My Training Review: Training Week 12

MONDAY: started the week with an 11k run completed at roughly marathon pace. After the Lincoln 10k on Sunday my legs didn't feel as tired as normal on my Monday run, hence the faster speed. However my quads were sore - perhaps due to the different nature of running with the 10k requiring me to try and run more powerfully....just guessing! Body Pump afterwards.

TUESDAY: today Body Attack came back into my life after months of the instructor being away. The high intensity cardio class is the only time when burpees, let only burpee tuck jumps, actually feel strangely enjoyable and I loved having it back! I feared I may struggle as again the explosive nature of the workout is something I have not really been used to during marathon training, but it was no where near as bad as I feared and I coped well.

WEDNESDAY: another 11km run before Body Pump, again keeping to around marathon pace. Legs still a little sore, but to be honest I am used to pain by now!

THURSDAY: tempo running on the treadmill - the only time when I can actually bring myself to use the machine now! I completed 7km of 3 minutes marathon pace followed by 3 minutes at threshold pace. I then gave my legs a little spin on the bike just to loosen them up a bit followed by some stretching, foam roller work and core exercises.

FRIDAY: Rest Day - I had my second sports massage today and I am pleased to say there is no where near as much bruising as there was after my first visit, literally not even comparable! Hopefully this a sign of how much better condition my legs are in than before my previous visit to the therapist. The therapist worked on my glutes and hamstrings a lot as these had felt a quite uncomfortable over the past few weeks - I even feared I may have piriformis syndrome! Luckily I do not, just tight glutes caused from squatting - not even running!

SATURDAY: a steady 5km run followed by stretching and core exercises.

SUNDAY: long run day, and today it was long - 34km - again beating my furthest ever distance ran (see above very unflattering post run selfie!). My parents were visiting me today so I had to go out early. This meant a 4.45am alarm in order to have my breakfast at 5am, to run at 7am. - which with the clocks going forward felt like 6am! I am not used to this at all and it made me really appreciate how luckily I am to have almost total control of my marathon training. I don't have a family, children or partner to try and fit running around - just me! However I really enjoyed running early, it felt as if the streets were mine and it was so peaceful. The run didn't even seem as long as previous long runs and I had no real pain anywhere in my legs, just tiredness creeping in toward the end. My total time was 3 hours 27 minutes - with 8km left to go to reach marathon distance!