Between 32-33k there’s a shallow drag, nothing you’d even care about normally, yet in the race it was like someone had stuck weights on my ankles. I just slowed badly. I tried to respond and put in a couple of decent miles but with 3 miles to go I’d need to cover the last 5k in 18:30 to PB. T

No matter how many hours, minutes and seconds the race takes I will not take any of it for granted. My average is someone else’s greatest ever, and my greatest ever is someone else’s average. But regardless of time taken, my experience is what I choose to allow to be. And it will be awesome.

I’d gone into this final peak week eager to crack a strong week out after having been in the USofA for the week before. The plan laid out had a couple of great sessions. A long run with 22k of tempo running, a parkrun shake out and a tempo session with alternating distances and paces.

Despite being away with work I managed to run 83 miles and put in a few honest sessions. That’s all you can ask. Would I have liked to have done more stretching and strength work? Yes, for sure, but I have come out of the week fitter than I entered it. That’s a good week of training I’d say!

Tuesday’s session first. My intention, which I thought long and hard about before going out, was to run the 1k intervals at a faster pacing than I did on Sunday. But… and here’s the kicker, to have a distinct difference between the first 4 intervals and the last 4, and for that to be faster in the last 4. In others, pace canny and finish fast. 

Two miles in I was at 10:40. Just ridiculous and stupid. I was 9:55 for 3k. I’d take that in a 3k. I knew was in a spot of trouble. The often shared Limmy meme “don’t back down, double down” came into place and instead of immediately realigning my effort to ensure a sub 35 10k, I pushed. If Doctor Watson was to write a Sherlock Holmes case about this race it would be called The Case of the Particularly Piss-Poor Pacing.

I started slow-ish but as I warmed up so did my mind and body. By the end I was running my fastest miles and was well under 1:20 for the half. Which for a training run four days after a race, at 0530am, is decent. Especially as I ain’t getting any younger. 

On Monday I was up at 0330 and Thursday was 0345. Work days were long with early starts. So I reckon Monday to Friday I averaged about 5-6 hours sleep a night. However, Paul and I knew going into this week that there would be additional life load.

On Monday I was up at 0330 and Thursday was 0345. Work days were long with early starts. So I reckon Monday to Friday I averaged about 5-6 hours sleep a night. However, Paul and I knew going into this week that there would be additional life load.

Routine is simple. I get up around 0700, do a run and be back between 0900-0930. Showered, breakfast and then down to the pool with an awesome array of slides. Some light stretching at the Bali bed and just relaxing otherwise. 

Routine is simple. I get up around 0700, do a run and be back between 0900-0930. Showered, breakfast and then down to the pool with an awesome array of slides. Some light stretching at the Bali bed and just relaxing otherwise. 

Routine is simple. I get up around 0700, do a run and be back between 0900-0930. Showered, breakfast and then down to the pool with an awesome array of slides. Some light stretching at the Bali bed and just relaxing otherwise. 

Welcome to the new Inside > Out blog by the Pyllon Coaching Team. This is our way of inviting you to have a look under the hood of our thriving coaching team. We are humans first, athletes second, and sometimes that means we have to deal with the same kind of challenges, setbacks, worries, and doubts as everyone else. In this blog we will share some of our own personal journeys as we to strive for  success in both our running and coaching pursuits.

First up is James Stewart (JS) who will journal his way to the Toronto Marathon in October 2023.

Welcome to the new Inside > Out blog by the Pyllon Coaching Team. This is our way of inviting you to have a look under the hood of our thriving coaching team. We are humans first, athletes second, and sometimes that means we have to deal with the same kind of challenges, setbacks, worries, and doubts as everyone else. In this blog we will share some of our own personal journeys as we to strive for  success in both our running and coaching pursuits.

First up is James Stewart (JS) who will journal his way to the Toronto Marathon in October 2023.

Welcome to the new Inside > Out blog by the Pyllon Coaching Team. This is our way of inviting you to have a look under the hood of our thriving coaching team. We are humans first, athletes second, and sometimes that means we have to deal with the same kind of challenges, setbacks, worries, and doubts as everyone else. In this blog we will share some of our own personal journeys as we to strive for  success in both our running and coaching pursuits.

First up is James Stewart (JS) who will journal his way to the Toronto Marathon in October 2023.