Tag Archives: Hampton Court

The longest run

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All sorts of theories about how long your longest run should be in your marathon training and 20 miles looks about the normal maximum.  Very very few plans suggest running the full 26.2 miles – at least the plans for the non-professional athletes out there.  I’ve never quite understood why, and surely it’s more about you knowing what your body can do and how much recovery you need.  There’s nothing magical that happens when you cross the 26 miles barrier, and it’s about training your body to cope when you hit the wall and its physiological challenges.

I did a few 20 milers back in my training in 2009 and one 22 miler.  This time round, I wanted to go a bit further – in terms of max. distance – and do less of the long long runs.  Last time round the difference between the longest training run and the actual marathon was huge – both in terms of doing the run, the physical and mental effort to finish and the recovery period.  I’m convinced it was starting off too fast, getting caught up in the buzz at the start, and then hitting the wall at about 18 miles.  Not fun.

So the plan was for 23 miles early this last Saturday morning.  Up at 7am, breakfast and even a small coffee (something I never do before running normally) and out for 8am, and at planned pace of 8:30 to 9:00 minutes per mile.  Good starting pace and managed to hold it for 10 or so miles, before slowing down slightly.  Great route as well – up past Hampton Court Bridge and up the tow path – it just goes on and on.  A bit of rain on the way and no rainproof gear on so got wet.

This is how far 23 miles is…

Good old Garmin battery warning came up just after starting and then it died completely just 0.6 miles from the finish.  Rubbish.  Very frustrating as it normally warns you several times that it’s running out.  A lesson learnt though – make sure it’s fully charged before the long long runs.

The breakfast coffee shot had an effect and I had to have a little stop on route.  But maybe a small coffee could work on marathon day – breakfast normally 2+ hours before, so plenty of time for stops before.  And took an energy drink on the run this time and had a drink every couple of miles ish from about 6 miles in.

The results?  A good finish – even managed to pick up slightly for the last mile and then a nice strong finish for the last 1/4 mile.  Pace about 10% slower than planned marathon pace – which is bang on target.  More energy drinks and some bananas when I got in, and stretching.  Managed karate training on Sunday morning and legs working fine.  Now 2 days after and all good.  The training plan looks like it’s working.

More fast runs and interval training this week with one 1/2 marathon somewhere (and looking for sub-100 minutes this time).

 

How long is long? And the wall…

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Now it’s time for the long runs – the staple of any marathon training programme.  But how long is long?  Lots of theories out there and most suggest not running the full 26.2 miles before the big day.  I’m not sure on this on yet – going from 23 to 26.2 last time was a huge huge jump (for me at least).

Back in 2009 I got up to 23 miles and felt great after.  3 runs over 20 miles in total.  This time the plan is 3 or maybe 4 over 20 miles and the longest as 24 or even 26 – TBC.  The added challenge with the long runs is where to go for that distance.  Richmond Park was a  favourite before – and is for others – but it has lots of  steep) hills.  Maybe a good thing.

Longish run tally for training so far is:

  • 1 x 15 miles
  • 2 x 16 miles
  • 1 x 17 miles

Tomorrow is the first longer one – 18 miles.  And the plan is to go at a slowish pace, up past Hampton Court.  Should be nice – that’s another great route with some top scenery.

The official word on long runs – care of Runners World – is…

“The long run is the staple of every distance runner’s diet. If you’re training for a marathon, it’s de rigeur. Novice runners use them as springboards to the finish line, and elite marathon runners do multiple long runs to improve their times.”

For more information on why, what and how – take a look at Runners’ World.

And it’s all about getting used to the distance and running for that length of time and your body adjusting to how it gets it’s energy and preparing for the dreaded “Wall”…

Over 30 miles this week

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3 great runs this week.  Nice 8 miles on Monday faster than marathon pace.  A long 16 miler on Wednesday – about 30 seconds per minute slower than marathon pace.  And then a fast 5km – knocking 40+ seconds off my last time (on the same route) – and a mile and a bit cool down on Friday.  The speed work and interval training is working – and more needed.  The 16 miles felt hard – I had planned to do a split and pick up the pace on the 2nd half but it didn’t happen.  Great route as well – up past Hampton Court Bridge and along the footpath by the Thames – more awesome scenery.  Longest run I did that way back in 2009 was around 22 miles – so another 3 miles up the path still to explore (assuming I do similar distances for the long runs this time).  I am a fan of long runs where you go out a certain distance along a route and then back the same way.

Average pace picking up as well which is good.  The 5km at the end of the week was great – 40 seconds off the last time and felt very good.  Need to get back and do the Bushy Park parkrun one Saturday morning soon – they really help pick up your pace.

Week finished off with an early Christmas dinner at mum and dad’s in Bedford with Auntie Anne and Uncle Lol – all the trimmings plus mum’s brunch the morning after.  Perfect!

1/2 marathon distance planned this week and at a good pace.

Running another 26.2 miles

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As many of you know, I’m running the London Marathon next year for the charity Whizz-Kidz, who raise money for disabled children and young people. These guys help provide wheelchairs for the children and help them lead more active lives. After doing the marathon in 2009 – for the charity Sense International – I thought it was time for another go, to (a) raise more money for charity and (b) with the right training beat my first time!  The official training programme starts soon – once I’ve written it. One nice longish run (15 miles) done this week along the river by Kingston and Hampton Court. And a lot more to come!