For the next four weeks I’m aiming to run 5 times a week. This is more than usual; more intense than usual and accordingly more demanding and exhausting than usual. I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t so dashed competitive and driven. I know I can run the 10k on 22 September under 45 minutes barring some gale-force winds; natural disaster or injury but I just want to make sure. So the weekly programme is Monday a 10k run on the actual course; Tuesday 5k including the 10 exercise stations in Inverleith Park. Here’s one of the brutes :
Wednesday is interval training at the local park; Thursday is more intense interval training and Saturday is Edinburgh parkrun 5k. Friday and Sunday are rest days. All the runs are timed and my aim is to increase speed and lower times each week. So far so good but I’m aware of the dangers of pushing this too hard. That being said I was delighted to achieve an unexpected personal best in last Saturday’s parkrun. Unexpected because I’d broken my no-alcohol pledge on the Friday night. Maybe there was rocket fuel in the white wine! Conditions on Saturday were perfect for the run and for once my pacing was fairly decent.
I’m busy, busy, busy because I’m trying to fit the training listed above into my already busy schedule. And I’m also due to play my first game of squash very soon. The person below me in the ladder has challenged me to a game and if he beats me we swap places. I don’t really want this to happen so I’ll be trying my hardest when we reach court. I’m hoping I can put it off until after the 10k but I fear not. I’ll keep you posted!
Meanwhile in other news the irrespressible Vicki Weitz has this very day completed her 26th marathon in 26 days. Vicki you’re a legend!
Is there life after a marathon? 
Wow, that is some challenge but it sounds as if you are pretty confident and your fitness levels sound as if they are good. That ladder thing in the pic – are you allowed to climb over it? This is what I would do, and never mind what they say! Well done for your personal best on Saturday! That is a good omen. Do not dwell on the white wine possibilities! I can’t imagine how you are going to juggle squash with running – I think just one of them is a big enough challenge! I’m delighted to know that Vicki completed her 26th day of non-stop marathons. I can’t even begin to imagine how she did that!
Thanks Jo. On the piece of apparatus in the photo you are meant to swing monkey style from one end to the other. It is quite difficult when you have weak arm muscles like me. The woman Vicki Weitz who has run the 26 marathons in 26 days is a remarkable person. I’m sure she hasn’t received half the publicity or appreciation that she deserves.
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That’s some regime! Only two rest days and all that running on the other five? My hat is off to you, sir. I think these exercise stations are a great idea, I didn’t realise they had them in Inverleith Park. They could do with getting some in Perth. I was having a picnic there a few weeks ago with a friend and her toddler. We were next to the playpark so that said toddler could play on the equipment, but the most energetic person using it was a fully grown, and somewhat corpulent, man who was using the kiddie things as exercise stations. He was fairly going at it, rushing up and down the spider’s web ladder thingy and racing between pieces of equipment. Quite alarming. Many congratulations on your pb, that’s terrific! And best of luck with the squash game.
Thanks Lorna; folk keep warning me off squash because its a very dangerous games for middle aged folk. Lots of heart attack possibilities apparently. It does put me off a bit but I’m determined to at least give it a go. No date for the squash match yet but I’m giving my opponent at least 25 years advantage. Interesting that you should warn me not to overdo the 10k training. I was just running the same thought through my mind today. I know I’m near my limit as evidenced by the pb and that is when I got injured last time pre-marathon. But I’m enjoying it and feeling the overall benefit.
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