I can’t believe it! The final full week of training is over. My final long run is done. This time next week I will be a marathoner.
This week was a lazy week of holidays. I’m “carb loading” which is just my fancy pants excuse for eating whatever I feel like. I got my yearly fix of deep fried goodness at the Taste of Tasmania mushroom stall and helped my dad drink half a bottle of wine….ooops! It is nice not being at the corporate and being free to do what I want…which turns out is not much at all.
I got some good news from the doctor this week. I’m not celiac and I don’t have crohn’s disease or any other nasty life changing illness. He says I probably just have food sensitivities and can probably manage by eliminating/limiting my trigger foods. Trial and error I guess. I’ll be eating pretty bland next week in the lead up to the race.
This was a taper week so I’ve backed off the kms to land on 32.6. It feels weird not running so much and having an extra day off. I got through and here’s how I did it.
Monday 28/12/15
Easy 30 today. Unlike last week, I actually did 30 and didn’t do extra. Since I don’t have the routine of work I’ve been sleeping in. I didn’t start my run until after 8 and felt a bit sluggish running down Sandy Bay Road. I think I like my early morning routine. I did 5.3km at an average pace of 5’37” per km which is probably a bit fast for an “easy” run.
Wednesday 30/12/15
Today was a short repeat session of 4×1 with 60 secs rest. I got out of bed a bit earlier than my holiday norm and was out by 6:30. I did my session at Marieville Esplanade. Just as I was starting my first 1km leg a running training group/club decided this would be the best place to do 100 meter sprints. Let me tell you I felt super incompetent with them flying past as I was struggling with my 1kms. I had to tell myself they are pros and they are running 1/10 the distance per rep so they can afford to give it everything. Anyhow, I struggled through and did a not so brilliant session. Not sure if it was holiday lethargy or feeling self conscious but I ended up on 5’13” average pace for the 4km with my fastest being 5’03”. I was hoping to do these in 5′ or under. Maybe one day!
2015 Medal Haul
Friday 1/1/16
Happy New Year! No NYE celebrations for me this year. Yes that’s right I’m officially boring and old and I don’t give a rats. I enjoyed a nice evening at home with my husband and my cat. I didn’t even drink or stay up to midnight. I’m the NYE grinch. Don’t get me wrong I’m not against parties and the occasional tipple but I think people just get stupid on this night in particular. Besides, I wanted to wake up with no hangover or drunken regrets. Mission Accomplished.
My latest Half Mara PB
Despite not having any alcohol I did have a bit of a lie in on the first day of the year but was off and racing by 7AM. It was so quiet out on the road. The morning was absolutely stunning and I felt great to be running through an empty tranquil Hobart on the first day of 2016. During the run I reflected on the year that was. It was good and bad, a year of personal triumphs and losses. In terms of running, sticking to the program was a huge achievement. I smashed some PBs and I’m most proud of my time at Ross and my Point to Pinnacle PB. I didn’t actually realize it when I published last week but I set a new half marathon PB! It has been quite a year.
I didn’t have long to dwell on the past because the run was over just as I was beginning to warm up. These short 30′ runs are a bit frustrating. Just when I’m beginning to enjoy myself and really start warming up – it ends. I guess I really am a distance runner now. I managed just over 5km did it 5’45” per km with my final km being my fastest at 5’16” – see what I mean…just warming up.
Sunday 3/1/16
Last big-ish run before the real deal – 18km. I didn’t sleep well last night. I was nervous for some reason – butterflies in the stomach because it is getting so close I can feel it. I don’t know why I’m worried. I’ve done the training and I’d been looking forward to stretching my legs on a decent run all week long.
Anyhow, I got up at 4AM had my breakfast and went back to bed until 5:30. My tummy was upset when I woke again (I think it may have had something to do with the copious amount of cheese I had last night or it may have been the cream in dessert).
I managed to start my run at 6. This time I didn’t run with my hydration vest and only brought one gel – it was only 18km and hardly worth the bother. There was water on my route on the bike track so I thought I’d keep things light. 2.5km in and I’m doubling over in pain, my big fat cheese belly is cramping. I managed to get to the loos at St David’s Park ahhh blessed relief. I know that that I should probably keep this shit (pun intended) to myself but this is real and I’m sure there are a hell of alot of other people out there suffering – sharing is caring. Running isn’t glamorous and I’m not afraid to talk about the shitty side. Running is hard work and discipline and I need to extend this to my diet because clearly running on a belly full of cheese does not work for me. I struggled through this run. Yes there were some bits that I really enjoyed when the cheese wasn’t cramping my style. Somehow I managed my 18km with a couple of pit-stops and pauses along the way. I did it in 1:44:10 with an average pace of 5’47” which is probably a bit faster than usual because I had a few “breaks”.
Needless to say I’m staying away from cheese, dairy, gluten, garlic and spicy foods this week. My gut is not getting in the way of my debut marathon at Cadbury.
With the big day a week away now I’m starting to get nervous. I’ve got to focus on quieting the demons and pushing through this final week with no injuries.
View from one of my crampy pauses
