So I did the heart rate test again this morning: 4:11/km. That's a few seconds better than the rather unpleasant 4:15/km of last week. I was also having to work the legs a bit harder to get up to a HR of 149, and the average HR was the correct 149, not 150. So I guess I am some way back towards where I was four weeks ago. But at the same time, I am still certainly not there, at least as measured by this test.
I still have no idea what weight to put on this test, but suffice to say that my main challenge to myself for this marathon on Sunday is to NOT entertain thoughts of going sub 3:00, but rather to run a realistic pace in the first half that will feel fairly comfortable and allow me to enjoy the run, but still yield a respectable time if I can hold it throughout. At present, I think that is something around 4:25 to 4:30/km. If I can do that and get to 30k feeling good, there is always a remote chance that I may actually pick up a few minutes in the last 12 km. Probably not, but I really, really want to give myself a chance of negative splitting whilst still running a semi-decent time. Just not sub three!
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About Me
- Stephen Lacey
- Born in 1963 under a camphor laurel tree beside Bilambil Creek, I now live in Tokyo with my Japanese wife and three sons. I started running in 2002 and my addictive personality soon clasped this foolish pastime to its bosom. I am also an enthusiastic amateur brewer and have won a few competitive home brewing awards in my time. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2015, today I can no longer run, and my blog posts are more likely to concern the waxing and waning of my condition.
7 comments:
Good opportunity to run that plan Steve. We're not expecting sub-3! Are we Clairie?
Maybe try a big breakfast too. Seriously! Plenty were doing that for 6'.
Ooooh blogger is playing up again!
Take 2.
Running to feel sounds like a good plan for this race Steve - good to see the test results moving in the right direction though.
Have to tell you Steve that Carol and I had a little discussion about you and all your heart rate/speed analysis stuff. Ok, it was a chuckle :-) No offence meant! In fact if I did a bit of that myself I would probably be a better runner.
Are you downplaying again mate? In these great spring conditions it'll be very hard to not split the half mark in sub 1:30. A 4:16/k is still a walk in the park for you. If that's a good idea is a different story.
I like your approach Stephen. You are setting very realistic goals and easing the mental pressure in doing so. Anything can happen on the day.
Hey Stephen
Thanks for the link and post you left on my blog. I could definitely relate. But having a "cry", now that might be alright for your Kiwis, Poms and Yanks but us Aussies are made of stronger stuff ;)
I did cry once though and from now on I'll never forget the difference between a Proctologist and a Podiatrist!
Sounds like a chance to run a marathon, enjoy the experience and see what happens. You never know....
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