11:01 3.5 miles 25:00
1 7:04 2 7:12 3 7:06 3.5 3:38 (7:11 pace) Average 7:08 min/miles
I was determined to run at 7:15 pace (marathon goal pace) for this short run. I didn’t, but I was closer than normal!
I was out for dinner at Minskys in the Hilton last night and pigged out on the buffet/carvery. I ate so much that I felt a little bit sick… It was great though! So with calories to burn and inspired from watching the Paris Marathon this morning on Eurosport, I decided to go for a wee run.
I find it very difficult to run slowly over a shorter distance. Especially when it’s a bit windy. Even at the pace I ran it feels so slow. My legs still feel heavy. Yesterday was not a good run and I could feel that and everything else from the last week in my legs. I need to be careful over the next week. My final week’s taper plans are as follows:
Monday: Club speed night. I’m going to go out and do the easy session. I’ll work reasonably hard on the intervals and jog all recoveries. Tuesday or Wednesday: Join Crazyboy for an easy 5 miles, and rest on the other day. Thursday: 3 miles with strides. Friday: Sit on a train with a book, then a walk around the expo. Saturday: easy 2 or 3 miles with Mrs pacepusher. Then Sunday run around London for 3 hours 9 minutes and 59 seconds!
I’m also going to do lots of the stretches that I have been neglecting recently and make sure my muscles are raring to go for Sunday. Tapering sucks. I like training hard! I know I need to do it, but I always worry that I’m not running enough. In reality, I’m probably doing too much!
The Paris Marathon was fantastic to watch this morning. The men’s race was fast, the winner, Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede, finishing in just 2 hours 6 mins 40 seconds. Only 7 seconds away from the course record. The women’s race was brilliant though. It was a real shouting at the TV moment as I did my best to encourage the Kenyan, Martha Komu, to get to the finish line first. From about 3 miles or so from the finish she looked exhausted. Her head was all over the place, her arms pumping like pistons on a steam train, and her teeth so gritted that I wasn’t sure she’d be able to prize them apart at the end!
The Ethiopian, Workneck Tola, was sitting on her shoulder and looking very comfortable. With 3km to go she made her move and it looked like the Kenyan was well and truly exhausted, and beaten. She looked like I expect I will after about 20 miles on Sunday! Somehow, the Kenyan came storming back (teeth still clenched) to take the lead and win over the last 300 meters. It was a phenomenally gutsy performance. As she crossed the line her arms were all over the place and I was convinced that she would just collapse. Being Kenyan though, she just started smiling and went off to meet the media, another day’s work in the bag. Tola crossed the line still looking (obviously deceptively) comfortable.
Komu’s time of 2:25:33 was over 7 minutes quicker than her previous best, and you’ll be glad to know that she did manage to get her teeth apart and open her mouth at the end!
The Inspirational Martha Komu Winning the Paris Marathon, 2008
I’m really excited about London now. I can’t wait. I love everything about Marathon running in big cities. From the expo, to the atmosphere prior to, during, and after the race. I’ll certainly remember Komu’s efforts when I start to struggle next week though. Inspirational!
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