14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 11, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Thirty-second Session: Week 11 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 8
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Managed to go out for a 15km recovery run on Monday (a day after the 18km MP run). The legs actually felt better after the run, so something I may start to incorporate more of, but a shorter version. I'm also walking more with the kids as a form of recovery and enjoying the glimpses of sunshine in a very wet period; managed to take a funny picture with my daughter whilst she was on my shoulders (and showing off her guns).

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 8
Another wet track, although not as wet as last week, but enough to have the socks and shoes drenched and squishy by the end of the session. During warm up, the calves did not feel good. But I kept at it and employed a range of dynamic stretches, short strides, and a warm up jog (1.6km). I was still sitting on the fence whether or not to do the session, but after seeing all the other athletes and team mates on the track, I decided to give it a go. I led out the first 800m cautiously, and the calves seemed to hold up during the 3:00mins interval. As the sets rolled on, my confidence grew and by the time the last lap came around I was over the moon (even spitting out some trash talking to my training partner's delight). All of us managed to hit pace targets consistently and lap times were very close this week (+/- 2 seconds of 3:00mins).

During the 8 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 149 bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 172 bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 125bpm, 2: 137bpm, 3: 136bpm,  4: 138bpm, 5: 138bpm, 6: 138bpm, 7: 140bpm, 8: 137bpm
Cadence: 179 (but includes 1.6km of warm up)

Session Analysis / Review:
(26/42 sessions completed): 62%,  (2/42 sessions failed): 5%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (32/42): 77%

Heart rate recovery was better this week compared to last week, dropping faster after 1min of rest. This is good news considering how muggy it was. The cadence and heart rate zone data is misleading (this week) as it includes the 1.6km warm up (I forget to reset the watch before the start of the Yasso 800m). Note: I managed to crop the file to obtain the HR average, but after cropping the file in Strava and importing back to Garmin, I lost the cadence and HR zone data. Legs feel good, no limping or tightness to report. Time to fuel up for tomorrow's long easy run. I'm going to make a few slight modifications to the next few training sessions to better prep my legs for the upcoming marathon.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 10, Session 3: Long Run + MP (Session MODIFIED)

Thirtieth session: Week 10, Session 3: Easy Run 1:50hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP) - SESSION MODIFIED
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Update on my stolen shoes: I found this notice in my lift lobby of my apartment block in the evening. I'm glad to know it's a "community" thief, rather than a stalker who has a thing for my stinky feet. Anyways I bought a new pair of replacement shoes for my long runs as I believe the flatter (lower drop) shoes that I used last week (which are normally used for track) could also be another cause of my calf pain. The difference in drop between the two shoes is probably only 2 - 3mm, but enough to change running form.

Long Easy Run

The training plan required an easy run for 1:50hrs, plus an additional 40mins at Marathon Pace. But I decided to modify the training plan slightly for this session. This session's total duration is 2:30hrs, so I decided to run long and easy for that duration (and exclude the 9.6km MP portion). The reason: To make up for the failed 19.3km MP run last Sunday, I will try for a longer MP run (25km) at 4:20min/km pace this Sunday (in preparation for the Sundown Marathon in 4 weeks). So by excluding the MP run this session, I'm saving my legs for a big MP run next session. [Note: Although the target is to go under 3 hours for the Melbourne Marathon in October, I don't think a 4:09min/km pace is achievable just yet in Singapore (with the heat and humidity), hence the revised target pace of 4:20min/km].
My training partner and I started the run together, but unfortunately he had to stop about 40mins into the run due to a pain in his right leg (he suspects it's the tendon between the knee and quads). I continued on, and after 2:25hrs, this run ended up being the the longest run I've ever done on my own. It's incredibly boring to do a long run on your own, but even harder with no music. At least that's locked away in the mental (I can do it) bank; covering 25kms, and averaging 5:45min/km pace. No gels used, and hydration was 500ml of water and 500ml of 100 plus.

