My Training Week: Half Marathon Training

My first training week without THE marathon as the ultimate endpoint... 
Despite having a half marathon to work towards, the real challenge, excitement and determination which surrounded my marathon training was noticeably
absent. Although I was so eager to get back running after my week of running rest, I could tell that my level of drive had dipped from 'ultimate extreme' back to 'normal obsessive runner'!

MONDAY: my first run post marathon! The euphoric moment was masked a little by the slight hangover I was feeling after actually going out to celebrate my marathon achievement the night before, and enjoying socialising on my bank holiday weekend! I didn't go too mad Sunday night as I had refrained from occasions like this for the past four months and it almost felt as alien as not running! This did enable me to make my Body Pump class in the morning then head out for a steady 9km run after. My left IT still felt a little tight, but I didn't push the pace, trying to ignore my Garmin and just let my legs get back into running.

TUESDAY: Body Attack class. I also had my post marathon massage today. I was a little nervous in case my therapist would find 'something' that had occurred during the marathon, but thankfully I was deemed ok. My legs were just very tight as was to be expected, especially my left IT Band (no shock) and also my left shin where my pre marathon injury scare had been (ditto no shock). The tightness on this left side also saw the return of my beautiful post massage bruising (see image)!

WEDNESDAY: time to run a bit faster and shake of the automatic 'marathon pace' setting in my legs. I completed 9.5km before Body Pump. The weather was very windy with some light rain at times, but I maintained an average of around 5min 20sec kilometre splits - faster but not overdoing it.

THURSDAY: a further introduction back into faster running today with an 8km run including six fast sprint sections. I opted for the treadmill for this as I always struggle with speed work outside. My issue is the treadmill now bores me as it did again today. The only plus was the faster sprints made the time go that little bit quicker!

FRIDAY: due to work commitments all day and evening on Sunday I did completed my 'long run' this evening. The weather was awful and I got soaked to the skin (see image) through a mixture of persistent rain and heavy downpours. I began running aiming to stick to around 5.20km again, but soon disregarded keeping track of my pace and just focused on making it home without drowning! When I did get home and reviewed my watch I was quite shocked to see I had naturally mostly kept to this pace, at first my legs had felt a little sluggish, but I had got into the run and the distance had felt very manageable.

SATURDAY: time to have some extra fun whilst running and complete Lincoln's first ever Colour Dash organised by the St Barnabas Hospice charity - full blog to follow.

SUNDAY: Rest Day - an odd feeling for a Sunday but working from 10am until 11.30pm on a busy community dance performance was a clear distraction!