I think I may have re-found some form and a little consistency in week 9 and 10 after being very hit and miss since returning from Egypt in week 7. Even week 10 saw me running back to back sessions and double run days which resulted in an aborted long run on the Saturday but at least that week I got back on track by doing the long run Sunday.

The plan for these last 6 weeks (4 weeks of training, 2 week taper) is to find some consistency and stick to the plan. Keep an easy or rest day between the sessions so I can push harder during these, not coming in tired and fatigued from running a session the day before or even having to run back to back session on back to back double run days to make up for missed runs earlier in the week.

Week 10 saw me hitting my highest ever training mileage which was a big confidence booster, at 70 miles it was only 2 miles passed my previous high but its progress and all helping to build some miles and a base. Building a base in week 10 isn’t ideal but it is where I am at right now.

Week 11 – 2nd – 8th September:

• Monday: – Easy Run double: am 9.6 miles @ 8:49/mi 124 HR & 6.1 miles @ 9:04/mi 121 HR
• Tuesday: – 7x6min @ threshold (10k) pace, 90sec recovery (2 mile warm up & cool down)
• Wednesday: – Rest Day
• Thursday: – 7.1 mile easy run @ 8:51/mi 131 HR
• Friday: – 3x10min tempo into 3x5min threshold (2 mile warm up & cool down)
• Saturday: – 4 miles @ MP
• Sunday: – 2 mile aborted long run

54 miles for the week.

I was keen to get on track and stick to the plan early on this week after struggling with pushing runs towards the back end of the last few weeks which resulted in finding the sessions harder than they should be.

Things kind of got going well, Monday was a double easy run with 9.6 miles early hours with a nice low relaxed heart rate. The evening easy run should have been 8 miles but I miss judged how early the sun went down as we moved into autumn. Where I run is un-lit country lanes and it was going dark when I set out. I had to call my wife to pick me up as it was pitch black. I could just about see but more importantly, cars wouldn’t see me on the narrow lanes in the dark.

The 7x6min threshold intervals was a big win this week. I still struggled to get near to my “normal” pace but at 42mins of threshold running, it’s my longest threshold set of this training block. I keep referring to normal threshold pace, I base this off my last training block in the winter but have to remind myself that I had the fall and subsequent back and neck mobility issues which are impacting the pace.

Friday’s tempo session went well for the most part. Having a rest day and easy run between the threshold and tempo session really allowed the body to recover so I could hit the pace targets, although that was tempered by a random really hot day, probably the only hot +30’c training run of this block (not counting the runs in Egypt).

After that run I did notice that my left hip or groin was aching even when lying in bed. This wasn’t an issue in the 4 miles early hours marathon paced run along the canal on Saturday but Sunday morning it was hurting more, I made it 1 mile into the long run and decided not to risk it for the full 20 miles and headed back home.

Very frustrating as that is 3 of the 5 long runs cut short or aborted since I returned from Egypt. It appears at 70 miles I may have found the limit for weekly mileage.

Week 10 – 9th – 15th September:

• Monday: – Non-running day
• Tuesday: – Rest Day
• Wednesday: – 5 mile easy run @ 8:53/mi 130 HR
• Thursday: – 5 mile easy run @ 8:54/mi 130 HR
• Friday: – Blend Session: 20min @ MP | 3min recovery, 5x5min @ HM, 90sec off | 3min recovery 
  20min @ MP | 3min recovery (1.5 mile warm up & cool down)
• Saturday: – Congleton Parkrun pacing Sienna @ 10:00/mi
• Sunday: – 20 mile Long Run @ 7:56/mi

48 miles for the week.

The hip pain was a concern this week. I cut last weeks long run short to protect it with the Berlin Marathon 3 weeks off. I continued to protect the hip and give it time to rest up on Monday, Tuesday I didn’t run again but tried the bike which went well. No pain in the hip and having re-discovered my headphones, I have started to rediscover the motivation to ride the bike and train indoors once again.

Wednesday and Thursday I tested the hip with a 5 mile easy run. Both going relatively well, no major pain, still not feeling 100% but it was manageable. I took this a step further on Friday by running the planned session. Once of my favourite marathon training sessions and slightly longer and faster paces than the blend session I ran in Egypt, certainly not has hot as Egypt which was a benefit.

The hip stood up to the marathon pace blocks, giving a total of 40min at sub 3hr pace. The 5x5min threshold intervals were more like half marathon / tempo paced efforts but again the hip wasn’t too bad during those. I also used this run to try out the new Nike Vaporfly Next% 3 race day shoes. Two reasons, firstly to break them in and get some miles in them before race day and secondly to see if the high stack height and stiffness would have any impact on my hip. A pass on both fronts, the shoes felt really good.

Saturday was a rest day although I did go to the local Congleton Parkrun to run with my daughter to try and break under 30mins for the first time. We ended up with 30:22, so close and the exact same time as her Parkrun PB, so a good effort and some nice easy miles for Dad too.

The big test of the week came on Sunday with the planned 20 mile long run. It was pouring with rain and windy so it was jacket weather which is something I never really enjoy. I find I sweat more in a jacket which probably gets me just as wet as I would had I run in a singlet. Anyway, 20 miles was the target, would the hip hold up to it, how far would I make it, would I end up aborting it again like 3 of the past 5 long runs. In a big confidence boost I did it, all 20 miles, non-stop albeit at 30sec per mile slower than what I would typically run a long run at but it wasn’t about pace today, it was all about getting it done and banking that long run.

Next week I move up to 22 miles for the long run but firstly, let’s see how the hip feels tomorrow after this long run.