Day: 12
Distance: 6.86 km
Time: 36:46
New Year's Eve began with a short run using the Fartlek method. Fartlek may sound like a piece of Ikea furniture, but in actual fact it's a form of training which is similar to interval training in that slow jogging/running alternates with short fast runs. My training plan called for a 35 minute run consisting of 5 sets of 2 mins x 'easy' + 5 mins x 'fast'.
I don't look forward to these runs at all as the fartlek method is incredibly draining. The balance between slow and fast never seems particularly fair as I spend the 2 minutes of slow jogging both recovering and dreading the impending 5 minutes of fast running. That said, I do think that this method is very good for getting quicker and building up stamina so I reluctantly follow the training plan.
The interesting thing on these runs is that the 'fast' tempo gets progressively slower across the 5 sets. The contrast between the slow and fast runs is really pronounced first time round as I accelerate out of the initial 2 minutes to pound the pavements for 5 minutes. By the fifth set I'm not sure whether there's any discernible difference between the two tempos.
Aside from the fartlek method, the other crucial element in my marathon training is my running playlist which I've been compiling for some time now. As this was my first solo run for a little while it gave me a good opportunity to try out the new songs I've added to my running playlist. I'm pleased to report that both "Suffragette City" (David Bowie) and "Thou Shalt Always Kill" (Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip) are both excellent additions. The playlist is now around 4.5 hours in length, which *should* be plenty for the actual day, but to be on the safe side I want to get up to 5 hours so I'll continue to hunt around for songs that will fire me up on the day.
Showing posts with label David Bowie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Bowie. Show all posts
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Breaking in a new pair of trainers
Day: Nine
Distance: 6.8 km
Time: 42:04 secs
Today I went for a run around my little corner of South London with my mate Jim. As Jim is training for a half marathon I suspect we'll be going out for a few more runs over the next few weeks and months.
This was my first run in the pair of trainers that I've bought specifically for running the marathon. I've had the same pair of trainers now for 2.5 years or so and they've loyally seen me through numerous 10km runs and one half marathon, so I am quite attached to them but I felt it was time to get a new pair and to wear them in properly before the marathon. After trying out a few different pairs in Sweatshop (ethically questionable name, sure, but a post-Christmas sale is not to be sniffed at in the "current economic climate") I opted for the New Balance 1064 and although it's very early days I was very impressed with them on this first run. They seemed like a very comfortable fit and, unlike others that I tried, they are very light. I'm no trainer expert, but surely those two attributes are pretty important?
Although the last few runs have been done with other people I haven't been listening to music at all, but I have been thinking about my running playlist some more. I received a few suggestions of songs to add to the list after I posted on the subject a while back and I also received some timely advice in the form of The XFM Top 1000 Songs of All Time. Leafing through this book after Christmas dinner I realised that I had some glaring omissions from my running playlist - "Suffragette City" by David Bowie, "Keep the car running" by Arcade Fire, a couple of tunes by the Buzzcocks and this work of lyrical dexterity from Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip.
Distance: 6.8 km
Time: 42:04 secs
Today I went for a run around my little corner of South London with my mate Jim. As Jim is training for a half marathon I suspect we'll be going out for a few more runs over the next few weeks and months.
This was my first run in the pair of trainers that I've bought specifically for running the marathon. I've had the same pair of trainers now for 2.5 years or so and they've loyally seen me through numerous 10km runs and one half marathon, so I am quite attached to them but I felt it was time to get a new pair and to wear them in properly before the marathon. After trying out a few different pairs in Sweatshop (ethically questionable name, sure, but a post-Christmas sale is not to be sniffed at in the "current economic climate") I opted for the New Balance 1064 and although it's very early days I was very impressed with them on this first run. They seemed like a very comfortable fit and, unlike others that I tried, they are very light. I'm no trainer expert, but surely those two attributes are pretty important?
Although the last few runs have been done with other people I haven't been listening to music at all, but I have been thinking about my running playlist some more. I received a few suggestions of songs to add to the list after I posted on the subject a while back and I also received some timely advice in the form of The XFM Top 1000 Songs of All Time. Leafing through this book after Christmas dinner I realised that I had some glaring omissions from my running playlist - "Suffragette City" by David Bowie, "Keep the car running" by Arcade Fire, a couple of tunes by the Buzzcocks and this work of lyrical dexterity from Dan le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip.
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