On to the second week of this training block into the Chicago Marathon.

In the Chicago Marathon Training Week 1 blog, I had completed 4 days of running at the end of the week but was still getting over the sickness bug which meant I missed Mon – Wed. Thankfully, I am now feeling over that bug and able to give this week a proper go and more importantly, get settled into the new cadence of taking Wednesday’s and Sunday’s off running. The condensed training towards the end of week 1 meant I ran 6 days in a row through to Wednesday this week. After running every day for over a year, 6 days is nothing but I do want to get more rest days in during this block to allow the achilles time to recover after the speed sessions and long runs.

I have got insertional achilles tendinopathy on the right side, which has been lingering around since March 2022. Clearly, its not ideal but doesn’t impact my training and racing too much. I find that it aches after faster runs in shoes with plates so like the nylon plate in my Saucony Speed 3 or the carbon plate of the Nike Vaporflys for racing. It also aches after 16+ mile long runs. The long term plan is to complete the Chicago and New York Marathons this autumn, then drop back to the half marathon distance in 2025 to reduce the training volume and length of the long runs for a while. The physio has suggested that I could take 3 months off running completely and that may help the achilles but not likely to fully heal in that time but then there is no guarantee that I would return to running at the same level as I am managing now, so for now, I will continue and try to run sub 3 in Chicago and New York.

WEEK 2 – 1st – 7th July:

As I just said, no sickness bug this week so we are already off to a good start. That means I can fall into my planned schedule of a longer easy run on a Monday, this will change to an easy run with hill sprints in the second half of the block, speed work on Tuesday, Wed off running (usually means a bike day), Thursday will typically be longer tempo intervals from week 4 onwards, Friday Easy, Saturday long, Sunday off.

• Monday: – 9 mile easy run @ 8:35/mi 131 HR
• Tuesday: – 5x6min @ threshold (10k) pace, 90sec recovery (2 mile warm up & cool down)
• Wednesday: – Non-running day
• Thursday: – 15x2min @ threshold (10k) pace, 60sec recovery (2 mile warm up & cool down)
• Friday: – 7 mile easy run @ 8:38/mi 131 HR
• Saturday: – 14 mile easy run @ 7:24/mi
• Sunday: – Non-running day

49 miles for the week.

Monday started off well, 9 miles banked and all before 6:30am, the only downside was tripping 4 miles in and banging my knee, shoulder, elbow and cutting my hand. I managed to continue but I did need to stand around for 5 mins as the impact to the knee knocked me sick for a bit. The knee did ache until Thursday in the end, nothing major but could have done without that at 5:15am 4 miles from home. It could have been a long walk back.

Tuesday’s speed session was 5 x 6min at 10k pace. Now I would normally be targeting 5:45/mi – 6:00/mi when fully fit and up to speed, this week it was between 6:08/mi – 6:22/mi but I am really happy with that. I managed all 5 reps and ran the recoveries too so that is a big win after only being able to manage 4 x 2min reps last week.

Speaking of which, this Thursday saw another attempt at those 2min reps but 15 this time and with a 60sec recovery not 90sec. I was a little concerned I would struggle and fall short again this week but another big win, I ran all 15 x 2min and the 60sec recoveries so we are making some good solid progress in comparison to last week. Comparing back to the Boston training block, the paces are slower and heart rate higher but I am more concerned with beating last week for the time being as I build the fitness back up after 11 very low milage weeks.

Saturday’s long run was the same distance as week 1 but I changed the route and went on the more hilly option that I used to prepare for the Boston hills. Again, another win, 14 miles done, 9sec per mile quicker than last week and heart rate 1bpm lower despite the route containing more than double the elevation gain as last week.

All in all, a very good week and good progress being made. This is giving me more confidence going into week 3 and trying to push the pace a little on the speed sessions and next week I have my first race since the London Marathon.