 88k

Bike: 182k

Swim: 0k

I have switched to reporting from Monday to Sunday as that’s how I have my spreadsheet laid out!

I started a C25K session at work for people new to running.  I have 6 willing souls and it has been great fun.  I am surprised how much it has motivated me too! Also on Wednesday 4 people joined me for a lunch time run, again the motivation was great, running with other people.

It was a good week for me.  The running was nice ranging from feeling good to excellent.  Swimming took a hit as the weather got colder, but there's no hurry with that, as the race with a swim in it is a long way off!

Training Week 1 2015

Next race Athens 24 hour on March the 28th

Monday        Cycled to and from work - 44k

Tuesday        Cycled to work ran home - 22k, 21k

Wednesday  Cycled to and from work- 44k

Thursday      Ran to work Cycled home 21k, 22k

Friday           Cycled to work, swam on the way and cycled home 28k,2k,22k

Run: 42k

Bike: 182k

Swim: 2k

I now have 11 weeks to go until the 24 hour race in Athens.  My primary training is running with swimming as cross training and cycling to work on the days I don't run.  I managed all my planned sessions this week except Wednesday morning when I decide to miss my swim.  I had a cold over the new year and my RHR was 42 when I woke up.  It had dropped back down to 38 by Friday. This is still high for me and it did make the swim hard work.  During the first 10 lengths I nearly stopped as I was out of breath. I slowed down a little and felt better so was able to make my planned 2k in the end.  I have a fairly light weekend planned, so am hoping the rest/recovery will get my RHR down to normal and training can pick up a little.

Both the runs were also hard work.  On Tuesday I started out feeling good only to fatigue pretty quickly and Thursday had more walking in the run than I would of liked.  I was about 10 minutes over my easy pace for the 21k.  I think the Xmas break and the cold took a little of my endurance away.  Still, there's no need to panic as this will pick up over the coming month.

I've also started a lunch time running session at work for some people new to running.  Next Tuesday I am going to start them on a C25k plan.  I am looking forward to this and really hope I can get some of them enjoy running and want to get them all to a parkrun 5k at the end of 9 or 10 weeks. (I haven't told them this as I don't want to scare them off and I think 5k will seem like a step too far on day 1)  I am also planning a run with some other colleagues who already run a little.  So a bit faster, but hopefully slow enough to be a recovery run though, as I plan to run to and from work a more as the weeks go by.

Athens Marathon - The Authentic

What to say?  I ran 26 miles and some. It was hard. I felt good at 10km so ran a little too hard and hit 1/2 way 4 minutes up on schedule.  Did that cost me the 14 minutes I was over my 3:30 target?  I still got a PB even though I had a nice positive split (again)  One day I may get it right!  Oh yes, My calf cramps started really early, before the 1/2 way, but I did my best to ignore them and with a little help from another runner who encouraged me to run with him, managed to avoid walking except the aid stations.

5km

Finished

New PB for Athens Marathon