Four weeks further on down the plan and everything is going pretty well.
I built up to 12 miles the week before last and then had a deload last week. Had some walking in the Yorkshire dales which acted as a great break from the running.
Going back into the gym I felt strong and hit a PB of 110kg for 5 reps per leg on a safety bar split squat. Something I will look to build on both rep wise and in weight over the coming weeks.
Yesterday I re-tested my 6 minute run test time. Several reasons for this. Firstly it’s important to use regular testing to make sure you are progressing. There will always be an element of how you feel on the day but generally you should be seeing regular progress in your training.
Secondly, I feel pretty fit at the moment and I use the test to generate timings I use for my interval training. So in testing higher I will then have to run faster in my intervals which in turn will allow me to improve my fitness further. I also just wanted to see if I could run faster haha.
Anyway when I originally tested this score I got 1540m which is the best I ever scored since I began using this method. Well, it equalled my all time PB anyway. But yesterday I managed to get a new PB of 1610m which is awesome. It may only be 70m but for anyone who has done the test, you will know how difficult it can be to improve.
The next few weeks will see me build to 14 miles this weekend, around 15 miles the following weekend and then back down to 10 the week after. This should bring me in line to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon for Hospice in the Weald at the start of August.
I have been running with another lad from the gym (another Ollie) on the longer days which has made things much easier to get the miles in on a Saturday morning. I have never really run with anyone else on longer runs regularly but we seem to be a good match in fitness so that has been very useful.
He will be doing the London Landmarks half and the Milton Keynes 20 miler so we will probably run together for the majority of the build up towards the marathon.
3 months out and I am happy where I am.
It feels like ages but in reality its only 8 weeks more of training before I begin the taper down. Should probably start thinking about accommodation for Paris.
Anyhow, things are pretty good on the training front. I will get between 3-4 workouts and runs in a week and that seems to have me in good balance.
For me as much as this is about running a marathon in a time I am happy with it is also about achieving balance between work, life and exercise. Right now I feel I have this balance. So the plan is working!