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1/2 MARATHON TRAINING summary




A summary of the training undertaken has begun from 01 August 2011.



Week one - 01.08.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mo      6.0       No time taken   
We      6.0       No time taken   
Th      3.0       No time taken   
Fr   Gym for cardiac and aerobic training

Total Miles = 15.0

Comments:

The first six miler was tiring. Bear in mind I had not undertaken any other significant training. However the rest of the training was excellent. Just jogging of course but good six and three mile runs culminating in gym work.



Week Two - 08.08.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mo       4.5       0:50:00     11.07   
We       4.5       0:48:30     10.46   
Fr       7.0       1:10:35     10.05   
Su       5.9       1:01:22     10.24   



Total Miles = 19.9


Comments:

Been using Ibuleve to relieve knee pain. Am jogging still, but may try a few sprints with future training. 



Week Three - 15.08.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Th       4.5       0:44:44     09.56   
Su       5.9       1:01:22     10.24   



Total Miles = 10.4


Comments:

Not much training this week. Been bogged down in V Festival preparations - excuses...excuses. However the first 4.5 miler of the week went better than I thought it might.



Week four - 22.08.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Th       4.5       0:44:44     09.56   
Su       4.0       0:44:10     11.15   



Total Miles = 8.5


Comments:

Just a little bit of training this week. Was more of a jog around. Not the best times I admit but I was able to get round ok.



Week five - 29.08.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Tu       10.0       1:58:22     11.50   
We       4.0       0:43:10     10.58   



Total Miles = 14.0


Comments:

Ran a 4 mile warm-up run to see if I could actually put a bit of a spurt on during the marathon. I couldn't alas. The following ten mile run was exhausting. And to be perfectly honest, every muscle in my lower body was aching. But I had to know that I could run this distance at least.



Week six - 29.08.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Su       13.1       2:21:32     11.15   



Total Miles = 13.1


Comments:

I managed to run the Wolverhampton half marathon and was amazed to be able to run most of it. I was exhausted at the end but this has made it clear to me that, with a little bit more effort and training, I can actually run a good time on the Stafford half marathon. I am wearing my medal with pride!



Week six - Week twenty One

No training undertaken at all

Ok not one bit of training for fifteen weeks. No excuses. I just have to try and squeeze in 4 months worth of training into two months.



Week twenty-two - 26.12.11

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mon       3.0       Untimed      -   
Tu         4.0       Untimed       -   
We        4.0       Untimed       -   


Week twenty-three - 02.01.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mon       4.0       Treadmill      -   
Tu         4.0       Treadmill       -   
We        3.0       Untimed       -   
Th         4.0       Treadmill       -   


Week twenty-four - 09.01.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mon       4.0       Treadmill      -   
Tu         4.0       Treadmill       -   
We        3.0       Untimed       -   
Th         4.0       Treadmill       -   


Week twenty-five - 15.01.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Sun       4.0       Treadmill      -   
Mon       6.0       1:06:32     10.15   
Tu         4.0       Treadmill       -   
We        3.0       Untimed Speedwork       -   
Fri         4.0       Treadmill       -   

Total Miles = 6.0

Comments:

I've twisted my left knee somehow. What a pain! Literally. I do feel a little fitter but haven't lost any significant weight. I am really going to have to train hell for leather to get below my 2 hour half marathon target. Definitely more speed training too and more aerobic stuff. Walking up and down the stairs seems to help! Will try that. Also working with weights should be useful.


Week twenty-six - 22.01.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Sun       10.0       Treadmill      -   
Mon         6.0       Treadmill       -   
Thu       4.5       0:45:32     10.07   

Total Miles = 6.0

Comments:

My left knee and groin hurt, especially when walking up and down stairs. I'm not going to do any exercise of an aerobic nature beyond running - whether on treadmills or outside. I will continue with the weight training though.


Week twenty-seven - 29.01.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Sun       6.0       Treadmill      -   
Mon         6.0       Treadmill       -   
Tue         6.0       Treadmill       -   
Thu         6.0       Treadmill       -   

Total Miles = 0.0

Comments:

Still wary about knee but it's not so painful. I really need to do road running but it's too cold.


Week twenty-eight - 05.02.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Sun        6.0       Treadmill      -   
Mon         6.0       Treadmill       -   
Tue         6.0       Treadmill       -   
Thu         6.0       Treadmill       -   

Total Miles = 0.0

Comments:

Quite a good week actually. Have enjoyed my workouts at the gym and have avoided every piece of equipment except the treadmill. No major injuries to date although I do have slight twinges in my groin if I elevate the treadmill above level 1. Tried to do 2 hours for the long run. Only managed 90 minutes. Still, it wasn't too shabby a session.

Week twenty-nine - 12.02.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mon       9.5       1:45:44     10.54   
Wed       3.0       Speed work       -   
Thu       5.54       0:55:35     10.01   

Total Miles = 18.0

Comments:

Ran a slow run to get used to running outside. Have to say that running outside is NOT the same as running on a treadmill. I need to do one heck of a lot more external runs before the big day. On a better note, I did some great speed work and that will stand me in good stead. I've also realised that running with nothing in my hand and warming up help me enormously. I need to try running without a drinking vessel in my hand.