During the 25.0km run:
Average Heart Rate: 121bpm
Max Heart Rate: 143bpm
Cadence: 178

Session Analysis / Review:

Session was very comfortable, just boring. Legs started to tighten up on the return home from the Singapore Flyer, approx 1:30hrs into the run. At least it was something to think about and manage during the run. Interestingly, where the legs started to ache, that's where my heart rate also picked up. Looking at the HR zones, the time spent in Zone 1 and 2 doesn't add up to 100%. Garmin provided a note to say that this is due to my heart rate being below Zone 1 for some of the run. Maybe they should consider a Zone 0 for completeness. In summary, it was great to go out for a really long easy run, nice to be able to test out the shoes and even better that I had no limp after the run.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:

(24/42 sessions completed): 57%,  (2/42 sessions failed): 5%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (30/42): 72%
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, kept it under Zone 2 which is perfect for a long run and base building.
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: The long run was a good test for the new shoes, and they passed. No pain coming from the leg muscles, which is great as a lead up to Sunday's MP run. Some fatigue in the legs, but that's expected after a long run. 

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 8, Session 1: MP Run

Twenty-second session: Week 8 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 16.1 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Morning beach outing at Sentosa

The rest of my family are now in Singapore, after a whirlwind trip from Melbourne to Johor Bahru within a matter of days. We decided to combine my Saturday morning run workout with a family trip to the beach, so everyone woke up nice and early and headed to Sentosa. Whilst my family hit the sand to relax, I met up with my two running partners and we began our warm up run (approx 1km). Immediately, I could feel tightness in my hamstring and my calves. The reason was quite obvious; not enough recovery time between runs, as the last workout was a monster 2:40hrs session and that ended on Thursday evening (34hrs since that last run). Nonetheless, I decided to continue and see what I could pull out. After the warm up, my legs felt better, so we reset our watches and off we went. Unfortunately, less than 2mins into the run, I grimaced in pain as I felt a sharp cramping sensation in my left thigh (quadriceps). I immediately slowed down for a minute or so, and tried to jog it off. I was shocked to have a cramp in my thighs considering I felt soreness only in the hamstring and calves. However, using the slow jog to think about it, I believe the reason was because of overcompensation. I was worried about straining my hamstrings, so I must have been overcompensating with the quads to try and alleviate the hamstring muscles. I continued to take it easy and jog for another 20mins to loosen up the muscles and rethink about how I'll complete this session. Although my left quad left better, instead of taking another shot on the same day, I decided to give myself another day of rest and attack the session tomorrow morning. I headed towards the beach to find the kids and spent the rest of the morning getting wet and sandy (and licking my wounds).

Failed attempt at Marathon Pace for 16.1kms at Sentosa

Main Set: 16.1kms in 01:06:40hrs (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

Sunday morning, second attempt; I decided to use the Tiong Bahru Park Loop (used on my first 4.8km MP run) as it's nearby, and quieter on the weekend mornings. This meant just over 12 loops of the park. With a very short warm up (a few hundred metres), I decided to just get on with it. The first few kms are always the toughest as the body warms up (I was clocking 4:15 and 4:11min/km pace in the first 2 kms respectively) and was behind the intended goal pace. I didn't panic, just slowly worked into a rhythm and over the next 10kms, was averaging 4:06min/km pace. It was a great confidence booster to see the watch click over every km and displaying my pace under 4:09min/km. For this session, I made a conscious effort not to look at the watch until the km markers to assess the average pace, which worked out really well. The remaining 4kms were ran at around 4:09min/km pace, but in total for the 16.1km session, the final run time was 1:06:18hrs, averaging a pace of 4:07min/km. I was ecstatic. A tick in the box after a failed attempt the day before.

During the 16.1km run:
Average Heart Rate: 160bpm
Max Heart Rate: 169bpm
Average Cadence: 190

Session Analysis / Review:

I'm very happy with this result. I wasn't sure where the legs were at, and the course is not ideal for a long run (12 mind numbing loops with corners), but the key difference, and the one thing I would attribute this sessions success to, was my mental strength. I was able to constantly talk to myself, and reminding myself why I'm doing this, and in doing so, continue to "eat the pain" during the run. I'm hoping I can rely on it for 42kms. I'm also noticing that my cadence is still increasing week on week for marathon pace runs; in the first half of this run, it looks like it stays above 190, before it starts to drop to sitting above 185, presumably due to fatigue. Hydration wise, I used one small bottle of Pocari Sweat and no gels (unintentionally left it at home), which was not enough as I finished the bottle with about 3.5kms remaining.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(21/42 sessions completed): 50%,  (1/42 sessions missed): 2%,  Total Plan (22/42): 52%
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, and a two seconds quicker on the overall average pace. I'm also happy I managed to hold the pace on this route as it's a "slower" route due to the corners and slightly higher total elevation compared to the other routes I use.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: Seeing more green! 34% in the green Zone 3.
3. How well am I recovering: Definitely sore after the session, and after a shower, the recovery compression pants went on and legs were elevated.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 7, Session 3: Long Run + MP

