Marathon Post #8 #runforsteem

the Challenge Remains

Let me start this post off with a heartfelt thank you for the way in which you have all responded to my post from last Friday. Your comments were very nice and caring and even some responses from unexpected people, I want to thank you all for that! It really helps dealing with news like that.

Despite that announcement I remain focussed on the challenge I set myself to run/end my first marathon before my 40^th birthday. This is not only a way to keep having a focus point in my life, besides my family off course, but it's also a way to stay sane and is an outlet to put your thoughts in order.

a New Routine

_{This picture sums up how this running week started}

As I said in my last marathon update from Wednesday, I've made the final adjustment to my training schedule and I was going to run Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with one day break and then do the 'longer' run on Sunday. This is my first report on this new and 'final' routine.

As a reminder, below you find the schedule I'm copying, but going to stick to in my own rhythm:

So to ease myself into this, I've started off in week 3, this was a spontaneous decision as I didn't want to 'overdo' it in the first week that I did this schedule. Instead of doing my normal 11 kilometers on Sunday, I decided to do only did 8 kilometers. In total I did about 24,5 kilometers running this week, that gives me the opportunity to do the same routine next week with an 11 kilometer run on the Sunday and then the 14 kilometers in 2 weeks time:

Here are my runs since my last running post last Wednesday:

Wednesday 21.3.

• Weather: a bit cold, it had been snowing until about 20 minutes before I set off, sunny and relatively clear
• Distance: 5,08 km
• Time: 24 minutes
• Pace: 4,45 km/h
• Training Effect: 3,4
• Goal: Getting used to running on tired legs

Recap

I've included the name of the place in the screenshot for a reason, look at the symbol behind it ... I broke my own personal record on the 5 kilometers today by 35 seconds. Maybe those 2 days break were just what I needed to do this and I feel there might be even more in me before long. I felt good, but I never thought I would be able to break my personal record from last September. The weather was in my favour, there weren't too many walkers under way, which can hold me back as there was still quite a bit of snow on the paths as you can see in the picture that I took during this run, above.

Thursday 22.3.

• Weather: Similar conditions to yesterday
• Distance: 6,21 km
• Time: 30 minutes
• Pace: 4:53 min/km
• Training Effect: 3,7
• Goal: Getting used to distances

Recap

As I had set a new record on the 5 kilometers yesterday I wanted to take it easier today. However I also knew that I would have to increase the distance by 1 kilometer today according to the training schedule. I had been talking to @nwtdarren in the @runningproject discord group and he told me to start focussing on my cadence. I didn't even know what that was until he explained it to me, so I decided to give it a try ... and I am very happy about the result. I did the 6,21 kilometers in 30 minutes, which is a fantastic time. If I had done the 5 km that day, I might've even broken the record I set the day before. Thank you for your advice @nwtdarren, I will start focussing more on cadence from now on in my trainings.

Friday 23.3.

• Weather: Good weather, warmer, sunny and many walkers under way
• Distance: 5,01 km
• Time: 26 minutes
• Pace: 5:01 min/km
• Training Effect: 3,3
• Goal: Getting used to running on tired legs by running short distances several days after one another

Recap

My colleague was back from a tiring business trip and for me it was the 3^rd run in as many days. We were a bit slow, but satisfied under the circumstances. The weather was much better and we also had to 'dodge' quite a few people under way. 3 days running in a row was not as hard as I thought it would be initially, but this is only the first week doing this routine.

Sunday 25.3.

• Weather: Fantastic, the sun was out again and a nice warm temperature. Unfortunately this also meant a lot of people on our path
• Distance: 8,21 km
• Time: 43 minutes
• Pace: 5:16 min/km
• Training Effect: 4,1
• Goal: the 'Long-run' after doing the 3 short(er) ones 3 days in a row

Recap

Today was fantastic. I went later as we did a family activity in the morning. Whilst the family was in bed sleeping I set off for my run. Neither of my neighbors was around, so I tried to focus on my cadence whilst going uphill ... that's not easy. The course is very hilly, but I am happy with the average pace. I decided to stick to the 8 kilometers spontaneously. I didn't want to force anything and I felt it would be better for my training to take it easy. I ran the whole way and I am very happy with the way I've closed this first week in this routine.

This was a good week by all standards where I even managed to break my personal best on the 5 kilometers. Below are my last 4 runs on both tracks in comparison. On the 'Freienback' track I keep setting a good pace, which is easier because it's more flat and the way is generally easy. The 'Oberwil-Lieli' track is harder, especially when there's been rain or snow. It starts with a lot of climbing and there's a lot of climbing on the track as well. I see myself improving on that track as well, if I did the full 11 kilometers today, I would have put a good time down as I had already done most of the climbing and my average time was 5 seconds faster than last weeks' fast one.

Here are the 4 Freienbach-runs in comparison with one another:

Here are the 4 Oberwil-Lieli-runs in comparison with one another:

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I look forward to hearing your advice, responses, encouragements, feedback and comments.

Keep running and stay fit!

Doron

!steemitworldmap 47.203252 lat 8.780222 long Pfäffikon D3SCR
!steemitworldmap 47.334180 lat 8.386726 long Oberwil-Lieli, Aargau D3SCR