Is it acceptable to go to bed at 8pm on a Sunday? I hope this blog will make some sense, as I sit writing I feel very tired and not as though I am thinking to my usual full capacity! Today has been a long day to end week 8 of marathon training – the half way point! It has been rewarding though, and I make these sometimes slightly crazy decisions to fit in my training because, ultimately, it is what I love.

MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: seeing mile reps on my plan for today’s interval session did fill me with a little bit of fear. They are long efforts, and although I ‘only’ had four to log across a 7 mile distance, I knew it could be a test. Aided by a nice cool morning, I was pleased with how well I ran; I felt strong throughout and my interval splits showed very little variation. I think its ok to feel a bit daunted by a run at times, it means you respect it, and once you accomplish it, it feels even better!

WEDNESDAY: on a grey and very wet mid week evening the prospect of running probably doesn’t sound too appealing to most. I had agreed to meet my run buddy at 7pm for 7 miles (7 for 7!) and as I opened my front door to meet her, I gave a look that said – are we mad?! However, once we started running the rain was long forgotten, and easy miles passed effortlessly as our usual catch up conversation flowed. Running with company is just so much easier sometimes, and we logged an 8:17 min/mile average pace, which felt incredibly comfortable. We were rather wet when we stopped, but it was certainly worth it.

THURSDAY: not long after last night’s evening run, I laced up again for my morning miles. My legs were heavy and I was thankful to have another ‘easy’ run on my plan. I aimed for 10 miles, but it was a bit of a slow slog, and as I passed my house on 9.15 miles, and with a Run Club session later – I called it day for the time being. At Run Club later I thankfully had a bit more life in me, taking part in a short, sharp hill session, which rounded my miles up to 11.5 for the day.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: during marathon training I keep my speed expectations relatively low. I take part in interval sessions and alike during the week, but these are ultimately focused on the 26.2 mile distance, not a 5k. At parkrun I therefore take whatever my legs seem capable of, and at the moment, I am really pleased to find and feel some speed in there still. Today, I managed to log another sub 21 minute time at Lincoln parkrun and felt good for the duration. My final mile was actually nearly as quick as my first - which rarely happens for me! I also had a very strong finish left in my legs, which made me think I probably could have dug a little deeper a bit earlier on!

​SUNDAY: I knew today was going to be a tiring one even before my alarm woke me at 5am. I was working at a community event for the vast majority of the day, and with 16 miles planned, an early alarm to ensure adequate fuelling and running time was therefore unavoidable. Solo long running has been tough of late; in the summer heat I seem to welcome distraction and the extra support, so I have had to really draw on my determination at times. Recently after my long runs I have felt both physically tired and also mentally drained from having to constantly drive myself, and I will admit, it does take some of the enjoyment away! Today I thus had one sole focus; to try and enjoy this run. I decided pace did not matter; I wanted 16 strong miles and I guess I wanted to boost my confidence a little when running longer. It was warm even early in the day, with a fairly gusty breeze, so my decision not to focus on pace felt even more justified. I kept steady throughout, feeling comfortable and never doubting I would get to 16 miles. I think I could have upped the pace towards the end, however I did not want to jeopardise things, and kept to my focus, My average pace was just over 8.30 min/mile – which is not what I want to be running marathon in, but I enjoyed it much more and I feel this run did me good.
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Half way to Chicago…  8 more weeks of work to go. ​

Running can be a funny thing. I started the week feeling so tired and exhausted from it all, but I am ending the week, still feeling a little weary, but full of the joys running gives to my life. 

MONDAY: Body Pump class - it was an effort to get myself to this class. I was tired and had tight muscles from last week's running. I had to apologise to my friend after as I felt I spent the whole class moaning about how hard everything seemed! She understands marathon training though, and I am grateful she knew I just needed a sympathetic ear. 

