Monday 16 December 2013

Marathon training - 3 weeks in


So, with my race diary filling up for next year I decided to start my training in plenty of time, with space for the dreaded injuries that so many of my friends have sustained during marathon training. I changed jobs at the end of November to a much easier department for 4 months so thought that was a good time to start. 
I read nearly every marathon training plan out there, bought the fantastic Women's Running Marathon Training Guide and finally settled on a tried a tested Hal Higdon Training plan. I chose this plan as it didn't look too scary and lots of friends have used it for there first marathon. 
Having read nearly every blog/book/article out there, there were several aspects of training I was keen to ensure I incorporated to help prevent injuries and ensure I can get around the 26.2 miles.
1)Run lots.
It sounds silly, but for me I've had to change mindset to be running nearly every day and at every opportunity. I now plan my life around my running, for instant meeting friends for dinner at 8 not 7 so I can squeeze a run in first, or running back from the supermarket whilst my husband drives, and actually it is making running much easier, although I am constantly in my running gear now.

2) Cross training

Whilst training for races before all I have done is running, and as much as I love it, it can get mindnumbingly boring, so this time I'm making sure I incorporate other forms of exercise into my plan. At the moment I'm loving spinning twice a week, but in the new year I'm going to try swimming once a week as well. 

3 ) Rest days

I've discovered rest days need to be actual rest days, not days when your too busy to run so they then become a running rest day... I tend to have sunday as a rest day after doing my training monday to saturday. I'm trying to bake something new each week, chill with a film or relax with a book. Proper rest. 
4) Sport massages

Now, I haven't booked in for a sports massage yet, but mainly a runner swear by them so I'm on the hunt for a physio/massage therapist to book in with once a month for some muscle therapy. 

Moving on to my actual training so far, this is what the last few weeks have looked like;

Week 1

Monday - Military fitness with a hour of hill running carrying a car tyre 

Tuesday - 3 miles treadmill speed work with a plan from Women's Running January Issue
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - 7 miles with lots of hills
Friday - rest

Saturday -  Ice Skating (I can count this as cross training right?)

Sunday - Rest

Week 2 
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - 3 miles speed work and 45 mins of Spinning
Wedsnesday - Rest
Thursday -  45 mins of spinning
Friday - 7 miles with hills
Saturday - rest
Sunday 7.5 miles in London 


Week 3 

Monday - on call at work

Tuesday  - 3 mile hill run

Wednesday - rest

Thursday - rest

Friday - 3 miles in York 

Saturday - 3 miles in Edinburgh

Sunday - Exhausted and ill


York Cathedral 
Edinburgh Castle







Has anyone else starting training for a marathon? How you getting on?


Friday 6 December 2013

Addicted to running events

Me and my bank balance have a bit of a problem. I am addicted to running events. I'm having a phase of looking at Runner's World daily looking for new events to try to fill my diary up for next year! And have signed up to a few so far. 

My biggest problem is living outside of london at the moment for work and being bored stiff of my running route options = zero, so I'm trying to sign up for lots of events as "training" for my marathon, rather than having to find routes around here. (lazy I know)

Anyways, here's whats on the agenda so far.



I am a born and bred Sussex girl and spent most of my youth in the lovely seaside town of Brighton. This will be my first half marathon ( I had to drop out of run to the beat last year) and I'm oober excited about running in my hometown. Its on the 16th Feb and there are still charity places avaliable!

2) Paris Half

I love Paris, its such a beautiful and romantic city, full of treats like Macaroons, Crossiants, cheese, wine..... and I really wanted to do an event (or two) abroad next year, so Paris half it is! Its on the 2nd March.


3) Wholefoods Breakfast Run


Human Race run tons of training runs to help you with your marathon training, including a race your pace half and this wholefoods 8.2 or 16 mile run. Lots of runners seem to use this event as a training run with a medal, which is exactly what I plan to do, and hopefully to take some of the fear away from the Marathon in May.



Crazy person that I am, I  am signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon. Having studied in this beautiful city I am thrilled about running here and have lots of mates still in the city so am hoping to get lots of supporters! I'm also running with my dad, who has run tons of marathons. Hopefully we'll still be talking by the end of it.

There's tons of others I've got my eye on including; The Electric Run on 26th April, Royal Parks Half , Bacchus in Sept and The Energizer night run again!

Let me know if your signed up to any of the same events

S

x