The Bi-Annual Final Marathon Then Retire Log

and still ricky villa

Thursday

Afternoon - Run - 7 Miles Easy
My wife works mad hours sometimes so my morning workout is shortened and my evening workout can be non existent. I knew I wasn't going to get out for the full interval job in one go so split this running the first 7 miles of the warm up during lunch

Evening - Run - 1E+2 x (2T+2 min rest) + 1T + 2E
This was super. I got out shortly after 8pm and warmed up for a mile before hitting the track.
Rep|Target|Actual
1 Mile|4:53-5:11|4:54
2 Mile|3:59-4:09|4:03
Rest|Rest|Rest
2 Mile|3:59-4:09|4:24
Rest|Rest|Rest
1 Mile|3:59-4:09|4:03
Rest|Rest|Rest
2 Mile|4:53-5:11|4:53

The 2nd rep at threshold pace looks off but I got hit with a side stitch with 800m to go. I tried to plough on but it was one of those ones that eventually stops you breathing. I walked it off and then set off again to try and keep the time respectable

The rest wasn't easy but was manageable. Using the local gravel running track definitely helps. It puts it into perspective though when I look back and see that I was running up to 13 miles at that pace in training but I'll trust the training and know quicker times will come with patience

and still ricky villa

Friday

Morning - Swim - 1800m
This was a fresh CSS test. I've been swimming well and the results proved it. New 400m PB and new 200m PB. Do you think the CSS Calculator would agree with that though? No. It said I swam the 200m too quick and gave me a lower rating. Scientific algorithm my ar$e.

Afternoon - Run - 5 Mile Easy
No problems here with anyone telling me I'd done it wrong when I finished. Still miffed about the swim

and still ricky villa

Sunday

Afternoon - Run - 4E + 8M + 1T + 1E
Cruel Dr Jack, very cruel
This is the first long workout of the 18 week Q2 plan. 8 fecking miles at marathon pace. I knew it was coming but still.
I didn't do this on Saturday as the legs were still sore from Thursday (that late in the week isn't a good idea) so I left it till Sunday. The child wouldn't let go of me until 12:30 so out into the baking heat I went. The 4 miles easy were fine and the first mile of the 8 @ M pace was ok but I quickly ran out of steam. I had water and gels to try and cope with the heat but the 8 miles were very stop start. I'm looking at it as 8 miles covered at marathon pace albeit not continuously. Strangely I ran the 1 mile at threshold without missing a beat. There is much the same workout in about 3 weeks time and I'm sure I'll hit it this time.

and still ricky villa

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
1|37.83|3:07|1.20|0:38|0.00|0:00|0:44
2|45.07|3:40|1.60|1:10|0:00|0:00|0:20
3|52.32|4:14|4.40|2:22|21.33|0:40|0:50
4|59.56|4:50|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00
5|66.77|5:26|1.50|0:49|9.20|0:20|0:41
6|76.44|6:10|3.20|1:30|20.00|0:45|0:00
Total|337.99|27:27|11.9|6:29|50.53|1:45|2:35

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
7|52.77|4:10|3.95|1:55|17.89|0:40|1:01
8|59.99|4:50|4.00|1:56|17.91|0:40|1:05
9|62.30|4:54|4.20|2:02|18.11|0:40|0:51
10|26.90|2:09|0.80|0:21|10.90|0:27|0:41
11|71.00|5:41|3.60|1:51|9.10|0:20|0:31
12|71.79|5:47|2.80|1:21|18.27|0:40|0:20
Total|344.75|27:31|19.35|9:26|92.18|2:47|4:29

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
13|71.61|5:39|4.60|2:23|9.28|0:20|0:44

First week of 18 down and mostly successful. I did feel more energised from dropping the longer easy runs down a bit.
I've signed up for the half in Valencia on the 28th of October and planning to make a little family break of it. I'll see how the form is coming up to it before deciding what to aim for. I've used the ropey half time from the definitely short Wicklow Hospice half to get into a quicker pen so have my options open for a marathon paced run or a stab at what I should be hitting for a half.
Ideally I can use this to get my marathon pen bumped up a bit as I don't have a quick enough recent time for anything better than 3:15-3:30

and still ricky villa

Monday

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
Bank Holidays. What a pain. You get a whole day off work and then your family make you do family stuff all day.
I managed to sneak out for an easy 5 miler all the same but very inconsiderate, my swimming is off schedule now

