Post-marathon - training begins again

The Jungle Room, Graceland

I always find post-marathon training a bit of a struggle. After working up to 26.2 miles and enduring and enjoying the thrill of the race I like to take a wee break from training. And after the Georgia marathon was no exception.

Being on holiday I had the perfect excuse. Trips to the Georgia Aquarium (biggest in the world I'm told), Graceland, Nashville, etc all provided an ideal distraction. Although I had my running gear ready most days, it was never used. It was fun, but not good for races ahead. Now I have to sort myself out for summer - 10Ks and all.

So far things are going OK. Two runs in I am up running about 3 miles without any real problem. However with a 10K race 3 or 4 weeks off I need to 'up' that just a bit. Wish me luck :-)

Marathon No.9 - The Hills of Georgia

It's taken me four days to get round to typing this up account of the ING Georgia Marathon. Pain and disappointment hasn't helped. The target was 4 hours. The outcome was somewhat different.

Aiming to break the 4 hour mark, I positioned myself with the 3:50 pace team. The plan was to keep up with those guys, allowing myself a 10 minute cushion for the later part of the race. That would hopefully take me to the finish within my target time. However, my hill training has been sporadic to say the least, and I was about to come unstuck as a result.

Atlanta, and around, is not known for being hilly. However, it's not far from the Appalachian Mountains, so a few hills shouldn't be unexpected. Well, there were a 'few' hills. And a few more. And by about mile 13 I was beginning to feel the worse for the apparent never-ending up-and-down of the route. There are some worthwhile site en-route to the finish line including Martin Luther King's Birthplace, the Jimmy Carter Center and the Miss Daisy House (from Driving Miss Daisy), but I missed all those in face of the onslaught of hill-hell.

As for my time. Hmm.. Well, it was a 'little' over 4 hours. I did have fun and I'm still having a great time here in Atlanta/Georgia, but my next marathon is going to be somewhere a lot more flat. That I promise.

Georgia Marathon, training done

My Georgia Marathon training is done. 17.5 miles round south London saw the end of my efforts to be ready for the race in Atlanta. Has it been enough? Realistically, that doesn't matter. Enough or not, I have to run. But I am quietly confident. After all it is my ninth marathon.

I fly off on Friday. This gives me two days to recover from the flight and sort myself out for the race. As ever, there is an obscenely early start - 7.00am. That means up at 5.00am. Hopefully my brain will still be on UK time, i.e. 5 hours ahead, so it won't feel so early. At least I should be done by 12.00 - time to enjoy a slap-up meal and few beers. Mmm... Nice.

16 mile run, and more. Back on track

Albert Bridge, one of the sights on my long runs

Thank goodness! A good run, and no injuries. After two weeks of near aborted runs coupled with horrific blisters which put paid to midweek efforts, today went well.

The target was 16 miles. Having run 14 and 15 miles the previous two Sundays, the logical next step was 16. This is quite an important taget for me. I ran my first 26 miler - the Flora London Marathon - having previously only managed 16 miles in training. So, by training up to this distance I know I can at least finish. And 16 miles is just what I did, with a little bit extra just to show off. Sorted!

Now to concentrate on being ready to finish in style. Sub-4 hours is (again!) the target.

14 mile long run, and blisters

I ache like a fiend! After a 14 mile run my legs are still screaming. Even with post-run stretching I still ache all over. And the blisters don't help. Maybe I should have broken my new shoes in a bit longer before a Sunday long run.

It's 6 weeks and counting. The Georgia Marathon is getting scarily close. So, I thought it was time to stop running with the club and do my own long run. Knowing what distance I have run at any point and being able to 'chop and change' the route is a big help. 15 miles was the target. Unfortunately I had failed to properly break in my new shoes. Duh! With 14 miles done blisters started forming. And that was the end of that - homeward bound :(

I just hope the blisters heal soon...

Cold running, London style

Jeezy peeps! The last week has been absolutely baltic! Not the ideal weather for running. But, with my Altanta Marathon application sorted out there's no time to lose.

With London suffering freezing temperatures my three training runs in the past week have all been less than comfortable. A grim venture outside at the weekend wasn't fun. This was followed by a trip to the track being aborted (in favour of runnign round the local park) because of ice and, most recently, another park circuit in a favour of the usual hill session - mist meant that visibilty was down to about 20 metres, and closer to home seemed a better option. None of it was fun.

On a happier not, I've just signed up for the Frank Harmer 10K in March. This is the running club's annual event and will take place on March 1 in Brockwell Park in Herne Hill. It should be a good 'tester' prior to Atlanta. And a bit warmer too:)

ING Atlanta Marathon, here I....wait

Off to America in March for the ING Georgia Marathon? Or, just off to America? I can't believe my application stalled on the final page. Now I don't know if I'm signed up or not!

With holidays booked off work and flights mind, it was time to book up for my next marathon. That should be easy enough. Well, maybe not. I logged in and provided all the necessary details - name, address, credit card details, and the rest. Fine, no probem. But when, after all that, it stalls on the vary last page it's blinking infuriating!! There's no confirmation email, so I assume I am not signed up, but can I be sure? I am so annoyed. Active.com are not my favourite group of people right now.

3 minutes? Really?

What now? I've submitted a support ticket, asking for confirmation and/or remedy. Let's see how long these guys take to respond. They are in the US, so I guess a response may be postponed untill they wake up. But they better do something fairly soon. Its tough enough training in the cold without the not knowing if I have a place or not!!:(

London Marathon - Rejected Again!

I can't believe it! It was my 6th application to the London Marathon, and 5th in a row. Surely I was guaranteed a place this time? No. Apparently not. This really snookers my plans.

I've been asked over to Atlanta, by a friend, to run in March. The choice was to the the full ING Marathon or the half maranthon. Ideally, I was hoping to run the half, as part of my build up for the London Marathon. By guaging my perfromance in Atlanta I would have had a good idea exactly how my training was going, and use that information to best prepare for 26 miles. Alas, this isn't going to happen.

This leaves 2 alternatives - Edinburgh marathon in May or commiiting to the 26 miles in Altlanta. Am still undecided, but I think I'll by opting for the American option. 4 years running in the Edinburgh race has been fun, but I'm in the mood for another foreign race. And catching up with friends will be lots of fun. So, it looks like Atlanta beckons.