training

The 2026 Marathon Training Blog: Week 4

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“Oh, that’s right, Vyvyan. If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, smash the drawing room to pieces. That’s very Buddhist, isn’t it?”

Rick, The Young Ones

Monday 29th June – Today is one of those days where everything is a struggle. I think I’m tired, but not in the traditional sense of being tired. I don’t have heavy legs, I don’t feel like I need to have a sleep. I just feel like I properly can’t be arsed. It could be PTS from the Seagull attack. My blister is a bit sore but nothing a bit of strapping and stiff upper lip won’t solve. I do my weights session at lunch time and it really is an effort. The legs are fine, this one feels like a mental fatigue. It is much cooler this week, the air is fresher and it makes a massive difference. I do my Yoga for Runners in the evening and I’ve actually perked right up by then. I’m even happier later on when Japan score against Brazil – I’ve got a fiver on them at 50 to 1 to win the whole thing. Sadly, my dreams of super shoes are cruelly taken away when Brazil score the winner in injury time. Sons of a bitches.

Tuesday 30th June – I feel much better today, and my blister has popped overnight. Apologies if you’re eating breakfast. There is no club session tonight as the 5 Bridges Race is on. I’m therefore planning on going on around an 8 or 9 mile plod along the coast later on. It’s predicted to be a very pleasant 17c at around 6pm, but with a Thunderstorm warning. I’m frustrated about my blister and tape it up as a precaution. It’s warmer than I thought when I get out. The Storm clouds linger in the air but never block out the sun, which is giving off some heat. I turn on around 5 miles and am hit by a lush sea breeze that stays in my face all the way back. I do an accidental 10 miles, the last 5 of which were quite pleasurable. 

Wednesday 1st July – I have dilemma today. I am supposed to be running the Pie and Peas 10k. I’d hadn’t planned on doing this originally. It’s a great race, lovely course, but I didn’t want any ‘fast’ stuff during Marathon training. However, my mate wanted to do it and we signed up during a moment of weakness (I was pissed) in the pub a few months back. However, as England are now playing Congo at 5pm, he’s pulled out. I’ve been in two minds about. I probably shouldn’t have signed up for it, and it’s too late to Bib Transfer (they don’t seem to allow this anyway). However, I have spent £22 to enter it. Also, the England game *shouldn’t* be that important. If they can’t beat Congo in a Round of 32 game then they want shot with shit. That’s not me being a cocky Englishman, that’s me being a realist. In the end, I decide not to do it. It’s the sensible decision. I’m not going to do owt daft. I do feel a bit leggy in the morning, and I’ve got Thresholds to do tomorrow, so both of these sway my decision to a no. I feel bad as it’s a sell out and someone else could have had my number, and I’m not one for just not turning up for a race. I head out for a laboured easy 6 miler along the coast during my lunch hour. It’s a warm day and I’m more tired than a thought I would be, to the point that I take a Gel before heading out, which helps me push through. Maybe psychologically just as much as physically. I’m not complaining though. Welcome to Marathon training. It’s hard. It’s meant to be. England decide to be very Englandy and go behind early, before scoring late on twice. Which means their next match is 1am in the early hours of Monday. As I technically work in a Scottish Office, the chances of getting a late start on Monday have two hopes – Slim and Bob. And Bob is dead. 

Thursday 2nd July – This evenings Thresholds are surprisingly light – ‘only’ 6 x 1km. Thereforethe dread I usually have for this session is far less that usual. It’s a warm and surprisingly windy evening when I head across to the estate. After last weeks issue with my Sunday long run shoes giving me a slight blister, I’ve decided to switch up my footwear. The long run shoes didn’t give me stick until I went over around 12-14 ish miles. I’m therefore going to wear them on this Thursday session going forward, with the ones I usually have on will now be my Sunday long ones. A 10 minute warm up and only needing to do 6km, I should be over and done in no time. Despite this though, I find it tough. Because my head has mentally prepared itself for quick and easy, it’s anything but. I slog my way round, the last 3 are especially a ball ache, before getting back in the house for what feels like no earlier than usual. This was definitely another sign of the psychological fatigue I was feeling yesterday. Still, it’s all part of the process. Every Threshold session I complete is another win. So I’m winning. More importantly though, my running shoes didn’t give me any blister problems. Double win.

Friday 3rd July – Friday means hills. I do a weights session during my lunch hour then after work head out for the 4 miles easy with hill repeats. It’s still fairly warm but there is light rain in the air and it’s a nice change. The hills are getting harder, but I think it might just be one of those weeks where everything is feeling harder. I finish my 4 miles down on the Prom and spot a huge Seal near the shore doing some feeding. I watch it for a bit, enjoying the rain and it being a bit quieter than usual down here. That’ll be because it’s raining, so it’s only daft bastards like me hanging around.

Saturday 4th July – It’s rest day, which means Parkrun volunteering day. I’m helping with the funnel again and am joined this week by my niece, who is volunteering to gain credits for her Duke of Edinburgh Award. It all goes smoothly, no spitters, no pushers, no duckers. We do get a moment where the funnel grinds to a halt, by the looks of it because of an issue with the Tokens. However, it passes quickly and  it’s another successful piece of marshalling where I manage not to kill anyone. 

Sunday 5th July – It’s another 16 miler today, and I’m going to be attempting a slightly different route. It is a route I tried out earlier in the year, so I know it’s 16 miles and I know I can do it. I’m up early and out the door for 6:15am. I’m heading down to the sea front, but this time going North, rather than the usual South. So turning left, rather than right, when I get down there. It’s a pleasant morning, mile without being too warm, still windy but a warm wind. It’s amazing the difference between Winter and Summer wind. Even though it’s just as strong as the Winter stuff today, as it’s not cold it just doesn’t bother me. I hardly even notice it. It’s the same plan as always – try to stick to Marathon target pace. I’m a little apprehensive though after Blistergate last week. As mentioned, I’ve switched shoes for this one. My confidence was a little dented after last week, and I don’t want to find that suddenly long runs are making my feet sore, so that I have to fuck about and buy new ones. This run should let me know where I’m at with that. At around the 7.5 mile mark I hit Blyth and turn away from the coast and inland. I’m going to be following a long straight road for a couple of mile, before then heading into a very scenic off road track that will take me back South for a few mile. About half way down the track, I disturb a huge bird of prey that is sitting in the tree overhead and it swoops majestically in front of me, at eye level, for a few seconds, before flying off. It’s both amazing and I shit myself at the same time. I think it was a Buzzard. It was absolutely huge anyway. I’m now into civilisation, before getting back on the Wagonway which takes me the last 5k to home. The feet have survived and feel fine, so I’m going to settle on this shoe switch. In the evening, England are going to be playing at 1am. Christ. So I have a little nap in the afternoon and then an early night. I get up to watch them win a rather entertaining but no good for the nerves game 3-2, before getting to bed for around 4:30am. I’m sure I will not regret later Monday. Definitely not.

Mood: It’s Coming Home 

The 2026 Marathon Training Blog: Week 3

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Holly: “Nothing wrong with dog’s milk. Full of goodness, full of vitamins, full of marrowbone jelly. Lasts longer than any other type of milk, dog’s milk.”

Lister: “Why?”

Holly: “No bugger’ll drink it.”

