14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 12, Session 3: Long Run + MP (Session MODIFIED)

Thirty-sixth session: Week 12, Session 3: Easy Run 1:20hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP) - SESSION MODIFIED
Goal: First Marathon (weekend of 18th March instead Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

The race organisers finally released the starting times for the Sundown Singapore race; Marathon at 12:01am and Half Marathon at 1:00am. I knew it would be a late start, but the realisation that I would be racing at that time in the morning really hit home. I was worried, as to date, I have not performed any training sessions at midnight to condition the body. I could just suck it up and try it, but the more pragmatic side of me won over; instead of running the Sundown Marathon, I'm planning a solo run in Sentosa on the weekend of 18th March to wrap up this training plan and run my first Marathon. I'm still determined to complete the marathon distance to understand how this training plan translates to race performance for me.

Although I'm unlikely to participate in the Sundown Marathon race, it still served a purpose. It was a goal. I trained for it, and along with my training partner, we executed a 14 week training program that we thought was challenging, maybe impossible at the time. But we persevered, and have come out the other side confident, fitter and faster.

Long Easy Run

Now in the 12th week of the training plan, it is now reducing in duration very quickly, as a taper towards race day. The long easy run at 1:20hr, went by really fast. The only part of the run that felt "long", was the part I had to justify why I wasn't running the Sundown Marathon to my running mates (as we talked about the newly released race timings). That's the great thing about having training partners (especially competitive Type A ones), they'll hold you accountable. And pulling out of races is a big no-no, unless it's a solid reason like hospitalisation, otherwise you're a "snowflake". But on this occasion, the Sundown Marathon was only going to be a litmus test of this training plan and my legs at the distance. The real goal is Melbourne in October, so I'll save the heroics for then and swallow my pride this time.

During the 14.4km run:
Average Heart Rate: 118 bpm
Max Heart Rate: 145 bpm
Cadence: 184

Session Analysis / Review:

No issues. Short and sweet. Good company, good pace and decided against the Marathon Pace portion (9.6km) as I wanted to look after my legs (reduce the injury risk) for a March 18/19th Marathon run. Average pace 5:45min/km, and heart rate below zone 1 for 99% of the time (which would classify this run as a recovery run).

Success Criteria Checkpoints:

(28/42 sessions completed): 66%,  (4/42 sessions failed): 10%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (36/42): 86%
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: N/A as I did not perform the MP portion of this workout.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: Not applicable for this session as there was no MP portion.
3. How well am I recovering: Legs feeling great but ego took a beating.