Completed the marathon in 5 hours 26 mins 33 – a PB!

A fantastic event and major personal achievement to complete the marathon considering the injuries I have been carrying throughout the training.

One last time
http://www.justgiving.com/ashleywright2011

For those who are interested (all 2 of you) my split times were.

6.2 miles - 67mins 56
13.1 miles – 145mins 46
18.64 miles – 216mins 43
26.2 miles – 326mins 33

As you can see I faded badly at the end…..in the main due to the very strong gusty headwind on the coast road back to Musselbrough. A beautiful city to visit, great sense of camaraderie with fellow runners – Hello to Paul and Rich who we shared a taxi with to the start of the race. Hope you both made it around ok, you looked like you’d be ok

My Flickr images.

Here was the start…I appear near the end

 

 

 

Welcome!

Hello folks, back again for yet more running! I really enjoyed training for and running my first ever marathon @ Kielder on October 17th last year. So much so that I’ve signed up to run the Edinburgh one on May 22nd.

My training for the event will officially begin on Monday 17th January. As with the Kielder one I’ll be using the NIKE+ sports band. I’ll be logging my running and will be having two rest days per week, Thursday and possibly Monday with my usual football efforts on a Wednesday evening.

To sponsor me visit: http://www.justgiving.com/ashleywright2011 Thanks!

As with Kielder I’ll add pics and videos when possible. ABOVE ALL if you have anything to say please comment on the blog. To do this click on the text that says “Leave a comment“.

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Race Week!! 1 weeks to go – May 16 – May 22

Race week‐ Taper your running and rest up.
Monday: 20mins easy running. Actual – Rested, will run tomorrow. Legs a little bit on the stiff side.
Tuesday: Rest – Ran for 32mins and covered just over 3 miles. Feel good, quite a warm but windy evening.
Wednesday: Jog 10min easy. Run 1 mile at marathon race pace, jog 10min
easy, run 1 mile at marathon race pace, jog 10min easy.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 10mins easy running
Saturday: Rest
Sunday Edinburgh Marathon; Good luck. Start sensibly. Stick to race and pace plan.

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2 weeks to go – May 9 – May 15

Haven’t completed enough long runs but too late to worry about that now.

Monday: 25 mins easy running. Actual – Ran 3 miles
Tuesday: Run 10min easy, run 15min at marathon race pace then run (4x60secs brisk runs with 60sec walking recovery) Run 10min easy= 43mins. Actual – Ran for 50 mins steady
Wednesday: 5-a-side for 60 mins as usual
Friday: 30 mins easy running. Actual – Ran for 40 mins
Sunday: Run 1 hour easy. Actual -Ran 10 miles in 1hr 52′. Felt ok during the run, heel still a bit niggly but bearable…..too late to change now.

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3 weeks to go – May 2 – May 8

Monday: 25 mins easy running. Actual – Rest
Tuesday: 50 mins easy running. Actual – Ran 3.2 miles in <10′/mile. Feel good, heel almost ok :-0
Wednesday:  5-a-side for 60 mins as usual
Friday: 15min easy running.  Actual – Ran for 4.2 miles in 45 mins. Heel again much improved, starting to get over it now training is almost at an end,
Sunday: Run 1 hour 30 mins. Actual - Swam for 1/2 mile in the morning and ran in the afternoon. Ran for about 62 mins, took it easy slightly faster than my target marathon pace. Covered 5.5 miles. Almost no pain from my heel, fantastic feeling!

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4 weeks to go – April 25 – May 1

Monday: 45 mins easy running. Actual - 
Tuesday: 20 mins easy running. Actual - 
Wednesday:  Longest run/walk so far. In fairly warm temperature covered 14 miles in 2 hr 52mins. Walked most of the last 2 miles, legs were heavy and ran out of steam. Took energy bar en route which worked fine, but didn’t carry enough liquid with me. Good to get this distance and time under my belt. Also played 5-a-side later that day and had one of my better games in many weeks! Should do this more often…
Friday: 15min easy running.  Actual - Rested
Sunday: Run 10 miles or a half marathon Actual - Ran 6 miles in 67 mins, felt good took it steady, again weather warm for this time of year about 16 to 18deg C. An enjoyable run, heel pain hardly noticeable.