Holly and Lister, Red Dwarf

Monday 22nd June – It feels like the first two weeks have flown by much faster than in the last cycle. It’s week 3 already, and it promises to be a hot one. It starts fresh enough – both weather wise and physically. I feel in good nick – probably due to yesterday’s long one ‘only’ being 12 miles. During both my Yoga and Weights sessions I feel neither leggy nor sore. I know from experience that this probably won’t be the case from now on, so I embrace it.

Tuesday 23rd June – Today is the start of the heat wave. I mercifully whinged countless times on this blog about living next to the North Sea and it spending most of the Winter trying to kill me through exposure. This week, I need to apologies to it. We’re probably the coolest place in England, and for that I am truly thankful. Ask me again in November though. It’s still very warm though – 20 degrees plus when I get out for the club session later on. This one is down the sea front though, so I’m hoping for a nice cooling breeze. And we get it. It’s a big relief when I get down there, about 5 degrees cooler with a lush breeze. The session itself is great – a mixture of paces over different times. Nothing too nuts. I get back in plenty of time to watch England draw nils each with Ghana.

Wednesday 24th June – The heat wave is now fully entrenched. It’s 6 mile easy day and once again I head off down the Wagonway in the evening. I was tempted to head down the coast for the breeze again, but I just know it will be packed down there. It’s much quieter on the Wagonway, and cooler than I thought. I also feel like the legs and the ‘engine’ are starting to get used to the miles now.

Thursday 25th June – It’s thresholds day and I’m really not looking forward to this one. It’s warm and this one is a little bit more testing – 6 x 1 miles. I’ve gone far too fast on my last two weeks of thresholds, so make a mental note to slow it down this evening. Having said all of that, I really enjoy this session. I go too fast again (fucks sake) but the heat doesn’t get to me and this feels like it’s over quite quickly. Which is always a good sign. I feel smugly happy with myself afterwards.

Friday 26th June – Due to a mixture of the heat and being busy in the evening, I get our first thing for my hills session. Always a gamble when you’ve only really had 10 hours rest since thresholds. However, my legs feel good. It’s very warm, even though it’s still early, and I’m absolutely drenched in sweat when I finish. I walk back up just in time to miss a huge thunderstorm – it literally starts the moment I shut the door behind me. I wouldn’t have minded getting wet actually, it would have been quite refreshing. Being struck by lightning though, not so good.

Saturday 27th June – Rest day, although I am going to do some core work. Due to the heat, I’ve had a week of crap sleep. It finally catches up with me this morning and I feel knackered. After getting some jobs done in the morning and doing my weights workout, I nip back to bed for a nana nap for a couple of hours over lunch time. England are playing late, and I also need to get up early for my long run tomorrow, so catching up on sleep when I can seems like a good idea. I also need to do some prep – I’m going to be on the Snot Rocket Podcast on the Sunday evening and we’re reviewing a film. So I need to watch the film. That would help. It’s the Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and I really enjoy it. England make hard work of it, but win 2-0.

Sunday 28th June – I’m up early to beat the heat and my couple of hours nana nap yesterday seems to have done the trick. It’s warm again, but there is a definite breeze in the air, which is lush. I head down to the sea front for the first 5k or so and, despite it being 6:15am on a Sunday morning, there are pockets of runners out and about. Flashback to the first time I did this 16 miler last February. It was dark, cold, windy, and I never saw a soul for this whole portion of the route.This first part ‘flies’ by, and I’m soon heading inland. I’ve modified this route slightly or the summer. It’s seagull nesting time, and this time of year the flying rats can get very aggressive – they especially hate runners. Never mind Drones or Nuclear Warheads, if military forces around the world recruited these feathered bastards they win in a day. There is a particular spot around 6 mile in, whereby the most evil gull I’ve ever encountered sits waiting for me every June and July. I’ve therefore managed to figure out a slight detour that doesn’t bring me over or under the 16 mile. Or get me assassinated by these winged arseholes. Or so I thought. Because out of nowhere, like a white squawking ninja, I’m dive bombed by one of Lucifer’s minions, it’s claws missing my head by mere centimetres. FFS. Heart rate and Pace both through the roof, I manage to survive the attack – not before shouting ‘C*NT’ into the deathly silent street at 7am on a Sunday morning. Attempt on my life survived, the rest of my run is comfortable. Although I do find myself side eyeing every gull. This is the third time I’ve worn my new Brooks to run – they’ve had a 12 and 1 4 mile run in them – and I noticed after the 14 one that my big toes were a little sore. Nothing bad, but I put this down to wearing them in. However, I am starting to feel this again at around the 12 mile mark. At 15 miles, my left big toe is now noticeably sore. 16 miles completed, I take off my sock to investigate and find a blister on the inside of my big toe. I never get blisters. Great. Something to keep an eye on, but it look like these might not be the Marathon shoes after all. After a hearty breakfast, I prep for the Podcast by drinking several beers then record it in the early evening. I really enjoy it, we have a a good laugh, but I do wonder after if I’ve made an arse of myself. Still, after the seagull attack, I’m just thankful to still be alive. Twat.

Mood: Traumatised

The 2026 Marathon Training Blog: Week 2

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“The sex was great, but he was British and had no idea.”

Rebecca, Cheers

Monday 15th June – Yesterday was my wife’s birthday. There was cake, ice cream, bacon sarnies. I ate shit loads with the justification of having run 14 miles in the morning. This is always the danger with us runners – do a long one, burn 1700 calories, then eat 4000. As such, today I feel both leggy AND fat. Thankfully, it’s a rest day. I do my core exercises at lunch time. The legs feel a little heavy, but nothing major.

Tuesday 16th June – My right groin is a bit sore. Or is it my hamstring. Something is sore to the point I’ve noticed it anyway. I’m doing club track session – long reps at 10k pace. I head out for a 5 mile warm up and feel…pretty good. I put this down to the fact that it’s the first weekend in a long time that I haven’t done a ‘fast’ run – either Parkrun or the quicker 10 miler. The track session also goes well. I’m in a good group and the pace is sensible. A couple of warm down laps, and 10 miles in the tank.

Wednesday 17th June – We’re hitting a spell of warmer weather and today is what my grandmother used to call ‘close’. She also use to say lots of racist things. But in this instance, by ‘close’ she would mean the air is warm. I head off down the Wagonway in the evening for my 6 easy and it’s a lovely summers evening. The Wagonway is fairly busy with walkers, dogs, cyclists, and a few runners as well. It’s all very British. I get back in time to watch England beat Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup. It’s coming home. Probably.

Thursday 18th June – The close conditions from yesterday have carried over to today. It’s Thresholds day, so I’m under no illusions that this one has the potential to be hard work. I set off to the local Estate (which I’ve christened ‘The Loop of Pain’) and tonight it’s 10 x 1kms with 2 min recoveries. Despite the fact I complete this at far too fast a pace again, this isn’t as painful as predicted. When I get back in the house, I’m drenched in sweat. It looks like I’ve been dumped in the sea. I smell like it as well.

