Week 7 - Dig deep! - Day 46 of 112

Even Lance struggles!

Glad to say that the new Omnis have arrived and were waiting for me when I got home from work. They fit like a glove and were used tonight on my threshold run of eight miles - 1 mile warm up and cool down with 6 miles at marathon pace. I rather stupidly doubled up on compression socks on my right leg which only had the effect of causing very sore hot spots on the soles of my right foot which if I had been going longer would surely have developed into blisters. As it is I am just walking around with sore feet. Hopefully they will have recovered for the weekend runs which include a steady 18 mile run at 7.30 pace.

The run itself was a really tough one and rates with one of the hardest that I have done to date. The last mile and especially the last 800m I was out on my feet, blowing out everywhere and really struggling to keep it together. The breathing had been heavy for the final two miles and there was that point that you get to where you ask yourself the question - "Do I jack it in, ease it back and have a rest or persist and dig deeper" I'm pleased to say that I persevered and struggled on. By the end the form was all over the place as I struggled to finish the mile in under 7 minutes. At the end I gave the shout of "yessss!" as I clocked 6.51 so ecstatic that I had managed keep within the marathon goal. The splits were 6.49/6.56/6.56/6.59/6.57/6.50 - slightly over the marathon pace of 6.52. It does concern me somewhat that I was completely spent after 6 miles at marathon pace. What do I put this down to ? First week back into full training? Tired after 12 miles yesterday? Lingering effect of the cold? Lack of speed? What I can take from it is that I kept going when it was easier to ease off and was prepared to go embrace the pain at least in the short term. This will be necessary come April.

The achilles was fine and and comfortable on the run. I think that the new shoes will be good for me in the long term. After the 6 mile threshold, I had a jog recovery and felt that there was a pain in the achilles. As I write the achilles is strapped in ice which is now par for the course to reduce the swelling. Lets see how I pull up in the morning. Thinking that it will be quite stiff and sore. 

Numbers - 8 miles - 59.59 mins - 7.29 pace - 161avg bpm - no cadence - 1110 calories