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5 weeks to go – April 18 – April 24 – Longest mileage week.

Monday: 45 mins easy running. Actual – Rested, On a positive note feel good in terms of heel and back. Need to push on with a big run later this week. Tuesday plan to go for a quick time/mile.
Tuesday: 20 mins easy running. Actual – Ran 52 mins covering 5 miles. Heel a bit painful but much better.
Wednesday: Usual 5-a-side game but used the Garmin watch and heart rate monitor to see what the bpm was. Played as usual for 60mins – highest bpm was 144, average was 129bpm. Don’t know what that means but recorded it for posterity .
Friday: 15min easy running.  Actual - Rested
Sunday: Run 10 miles or a half marathon Actual - Ran 5.08 miles in 55’16″

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6 weeks to go – April 11 – April 17

Monday: 25 mins easy running. Actual – Tuesday: 10mins easy running, (10mins at marathon pace, 3min jog rec) x2, 10mins easy = 46mins. Actual – Rested.
Friday: 15min easy run, (5min fast run, 2min easy run. Repeat 5x) 15min easy = 65mins. Actual –
Saturday – Ran 2 runs. 1 x 2.5 miles @ 11min/mile pace and 1 x 2.2miles @ 10’15″/mile. Warm day felt good.
Sunday: Run 2hrs 30min easy pace. Practice your fuelling and hydration strategies. Actual – Ran for about 1 hour. Tried some speed sessions, well ran as fast as possible for 1/4 mile at a time. Legs burning like hell!!
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7 weeks to go - April 4 - April 10

Monday: 25 mins easy running. Actual – Ran 2.95 miles @ 9’33″/mile for 28’11″, avg speed 6.3mph, max speed 8.8mph. Took several Ibuprofen for my back pain during the day. I’ll see how it is tomorrow. Heel felt ok for a change.
Tuesday: 10mins easy running, (10mins at marathon pace, 3min jog rec) x2, 10mins easy = 46mins. Actual – Rested.
Friday: 15min easy run, (5min fast run, 2min easy run. Repeat 5x) 15min easy = 65mins. Actual – 3.33miles @ 10’04″/mile. Fastest speed 9.0 mph, avg speed 6.0mph.
Sunday:  Run 2hrs 30min easy pace. Practice your fuelling and hydration strategies. Actual – Walked and ran for 2 hours 20 mins. A beautiful sunny day, quite hot at times. Took it easy for most of the run. Covered 11.4 miles. Avg speed 4.9mph, max speed 7.3mph. Ran past Carlbury Hall and towards Walworth Castle, passed several bikers and other runners. Drank 750ml of liquid but could have easily drunk over 1 litre, ate one energy bar 

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8 weeks to go – March 28 – April 3

Monday: Run 20mins easy. Actual – felt great, fastest run for a long time. Ran 3.3miles @<10′/mile. Heel much improved and back is fine. Time to get down to some serious running….
Tuesday: 50 mins mixture of steady, fast and easy reps. Actual – 5.07 miles, 55’19”, 10’54″/mile, avg speed 5.5mph, max speed 7.8mph, 751 cals.
As you may have been able to tell I’ve just bought a Garmin Forerunner 305 personal trainer. Just getting to grips with the features but it is easy to use although it does feel a bit like I’ve strapped an ’80′s video arcade game to my wrist. Although not as heavy.
Thursday: 40 mins similar to Tuesday. Actual – Rest
Sunday: Run 2hr 10 mins easy pace, practice re-fuelling and hydration strategies. Actual – Swam. Back pain has returned in the middle bottom of my back. I hope to run on Monday. Swam 1/3 mile, back felt ok in the pool.

