Here we are, yet again, at the end (or start depending on your take) of another week.
I'm pleased to say that another strong and productive weeks worth of training has been achieved. I've hit 15 hours in total, which is pretty big by my standards, so I'm pleased to have got this under the belt so early in the season. I was scheduled to hit 18.5 hours but decided to skip Friday's 90 min run due to excessive tiredness and then I missed yesterdays 2 hour bike due to having to sort some issues at my apartment.
I'm usually gutted to miss sessions but my focus this week has been to train well in the pool, get in a couple of turbos and then hit todays big run. Swimming has been fantastic this week, with a new high reached on Thursday. It all came together for me in the pool, seeing me lead lane 2 and sending out sub 1.35 100s plus sub 45 sec 50s consistently. I really felt strong and it seemed like I had loads of time for my stroke. We're heading to the 50m pool at Bath Uni next Sunday where we'll look to smack out about 6k - so I'm keen to turn in a good show.
Onto todays run, it was a new milestone for me as I've never ran so far or for so long. I totalled 26.3 miles in 4 hours 23. Most of the run was off-road and included some decent inclines. This was my last big run ahead of the 30 mile Ultra on 1 March. I adopted the strategy of run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute. This worked really well and I was pleased with my pace throughout. The last few miles were tough but this was as much to do with the route I took as fatigue.
I was also pleased with my nutrition. I drank water with effervescent vitamin C, and used a combination of peanut M&Ms and Clif Bar Blok Shots for my solids. These seemed to work well together - and I'll be taking these in the race.
This was a complete contrast to last weeks run - which I loathed. I think this was due to the new challenge and achievement of this week - giving me a target to focus on. I'm hoping the same will get my through the Ultra and then ultimately Challenge Roth in July. I love achieving new goals!
The title for the post came from a moment during the run where I had just discovered some new trail at just past the halfway point. Instead of turning around and going back the way I came I decided to just head off down this new trail - it was awesome.
As I was going down the trail, with a big grin on my face, feeling great - a track by the Aussie group Powderfinger came onto my iPod. The track is called My Happiness - and it just felt really appropriate for that moment in time.
So there I am, in the middle of nowhere, running down a trail, a huge grin on my face, singing out load to this track. Awesome - it makes you feel truly alive!
As someone ( I forget now) once said "If you want to get fit go for a run, if you want a life changing experience, run a marathon".
Hope you all have great weeks, see you in seven.
Pura vida,
Sparky
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