What next?

Final week - week 18. 42 miles (including the Marathon) 

So that's the end of this Training Blog. Thanks to the Pfitzinger Advanced Marathon Training Plan. which has been adhered to (to an extent) I think I've trained smarter than ever before, and have learnt the lessons of running slower miles, doing longer mid-week runs and adopting speed work in to the marathon training schedule. I couldn't quite get up to the 55 mile weeks, with life getting in the way, but averaging over 40 miles per week for 4 months has been a personal first. I'm sure this all had a major bearing on yesterday's run, an in particular how well it felt throughout. 

So whats next? The love of running is still very much alive. I have the DK10km next week (at a gentle pace I think!) and am booked in to the York Marathon in October. I'm genuinely undecided if I'll do this though - I think I enjoy training for the half-marathon more, and with a number of decent halves in the autumn and an entry to the World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff next March, this could be a better bet. 

I'm seriously thinking of changing tack for the next couple of months too. The London Marathon signified my 10 year anniversary of Race running, from my first 10km in Sutton Park in April 2005. I'm thinking of doing something completely different; a few months of Cross-Fit in Selly Oak, a chance to build up more core and stability fitness, combined with strength, to see if this later has an impact on my running. It will hurt, I'm weak beyond run fitness, but I suspect it may be a very sensible challenge! Now would be the ideal time to try it I think

Either way, the running will still be central. The last 4 months have been an exciting journey. Once rested, the journey continues …..