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9 weeks to go – March 21 – March 27

Monday: Run 10min easy. (Run 30s fast. Jog 60s. Repeat 4x) Run 10m easy = 26mins. Actual – Ran for 35 mins incorporating sprints and jogging, covered 3.5 miles. Felt good. Bathed left heel in ice post run which has helped. Plan to run further and faster on Tuesday, fingers crossed.
Tuesday: 30 mins easy running. Actual – Ran for 53 mins and covered 5 miles. Left heel felt painful at times but I soldiered on.
Wednesday: - 40 mins easy running. Actual – Rest tonight, run on Thursday instead.
Thursday: 40 mins easy running. Actual – Ran for 56 mins and covered 5.1 miles.
Friday: 55 mins Actual – Rest
Sunday: Run half marathon distance, practice re-fuelling. Actual – Ran for 1 hr 50mins, very slow run. Perfect conditions for running, sunny with a mild breeze. Mild back pain at the start but this disappeared after 2 miles. Covered 8.5 miles in total and also swam 18 lengths in the afternoon. Just needed to ride my bike to complete the set!

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10 weeks to go – March 14 – March 20

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 30 mins running. Actual – Rest
Thursday: 45 mins Actual – Rest. Bad heel pain after playing 5-a-sdie last night also twinged my right hamstring, high up on my leg. Bath and recovery tonight, on a positive note my back feels great!
Friday: 55 mins Actual – Rest. No more running until all my back and leg problems have disappeared.
Saturday: Run 1hr 55 min easy run. Practice your hydration and refueling
strategies. Actual – REST, see Friday

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11 weeks to go – March 7 – March 13

Revised training plan…..Nike + band has stopped uploading data. May need to buy another one.
Monday: 60 mins easy running. Actual – Ran 45 mins covered 4.22 miles. Back feels fine and heel much improved. I ran with the sole inserts which seems to be helping.
Tuesday: Rest. Ran 5 miles at about 10′ 50″/mile. Heel fine, back good
Thursday: 30 mins easy running. Actual – No running. Got all clear from chiropractor so can now push on with the training.
Friday: 10min easy run. (Then 5min hard run, 3min easy run. Repeat 4x)
10min easy run = 52mins. Actual – Rested, poor weather, decided against it.
Saturday: Run 1hr 45min easy run. Practice your hydration and refueling
strategies. Actual: Ran fpr 1hr 42′ – Walked some of it. Covered just over 8 miles.

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Week 7 – February 28 – March 6

Training suspended until back examined, later this week. Will report back (excuse the pun) post appointment.

Ok, attended the chiropractor who informed me that my spine had corkscrewed a little. Top left shoulder higher than right and right leg a little longer than the left one. He ‘flipped’ my right hip and hey presto I am now re-alligned. He massaged my left heel to relieve the plantar faciitis and the lower right hand part of my back. Both areas a bit tender at the moment. Advised that I am ok to continue running.
Friday 4th March – I plan to run for about 5 miles tonight and we’ll see how it goes.

Good news!! My back feels great, ran just over 6 miles on Friday @ about 11′/mile. Got up and out of bed fine on Saturday. Rest day on Saturday.

Sunday -  Ran twice with a brief rest in between. 1 x 3miles and 1 x 2.5 miles, averaged both at just over 10′/mile. Feel good in general, heel is less painful. Back to a revised training list next week.

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Week 6 – February 21 – February 27 (39 – 45 miles) – ACTUAL 7.3 miles

Monday: Target 6 miles easy pace or REST. Actual 2.5 miles easy jog around Beckenham and Kelsey Park, cold morning but enjoyable, back in a bit of pain

Tuesday: 6M – run to a hill, then 10 x 30 secs uphill, jogging back down. Actual – Ran on Wednesday 4.8miles felt Ok once I got moving, back a bit stiff.

Friday: 8M – warm up, then 9 x 90 secs fast (or 400m) with 90 secs (or 200m) slow.

