Back to a much fuller running week, with just under 47 miles and another two hours on the bike turbo. This has been consistent endurance work from start to finish.
The weekend has done most of the heavy lifting: a little over eight miles on Saturday followed by just over 13 miles on Sunday, both at around 7:37 per mile. Sunday’s heart rate was a little higher after stacking the two runs together.
Earlier in the week the running was mostly controlled, with the cross-training filling the gaps rather than dominating them. There was also a short mobility session.
Nothing has needed to be spectacular this week. It has been the sort of solid, repeatable work that quietly builds fitness.
A much lighter running week after last week’s volume, with two runs alongside a couple of swims, an hour on the indoor bike and some mobility work.
Tuesday’s run was steady, and the bike, pool and mobility sessions have kept the aerobic work going without adding another big block of running.
Thursday’s 10-mile run was the main effort. Average heart rate was 154, but with a max reaching 184, making it a genuinely demanding session rather than an easy mileage day.
So although the mileage has dropped sharply, this week still contained one hard running session and nearly two hours of cross-training.
A big week by my standards, with nearly eight hours of running and plenty of cycling and swimming around it. It has been a substantial endurance block rather than a gentle week.
Thursday brought the main quality session: 1.5 miles easy, followed by an eight-mile tempo averaging 6:36/mile, then 1.5 miles to warm down. The tempo was remarkably consistent, with all eight mile splits between 6:31 and 6:40.
The rest of the running has been much steadier, including a hilly 12-mile run on Sunday at a far more controlled heart rate. There has also been a decent amount of cross-training: two bike rides and three pool sessions, plus a short strength session.
The running mileage doesn’t really tell the whole story this week — there has been a lot of aerobic work going on around it, with Thursday’s tempo providing the clearest benchmark of where the running fitness is.
A strong start to the week in terms of mileage, hitting 24 miles by Tuesday evening, as well as a technical session in the pool. Wednesday saw a total break to recover, before Thursday morning’s tempo session. A Friday morning loop plus afternoon swimming rounded off the working week, with 42 miles covered, and the weekend still ahead. However the weekend didn’t go to plan, with an hour turbo session being followed by just a short (but sharp) 5k treadmill run, rather than the intended 10miler outdoors. An early kick-off for my son’s football, meant no early run on Sunday, and a head injury he sustained during the game was followed by a 5 hour stint in A+E, with any thoughts of running later quickly evaporating.
In summary; a strong Monday to Friday, but a disappointing weekend. On a positive note, and despite the two bouts of vomiting, my son was allowed to discharge with no scan, just a packet of strong painkillers and some strict instructions.
A pretty heavy week in terms of time, clocking comfortably over 10 hours of training, including an hour in the pool.
Despite the fact that my next event is a 70.3 triathlon, I am sticking to a fairly rigid marathon training plan, and simply building on it with increased mileage, as well as some time on the bike and final in the pool. I am hyper-conscious of the need for sufficient recovery, and trying to pick up on any early indications of overuse niggles.
Rather strangely a week or so ago, I started suffering from spontaneous nose bleeds. After a bit of research, it seems the delicate nasal capillaries don’t like cold air, as it makes them brittle. Combine it with rising body temperature which causes the dilation of blood vessels, making the capillary walls even thinner, they rupture easily. Especially if you are under-hydrated, which I suspect I am. So as well as drinking more water, I am now also applying the Vaseline up there to preserve moisture, as well as down there, to prevent chaffing. Best do the nasal application first. Anyway, the nose bleeds have stopped.
Back in the pool
I took my first two swimming lessons this week – nothing strenuous, but very good to get some one-on-one attention so I have a specific relevant focus, so I can improve my stroke as I build up the swimming-specific fitness. It also provides a certain accountability, something that was clearly necessary and as demonstrated by my complete absence from the pool until this point.
**MARATHON SIGN-UP*** I entered the autumn marathon in Chester. No need for a ballot there.
Back on to a heavier working week of mileage, although it meant I could take the weekend slightly easier. I was getting increasingly tired as the weeks tick by, and too little sleep was becoming the obvious problem.
With work and family taking the lead, the sleep versus training time battle is a difficult one. I am still yet to get into the pool to start swimming ahead of the 70.3 triathlon at the end of June. As this is an ‘A race’, this was becoming increasingly concerning, and has resulted in me booking twice-weekly lessons at the local pool to get things moving.
Strength vs mileage: a Catch-22 ?
Reflecting on time spent across all disciplines, its becoming obvious that I am not spending the time I want to in the gym. Having recently complemented my cardio kit with an Olympic lifting set-up, I’m not making the time to ensure I get the benefits.
As things stand, lifting would come at the expense of mileage; but maintaining the mileage without the strength work will, I am convinced, eventually cost me in injuries. The only solution is to increase total training time.
But this circles back to the working / family / training / sleep problem… I categorically will not do less time with the family; with our eldest at 18 years old, I am all too aware of how quickly time with the kids disappears, whilst at the same time, I fully appreciate the rarity and value of time spend with my better half. So that is non-negotiable. I need more sleep, and I need more training time. There is only work left to yield, and with us downscaling our involvement on a couple of fronts, I do feel there is an opportunity there. Not straight away but perhaps in the coming 9-12 months. If my body (and self-control) can just hold out.
I end the week by entering the ballot for the 2027 London Marathon. I hear it’s a 1-in-50 chance.
