Training for my first 100km mountain race, Jan 2016

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

I've made a pact with a friend that we will pace each other for the 2014 Auckland marathon. Plan for the first part of 2014 is a few marathons to get back into the feel of the distance (first one is an off road one at the beginning of March), plus some half marathons to help dial in the speed.

Running has started to get back to a reasonable level, just need to increase the distances from now on in

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

MON 9th: 7.1km / 41.00 / ave 10.39kph
TUE 10th: 3km / 17.00 / ave 10.59kph
THU 12th: 13km / 1:10.00 / ave 11.14kph
FRI 13th: 8.1km / 43.18 / ave 11.22kph

TOTAL: 31.2km

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

TUE 17th: 5km / 30.00 / ave 10kph (treadmill)
20mins weight training
WED 18th: 12.1km / 1:03.00 / ave 11.52kph
SAT 21st: 7km / 36.00 / ave 11.67kph

TOTAL: 24.1km

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

I'm trying a supplement from my work, completely expecting to get zero benefits from it in terms of running. But have been taking it for three days now and my last two workouts have been VERY strong.
A couple of days I did a tempo run and knocked out 13km in a fraction over an hour, and that was with the first 4km ran at a very easy pace. Interesting...

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

MON 23rd: 11km / 1:00 / ave 11kph
WED 25th: 13km / 1:10.00 / ave 11.14kph (fasted morning run)
THU 26th: 13.1km / 1:06.00 / ave 11.91kph (4km easy / 9km tempo)
SUN 29th: 12km / 1:05.00 / ave 11.08kph (treadmill)

TOTAL: 49.1km

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Really looking forward to today, hard session of the week. Driving to Hanmer with the family, it's 140km away and is a thermal resort. Heading out after dinner and I'll get picked up along the way - will be a hard & fast tempo run. Just fueled up with muesli then spinach + mushrooms on wholegrain toast. Right, where's the coffee?..

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

MON 30th: 6.7km / 40.00 / ave 10.05kph
THU 2nd: 5km / 26.00 / ave 11.54kph (fasted morning run)
SAT 4th: 23km / 2:11.00 / ave 10.53kph (easy 18km, faster pace final 5km)

TOTAL: 34.7km

The following week will be a rest week.

[esqinchi]

Don't know much about marathon training, but looks like you're putting in a lot of work! Are you still lifting? I had a friend who was training for 26.2, and also lifting (i.e. 2x per day training). He looked pretty beat all the time - I was a bit worried about him. How's the business going?

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Hey buddy

I haven't even really got started yet, doing a little bit of lifting but I know I should be doing a bit more than I currently am. I was just wary of running too much and too soon, so I'm easing into it but from now I feel like I can start cranking up the volume providing my nutrition stays on point. Food has been good though, nice and varied and the curry I cooked for lunch today was beautiful.

I'm trialing a new electrolyte sports drink, it's vegan and 100% natural so I'm going to probably start stocking it in my shop. Tastes great and isn't at all sweet (which I like). Fruit intake today was 4 bananas, 3 nectarines, 1/2 watermelon and a large punnet of blueberries that I picked from our garden. YUMMO.

[esqinchi]

Glad to hear things are going well mate. By the way, I would give ANYTHING for some fresh blueberries right now! Haven't had much decent fruit here (especially berries) since late September. But to have my own garden, with a blueberry bush - that would be sublime! You've piqued my interest in the sports drink, especially since its not too sweet. I'll look it up, and maybe order some from ya!

[VSP]

Garden blueberries!! And dat curry...I'm very jealous right now =P

[jamesxvx]

you crazy man! haha

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Glad to hear things are going well mate. By the way, I would give ANYTHING for some fresh blueberries right now! Haven't had much decent fruit here (especially berries) since late September. But to have my own garden, with a blueberry bush - that would be sublime! You've piqued my interest in the sports drink, especially since its not too sweet. I'll look it up, and maybe order some from ya!

Feel free to order some, I'm sure we could sort something out in terms of shipping it over to you. Business is going great thanks, when I took over in December we were 20th overall out of our 26 stores.

Last week we were 11th and today we are 6th, and that's been done in the space of just six weeks. It's pretty exciting and all moving in the right direction mate, my goal is to be inside the top 5 by the end of next month

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Yesterday was a shorter duration, slightly higher intensity day. Ran a moderate paced 5.5km in the morning (picked up over the last couple of km's) in 27mins. Went back out and ran the same route in the evening as a tempo run and managed 25mins. Felt really strong and fast throughout that run which was encouraging. Good training week so far, off to Hanmer thermal resort again this weekend to unwind, nice end to a busy week.

[Mini Forklift Ⓥ]

Interview from the upcoming national Hardy's magazine