Twenty-first Session: Week 7 Session 3: Easy Run 2:00hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Unfortunately I had to attend to a family emergency in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Wednesday. I stayed overnight and returned just before dinner time on Thursday. Just in time to put on my run gear, and head out the door to meet my training buddy.  

Long Easy Run for 2:00hrs
Given the hamstring soreness, the last minute travel and stress of the family emergency I wasn't sure what to expect for this run. I told my training buddy that I would prefer to use the treadmill for the MP portion just in case I couldn't complete the hard part of this session. The long easy run took us from Tiong Bahru along the river to the Kallang Stadium, then around the back towards Gardens by The Bay East, passing the Flower Domes, crossing over the Helix bridge and back to Tiong Bahru. The route was a perfect 2 hours, covering 20.3km, averaging just over 6:00min/km pace. I was surprised my legs survived the 2hours without any tightness or complaints. I also made sure to take on nutrition, one gel at the 1hour mark so that I'm practising my nutrition strategy.

Marathon Pace Portion: 9.6km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 40:00mins)  

Straight onto the treadmill from the 2hr run, we set the speed on 14.5km/hr (4:09min/km pace) and 1% grade. I was not confident in finishing this portion, but wanted to give it a good go. My training buddy had found last week's treadmill session easier than mine, so he was happy to swap treadmills with me for luck. The first few kms started without any issues. Both of us were talking, taking our gels at the 1mile mark, and drinking regularly (the luxuries of being on a treadmill). At the 4mile mark (6.4km) my training buddy decided to call it quits to save his legs. Earlier in the week, he had run an extra 20km in addition to the training plan, and we believe the fatigue was still in his legs. Or it could have been the treadmill, as I was on a roll. I managed to finish the MP portion on 40:00mins with only one small stop due to the treadmill automatically shutting down at the 30min mark (which you can see in the HR data, a sudden drop in my HR). My legs were tired, but definitely not as tight as last week after completing the set.

During the 9.6km run:
Average Heart Rate: 160bpm
Max Heart Rate: 167bpm
Cadence: 189

Session Analysis / Review:

Was very surprised I managed to pull of this session given everything leading up to it. Skipping the Tuesday Yasso 800m session had definitely helped the recovery process, and also having a running partner definitely helps make this 2:40hr monster session pass so much faster. Nutrition and hydration was on point, and I think that helped with the positive outcome.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(20/42 sessions completed): 47%,  (1/42 sessions missed): 2%,  Total Plan (21/42): 50%

1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes for the MP portion.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but my Zone data shows that I'm operating 61% in Zone 3 which is great news.
3. How well am I recovering: Skipping the previous Yasso 800m session paid off with no issues on this run. Will need to work recovering well as the next session is on Saturday morning.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 7, Session 2: Yasso 800m - SESSION SKIPPED

Twentieth Session: Week 7 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 8 (Skipped due to injury)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Unfortunately I was still sore and tight from Sunday's MP run, so I reluctantly decided to skip Tuesday's track session. Although the hamstring felt better, it was definitely not 100% as I could feel it tighten during simple day to day activities with the kids. I don't like the thought of missing scheduled training plan workouts, but I know it's necessary so that I can recover properly before trying to hit the next workout, otherwise it could mean more serious damage and more time off. I kept repeating to myself, "train hard, recover harder", to make sure I stay rested. However, always itching to do something, I decided to walk a little more to get the blood back into the legs as a light recovery exercise, (and a little strength training as I strapped my 9kg toddler to my chest) and walked to Lau Pa Sat hawker market. At the end of the day I logged 19K steps, a small consolation prize especially after seeing my Strava feed flood with mates completing their Yasso 800m sessions.

