Adaptation

My endurance training got a bit of a boost at the end of the week with another late night/early morning on Friday/Saturday. This time I was doing the driving and so while I didn't get to bed until 0540 hrs on Saturday morning I woke with my head intact. Now that I think of it that's over 24 hours since I got up for my Friday morning unplanned progression run. Despite my clear head I was a little disappointed at missing the 0730 hrs hilly Eagle viaduct run - that surely would have been a test of endurance if I had managed to rise for the occasion.

I left Saturday as a rest day and headed out instead this morning for my 2.5 hour long run. This time I brought my running belt loaded with a drink (well some of the kids Ribena -the first time I took a drink with me on a run since before the Amsterdam marathon in October). I headed into Cork along my usual route from Ballincollig and extended my run out to Pairc Ui Caoimh and back along the North Quays, Sundays Well and the Straight Road. The first mile @ 7:58 proved to be the slowest as I felt strong and comfortable enough in the early miles with a faster pace. My HR still remained relatively low (high 130s/low 140s). I didn't know how long the comfort would last and felt some additional effort at mile 8 - but a quick look at the Garmin and the 7:10 pace explained this - so I motored on. Over the last few miles I did feel like slowing down as my HR went into the 150s. Still not very high but my legs were also feeling the effort. In the end the run felt better than last weeks long run and I managed to cover 20.29 miles in the 2.5 hours (07:24 pace @ 142 avg HR) - that's my fastest long run ever, I think. In fact I passed 20 miles in 2:27:56 which is about half a minute quicker than during my 3:17 marathon PB last year. If only I could have a 142 avg HR in my marathons or better still a sub 7 minute pace for my avg 166 marathon HR. Maybe the trick is to start slow to ensure the HR stays in the fat burning aerobic zone for as long as possible. The rest on Saturday certainly helped Wed 11th Feb 9.98 miles in 01:23:51 (08:24 pace) Recovery run from Tuesdays 400m Intervals. Thur 12th Feb 8.16 miles in 1:07:39 (08:18 pace) with 8 x 30 sec hills @ 05:55 to 06:10 pace) Fri 13th Feb 6.84 miles in 50:11 (07:20 pace @145 HR) progression run from 07:46 down to 06:54 pace. Sun 15th Feb 20.29 miles in 02:30:00 (07:24 pace @ 142 HR) Transition Week 2 (Run 66.55 , Bike Nil, Swim 2,500 m) These late nights at the weekend are messing up the opportunity to get out on the bike.