Week 8 Training For The London Marathon

Week 8 Training for the London Marathon

Just a couple of things to start with. Before reading about my week 8 training for the London Marathon, you should start at the beginning. To read the opening story about my training for the London Marathon please start here or click on the links for the previous week’s training updates. Secondly, I’d love to hear what you are training for, how it is going and any questions you may have. Please comment below.

Week 8 training for the London Marathon was a light week. A much needed break for me where I only ran 41 miles. There were some good runs included this week, but nothing overly challenging. I didn’t miss a single run, started with my yoga, and got a sports massage. All good maintenance mid-plan. 

I’m feeling quite optimistic about how things have gone so far, however, I’m well aware that things can change quickly. That is a great place to be after hitting the half-way point. Week 8 included my 3rd 20+ miler on the plan thus far. These long slow distance runs are one of the keys to my programming. They are also some of my favourite runs during the entire cycle. 

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing though. The issue I had in the Berlin Marathon last autumn is starting to creep in. My back is starting to get sore once again after 15 miles or so. It isn’t quite as debilitating as it was then, but I need to make sure it doesn’t get worse. That is where doing yoga and getting sports massage should benefit me. 

Monday

Week 8 training for the London Marathon started with a rest day, as it usually does. I spent the day working at my desk. This, I believe, is the cause of my back getting tight during long runs. Sitting for hours is just not a great training method, not for me anyway. I did get a yoga session in however, focussing on the lower back. It felt great, especially after doing 26 miles the day before. 

Tuesday

Today called for a 6 mile hilly run. That means one of two options, Crocknagrally or Jenkin. Chief and I opted for another session at Crocknagrally and another visit to the Coonian Ghost.  The Omagh Motor Club had the venue prepared for their Fivemiletown Rally there.  This meant the road was in pretty good condition for our run. It didn’t mean it was any easier, just in better shape. The route is mostly on loose stones, so is a tough run. One lap finishes with 769 feet of ascent. Chief and I managed it, and from my notes I mention it felt hard, but not uncomfortable. 

Wednesday

This evening found me in a group run with my Enniskillen Running Club mates. We ran around Enniskillen for my 6 easy miles. I had a headache most of the day, but by the time we finished this wee run, that was gone. 

Thursday

Thursday of week 8 training for the London Marathon was 5 miles steady.  I woke up looking forward to getting this run done. The weather was a little brighter, still cold, but dry and clear. My steady run was around Castle Coole in Enniskillen. I kept a good steady pace, 7:14 overall average. It was comfortably hard.  

That evening found me in Derrylin, for an enjoyable book signing with the club where I coached for years. The Rock Runners were, as always, gracious hosts and we had a lot of laughs catching up. Thank you Rock Runners.

Friday

The second rest day of the week found me stuck to my desk for the entire day. Once again, this was not a productive marathon training day. That said, I did manage to publish another running guide for those looking to improve their 5k time and move up to the 10k distance.  If you are interested in it, this is a link: Step Up to 10k (£2.99 on Kindle and £6.99 paperback).

Saturday

I try to support the parkrun for my Saturday runs. However, on this Saturday, I had to wait at home for a contractor to come to the house. He gave us the notion that he would be there at 10am. This ruled out my parkrun as I would never get back in time. So, I stayed home and got some things done around the house. In typical Fermanagh fashion, he showed up at 4pm. When he left, i went out and did my pacey 5k around Colebrooke Park. Well, not on the grounds, but the road leading to it. 

I was really happy with this 5k, despite it being relatively slow. It turned into a bit of a progression with the last mile at 6:38. Not fast, but a really strong effort at the end of the day.  

Sunday Runday

Week 8 training for the London Marathon was completed with my 3rd 20+ mile run so far. Roisin, who is training for the Manchester Marathon, ran with me for the first 18 miles. At that point I finished my last 2 miles on my own. We ran around Enniskillen once again, where we ran one big loop without going back on ourselves at all. Roisin and I were both ready for a big breakfast once again when it was done. The two of us have found a really enjoyable routine after our #SundayRunday. After the run, we change and head up town for a protein filled brunch. And loads of strong coffee!

Week 8 Training for the London Marathon Metrics:

Week 8 numbers looked pretty good, and they should, given the light load. My weight is down slightly. It’s not where I would like it to be, but it is going in the right direction. The funny thing is, my weight was slightly down, but my calorie intake was up. That’s a good indication that when you eat is as important as what you eat. 

My average resting heart rate is up to 46 bpm. That’s not bad at all. By the time week 16 comes around, it should be down to about 42 or 43. I drank nearly 4 litres of water every day and my protein consumption is up. I’m generally feeling strong and that training is going well. 

So at the half-way point, I’m well ahead of where I was this time last year. I’m optimistic and looking forward to week 9 and the second half of the plan. 

Upcoming Week 9 Training for the London Marathon:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 10 miles hilly
Wednesday: 13 miles easy
Thursday: 6 miles progression, finishing at 6:35/mile
Friday: 9 miles easy
Saturday: 10 miles at Marathon Pace
Sunday: 14 miles long slow distance run