I love my family dearly and they know it

and still ricky villa

Tuesday

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
A small bit quicker than yesterday but as uneventful as it gets

Evening - Swim - 900m
It was ask a stupid question day in work today. Repeatedly. I had contemplated going straight home but thought cooling off in the pool would be better. Glad I did it, felt better for it

and still ricky villa

Wednesday

Morning - Swim - 1000m
No real plan, just drills and proper swims

Afternoon - Stretching and Rolling - 26mins
Got interrupted by calls so didn't do as much as I would have liked but some is better than none

Evening - Run - 6E + 5 x (3 min I w/2 min jog) + 6 x (1 min R w/2 min jog) + 2E
Mega
I ran the 6 mile warm up in as big a loop as I could think of then returned to the track for the intervals.
I'm very happy with how this went. The last of the 3 minute intervals was interrupted by some dry retching but if you don't feel like you're going to vomit during intervals you're not doing it right.
It was an extra benefit that I was able to do this as a single workout. I was shattered at the end

Rep|Target|Actual 1|Actual 2|Actual 3|Actual 4|Actual 5|Actual 6
6 Miles|4:53-5:11|4:50
3 Mins|3:39-3:49|3:43|3:42|3:40|3:44|5:33
1 Min|3:24-3:34|3:28|3:28|3:26|3:24|3:24|3:31
2 Miles|4:53-5:11|4:54

and still ricky villa

Thursday

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
New runners day! Nothing too dramatic. Going from Wave Rider 20s to Wave Rider 21s. Bright orange to black. I'll use them on the easy days until the orange ones hit 1000km. I don't buy into the idea you should change your shoes every 600km. I have another pair of Wave Rider 20s that are just over 600km and rotate them regularly.
Nothing major to report on the run. My legs were battered from Wednesday night so nice and easy does it

Evening - Gym - 23mins
Focused more on core and known weak points with a bit of vanity thrown in. I deliberately took it easy on the legs. This is supplementary so to my mind shouldn't hurt too much afterwards

and still ricky villa

Quick Catch Up

Friday
Morning - Swim - 1900m
Feck all energy, there is a cold coming. Since I turned 40, I get a pain in my right ear when I'm getting a cold. The child has one so it stands to reason I'm next
Afternoon - Run - 3 Miles Easy
Despite the struggle with the swim this was quite pleasent

Sunday
Evening - Run - 2E+3T+40 min E+2T+1E
The details are there but I crapped out at 17km. The first 3 mile T rep started well but negative thoughts crept in. Lots of pressure in work and rather than keeping my effort level consistent I was thinking about how to approach a group security policy that is affecting how many people I can assign to a task and next thing I'd stopped. I find I'm not a good runner if my mind wanders into negative thoughts but am p1ssed and disappointed with myself as this affected the whole run.

and still ricky villa

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
1|37.83|3:07|1.20|0:38|0.00|0:00|0:44
2|45.07|3:40|1.60|1:10|0:00|0:00|0:20
3|52.32|4:14|4.40|2:22|21.33|0:40|0:50
4|59.56|4:50|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00
5|66.77|5:26|1.50|0:49|9.20|0:20|0:41
6|76.44|6:10|3.20|1:30|20.00|0:45|0:00
Total|337.99|27:27|11.9|6:29|50.53|1:45|2:35

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
7|52.77|4:10|3.95|1:55|17.89|0:40|1:01
8|59.99|4:50|4.00|1:56|17.91|0:40|1:05
9|62.30|4:54|4.20|2:02|18.11|0:40|0:51
10|26.90|2:09|0.80|0:21|10.90|0:27|0:41
11|71.00|5:41|3.60|1:51|9.10|0:20|0:31
12|71.79|5:47|2.80|1:21|18.27|0:40|0:20
Total|344.75|27:31|19.35|9:26|92.18|2:47|4:29

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
13|71.61|5:39|4.60|2:23|9.28|0:20|0:44
14|67.13|5:25|3.80|2:11|0.00|0:00|0:49
Total|138.74|11:04|8.40|4:34|9.28|0:20|1:33

I'm not going to dwell on how the week finished. I'm definitely coming down with something so no sense in beating myself up over it. I had gone out on Sunday in a bad mood, with no music and a lot on my mind. That will happen.
It's like expecting perfect weather on race day. Some days you'll get a cool 15 degrees, some days you'll get baked in unseasonable Rotterdam sun
The only sensible thing is to move on with the plan and not reflect on, or even worse, chase bad workouts

and still ricky villa

Monday

Morning - Swim - 2000m
I managed to get up early enough so was able to get a good swim in. I've started the sprint triathlon program, purely so I have a plan. This involved mostly breathing and not breathing. Swimming, the only sport where breathing is a weakness

