Or, let the Taper commence...
Not quite "that's it", but this is very much a milestone that I've been looking forward to. The end of the spectacularly long runs, and the gradual wind-down before the race. The miles are in the bank now, so it's a case of letting the muscles recover and the body build its energy stores. Still some less-intense speedwork and tempo runs to be done, but it's quality rather than quantity now, and the miles drop off pleasingly. I have, as is my wont, broken out a celebratory glass of Sauvignon Blanc.
Bit of an interesting week for me - had my last day at work on Tuesday, heading out the door after 15 years of generally good times and good memories. Excited, but also quite nervous, about what the future might hold. In fact, if I look back to the first entry on here at T-25 weeks, and think about the amount of change I've seen, it seems quite startling. Perhaps it's because I've been writing it down that I've noticed it more, but it feels like an unusual amount.
My now ex-colleagues proved to be a hugely generous bunch, as I was gifted a shiny new Garmin 405 GPS watch, which will help me track the last few weeks of training. Along with PC and online logging of each exercise for later review (as you'll see presently) which allows me to release my inner geek... Thanks again for the gift and the memories, folks.
Slightly mixed up running week, missing my recovery on Monday, before a really tough Tempo at Scotstoun on Wednesday, with a strong cross-head wind on the back straight, but no help on the home straight owing to the shelter of the grandstand. Really nice Pace run on Thursday, coming to terms with my newly-found man-of-leisure status by starting it from home at a time of my own choosing rather than 12 sharp from work.
Had, unusually, scheduled the long run for Sunday this week, but I'm glad I did. It was an absolutely beautiful spring day. Sunny, mild, next to no breeze. Good chance to break out the shorts 'n' shades and go into pose mode. To last week's 19.5 run to Dalmuir, I added a 2 mile loop along the canal to Clydebank and back to get the miles up to just over 21.5.
Having picked up "Runners World" yesterday, I saw a tip that said you should do the last 5 miles of your last long at target race pace, so that was the plan. First 16.5 at typical long pace of 8:38, then picking it up to as far under 8:00 as I could manage. Which turned out to be about 4 secs / mile. Undoubtedly the hardest 8 minute miles I've ever done. The full gory details, courtesy of Garmin Connect are here. Unlike the last couple of longs, though, I was much more mentally attuned today. Probably a combination of the good weather, the thought that this is the "last one" and some more Runner's World advice about positive mental imagery (rather than the usual internal whining about how long / how far / how far to go / how much it hurts). Milestones included first time over 20 miles and first run over 3 hours.
So, on a nice day when I felt good achieved some milestones, I have to go back to my favourite feel-good running song. I know I've used it before, but when the conditions are right, it's perfect. And the "yeeeeaaaaahhhhh's" got huge laldy today. The Music - Human:
So, that's the end of the really long miles: the race really starts here. Physical recovery and mental preparation to get me to Greenwich 3 weeks today in the best possible state to achieve my 3:30 goal.
Week's summary: 3 runs, 38 miles: long run 21.5 miles
Miles since acceptance: 669
