The training programme I use is something adapted from a runners world 4 hour marathon plan which I downloaded ages ago and have tweaked a bit over the years. I tend to view training plans as a guide rather than a straight jacket. If you have any sort of life outside of running you need to be able to adapt and keep flexible to fit in with other commitments. Like most distance plans this one is based around a mix of training. If I were to give precedence to any part of the programme it would be to keeping the long run schedule, especially as you hit the main build up. But the speedwork and hills are also important, especially if you have an eye on a time.
This is officially week 2 of the programme. I am scheduled to run 5 days out of the 7, with a long run of 8 miles on Sunday and a total of 25 miles. Monday was a rest day, but i tend to swap this with Wednesday as there are no club events on that night. As it happened I wanted to meet with Kevin Price to discuss the Cabbage Patch 10 we are organising in October, so I headed over to Hampton Hill for a small group run in Bushy Park. The circuit is about 4 miles and usually feels quite easy but I struggled with very heavy legs after pushing in Sundays 10k race and had to work quite hard just to get around. I have two broken garmins at the moment and have dug out a couple of very old 205 models which were laying in a desk drawer. Did try to set the timer going but pressed the wrong button and so do not have a record but guess around 10 minute miles. Still a good start to the week.
The planning meet for the CP10 in the garden of the Star pub in Hampton Hill afterwards was very useful. this is the first time the Stragglers have organised the race and we have plenty to do over the next 12 weeks. I am sure though that we will be able to put on an excellent event and very excited about the tweeks we are making to improve the route.
This Running Life 