Week 15

Total distance run this week: 62km
Number of runs: 4
Runs at tempo pace: 1 (7km)
Hill training: 1 (10 x 260 m hills)
Long run: 32km
Other activities: cycling (22km)
Total training time: 8:25

I put in a fairly heavy week of training after a laid-back week last week. It started with cycling to and from work on Monday, then an "easy" 9 km recovery run on Tuesday. (When did a 9km run start to feel easy? I'm not sure, but I like it!).

Wednesday morning, after a 5km warmup at a steady pace, I tackled 10 hill repeats at tempo pace on the Mooney's Bay hill. It's not a very long hill (only 260m) but it's steep enough to make running for a good workout. With a 3km run home to cool down, I logged a total of 14km that morning.

Friday was tempo run day. I was feeling tired and a bit listless when I headed out, but once I got going it was such a lovely cool morning it felt relatively easy to run 7km at my tempo pace of 6:00/km.

Because we planned to stay over at a friend's cottage last night and I didn't want to feel I had to rush to get back to the city early today, I decided to tackle my long slow run yesterday (Saturday). I almost changed my mind when I awoke to torrential rains and wind. However, figuring I couldn't call myself a "real" runner if I let a little rain discourage me, I put on quick dry shorts, a long sleeved shirt, rain jacket and hat, and headed out around 10:30.

It turned out to be a VERY wet run -- so wet that I saw only a handful of other runners and cyclists braving the elements. On the upside, the rain and wind kept me comfortably cool throughout, and it was nice having the paths along the canal and through the experimental farm pretty much to myself.

In the end, I completed the 32km in less than 4 hours -- a little faster than I planned -- although I was so soaked by the time I got home that I opted to undress just inside the front door rather than tracking water through the house! Am I real runner? You betcha!

With only a few more tough weeks of training before it's time to start tapering, my body seems to be holding up well, but I know this is a dangerous time when many potential marathoners find their dreams postponed by injuries. With that in mind, I'll be keeping close tabs on how I'm feeling and take extra rest days if I need them to ensure I make it to the start line healthy and ready to run.

My schedule for the coming week includes more cycling, an 8-9km recovery run, a tempo run, a fartlek (speed training) session and 34-36km long run next weekend. Here's hoping all continues to go well.