New York Marathon - I used to be a runner, I think

[HumanGazelle]

Why hello again VF, how have you been? Long time no speak.

So it's been quite a while since I last logged my training.... mainly because there hasn't been a great deal to log. But instead I have been diligently carbing up, attentively selecting which days are rest days, and quietly nurturing a good cake belly

I'm running the New York Marathon in November, so this year I have turned over a new leaf. Unfortunately at the moment I am still struggling to even enjoy running; currently I'm only feeling the constant tiredness, not the endorphin cravings. I hope this changes over the summer, or I'm going to be running on willpower alone.

My previous marathon time was 4:36. I'm hoping to break 4 hours this time round. I don't know if that's realistic at the moment, so time will tell. I started running as regularly as I could over a month ago but my official 16 weeks started on June 4th, so that's where the log starts from.

Also, a couple of weeks beforehand I ran 4 miles in 29 minutes - about a 7.26 pace. That's kind of my 10k pace at the moment (46 minutes). If I can do an official 10k I will try and fit it in, as it will probably work out to be a minor improvement on my previous time.

[HumanGazelle]

Monday, June 4th
4 miles

Tuesday
8 miles

Wednesday
Rest day. Had 1 beer in spite of promising myself not to drink until November. Hard to say no to a lady.

Thursday
4 miles

Friday
rest

Saturday
8 miles

Sunday
Training session with some of the Vegan Runners in Victoria Park. I think it was 7x 1/2 mile at pace, but I lost count.

[HumanGazelle]

Monday, June 11th
4 miles

Tuesday
Rest day - had 1 coffee and 1 beer. I'm really sensitive to coffee and it makes me hit the wall even if I'm resting, so that's something else I should cut out.

Wednesday
5 miles

Thursday
4 miles

[HumanGazelle]

Oh yeah, while I'm here... was gutted to miss VFW Austria this year It clashed with a wedding, so I was in Glastonbury having the vegan option at a South African braai. Have seen a few photos, and it looks like there was a lot of fun being had. I really missed being there. Next year...

[KaliBaby]

I'll cheer for you when you run and can take you out for a victory meal afterward!

[benzilla]

Keep going with the training mate! Pretty lucky to be selected for that marathon!

[soniczip]

Oh yeah, while I'm here... was gutted to miss VFW Austria this year It clashed with a wedding, so I was in Glastonbury having the vegan option at a South African braai. Have seen a few photos, and it looks like there was a lot of fun being had. I really missed being there. Next year...

yeah, absolutely

nice to see your log. i think you'll easily break the 4 minutes barrier

[Rochellita]

Hey, nice to see you back logging!

Sorry that the training is so gruelling, is this normal when training for a marathon or are you overtraining? I hope you get your mojo back and good luck with the training.

[baldy]

Rest day - had 1 coffee and 1 beer. I'm really sensitive to coffee and it makes me hit the wall even if I'm resting, so that's something else I should cut out.

nice how you are worried about the coffee and not the beer

If you are running 46 minute 10km, you should be on track for easy sub 4 hour IF you have enough long runs in your training program. Lets see it!

[Talyn]

Hey James, good to see you back at it!

[HumanGazelle]

Thanks everyone, it's good to be back!

I'll cheer for you when you run and can take you out for a victory meal afterward!

Sounds like a plan Kali - definitely up for a few days of eating afterwards. I'm actually staying somewhere in NJ but I don't know where my friends' place is, just yet.

nice how you are worried about the coffee and not the beer

They both hinder my training... but as it happens, I did run an experiment (under completely controlled scientific conditions, of course) back in May, where I discovered that over a 5 mile distance, I run much better 3 hours after a gin and tonic, than 1 hour after a double espresso.

If you are running 46 minute 10km, you should be on track for easy sub 4 hour IF you have enough long runs in your training program. Lets see it!

I don't have a formal training program, but I'm basically trying to observe the following:
- Run 5 days a week. To begin with, these will be 4-6 miles. Later on, I'll run 4-8 miles depending on how I feel.
- 1 weekly long run, starting at 8 miles, increase by 1 mile a week, up to a max of 18.
- 1 weekly interval session. 1/2 mile distance, perhaps 7 or 8 reps with a minute rest.

I'm trying to ensure I run the day after a long run, to see how this feels. But the long run and the interval session will never be on consecutive days.

[HumanGazelle]

Friday 15th July
rest

Saturday
5 miles - 2 miles uphill (I don't have hills near me so it was handy to visit my parents and do Crystal Palace hill).

Sunday
5 miles

Monday
8.5 miles

Tuesday
Yoga class (which wasn't exactly rest but means a day of not running)

Sat, Sun and Mon it was raining pretty heavily, so hopefully a day off has given my trainers a bit of time to dry out. It's a wierd feeling putting on trainers that are still damp.

I am so tired right now.

[soniczip]

Tuesday
Yoga class (which wasn't exactly rest but means a day of not running)

cross training is so important! i'm thinking about taking yoga classes as well ... i'm so stiff

I am so tired right now.

it olny means you did your job

[HumanGazelle]

it olny means you did your job

THIS is my job?

[HumanGazelle]

Wed
4 miles

I'm off to a wedding for the weekend and failed to train yesterday, so it'll be a few days break I think. Then, I'm running the Hackney Half Marathon next Sunday, so the week will mainly consist of easy runs.