SCSM - 7 days to go

After going through my blog on the 14 weeks schedule of trainings, which by the way was side tracked a couple of weeks by a pulled hamstring and hip adductor, I seem to have done pretty well on some points but not others;
Good points;
1. LSDs were completed as planned.
2. Most week day runs and LSDs were on target pace.
3. After implementing key points of 'chi' running, running form and speed has improved significantly, as well as issues with the ankle and hamstring.
4. Mileage was pretty good.

Not so good points;
1. Total mileage was much lower than planned. I was hoping to hit 825km in the last 12 weeks, but it looks like I'll be hitting slightly more than 600k by end of next week's race.
2. 2 weeks considered gone, due to the hamstring/hip adductor problem. Has gone away for the last month or so, and didn't act up during the last 3 LSDs, though.
3. Not enough speed training, no hill training, and a tad too much tempo.
4. 10k pace will not be hitting close to 13kph by end of the year, more likely 12.5kph. Anyway there is always next year.
5. Got the flu the last few days, maybe due to running in the rain for most of my runs for the last 3 weeks, and also going into the taper period. I ran only 31k this week compared to 66k. Suppossedly, I was supposed to cut last week's to something like 45k (just had to squeeze in that last LSD!), so the drop off may have triggered the 'lower immunity syndrome' due to tapering.

Hopefully, I will be able to recover by mid week, and I will be running very minimal mileage this week, mostly due to travel. By Saturday, I should have done only 20k max, with 5k on Monday, 30min Tuesday and Wed, none on Thur, maybe 20min on Sat morning. Hopefully, all this will be done on a interval of 12-13kph for at least half the time.

Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope I will at least get a 4:15 for this run. Until then....

Taper and Run Strong

To borrow a line from the Phedippidations podcaster, Steve Runner, this is my plan for the upcoming Singapore marathon.

Reflecting on the training over the last 8 weeks, I've put in faster paces but less mileage on average, when compared to the 14 week training schedule I've put in for the KL marathon.

For the KL marathon, I must have made a couple of boo boos, such as cross training the day before, lack of sleep, too many races in the training period, focusing on too much carbs and not enough protein and actually doing the actual distance in training, 4 weeks from the race.

Coming into this 12 weeks program, I was feeling much stronger, with a better base of 'musculoskeletal' structure.

The aches, pains and tendonitis seemed to have also migrated, after I incorporated some elements of 'Chi' running (read the book by Danny Dreyer).

So, instead of going overboard, I only did 4 LSDs 30k and above, with the highest at 36km. For shorter runs, I pushed for at marathon pace minus 5-10 seconds, and this instilled some confidence.

Overall pace was much better, and I managed to finish the last 3 LSDs without any muscle cramps. A big improvement compared to the previous try.

Going into the taper (actually I only scheduled 14 days), I plan to do only 40-45k, with the last long run on Sat at about 15-20k, depending how I feel.

Given that this Friday is a holiday, I was also thinking about heading down to either the Klang stadium or UPM stadium to do the Yasso 800s to see where I am. 4min for 800m x 10 reps with intervals of 400m (MP-1 min).

Next week, I'll be traveling, so it would be a great time to taper :p

By the time I'm lining at the starting line in Esplanade drive next Sunday, I'm hoping to feel refreshed, energized and ready to go for a sub 4, God willing!!

Come 7th December, hopefully I'll be posting the race updates. Until then....Run Strong, and taper!