Last week's 'long run' was 10km, and today - after discussing online with a friend last night what I should aim for - I ran 13.3kms (8.26 miles, roughly). The speed really wasn't fast - a touch slower paced than last week, and a pace that would mean a 3hr05 -ish half marathon, but the aim today was to get some miles under my feet. I've not gone this far since December 2013, with the ill-fated half at Newcastle racecourse lol (I'll go back one day...) so I'm surprised I managed, though my running pace was definitely slowing towards the end, and there were much longer walk breaks for sure. In 4 weeks' time I need to get round a little over 21 kms, and while that is my only real goal (getting round it) I'd be happy with a result under 3 hours, so onwards and upwards. I think the training I'm doing at the moment will help me - then I'll be able to sit back and think about how to approach the next race, as they start to have time goals and performance aims higher than just 'making it round'. :-)
Today's run had positives, even though generally speaking I found it tough. I was happy with how I managed my run/walk intervals in the first 4kms or so, it kinda went downhill after that haha, but today was just about endurance. As I was out for the best part of 2 hours, I decided it was probably wise to carry water, but couldn't be bothered with a waistpack, so I just held a bottle, which I find less than ideal for training runs. I didn't drink very much in the end, it wasn't a warm day, and I never particularly felt thirsy, but I sipped from it a little every 10-15 mins or so after the first hour. For the HM, and being out for 3 hours, I'll need to carry some small snack or something, ike jelly beans or a few mini pretzels, because I've never tried energy gels before and now isn't the time - I'll probably need to think about that in next weekend's long run too, which I think will be around 15kms or so, the furthest distance I'll run before race day.
I've gone back to thinking of running in terms of kms instead of miles this year, for the time being, which is really because I will be concentrating on the shorter distances (the occasional half marathon notwithstanding, lol!) but also because that 8 minute km is a much easier target for my mind to calculate with at the moment. My minutes per mile pace is stll given on my Garmin record online, so I'll keep an eye on it. ;-)
It's been a good training week, although I didn't manage to get a swim at all. I'm feeling positive at the moment, and just really focusing one day at a time. Onwards I go, into another new week!! x
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