Week17 

31.1 miles 

The last medium-long run and a decent week of tapering; keeping to the schedule. With the abundance of other Spring marathons; Paris, Manchester, Boston, it's all starting to get exciting. Staying healthy too, so all bodes well.

I've thought more about what I want out this marathon (see Saturday) but the training stats are interesting. In 17 weeks, I've covered 697 miles, averaging 41 per week. Also done 6 runs of over 18 miles (the longest being a 22 miler) and have kept paces sensibly - 8.30, 8.41, 8.06, 8.25 and 8.15 per mile for these. Also done a couple of key races; a quicker 20 miler (2.33) and a decent half marathon (1.30), so the training is in the bank. 

Monday 13th April 

7.74m @ 7.54 p/m 
1hr 1 min 
BVH - Manor Park / Uni route 

On a glorious evening, rather than stick to the duller winter routes, it was great to head out on the Manor Park summer run with Andy, Ian and a few of the guys and put the running world to rights! Took it easy over the fields, through Manor Park and down to the Uni, heading back just keeping the light on our side on the canals.  Really enjoyed the run. Thinking of trying to spruce up the diet for the marathon fortnight - my nutrition has been pretty terrible for the whole training schedule, so will aim to carb load a little more. Great that I've not had a drink now for almost 2 months - driest time for 20 years I guess, and I haven't really missed it.


Wednesday 15th April 

Gym 
6.2 miles inc. 3 x 1 mile reps@ c5km pace (6.20 - 6.35 p/m) with 800m recoveries 

Hit the gym after work for probably the last real bit of speed work. I wasn't really in the mood but it was on the schedule and I genuinely think the faster running is a good thing. I'm not going to get any fitter now before the marathon but I believe that training my body to work out of its comfort zone regularly should pay dividends for the hard sections later in the marathon

Anyhow, good session of 1 mile repeats at comfortably hard pace, aiming for around 5km effort. Interestingly I've started using a machine with a decent heart rate monitor, my Max HR seems to be about 176 bpm on these speed works, with a 8 min mile rate of late 120's to early 130's. Will have to investigate if this seems about right? As usual, felt great after the session.

Thursday 16th April 

4.56m 
BVH - Kenyon Hills session (Cotteridge Park) 
25 mins steady hills effort

I wasn't sure if I would bother with the Club tonight, but with a run on the agenda, and a lack lustre to do a local route, I thought the company would do me good! It was another lovely evening (has been a really dry April so far - high pressure) and with just a few people there, a gentle partake of the reps session in Cotteridge Park seemed like a good idea. It was good catching up with Matt, who has just done the Paris Marathon and hearing about Oli's training (or severe lack of it!) for London, as we did a continuous hill session on grass. After yesterday's speed work I took it very easy for the first 15 minutes or so, and then injected some effort for the last 10, feeling really good. Midges had a little feast though - time to get out the fly spray for the season!

Saturday 18th April 

12.6 m @ 8.15 p/m 
1hr 44mins 
Canals, Rea Valley and Harborne Hills route 

With a trip to Wembley to watch Villa in the FA Cup semi final tomorrow, I had to plan ahead in getting up early to do the last semi-long run. Out the door before 7am and there was a real chill in the air, surprisingly so. I wanted to plan the last decent run carefully so picked possibly my favourite route; down to the canals via the Uni, over to Kings Norton on the Rea Valley and back over the Harborne Hills. Who knows, it could be my last ever marathon training run!

Took it really easy, wanted to feel the enjoyment with a decent episode of Marathon Talk, on the subject largely of Spring Marathons. Time to consider strategy too. I think I really will go out easy on the day and aim for solid 8 minute miles, and try to sustain it all the way around. My times at shorter distances suggest that I should be able to go much faster, but I'm not aiming to break records. I so much want to 'feel' the race, try and get what is so special about the London marathon. I just haven't felt it on the two occasions before. The training I think has gone well, it's been a consistent effort since last December and I've introduced both mid-week longer runs and weekly speed work into the programme. This can only make me stronger for the day and should fill with confidence. Touch wood, I've also been pretty much injury free, not even the small niggles. I've not had to resort to any physio either - it's been a bit uncanny!

On a negative note, my diet has been awful - I've just not heeded what I've been fuelling the engine with. Hope it doesn't cost me, but if I don't go out too hard, I can't see how it will? Starting to have a look at the long range weather forecasts too now for London. It's looking quite hopeful - my heart will sink if it's a really warm and sunny day; please give me cloud, cool and showers!

Anyway, today's run went really well and with no fuel on the way round at all. Feeling good, will really take it super easy next week - perhaps just a couple of short runs (no BVH on Monday as it's the AGM), and look forward to the big weekend ….