I think I could still sign up for a marathon, if that's a form of torture I'd like to inflict upon myself at least once before I die. I've been doing a lot of running in the past month, and as I look at my distances, I'm realizing that this looks more like marathon training than half-marathon training (though I could sign up for one of those, and it would almost seem breezy).
Here are the numbers from the past four weeks of running (and since returning from the cottage, when I ran precisely zero kilometres for an entire week):
week one: 31.7km
week two: 51.4km
week three: 50.9km
week four: 69.3km
I had in mind, very loosely, an eight-week running experiment, where I would try my best to improve my times and my endurance simply by running longer and faster and more often. I'm running five times a week, now. Not sure why I wanted to do this, though I was hoping to be in fighting shape for the Toad run; as I was running last night, however, I thought, gee, I should revisit that marathon notion. I'm probably not a natural marathoner; I'm probably going to be better at the shorter distances, like the 10km, and possibly the half. But I would like to do it once in my lifetime. And this seems to be the year for doing new things. I should slip a 5km race in here just to cover my bases.
Won't run today, because I got up and swam instead. Wasn't feeling particularly perky, having just run 23km a mere eleven hours previously, but still managed to back and forth myself to 2200m. My goal was 2000, and anything on top of that was gravy. The pool was very crowded today, but our lane worked out well, even when it had four swimmers in it. We were all going relatively the same speed. A good start to the week.
3 comments:
I finally got a bathing suit, goggles and swim cap today! YIKES! No excuses now! I'm a bit freaked, as I haven't been lane swimming in years. Literally years!
When is the marathon? What is the longest that you have run so far? If I recall correctly (and I can dig out my marathon training manual or ask my former marathon training buddy) the longest training runs that we did while marathon training were 34, 36 and 38 kilometers.
I am sure that you are capable of running a marathon right now, but I know from experience that once you get past about 30k, those last kilometres are way harder than you think they are going to be. I would highly recommend doing at least 1 or 2 runs in the 32-38k range with enough time after to bring your mileage back down again. So that would be at least 3-4 weeks of long runs (I am assuming one long run a week which is what many people do).
If I can find my training manual (please don't let it be in the shed!) I will bring it to you. I am sure you can find training schedules on-line too.
Of course, you don't have to do any of those distances before a marathon, and I am sure that many people don't, but your body (knees and legs) and your mind might really appreciate having that experience under your belt beforehand.
Good luck!
T
Nath and I may swim on Thurs morning this week instead of Friday ... if you want to join us!
I know I'd need to get some longer runs in. I've got Katy P's running book that she loaned me, and I've been roughly using that as a guide. The longest I've run is 25km.The marathon I'm looking at is in Hamilton, and it's the last of the season, sometime in Nov. It would still be a push to get that mileage on with time to taper off. And I can already guess how that last half of a marathon will feel, because my legs were definitely feeling pounded upon yesterday by the end. But I kept thinking, could I go ten more kilometres? And the answer always felt like, yes! Of course, I'd have to go even more than 10 more kilometres to complete the marathon.
Me again. No wonder I am not getting anything done around here - I can't get away from the computer!
You should DEFINITELY go for a 5k. I bet you will have an awesome time! The great thing about a 5k is that by the time you are really starting to think, "I can't keep this pace up for much longer!" you are done. I find 10k's the hardest because it is hard to keep up that race pace for 10k (at least I think it is hard!). But 5k is much more manageable.
I think the Oktoberfest Run has a 5k run and it is mostly downhill, so a great race to get a PB!
See ya!
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