Up and running again

At last I’m running again. After a hugely frustrating two weeks with a niggling thigh injury, I managed my longest run so far in the build up to the marathon with a very steady 16 miles on Sunday.

Psychologically that was a huge boost. There’s nothing worse in the build up to a race in which you have invested so much time and effort than the fear that you might not even make the starting line.

But, thanks to sessions in the gym at York Sport Village, I have been able to maintain my endurance training without pounding the roads.

Also, now I’m pretty sure I know where I have been going wrong. I have increased the distance of my long runs too quickly, have been going too fast (for my current fitness level) and I haven’t been stretching enough.

As a former competitive runner, I should know better but I’m always looking to push on and as I have found to my cost that doesn’t work with marathon training.

The proof came on Sunday, when I prepared much more carefully than usual with half an hour’s stretching, and for the first time wearing a heart monitor on loan from fellow blogger and personal fitness trainer Babs Shiells.

What the monitor showed me is that I have been doing my long runs at steady run pace of more than 130 beats a minute instead of at a slow pace of less than 120 beats a minute. No wonder my energy reserves were running out and my legs seizing up.

Checking the monitor forced me to slow down and I felt much better in those last few miles.

So, if you are worried about the clock ticking down to race day be careful not to push too hard. Better to train steadily and consistently, rather than risk not making it at all.

I only hope I can heed my own advice.
 

You can read about how I’m getting on via future blog posts or follow me on twitter - @PressSteveH

York Sport Village is a new gym, pool and fitness centre next to the Grimston Bar Park and Ride, Tel: 01904 325751

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