So today, Wednesday 1st Feb, I decided to head out before sunrise to test out the legs with an easy run (with no time or duration in mind). If rising out of bed was hard, the first 200metres was even harder, only managing a drunken plod. Things improved only slightly, and overall managed to jog 8.5km in 57mins, averaging 6:39min/km before I gave up and headed to the local coffee shop, frustrated. My legs are still resisting any work and are screaming for another day off, so I'll respect that. One more day off, and I'll throttle them on Thursday for 2:40hrs (pending no scheduling issues).

During the 8.5km run:

Average Heart Rate: 101bpm

Max Heart Rate: 134bpm
Cadence: 181

Progress Stats:
(19 / 42 sessions completed): 45%,  (1 / 42 sessions missed): 2%, Total Plan: 47%

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 6, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Eighteenth Session: Week 6 Session 3: Easy Run 1:50hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

My Dad's in town for Chinese New Year, so that only means one thing, LOTS of eating! Living in Melbourne he misses the local Singaporean / Malaysian delights, so every meal is an opportunity to catch up for lost time (and calories). Also a great opportunity for me to test my self control. Well, sort of.

Couldn't be happier with their mango and durian dessert

Long Easy Run for 1:50hrs
Nothing really to report from the long easy run. We clocked 18.7kms in 1:53hrs, averaging 6:04min/km pace. Run felt comfortable until I stopped at the end to pick up drinks in preparation for the Marathon Pace portion. I felt both my legs tighten up in the transition period but nothing to be concerned about. To change things up a bit, we decided to run the MP portion on the treadmill. We spent a few minutes on the treadmill to get the legs turning over, but during the restart, I felt my left hamstring pull hard enough that I had to get off to try and stretch it out. This was my first injury scare of this training plan, and at this point, was worried if I would be able to make it through the session.

Marathon Pace Portion: 9.6km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 40:00mins)  

After a few minutes stretching, I decided to jump back on the treadmill and see how far I could progress. After setting the treadmill to 14.5km/hr at 1% grade, it took about 30 seconds before I was hitting full strides at marathon goal race pace. Immediately I could feel my running form feel very different (more laboured) to when I'm running on the road. My Garmin watch wasn't able to pick up the speed correctly, jumping around throughout the 40mins, so I'm not convinced the other recorded data is correct either (as I was looking through cadence, and stride length data to see if I could find what made my running feel different, but couldn't find anything obvious). But from a perceived exertion perspective, running on a treadmill at marathon pace is hard, and can easily say this was my toughest session to date. I managed to finish the 40mins at MP, but it took everything mentally and physically (especially the tight hamstring) to get the job done. But, this made the tick in this session's box so much more rewarding.

During the 9.6km run:
Average Heart Rate: 158bpm

Max Heart Rate: 172bpm
Cadence: 186

Session Analysis / Review:

The bad news is that this session was really hard on the legs. The extra 10mins in the easy long jog and the extra mile at MP really hurt my legs. During the MP set, it was tough to get them going initially, and to finish strong with them. The good news is that the average and max heart rate data are identical to last week's session even though the session is a mile longer. So the message from this session is that whilst I'm coping cardio wise, there's still more work required to improve the muscular endurance in my legs. In terms of using the treadmill, the results can vary. My training partner was flying on the treadmill, talking, drinking and feeling bored. Myself, on the other hand, had to summon every positive cell in my body to get through this. However, the positive take away for anyone attempting to use a treadmill for these sets is that its weather independent (no excuses) and everything is on hand when needed, so it removes the hassle and logistics around nutrition and drinking.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 18 / 42 sessions completed ( 43% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes for the MP portion, and also I'm glad the MP distance doesn't increase anymore, as it plateaus at 9.6km after the long run for another 7 sessions.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, and this week showed 3mins in Zone 5 which is not good news. Luckily I'm not racing on the treadmill, as I think this is the reason for the slight increase into HR Zone 5 this week.
3. How well am I recovering: Very sore in the glutes, and hamstrings. Luckily the next run session is not until Sunday so that's 3 days of rest.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 6, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Seventeenth Session: Week 6 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 7
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

I celebrated my son's first birthday over the weekend, at Punggol SAFRA indoor water park. Time really does fly, as just days before his birthday he started to take his first unassisted steps. And he's building his confidence everyday, as he's almost making it all the way across the living room without falling over. Very soon he'll be playing catch with his older sister, and then running the Yasso 800m with his Dad :)

