Final long run - 3 weeks to go

It’s April, which means Marathon Month is here again!  Last week was a long, hard week but at last I have done the final longest training run and have now started the tapering period!  It was even better than it was over the Easter weekend so had four days off work – and as I did the long run on Saturday I could enjoy the Easter chocolate eggs and have Sunday and Monday to recover!

Did a good mid-week run on Wednesday, 8.3 miles at just under 10 min/mile pace.  Not quite as fast as last week, but very close – less than a minute’s difference.  I felt good throughout the run, even though I’m rarely keen on running after work (especially when it’s cold and dark and you just want to get home and have dinner!) but hadn’t gone for a swim that day at lunchtime.  I’m hoping that now the clocks have gone forward, the evening runs will be a lot lighter now and I might actually finish them in daylight!  That will be much nicer as I will be able to do some different routes such as along the cycle paths or out into the countryside, that aren’t feasible when it’s dark.

On Thursday we headed to Bodyflight for a team session in the wind tunnel which went well.  We’ve got the Challenge coming up this weekend so we’re just about there!  It’s a good all-over body workout, tunnel flying, certainly makes you ache the next day.  We did 45 minutes and went through all the blocks and randoms.  A late night though – didn’t get home til after 1am so was very glad of a day off the next day!!

Had a rest day on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s 20 mile run, just did some shopping and ate lots of carbs.  Didn’t have a very good night’s sleep as I kept dreaming I’d already done my long run and then woke up at odd hours remembering I still had to run!  Last week's run had gone well do I tried to follow the same pattern and foods as before - had the same egg and cheese carb-free pizza at lunch and the a potato with beans and cheese in the evening, with soya chocolate milk to drink.

On Saturday got up at about 6.30am to eat breakfast nice and early as I didn’t want an upset stomach.  My brother was home for Easter and we planned to do the 5k Park Run with my two sisters.  Only difference is they would drive home after the run, and I would carry on for another 17 miles!!  I took all my gels and everything ready before we got to the start for Park Run.  I had prepared two bottles of water (one with water to carry for the 5k and then leave, and a larger one with Lucozade that I would pick up after Park Run for the rest of the run), 4 gels, one single Clif Blok left over from the last long run, and some jelly babies stuffed into my pockets.  I couldn’t carry all the gels so I left one at the finish line of park run to take when I’d done that part.

We set off for Park Run – a really fun way to start off a 20 mile run!  I went at a very slow pace, and although not the last, was certainly near the back this week!  It was very difficult to get the pacing right as the 5k is generally very fast and it was tempting to speed off as my normal 5k pace!  Good practise for the marathon when people are overtaking at different speeds right from the first mile!  Finished the 5k in just under 34 minutes (which I laughed at later when the email with the time came through) and gave my timing chip to my brother so he could collect (as I didn’t want to stand in the queue when I needed to crack on).  I quickly took the first gel, ditched a layer of clothing and swapped water bottles, then set off again for the next part of the run (my brother took my left over bottle and bag of stuff I no longer needed).

The next part of the run was the only hilly part, a loop around the golf course and then back to the same park and lake I’d just run round.  It’s a section I do a lot on my long runs and is quite tough if you do it towards the end of the long run, but had good scenery.  When I got back to the lake I topped up my water bottle at the fountain and had another gel, but unfortunately had to use the loo as well which I’d really wanted to avoid, probably having eaten too soon before running.  Otherwise, was still feeling pretty good at this point.  I headed down to the cycle track which would be the main stretch of the route.  It’s about 4.5 miles long and pretty much flat (there is a gradual climb over several miles but it’s not really noticeable).  About half way down this track was the 10 mile point – half way!!  I still felt good at 10 miles, legs were beginning to ache a bit but nothing to slow me down.  Passed plenty of runners including one or two familiar faces.  Got into Hatfield and did a big loop round the Business Park – again, another familiar route that I sometimes do for short lunchtime runs.  Was starting to feel the pain more now as I went through the half-marathon point.  The route goes right past work so the plan was to pop in one of the buildings and top up water at the fountain I know about.  But as it was a Saturday, that building was locked!!  Had to run right into campus and quickly pop into the sports village (luckily I’d bought my membership card) and used the fountain in the gym!  I also took another gel while I was there.  Tempted to stop in the café and buy a massive caramel latte as well!

Got back onto the cycle track and ran in the opposite direction for about a third of the length.  It was getting tough now, having done about 14-15 miles and there was still a way to go.  I was looking forward to getting off the cycle track and being on the “home run”.  There are some steps at the point of the track where I was running back onto the main road home – this was really difficult!!!

Back on the main road with about 3 miles to go, I passed two women I’d spotted from earlier – they too were still doing their long run and hopefully nearly finished too!  We all recognised each other and waved again – they still looked fresh as daisies!

Last couple of miles were tough but almost all downhill and things were going well.  There was a short climb up a hill to my road and then finally about 400 meters down the hill to the park when I planned to finish.  I ran strong through to the finish - and then immediately doubled over and put my head in my hands, totally knackered – only to notice someone watching me out their window!!  Was aching like anything but felt so good to have finally finished the long run and could now start tapering!  I walked slowly back to the house to try and stretch my legs a bit and stop them seizing up.  I took the rest of the day very easy...  I find it difficult to eat for a few hours   after a long run so just drank a large glass of chocolate milk with added cream (yum!) and then had a proper meal later (with Ben and Jerry's afterwards.  If you haven't realised yet, I am mad about B&J Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream, with added chocolate desert sauce... guys take note, no need for expensive dinner dates; a bowl of this will do!!!).

 Now as long as nothing awful happens such as a cold or injury, I am now confident about the marathon and the number of miles I’ve put in.  Less than three weeks to go now!!  I have a half marathon on Sunday after the Bodyflight Challenge and a 10k in Dublin (any excuse for a city break) the week after that and then before I know it, it’ll be Marathon day.

Total Training for Saturday

20.6 miles - 4 hours 4 minutes

Below - my Shelter running vest :)  Although I'm running for 2 charities, Shelter and Blesma, I guess I will only be able to wear one running vest...