Friday 19th June – The warm, muggy weather continues. After last nights energy sapping Thresholds, I’m a little heavy legged. Lunch time core session is waaaaarm. Even with the window open, it’s hotter than Christina Ricci circa 1999. In the evening, it’s 4 miles with hills. Thankfully, it’s cooled down a bit. To stop losing count on my 10 hill repeats, I say the name of an NUFC footballer who used to wear that shirt number in my head as I go up. The more obscure the better. I bet mo one has said Wayne Fereday’s name in years. Unless making a list of our shittest ever players.

Saturday 20th June – No run today, so I continue to volunteer at the Parkrun. I’ve massively got the hang of the Funnel Manager role now. It’s important today especially, as due to other venues cancelling and the weather finally deciding to do that summer thing, it’s busy. For about a 5 minute period, I think I shout ‘well done everyone, keep moving down the funnel’ about a billion times. I think I shout it in my sleep at 2am later that night. Afterwards, I find out we’ve had pushers on the course (it’s a 2 lap Parkrun, so this does happen from time to time) and someone accidentally spat on the Timekeeper. All of these people are adults, allegedly.

Sunday 21st June – My wife and daughter are up at 3am to head down to the beach to catch the summer solstice sunrise. Whilst I’m partial to an early start, I have a rule about getting up on the middle of the night for anything. It’s that I don’t get up in the middle of the night to do anything. Peeing and catching a flight are my two exceptions. I only have to do 12 miles today, which is nice. It’s a warm and gorgeous morning and I head down the coast, north along it, then back inland to follow the Wagonway back. I again do this at what I want my Marathon pace to be, which I achieve will relatively ease. It will be interesting to see if I can maintain this when I start to hit 18/19/20 milers.

Mood: “Moto Moto. Than means hot hot’”

The 2026 Marathon Training Blog: Week 1

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“Get the fuck out of my house, Larry.”

Susie, Curb Your Enthusiasm

I know what you’re thinking. Not this shit again.

And to be honest, I changed my mind more than a toddler on a day out over this.

Ultimately though, I found putting down my thoughts and re-reading cathartic, cleansing, and other bollocks buzz words I don’t really know the meaning of.

I am going with a slightly different format this year though. I’m going ‘old skool’ and doing the daily short and sweet stuff I used to do way back on my Weebly blog.

Christ, Weebly, is that still going?

Googles “Weebly“

Well shit, my old site is still active. I hope I’m not paying for that.

Anyway, waffle. Let’s strap in tight, cos here we motherfucking go..

Monday 8th June – it’s the first day of Marathon training and today is..a rest day. Mondays will be ‘hench’ day. Working on my core. Phwoar. I’ve been keeping the weight training up as part of my weekly routine, so it’s nothing new and business as usual. It’s therefore a rather anticlimactic start if I’m honest.

Tuesday 9th June – I should be doing either the club session, with warm up and cool down, or an easy 8 mile if I don’t fancy it. Instead though, it’s the Blaydon Race tonight and I’m in it. Uh-oh. Review to follow, but it basically pisses down for the start and I get a very nice 41:56 chip time. It’s pound a pint in the pub afterwards, which means ‘I’m going for one’ turns into catching the last Metro home. Athlete.

Wednesday 10th June – Life choices and their consequences. Wake up ‘groggy’. Sore legs from the Blaydon, slight dull headache from the pound a pint. Head out for my easy 6 along the Wagonway after the work. It’s, as expected, leggy. Check plan and notice it should have been 5. Again, life choices and their consequences.

Thursday 11th June – Thursday Thresholds, how I have missed thee. I think it’s fair to say this is the ‘stinker’ session of the week. If I thought my legs were sore yesterday, then today they knack. I’m a trooper though, so head out to the local estate loop, exactly as last year. 10 x 4 mins. I stick on some tunes and just get this one out of the way. By the time I’ve finish, I’m sweating so much it looks like I fell in the sea. Just 14 more of these to go.

Friday 12th June – Friday is going to be hills day. An easy 4 miles, with 10 hill reps at some point during it. The ‘hill’ in question is the ramp between proms, down on the sea front. It’s the ramp we go down on our Club Grand Prix. I can confirm that is the better direction. Considering my week, this goes ok. Other than I fuck up my milage and hit 4 miles while still on the sea front. So I stop and walk home.

Saturday 13th June – Rest day. Since last November, I finally joined the cult and started doing Parkrun. I know some people do the ‘Parkrun Sandwich’ when Marathon training – where you do Parkrun in the middle of/after your long run to make up the miles. Each to their own, but not for me Brian. So instead, out of the kindness of my usual cold dark heart, I offer to volunteer for the next few months. They stick me down for Funnel Manager, which sounds really important, but in reality is just you putting on a hi-viz and diplomatically reminding everyone to move down to the scanners. It’s a busy one this morning, but we get everyone through without incident. I’ve still got several more opportunities to fuck it up through.

Sunday 14th June – Long run day. The plan is to do these at on or around what I want Marathon pace to be. This should be an easy ish 14 miler. Although I’m still feeling my legs from Blaydon earlier in the week, despite yesterday’s rest. It was also my wife’s birthday, so we had a nice pizza for our evening meal the night before. Very tasty, but not ideal pre-long run nutrition. It takes me a while to get going, but I eventually run myself into it and finish strongly. My target pace is also spot on. A good start. It can only go downhill from here.

Mood: De ja vue

The Marathon Training Blog: Week 14

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“Excuse Me! I’d like To Ass You A Few Questions!”

Ace Ventura, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Well, we’ve made it. Taper Time. Who would have thunk it way back in Week 1, running the last 2 miles of my long run, round a frozen field, in -2 temperatures, having to come off the roads because they’d become far too dicey.

I bet they never make it, screeched Shania Twain once, but by Christ look at us holding on, we’re still together, going strong. That’s in my head the rest of the day, so it can also be in yours.

I am sore Monday though. I don’t think that was on any Shania Twain albums. Ironically though, it’s from working in the garden on Saturday, not from 20 miles on the Sunday. I still get through the Weights session with a minimum of fuss. Creaking, but strong.

Tuesdays club session is Prom Reps. 7 laps up and down the Prom. Quite a quick session, only around 2.5 miles in total, over before you have the time to hate it.

I do a 5 mile warm up once again with other members of the club who are Marathon training. The mood is good. We all know now that the worst is behind us. Well, apart from the actual Marathon itself, but you know what I mean.

I really enjoy this session. I chat to loads of people I feel like I haven’t seen in ages, mainly due to only coming once a week at the moment. It reminds me that once this is all over, it’ll be great to be back with the old crowd twice a week.

I also enjoy it because I feel great. Strong even. I’m hitting 7 min mile pace on the reps, but don’t even feel like I’m pushing it. I feel in great nick, basically.

I do have to be up early for my Easy 6 on the Wednesday, as I’m out at the football in the evening. It’s a very tired slog. The energy levels are low, understandable so soon after the night before, and the weather is crap. Misty, rainy, and wind coming in off the sea. Thankfully, auto pilot gets me round once again. And this classic comes on my shuffle.

One of the biggest changes now we’re in Taper is the Thursday Thresholds session. The mileage is now on the way down – 3 x 4km. I don’t work in Km, I work in miles. Which I’m aware makes me a bit of a freak in the British running community.

I program it in as a workout on my Garmin, the first 3km at Threshold pace, the final at Marathon. Rest for 2 minutes, do it again twice more. With the warm up and cool down, this will probably be 9 miles ish.