TUESDAY: time to wake my body up with some intervals! It was a considerably cooler morning than of late, and this really benefited me. I ran 15 x 200m with 200m recoveries, which after a warm up mile, gave me just over 5 miles of distance. I really got into that much loved running 'zone' at some points during this run, logging a lot of the interval splits around the 6.30 min/mile marker. 

WEDNESDAY: another pre-work 10 miler; I felt slightly more accustomed running this distance to start the day compared to last week. Again I kept the pace easy, and whilst the temptation is there to pick up the speed a little and just 'get it done', I know the need for these easy mile is just as vital. 

THURSDAY: with a slightly different running weekend ahead, this morning I switched my plan around a bit to include a steady 3.5 miles, keeping just under 8 min/mile pace. This was followed by a pyramid session at Run Club later. I pushed myself tonight, I had not especially planned to, but I ran with a small group of others and found myself caught up in their dedication. Again I messed up split timing on my watch - I think I give up! - but we ran 2 sets of 1k/500m/200m/200m/500m/1k which at the end was nearly 5 miles of running. The motivation of others definitely helped me challenge myself - being a Run Leader is both very rewarding personally and through seeing the achievement of others. 

FRIDAY: usually Fridays are my rest day, but this week instead of pushing my trolley around Tesco on a Friday evening (wild I know!) I found myself running Sleaford 10k, a local race to me. Full blog to follow, but I was really pleased with how I ran - I had to be really, finishing second female and in 44:22. A trophy and a time is one thing (see image), but I felt really strong, despite the equally strong wind, and also enjoyed every step of the race, as well as the plentiful cake at the finish!

SATURDAY: Rest Day and volunteering at Lincoln parkrun (see image). 

This week I have felt that marathon training notch turn up a little. I have had some tough runs and had to work hard to meet the requirements of my training plan. I have enjoyed pushing myself on the vast majority of my running, I like the feeling of working hard and challenging myself. However, I have to say Sunday's long run was bit too much and the combination of long miles and summer heat really pushed me to my limits.
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MONDAY: Body Pump class

TUESDAY: with an early start at work my morning run had to be completed even earlier than normal today. A 5am alarm woke me ready for my 7 mile tempo run, which I aimed to complete with the middle 5 miles around half marathon pace. I focused on trying to make this middle section log 7.30 min/mile splits, and I was not far off this marker throughout. 5 miles felt quite a long time to hold this pace though, especially so early in the day, and I was pretty knackered at the end (see top image)! 

WEDNESDAY: when I have a 10 miler to run pre-work that is when I know marathon training is starting to fully hit me. 10 miles seemed a long time to be out, even though I did keep the run at an a easy pace, averaging 8.33 min/mile.

THURSDAY: as part of Lincs S&C Run Club we hold a monthly track session and I was really looking forward to the challenge of it tonight. I used this as my interval run for the week and was pleased to see the session was due to be 10 x 400m reps with a minutes rest between. 'Pleased' may sound like strange reaction, but I knew it would challenge me and I liked that. The session was hard, jelly legs hit by half way and I spent a lot of the recovery period with my hands on my knees trying to gulp in air, but I really did give my absolute all to every single lap of that track. I messed up my watch - again! - so was a little gutted not to be able to look back at my splits for each interval. Next time I will get it right!

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: I managed to log another sub 21 minute time at Lincoln parkrun today - 20:53 -  but in keeping with the theme of the week, it really was hard work and I fought for every second. I could feel I was a little jaded from the track session still as I started to run, but I had a real level of determination inside me for some reason and just knew I wanted to battle through. I ran with gritted teeth, trying to smile when marshals and fellow runners cheered my name, and when I crossed into the finish funnel, I was simply really pleased that my efforts had paid off. 

