A Week Off!

Not much to write about this week but a week off the running to give the legs a well earned rest!

After doing my weekly run before football training last Tuesday I decided to take some time out because I was beginning to feel a bit of fatigue.

Instead I headed to the Sauna to give my muscles a well deserved relax instead of pounding the streets.

Wednesday was payday and so I headed to the shops to buy a new pair of running shoes as my old ones were starting to show some serious signs of wear and tear. My once white Asics were now a dark brown and the front of the shoe was starting to rip.

I emerged from the shop with a nice new pair of Everlast running shoes which will now give me just over two months to bed in before the big day.

Making sure that you have to correct footwear is essential but not only that it would be ridiculous to buy a new pair of shoes just before the marathon and the run 26 miles in them without having tested them out and softened them up! It is a recipe for disaster and one which could see your run ruined by severe blisters, not to mention damage your time!

I made my first run with these into something of a time trial on Tuesday where I looked to run just over two miles in around 16 minutes. This gives me an average pace of an 8 minute mile which would mean I would complete the marathon in around 3hours 30 minutes (I am aiming for anything under 4!)...

I took this theory into tonight's run (http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/96311784) where I did just over 8 minutes miles. This was with a howling wind and some serious hills. I am hoping that April in London is going to be far more flat and far less windy!!!!

Now I have my pace about right I need to make sure that I continue with the distance training to get me up to the magic 26...

Now most people tell you to do the training up until about 22 miles and the rest of the mileage on the day will be fine as the adrenaline and the occasion will see you through. However I had some sound advice from work colleague Nick Roe on Saturday evening who said to ignore this theory entirely!

Nick has done 7 marathons and suggested to me to actually push past this 26 mile boundary and go onto 30. That way you know on the day that you can complete the 26 and are not hitting 'the wall' when you come to the 22 mark.

I guess you'll just have to keep an eye on the blog to see if I get to the 30 mile distance but it seems like some sound advice from the voice of experience and would be foolish to ignore!

Please see my sponsorship link here if you wish to donate to my London Marathon cause for the RNLI. I need to raise £2,300! All donations are gratefully accepted! Thank you for your support.