Final marathon looming.

My final marathon is looming, nine days to go. Carol and I get the first of two flights next Friday morning. So where is my Z marathon?

Drum roll Zurich on the 8th April. I entered my Z marathon last year and began a maintenance phase running wise. As the date gets closer I have upped the pace and distance of some of my runs, included speed work and a long run about every two weeks but no longer than 3 hours. Zurich will be my final marathon in my A to Z challenge and my last marathon after 37 years of running marathons and ultras.

The A to Z began in Athens in 2011 and marathons have been my sole focus since then. It has been an amazing experience and one that I recommend to you all. I think somewhere, possibly after Berlin, it became an A to Z of holidays!

A week on from Croydon

A week today since the marathon. What have I done since then? Not a lot is the answer!

I had not suffered any injuries or blisters nor did I feel any great stiffness which, as I have slowed down, has become normal for me.

Training wise I did some stretches, ran 8 miles and biked just over 50. I have had a really easy week an idle week, a week for a lot of thinking. One of those thoughts was about actually putting in some decent training for Zurich, 35 weeks away, after all it will be my final marathon and the end of my A to Z going out with a decent time appeals.

Watch this space is all I will say.

Back on track thanks to lockdown.

There is no doubt that I am a marathon tourist.  Since beginning my A-Z challenge I have ran marathons in 3 continents and 9 countries.  Long gone are sub 4 hour marathon times.  Since I started the challenge my best time has been just under 4:15.  It is all about the places, people and customs now or so I thought!

Running like every aspect of our lives has been effected by COVID-19 and part of that has been lockdown which, in Scotland, meant being confined to ones house except for essential trips.  One trip per day for exercise was deemed essential and saw a flood of new exercisers take to paths, parks and roads by foot and wheel!

It was because of the flood of hazards on my favourite running routes that I ventured to my local track to try and get a session in without tripping over bikes, dogs and the huge amount of humans on them.

I am not a stranger to running on tracks at one stage of my running career 24 hours on the track was my favourite Ultra discipline!  I found that I quite liked being back on the track and whereas that first time I went down was just to get my distance completed in the peace and quiet subsequent runs have been proper paced and scheduled track sessions and I am loving it!.

So if I take one thing away from lockdown it will be my weekly track session.

Give it a try.

The Usual Suspects

The Usual Suspects marathon is organised by the Saxons, Normans and Vikings group.  The course is a 5200m loop around a park called Samphire Hoe which was made using soil excavated during the construction of the Channel Tunnel.

I was staying in a B and B in Dover and got a taxi the 3 or so miles to the Hoe.  Right from the beginning it was clear this was a friendly running family and close knit group.  Literally everyone knew everyone else.

At registration I collected my number and a small cardboard tag which was to be punched every lap, 8 laps being marathon distance.

 

The race lasted for 6 hours meaning that if one desired you could run for the six hours.  A minimum of one lap completed was all it took to obtain surely what must be a unique medal with the name of every entrant engraved on it!

There were masses of World marathon challenge and mega marathon tees.  Displaying feats such as 12 half marathons in 12 months, 10 50K runs in 10 days and possibly the most breathtaking 270 marathons in 52 weeks.  Before the race a number of 100 marathon club vests were given out and a number of sweatshirts, “these cannot be bought they must be earned” said the race director, for such things as best and most prodigious baker and provider of cakes!  The race briefing after that was short and sweet and a chorus of groans rose up when it was announced that the “backup course” was going to be used.

The loop was an undulating  mix of tarmac, trail, a couple of wooden bridges and wasteland possibly construction yards from the channel tunnel.  The park was used by sheep and cattle to graze and a fair amount of waste was strewn on the path.

We set off at 09:02 up the first slight rise into a bright but sunny day with a slight breeze from the west.

As the sea wall and beach came into view we could see why the back up course was being used as high waves smashed over the closed sea path, we turned eastwards and up the steepest hill towards a car park through the car park and onto  concrete and mud to the turn around point and back the way we came. It was just about here on lap 2 that a runner took a bad fall and I later saw him being led to control with blood streaming from his nose. At the control point you presented the tag to a marshall who then punched it and sent you out for the next lap.  A well supplied feed station was loaded with cake, flapjack, jelly babies and rocky road.  A barrel was there for you to refill your water container.

