Thursday, September 18, 2008

The best laid plans...

They say that "plans" are made to be broken and that's certainly how this week seems to have transpired.
The week started well enough with the planned recovery run on Monday. But since then things have been well - changeable...
I had planned an interval session for Tuesday but after working late (until 9pm) I had neither the energy nor the inclination to go for a run. So I told myself "you can always do today's session tomorrow..". So that's what I planned...
I woke up on Wednesday morning with a splitting headache - not a good start!! At lunchtime the headache was gone so off for a run I went. But within 1/4 mile the headache was back with a vengeance so all I could do was struggle around at 'easy' pace for the remainder of the 4 miles. Determined not to waste the days training I also went out for a 'steady' pace run on Wednesday night. I was surprised how 'hard' 7:30 pace felt over the first half - maybe my lunchtime run took more out of me than I thought?? But I managed to pick up the pace on the way home to complete the run in a semi-respectable 7:17 pace.
A trip to Dublin with work this morning and a 'parents evening' at the girls Montessori this evening meant that today's planned run also had to take a back seat. I'll use to day as my 'rest day' but no more excuses for the rest of the week..
Since Sunday I've been thinking some more about my 'new' planned pace for the upcoming Great North Run. I had initially thought sub-1:26 would be the 'plan' but I do know that the course is relatively fast so I've decided to aim for sub-1:25 and hope for ideal conditions. The tactic of setting out at a planned pace and 'hanging on' worked well last Sunday so I think that's the 'tactic' that I'll adopt in 2 weeks time. Also 6:45 pace felt 'reasonably' comfortable on Sunday even though it was uphill (although you wouldn't know it from this video at the 12.5mile mark...I seem to be just loping along!!!) so I think that 6:30 (i.e. 1:25 half marathon) may just be achievable...
Incidentally, my older (and wiser) brother also suggested sub-1:25 and he's a discus thrower so he should know!!! We'll see....
Monday
5.62miles - 44:55mins - 7:59min/mile - avg 147bpm
Tuesday
0.0miles
Wednesday
(am) 4.22miles - 33:32mins - 7:57min/mile - avg 145bpm
(pm) 5.50miles - 40:05mins - 7:17min/mile - avg 156bpm
Thursday
0.0miles

1 comment:

Grellan said...

The discus thrower knows best.