I think I set my goals to high

Today’s run: a calm 5K.
Weather conditions: harsh. Sticky, humid, Thunder in the background. 17 degrees C. Time: 30.07 min.

I think I’ve set my goals to high. I wanted to run a marathon, my first, but not only that, I wanted it to run in 4hours and a bit. So I ran 10k/h and that I can do for 20 kilometres. Once I managed 25. But not further. So now my goals is going to be to run a marathon.
As I have to work one day less, it is easier to maintain some sort of trainingschedule. I printed one and uploaded it into my blackberry.

update

Since the break-through of november 2006, I have run 25K’s a couple of times now, but never that smoothly as the first time.
This year wasn’t a running year, due to mental circumstances (AKA: I felt crap. :) ) I’ve run at best to keep some shape, mostly 10K’s.
But now I’ve promised to start again. Last month I’ve started to run 14 – 16K’s again, and last week I did a 16K that felt good, and was in tempo (10,2 K/h).

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Break-through

Yeah! I did a 25 K today, in a bit more then 2 1/2 hours.

The last eught months were a time of stagnation. I could not run more then between 16 en 20k. After 20k I felt horrible, nauseous.

I started this whole challenge not knowing what I could do, or where it would end. I settled with those 16K, finding it ok if that was the limit. But with the start of a marathon very close to my home, I started to think about it again. Last week I got the route of the marathon, and today I did a circle of it, those 25K.

I’m happy!

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written on november 06 - 2006.

Winter

Is a time of stagnation. Running in the winter can be fun. If it is cold and the sun is shining it can feel marvellous. But this winter here in Holland was rainy, cloudy, foggy and coldy. Not the weather that incourages you to go out and run.

So now, winter ending, I’m trying to get back in my normal condition, meaning I can run like 16K with ease. I want to be in that condition again in March.

So yesterday I ran 4,5K, and today 9,6.

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written on february 19 - 2006.

2006

The intention is to run 30K this year. The last half year I thought it was okay to run no more then 20K. More then 20K hurts, and 15 or 16K is lovely.

But if I realy want to run a marathon I have to run more then 20K. It’s okay if I don’t succeed. 15K is a lot, not having done anything sporty in the 30 years before I started running, and I can be proud having achieved this. But I have to try to go on.

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written on january 01 -2006

Lovely run today

It snowed a bit this night, but today was bright and sunny. I ran 12,5 K’s partly off-road, on roads with a small layer of snow. Lovely, the knispering under my feet while running, the shape of my breath condensing in the cold air. The only downside was the droplets of water falling off the trees, in my eyes. :)

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Actually, this message was written on november 27 -2005

Long time no write

And no running actually. Well, not the way I wanted anyway. This summer was disastrous. No where near good running wheater, to hot, to clammy or rainy, and I didn’t realy feel like running anyway. I tried to maintain some rhythm, running at least twice a week. I managed that, but it didn’t feel very good.

Since one month I try to run again. I ran a 20K, which wasn’t very fast (9,8 k/h) but it was at least 20K again. Today I ran 16K. in a more or less normal running-rhythm (10,2 k/h). Let’s see if I can keep this up!

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Starting again...

After a couple of weeks with no interest in running, I am planning on starting on my schedule again. Wich means 3 times 5K on the 4 days I work, 2 10K and a long run. this week the long run is a 15K, next week 16,5K and then 20K again.
After these three weeks I have six (!!) weeks vacation, so it’s easier then to run with a real marathon scheme again.

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Time for an update...

After a disastrous 22K, when I felt realy sick afterwards, I rested a bit, doing some small 5K’s. Last weekend I cycled a +100K tour, and wednesday I ran 20K again. I still have the feeling that’s the limit for now. Maybe accepting that for the moment is better than trying to go over it and get sick again.

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How to go on from here?

I now can run 20K. But in contrast to the 15K’s I have run, which go quite easily, 20K always hurts. Especialy the last part. It feels like all the power has been used and the last part is always a struggle. I am always so glad it’s over that I’m not certain I can run any further.
Maybe I run them to fast. My 20K’s are more or less the same route as the 15K’s, with an extra circle. So the beginning always goes in the same speed as a 15K, because I am used to that speed. The last 20K was in 10,4 K/hr. That’s the fastest I have ran a 15K also, and I did that only once. So there is a big progress in the time the last 2 weeks or so. 10,4 k/hr means a marathon in 4 hours and 2 minutes. Thats far more okay then I could imagine. I always said it would be something like 4:30 or something and had in mind that I wanted to run it in 4:15.
My schedule says I have to run 26K next week. I’m not certain I dare to do so. Maybe I should just run some more 20K’s till the go a bit easier? To find the speed and rhythm a 20K goes well?

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20K!

Today I ran again. With the dentist-anaesthetic and 4 aspirines to kill the pain and the fact that I hadn’t run in 4 days, I thought to run a simple 5K, but it went verry well, so I changed it to 10K, 15K, and ended up running 20K in the fastest time ever: 1:55:46.

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