12th Jan 2025

Goals for the week

This was my first week of proper marathon training. My aims were to:

• Run 35 miles, including
• A 12 mile long run, plus
• 1 gym session, all legs

Run 35 miles

This was a pretty big jump from the weeks prior, where my inconsistent running was bringing me in around 20 miles.

Despite the weather I managed to stick to the plan, 4 x 6mile runs, plus the long run, giving me 36 miles for week 1.

12 mile long run

Long runs in previous weeks have been a slog, feeling heavy & grim hard work from the very start. In contrast, this week it was a cruise! I finished feeling as bouncy and fresh as when I began. I love that feeling. It feels like the beginnings of real fitness, though it may be too early to say.

1 gym session

I got the gym done on Monday evening, with a really nice hip workout especially. Hips are a weakness that cause back & other issues for me, and will be a focus for me.

Thoughts

The weather this week was brutally cold, especially on those 7am runs before the sun was up, easily in the minus numbers. Monday was particularly brutal, with heavy wind and rain.

Satisfied that I got them all done!

I had forgotten how much training can take from the rest of the day, without fueling properly. With that in mind, I need to make sure I fuel better right after a run. Porridge alone is not cutting it.

Goals for next week

In the coming week, week 2 of the plan, I anticipate more cold & rain!

The goals are

• Run roughly 40 miles. This is a decent week-on-week jump, so I’m content to fall short by a couple of miles.
• Race 10 miler on Sunday, and
• Top that up with 4 miles as my long run
• 1 x Gym
• Try a gel on an easy run, to begin getting used to these again

I also want to experiment more with more complete post-run nutrition, with the successful outcome being better energy through the afternoon and evening.

Here we go again!