Training Log Archive: HWW

3 x Press-up position, elbow to knee (10 reps)
3 x Press-up position, opposite elbow to knee (10 reps)
5 x Dips (10 reps)
Lat pull-down: 15 reps 30kg; 12 reps 35kg; 8 reps 40kg; 12 reps 35kg; 15 reps 30kg
Gym v busy - maybe I should join a more expensive, quieter one.

Event: Virgin London Marathon
 

The 2012 Virgin London Marathon

Much better than last year. While I still found myself a little hemmed in at the start, and I did respond to this with a little energy sapping slow runner dodging, I felt my pace from the off was a little more controlled. While I rarely stuck to my golden rule of "thou shalt not run sub-6:15", I generally sought to hold back and this saw me through to the Isle of Dogs in reasonably good shape.

Running south from Westferry Circus, I still felt ok, although I was beginning to wish I'd paid a visit to the portaloos before the start. I generally managed to maintain my pace, and it was a great comfort to get beyond where I'd passed out last year but coming up to mile 19 I was beginning to look for impromptu potential toliet areas. Fortunately, coming off the wharf along Trafalgar Way, I spotted a series of loos and nipped into the first one. This probably cost me a minute and, while I thought that my earlier fast paced miles might have spared me time for this, I made a point of reaching the next mile marker within my pace band time.

Coming back along Commercial Road / The Highway 6:18 began to feel less like an incredibly slow pace which I had to hold myself down to and more of an effort, and on a number of occasions my pace drifted up to 6:30. This sensation continued pretty much to the end, and coming down Birdcage Walk I was desperately looking ahead for the turning at the Victoria Monument signifying the final 385 yards, although I managed to pick up my pace for this.

All in all, I was pleased with my time and position. Having failed to complete last year's race, it was a comfort just to finish, and I can now look to target 2:40 or less, although I know that I'll need to do more marathon paced long runs as well as more interval work. Above all, the crowds were fantastic, and I was very glad to have my name on my vest - I guess having a distinctive and unusual forename helps but there were times when I felt like everyone was cheering me on, providing a massive boost.

C • Nicely done! 1

London Rollerski Club training session
Fancied a relatively low intensity, low impact training session just to keep my legs ticking over and this seemed to fit the bill. This did feel like more of a proper training session than my two previous roller skiing classes and it was useful for my technique but I managed to avoid falling over (except on my hands, which doesn't count) and don't feel I overdid things.

Weighted added today as I got a free body composition analysis at the London Marathon Expo. Apparently my body fat was too low for the machine to work properly in terms of providing a segmental analysis (which makes me think of IFRS 8, very geeky) but it was able to quantify my body fat percentage, BMI, muscle mass, etc. Body fat = 3%, BMI = 20.0, Metabolic age = 12, which is encouraging.

Now to pull together my commute to the start / warm up iPod playlist...

C • Good luck tomorrow. 4

Dumbell bench press: 8kg (15 reps), 10kg (12 reps), 12kg (8 reps), 10kg (12 reps), 8kg (15 reps)
Single arm row: 8kg (15 reps), 10kg (12 reps), 12kg (8 reps), 10kg (12 reps), 8kg (15 reps)
3 x pull-up (5 reps)
3 x dips (10 reps)

The usual.

The usual, although slow, mainly due to the foul weather. Exciting to see the barriers up along the side of London Bridge Road in preparation for Sunday.

Ran from the office to Mile End, tube to Woodford, and then ran up the hill to fencing. Although the rain had largely held off for the first part of the run, it turned torrential just as I left Woodford station for the run up through Monkhams and I got drenched.

Last run pre-London.

Got along to the club fairly late on so only managed 2 bouts of Epee. You win some, you lose some, and I did - lost the first 7 - 5, won the second 7 - 4.

The usual, tapered. Ran to Bow Church and then hopped on a Boris Bike and rode to Potter's Fields before jogging the final stretch to the office.

5 x dips (10 reps)
5 x pull-ups (c. 5 reps)
3 x 13.25kg tricep - cable column (10 reps)
3 x 16.75kg bicep - cable column (10 reps)
2 x tricep push-up (10 reps)
2 x 15kg barbell curls against cable column (10 reps)

The usual.