It’s sunny, blue sky, but it’s not that warm. It turns out to be a perfect night for a run, as well as being quite enjoyable. I wasn’t feeling it as I headed out, but soon run myself into it. My first rest takes place right in the middle of the Wagonway, no-one is around, and I enjoy the peace and quiet.

Wagonway chilling

Including warm up and cool down, it comes in at 9 and a half miles. It’s less intense than previous weeks, and it’s the least knackered I’ve felt after Intervals in a while. I’ve just got one more of these to do, the exact same one, next week. I won’t miss them..

Friday is a Public Holiday, so I’m off work (woo-hoo!) but I’m still up early for my Easy run and hill reps. I’ve got quite a bit on today, so I need to get this one done.

I feel more tired than usual though, especially after I do my hill reps 3 miles in. The last mile is a real slog. I think the last block of milage might be catching me up, and my body is rebelling. It’s a dull but calm morning though, at least it’s got that going for it.

Shit. I mean Ship

On Sunday, I ‘only’ have to do the 17 miles on my long run. It’s the first time I haven’t done 20 or more for 6 weeks, and a welcome sign that we’re in taper.

It’s a perfect morning for running, exactly like Friday. It’s overcast, no wind, and neither too warm nor too cold. The first few miles along the sea front are quite nice for once.

It’s Easter Sunday, so it’s even quieter than usual. It’s only suckers like me who signed up for Marathons not enjoying a lie in this morning. However, it does mean that not only have I got the weather going for me, there’s also less people and cars around.

Psychologically, cutting back a bit earlier to knock 3 miles off is a big boost. I again try to start at around Marathon Pace and see how I feel. Nothing stupid though. Slow and steady wins the race.

I complete 17.1 miles, in 2:38:10, at 9:13 pace. Jesus would be proud.

Less is more

2 weeks to go, the shit stuff behind us, my attitude now is ‘let’s enjoy it.’ I’m sure the nerves will creep in the closer we get, but for now, I’m off to my mother in laws to eat my weight in Sunday lunch.

Happy Easter.

Mood: Resurrected

The Marathon Training Blog: Week 13

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“Lew-Who, Za-Her!”

Ace Ventura, Ace Ventura: Pet Dectective

Bored of these yet? Well, social media reactions and reader stats points towards the answer to that question being ‘yes’, but thankfully for everyone, it’s nearly over.

We’ve reached the 4th and final block of Marathon training, which means it’s 4 weeks till Belfast, the day of reckoning. The big miles are now done, and we’re into Taper time.

After my decent paced moral boosting 20 miler on the Sunday morning, scrolling through social media on the evening I’m reminded that running a Marathon ain’t no picnic.

Brighton Marathon takes place in the morning, and by all accounts it’s a warm one. As a consequence, race plans go out the window. Lots of runners struggle, from disappointment of coming in much slower than their target time, to the extreme of dehydration and sickness.

It’s a stark reminder that, as much as I’ve bitched and moaned about the cold weather these last 3 months, it could be the heat that will ultimately kick me in the bollocks on the day. I’m utter shite in the heat as well, although much better than I used to be.

With that in mind, I’ve started to take a look at the long range weather forecast. One is predicting around 13 degrees, which I’ll take all day. Of course, this means diddly shit, but it’s another thing for me to get obsessive over before the day.

The only negative of that big Sunday run, is that I’m creaking a bit on the Monday. Still, both in the Yoga and the Weights session I feel quite strong.

Tuesday is track night. Looking at the plan, this will be my last intense track session until the Marathon. It’s a Pyramid ‘Unsettlers’ session, with some random distances. 500-700-900-1100-900-700-500. The unsettling bit is that they are all either just over or just short of a full lap of the track.

I organise meeting up with a few other club runners who are Marathon training for the warm up. Again, this helps make the 5 miles tick over just a bit quicker. We’re all in the final block now, and it feels like morale is up. You can almost feel the sense of relief in the air.

The track session is fast. Like, really fast. One of my miles is sub 7 minutes. I mean, what the fuck. By the end, I’m hanging on. But hang on I do. I also feel quite strong by the end. It’s a great start to the week.

My Easy 6 miles on Wednesday evening is my usual route around the coast. The first 3 miles I’m plodding along like I’m cock of the north. The last 3 are spent dragging my arse to the finish. The only saving grace is my playlist, which includes this absolute banger that I haven’t heard in ages..

Wednesday was a dull so-so evening, but Thursday is a timely warm weather test. It shoots up during the day to a tropical 17 degrees.

It’s still 15 degrees in the early evening when I pop out. It’s a lovely night for a run. That’s a sentence I have’t uttered on this blog for a while. It’s 3 x 3 miles Intervals, 2 at Threshold Pace, 1 at Marathon Pace.

As it’s so nice, and also lighter in the evenings, I’ve got so much more options for routes. So I head down the Wagonway, come off at the Dene, through Holywell, then back down to the coast and along to home.

My Threshold pace is good, but my Heart Rate is high. It doesn’t bother me though, for two reasons. Firstly, I feel fine. Secondly – cheese. That’s right, cheese. I had cheese at lunch time, and it’s a bastard for putting your HR up.

There are worse places to take your 2 min static recovery

Heart Rate aside, this is a good run, and definitely the last of the stinkers. I’m knackered, but in a good way. Productive pain and all that.

Friday morning I’m still a bit tired but want to get the 4 easy with hill reps out the way. I noticed earlier in the week that my usual hill is out of action. The work going on down the Prom has now seen this fenced off temporarily.

So, it’s back to the Quarry. This is a slight cheat, as the hills here aren’t as steep, but I’m past giving a shite. I just take a longer run at them. It’s another of those autopilot runs, but I feel like I could run forever on tired legs. I probably can’t, but if I THINK I can then I’m obviously winning the mental battle.

Saturday is rest day. I say rest, I get up to do my Weights session and then spend the rest of the day sorting the yard and the garden out. I would have been less knackered running.

In fact, Sunday morning, I am a bit sore. Run 20 miles? No bother. Cut the Hedge and do some weeding? Broken.

Sunday is forecast to be another sunny Spring day, so for the first time in forever, I’m going to run in my vest. Amazing. No layers, no gloves. Fuck off Winter, don’t come back.

I also don’t have to run 20 miles today. I can do 18 if I want. The plan gives me the choice. But I thought, if I’m doing 18, I may as well do 20. Not only for time on feet, but also for the psychological boost getting another 20 pluser will give me.

I also want to try and polish my Marathon Pace now. So aim to sit in and around 9:20 miles.

This is exactly the same as the last big run I did on this route. Heading inland (Westerly) is straight into a slightly chilly wind. Then when I turn at 11 miles, the wind disappears and it feels like the temperature goes up 5 degrees.

Also like the last time, the legs are feeling it a little bit. I’m not too bothered by that at all though. This my 6th 50-plus mile week in a row, it’s been a tough block, and I’m surprised I’m not more knackered to be honest.

I hit 20 miles at 3:04:51, keeping an average of 9:14 /mi. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Feel the wrath

That’s it then. The last ‘big’ run is done, the last shitter weeks are out the way. I’m going into Taper feeling strong physically and mentally. This is all going too well..