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
We have visitors over from the US so sodding off for a run wasn't guaranteed. Thankfully I managed to squeeze out and get this done during lunch. No hangover from last week so maybe, fingers crossed, this cold won't come to much

Evening - Gym - 25mins
Anatomical Adaptation Week 1 - 25 reps of reasonably light weight. Nothing to strenuous

and still ricky villa

Tuesday

Evening - Run - 5 Miles Easy
Back to back meetings today and my dreaded thing with visitors more powerful than me, a working lunch. I had to wait for traffic to clear so did this after work before heading home

and still ricky villa

Wednesday

Morning - Swim - 2000m
I was dead slow this morning so not too bothered that this was a time trial as I had only done one a couple of weeks previous. I wasn't a million miles away from last week so happy enough to get through it. I hope I can keep up the long swims, I really do enjoy it. Time is my only enemy here

Afternoon - Run - 6E + 2T + 2 min E + 2T + 2 min E + 1T + 2E (Part 1)
Work was again hectic and I didn't like coming home late again so split this into an afternoon of 6 miles and then the real pain in the evening

Evening - Run - 6E + 2T + 2 min E + 2T + 2 min E + 1T + 2E (Part 2)
Such a big confidence booster and no doubt a fitness and pace booster. It was late when I got out and I finished in the dark. The track isn't well lit but I was not going home till I got this done. Truth be told, I would have loved to keep going

Rep|Target|Actual
1 Mile|4:53-5:11|4:55
2 Miles|3:59-4:09|4:04
Rest|2 mins|2 mins
2 Miles|3:59-4:09|4:06
Rest|2 mins|2 mins
1 Mile|3:59-4:09|4:02
1 Mile|4:53-5:11|4:55

and still ricky villa

Thursday

Morning - Bike - 21Mins
I started this out at the usual slightly above recommended wattage but quickly knew I wasn't going to make it. There was still a fair bit of heaviness in the legs from the previous night. No problem, dialled down the intensity to 80% and sailed through the rest. Started watching Better Call Saul

Afternoon - Run - 5.5 Miles Easy
I had to bring the car for tyres and back to the NCT so stayed at home today. Nothing major to report, my legs felt better than this morning though

Evening - Gym - 22Mins
I had a bit of a pain in my neck/shoulder so this might not have been the best idea I've ever had but I'm thick like that. I've had a few car crashes and the pain is usually seat belt shaped from my right shoulder to my left hip and this pain didn't go that direction so I was ok risking it. The first sign of pain, I would stop but none materialised but I was still left with a stiff pain going to bed

and still ricky villa

Friday

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
I didn't sleep well with my neck so didn't go for a swim this morning. Pity as I would have been up to 6km for the week. By the afternoon the pain had all but gone and my run was as mundane as ever. I don't plan on anything tonight. Heavy rain predicted for tomorrow so I'm aiming to get the long run done and dusted early

and still ricky villa

Saturday

Morning - Run - 16 Miles Easy
Got through this but once again the heat was a major factor. I even managed to get out pretty early but it averaged out at 22 degrees. Pain in the bum but it was time on my feet. More time to work on fuelling and working on tuning out the negative thoughts. Birthday on Tuesday, might explain my moodiness lately

and still ricky villa

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
1|37.83|3:07|1.20|0:38|0.00|0:00|0:44
2|45.07|3:40|1.60|1:10|0:00|0:00|0:20
3|52.32|4:14|4.40|2:22|21.33|0:40|0:50
4|59.56|4:50|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00
5|66.77|5:26|1.50|0:49|9.20|0:20|0:41
6|76.44|6:10|3.20|1:30|20.00|0:45|0:00
Total|337.99|27:27|11.9|6:29|50.53|1:45|2:35

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
7|52.77|4:10|3.95|1:55|17.89|0:40|1:01
8|59.99|4:50|4.00|1:56|17.91|0:40|1:05
9|62.30|4:54|4.20|2:02|18.11|0:40|0:51
10|26.90|2:09|0.80|0:21|10.90|0:27|0:41
11|71.00|5:41|3.60|1:51|9.10|0:20|0:31
12|71.79|5:47|2.80|1:21|18.27|0:40|0:20
Total|344.75|27:31|19.35|9:26|92.18|2:47|4:29

