London Week 10 - A niceness of numbers, being a race tart, and Garmin being very annoying...


Well, the miles are rolling out - two  mid week 10ks and then a 10 miler today.  Good solid, 10ks and a 5min negative split for 10 miles.  The amount of walking is dropping, the 900/100 split for the first 5 miles was mainly to get me warmed up and in the flow.

And in a niceness of numbers - I've bought up 200 training miles on my 26th training run... They've not all been easy, they've not all been PBs, but they are relentlessly moving me forward.  It's getting scarily close - I've 3 LSRs until the big day; 13.1 (Cambridge half), a 16 and a 20 miler, then a two week active taper... Five weeks...

 

Five weeks to add some polish, to find the correct strategy for me - balancing that desire of running all the way with the simple fact that adding in a little walking in the first half is paying huge dividends in terms of both my overall speed and how I feel.  At Boot Camp there was an ideal espoused that we should make the first half feel like it was easy, and then get out of the cab and use our strength for the second half.  That's the plan... And yes I will get snide comments for walking in the first KM... but quite frankly I know what I'm doing.   as ever I've been honest about my predicted time on the application forms for London - so I suspect even with my modified-Galloway, topsy-turvy, walk-run, negative split generating weirdness of a run I'll be overtaking a lot of those who were more confident...
 
That was almost diplomatic... and brings me nicely to Cambridge.

My 10mile PB is slower per-KM than my half marathon PB - many reasons for that, mainly I'm a race tart.  I like the  crowds, the cheering, the free sweeties.... I also do better in races than on my own, the ability to follow a cute backside or get into a niggle with someone just a little faster than comfortable for me is a great motivator.  There is also something special about pulling on my CHF colours with a number on, that  takes the commitment up a level...

However, my job this year is to get to London is as good a shape as possible - so my target isn't a PB its simpler than that 1) get round and feel good, with 2) sub-2:30 being faster than the marathon pace...

There. pressures off... and relax!

Garmin, the company who make my running watch, and who for the best part of a decade have kept my heart rate and distance mapping have decided to get annoying.  They've bought out some new software, to replace the old way in which the computer spoke to the watch.  And it doesn't like my watch... All of which can happen and I have no problem with... I do have a problem with Garmin ignoring a polite request, and prioritising those who are rude and abusive.  Which they have done twice now... They're also on to the third iteration of their new software in a week... which doesn't sound like a job well done.  So this is an open, and polite, rant - Garmin I love you... bring back a way for my watch to talk to my PC without me having to use the old software you tell me is out of date!

 

Finally, some good news - the annual diabetic check up was good on all counts!

 

TTFN

 

Paul

 

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