SUNDAY: training for a marathon during summer sounds quite idyllic in some ways, but today I really hated the seasonal heat. I got out fairly early and to be honest the first 7 miles of the 17 miles I had planned were fine; I was in a good running rhythm, had accomplished a couple of hilly challenges I had thrown in at the start, and felt quite content. Heading toward 10 miles and as my route began to become more rural and exposed, the sun started to bore into me though, making me hot and making each step feel heavier than it should be. I stopped in pockets of shade to sip water occasionally, but it only meant when returning to run the sun hit me harder. For the final 7 miles I had to draw on some mental grit to keep on ticking the miles off; my legs were not actually feeling too bad, but I was mentally tired from constantly having to encourage myself. I logged my 17 miles in an average pace of 8.24 min/mile (see bottom image), and as I collapsed onto the foot of my stairs at home, I was exhausted. To be honest I was also questioning why I do this to myself! The 'why?' is of course part of a much bigger picture, and these hard challenges are all part of the process along the way. ​

​You can always rely on the British Weather to play a part during marathon training, whether it is the threat of snow and ice during Spring blocks, or the fear of extreme Summer warmth. The latter has certainly played its part this week, with a heatwave sweeping the UK and temperatures hitting over 30 degrees Celsius – I do not think I remember such a heat in the UK in my lifetime?! I have therefore spent most of this week as a sweaty mess, and even when it cooled down at the weekend, the rain arrived and continued to soak me to my skin with a different kind of moisture – glamorous I know! Along with the heat, it has been a busy few days for me with a staff training week at work which also involved moving our offices and taking part in various team building activities. Simply put – I am a little knackered right now!

MONDAY: Body Pump class
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TUESDAY: today the heatwave began and I subsequently found intervals a little tougher going than normal, especially towards the end. I ran 6 miles with 12 x 400m reps and 200m recoveries. The first seven reps were relatively consistent, hovering around or just under the 7 min/mile marker; however, I felt the power fade from my legs for the final few and I really had to challenge myself to pick up the pace – the last rep felt like I was literally going nowhere!

WEDNESDAY: even as I met my friend for one of our 6am mid-week runs it was already nearly 20 degrees already – great! My friend seemed less affected by the heat than me, and he set the early pace as normal, which is always reasonably quick for me. I held this pace for a few of the 6.5 miles we ran, but as the final couple arrived, my legs were starting to struggle against the muggy, dense air. It was still a good paced run overall, but it just felt much harder, and I was drenched at the end.

THURSDAY: the hottest July day on record with temperatures hitting over 30 degrees – a great day for 5 different bouts of exercise then..! My first taste of exercise was my early morning run, an easy paced 7 miles, which I was surprised by how well I consistently paced given the heat. Next up was a team building day at work, which turned out to be a rock climbing session, followed by some team fitness relay races, and then by an immersive spinning class, all thankfully in the sanctuary of an air conditioned leisure centre. However, I still had Run Club to come. By 6.30pm in the evening it was scorching and I would not have even contemplated a run if it had not been club night. We planned a gentle out-and-back run, emphasising to people to take it easy. By now, my legs were pretty much exhausted, and combined with the heat, I found I only had one pace – a gentle plod. This was actually fine and I enjoyed being able to run with others and gain their support to keep me plodding along. We managed 4 miles – but it felt like 40! At the end of the day I was absolutely dead on my feet!
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FRIDAY: Rest Day

Somehow this is Week 4 of my marathon training on the road to Chicago – time has very much flown by. I am now a quarter of the way through my sixteen-week plan and I am very happy with how things are – quite literally. My goal for this training was to work hard, but also continue to feel contentment and enjoy with my life outside of running; and I am pleased to say so far I am achieving this.

MONDAY: after a week away from any form of strength work last week, I knew tonight’s Body Pump class would be a bit tougher than usual – it literally only needs me to miss one week and I can feel it! Combine my brief absence with the instructor launching a new set of exercises, and I was prepared to be sore…

TUESDAY: the DOMs had already hit as I laced up for my early morning run and I was a bit unsure if my planned intervals would actually happen! I had 6 miles with 5 x 1000m reps and 200m recoveries set, and I just had to see if my legs wanted to play game! It was a hard session, and the last two intervals reps really pushed me. My splits were strong though, despite my soreness, with a couple of sub 7 min/mile reps and the others all hovering a few seconds above this marker.

