Time for a training update?
I’ve done half of a 115km running week, and this is my penultimate big week. I’ve an easy week next week (a mere 90km with no speed session and no long run) followed by a 120km finale that ends with yet another 32km (20 miler!) long run in which I’ll probably place a race pace segment. After that I begin a 3 week taper down to the marathon. This is something I’ve really been looking forward to (the taper, not so much the marathon).
Swimming, cycling and strength work are all going well, everything’s working pretty well biomechanically-speaking at the moment & my confidence is rising. I’m starting to lay down some pacing plans for the race and I’m making sure I’ve got everything I’ll need. November is going to be one lazy month for me!
Interestingly I cut my calorie intake recently to shift some final fattage, but my weight and seemingly my fat content (I had another body composition test) didn’t budge. I’m clocking more than 17 hours of training a week so I had a real calorie deficit. This is a little strange, and as we’re entering cold and flu season with the kids going back to school and students returning to university I dumped that plan to ensure that my immune system stays as strong as it can. My brain also seems happier with that plan. It doesn’t like me making my body train for long hours and starving it too.
There are 38 days until the Dublin marathon. I’ve got a half-marathon in Pembrokeshire at the end of the month, but my focus is on Dublin. Stay strong, stay fit!
