Ok its the final hurdle. The countdown has well and truly begun and its less than 7 days until race day. This time next week it will all be over. In my head I know 2 hours 45 is more than achieveable but it will be a pb for me by almost four minutes. In London (2000) I ran 2 hours 48 mins 56 seconds. My build up for that race was a bit haphazard, I injured my hamstring at 16 miles and couldn't run post marathon for about 6 weeks. My longest run was about 22 miles and in all honesty I did not really know what to expect or how to prepare.
At the London Marathon expo that year I met 2:08 marathon runner Paul Evans who told me to think of the race in two parts - 20 miles was the half way point and then the race begins! Great advice. 2.19 marathon runner Steve Way was interviewed on the fantastic "Marathon Talk" podcast and he describes the fact that at the end first half of the race you should feel pretty easy if you go out at the right pace and be able maintain that pace until 21 miles or so then see if there is anything left in the tank! This pretty much follows my race plan which will be to go out at a shade under 2.45 pace and maintain that until past 20 miles and see what is left in the tank....hopefully there will be something to call on!
Training this week has gone well. My last long run was Thursday when I did a steady 16 mile run followed by a rest day on Friday. Saturday was an opportunity to have a bit of a blow out as the new Redcar Locke Park run started. I have been organised in developing this run and so it was great to see 91 runners turn up for the first run. After a steady first mile in 5.33 I pushed on with a 5.31 mile and a 5.27 mile to finish 1st in 17.16. A good sign that training has gone well over the past few months but also an indication of the work that needs to be done to get under 16.30 later in the summer.
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| Locke Park Park Run up and running! |
Check out the Redcar Park Run site and join us on Saturday mornings at 0900. Please register in advance via the Park Run website.
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/redcar/
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