DONE!
Weight: 75 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 58 hours 39 minutes
Distance run since 15 November: 537.9 kilometers
Time left: 21 days
So... The Race, as the organisers call it. 25 kilometers, at least two-thirds of them through forests and fields and including many mud tracks. With devilish steep climbs; the one after 17 kilometers killed my stride completely and forced me to walk a fair bit before resuming my running.
The good newses are that A. I made it and B. I made it in a time 7 minutes faster than my target. 2 hours 38 minutes and 20 or so seconds. That is an average of 6 minutes 20 per kilometer; at the marathon I can afford an average of 7 minutes per kilometer.
So it looks good then? I'm not really convinced, seeing the difficulty I had between kilometers 17 and 25 (well, 23: the last two are never hard). Rotterdam is 17 kilometers longer...
I will take it easy during he week; my body needs time to recover. On Sunday I'll go for a long training run; from there on I'll have to scale down in order to be in the best shape I can be on 15 April.
Oh yes, I did not even finish last... Heheh.
Sunday, 25 March 2007
Saturday, 24 March 2007
HERE WE GO HERE WE GO HERE WE GO...
Weight: 75 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 56 hours 1 minute
Distance run since 15 November: 512.9 kilometers
Time left: 22 days
Tomorrow then. The ultimate test. 25 kilometers over hilly and partly slippery surface.
My aim is to finish, and preferably in under 2 hours 45 minutes. Mind you, that is close to the time of last year's slowest runner in this race. I may be the one after whom they turn out the light.
Wish I could say it will be fun, but I have a hard time convincing myself...
Stay tuned.
Weight: 75 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 56 hours 1 minute
Distance run since 15 November: 512.9 kilometers
Time left: 22 days
Tomorrow then. The ultimate test. 25 kilometers over hilly and partly slippery surface.
My aim is to finish, and preferably in under 2 hours 45 minutes. Mind you, that is close to the time of last year's slowest runner in this race. I may be the one after whom they turn out the light.
Wish I could say it will be fun, but I have a hard time convincing myself...
Stay tuned.
Sunday, 18 March 2007
GOING, GOING...
Weight: 77 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 54 hours 55 minutes
Distance run since 15 November: 501.3 kilometers
Time left: 28 days
The 500+ kilometers I've done since starting my training for the marathon show my dedication. But they hide the fact that I've never been able to run further than about 20 kilometers in one go. The My Asics site, where I have a personalised training schedule, prescribes my longest run for today: 32 kilometers. Instead, I did only 5.5, and that at a leisurely pace. Yesterday's football match (a 10-2 win!) was still very present in my leg and back muscles.
This means that I have no idea how well or badly trained I am. In a week from now I should find out. The 25k from Wavre to Auderghem will push my maximum distance a bit further, on a course that includes long stretches of rolling hills. The first 9 kilometers go down to the lovely Genval lake and should be a breeze. But from there on the track goes more up than down while my energy level will move in opposite direction. I'll be very glad when I see the town hall of Auderghem.
So here's the idea. Take it easy this week (only short lunch runs on Tuesday and Thursday), skip football on Saturday, and then try to complete the 25k. After that I have to again take it easy during the week, but try for a 30k training run on April 1st. From there on, the last two weeks before the marathon I should not be doing any serious training any more.
Getting all pretty real now...
Weight: 77 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 54 hours 55 minutes
Distance run since 15 November: 501.3 kilometers
Time left: 28 days
The 500+ kilometers I've done since starting my training for the marathon show my dedication. But they hide the fact that I've never been able to run further than about 20 kilometers in one go. The My Asics site, where I have a personalised training schedule, prescribes my longest run for today: 32 kilometers. Instead, I did only 5.5, and that at a leisurely pace. Yesterday's football match (a 10-2 win!) was still very present in my leg and back muscles.
This means that I have no idea how well or badly trained I am. In a week from now I should find out. The 25k from Wavre to Auderghem will push my maximum distance a bit further, on a course that includes long stretches of rolling hills. The first 9 kilometers go down to the lovely Genval lake and should be a breeze. But from there on the track goes more up than down while my energy level will move in opposite direction. I'll be very glad when I see the town hall of Auderghem.
So here's the idea. Take it easy this week (only short lunch runs on Tuesday and Thursday), skip football on Saturday, and then try to complete the 25k. After that I have to again take it easy during the week, but try for a 30k training run on April 1st. From there on, the last two weeks before the marathon I should not be doing any serious training any more.
Getting all pretty real now...
Sunday, 4 March 2007
ROAD TO RECOVERY
Weight: 76 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 46 hours 18 minutes
Distance run since 15 November: 440.6 kilometers
Time left: 6 weeks
Finally I'm doing some serious mileage again. Today, in Tervuren, I managed an over two hours run (2h11m). It had been a long time. Mind you, according to my training schedule I should be doing four-hour runs by now. This means that I'll arrive in Rotterdam half ready. Also means I have to stay very focused for the rest of this month.
Here's my race schedule (well... ideally):
25 March
A 25k run from Wavre to Brussels (Auderghem)
15 April
The big one: my first marathon, in Rotterdam
6 May
The 15k run through the historic centre of lovely Bruges, which also last year was my warming up for...
27 May
The wonderful event that is the 20k of Brussels
That would add up to a bit over 100 kilometers of races.
But for now, I'll focus entirely on that 25k. If I get through that one alright, then I should have a fair chance of finishing the marathon.
Weight: 76 kilos
Time spent running since 15 November: 46 hours 18 minutes
Distance run since 15 November: 440.6 kilometers
Time left: 6 weeks
Finally I'm doing some serious mileage again. Today, in Tervuren, I managed an over two hours run (2h11m). It had been a long time. Mind you, according to my training schedule I should be doing four-hour runs by now. This means that I'll arrive in Rotterdam half ready. Also means I have to stay very focused for the rest of this month.
Here's my race schedule (well... ideally):
25 March
A 25k run from Wavre to Brussels (Auderghem)
15 April
The big one: my first marathon, in Rotterdam
6 May
The 15k run through the historic centre of lovely Bruges, which also last year was my warming up for...
27 May
The wonderful event that is the 20k of Brussels
That would add up to a bit over 100 kilometers of races.
But for now, I'll focus entirely on that 25k. If I get through that one alright, then I should have a fair chance of finishing the marathon.
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