Week thirty - 19.02.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mon       2 hours on treadmill at slow pace
Wed       90 minutes on cross trainer
Thu       4.5       0:43:16     09.36   
Fri       30 minutes on treadmill at moderate pace. 10 mins on stepper

Total Miles = 4.5

Comments:

Starting to improve slowly but really need to put more effort in on the speed work to do the times I hope.


Week thirty-One - 26.02.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Wed       60 minutes on treadmill at moderate pace. 15 mins on upright cycle
Thu       4.5       0:43:30     09.36   
Fri       5.7       0:57:13     10.02   
Sa       9.3       1:39:00     10.32   

Total Miles = 19.3

Comments:

No idea why, but I cannot get motivated to run. I just keep wishing that this blasted 1/2 marathon was over. I am always seemingly very tired. Went to bed at 8pm on Wednesday night.


Week thirty-Two - 05.03.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Wed       30 minutes on treadmill - moderate pace
Thu       60 mins on treadmill - hill work
Fri       60 mins on treadmill - hill work
Sa       5.6       0:54:17     09.35   
Su       11.3       untimed but estimate this slow run took 2hrs 20 mins

Total Miles = 16.9

Comments:

Training benefits are just starting to kick in now. I wish i'd started before now. I find that not carrying anything in my hand helps me to maintain a great pace. I've been shoving a bottle of lucozade sport down the back of my waistband. Also I've sorted out a playlist to get the heart pumping and the feet moving. Should work well .. The hill work in the gym is useful. I had been avoiding this for fear of injury but I think it's actually contributing to my faster times recently. I don't want to get ahead of myself of course. However I am quietly hopeful. I did run a very very slow run on Sunday. 11.3 miles at what was probably no faster than near 12 minute miling. The last mile was a struggle but at least I know I can do the distance - sort of. I did have major stomach pains though, due in no small part to eating cakes and crisps before the run. That was a stupid thing to do and will be avoided in the proper race. I have also been reading information about training - somewhat late perhaps with two weeks to go. However I've picked up some useful information. I will take some sports drink with me on the day and am definitely try running without stopping and drinking as I go. I am also going to try some 4, 6, and 7 mile runs during the week, culminating in a 9 mile run on Sunday and then east down the training, with non done after a week on Thursday. I am really thinking about this race now. Fingers crossed.


Week thirty-Three - 12.03.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Wed       3.1       0:32:11     10.23   
Fri       60 mins on treadmill - running at pace
Sat       60 mins on treadmill - running at pace
Su       9.36       1:33:24     9.58   

Total Miles = 12.4

Comments:

Damn and Blast! Have problems with my left knee. Don't know if it's a sprain or ligament problem. Deferred training til Wednesday and ran slowly and gingerly. Didnt want to aggravate my knee. It is aching a lot after the Wednesday run - which I cut short from what was supposed to be a 6 mile run. I took some pain killers for my treadmill run on Friday and it worked a charm. I don't advocate masking pain like this but I really needed to get the training done before the half marathon next week. I had an excellent two treadmill sessions, which set me up nicely for a 9 mile run on Sunday. This run felt relatively smooth and pain free. However it has made clear to me that I have little chance of running a sub 2 hour run. Best I could hope for would be closer to 2 hours 10 minutes.



Week thirty-Four - 19.03.12

Day    Miles   Time     MPH

Mon       60 mins on treadmill - running at pace
Tu       60 mins on treadmill - running at pace
Wed       4.5       0:45:00     10.00   

Total Miles = 4.5

Comments:

It was a wind down week this week. I had intended to run on Thursday but miscalculated somehow and didn't do any running or exercise of any kind on this day. On Saturday I took my nephew shopping and alas felt a degree of pain in my groin. I worried that this might be the end of my race!



RACE DAY- 25.03.12

I woke at 5:30 having had 6 hours sleep. I didn't get out of bed for another hour though. I had a bowl of Ready Brek at 7am, with three hours for the marathon. I had a cup of coffee and took a paracetemol as a precaution against the twinges of pain in my groin area. Then I just sat and relaxed until 9.15.

It took me 15 minutes to get to the car park where I met up with a friend. We warmed up by jogging around the car park for 10 minutes and then made our way to the start. I put my headphones on and met up with another friend, standing at the section labelled 2 hours 10 - relating to that specific completion time.

The race itself was interesting. I allowed my legs to take me down the downhill sections. I can't explain it but there was very little effort involved here. My legs just seemed to move. The upward sections were more of an effort but I'd selected tunes on my Iphone with a great running beat and they took me upright when I felt like falling or at the very least stopping.

I am proud to say that I did not stop once! The end result you ask? Well I crossed the finishing line in about 2 hours 12 minutes. That time will need to be rounded down to take into consideration the 3-4 minutes it took to cross the start line.

The Final time has been confirmed at 2 hours 8 minutes and 29 seconds!

Wendy running stafford half marathon - 5 mile mark    Wendy running stafford half marathon - 5 mile mark







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