Repeat x7.  My tag was punched, I rang a bell to signify that my race was done, and was given my medal and goody bag by the race organiser.  So laid back it was almost horizontal!  U marathon complete in approx 4:50.

 

 

Quebec training week 19.

As I write this I have under a week to go until I toe the line for my Q marathon.

Week 19 training went as much as I expected except for the lack of yoga due to my shoulder problem.  An easy week was planned and that was what I had.

This close to a race I always get paranoid about my general health.  I wrap up well, stay away from long off road runs and limit time on the bike.

Running stats 14 miles run with 700 feet of climbing.

Biked 46 miles with 2600 feet of climbing.

Those of you following this blog for Quebec will notice that my training is not of the high mileage type.  This is mainly for two reasons:

1. To limit injury and overuse from runs longer than 2 hours.

2. With over 70 marathons and ultras to my credit I feel that intensity is the key.

Quebec training week 18

Not a great week at all!  I suppose it had to happen so I am not too concerned to have one bad week of marathon training in a 20 week schedule is pretty good.

Stats:

Run an abysmal 13.5 miles with 1100 feet of climbing

Bike 105 miles with 6400 feet of climbing.

As I stand writing this my bad is on my bed half packed as this time next week Carol and I will be winging our way to Canada.

Bring it on!!!

 

Quebec training week 10

A great week of training culminating in a Kirkcaldy park run PB of 22:29!

 

As he running has picked up cross training sessions dropped this weeksomething I am determined to remedy over the next few weeks.

Totals for week 10 were:

Running 30 miles with 2000ft of climbing.

Biking 33 miles with 1500ft of climbing.

Two yoga sessions.

Quebec training week 6

The heat continues in Bella Scotia.  If anyone is any doubt that #scotlandisnow they just need to be here.  The beaches are amazing, the wildlife is out and the mood is one of intense optimism.  Just like my training at the moment.

There are comments appearing on FB running pages about the heat and how it is hampering training I have news for you there is always a way.  I hate running in the heat but you do everything possible to make it comfortable and safe.

Run when its cooler this may not always be at the beginning or end of the day there might be a cool patch at some other time.  Stay hydrated.  Carry water with you, 0r cash to buy some.  Run in loops sp you can rehydrate when required.

Embrace the heat!!!

Anyway how did this weeks training go?  Really good as it happens.  More running miles than planned more cross training than planned and more weight lost!

Total miles run was 23.6 miles with 1100 feet of climbing.  My intervals have increased from 400’s to 800’s and the long run is 12.5 miles.

Biking 120 miles with 6000 ft of climb.

1 core class and 3 yoga classes.

Pre Quebec training week 3

Another good week, I even managed to fit in a local short race.  Plan for the week was once more 15 miles running, 50 on the bike, 2 yoga and 1 pilates class.

 

Actual training was 14.6 miles running with 830 feet of climbing.  The runs included 1 race 1 400m interval sessions and 1 easy run all in great weather.

Cycling total was 51.5 miles with 3100 feet of climb once more in great weather.

The yoga and pilates classes were all good some new poses in the yoga and a stand in tutor in the pilates its good to have a change as all the teachers have different ideas.

 

Next week is my last week of “prep” training.

Pre Quebec training week 2

Week 2 May 7th to 13th.

Plan for week was 4 runs totalling 15 miles, 2 yoga sessions, 1 pilates session and 50+miles on the bike.

The weather during the week was about the best this year so far which meant that I was out on the bike more than planned.

The runs were 2 easy runs, 1 at Z3-Z5 and hill reps on a long shallow hill.  I normally really like running hills but found the session to be hard work, possibly because I have let this particular session disappear from my schedule.  No more!

Totals for the week:

Runs 15.2 miles 1000 ft of climb.

Bike 126 miles with 4100 ft of climb.

2 yoga and 1 pilates class.

 

A very good week.