4 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Cross – Wood Lane – Home
Date: 26th March 2007
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was my first run since returning from Mexico and more importantly my first full run in three weeks. Reason being was with the hard partying and heat of Cancun, running was just too difficult. I tried it once but I felt like I would die if I continued. Having arrived back in England I had contracted a bad cough, more than likely from the reconditioned plane air.
Having weathered my virus I was back on the road for a short four mile run. Having stretched and warmed up I set out without the clock at an unbelievably steady pace to ease myself back into my running. I was expecting to die by the first corner but I was ok and reached mile one feeling very good. I stopped to stretch again and then set out to time (but not worried what my times would be) the next two miles, with a one mile warm down at the end.
The first mile was ok and although I felt I was running really slow I still ran a sub eight minute mile. Having lost much of my fitness on my holiday I decided that my goal is to run sub four hours in Edinburgh and that means nine to nine and a half minute miles so even with lost fitness this is a very achievable goal.
It was the second mile that really tested me as it is ninety percent uphill and not gradual inclines, I’m talking steep hills. Once at the top I was really tired but I always knew this first run would be hard.
Having made it to the top I did my one mile warm down and once home my chest felt really tight but this was down to the virus I had picked up on the plane.
With this run out the way I can now concentrate on getting back to full training getting as fit as possible in time for Edinburgh.
Positive: I was good to get back on the road.
Negative: My time in Mexico and heavy partying made the hills very hard.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 61
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 9.17
Run Time time: 17.04
“A man can often do today what he could not do yesterday.”
New York City
"Running 26 miles around this place.....I can think of nothing better"
Friday, 30 March 2007
9th March 2007
Cancun Training Log
Date: 9th March 2007
Conditions: Hot, Dry
Notes: Having been in Mexico for around three days I decided it was time for my first run. I had stayed in the previous night having not felt too great so with semi-clear system I believed it was a good time to tackle the Mexican roads.
I set out around 10.30 am and it was cloudy, but very warm. After around 1km the heat and pain in my chest was too much to bare and I had to turn around and head back.
In all I did around a mile but it felt like ten miles. The heat was unbearable and my heavy partying took its toll. This was the only running I did in Mexico and I know that my Edinburgh time will suffer but all I know now is that the main thing is getting round the course.
Positive: For the first time ever I cannot think of anything positive
Negative: I know my Edinburgh Marathon time will evidently suffer.
Run Time: N/T
"Tough times don't last but tough people do."
Date: 9th March 2007
Conditions: Hot, Dry
Notes: Having been in Mexico for around three days I decided it was time for my first run. I had stayed in the previous night having not felt too great so with semi-clear system I believed it was a good time to tackle the Mexican roads.
I set out around 10.30 am and it was cloudy, but very warm. After around 1km the heat and pain in my chest was too much to bare and I had to turn around and head back.
In all I did around a mile but it felt like ten miles. The heat was unbearable and my heavy partying took its toll. This was the only running I did in Mexico and I know that my Edinburgh time will suffer but all I know now is that the main thing is getting round the course.
Positive: For the first time ever I cannot think of anything positive
Negative: I know my Edinburgh Marathon time will evidently suffer.
Run Time: N/T
"Tough times don't last but tough people do."
Friday, 2 March 2007
1st March 2007
Heanor Running Club
Speed Work – ‘Hills’
16 x 400m
Date: 1st March 2007
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Having not run consistently for over a week and having run so badly in the last running club training session I was a little worried about tonight’s session. However I knew this would be my last intense workout opportunity before I fly to Cancun, so before I arrived at HLC I got myself into a ‘come on’ mental state.
We left HLC and headed out on the two mile warm up to the American Adventure car park. Once there we would be doing hill ‘repeats’, similar to last time we were here, however instead of ten repeats we would be doing eight repeats followed by a three minute rest and a further eight repeats.
