3. So how did that go?

So, the first week of training. Did it all go to plan? Did you manage to make it out all three days as planned? Did you make use of the cold but dry weather to take to the paths and the trails, to blow out the cobwebs and get back up and running? If you did, well done, you’re flying. If you didn’t then don’t worry, join the club!

I'm currently giving the body rest having decided to help out this 10 mile instead (at least that's the plan at the moment). Even still I had hoped to go out twice this week and it was only on Saturday night when I was on the verge of yet another week where nothing happened that I decided I needed a run like a plant needs the sun so the alarm was set early Sunday and by 8.45 I was in the Porchfields in mild December dry weather with old friends and well-worn runners.

There will be weeks when it just doesn’t happen for you. You don’t get out due to illness, due to tiredness, due to weather, due to family commitments, due to paving slabs! But whatever the setback don’t mind it. It is a speed-bump along a season and a distant memory come race-day. It’s like what they say about pain, it is in the past. Move on and good luck with this week.

This week’s training schedule:

Slow run: 30 minutes.

Tough run: 10 minutes warm up – 15 minute tempo* run – 10m minutes warm down.

Long run: 60 minutes slow.

To help understand these runs, a quick(ish) refresh.

To help you understand the types of runs that training is going to involve I’ve developed a list:

Talking pace warm-up and warm-down runs: If you running at a pace where it is impossible to tell your friend how your day went; discuss the latest box set on Netflix; give out about the mess the kids are making; make predictions about tonight’s Champion’s League or reflect on the love-life then you are running way too fast for a warm-up or warm-down!

Short runs: The grain of running. The basics, which everyone can generally do. These are the short runs that fit most neatly into a working week, where you get out and do anywhere from 4 to 8 k at a nice easy pace, much slower than you’d expect to run your race. They help build up the miles and get your legs and lungs accustomed to what’s to come.

Long runs: The hops of long distance training. This is how every week you incrementally (fancy word for slowly) build up a long run from 8, 10, 12 all the way to 14 kilometres. For first time runners, the longest run will come a fortnight before race-day for this 10 mile. When completing these make sure to never do these in a new pair of runners; it can be nice to have refreshments lined up along the way; the more company you have while running these the quicker these seem to go by and again like the short runs you should be at a pace a lot slower than race pace. So expect to be still able to talk by the end.

Tough runs: The yeast of the run. These training sessions will almost inevitably last less than an hour but are often the hardest sessions. Tough runs add pace to your overall run, helping you to take minutes off any lingering personal bests. There are many types of tough run you can do and you will know them by the following:

·         You come across a lot more sweat/spit/phlegm and all the stuff that will derail any first date.

·         You find yourself cursing towards the end of it, either in general, at yourself to keep yourself motivated or at your soul-mate because it was their idea to do the tough run in the first place. (Don’t mind the latter, they will understand).

·         You will deeply appreciate the company of a club doing it because on your own it can be hellish.

Other runs that you may come across over the course of your 10 mile training, which may have no or little relation to it:

Dawn runs – Nice morning runs, which mean you have the whole day in front of you, not to be mixed up with the legendary Irish thoroughbred race-horse from the 1980’s.

Home runs – More likely in baseball but may metaphorically end up in your marathon training when everything works out.

Shopping run – Last minute bargain hunting when you realise you forgot to get your brother’s new girlfriend a Christmas present and she’s coming for dinner.

School runs – Occasional reasons why you might have to cut that long run short when you realise you have forgotten it’s your turn to pick up the kids.

The runs – Can happen at the end of a long period of training when feeling run down and slightly ill. Not good.

So good luck during the week and chat to you all next weekend.