Mood: Suspicious

The Marathon Training Blog: Week 12

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“You don’t have to beat me, Michael. You just have to try and keep up”

David, The Lost Boys

Last week, someone called me ‘ripped.’ Yes, yes, they were pissed as a fart when they said it, barely able to focus and clutching what was in all probability their 8th or 9th pint.

The point is though, off their face or not, the sentiment was there. They are completely wrong though. Whilst I have certainly dropped some weight in the last 3 months, the only thing that is even remotely ‘ripped’ on my body is potentially one of my groins.

Still, it’s nice to get your morale boosted by drunks heading into Week 12. I have to say though, mentally and physically I feel fairly good. My knee seems to have settled down. It still clicks like a jazz singers fingers, but it hasn’t got any worse. Touch wood..

My Monday Weights session for example is the first one in a while where I don’t even notice my knee. I’m feeling stronger in these Core sessions also. I’m still not ripped though.

Tuesday is Grand Prix night, and it’s the last one of the season. This one is usually slightly longer, 5 miles, but due to ongoing work down the sea front, it’s going to be the same course as last time. So, two laps of the Prom, 3.4 miles.

At the last Grand Prix, I had a shitter. The slowest I’d run one in a while, with every man, woman, child, animal, passing me. Now we’re deep into Marathon training, I’m expecting same again. My Handicap is also a stinker – 18:30 – despite my poor show last time.

So on paper, not looking great. My 5 mile warm up doesn’t help matters, it’s shite and ploddy. At least the weather is ok. Slight head wind on the section heading South, but dry and actually light!

As I finish my warm up, for some reason, a voice in my head tells me to take off the shackles and go balls out. Stupid voices.

Can’t back out now though. So, right from the off, I just go for it. Early on I know this is going to be ok if I can keep up the pace. Only a couple of people have passed me after the first lap, far less than last time out.

I do get caught by some of the speed merchants in the second lap, but I’m keeping pace and happy with how it’s going. I’m right to be, I end up doing a 22:48 5k, my second fastest ever. Well, slap me sideways.

Unfortunately though, due to their being a match in the evening, my Wednesday easy 6 miles will have to be first thing in the morning. That will be the morning after a 10 miler, 5k of which was fast. What a slog this is. I don’t even think I can feel my legs last couple of miles. Even my playlist shuffle mocks me, when this comes on. Honest.

Twat

Thursday, my favourite day of the week. Can you feel the sarcasm just oozing out of that sentence. This one, is an absolute stinker. 4 x 3 miles at Threshold pace. Jesus wept. I hate this run just looking at it.

With warm up, this is basically going to be a fast Half Marathon with 3 lots of 2 min rests every 5k ish. I’m going to treat it like a long run therefore, and run a ‘route’, rather than just repeat the same streets.

Now it’s Week 12, I’m like a war vet. In the first few weeks of Threshold sessions, I was constantly looking at my pace and my Heart Rate. Bollocks to that now.

I therefore stick a finger in the air and plump for an 8:20 pace. A minute a mile faster than target Marathon Pace, but not eyeballs out. The route itself will be into the local estate, round that, join the Wagonway, follow that to the end, down to the sea front, back along the coast, then finishing in my street. If I’ve done my calculations right. Spoiler alert: I haven’t.

2.5 miles into my first 3 miles, I’m come into Holywell Dene. Always a highlight of running on the Wagonway (except when it’s muddy) but as I climb a small incline here I get a sharp pain in my right knee, enough for me to give out an audible ‘ow you fucker.’

The irony of worrying about injuring my left knee, only for my right one to suddenly be knackered, is not lost on me. Miraculously, it doesn’t bother me for the rest of the run, or even after it. I don’t know or care what it was, as long as it now fucks right off.

I complete my first two 3 milers at a good pace. Probably a little too fast to be honest. As such, the last two are brutal. This turns out to be the hardest session in all of the 12 weeks so far. The last 3 miles I am dead on my feet.

As alluded to earlier, I also balls up my finish. I’ve still got a mile left to run, yet I’m only around half a mile from home. The thought of going round in circles on my street is soul destroying. So I take a right back down to the sea front. I finish, it’s a half marathon exactly, and I am shattered.

A world of pain

There is therefore no way I’m getting up early on Friday for my 4 easy miles with hill reps. No fucking chance. Instead, I head out at lunchtime. Strangely though, I feel great. My hill reps are strong. By the Friday evening though, the tiredness hits me again. Thankfully, I’ve got Saturday as a rest day. I need it.

Sunday’s long run is 20 miles. I’ve also heard on the grapevine that next weeks will be another 20, then it’s taper time baby! With that in mind, I’m going to try a new route for this one.

There are actually a number of good training reasons for the new route. Now we’ve had a spell of dry weather, the Wagonways and dirt tracks are mud free and runnable for the first time this year. The route also includes a section with a subtle 3-4 mile climb, which will be a test, but one I think I need.

Finally, call me a sloppy bastard, but I my last biggie next week to be my usual route. A sort of celebration run, saying thanks and goodbye to the route that has helped me get to where I am. I know, it’s ridiculous.

I now have a solid Marathon plan as well. Set off at 9:20 pace, try and maintain it. That seems achievable, and would give me a 4:04 finishing time.

First 10 miles, all goes to plan. I feel pretty strong on the climb section as well. The second 10 miles goes even better, I seem to settle into a pace that is round the 9 min mark.

I finish and complete 20.25 miles, in 3:06:02, which is a 9:11 pace. I am slightly knackered at the end, but again not completely shattered.

Just a normal Sunday morning these days.

This is great, but also bad. 9:11 pace, if I could sustain it for another 10k, would give me a 4:00:47 finish. 48 seconds off breaking 4 hours.

That’s tempting. Very tempting. Too tempting. Bollocks.

Mood: Conflicted.

The Marathon Training Blog: Week 9

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“One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach; all the damn vampires”

Grandpa, The Lost Boys

Hold on, this one’s going to be a rollercoaster. Week 9. The first (and hopefully only) week where I won’t be able to run at all on the weekend.

Instead, this weekend I will be London. As the football (soccer to my US friends) team I support have got themselves to a Cup Final. So I’m off to the home of Football Cup Finals, Wembley Stadium, to attend it on Sunday.

Reasons for celebration? Not really. The team I support, who’ve I’ve been going to watch every week since I was 7, are always the Bridesmaid and never the Bride. They are also going to be in the Final against arguably the best team in Europe at the moment.

My view at the last Cup Final. In 2022. When we got beat. Again.

In short, they’re probably going to get a hiding. I expect them to get a hiding. They will get a hiding. But if you don’t have hope, what do you have?

So from Saturday morning when I board the train, to Monday evening when I return, I’ll be dealing with this highly probable outcome in the only way I know. I’ll be drinking copious amounts of alcohol.

So, no big run on the weekend. Instead, my week will look like this:

  • Monday – Core Strength (rest day)
  • Tuesday – Club Speed Session with 5 mile warm up
  • Wednesday – 6 mile easy
  • Thursday – 4 mile easy with 10 hill reps
  • Friday – 22 mile long run
  • Saturday – Drink heavily
  • Sunday – Drink heavily, watch Newcastle get stuffed, drink even heavier.

Elite athlete stuff, I think you’ll agree. Weather Klaxon – our mild weather was nothing but a tease. The temperature is due to drop a few degrees, and it’s going to rain most of the week. Fanfuckintastic.

