T Easy 90 mins (7:41mm)
W 100 mins including 4X15mins (3:00) (6:12mm), Recovery 30 mins (8:15mm)
T Easy 90 mins (7:39mm), Recovery 30 mins (8:19mm)
F Easy 100mins (7:33mm), Recovery 30 mins inc. 6X20s strides (8:06mm)
S 155 mins including Progressive 22 (6:31mm)
S Easy 100 mins (7:41mm)
Total 120 miles (7:20mm)
Aerobic efficiency 1021 beats per mile
Weight 143.63lbs Vs 144.63 lbs last week
Body Fat 11.66% ( 16.74lbs) Vs 12.3% (17.8lbs)
Lean Body Mass 83.89% (120.49lbs) Vs 83.31% (120.49lbs)
Water 62.93% (90.39lbs) Vs 62.03% (89.71lbs)
Fitness - 73.8 Vs 68.9
Fatigue - 96.1 Vs 86.4
Form - -25.8(Optimal) Vs -7(Neutral)
In 63 days this little chapter will have concluded. 63 days! Shit! 63 DAYS. Nine weeks sounds loads but 63 days sounds like nothing! Will I do it, wont I? Do I have enough time? Do I have too much? Life would be so simple if we could just rock up on the start line and know we were in the shape of our lives on that one day. It's never so simple. Not only is the marathon itself a curious beast but judging the build up and taper is enough to give anyone a headache.
I have tried to embrace my 'inner-Kipchoge' this week and trust the process. Kipchoge didn't wake up one morning as the Greatest distance runner of all time. He worked for it. Every day. If he had 63 days to his race, he wouldn't be panicking. Kipchoge believed in the process. He believed that it was the daily practice of repeating the monotonous things time after time that would get him there. Yes, he has an inner belief in himself. I do too. I am sure however that he has moments of doubt. Moments where he thinks he's bitten off more than he can chew. Whilst I am no Kipchoge and never will be, we can all learn from the greats. Everyone has set backs along the way, there are bumps in the road and no one thing will make any slightest difference to the outcome. Over time, consistency and progress will conquer all. I need to believe that no one session will make this campaign. I remember back to London 2015 and I struggled to hit just about every single session the way I wanted, but I still managed to get a PB.
Photo: Gettty Images
The two key sessions this week were 4X15 mins and my long run consisting of two laps of my 11 mile Lydiard loop. The 15 minute efforts went well averaging 5:36.5 per mile feeling not too uncomfortable. A useful reminder to keep the glycogen stores topped up the day before a session as I accomplished this session well compared to last week's effort where 5:43 pace felt almost impossible! The long run was done at an easy/moderate pace progressing to moderate/easy tempo for the last few miles. Putting in a strong aerobic effort. It felt really good to be running strongly on the bumps of south Leeds. I then spent the afternoon watching the enthralling National XC Championships at Harewood House and Leeds City's Men and Women winning on home turf! I was a little gutted not to be running but I would also have hated to have missed watching it! My voice is a little hoarse today after shouting on my team mates and many running friends from around the country.
Weight has dropped by exactly one pound which I think is healthy weight loss. Extrapolating to the marathon I could get down to something around 135lbs which would hopefully be around 8% body fat. This would also represent my ideal racing weight.
It was pleasing to build the mileage to the sort of level that I want to maintain for much of this build up feeling strong. I am ensuring I am keeping the easy days very easy to give myself the best chance of hitting my planned sessions. I have linked a graph to my body composition metrics here or you can click on the tab at the top of the blog.
Training stress balance is now in a perfect place to continue to get fitter judging by the elevate app and whilst aerobic efficiency didn't improve versus last week, I suspect there will be a few breakthroughs over the next three-four weeks.
Hey, which weight scale do you use to measure body fat and other body composition metrics.
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