Friday, March 05, 2010

Week 9 of my Half Marathon Training

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I am really uping the anti as I head towards the final weeks of my 12 week Runners World SMART Coach training schedule. The main thing for me will be to avoid injury so I get to the starting line fit and prepared on the 28th March for the Joe Cox Half Marathon  at Stowmarket Suffolk.

Today's training called for a 6 mile tempo run sandwiched between a mile warm up and warm down for an 8 mile total. The conditions were just about perfect cool bright blue skies, temperatures cool enough to make me think twice as to whether where some thin gloves but I decided not. I am still wearing tracksters and a thermal top as we haven't got to the point of bear legs for training yet. However the signs of spring are all around the days are getting longer , snow drops are abundent in the hedgerows, we are through February hurrah!!

I warmed up for a mile doing an 8.39 mile whilst listening to a new download from Podiobooks called Quarter Share by Nathan Lowell. This is a free science fiction novel where the main character Ishmael Wang just happens to be a runner in his spare time. This is a really good listen and totally free from their site.

The blurb on the site promotes the book as folows

A Trader's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper : Book 1

When Ishmael Wang is orphaned by a flitter crash, he must make some hard decisions about how to survive in a Company-owned universe. With limited time and fewer options, he lands a job as the newest hand on the Solar Clipper Lois McKendrick and learns there's more to life than making coffee. Join Ish, Pip, Big Bad Bev, and the rest of the Lois McKendrick's crew as they sail the galaxy in search of profitable trade.

The book offered a very good distraction as I got in to my tempo run my longest to date being a six mile effort.  My mile splits showed the following times 8.21, 8.32,7.54,7.52,8.05,8.02. I was conscious that this was a 6 mile temo and took the first two miles a little to easily. When I noticed my watch I speed ap a little and my times improved so that I averaged 8.08 miles for a time of 48 mins 49 seconds. I was pleased with this though my schedule did ask for 7.58 miles so I didn't achieve this and have a long way to go still.

My run today took me out along the Mere Lane a very quiet single lane road where I generally don't see any traffic, just the odd farmer tilling the soil

I jogged home the last mile my work done in a 9.05 mile

2 comments:

  1. Clear Blue Skies make running a really awesome endeavor when the weather is just right. Sounds as though you had a really good run in. I will have to check out that book. Although, I can not really listen to audio books and run at the same time, although I have not tried it. March 28th is just around the corner man. Best wishes in your continued training efforts. You will rock it for sure.

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  2. Thanks Kenley I find listening to audio books a real distraction and the miles just pass by if I am absorbed by a good book.

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