Monday, we Yoga and we Weight train. I’m creaking but I’m ok. It looks like my left knee is going to grumble at me till the end of this process. As long as it stays as a grumble, it’s all good.

The weather has done as predicted. It’s noticeably colder, the wind is rolling off the sea and it’s bitter. I begrudgingly get the base layer out for Tuesday, but refuse to bring back the leggings. That’s accepting defeat.

It’s a Track session that evening, Broken Miles. The last few Tuesday warm ups have been shit, so I take up the offer of meeting three other guys from the Club who are Marathon training, to get them done together. This is just what I needed. The 5 miles fly by, as we chat shit like some sort of victim support group.

The Broken Miles session is a bit of a killer on paper. Then again, aren’t they all. It’s 1200m at 10k pace, 200 jog, 400m 5k pace, rest for 2 mins, then do it 3 more times. I’m tired just reading it.

However, this ends up being my best track session in weeks. I’m in a small group of 6 and we stay tight and at a good pace. By the end, myself and another of the Marathon guys I warmed up with are flying at the front. We both pass comment on this afterwards, that despite the tiredness and the intensity, our fitness and endurance levels have definitely gone up. It’s a great shot in the arm mentally that 8 weeks of graft seems be paying off.

Weeeeeeeeee

On Tuesday evening, my wife asks if I’ve remembered that tomorrow night I promised to attend a meeting at the school about a trip my daughter is going on. ‘Oh yes, no problem’ I reply. Shit. I’d forgotten.

I don’t fancy running early on Wednesday, I’ll still be knackered from the night before. And by the time I get back from the school and get my shit together, it’ll be late. So the answer is, a lunchtime run.

The shit weather this week is now well and truly set in. The sea continues to shit in cold rain and hail with a strongish wind. Wednesday morning is biblical at times.

Lunchtime though, the clouds part and blue skies appear. It is still windy, and I don’t trust it as far as I can chuck it, so I go out ready for rain. But it doesn’t rain, and 3 miles in I’m feeling too hot. That’ll learn me.

I’m also very leggy. Once again though, I’m pushing through it. I’m tired, but there isn’t even a small part of me that thinks I’m going to stop. An ‘easy’ 6 miles completed.

I go to the meeting at the school in the evening, which is as you expect, but the funniest part is that they are banning mobile phones completely from the trip. I very much enjoy relaying this information to my teenage daughter when I get back. I’m such a bastard sometimes.

As I’m going long Friday, Thursday I’m dropping the Intervals. Can’t say I’m devastated. Instead, it’s 4 miles with the hill reps, and I’m going out first thing.

My luck runs out in regard to avoiding the crap weather. I get caught in a shower and, despite being layered up and wearing a beanie and gloves, I’m cold. It’s done though, and I’ve got 24 hours to rest before the 22 miler.

I’m expecting it to rain and not be the warmest Friday morning, but the winds are predicted to be quite light. ‘Gentle’ the BBC describes them as. This is good, as it’s the wind that is the real cause of the cold at the moment. The route I have planned also heads North along the coast for over 8 miles. I really, really don’t fancy running into a shite, cold head wind for that long.

The signs are good when I get up. The cat comes back in dry from his night of debauchery, so it isn’t raining. He’s usually my first weather barometer while I’m still half asleep and bereft of coffee.

It’s a totally different route to normal for my long runs, and I’ve got a little bit of trepidation about it. The first 8 and a half miles I’m basically killing miles – heading inland before dropping down to the coast. There is method to this madness.

As I’m running on a Friday morning, traffic will be much heavier than the weekend. The commute and schools basically. So my usual route is a no-no. The idea is to eat up miles 1-8 inland before it gets busy, then the last 14 miles (Jesus!) will be all along the coast, no roads to cross, nice and safe.

The first 8 go well. There is quite a bit of climb in this run, especially at the start, but I find hills quite easy when I haven’t got Club Coaches making me sprint up the bastards.

The key part of this run is the coast. If the weather is crap, this can be unforgiven. There is no shelter from the wind, rain, sun, or any elements this planet wants to chuck at you. You are completely exposed to all of them. Which is why I try to avoid it.

There is a slight northerly wind once I hit the coast, but it’s very bearable. It’s a little cold, but I’m not suffering in it. I head up the coast, through Cullercoats, Whitley Bay, Seaton Sluice, then through the Dune path to Blyth.

It’s quite nice going up the Dune path. When I first got into running, I used to drive here to run, because I was self conscious about running round my local neighbourhood. I feel a bit of nostalgia on this part, reminding me of how far I’ve come since the days of plodding round here trying to work up to 10k.

I reach the Bandstand at Blyth at mile 17 and turn. Whatever wind there is, it’s now behind me. About a mile later, I feel that wind suddenly get stronger, followed by a hail storm. Usually, at this point, I’d be shouting ‘FUCK MY LIFE’, but I’m feeling glass half full and am thankful it held off till I’d turned. Running into it would have been soul destroying.

Mile 19-20 we have to climb, but it’s a climb I’ve done countless times before. I’m actually feeling quite strong, and I up the pace. Once I get up the hill and hit mile 20, I know I’m going to finish.

My mile 21 is an 8:56, which was probably stupid when I look back. I drop onto the Prom for the final mile and tiredness is setting in a bit, but I don’t feel wrecked or like I want to stop. My final mile is a 9:06, again too fast, and I end on 22.2 miles in 3:30:20.

A bit of a mess, but you get the gist

I’m delighted. I’m also not completely spent. Could I do another 3.8 mile? I think I probably could. The training is paying off, and this is allegedly the longest run I will have to do as part of the training. Although there are still 20 and 21 mile runs pencilled in the plan over the next couple of weeks.

Job done, and now for 3 days ‘rest’. I’m posting this early on the Friday evening, before I head to London and forget about the running till Tuesday.

Did Newcastle win the Cup Final? Find out in next week’s blog. Or Google it. The answer is probably no though.

Mood: Resigned

The Marathon Training Blog: Week 5

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“Always Separate the drugs”

Mouth – The Goonies

The second week of February. That’s almost Spring. It’s not, but by Christ I wish it was. A quick check of the weather this week throws up the same old same old. Cold and wet.

The weekend, especially the Sunday, we have Sleet forecast. Fucking Sleet. That’s not even proper weather. So I’m already scratching my chin and playing a game of ip-dip-dogs-shit with whether I do my 18 miler on Saturday or Sunday. I’ll decide nearer the time. As long as we don’t get another of those Storms with shit names. Jinx.

Monday morning and the knees are a bit stiff, but no lasting effects from yesterday, which is a good sign. It’s a long Yoga and then Weights day, and both I think go well. The Yoga tonight is my kind of session – sun salutations and stretching. Continuing on from last week, the Weights session is also positive.

It might just be muscle memory or just knowing the routine, but there’s no doubt I’m getting into the routine of it now and feeling stronger.

Whilst the symptoms of my cold have gone, other than a slight sniffle, I’m currently in that ‘Cold Hangover’ stage. Does anyone else get these? I find, certainly post pandemic, that I might get a cold for 5 days, but then for a week after that I feel like shite. Not awful, just like I’m working off 70%.

