Weekly Mileage: 95 miles
After my amazing training session on Thursday I took it easy on Friday with a gentle 4 mile run in the evening to loosen my legs and stretch them out. Saturday I did a 12 mile run with 15 intervals of one minute fast and one minute slow, which I did along the shores of Cramond. I spent Saturday afternoon and evening at the wedding of two of my best friends, Simon and Jen. It was a brilliant day and the evening was spent dancing away until the early hours of the morning. I finally got to bed at 2.30am shattered and it seemed like no time at all before my alarm was going off at 7.30am for my long Sunday run.
Through bleary eyes I sipped coffee and stared out the window at was a beautiful blue sky and shining sun. The leaves on the trees were still, as there was clearly not a breath of wind in the air. A perfect day for running. It was, however, bloody freezing! I sat in my car with all my kit on, my big thick gloves and the heating blasting out at full. I picked up Dan and we drove to Craiglochart.
Today was my last long run before my taper, my final 26 mile run. Despite being tired and having slightly sore feet from a night of dancing I was feeling pretty good and was actually really looking forward to it. With a good gathering of club members we set off. In my group today was Dan and I, as well as Niamh, Colin, Bryan and Steve Manian joined us for the first six miles. We took the first three or four miles fairly easily and chatted away. As we approached Balerno we picked up the pace slightly and started discussing the joys of the two hills that take you from mile 6 to mile 8 of the run.
We all love these hills as much as we dread them. In recent months we have been tackling them a little harder and there has always been a little bit of pushing each other to see who can get to the top first. Today we openly talked about how it had become a little bit of a race and then started to discuss weather or not we would make today's venture up the hill a wee race. At first I thought it was a bit of light banter, although I did expect the usual jostling, but when Bryan turned to Colin and I and said, "Where does the hill start?" I knew the race was on. I replied that we were already on it as we had left the Water of Leith and were on the roads in Balerno. Bryan quickened his step instantly and pulled away. I turned to Colin and said, "he's serious!". I then picked up my pace and gave pursuit pulling ahead of Colin. I heard Colin swear under his breath and then pick up the pace to catch me. Niamh and Dan were far too sensible to join in with our shenanigans and kept a steady pace.
Bryan was trying hard to get away, but we managed to catch him and pull alongside him, we pretty much stayed that way for the first hill, although Bryan was about a stride ahead of Colin and I towards the end. We flew up the first hill at an impressive pace. I could feel my right hamstring tightening and my quads aching slightly, but I had committed myself and there was no way I was going to let either of them drop me. We reached the top of the first hill, Bryan a stride ahead of Colin and I, but all pretty much together. We eased off slightly, took a breath and had a wee chat, as we cruised down the road towards the foot of the next hill.
Once there Bryan again moved to the front and forced the pace. Bryan had told us several weeks ago that he loves to lead and hates to be behind people, so Colin and I have pretty much come to expect his moves to the front. Unfortunately for us, however, Bryan has the ability to stay at the front once getting there. I managed to catch him and move away from Colin and as I began to move past Bryan he increased his pace and we ran side by side with Colin a stride further back. As with the first hill we really threw everything at it. We certainly weren't taking it lightly and all three of us were determined to be first to the top of the hill. As we approached the last 250m I could really feel my legs begin to tire and my lungs burn. I thought for a second about how this little race might effect the remaining 18 miles I would have to complete once we got to the top of the hill, but at this point I really didn't care. I just wanted to get to the top first. We were pretty much together as we did reach the top. Bryan had managed to get their first with a couple of strides advantage over Colin who was a dip over the line ahead of me. It was a great feeling running the hills that hard. I was pretty annoyed not to have got there first, as I usually get to the top of these hills first, but I am putting it down to the heavy mileage.
Next week I'll only be doing 16 miles and will have done far less training during the week, so fully expect to get their first. I am sure Colin and Bryan will read this, laugh and say no chance. They'll also remember this blog entry and remind me of it, if either or both of them get their first next Sunday.
After we got to the top we were pretty spent and so eased off to a very gentle pace, as Niamh and Dan caught us up. By the time we got to the 10 mile mark we had all picked the pace up again and were running sub 7 minute miles as a group. There we stayed for the next five miles, running pretty quickly and still finding the breath to chat away, which was great. By the time we came back to the canal it was time for Bryan and Colin to turn off and finish their 16 miles. Dan, Niamh and I continued along the canal to complete our extra marathon training miles. Niamh did a couple before turning back, while Dan and I continued on. Dan was doing 24 miles so we had a few more miles together. I was pleased that we continued to keep a good steady pace at around 6.50pace, but what was really good was that I felt so strong, particularly in my heart and lungs. They didn't feel tired at all. My legs were a little stiff and tight, but probably from the hill race that we had enjoyed earlier.
Dan turned back to finish his 24 miles leaving me just less than 7 miles to finish. I decided to try and pick up the pace, as I was feeling good, the conditions were great and this was my last long run before the beginning of my taper. I managed to successfully move pace up to 6.45 miles and then into 6.30s and by my last mile I was flying and really enjoying myself. My last mile was 6.15 and I could have continued. I finished the 26 miles in 2.58.15 and couldn't get the smile off my face. Back at the car park I caught up with Niamh and Dan who both felt good about their runs and we talked about Amsterdam for a while and how great it would be if we could all get PBs. I really hope so, that would be great!
My hard training is now done and I feel like I am peaking at just the right time. In fact I reckon I could easily do another hard week's training. I have been looking forward to my taper and I really hope I get it right with a good mix of rest, quality training and nutritional food. No doubt within days of starting my taper I will be complaining about it and wishing I was doing more miles, but we'll see. Until then I am just going to enjoy and reflect on some good training over the last 13 weeks. I think I will review my training in tomorrow's blog entry.
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