This is part of a series of posts reflecting on my experiences in the run up to the Yorkshire Marathon in October. I’m currently on week seven of a twelve week training programme. The idea is to write a post every week charting my progress and reflecting on my training.
After last week’s adventures over the pond this week saw a return to normality and the programme.
It’s still been a challenging week as I spent the first couple of days in LA, before returning to the UK on Wednesday.
However, despite the travel and resulting jet lag I’ve managed to keep to the programme. Something which I really struggled with last week due to the heat and all the other inevitable distractions that being on holiday brings.
I feel I should thank the good old British weather here too for being a bit rubbish and cold – but much more bearable for anyone training for a marathon.
Who needs the sunny weather of California! Am I right?
Clumber Park – just before Saturday’s parkrun.
Training programme
I’m really chuffed with how this week has gone. Despite the inevitable gloom of returning from holiday it’s been a great week for running.
Here’s why:
- Monday: Rest day – I needed it too after yesterday’s long run. It was also my last full day in LA. I’ve had such a fantastic time I’m really going to miss the place 😥
- Tuesday: Easy run. Luckily I didn’t have to check out of the hotel till after dinner so this gave me time to head out for one last run in the morning. I returned to Runyon Canyon Park for a steady run and took in those fabulous views of the city one last time. Again, I didn’t see any rattlesnakes!
- Wednesday: Rest day – just as well, I spent most of it either on a plane or in a taxi!
- Thursday: Tempo run – this was something I struggled to do on holiday for reasons I mentioned in last week’s post. I knocked out a decent effort today though. I managed a steady warm up then two miles at pace followed by four minutes of recovery running (repeated two more times), finished off with a cool down. Tiring, but it felt good to do one of these after a bit of a break from it. Also went back to see the physio at Blizard. Pleased to say my shoulder/back is improving.
- Friday: Rest day. I felt like crap today so I did absolutely NOTHING. Felt a bit guilty as I was hoping to return to the gym. I’m going to leave this until next week.
- Saturday: Rest day. Felt much better than yesterday so thought I’d do a steady parkrun as I’d missed my Clumber Park running buddies over the last couple of weeks. Unbelievably smashed my parkrun PB again by an incredible twenty eight seconds and came seventh. One of the other runners filmed the race on a GoPro and has uploaded it to YouTube (you can pick me out – although he passes me after six minutes twenty – he came third!). Great achievement – the training is really paying off. I never would have believed I would get the times I’m getting now at parkrun three months ago. Happy, happy, HAPPY!
- Sunday: Long run. I did one hour twenty minutes at a slow pace round the villages of Firbeck and Letwell and then finished off with ten minutes at a fast pace. It felt good.
Apologies to those of you who usually drop by for updates about learning technology – I tend to post about that kind of thing on Jisc’s Inspiring Learning blog. I intend to use this blog for more personal, non-related work posts in future.
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