Project Good For Age! Week 2 of 30
Goal : Automatic Entry Into the London Marathon
How? : Run a 3:15 Mara @ Manchester Mara in April (Current PB 4:45)
First Step : Run a 45 Minute 10k @ Windmill 10k race in November (10k time at start of project 57:58) www.strava.com/activities/1188827899
This Weeks 10k Time : 48:49 www.strava.com/activities/1210305023/overview
Leant lots this week, here is how I got on….
1)Behaviour
I said last week that staying out of the pub/socialising is going to play a crucial role in this project.
In my local mini-supermarket they had a special offer on 12 bottles of Corona for a tenner with a free ice bucket.
That Ice bucket was one of the coolest things I have ever seen and I don’t half love a nice cold bottle of corona with a chunk of lime.
As I’m stood in the queue waiting to pay for my stick of celery those bottles got out of their case, did a little dance, pointed at the ice bucket and then begged me to take them home.
Once again the devil came and knocked at the door but I am delighted to report that I managed to resist.
I know I must sound like someone that has ‘an issue’ but I can’t stress to you enough the effect ‘clean’ living has on my training – I find it makes a massive difference – massive.
One must resist temptation.
2) Diet
At the start of this process I weighed 14 stone and my bodyfat was 25%
On my scales this week I weighed 13/13 and on the bodytrax ones I was 13/9 with 23.3% bodyfat.
I am pleased with this bodytrax progress, its better than expected as I had a poor start on the diet front Monday and Tuesday.
My goal is to get my weight to begin with the number 12 as a bare minimum before the big day in April.
Losing weight in the battle to run faster is a no-brainer in my opinion.
The key to shredding the pounds is diet, simple as that.
I felt like I was losing control of this earlier in the week, (far too many sweets/ biscuits/crap etc) so drafted in my secret weapon.
Already I am feeling the benefits of this with everything feeling much tighter.
Looking forward to a bumper result on the weight loss front next week!
3) Training
I am absolutely loving my training. I definitely feel like I am ‘working’ instead of just ‘going through the motions’
If you want to know exactly what it is then I guess you will have to keep an eye on my blog for that one ?.
4) ‘Super Sunday’ 10k 48:49 www.strava.com/activities/1210305023/overview
So as part of the plan I am going out every Sunday to run 10k and discover the fruits of my labour in training.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I look forward to these ‘test’ days.
I am absolutely itching to lace up the Mizunos and get out there to see what will happen.
This week I had a choice.
Do I….
1) Repeat what I did last week when, energised by my new GPS watch I went out to ‘see what I was capable of’
2) Add a bit more structure.
I selected option 2.
This weeks 10k became more of an interval session.
Got to be honest – didn’t like it!
Last Sunday I ran a 48 minute 10k at a relatively steady pace
This Sunday I ran a 48 minute 10k at an erratic pace (one on / one off)
This weeks ‘super sunday’ session felt much harder than last weeks yet the times were pretty much exactly the same!
What was a little concerning is that I managed to hit my target pace on a couple of occasions (4 and a half minute kilometres) but I was holding on at times and couldn’t wait to ‘ease off’
This isn’t good.
But lets not forget, it’s only week 2.
My ‘all day’ pace at the start of the project was 6 minute kilometres.
Now, 5:30 kilometres feel very easy to me, even low 5’s.
This should be celebrated.
It shows my training is working.
Let’s see what the week ahead will bring!
Next update : 8/10/17 – 5 weeks till race day!
By the way, I have written a book, it’s all about how I went from zero fitness to completing an Ironman triathlon, it’s only just come out but it has got some fantastic reviews already!- you can check them out here: (also available on Amazon in the US but please read the UK reviews first!)
To your amazing journey!
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