Back in the club

London Marathon Training
Week 4, Day 1

Tonight was my first night back at the club this year. I’d missed the last couple of sessions through illness so it was good to get back, albeit with some trepidation.

How would my legs cope after yesterday? What group will I go out with? Will I be like a fish out of water?

But it was all good. It was nice to see some familiar faces and chat with a few people, it turns out I wasn’t the only one to have missed a couple of nights.

I decided to go with the 30 minute group, just to be on the safe side. I wasn’t sure what I had left in my legs and didn’t want to be found wanting if I’d gone with the 45s.

As it turned out, I coped admirably. We were taken up Princes Street which is a short, sharp absolute beast of a climb – probably the steepest road in the town centre. Before Christmas I had struggled up it but tonight, whilst it took a bit of work, I swept up it pretty comfortably which hopefully shows my now weekly hill sessions are paying off.

The rest of the run was, I think, the fastest 30-minute session I’d experienced since joining the club but it was still ok and well within my comfort zone.

There  was an interesting little announcement at the end. The club are looking to put together a number of teams of all abilities to compete in the Belfast Marathon relay. It falls eight days after London so I’m not entirely sure – maybe one of the shorter legs would do for me – but it is extremely tempting and it’ll be good to represent the club in a proper event too. Something to think about.

London Marathon Training (41.4 miles – 11 runs)
Week 1 – 12.2 miles (4 runs; average 3.05 miles per run)
Week 2 – 9.3 miles (2 runs; average 4.65 miles per run)
Week 3 – 17.7 miles (4 runs; average 4.4 miles per run)
Week 4 – 2.2 miles (1 run; average 2.2 miles per run)