Gosh, it seems that despite several weeks in a row of 80+ km weeks, and a few quality runs thrown in for good measure, I am making no progress with my fitness at all.
This morning I went for my Tuesday metric. Run up to Komazawa park, get heart rate up to 80% on the second lap, hold it and measure the time for the third lap. Despite the heart rate actually being 81%, my time (4:33/km) was several seconds slower than it was about six weeks ago. Today's temperature and humidity were about on a par with the other measures. And today felt reasonably tough too. Some of it in the hips/legs, some of it cardio-vascular. I have to admit, Sunday's 10 km with Satohi at 4:40/km was much harder than expected too, though I was ready to put that down to the 15 km I already had in my legs. Now I'm not so sure. Basically, my aerobic fitness is just not changing (yet). I'll have to hope that some endurance or other adaptations are occurring. It is going to be an ugly marathon otherwise, and 4:15/km for 42.195 km certainly looks well and truly out of the question from where I am sitting.
Other news
Satohi did, more-or-less, manage to complete her 20-km 4:40/km pace run. She slowed a little in later laps and stopped and walked for a brief breather on the ninth lap, but got back into it and finished her 10th strongly. I'm not sure if she realizes it, but she did great. These long marathon pace runs are a very hard session and I think she'll be a little more psychologically prepared for the next one in a few weeks.
I'm not too sure if I should be talking about this publicly, but my good friend and frequent running companion Colin had a mishap on his bicycle on Saturday resulting in one fractured collar bone and, therefore, the end of his aspirations for an autumn marathon. That's bad news for him, and bad news for the rest of us who will now be forced to do a lot more work to keep the conversations flowing during those Sunday long runs. I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing him a speedy recovery. I'm sure he'd appreciate an email from those of you who know him.
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4 comments:
Relax - still 65 sleeps to go! The benefits will become clear during your taper (5 or 6 weeks from now). You know you've been putting in some good work and you know the system works - you've done it before.
She'll be right mate ;-)
The reason for this blog is so you can look back and see all the training you are doing. Bloody hell you are doing a lot!
I think the body can sometimes behave as yours is now and the perceived exerction is greater than the times provided...however with magic carboload and taper...it all comes together.
Poor Colin, send him our wishes for a speedy recovery. Those collarbone breaks are damn painful. Perhaps he maybe able to do a windtrainer session to not loose fitness in the legs in the meantime?
Broken collarbone. Been there, done that. Three times in fact. He has my sympathy.
That's why I ride motorbikes - much safer.
The 4:15s will come. 65 is a lot of sleeps.
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