Training is going pretty well at the moment. I’ve had a few minor issues lately with tight glutes and lower back which has caused a few aches and pains, but it hasn’t stopped me doing too much. The cold weather was a bit more of a problem; I tend not to run in the snow and ice as it can be dangerous, and I wouldn’t want to risk a silly injury because I tried running in it. So that kept me in for a few days but the minus temperatures didn’t stop me at all. Some people may have noticed from my playing days that I never wore a long sleeve shirt unless my short sleeve shirt was ripped or completely soaked/caked with mud at half time. I’m used to the cold now!
With regards to training, I’ve been continuing with my normal distance of 10 miles 2-3 times a week but I’ve also started adding in a couple of shorter(5 miles), slower runs in between every so often. There were two reasons for this….
1) I was pushing myself so hard on my runs, to keep my endurance for the speed I want to maintain for the marathon, that it’s hard to keep doing it and staying motivated! The enjoyment factor disappears when every run is such an effort, so I decided to do a slow run here and there to enjoy it a little more, take in the scenery around me and listen to some music, which I never do on long runs. It’s a nice time to reflect on life and what is happening in it!
2) The obvious reason….to flush the lactic acid through my body and use them as recovery runs from my longer, quicker runs. Now the training has stepped up, these recovery runs have helped a lot.
I’ve also been using the weekends as a time to increase my distance and run at a marathon pace. To hit my target, I need to maintain just under an 8 min/mile throughout, so I’m pacing at a 7.15 min/mile for a slong as I can hold it to give me some extra time at the end so I have time to slow down when my legs start to die on me! I’m now up to the maximum training run needed for the marathon so the last couple of months are about keeping my body in shape and continuing what I’m already doing. I’ve ran 20 miles a couple of times, coming in at 2h:22m:0s the first time and 2h:22m:28s the second time(this weekend gone 26/2), so I am well on my way to hitting my target of 3:30. I now have half an eye on 3:20 but I know I will struggle to maintain the speed I’ve been running it for the last 4-6 miles! I’ve also ran 18 miles a couple of times, a handful of 16 miles and a bundle of half marathons(some for speed and some for just the mileage) with my best time being 1h:28m:27s. Now the weather is changing I’ve also had a chance to wear my official London marathon Macmillan vest which I am looking to get sponsored. So if you have a company or you know someone that would like to get their company logo and website printed on my vest, please get in contact with me by emailing michaeldobson@flexercise.co.uk.
All is going pretty well with the training but being busy with work (which never seems to end when self employed!) and trying to fund raise at the same time is very difficult. Unfortunately the amount I’ve raised has stopped rising recently with just the odd donation here and there. I’m getting close to £3000(actual amount £2749.30) but my target of £4000 is a long way off and I really need the help and support of anyone that is in a position to donate, no matter how great or small the donation is…..after all, every little helps and if 500 people donated just £1 (less than the price of a cup of tea!), I would be £500 closer to reaching my £4000 target.
I must admit, my knees are just about hanging in there but I do feel like an oldman at times. I will be glad when the marathon has been completed and I don’t have to put my body through this amount of strain again! I write a regular blog at http://marathon4cancer.co.uk on the ‘Michael’s progress’ page (http://marathon4cancer.co.uk/category/michaels-progress), which I update with how my training is going and my fundraising. I would love to have a few more people visiting my blog and leaving comments of support to spur me on in the final stages of my training for the last 54 days. Please feel free to read my blog and leave your comments. I appreciate all the support I’ve been given so far, it’s been a real help and a great motivator when training has been tough. Thank you all.
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