Alice's Adventures in Running Land
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact

London Marathon Training 2018: Week 9

3/1/2018

0 Comments

 
If last week my hamstring was out to test me, this week it was the turn of the weather. Living in Lincoln meant I have been fully hit by the 'Beast From The East' and this week has seen very heavy snowfall, mixed with ice and sub zero temperatures - delightful weather at the best of times, let alone when trying to train for marathon! After a tough week, Sunday did give me some reward...

MONDAY: despite the minus temperatures and threat of snow flurries I braved my (outdoor!) Strength and Conditioning for Runners session this evening, still wearing my usual attire of running shorts naturally! It was a little fresh shall we say, but once I got stuck in, it was fine. I wish the rest of the week could have been like this weather-wise, as the cold was bearable and at least still allowed me to be active outside...

TUESDAY: the first 'snow day'. Scattered snow showers throughout the day meant by the time it came to my evening run the risk of ice and slipping was too high for my liking, and the treadmill sadly beckoned - bear in mind I hate the treadmill! Intervals on the treadmill at least broke the monotony a little, although it still felt longer than if I were running outdoors for some probable psychological reason! I ran 7 miles with 6 x 1km reps and 200m recoveries. I chose a level on the treadmill which felt hard to push myself during the intervals, although it was hard to gauge exactly as my gym's treadmill operates only in 'km', which as 'miles' person I find hard to get my head around! I felt knackered afterwards though so knew I had pushed myself well.

WEDNESDAY: the second 'snow day', with significantly more snow falling overnight. I was supposed to be travelling with work today (which snow also thwarted!) so had woke early to get a run in, which I had already predicted would have to be on the treadmill again. As I walked to the gym the snow was up to my ankles and I feared the gym may even be shut. It was open though, and I joined a few hardly soles sticking to our exercise regimes. I had another 7 miles to do today, alternating the miles between a faster mile (sub 8 min/mile) and a steadier mile (sub 9 min/mile). As soon as I started to run I could feel yesterday's treadmill effort in my legs; my muscles were sore and not used to the change, but I was determined to get my run completed even if it felt another long slog. 

THURSDAY: unsurprisingly the 10-15cm of snow which had fallen had not melted overnight in the sub zero conditions, so you guessed it, the treadmill was my safe running option yet again - the joys. To add to this, my gym was now closed and so I had to find another gym which was open and pay for the pleasure of running on a moving belt! My training plan was for ten miles today, but I knew I was never going to make that happen on a treadmill, especially as my legs were still accumulating a lot of soreness from my adventures on the treadmill already this week. 
Picture
I made it to 8 miles, which when I was literally running staring at nothing but a white brick wall I am proud of! It was hard today and I have never known miles to pass so slowly. My legs took a good mile to warm up and I made sure to use the final mile to try cool down and prevent more soreness developing, but kept the middle miles around 8-8.10 min/mile pace. Two miles dropped - but under the circumstances I had literally no issue with that!

FRIDAY: with the unsurprising news that Lincoln parkrun was sadly this week cancelled due to snow I opted to get some more of my weekly miles in today. With a place in the Cambridge Half Marathon on Sunday I also thought by running today it would give my legs a full day of rest before race day. A treadmill 5k felt like nothing compared to my recent runs, and it was psychologically much more bearable. I also pushed the pace a little on this run, which also felt good and made time seem to go by much quicker! To make the most of paying for another day of gym use, I gave my legs a very easy spin on the bike afterwards to try reduce some of the treadmill tightness. After four treadmill runs I could not wait to run outside on Sunday and just hoped the weather would not jeopardise the race. 


SATURDAY: Rest Day

SUNDAY: Cambridge Half Marathon and a chance to not only race, but run OUTSIDE. Thanks to the hard work of the OSB Events team the race was on, and at 5 degrees it felt almost hot compared to the rest of this week! Full blog to follow, but I loved the race, and despite debating treating it more like a training run, with my parents coming to support (see image) and the weather revival, I went for it. I was pleased with my decision; as on crossing the line I had run new PB of 1:36:51 - I was so happy for so many reasons.  

So the snow has been a bit of a training nightmare this week. There are of course worse things which could be caused from snowfall, and a lot of people will have suffered more than having to run on a treadmill quite a bit! It has still been an added  challenge though, and a few of my friends and family did ask me throughout the week if I was still able to marathon train and hoped I could somehow. They know how much running and training means to me, and I guess that is why I have been so resolute in getting my miles in still! A half marathon PB at the end felt like a nice reward too! 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Alice's Adventures In Running Land

    Read about my adventures in running land...


    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    2019
    2020
    2021
    Ashby 20 2019
    Bassingham Bash 2015
    Bassingham Bash 2016
    Bassingham Bash 2017
    Bassingham Bash 2020
    Berlin Marathon 2016
    Berlin Marathon 2017
    Boston Marathon 2017
    Brighton 10k 2015
    Brighton Marathon 2019
    Cambridge Half Marathon 2018
    Cambridge Half Marathon 2019
    Cambridge Half Marathon 2020
    Chicago Marathon 2019
    Clumber Park Half Marathon
    Doncaster 10k 2017
    Doncaster 10k 2018
    Doncaster 10k 2019
    Finsbury Park 10k 2015
    General Running
    Great Newham Run 10k 2016
    Great North Run 2015
    Harewood House Half Marathon 2017
    Hedgehog Half Marathon 2018
    I Am Team GB
    Leicestershire Half Marathon 2018
    Leicestershire Half Marathon 2019
    Lincoln 10k 2015
    Lincoln 10k 2016
    Lincoln 10k 2017
    Lincoln 10k 2018
    Lincoln 10k 2019
    Lincoln Colour Dash 2015
    Lincoln Half Marathon 2016
    Lincoln Half Marathon 2017
    Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 2015
    Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 2016
    Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 2017
    Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Marathon 2018
    London Marathon 2015
    London Marathon 2016
    London Marathon 2017
    London Marathon 2018
    London Marathon 2020
    Manchester Marathon 2016
    Milton Keynes 20 Mile Race 2018
    Newark Half Marathon 2017
    Newark Half Marathon 2018
    Newark Half Marathon 2019
    Newton's Fraction Half Marathon 2019
    Normanby 10k 2020
    North Lincolnshire Half Marathon 2018
    North Lincolnshire Half Marathon 2019
    Nottingham 10k 2016
    Oxford Half Marathon 2015
    Parkrun
    Park Run
    Robin Hood Trail 10k
    Round Sheffield Run 2016
    Round Sheffield Run 2017
    Round Sheffield Run 2018
    Round Sheffield Run 2019
    Royal Parks Half 2016
    Santa Run 2014
    Santa Run 2015
    Santa Run 2018
    Santa Run 2019
    Sleaford 10k 2019
    Stamford 30k
    Sydney Marathon 2018
    The 401 Challenge
    The Royal Parks Half Marathon 2016
    Thoresby Half Marathon
    Winter Run 10k Liverpool
    Woodhall Spa 10k 2018
    Woodhall Spa 10k 2019
    X Runner 2015

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from marksteelenz