That’s how I feel on Tuesday. The good thing about today is that it’s a Track speed session at the club, and it’s also fairly short – 10 x 400m Reducers. So, run a lap, rest for 60 seconds. Do another one, rest for 55 seconds, and so on.

As it’s short, my warm up will be slightly longer. I head out for 5 miles, finishing at the Track, then a mile with the group. It’s a tired 5 mile I’ll be honest. I’m also feeling my left knee a bit, my first niggle since my old grumbling Achilles injury popped up a couple of weeks ago.

Just like the previous weeks, once I start the speed session, I feel a lot better. Like I wake up. I complete the set at a fairly decent pace, followed by a couple of cool down laps. 9 and a bit miles for the evening, that’ll do.

Wednesday evening I’m off out for a curry and a couple of pints, so I’m up early for my 6 easy miles. As expected, the legs are a bit heavy after last night, but I feel like my body is learning to run tired, which hopefully means the training is taking effect. The weather, again, is a bit miserable. There’s no let up in that cold wind coming in from the sea, but I’m trying to be glass half full about it. At least we don’t have any Storms and ice. That’s another jinx.

Thursdays Intervals session is going to be a little longer than the last few weeks. 4×2 miles Intervals, with 2 minutes recovery jogs in between, then a short cool down home. So, about 10 miles in total.

I get out on my 10 min warm up and notice already that my heart rate is a little high for a slow jog. Not a good sign. Once I start the actual Intervals, it goes proper tits up and stays that way the whole session.

My HR is very high threshold and keeps tripping over to max, meaning I have to keep the pace slow, really slowing down when it goes max to get it back on track. Since I started training 5 weeks ago, this is definitely the shittest run I’ve done. Not shit in that I feel tired or in pain, I feel great, but frustrating shit. Why do I have a high HR when I feel fine and this isn’t that taxing a session. Fucks sake.

When I get back I’m grumpy, but soon get over it. It’s just one of those things. Ultimately, I felt good, and even though my pace was probably too slow, I stuck with Threshold and did it properly. Park it and crack on.

3:07 minutes of shitness

I haven’t got long to sulk over it. Friday morning I’m up early for my easy 4 miles with hill reps. There is definitely something going on with my left knee. I’m not in pain or anything, I’ve just got a ‘sensation’ in it. Difficult to say really. Enough for me to decide early into this run that I’ll take my rest day tomorrow.

At least when I get down to the sea front for my hill reps it’s finally calm. First day of no wind in what feels like forever. My hill reps are a bit leggy, but it’s a nice run, other than my paranoia about my knee.

No wind. About bastard time

A check of the weekend weather shows that whilst Saturday is going to be cold and icy early doors, Sunday isn’t. That works out quite well, gives me an excuse to rest the knee for 48 hours before having a crack at 18 miles early Sunday.

Being wary of my knee and its weird sensation, I top up my Travel card on Saturday. My route never takes me too far from a Metro station, so if the worst should happen, I can limp to one of those and get home. I know this sounds pessimistic, but disaster recovery and all that. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

I’m very philosophical about getting injured during this process. Whilst I’d be gutted, it was always a risk for a 45 year old with knees that have taken so much stick over the years. I did wonder how the old injuries would hold up. To be fair, I’ve covered 30 miles in 4 days, 2 of those days were 10 milers. Bits of my body have every right to complain. Guess we’ll find out Sunday anyway.

Saturday I do something very rare for me – I have a lie in. I say lie in, I just don’t set my alarm to get up early, much to the relief of my wife. As our daughter is a teenager now, we are truly blessed that we don’t have to get up early at a weekend. In fact, it’s usually me that’s up much earlier than the other two, crashing about. I’m like the toddler of the house.

The weather also is not as bad as they predicted. Tomorrow morning will now be dull, a bit cold (4 degrees) with light rain and a gentle breeze. I will take that all day.

So, onto Sunday. I’m up and out by 6:30am again. I’m getting used to this now, and I ‘d rather just get out before I think about it too much. This will be the longest run I’ve ever done – in distance and in time. This is 18 miles at a slow pace, so if it all goes to plan I could be on my feet for 2 hours 55 or thereabouts.

It’s the same route as my 16 miler with a slight modification. I’m going to drop on the sea front at the start a bit later than usual, cos I’m a bit bored of it. The other change will be that I turn slightly later, then rejoin my usual route home. That will add on the extra 2 miles. Sounds simple.

My knee is…ok. I am shitting myself about it a bit. Once I start though, it’s fine. Like there is nothing wrong. No twinges, no pain. I set out at a leisurely pace and, as every fucking week, when I hit the coast there’s wind and rain coming off the sea. Course there is.

Thankfully, as predicted, once I turn inland it all stops and we’re calmer. It’s also not as cold as previous weeks. Hopefully a sign of things to come as we creep towards Spring.

The rest of the run goes well, this is a nice comfortable pace and I never feel uncomfortable. This is also a nice recce for fuelling. I’m taking on Gels now at the points I plan to during the Marathon, as well as munching on some Jelly Babies. I’m not a fan of Hydration Vests, instead favouring what we used to call as kids a ‘Bum Bag.’

This sits nicely round my waist, doesn’t weigh me down, and I’ll able to fit in all of my Gels and Jelly Babies. I love it when a plan comes together.

I do feel a bit meh at around 11-12 miles, but I think this is probably just temporary boredom. I’m cutting through a plain estate (sorry locals!) before joining the Wagonway. Once I’m on that, my mojo returns.

My last 5 miles though are a bit quicker, and I finish feeling pretty good having done 18.29 miles in a time of 2:56:45. Bang on what I wanted at a comfortable 9:39 pace.

Beautiful, isn’t it.

I am tired when I get in, but I’ve just run 18 miles so I’d be shocked if I wasn’t. Another milestone hit, another big boost physically and mentally. Next week’s long run is to be a faster 16 miler. I’m tempted to have a go at doing that at low 9 minute pace. I’m feeling confident that I could, but don’t want to get overconfident and fuck up all the good work I’ve done so far. See how I feel at the end of the week.

Not a bad week. The knee is still something I need to keep an eye on, but if I can get through the next 3 weeks unscathed, the Marathon goal will be within grasp.

Mood: Cautious

The Marathon Training Blog: Week 4

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“Bring me four Fried Chickens and a Coke”

Jake Blues, The Blues Brothers

Week 4, we’ve reached the Quarter point. Is the Quarter point a thing? This will be the end of my first 4 week ‘Block’ anyway.

After switching my long run to Saturday in Week 3, Sunday became a rest day, other than a bit of gentle stretching yoga. Therefore on Monday there is no stiffness or anything niggly.

My long Yoga session is far less ‘ouch ya fucker’ than last week. My weights session also goes really well. In fact, this was the first week of weights where I felt like I was both into it and finding it a little more comfortable. I’ve been doing it twice a week since the end of December now, so maybe the first signs of progress. Maybe.

When I wake up Tuesday though, I feel a bit meh. Like I might be at the very start of getting a cold, which would be a massive pain in the arse.

I’m also a little stiff and sore in the legs, even though I haven’t run for nigh on 72 hours. I find this happens to me a lot. The more rest I get between runs, the stiffer I get. Weird. I do some stretching Yoga in the morning in the hope I can shake some of it out.