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 7
After a few days of heavy rain, the track was a little soggy, and that visibly reduced the numbers of runners at the track. A less congested track is great for us, and my Garmin recorded 25degrees for this session, so it was a nice cool change for those that made it out. We had a good team turnout on track today, and there were no dramas finishing the required 7 x 800m. The only difference to the plan was that the recovery laps were actually run faster than 3:00mins, averaging around 2:45mins for the 400m. No complaints or issues from the group on this. The rotation of runners to lead each 800m is definitely a great formula to make the session feel shorter and more enjoyable. Definitely no competition or faster paced 800m this session, and I think that was due to the fact we knew the long easy run followed by MP kick session will happen tomorrow (moved from Thursday due to scheduling conflicts).

During the 7 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 146 bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 170 bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 123bpm, 2: 130bpm, 3: 129bpm,  4: 137bpm, 5: 140bpm, 6: 137bpm, 7: 132bpm
Cadence: 184

Session Analysis / Review: (17 / 42 sessions completed): 40%

Heart rate data (and HR zones) are virtually identical to last week's session, but the important take away is that each week this session increases by 1.2kms, so factoring cardiac drift (heart rate steadily increases the longer you exercise), this is good news as the average HR is still staying the same, rather than increasing. The other noticeable difference is average cadence for the session at 184, compared to 177 and 175 for the last two weeks prior. This is the same trend across other sessions (MP run and long run with MP kick), so happy to report that cadence is increasing consistently across all sessions, translating to better running efficiency, especially taking into consideration the HR data.

14week Marathon Training: Week 6, Session 1: MP Run

Sixteenth session: Week 6 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 13.0 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Car-free Sunday today, so we decided to use the 5km loop of closed roads within the Singapore city for our marathon pace session. The car-free Sunday initiative has been running since last year, and attracts cyclists, rollerbladers, runners and alike to descend into the city and enjoy the urban route through the heart of the city and onto part of the Singapore Formula 1 circuit.

Main Set: 13.0kms in 53:20mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

With the music blasting and activities in the Padang area, we decided to start in front of the Old Supreme Court Building and move clockwise around the car-free Sunday loop. As you can see from the GPS tracking above, the Padang area was able to track us accurately, but once we entered the CBD area that's littered with high rise buildings, our GPS struggled to pinpoint our location. That's where we noticed jumps in our pace data on our watches, and so I decided to disregard the watch altogether and run based on "feel". Easier said than done as we become so reliant on our GPS data. So today was a good session to forget technology and try and run based on what I thought was 4:09min/km pace. As I couldn't trust the GPS pace data, and therefore the distance, I decided to run the required 53mins so that at least I had the required duration in my legs. With cyclists and runners all over the course loop, it was quite motivating when I could feel my legs start to tighten up and feel heavy. It took two laps of the entire course and two separate laps of the Padang to clock 53mins (as I didn't want to finish at the Tanjong Pagar end). 

During the 13.0km run:
Average Heart Rate: 153bpm
Max Heart Rate: 168bpm
Average Cadence: 186

Session Analysis / Review:

Another tough session as the legs had some residual tightness from the long Friday evening session. Also not having the GPS data made it hard to know if you're hitting the targets, but I used it as an opportunity to focus on cadence and form instead. You can see from the diagram above the difference in the second half of the run where cadence data starts to move slightly upwards and plateau. As I get tired, I tend to make a conscious effort to think about my cadence and efficiency. Heart rate data was a nice surprise, with a big increase in Zone 3 and reduced effort in Zone 4. Interestingly, my resting heart rate this morning (immediately upon waking up) was 38bpm. It's the lowest I've ever recorded and could mean I'm getting fitter as a result of this training. If only my legs would also say that.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 16 / 42 sessions completed (38%)
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Not sure, as the GPS was bouncing around between the buildings, so ran to 53mins at what I thought was 4:09min/km pace.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but a dramatic decrease in Zone 4 for this session, down 29%! This is encouraging, but I want to check this against next week's session as I may not have been  case running at 4:09min/km pace (as I was running without accurate GPS, and based on feel, which could have been slower)
3. How well am I recovering: I felt my hamstring and calves were tight during the warm up, which led to tightness at the back of my legs midway through the run. I'll need to focus a lot more on stretching and foaming over the next few days.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 5, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Fifteenth Session: Week 5 Session 3: Easy Run 1:50hrs + 8.0 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Long Easy Run for 1:50hrs
My training buddy and I agreed to move this run to Friday so that we could do this session together, but that meant he would go straight from a zero degree climate, into a 17hour flight, and then straight into running in 30degrees heat (and humidity). Great if you want to sleep well that night, but in hindsight, probably not the best idea for a 2:30hrs non-stop running session. We ran a slower overall pace of 6:17min/km along the river towards the Kallang stadium, and after 1:50hrs (17.60kms) we ended up at the start of East Coast Park near Fort road. My training buddy was in good spirits, but 10mins prior to finishing the long easy jog, I felt my energy drain quite suddenly. I quickly took an energy gel (26g) to try and recover and complete the session without "hitting the wall". At this point, I was a little worried about having enough energy to finish, but I stayed positive and said to myself, "it's only 30mins of hard work left".