Once there I tried to stay with Rob’s son and his mate, and managed to stay close behind them until around repeat six when my lungs tightened up and I felt a little fatigue kicking in. I pushed through to the end of the first set but I remember (as I often do at this point in a hard training session) thinking that I would have to pull out before the end of the second set.
After the three minute rest I felt good again and as we got to the second repeat I was on countdown and determined not to stop. The elite runners were now far ahead but what kept me going was that I was ahead of Rob and this felt good as in the last session he had a go at me for not putting enough effort in. He also said that for a lad of my age I should be well ahead of him. Now I was and it felt good.
I went through the paces for the final few repeats and the final one was a huge joy to run. I kicked it, and sprinted the whole repeat and once over that finish line I felt fantastic, tired but fantastic.
Having finished this final Vo2Max workout, apart from my slight hamstring injury I feel fantastic and am now ready for my holiday. I will be training out there but it will be nice to have a rest.
Positive: This was a hard but very enjoyable workout.
Negative: My hamstring felt it by the end and the following morning.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 87
"What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."
Speed Work – ‘Hills’
16 x 400m
Date: 1st March 2007
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Having not run consistently for over a week and having run so badly in the last running club training session I was a little worried about tonight’s session. However I knew this would be my last intense workout opportunity before I fly to Cancun, so before I arrived at HLC I got myself into a ‘come on’ mental state.
We left HLC and headed out on the two mile warm up to the American Adventure car park. Once there we would be doing hill ‘repeats’, similar to last time we were here, however instead of ten repeats we would be doing eight repeats followed by a three minute rest and a further eight repeats.
Once there I tried to stay with Rob’s son and his mate, and managed to stay close behind them until around repeat six when my lungs tightened up and I felt a little fatigue kicking in. I pushed through to the end of the first set but I remember (as I often do at this point in a hard training session) thinking that I would have to pull out before the end of the second set.
After the three minute rest I felt good again and as we got to the second repeat I was on countdown and determined not to stop. The elite runners were now far ahead but what kept me going was that I was ahead of Rob and this felt good as in the last session he had a go at me for not putting enough effort in. He also said that for a lad of my age I should be well ahead of him. Now I was and it felt good.
I went through the paces for the final few repeats and the final one was a huge joy to run. I kicked it, and sprinted the whole repeat and once over that finish line I felt fantastic, tired but fantastic.
Having finished this final Vo2Max workout, apart from my slight hamstring injury I feel fantastic and am now ready for my holiday. I will be training out there but it will be nice to have a rest.
Positive: This was a hard but very enjoyable workout.
Negative: My hamstring felt it by the end and the following morning.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 87
"What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."
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The Five Boroughs
"There's more to this place than Manhattan"
Staten Island
"Only the first half mile is spent on Staten Island as you immediately leave across the Varrazano-Narrows bridge into Brooklyn"
Brooklyn
"Almost half the race is spent in Brooklyn, where many different neighbourhoods and cultural changes are passed through"
Queens
"The race enters Queens at exactly the half way point by crossing the Pulalski Bridge, over Newton creek, where you get your first amazing view of the City. The next 3 miles are spent here until crossing the challenging Queensboro Bridge over the East river."
Manhattan
"The first of two visits into Manhattan comes at mile 16 as you leave the Queensboro Bridge. Greeted by thousands of screaming spectators makes this one of the most memorable moments of the race, before the 4 mile stretch up First Avenue towards the Bronx"
Bronx
"At mile 20 you cross the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx where little over a mile is run before returning to Manhattan across the Madison Avenue Bridge, where you see the Yankee Stadium, which has to be the highlight of the short trip across the Harlem river"
Manhattan 2
"As you arrive back in Manhattan the course proceeds down Fifth Avenue for 3 miles before entering Central Park for the final push and that moment that will last forever."
Varrazano-Narrows (Staten Island-Brooklyn)
Pulalski Bridge (Brooklyn-Queens)
Queensboro Bridge (Queens-Manhattan)
Willis Avenue Bridge (Manhattan-Bronx)
Madison Avenue Bridge (Bronx-Manhattan)
