Marathon Training – Week 4

Marathon Training – Week 4

January 22, 2019 0 By Stuart

Just a quick round up of week 4 of my training for the 2019 Boston (UK) Marathon

As it traditional the starting Monday was a rest day. Did very little of anything which was nice

Tuesday

Tuesday was a fartlek like run into work. 4.8 miles with the some random intervals to the next crossing or bus stop as the mood took me.

Wednesday

Wednesday night was another run home to Beeston via Wollaton Park and Sandy Lane Nature Reserve. Faster and short than the previous weeks run as I didn’t get lost this time and didn’t need to keep getting the phone out either. Managed to avoid getting caught up in the Nottingham Schools Cross Country races in Wollaton Park. Pretty cold and unexpectedly drizzly now, have started stashing a lightweight shower/wind proof jacket in my running rucsac just in case

Thursday

Thursday was an attempt at longer 1km intervals for a bit of strength work. The cold weather and my lingering cold meant this died in a flood of phlegm, so just a faster run in to work.

The big change came at lunch time when I went to the gym to hit the weights for the first time

I can dream

OK, nothing that heavy was lifted on this trip 🙂 But for a first go I was pretty happy. For starters I went with:

  • Squat – 5 x 5 @ 30kg
  • Overhead press – 5 x 5 @ 20kg
  • Bent Row – 5 x5 @ 30kg
  • Deadlift – 5 x 5 @ 40kg

The idea isn’t to become all beefcake, but I’d like to put some strength into my legs and my upper body is as you’d expect for a 40something who’s spent 6 years cycling and running. No aches and pains so I think I did everything correctly.

Saturday

Saturday, instead of the usual faster run I decided on a nice walk in the Peak District. Plan was to head out from Edale up Grindslow Clough, along the edge and back down Jacobs Ladder. We didn’t check the ground conditions before we set off, so quickly cross the scramble up the clough off the list as things were looking like this:

Not what we’d expecte

So just the grind up Grindslow to the knoll. Navigation on top was a bit patchy as the snow was deep and the cloud was down, so white on white all the way round:

There’s a pretty steep drop just behind that cairn, but you wouldn’t know until you got too close for comfort. Not great times to be out in less than great kit. Fair play to the runners up on top for a navigation exercise, I like wild running but being wrapped up in a toasty soft shell was great.

8 miles in those conditions was a fair undertaking, think it might have been easier going for the run.

Sunday

Sunday was long run day as usual. Pushing up to 15 miles this time, and the other objective of the day was to practices drinking and eating. On a half I’ve occasionally had a quick sip of water, but never bothered taking anything edible. For the marathon that needs to change. Having done some reading around, Clif Bloks sounded like the easies thing to carry around. So from here until the race I’ll be trying out the flavours and how often I need to eat the. Today’s trial was Strawberry:

Food and drink for a long run

Decided to try a Blok every 20 minutes for this run. They were tasty, didn’t need too much water to get them down so wouldn’t be too tied down to water stations. Easy to eat, no sticky fingers and just on the one wrapper as well.

Legs were really feeling the affects of Saturday’s walk by mile 8, and miles 12 – 15 were a work of gritted teeth. Something to bare in mind for future Saturday adventure opportunities. Came in just shy of 2 hours, so pretty much averaging 8 minutes a mile which was the goal. And it appears some of the pain might not have been walk related

Oops, that shouldn’t be

Looks like the middle toe was stubbing the front of my shoe somewhat. I think a pedicure might be in order. The toebox of my Saucony Kinvara’s does occasionally feel a bit tight, so luckily I’d picked up some new shoes on Friday (Brooks Ghost 11s) which I’ll be alternating in between now and April which have a bit more room

But overall it was a good run so happy with the week overall. Next week pushing the long run up to 18 miles so need to work out a new route or add a lap of Holme Pierrepoint rowing lake on

The sign to nowhere