Week 12/13 Review

Time to Taper

Week 12: 50.3 miles
Week 13: 54.1 miles
(558.9 total training miles ran so far)

That’s it; I’m done. The toughest training weeks are behind me.

Last week I ran the most mileage I’ve ever run at 54.1 (24 of which were completed in a single long run, just 2.2 miles short of a marathon). I spent 7 hours and 19 minutes out of the house running and I am shattered as a result.

I have put in as much effort as I could over the past 13 weeks and added as much fitness as possible. It’s time to start tapering my training over the next three weeks to shed all of the fatigue I’ve built up whilst maintaining as much of my fitness level as possible to ensure I’m in the best form ready for race day.

I originally set myself the goal of running the London Marathon 2019 in under three hours and if my Garmin Race Predictor is anything to believe, I’m on track to get pretty close at 3:00:04.

There’s the small matter of my left leg feeling like it’s been beaten with a baseball bat but hopefully that will subside in time.

I’ve been managing an injured hip flexor since around Week 3; likely caused by a slip on one of many icy runs. Because everything is connected, this has had a knock-on effect to the rest of the muscles down through my left leg: quad, knee, shin and calf.

I probably should have taken a complete break from running for a week or two, early on, to let things heal but I was always able to run through to numbness and if anything, the faster I ran the less things hurt (until afterwards). It’s too late now. Luckily, my right leg has felt fine throughout so I’ll just keep leaning on that if I need to.

Through the physical injuries and fatigue of the last 13 weeks I’ve found it difficult to feel my progression as a result of training. Sure, there have been runs where I’ve set or met personal bests but there have also been runs where I’ve felt like I had nothing left to give. Luckily, Strava has helped give me a confidence boost.

I use Strava to record all my runs. One of the premium features on Strava plots my Fitness & Freshness based on heart rate and pace during an activity. It’s an estimate, at best, but I’ve found it mentally useful to see that progression in the numbers, especially when I compare my fitness level, now, to where it was before previous races.

Fitness

120 —now, three weeks before the London Marathon 2019
85 — three weeks before I ran a 3:32 at Chester Marathon 2017
56 — before I ran a sub-1:30 at Manchester Half October 2018

Three weeks to go

Now, I taper my mileage and effort over the next three weeks. Some runs will still require a decent effort to maintain fitness but the main goal is taking it easier overall to let my body recover and lose that tired feeling.

I’ll post again in the final week.

I’m running the London Marathon 2019 with Kidney Care UK and have already raised more than £3,500. This is a cause that’s very close to my heart as my four-year-old son has chronic kidney disease.

I’m worked-up to donate my kidney to my son later this year.

If you want to make a donation, thank you 🙏