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
13|71.61|5:39|4.60|2:23|9.28|0:20|0:44
14|67.13|5:25|3.80|2:11|0.00|0:00|0:49
15|80.28|6:25|4.00|1:58|9.03|0:21|0:47
Total|219.02|17:29|12.40|6:32|18.31|0:41|2:20

All round, a very pleasing week. Bounce back from last week's shortfall without chasing miles, 2 decent length swims, a tiny bit of bike and 2 gym sessions.
I'm tempted to up the pace slightly but I have to prove, to myself at least, that today's marathon pace is manageable before I start planning ahead

and still ricky villa

Monday
Morning - Swim - 2000m - Breathing exercises but I seem to be getting slower?
Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy - All good. Nice and easy

Tuesday
Morning - Bike - 20Mins - After lowering the watts last week after a gap, I was ok with keeping the watts up for this one
Afternoon - Run - 6 Miles Easy - Same again, pretty standard stuff
Evening - Gym - 21Mins - Anatomical Adaptation Week 2 - Enjoying this at the moment

Wednesday
Morning - Swim - 2000m - Session was called Clear Your Head. Swimming without thinking too much, not easy this week
Afternoon - Run - 40 Mins Easy - First part of the Wednesday intervals
Evening - Run - 6km - 2nd part of this week's intervals but just didn't have the head on me for this. Walked away when I got fed up

Thursday
Afternoon - Run - 8 Miles Easy - Resetting myself. Ran longer than planned but needed to get my head straight

Friday
Morning - Swim - 1000m - I was going to go for the full 2km but stopped after 1km which brings me to 5km for the week. That'll do pig
Afternoon - Run - 8 Miles Easy - Same as yesterday, getting my head back into what I should be doing right

and still ricky villa

Saturday

Afternoon - Run - 2E + 8M + 1E + 2M + 2E
And this is why I wanted to get my head right. This went really well. The 8 Miles at M pace (my current, not final, pace) went really well until I got to about 5 miles. My mind started to wander and music wasn't very upbeat. Skip to next track and my head is suddenly back in the game. Weird. It's not something I've had to contend with before but at least skipping until I hit something that was more lively kept me going.
The song in question was Metallica's cover of Tuesday's Gone. Not a funeral march but slow enough to slow me down

Rep|Target|Actual
2 Miles|4:53-5:11|4:51
8 Miles|4:16-4:26|4:19
1 Mile|4:53-5:11|4:51
2 Miles|4:16-4:26|4:20
2 Miles|4:53-5:11|4:52

and still ricky villa

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
1|37.83|3:07|1.20|0:38|0.00|0:00|0:44
2|45.07|3:40|1.60|1:10|0:00|0:00|0:20
3|52.32|4:14|4.40|2:22|21.33|0:40|0:50
4|59.56|4:50|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00
5|66.77|5:26|1.50|0:49|9.20|0:20|0:41
6|76.44|6:10|3.20|1:30|20.00|0:45|0:00
Total|337.99|27:27|11.9|6:29|50.53|1:45|2:35

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
7|52.77|4:10|3.95|1:55|17.89|0:40|1:01
8|59.99|4:50|4.00|1:56|17.91|0:40|1:05
9|62.30|4:54|4.20|2:02|18.11|0:40|0:51
10|26.90|2:09|0.80|0:21|10.90|0:27|0:41
11|71.00|5:41|3.60|1:51|9.10|0:20|0:31
12|71.79|5:47|2.80|1:21|18.27|0:40|0:20
Total|344.75|27:31|19.35|9:26|92.18|2:47|4:29

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
13|71.61|5:39|4.60|2:23|9.28|0:20|0:44
14|67.13|5:25|3.80|2:11|0.00|0:00|0:49
15|80.28|6:25|4.00|1:58|9.03|0:21|0:47
16|81.67|6:22|5.00|2:24|8.71|0:20|0:21
Total|300.69|23:51|17.40|8:56|27.02|1:01|2:41

