It's been a while since I posted but I've been on the job running a lot, getting fitter and racking up the Ks.
Remember I talked about approaching this training "Zen like" ? Well I came across a quote related to that on Peter Magil's "Younger Legs For Older Runners" blog the other day (great site by the way. Thanks for bringing it to our attention Speedygeoff and Rick.
He quotes a so called Zen master saying "When the task is done beforehand, then it is easy." That brings me to the point. I've been training at a much better level, both in terms of kms and effort that I'm starting to feel pretty confident about doing a good time in my next marathon.
In the first 4 weeks of training for the Hilo Hawaiian Marathon in March this year (I did 3:00:08 yes not such a good number) I did per week, 81K, 62K, 117K, and 122K. For the first 4 weeks of this 12 week training program I've just completed 130K, 132K, 147K, and 146K. I'm going to drop down a little this week and peak next week at 162K, 100 miles, and pretty much keep up the volume until a good taper in late July.
On Sunday I did 15K of my long run at or under 2:50:00 marathon pace with a relatively easy effort, The numbers for each km being between 3:50 and 4:02. Now it isn't quite the level David Criniti has been training of late, (see his blog the numbers and speed at which he is running is quite mind boggling)But in relation to what I've done before it is a vast improvement for this stage of my training. And I can't ask more than that.
Some other things that have me excited these days are: I've found out just how much a good arm swing can help ones speed and form and I've been practicing this with some success and I've been doing a few Hosaka down hill 1K repeats for my second run in the evenings. That is, if you haven't heard the news from Ewen and Sling runner, you power down a 1k hill, I've been doing this under 3:20 pace and jog back up to repeat. I've been doing 6 to 10K of these. You know I think this is one of the best sessions I've done, time will tell, but I feel sort of refreshed, if that's possible, after doing these runs and finding to my pleasant surprise that I have less niggles the morning after when doing these then I have when I didn't. Try a few and let me know if that's true for you.
Anyway, that's it for now. I'll leave you with the man himself who was also able to "bring home the bacon" as I hope to do in Townsville. If not like Keating said about Howard after years in on the back benches "Now you bring your miserable political carcass back to the front bench" I'll just bring my miserable carcass back home and try again. It worked for little Johnny Howard.
Some other quotes from Keating on Howard:
"The little desiccated coconut is under pressure and he is attacking anything he can get his hands on"
"For Mr Howard to get to the high moral ground, he would first need to climb out of the volcanic hole he had dug for himself over the last decade. It is like one of those diamond mine holes in South Africa. They are about a mile underground. He would have to come a mile up to get to even equilibrium let alone have any contest in morality with Kevin Rudd."
"What we have got is a dead carcass, swinging in the breeze, but nobody will cut it down to replace him."
"He's wound up like a thousand day clock..."
"...the brain-damaged Leader of the Opposition..."
(Of his 1986 leadership) "From this day onwards, Howard will wear his leadership like a crown of thorns, and in the parliament I'll do everything to crucify him."
"He is the greatest job and investment destroyer since the bubonic plague."
"But I will never get to the stage of wanting to lead the nation standing in front of the mirror each morning clipping the eyebrows here and clipping the eyebrows there with Janette and the kids: It's like 'Spot the eyebrows'."
"I am not like the Leader of the Opposition. I did not slither out of the Cabinet room like a mangy maggot..."
"He has more hide than a team of elephants."
"I do not want to hear any mealymouthed talk from the Member for Benelong."
"The principle saboteur, the man with the cheap fistful of dollars."
"Come in sucker."
I think your well on the way to breaking through the dreaded 3 hours!
ReplyDeleteThe downhill repeats are a very good idea, it strengthens the quads so they can deal with pounding of a marathon, plus they also improve leg speed!
Whats this arm action your using! please enlighten.
Geez mate, you've really extracted the digit there! I hope you've got the kms per black fish balance tuned to perfection. At this rate, you're going to go straight past poor old Steve Lacey's PB as you bring home the bacon.
ReplyDeleteAnd what's wrong with :08? That's a beautiful number - worth many a story and joke.
I have a downhill section on my trail course which I push a bit. When I get on top of the kms I intend trying some downhill repeats. They should definitely help the legs hold up in the latter stages of your marathon.
Good quotes from Keating - I like 'spot the eyebrows'.
methinks he over-rates the bubonic plague.
ReplyDeleteWow — impressive mileage and good speed. I would like to have more details. Are you taking any rest days? Are you doing fast (3:50 is fast) tempo runs every week? Are you doing any two-a-days? What does a typical week look like?
ReplyDeleteAnd when/what is your next marathon?
What can I say, other than you're inspirational and give me hope! I, like TokyoRacer, would like some more detail - if it works well for you, then why not me? ok, so we'll assess that logic at some stage in the future when I'm up to that many k's.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ewen, the :08 will be a good story when you've got the 2:
If nothing else, Keating was good with the words! Thanks for the reminder.
It seems that training is going very well for you Scott. I would love to have been in Townsville to help you celebrate your sub 3. Unfortunately I shan't be able to make it to Townsville. I will, though, be doing the Nossa half on the same day (I think).
ReplyDeleteAt this rate, you're going to go straight past poor old Steve Lacey's PB as you bring home the bacon.
ReplyDeleteWhat's this old shit? ;-)
Yeah, he sure looks like he is on for a 2:50 to 2:52 if he gets good race conditions doesn't he, Ewen? By the way, when you next see him, could you tell him I am not talking to him? I think it is just rude that he goes out and starts posting mileage like that and keeping it to himself this long. And not just any old mileage, but quality mileage. Sneaky bastard. Like a shiver looking for a spine to run up.
Steve, let's face it mate - you're old while I'm merely ancient!
ReplyDeleteOf course, I'm just trying to motivate you do training equally as good as the sneaky bastard's. I agree that he's on for a 2:50:08 provided he doesn't run the first handful of kilometres at Hosaka's 3:42/km pace ;)