Monday 1st January 2007

14 miles
2.03 @ 8.49 per mile (Easy Run pace) - probably too quick)
Canal run
Freshness: 8/10

Start of a New Year and a commitment to a sustained marathon training plan. I'm basing the plan on a 16 week programme (loosley based on www.runnersworld.co.uk) with the Shakespeare Marathon the goal on April 29th. Failed to get a place in the FLM (again!) but being more local, this could be good fun with less pressure to run on the back of charity money (I'd feel terrible if I collected a big fund and then failed to go through with it), especially after being injured last year after over-training

Strictly speaking this run came a week early for the start of the programme (although Eurodisney will lose me a week in early March) but once Dan and James were up and about, it seemed like a great way to start the year. Bright blue skies and off to do my favourite run, to town on the canals and over to Smethwick, taking in the Hockley canal loop. Excellent places for future photograhy - derelict warehouses around Winson Green junction. Usually I run at 8 min mile pace for training runs (7.30 p/m for my usual 1.40 half marathon) and aiming for a sub 3.45 marathon, I purposely tried to run slowly. Went off too quickly (7.30 p/m) but managed to slow and enjoy after about 4 miles. Felt really good and relaxed, even surviving a major downpour after about 9 miles (always at Smethwick!). Passed through half marathon in about 1.55 and although feeling a little stiff now, a good start. Later invested in a Garmin 305 Forerunner HRM - must research body HRM levels and use this as a guide to effort. Currently working on the basis that:

3.45 marathon = 8.30 p/m pace
Eazy Run (EZ - slow) = 9.10 - 9.30 p/m
Marathon (MP - steady) = 8.30 p/m
Tempo / Threshold (TP - hard) = 7.50 / 8.00 p/m

So. I'm already ahead of schedule and once the proper programme begins, I'll need to probably run a little less to begin with. As a marathon virgin, I want to enjoy the training rather than see it as a burden - the race itself will be the traing reward, rather than the holy grail!