On route to the Kallang Stadium

Marathon Pace Portion: 8.0km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 33:20mins)  

My training buddy started like a rabbit out of the gate, and I was easily 10metres behind by the first few hundred metres. The sugars in the gel hadn't quite had time to absorb so I was trying to hang on with everything I had. Unfortunately, his shoelaces came undone in the second kilometre which upset our MP rhythm a little, and as a result we had a split of 4:20min/km during that kilometre. We recovered to marathon pace, and by this time I felt the sugars kick in, so I was feeling a whole lot better. But then around the 3.5km mark, I heard my mate yell out, "go, keep going" as he was fading and couldn't hold the pace any longer. It was disheartening to know we wouldn't finish together, but I knew he was suffering the effects of a long flight (dehydration, and lack of sleep) and also the sudden weather change. I charged ahead and just kept counting down the kilometres until it was over. I was just trying to hang on, as my legs were definitely feeling very heavy.

During the 8.0km run:
Average Heart Rate: 158bpm

Max Heart Rate: 173bpm
Cadence: 187

Session Analysis / Review:

The bad news is that this session was really hard on the legs. The extra 10mins in the easy long jog with the extra mile at marathon pace really hurt the legs, and was tough to get them going initially, and to finish strong with them. The good news is that the average and max heart rate data are identical to last week's session even though the session is a mile longer. I've also noticed an increase in my cadence during marathon goal pace runs. Combining this with heart rate data, this leads me to the following conclusion: whilst maintaining marathon pace, I'm able to save my legs from striding out to far (reducing muscle fatigue and injuries), at no cost to my cardiovascular system (heart / lungs engine). In a concise summary, I'm getting more efficient.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 15 / 42 sessions completed ( 36% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes I think so, if I take away the time that was lost slowing down for u-turns (going back in the direction of my training buddy so we could head home together) and his shoelace incident. The overall pace of 4:12min/km is close though. I'm also glad that next week's session will be at the maximum mileage at 9.7km at marathon pace (for these long run + MP run sessions) as I feel I'm very close to my limit in terms of muscular endurance in the legs.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but this is the second session where I've started to see a decrease in percentage time spent in Zone 4. This week, it's dropped 4% from Zone 4. This along with the increase cadence is something positive I can take away from this tough session.
3. How well am I recovering: A little sore in the glutes (butt), hamstrings, and calves. Will need to manage this carefully as I only have one day rest before the next session.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 5, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Fourteenth Session: Week 5 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 6

Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

For the rest day yesterday, I decided to buy a kids seat for my single speed bicycle and take my daughter out for a cruise. After setting it all up, her eyes lit up when I asked if she wanted to come for a ride, as she's probably been wondering where I go when I take the bicycle out of the house. Initially she was a little apprehensive and asked me to slow down, but very quickly it was all giggles and "go faster daddy". That made me smile from ear to ear. The funniest thing was after hitting one speed bump, she wanted more, so I had to find stretches of road that had them (which is not hard to find in Singapore). Before we arrived home she said to me, "daddy, don't take out this chair, okay?". That was absolutely priceless. Definitely planning on more rides with the little ones, especially with the Car Free Sunday event in the city this weekend.

