Berlin Marathon Training: Week 2

MONDAY: I was booked in for Spinning before my usual Body Pump class, but decided against it. This week's plan was a noticeable step up from last week in terms of pace demands, distance and types of running required; so I opted for some light cross training before Pump instead.

TUESDAY: an enjoyably tough 4 mile tempo run, with 2 miles at 8 min/mile pace in the middle. At first running 8 min/mile seemed ridiculous, and a pace I had only been achieving of later under parkrun conditions. But I drew up some of my Saturday morning determination and managed to stick with it, even adding a slightly unintentional extra mile at the end. 

WEDNESDAY: the plan today was for a slow 6 miles at 9.40 min/mile pace. I aimed to go no faster than 9 min/mile pace, yet despite feeling like I was taking things steady, still averaged 8.40 min/miles. I was warm whilst running; setting out there had been a persistent rain in the air, meaning my rain jacket had been dug out from the wardrobe. Within a few minutes of running however annoyingly the rain suddenly stopped, leaving me to sweat away in my now unnecessary extra wrapping!

THURSDAY: 7 miles including 3 x 1.5 mile intervals - the return of intervals felt like marathon training was really back in my life. The intervals at 8 min/mile pace were tough, they felt long and the final sections really hurt, but I managed them. On the positive, they also made a 7 mile distance fly by!

FRIDAY: Rest Day - and a much needed sports massage. It had been over two months since my last massage and lets just say my legs were very tight and it hurt very much!

SATURDAY: some parkrun tourism this weekend at Gainsborough parkrun in Lincolnshire. Full blog to follow. I also helped with a Colour Dash organised at my workplace a spectacularly failed at trying to keep clean (see image)!

SUNDAY: this run did not feel anywhere near as good as the rest of the week. I went out slow but after the hour mark faded. I lacked energy, which I attribute to not a lot of food or water consumed on Saturday; and the heaviness in my quads, which seemed to have escaped me all week, returned. I ran just under 9.30 min/miles for the ten mile distance, which was what my plan actually suggested, but it felt a bit of a plodding effort. Not the perfect end to the week, but a week where on the whole I have felt more positive than negative  - so progress I feel!