May Distance Run: 325km
Distance Remaining: 171km
And so it begins. The final week. What a time to cash in from all of the dark, stormy winter runs I dragged myself out for in January. The weather has acknowledged my suffering and given me this forecast for this week:
As promised I was up and out this morning to get the first installment of this 196km week done. What a treat. Genuinely a treat too today. Although I can’t take anything away from my legs’ role in this week, having a morning like this every day is going to make this so much easier. 5:30am start but well worthwhile:
The legs are continuing to hold up anyway, in spite of their recent battering. I’ve really not known what to expect from them. If you’d asked me to jump into a 147km week a month or two ago and then bust out a 25km run, I’d have sent you packing. I wonder if there’s something about the way this challenge has slowly built up that has somehow helped my legs prepare for it? Who knows?
To be honest, my legs were feeling tired at day 12 or 13. That same dull tiredness is still in my legs now, the runs just last longer. Every day I go out expecting them to deteriorate further. By the end of each run now, today was no exception, I’m ready to stop. Not crawling across the lawn gasping for water ready to stop, just ready for a rest and food!
The big question is whether they’ll manage to keep this up?! Only time will tell and not much time now either. At least now I won’t be able to blame shoddy weather.
For those of you keen on stats, below is my garmin comparison of last week compared with the previous week. Since I’m a number obsessive I lap up this kind of stuff, I appreciate not everyone does though
Thanks for getting this far with me, in spite of the enforced stats. Fingers crossed that inoffensive dull tiredness stays inoffensive for tomorrow’s 26km
Here’s the usual reminder of why I’m doing this:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/tomfanthorpe2
longruntom 
With around half the mileage — kilometerage? Is that a thing? — in the last week, I wasn’t sure if “only one week to go” was encouragement.
Perhaps there’s something to the Frog-in-Water theory… I’m sure, with your base conditioning, the slow build up made it a little easier. I mean, how many days was it before you were thinking “ah, finally… a run worth my time”….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, yes, definitely focussing on number of days not distance 😄 I’d be interested to know whether there’s something to the Frog in Water theory (now a recognised thing obviously!). It’s certainly helped build my legs up slowly without them noticing. Even from day 8 or 9 though, I could still tell I’d run consecutively up to then. I’ll also be interested to see how my legs respond to running post challenge!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do you plan to take a few days off? I would imagine yes, but I’m a wimp at running. I could see myself over-indulging in not running after a month like this. (I truly can’t see myself doing this, but hypothetically….)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes definitely! I’m starting work again on Monday so will certainly have other distractions. One of the biggest issues will be to remember to stop eating as much as I am at the moment!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, that’ll get you…
I start on Monday, too… but my gig’s not quite as interesting as yours. Is there going to be any on-track excitement this year?
(not for me, obviously… I’m a McLaren fan and they’ve been fighting really hard for last place the last few years, though I was mildly optimistic about the car in winter practice)…
LikeLike
Get more sleep (if you can)! 🙂 but still, great to read how things are still not complaining too much. As long as you keep the pace easy, it will likely continue to go alright (not that I know… I’ve never tried something like this and you’re the first person I’ve known to try!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Dorothea! Yes, sleep is the one I’m trying to get more of. Keeping my fingers crossed 🙂 not long to hold out for now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The last Monday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, yes indeed!! Won’t know what to do with myself next Monday 😄
LikeLike