WEDNESDAY: if I thought DOMs had hit me yesterday, today they had bulldozed into my body; I was incredibly sore and was therefore very pleased to have some easy miles on my plan. I also had to get up very early for these 7 miles ahead of a long day at work – in fact this week on the whole has seen me working a lot of hours over some long days. The key to both fitting in my training and looking after myself I find is managing this impact in other areas of my life – I got to bed as early as possible, I try drink plenty, I add extra protein into my diet to aid recovery etc. It sounds simple, and I am certainly not perfect, but it all helps.

THURSDAY: thankfully my soreness had minimised significantly today and I enjoyed an early morning 7 mile run following an easier (8 minute something) to harder (7 minute something) mile pattern. At RunClub later I logged a comfortable further 4 miles as Run Leader.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

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This week has been very busy - all things go! - and this has included a lot of happy running and also happy memories. At this moment in time, I feel really fortunate to be able to write that and equally as thankful to be able to experience these emotions.

MONDAY: I spent a large chunk of this week in Liverpool as part of celebrations for my sister’s PhD graduation. This meant today I was able to enjoy a different start to the week, going on a hilly walk/climb up Moel Famau in nearby North Wales - some active recovery on my running rest day!

TUESDAY: usually when I see a progression run on my plan I react with a kind of ‘eye roll’, as mentally I can sometimes struggle with the pacing. I have improved my approach over the years, and today, running with my sister, I was determined to execute the 6 miles well. We not only ran well, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the run along Liverpool’s dockside (see image). Chatting to my sister meant I wasn’t constantly fixated by pace, and instead when our watches beeped in unison as a mile passed, we used this as a marker to pick up speed naturally. We nailed the progressive splits 8.48, 8.26, 8.17, 8.03, 7.49 and 7.28 min/mile respectively, and then spent the rest of the day celebrating my sister becoming Dr Carter.

WEDNESDAY: after a very long but memorable day yesterday at my sister's Graduation, in which I managed to wear high heels for endless hours, drank a fair few glasses of free prosecco, and enjoyed a lovely family meal – I did not feel my sharpest this morning! Alone I would have struggled running, but my sister joined me again for a steady 6 mile loop though Liverpool, and we helped take each other’s mind of our aching limbs and sore feet!

THURSDAY: back in Lincoln, today turned into a 10 mile double run day. In the morning I ventured out alone for a 5 mile interval run, featuring 3 x 1 mile reps and 400m recoveries. I kept my expectations fairly low after a busy week already, but was very pleased by how my body responded. It was humid and very sweaty, but my legs held strong with intervals splits of 7.01, 6.53 and 7.02 min/mile. Later in the day at Run Club and I logged a further 5 miles as we took the group through a more sustained running session. My legs were a little tired at this point, but I was really pleased to be able to run alongside a fellow member who has recently come back from representing Team GB at Triathlon Championships for her age group – I loved hearing about her experience and as the mid-run conversation flowed, my weary legs were long forgotten.

FRIDAY: Rest Day

SATURDAY: due to an event in Boultham Park there was no Lincoln parkrun today. I wanted to use the opportunity for some local parkrun tourism, but I was also aware I probably needed to log my long run, as on Sunday I was volunteering at a community event and would be needed from very early until late evening. Getting up on Sunday at the crack of dawn to log 13 miles did not seem a sensible choice, so I found a way to combine both a 13 mile long run and a parkrun into my Saturday running. I ventured to Clumber Park with my friend and her husband, firstly to take on the parkrun course (see image). I have completed this parkrun a couple of times before on New Year’s Day and it is always an enjoyable event. Today was very pleasant again, with a lovely atmosphere and the usual beautiful trail-based course. I ran with a natural strength in my stride, even with the slightly more challenging terrain Clumber Park presents, finishing in 21:01 and with a new course PB. My friend also ran a course PB – so we definitely did not hold back!