Long Run and Hardest Training - Done!

Yep ... 35km (21.75 mile) is done! Now its tapering ... last "hard" run will be a half marathon next weekend, I haven't decided whether to push it for that or just take it easy, gut instinct says take it easy ... but we'll see how I feel on the day ;)

So, yeah, 35km ... training programme said 32km for the second long run, but right from the beginning I'd said I wanted to do 35k, just so in my head I knew I was closer to the marathon distance.

I did this one on my own, Deirdre did offer to run some of it (her marathon is next weekend), but I wanted a practice run ... drinking at each 5km, gels at about each 10k and seeing if I could twitter from my phone as I rang, also needed to know my head space could do it on my own. Also wanted to use my Forerunner to try and pace myself at a 6:20-6:25 pace.

Mapped out the run and it fitted perfectly - my usual about 10k block, once around the whole river run (about 10k), down the beach a bit and then up the road from beach to top of river and then down the river track and then home ... nice sections, I find it easier working section by section rather than thinking about the whole run.

So! off I went! (and I can give you splits, yay! so much fun ;)).

1-5km: 6:07, 6:06, 6:16, 6:20, 6:13
Working hard at trying to keep to 6:20-6:25 pace, it was hard, but I did start getting it and eventually seemed to make that 6:20 most of the time.

6-10km: 6:20, 6:21, 6:19, 6:25, 6:10
Hit that pace! had a quick walk for a drink and quick tweet at that 6km. Not sure about 9km, I think that was crossing the road and heading into the wind. Then, as I do, I subconsciously sped up knowing that I was nearly finished that first section and it would be time for a drink and gel.

11-15km: 7:41, 6:14, 6:17, 6:18, 6:33
11km was a drink and gel walk/stop then onto up the river. The 6:33 was quite an eye opener, I wasn't going a whole lot slower (well I was, the same effort I suppose) but looking at the elevation it really goes up at the end of the river (makes sense, the waters rushing down!) but more than that, it is really rocky - my least favourite part of the river run - so watching the feet and making sure I don't turn an ankle or anything obviously slows you down!

16-20km: 6:47, 6:14, 6:21, 6:18, 6:13
16km was a drink stop and tweet as I walked across the bridge ready to run down the other side. Rest was more of trying to keep that pace in the 6:20's. With the stops my overall pace was sitting nicely at 6:25ish all the way, so really I was right on track! I was feeling pretty good here as well, down the river on that side is a much nicer run, and more downhill than it looks ;)

21-25km: 6:17, 7:16, 6:15, 6:14, 6:15
Made myself keep running right to the end of the river trail and then stopped and walked for a gel and drink (the 7:16) that was right on the half marathon distance - half marathon distance was 2:15 something ... pretty spot on to what I was aiming for, maybe slightly faster. Its at about 22-23km that it got hard. The road going from the beach to the top of the river is long, and boring, and it had got hotter - especially coming out from next to the river and under trees to the road. I stopped worrying about my pace at about this point and just started slogging. Funny enough, if anything I started going faster rather than slower!

26-28km: 6:19, 6:18, 7:04
Just three, this is the last three up the road ... I was tired at this point and just pushing pushing to get to the top of the river, I knew once I got there it would be about 7km to go (it was actually more like 8k, how disappointing! LOL) and running down the river is my favourite run. So still slogging it ... once I got to the top of Te Moana Road I walked while I had a drink, thought about having a gel but decided to push myself to 30km and stick to my gel/10km plan.

29-35km: 6:08, 6:17, 6:46, 6:13, 6:55, 6:05, 5:49
29k (6:08), whoops! going to fast Lisa ... slow down, you still have 6km to run! I was feeling pretty good again at this point, back under the trees, going slightly downhill and I could smell the finish ;) Walked after the 30km beep, so at 31km for the last gel and drink and then carried on, faster again. 6:55 is across the bridge and a last walk and drink and then the last two km home. Hurray for the Forerunner, I actually added a small block once I got close to home because it wasn't going to be 35km. Pushed the last 2km and finished strong ... felt strong too. Until I stopped and felt like collapsing!

So all in all, pretty darn good, all went to plan :) My legs were sore and I felt really dizzy when I finished, but by the time I'd had a shower and some lunch I felt pretty human again. Went down to see a friend at the local soccer tournament, stood and walked around there for an hour or so, by last night my legs didn't feel too bad. This morning they feel pretty darn good - I can feel them, but definitely not too stiff and sore. I was worried that I had run too fast for a long, slow, training run - but perhaps not :)

So now ... bring on tapering and bring on the marathon! Short of a disaster in the next few weeks, I can't have trained any better. I've run every training run (managed to avoid being sick or injured), I feel like I've done the mileage ... it will all be up to what happens on the day now. I can't wait until its done and over! LOL

We've had a lovely quiet Easter weekend, I at chocolate Saturday night because I knew I'd run it off yesterday (and thoroughly enjoyed it guilt free!), the kids haven't overindulged (because we're mean parents like that) ... today brings more tidying up of my bedroom (I've spent time this weekend throwing out my old life in clothes).

Hope you are all having a good Easter too :)