Breaking the Rules

Finish in sight

I broke the marathon training rules today. I raced when I should have been doing the LSR (long steady run) - the holy grail of marathon training. This, I think, might result in me being too shattered to get the most out of training this week.

But I'm not sorry.

And that's because the racing and pounding of the streets of York at today's Brass Monkey Half Marathon gave me a new PB of 1:56. I think I've said it before, but I feel compelled to say it again - there really is no feeling like crossing the finish line of a race knowing that you've done the best you possibly could do.

Other than this slight deviation to the overall plan, this week's training has gone well, albeit rather tiring.

I have loved the first week of this round of enhanced training, particularly Thursday's session at the track with Brian Scobie. His no nonsense approach to interval training is really great as it pushes us all to run faster and further than we thought we could, and the last round of this type of training left me fitter than I think I've ever been in my life! This, combined with Monday's circuits session with Katie Jones of England Athletics seems to be making my training schedule really well rounded. Katie did a lot of work with us around posture and form, including how to fully engage your core when running (and everyday) and how to use your arms to help out your legs when you're running. I really tried to put all this into practice at the race today and it seems to have done the trick.

So, 26 miles complete this week and another long week of training stretches ahead of me but I'm going into it with a smile so perhaps today wasn't such a bad idea after all.