It's been a difficult week but finished out well.
It was my birthday on Tuesday and I generally don't give a sh!te about age but I was in a mood for most of the week. It wasn't a milestone either so no explanation. If I'm having a midlife crisis we're in trouble as I've been doing typical midlife crisis stuff since I started exercise at 24. Maybe I'll buy a convertible?
I brought the 4 year old for a swim on Sunday and she came down the 'fun' slide, landed in the water upside down and one of her armbands came off. Cue full on panic. She was screaming help and the lifeguards, who know me to see, were poised to hop in but I swam over to her. I was proud of her as she immediately started to climb onto my head, drowning me. I eventually got her to grip around my neck so I could get us to the edge. Like swimming with a brick on your head while being choked. I did feel a bit useless after though as I genuinely didn't know what to do. Maybe that explains my rotten mood for the week too.
Work was more intense than usual so all in all a perfect sh!testorm of a week.
Glad it's over

and still ricky villa

Monday

Morning - Swim - 2000m
I'm getting slower. I think I've stiffened up cos my strokes per length has gone up. Something to keep an eye on

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
Microscopic increase in pace. The aim is that once I'm in the last phase of training my M pace will be lower than 4:16 per km.
But, if I feel ready, I'll get there a wee bit earlier but I won't push it

and still ricky villa

Tuesday
Afternoon - Run - 6 Miles Easy - Holding the slightly quicker pace well
Evening - Gym - 20 Mins - Nothing odd, last week of Anatomical Adaptation

Wednesday
Morning - Swim - 2000m - Lots of kicking but nothing that should wear the legs out
Afternoon - Run - 8 Miles Easy - Warm up for later intervals
Evening - Run - 4 x 1 Min @ I Pace with 1 Mile w/u and c/d - First 3 intervals were great, last one blew up but happy

Thursday
Morning - Bike - 20 Mins - I seemed to be going slightly harder but was comfy
Afternoon - 5.5 Miles Easy - A very precise 5.5 miles to maintain my target mileage
Evening - Gym - 20 Mins - Should be the last AA set for a while. I'm now doing dips without any weight to spring me back up

Friday
Morning - Swim - 1200m - This took me to 5200m for the week. Goal done and home in time for breakfast and the first day of big school for the little one
Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy - Getting and feeling tired

and still ricky villa

Sunday

Afternoon - Run - 1E + 2 x (2T w/2 min rests) + 60 min E + 1T + 1 E

Rep|Target|Actual
1 Mile Easy|4:51-5:09|4:50
2 Miles Threshold|3:57-4:07|3:56
2 Min Rest|Rest|Rest
2 Miles Threshold|3:57-4:07|3:57
2 Mins Rest|Rest|Rest
60 Mins Easy|4:51-5:09|4:49
1 Mile Threshold|3:57-4:07|4:56
1 Mile Easy|4:51-5:09|4:54

I slept badly on Friday night with an overexcited child wanting to go back to school on Saturday and being awake from about 6am. I pushed the run to Sunday. No sense in starting a run I was dreading. I woke up on Sunday renewed and full of enthusiasm.
I had an idea in my head I would try and run the first T rep on normal ground, not on the track. The first rep was superb but I did it a bit quick. I set a new local PB though and I'm second on the all time list for that segment. Considering the rep involved doing the segment more than twice I'm well chuffed.
Moved to the track for the 2nd one and maintained the too quick speed.
Quick stop at the car for a gel and sip of water and I was off for the 60 minute easy. I deliberately made it an out and back so I wouldn't quit and although I had a couple of stops where the wind wasn't blowing right or some such nonsense I arrived back determined to try the last rep. It wasn't a total disaster, I just couldn't do it in one go. I kept the watch running and broke it down into 200m bits. Still, I'm happy with the workout all told. A tough one with plenty to think about and I'm hitting the T reps pretty comfortably

and still ricky villa

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
1|37.83|3:07|1.20|0:38|0.00|0:00|0:44
2|45.07|3:40|1.60|1:10|0:00|0:00|0:20
3|52.32|4:14|4.40|2:22|21.33|0:40|0:50
4|59.56|4:50|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00|0:00
5|66.77|5:26|1.50|0:49|9.20|0:20|0:41
6|76.44|6:10|3.20|1:30|20.00|0:45|0:00
Total|337.99|27:27|11.9|6:29|50.53|1:45|2:35

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
7|52.77|4:10|3.95|1:55|17.89|0:40|1:01
8|59.99|4:50|4.00|1:56|17.91|0:40|1:05
9|62.30|4:54|4.20|2:02|18.11|0:40|0:51
10|26.90|2:09|0.80|0:21|10.90|0:27|0:41
11|71.00|5:41|3.60|1:51|9.10|0:20|0:31
12|71.79|5:47|2.80|1:21|18.27|0:40|0:20
Total|344.75|27:31|19.35|9:26|92.18|2:47|4:29