Back pain! Need to get this sorted out. No more running until this has been examined, off to the chiropractor next week.

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Week 5 – February 14 – February 20 (39 – 45 miles) – ACTUAL

Monday: Target 6 miles easy pace or REST. Actual – Rest. Lower back in severe pain, put my feet up.

Tuesday: 6M – run to a hill, then 10 x 30 secs uphill, jogging back down. Actual – Rest, left heel aching. I think I have a case of Plantar Faciitis, so I’m going to buy some insoles and see if that does the trick. None

Friday: 8M – warm up, then 9 x 90 secs fast (or 400m) with 90 secs (or 200m) slow. Bought some heel insoles today, Scholl Orthaheel, so I’ll see if this helps relief the heel pain. Actual

Saturday: Target 13 miles. Actual – None on holiday

Sunday: Target 12m jog with strides. Actual – None.

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Week 4 – February 7 – February 13 (36 – 42 miles) – ACTUAL 17.6 miles

Monday: Target 6 miles easy pace or REST. Actual – 6.2miles in 64mins. 10’30″/mile. Felt good in parts, ran a few Fartleks.

Tuesday: Target 7M – warm up, then 3M at a brisk pace, timed. Warm down.. Actual – Rest

Friday: Target 7M – warm up, then 3 x 6 mins (or mile on track) with 2 min recoveries. Actual -

Saturday: 13 mile. Acual - 8miles beautiful day, sunny and warm.  Ran in about 93 mins, struggled at times and walked quite a bit of it.

Sunday: 12 mile jog with strides.. Actual – Swam 0.25 miles

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Week 3 – January 31-February 6 (31-36 miles) – ACTUAL 11 miles

Monday: Target 5 miles easy pace or REST. Actual – 5.8 miles, 11’11″/mile. Tough run, struggled but kept running. Nike + band not uploading data, again.

Tuesday: Target 6M – run to a hill, then 8 x 30 secs uphill, jogging back down. Actual – Rest

Friday: Target 6M – warm up, then 5 x 3 mins fast, 2 mins slow (or 5 x 800m on track, with 400m jog recoveries). Actual – Rest

Saturday: Target 13 miles slow. Actual – Rest inclement weather, very windy and wet.

Sunday: Target 6M steady, cross-country or park run. Actual – 5.33 miles in 58 mins. Windy and wet and very muddy route, so time was OK considering

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Week 2  – January 24-30 (27-32miles) – ACTUAL 16 miles

Monday: Target 5 miles easy pace or REST. Actual – 5.11 miles, 55’20″ @ 10’50″/mile. Good run didn’t stop, several hills.

Tuesday: Target 5M – warm up, then 3M at a brisk pace, timed. Warm down. Actual – REST

Friday: Target 5M – warm up, then 8 x 90 secs fast, 90 secs slow. Actual – 3.4miles, 34’58″, 10’17″/mile, felt good cold evening.

Saturday: Target 11 miles slow. Actual – Ran/walked about 7.5 miles. Gadget hasn’t uploaded data. Left heel giving me a bit of pain. Ground either rock hard frozen or muddy, difficult under foot.

Sunday: Target 6M steady, cross-country or park run. Actual – no run, swam instead.

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Week 1  – January17-23 (24-28miles) – ACTUAL 9 miles

Monday: Target 4 miles easy pace or REST. Actual – 3.5 miles in 35’48″. Rate of 10’38″/mile. Easy run felt good, didn’t stop.

Tuesday: Target 5 miles steady with a few strides. Actual – REST

Friday: Target 6 miles – run to a hill, then 8 x 30 secs uphill, jog down miles easy pace. Actual – Worked on core, press-ups plank, sit-ups

Saturday: Target 8 miles slow. Actual – 4.8 miles @ 10’27″/mile. Longest run for some time so curtailed the length of the run.

Sunday: Target 5M steady, cross-country or park run. Actual – No running, swam 0.5mile

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