Week commencing 1st Mar 2010

WEEK HIGHLIGHT 1: Ran another personal best (PB) at the Wymondham Athletic Club 20 mile race event on Sunday, clocking up a time of 2 hours 52 minutes and 22 seconds. This equates to an average of 8m32s per mile pace. This means that I knocked nearly 4 minutes off my 20 mile time, which I had set at the Bury St Edmonds 20 mile running event in February 2009. My plans went accordingly and I paced myself exactly, as I had mapped out the race with a target of 2:55:00. At the halfway point I decided to push on a little harder as my legs felt strong still and I ran the second 10 miles a bit faster than the first. My legs were sore afterwards but not to the extent that I had overdone it at all meaning that with the right discipline pace and conditions at the outset there is room for further improvement still.

Once again this translates comfortably inside my marathon target time of a sub 4 hour finish with another 11 weeks to go until the Edinburgh marathon. I am feeling confident but as I have experience now of this stage of training I am keeping this in check with a background reality checker talking to me; keeping me grounded. It is often said that 20 miles is the real halfway point of a marathon so I need to remain focused and need to keep the quality of my training programme high during the course of the remaining 11 weeks.

My family acted as water bearers around the course and were happy they could get involved, enjoying the experience by all accounts!

WEEK HIGHLIGHT 2: Fitness assessment results much better than 8 weeks ago as detailed below in my diary notes. A fitness assessment is a great way to chart progression. Progression (i.e. progressive overload) is absolutely vital in getting fitter. A structured assessment takes away the guesswork and a fitness assessment can be easily arranged with a personal trainer or even at your local gym.

WEEK LOWLIGHT: My diet has been terrible this week and I have definitely put on weight! I even decided not to do the weigh in as I don't want to face the reality. I will work extra hard on eating well next week instead!

My excuse, It was my son’s 6th Birthday this week and my parents brought loads of food from the off limits list. Unfortunately my will power went and I scoffed sweets, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, bread. This is NOT good. The only saving grace is that I had no alcohol and have completed a whole 9 weeks without. The bad food though HAS TO (and will) STOP TODAY. I am training too hard to ruin it through eating rubbish. Thankfully the offending items are now out of the house...and I don't mean my parents!

Training:

• 3 x runs totalling 30 miles (including the 20 mile road race)
• 1 x weight session (heavy compound lifts)
• 450 x push ups. (need to get back to 150 a day/1000 per week)
• 3 x hours Pilates/core stability strength sessions (teaching classes)
• 3 x rest days (including a mini taper down for the 20 mile road race)

Weigh in:

As previously mentioned I completely chickened out this week. I was angry/sorry with myself but being human it was difficult to avoid the temptation and sense of occasion. The important thing now is that I get back on track and restore the discipline with immediate effect.

Nutrition:

4 days of terrible nutrition as referred to in the week lowlight above. My skin broke out in protest as well which is another sure sign that eating rubbish is not good. As above the important thing is to recognise the facts and get back on track with immediate effect.

Race Day Nutrition:

Tried to replicate the routine of last weeks’ half marathon which worked well for me and it seemed to work very well again.

• Pre race day: Water intake high. I had a reasonably sized bowl of pasta with pesto and an avocado/tomato salad.
• Breakfast on race day: 4 x slices of organic rye bread with butter and a protein drink approximately 2.5 hours before the race.
• During race: 500 ml Lucozade Sport drink 20 minutes before the race start and 1 x energy gel at 4.5 miles; at 9 miles; at 13.5 miles and finally at 18 miles.
• Post race: - 20 minutes after finishing – 1 x carbohydrate bar; 1 x flap jack; 1 x protein bar; 1 x coffee and plenty of water.
• Evening: Roast dinner.

The race day nutrition plan has worked very well so I will continue with this in the forthcoming long training runs and races I have in the diary. These are the Norwich Road Runners Broadland Half Marathon on the 21st March www.nrr.org.uk and the Bungay Black Dog Running Clubs’ annual Great Eastern Run which this year they have added 10k to complement the 20k on March 2nd www.greateastangliarun.co.uk

Notes from the week day by day:

MONDAY AM - Updated my fitness and personal health assessment. This reassessment was therefore 8 weeks after the initial one with the purpose being, to test certain areas of fitness to ensure progression towards the goals I had set myself.

Results

	Week 1 (4th Jan)	Week 9 (1st March)
Body fat	17.6%	12.6%
Body weight	14 stone 3 lbs	13 stone
Abdominal measurement	93cm	83 cm
Aerobic capacity (V02 sub max) 1 mile run with heart rate	57 litres O2 per min	58.5 litres O2 per min
Blood Pressure	Normal (Systolic/Diastolic)	Optimal (Systolic/Diastolic)
Push ups: (muscular strength/endurance)	46	65
Bench Press -38kg: (Muscular strength/endurance)	18	28
Resting Heart Rate	50 beats/min	48 beats/min
Sit and reach test: (flexibility in hams/back)	56cm	57cm
Grip test	57kg per s.i.	56kg per s.i.
Abdominal curls	Max for test	Max for test

Notes: Improvements in all areas except grip strength.

Next assessment May 3rd 2010.

Test carried out to fitness industry prescribed protocols and results referenced against peer group tables.

PM - Wymondham Running club night. Lamp post intervals around, Wymondham. Hard efforts for short distances measured by lamp posts with a jog to recover. Repeated efforts. 4.5 miles in total. A great session from the club coaches Tracy and Ron. www.wymondhamac.org.uk

+ 150 push ups

TUESDAY - Compound weight session:

• 5 x sets of 8 reps over 45 minutes
• Bench press = 42kg
• Pull ups-body weight
• Dead Lift = 80kg
• Shoulder press- body weight
• + 150 x push ups

WEDNESDAY - Rest Day 1

+ 150 x push ups

THURSDAY - 4.5 mile at goal pace 9 minute miles

FRIDAY - Rest day 2

+ 100 x push ups

SATURDAY - Rest day 3

+ 50 x push ups

SUNDAY - Wymondham Athletic Club 20 mile road race results and statistics of 2:52:22. Personal Best run at 8.32 per mile pace. 149 heart rate average = 79% of maximum.

www.edinburgh-marathon.com 73 days to go (as at 10th March 2010) 10.5 weeks remaining now until marathon date, and I have started to look at the route again to see if there are any aspects I should reacquaint myself with as potential to gain or lose time. I have also started to think and list logistics. So my travel and accommodation should be booked, as well as kit bag planned allowing for possible changes to conditions, and including facilities to arrange food the night before and breakfast etc on the day. Perhaps a little early but is nice to paint the picture of where I want to be and how I would ideally like things to pan out, so that I am aware well in advance of any issues I need to address as the time seems to pass very quickly.

Have a great and active week

Week 10 >

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Author: Steve Cuviello from Cuviello Personal health and fitness http://www.cuviellopersonalfitness.co.uk