Long Run Saturday!!

My last post, on Wednesday, said that my next run would hopefully be long and slow.  And this morning I went to the gym and spent two hours fifty minutes on the treadmill!  It seems weird doing such a long run on a treadmill but at least I could have my water there, take some gel for 'fuel' and listen to podcasts!  So definitely advantages over running outside!  I still, of course, prefer to run outside - the reason for using the treadmill so much is more for post-TBI safety rather than convenience!  As planned, I did the whole run at less power (therefore slower) than the training plan scheduled, but I guess there were two valid reasons for this...

  • As mentioned earlier, the ‘coach’ saying that slower runners (me!!!) should “reduce the lower end of the training goals to a slightly lower percentage of CP”.
  • Recovery from calf injury meant I was still concerned and still not back to full fitness.
In the end, this morning, I ran at an average pace of 5:50m/km.  So slow, but not crawling!  And nearly three hours on a treadmill at any pace is something of an achievement!  Well, it is to me 😁.  It turned out that, in reality, the reason it was so well below the pace I would have liked to aim at, was entirely the second of the two reasons.  And only the second half of that point!  I wasn't reducing power because of the need for me to reduce low-end power targets, or because of real calf-injury worry.  It was entirely because I am not back to full fitness and, regardless of any intention, I could not have gone for that length of time at a higher power (faster pace).  This run today has certainly made me realise that completing the Manchester marathon at any pace is going to be a struggle!  I could barely shower and walk home from the gym today 😁.  But I am so happy it is done!  The treadmill said I ran 30.5km but the Stryd foot-pod told me that it was really only 29.13km.  Not fast, for sure, and even if I could keep that pace up for another 13km (which I couldn't!) it would be a marathon over four hours!  But, as I have said before, the aim is to complete it, not to get a half decent time!  I'll keep the power lower because of the bullet points above, but I will try and stick to the plan again now, as the calf appears to be ok.  I'll be careful though!  Ideally some extra training will make running for this length of time less of a struggle even if I don't improve the pace at all - or even go slower!  But in Manchester, if I feel like I did today after 29km, finishing the marathon, even at a walk, will be near impossible!  So I am hoping the training improves this!  There are still six weeks before the marathon, so time for things to get a little easier I hope!

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