After 13 gruelling weeks of training and visits to the Chiropractor, Race Tapering has begun in preparation for the big day on 17th April. Over the next 3 weeks I’ll be reducing the intensity of each session and getting final preparations underway for the 26.2 miles.
The midweek runs went very well this week and the addition on 0% beer into my diet helped a treat, courtesy of a birthday present from my wife, Jules.
Midweek training was as follows:
- Tuesday (am) – 45 minutes steady. COMPLETED 8.37km @11.16km/hour. 169 BPM
- Tuesday (pm) – Cricket Nets for 2 hours. COMPLETED
- Wednesday – 4 x 15 minutes hard, with 2.5 minutes rest in-between efforts. COMPLETED 3 x 15 minutes. 8.8km total Average 11.73 km/hour. 168 BPM.
- Thursday – 35 minutes slow. SKIPPED for rest.
- Friday – 50 minutes steady. COMPLETED (off-road). Approximately 10.75km in 54 minutes @11.95km/hour. 171 BPM.
However, on Saturday 26th March I went up to Surbiton to see my mates from school and celebrate Darren Clark’s birthday (and a belated celebration of mine). This involved partaking in several alcoholic beverages including Sambuca shots and Jager Bombs. The hangover on Sunday was not pleasant, but fortunately I moved the 20 mile run to Monday.
I say fortunately; the rest period was not sufficient enough to replenish the fuel in my body and so after 11 or 12 miles I hit was I can only guess is “the wall”. A lack of energy and desire to keep running. Despite completing 10 miles in 100 minutes the full run finished as follows:
- Sunday – 20 miles at close to marathon pace. COMPLETED (BADLY!) in 223 minutes. 8.61km / hour. 161 BPM.
So my plan for the next 3 weeks is no more than 2 pints of 4% lager in anyone night (with a complete ban 3 days before the event) and foods rich in carbohydrates (pasta, rice, baked potatoes, etc) with 500 to 600 grams of carbs per day on the final 3 days before the marathon.
I’m still aiming for sub 4 hours on the day, despite the earlier injury occurence and a poor performance yesterday from alcohol excess on the weekend. Will I be able to do it?
Schedule for this week is as follows:
- Tuesday (pm) – Cricket Nets for 2 hours.
- Wednesday – 50 Minutes Steady.
- Thursday – 60 minutes easy fartlek.
- Friday – 45 minutes marathon pace.
- Sunday – 2 hours at marathon pace.
Have a great week.
Ben
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