Apologies for the delay in getting this first update to you. I am now eight weeks into this latest reset. It hasn't gone brilliantly, I would give it 4.5 out of 10, but we are moving. 22 runs completed in 53 days, so just shy of 3 runs a week. It isn't the four I originally planned but there is some consistency. I am struggling to find the gaps in my life to run. I generally have three, Thursday evening while the girls are at performance team, Saturday lunchtime with the girls at dance and Sunday morning when they have gymnastics. I just need to find myself that fourth spot, and that will be my aim in October.
In addition to finding gaps, the gaps I do have are a little on the short side. Each of them are about an hour in length, which limits me on the long run. Lauren and I appear to have engineered a bigger space for me. So 8am - 11am Saturday morning should be the long run slot but not this weekend as that is the girls 7th birthday.
In those 22 runs I have travelled for approaching 15 hours and covered 92.1 miles, averaging just over 4 miles a run. I say run, each of my runs still contains some element of walking. I am making a real conscious effort to regulate the walk breaks and am stopping my Garmin each time, and so I have really good data on my run speed and walk speed as well as the time I am spending doing each of them.
My longest run came this Sunday when I ran for 90 minutes and covered nearly 9 miles. The majority of the run was 4 minutes running and 1 minute walking, but that turned into more 3 minutes run / 2 minutes walk for the last 20 minutes or so. Most of my runs I am aiming to run 80% and walk 20% but on my longer runs that is lower. This Sunday it was 75% run, and in my only other hour plus run, I ran as little as 60% of it.
In addition to monitoring the run/walk split and paces, I have also been looking at my heart-rate. Given the readings, I am happy that I do still require the walk breaks. I recently did a 5 mile time trial, and despite having some short walk breaks my average HR was 166. The majority of my runs average in the 150-159 HR zone, with the remaining runs in the more intense 160-169 range. Given my estimated maximum heart rate of 180, every run has been 80% plus, and so far too intense.
I am rather bumbling around at the minute with the heart rate data, it isn't a tool I have used previously. I am currently just monitoring it, but when I get fitter I will use it to ensure that the intensity of each session is where I want it to be. My current fitness level means I just don't have the range of efforts, everything is just hard work.
I am signed up for the Yorkshire Marathon on the 20th October, I don't think I will be attending it. I fear it will be another Milton Keynes slugfest, and by completing Milton Keynes I have proven I can do it. This race is a 4 hour drive each way, potentially an overnight stay, it is just lots more effort. I may be inspired and do it, but I think the most likely outcome is a DNS.
I have just signed up to the Stratford-upon-Avon marathon next April. It is the same day as the London marathon. It is a race I have done before, both the full and half marathon and is one I enjoy. I will look to start a proper 17 week training plan beginning 1st January, and until then I am just trying to lay down a base from which to build on in 2025.
Despite the 4.5/10 rating I gave myself I am still pleased with the start I have made. I have now run 289 miles in 2024, the most of any year since 2017. I have also beaten my monthly totals. 54 miles in September was the most in September since 2019, the same with August. If I can manage to run just 50 miles a month for the remaining three months of 2024, I will finish with something like 450 miles which would be more than the combined miles I have run in the last 4 years. The bar is obviously incredibly low given how little I have run since having the girls, but a win's a win. I will look to provide you with another update at the end of October.