Tonight is a Club Grand Prix night. I’ve mentioned the Grand Prix before, but in a nutshell, once a month from September to March we race a 3.4m course against each other. It’s all Handicapped depending on performance, that handicap changed every month dependent of how quick or slow you ran the last one, and we compete in Teams of 8. It’s a bit of fun really, although some people take it far too seriously. I’ve seen grown men literally push women out the way as they hurtle for the line. Arseholes.

I’ve had a cracking GP so far this season. I’m on a 3 race PB streak, although I’m under no illusions that it will end tonight. I’ve no problem with that, but it will be interesting to see how much running slow and long for nearly a month will affect my 5k speed.

The longer the day goes on however, the crapper I feel. At least my new running gloves arrive today. My old ones have served me well, I reckon I’ve had them a decade, but they’re no longer doing the job. I was diagnosed with Raynaud’s a couple of years back. As such, my hands suffer badly in the cold. And I’m bored shitless of it.

I have to get in a 5 mile warm up beforehand, to make sure I hit the 8-10 for the day. There’s a bit of a cold wind, so my new gloves get a test, and they definitely make a difference.

Warm up complete, I’m at the start. Due to the aforementioned good streak I’m having, my handicap start time is a stinking 17mins 50secs. I look at the list of others who’ll be starting with me, and there are some absolute beasts in there.

I’m not going to time my race tonight. I’m just going to restart my 5 mile run. That way I’m not looking at my time or pace, so I’ll hopefully just listen to my body rather than try to fly round it too fast like a tit.

Once we start, predictably, the rest of my group shoot off. It’s what I expected, so I’m not bothered. I am surprised by how comfortable running at a faster pace is though.

I turn at the halfway point and this is going quite well. Then I notice my left shoelace has come undone. What an absolute melt. I’ve only been tying my laces since I was a child, but tonight’s the night I choose to lose that basic life skill.

I keep going, but the sensible decision is to stop and tie them. Stuff my time and position. The finish line is usually a shit show anyway, without me sending either myself or other runners flying.

I find a spot out of the way on the Prom with about a quarter of a mile left and attempt to tie them. Runners are flying past me, and the more places I know I’m losing, the more I fiddle with my laces like a toddler who’s never done this before.

I tie them, take a look to make sure I’m not jumping back on in front of anyone, then resume. I notice that some of the runners I’m gaining on I’ve already passed earlier before shoelacegate, but it’s too late to catch them, I’ve run out of real estate. Mother fucker!

I find out later that I’ve just run a 23:16 5k, my 3rd fastest ever, and finish in 25:50, only 40 odd seconds down on my course record. Damn you shoelace! I finish about 50 places down as well. Double Damn you shoelace!

Wednesday will be an enforced rest day. Although, there’s nothing restful about it. I’m up early on the first train to Edinburgh to meet with my boss for a catch up. I’ll be back later that same day, then off to the match. So, absolutely no time for a run. Anyway, it was quite a nice day in Edinburgh, weather wise. I even cut round the back of the castle on the way into the office and took some arty photos..

Hang it in the Louvre

As the day goes on, I can feel my cold creeping on and getting worse. That evening, like the athlete I am, I sink many pints in the pub before and after watching Newcastle win and get to the League Cup Final. More on that in the weeks to come, as that is massively going to fuck up one of my weekend long runs.

Thursday I wake up feeling shite. Yes, some of it is down to those pints I consumed, but also my cold is now very much bedded in.

Its intervals day, although not as long as the previous weeks. Today I need to do 6 x 1km Intervals. Usual drill, 10 min warm up to the local estate, do the loops. Big difference this week? It’s hard work. I feel quite weak, a mixture of the cold and probably a slight hangover. I get them done, stick to my thresholds, but the struggle is real.

‘Just another Threshold Thursday’

Friday is my birthday. Happy Birthday to me. I reward myself by doing 4 easy miles with hill reps. I used to be cool. I wake up feeling even more shitter than yesterday and the can’t be arsedness is pretty high.

It doesn’t really get any better once I’m out there. The thought of doing those hill reps really doesn’t appeal to me. When I get to the hill though, it’s actually ok. If anything, they actually snap me out of the meh. There’s a bit of a wind coming off the sea though, so I’m actually quite glad when I finish. I end my Birthday with a family curry and still with a wankful head cold.

Windy

We’re back to normal training timetable this weekend. So a short threshold on the Saturday, with a long run on the Sunday. I also receive my next training block of 4 weeks. Shit is about to get real this next few weeks. An 18 miler followed by another 16 miles and then two lots of 20 milers. I’m tired just reading it.

For the first time in forever, I struggle to motivate myself to get out Saturday. I still have a manky cold, there’s a chilly wind coming off the sea, and the thought of getting out to run 3-4 miles at a slightly faster pace isn’t appealing.

I give myself a mental slap and get out the door. Once I’m out, it’s actually all right. Tis always the case. Now I just need to psyche myself up for the 16 miler tomorrow.

This will be the same route as last week, with a little tweak at the 9 mile point, because I can’t be arsed to climb out of Wallsend Burn. So I’m going to run over the top of it instead. A bridge over the top of it. I’m not a Marvel character.

Up early Sunday and it’s grim. Just on the positive though, my cold has miraculously almost disappeared. It’s a recovery of biblical miracle proportions. Whilst I’m feeling better, it still doesn’t change the fact the weather is shite.

First 3.5 miles again are all on the sea front. The sea is rough and noisy, which is always a sign the weather is shite down here. The wind isn’t really that strong, but constant and enough to lash cold rain onto me. I’m staying positive though. Someone told me you have to remember these runs when you get to the start line. The early, cold, wet, dark, mornings when you’ve got out and done it. Bottle them, you might need to go back to that mental reassurance at mile 1, 10, or 22 of the Marathon.

I cut inland and just like last week it’s a relief to be out of the weather. Well, at least the worst of it. The Plan this week has me at this point forward doing 3 mile at Marathon Pace, followed by one mile at easy pace, 3 times. I have a go at this, but the problem is I’m not 100% what my Marathon pace is going to be yet. Yes, I know.

I do have a good go at this anyway, and actually feel pretty good. Another bonus is that at mile 11, where my heart rate suddenly jumped last week, stays in threshold. It stays like this all the way home. I never go into max at all for the whole 16.

I change my route slightly at the end as well. I have my Marathon trainers on, and my original route home through the fields will be a quagmire. I don’t want to get them muddy or wet, so I dive off the Wagonway early and through the streets where I grew up instead.

I want them to stay blue

There is something quite poignant about plodding through my childhood neighbourhood. 15 year old me would never have believed that 30 years later he’d be running past his old bedroom at 14 miles.

I feel so good that my last two miles are my fastest. This despite the fact we’re heading back easterly to the coast and that bastard head wind has returned. It’s probably not what I should be doing, the last two are supposed to be more of a cool down, but I feel good and my HR indicates I’m comfortable, so sod it. It ends up being 16.3 miles in 2 hours 35 mins. Slightly faster than last week. Lovely.

I don’t like out and backs, can you tell?

Just like last week, I’m really happy with getting through another 16 miler, fairly comfortably, at a pace that is on or around Marathon pace. Even though I haven’t really figured out what that is yet.

I probably should.

Bring on Week 5!

Mood: Bored of the weather