12 Mile walk, 11 Mile run

I completed a 12.5 mile walk on Saturday in a little over 3 hours. I walked at a pace of 3.8 mph with a fairly light backpack. This was my first walk in a few weeks after ther holiday, and I felt very comfortable. Few niggles with my shoes, but I think I have got that sorted.

The day after I did an 11 mile run at easy pace. It took me 1 hour and 56 minutes, exactly to training plan schedule. This approximates to 10:30 minute miles, or 5.7mph. The map above shows this route and elevation profile.

Enjoyed this run, and found it no problem whatsoever. My only muscle soreness on Monday was from the Gym on the Friday. I'm doing a whole circuit of new exercises, so I was feeling a little tender in places!

Training Plan Month 5

I've entered month 5 of my training programme. I've now completed 4 months of base training, hopefully building a healthy and strong stable fitness base on which to build the rest of my programme. From here on in the running times, and hence distances, take a jump up. My longest run as you can see will be 2 hours and 25 minutes, on week 3. I estimate perhaps 15 miles at an easy pace.

This phase of the training still follows the same pattern of building up each week for 3 weeks, then a consolodation week. There is 4 months of this 'Intensity' phase. The first 2 months follow the biuld,build,build,consolodate pattern. All subsequent months follow hard/easy week, although the easy weeks will be by no means easy at this stage. I've now plotted out the entire year and i've factored in my longest run of 3 hours and 20 minutes to fall 5 weeks before the New York Marathon. This should give me plenty of time to recover. I'm going to try and train for a time of between 4 hours, and 4 hours minutes 15. I've got to remember that this marathon is only a stepping stone to bigger distances next year. If my sole goal was a marathon I'd be training to try and break 3 hours 30. That kind of time is not even on my horizon this year, I'm going to take this one steady, and keep to a rigid and disciplined pace. It's my first marathon too, so just completing it will be an acheivement.

Catchup

Been 3 weeks since my last post. I did all usual runs no problems. Then I went on holiday a couple of times. Weekend in Ibiza, then 10 days in Canada (Rockies). I did some running in Canada, inevitably up mountains!

I did a 10K up Hospital Creek Trail in Golden, just 5K up the trail and then back. What made it interesting is that the owner of the lodge we were staying at made me take a 4ft stick she keeps, in case I encountered a bear!!

It was the most unnerving run I've ever had. Running up a fairly narrow and very steep trail, eyes searching the undergrowth for hungry bears.

I did another run up Sulpher Mountain in Banff. My girffriend and baby went in the hot springs and then caught the Gondola up, whilst I ran up the 6K hiking trail that zig-zags it's way to the top. If I remember correctly I gained 800M in that climb. I ran most but also walked some too. Lactic acid build up in my calfs sometimes, and slightly treacherous footing other times.

This week, back at home, I completed a 10K on Tuesday. 37 mins easy pace, 25 mins running intervals until I got home. Wednesday I did a steady pace 5 mile.