Well, since my last blog I think I have been doing well. I have continued to run with the middle ability group at Wallsend Harriers and continued with the challenges of what are Kev (the coach) fast paced and gut wrenching sessions.
Time is quickly passing me by and talk of accommodation for the Edinbrough Marathon is now on the cards and my London Marathon friends are on the 20 mile training runs, which only means one thing... My marathon training should be well under way. Last week I ran 30 miles (on the dot) in 5 runs (one of which a very wet and rainy 12 miler!). I didn't intentionally plan to run 30 miles, it just kind of happened! As long as I got my long run and done my sessions then I was happy, the other 2 were simply distractions from a very busy and stressful time at work. I should be aiming for a 14 miler this weekend, so far I'm planning to do it but I'll have to see how I feel on the day.
I once was told that running a marathon and training for fast times for 10k and half marathons don't mix, I'm kind of finding that out for myself right now. My instinct at the minute is to run and push myself to run faster. As much as I love my long runs I also love nothing more now then hammering it as fast as I can carry myself and then checking my watch to see how fast I have ran the mile. On Tuesday's session last week I did a 7:03 mile in the middle of a pyramid session. My fastest mile ever is 6:56 and then after I was dead and good for nothing, this Tuesday that fast mile was in the middle of my session and then I carried on. Surely that means I've improved? Who knows, only Blyth will tell. If I do well at Blyth I'm considering cutting my marathon to the half marathon and trying to break the 1:50 half barrier (considering my Brass Monkey PN is 1:52). If I continue building up my speed and use the 8 weeks I have to extend my distance then maybe I could do it. Maybe this year is my year to run faster (I've been waiting enough years) then maybe next year I will take running further more seriously.
Well I think that's enough for me for now.
Happy running everyone!