Week|Run (Km)|Time|Swim (Km)|Time|Bike (Km)|Time|Gym (hrs)
13|71.61|5:39|4.60|2:23|9.28|0:20|0:44
14|67.13|5:25|3.80|2:11|0.00|0:00|0:49
15|80.28|6:25|4.00|1:58|9.03|0:21|0:47
16|81.67|6:22|5.00|2:24|8.71|0:20|0:21
17|80.55|6:24|5.20|2:33|9.82|0:20|0:40
Total|381.24|30:15|22.60|11:29|36.84|1:21|3:21

The numbers are starting the stack up now. I'm not going to get cocky but I'm feeling good. Only matters outside my control are affecting me now. I'm 99% fixed on the head issues and the fitness and pace is starting to feel natural. It's about 7 weeks till the half in Valencia and I'm hopeful I can put in a performance

and still ricky villa

Monday

Morning - Swim - 1400m
My back was bad last night, possibly just the long run, but too sore to swim is a bad sign. I'll have to keep an eye on it. Not excruciating pain but enough of a niggle to keep me from pushing too hard

Afternoon - Run - 3 Miles Easy
It's a recovery week this week so my easy runs will be pathetically short. I don't believe in junk miles though. Every step counts to making you a little bit faster, stronger, better than yesterday

and still ricky villa

Tuesday

Morning - Bike - 22Mins
Extended the turbo time by a fraction, nothing that will ruin hard work put in elsewhere. Hopefully

Afternoon - Run - 4 Miles Easy
Another short jaunt to keep the legs in check

Evening - Gym - 20Mins
It's Maximum Strength phase starting this week but given my back is still tender I took it down a notch

and still ricky villa

Wednesday

Morning - Swim - 1200m
The swimming club are back in the pool in the mornings so I'm back to squeezing in what I can. I got there a little late too so got done what I could get done. It all counts. I was swimming much better today, strokes per length were down as I'm concentrating more on keeping myself as long and flat as possible

Afternoon - Run - 40mins
Another broken up speed session, warm up in the afternoon and then hit the track in the evening

Evening - Run - 1E + 2 x 2T w/2 min rests +1E
Originally this was to be 3 sets of 2 miles but dinner was nearly ready when I was leaving as work had dragged on a bit. I don't want to say I found this easy but I coasted through both sets. I felt really in control running them at about 4min per km pace. Obviously I'll need to get that down and maintain it over 5 and 10km but I know it's going in the right direction.

Bonus - Run - 850m
This proves just how bad my numbers obsession can be. The Wave Rider 20's were at 999.3kms after the interval session so I got back out of the car and added a 850m jog to push them over the 1000km mark. They are now into retirement and the Wave Rider 21's become one of my rotating pairs. I have problems

and still ricky villa

Thursday

Morning - Bike - 22Mins
Another sneaky two minutes added to the bike

Afternoon - Run - 5 Miles Easy
I realised I'd be a couple of miles short of my goal for the week so added 1 mile to this and another to tomorrow. Nothing that would do any damage. I hope

Evening - Gym - 20 Mins
My back was at me again today so of course I rounded off the day by throwing big weights around (Big for me, it's all relative). I didn't feel any better afterwards but made sure that I did nothing that could inflict more damage

and still ricky villa

Friday

Morning - Swim - 2200m
Longest swim in a while. All based around stroke rate. Some of it was nuts 69SPM, 53SPM, 67SPM, 55SPM until eventually I got to do my regular 61SPM. I was fun but didn't change my mind about what suits me best

Afternoon - Run - 4 Miles Easy
The wife and child were going for a sleepover so I put this off till the evening to spend a bit more time with them. I was feeling the tiredness though running after 6pm

and still ricky villa

Sunday

Morning - Run - 17 Miles Easy
As the child's Saturday activities have begun I'm moving the weekend run to Sunday. Too much shuttling about on Saturday so easier on everyone if my run is pushed.
This was a beauty. My longest run in a while but it was so, so comfortable. I broke it up into 3 miles lumps as usual and followed an out and back course. I was into the last segment, feeling strong, so I thought 'sod it, I may as well see what marathon pace feels like after 15 miles of easy'. It was great. I'd say it took me a good half mile to hit pace but I was happily motoring along at sub 3 pace. I know it's still a world away from doing it for 26.2 miles but still, it's nice to know I can do it when tired