Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Marathon paced long run


Sunday 31st April

Legs were feeling antsy on Friday but rather than go for a jog I simply walked 3 miles instead. It all helps towards recovery. Sunday morning was the time for the most workout of any marathon schedule – the long run. A added twist was I wanted to run a portion at marathon pace. It meant pushing ahead of the Mallow group, something which is quite difficult. Anyway did a 3 mile warm up with Ger Buckley- fresh from his adventures in India, Tibet and China, meeting back at the roundabout with the rest of the guys. We jogged down the Mallow-Killarney road turning right at Longueville house for Ballyclough. The plan was to come through Ballyclough onto the N20 and back to the Roundabout. There was no doubt that while the last 4 miles are a rapid downhill descent , it was going to be offset by strong winds and gusts. I pushed on after 6 miles and despite a brief water stop at Ballyclough I did my thing. I was in good company, Mick Clancy ironman tri-athlete and multiple sub 3 marathon runner jogged effortlessly past me after Ballyclough and finished a good half mile or more ahead me at the finish. For him of course this was a easy training run for me this was meant to be a marathon training effort!!!!

By the time I reached the roundabout I still had a another mile to go and did a out and back mile from where we started.

Splits from mile 7 were as follows 8.18, 7.48,8.00 (uphill),7.36,7.46,7.46,7.49,7.59 (tired and windy),7.47, 8.00 (out on my legs) and 7.51. The heart rate was between 159 BPM and 163 BPM for the entire duration of the marathon pace portion which is high – no two ways about it. The entire distance ran was 17 miles in total time of 2hr19mins38seconds. It was a good workout but ideally I would have liked to kept the marathon pace at under 7.45.

 Mileage for the week including a 3 mile walk was 49 miles (4miles,8miles,9miles,7.7miles,3 miles walking, rest, 17 miles). A good run but plenty of room for improvement

 


 

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