ChrisL's lightweight 2hr HM plan - progress report

[ChrisL]

Well it is 18 days apparently since I posted my plan to get from being a lapsed runner to a HM in 8 weeks. I had intended to post a progress report every week but didn't quite get round to it.

Week 2.

I was supposed to do some intervals, a tempo run and a 13k long slow run and (amazingly) I did just that. The 13k came in at 1:07:32

which I was reasonably pleased with as it was the furthest I had ever run.

Week 3

Work just got in the way this week and I didn't manage to do either of my mid-week runs which I like to do first thing in the morning. I cant remember why but I didn't manage to get out on Sunday either so in total there was zero running done in week 3.

Week 4

It rained. Pretty much all week actually and I refuse to run in the rain so again I didn't get my mid-week intervals or tempo runs done, then at the weekend I was dragged off to some family affair which meant I couldn't run on Sunday either. Zero running done in week 4 then. Uh oh, that is 2 weeks running - or rather not!

Week 5

I was now so disheartened about not doing any training for 2 weeks that I thought I might give the whole idea up and so I didn't get out in the week this week either. Then a friend said he would join me on the St Albans HM on 12th June and that he planned to whip my ****. Now this guy is about 4 stone heavier than me but he is a PE teacher and owns and runs a gym. He also represented the UK, at judo admittedly and many years ago but you can tell the sort of competitor he is. Time to get back to work...

I decided just to jump back in as if I hadn't missed any runs at all and so this morning I set out to do 16km / 10 miles - further than I have ever run again! It actually went quite well considering I had taken nearly 3 weeks off. I managed 1:25:02 and was still able to walk the dog afterwards so I am fairly sure I can stretch that out to a HM in under 2 hours as planned. We will see....

[ju-ju- Marathon]

Sounds like your limp plan is working!! Well done, and nothing like an ex Judo buff to get you motivated to win!!!

[ChrisL Half Marathon in reply to ju-ju-]

Indeed. I need to keep well in front of him. He is very tactile, playful and ridiculously strong. A motivational pat on the back from him is likely to knock me through a shop window.

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Fabulous! But what happens if it's raining in St Albans on 12 June?

[ChrisL Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Hmmm, good point! But in mid June - surely? It will probably snow.

[roseabi Ultramarathon in reply to ChrisL]

Ha I haven't ever run in snow, but I'm sure it's a blast! Actually, I love going out in the rain, but I have tended to treat windy weather the way you do rain (avoid!). Big mistake: At my last hm the weather was warm AND windy = argh! So I'm trying to learn to love it...

[misswobble Marathon]

Hmmm. I would do the prep! No time off. Just do it. Even in the rain! Even better in the rain. Avoiding rain as well as avoiding runs! Wags finger! You could get injured by not training properly.

I'd buy a cap and get out there.

If, after your race, you don't want to run then you don't have to but for now you have a race lined up so maybe it's time to get serious.

I know I'm nagging but there we are. I'm the site nag!

[ChrisL Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Gosh MissW I had forgotten how forthright you could be. You are right of course...

[vixiej]

well done on the 10 miles, I won't suggest my normal advice of allowing plenty of time to recover between runs, as it seems you are already pretty good at that I'd mix up the training a little, get out for a 10 or 20 minute blast here and there when you think you don't have time to train, it's amazing what that can do for your overall fitness and it makes you feel great.

Good luck for your HM, I'll keep my fingers crossed it doesn't rain

[ChrisL Half Marathon in reply to vixiej]

Good plan Vixiej. I am not sure I want to do another 10 miler before the HM. Apart from anything else I am away for the next 2 weekends and then it would be time to start tapering....

[misswobble Marathon]

Sorry Chris

Said in soothing voice.