Based on last week's success with cycling rather than running to the track (to keep the legs fresher for the long runs), I also tried experimenting with a moderate session on the indoor bike trainer just before the track session. I managed to squeeze in a 20min x 2 @ 85% (200watts) of my FTP (Functional Threshold Power) followed by a 35min leisurely ride to the Kallang track.

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 6
The biggest concern for today was I wasn't sure how my legs would respond after all the cycling prior to this session. We had a good turnout on track, and the four of us took it in turns to lead out at goal 3:45min/km pace, and it was all spot on. Straightforward, we got the job done with all timing targets achieved, and earning us another tick in the box. Track work is definitely easier when you're with a good group of people, otherwise it is very boring.

During the 6 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 145bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 172bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 116bpm, 2: 127bpm, 3: 136bpm,  4: 132bpm, 5: 151bpm, 6: 135bpm
Cadence: 177

Session Analysis / Review: (14 / 42 sessions completed): 33%

The multiple cycling sessions prior to this session had no impact on the legs and their ability to cope with the speed sets. Mind you, of the three bike sessions prior, two were very easy and one was a moderate session. I will continue to experiment (cautiously) by increasing the intensity of the bike sessions, and monitor accordingly. I'll have to keep reminding myself the main short term goal is a sub 3 hour marathon and by stretching myself on the bike I would compromise my running goal. Heart rate average and max numbers are similar to last week, but the heart rate zones for this week shows 2% points reduction in zone 4; a welcome reduction even though it's only 2%. Everyone agreed these session are feeling easier each week, even though we are adding another 800m repeat each week. My guess is that our legs and body are being accustomed to the 3:45min/km pace.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 5, Session 1: MP Run

Thirteenth session: Week 5 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 11.3 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Yesterday I went on another "easy 65km Kranji Loop" group ride, averaging 137watts or the equivalent of a power zone 2 ride. My cycling buddy is training for the Tour de Bintan bike race, so he sat at the front the whole time working hard to set a quick tempo (average 34km/hr for 65kms), whilst I enjoyed a nice draft (sitting directly behind his rear wheel) and took it easy all the way. He didn't have his power meter for this ride, but would have been an interesting comparison, as some experts say you save up to 30% of your energy (power) by drafting.

Main Set: 11.3kms in 46:40mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

I had a busy day planned, so I wanted to smash this run out first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, to save time on travelling, I had to use the same "slow" route what I used for Week 1, Session 1 as it's close to home. Although I wanted to run another negative split strategy based on the success of the previous session, that didn't happen. I always run out too hard at the start on this course (old habits die hard) and that resulted in my pace slowing slightly towards the end of the run. I was still able to hit the target 11.3kms in 46:20mins, but it was a tough run. Running this loop nine times is not only boring, but having to slow down and then accelerate out of the corners isn't helpful to maintaining goal marathon pace. Added to that were two noticeable spikes in my heart rate for this session.

Heart rate spike No.1: 180bpm at the 6.8km mark, I had a near collision with another jogger coming from the opposite direction as he ran in front of me at the last moment whilst trying to text on not one, but two phones. Maybe he needed to activate his Garmin, Training Peaks, Strava, Instragram, and Facebook all at the same time. And the narrow pedestrian footpaths along this running route weren't helpful either.

Heart rate spike No.2 to 176bpm. Along this 1.3km loop, there is a car park entrance, but is rarely frequented during my runs along this loop. As my luck would have it this morning, a large bus pulled out of the car park blocking the pedestrian footpath at the 7.4km mark, so I had to quickly find an alternative route through the grassy patch and behind the bus. This was not a near accident, but I guess the stress of having to find another route quickly without upsetting the marathon pace caused my heart rate to spike.

During the 11.3km run:
Average Heart Rate: 159bpm
Max Heart Rate: 181bpm
Average Cadence: 189

Session Analysis / Review:

Definitely not a preferred running route as it doesn't allow me to focus on my goal marathon pace, breathing and running form. I did make a conscious effort to work on my cadence, and that resulted in a higher average for this session at 189 (previous MP session cadence was at 182). Also the choice of running route and the positive split (first half of the run faster than the second half), made the run feel harder than last week's MP run. But, when I compare this session to the first MP session (on 18th Dec 2016) where I used the same route, I can definitely feel the difference in my running strength and fitness, as I now have the confidence and the ability to hold the pace over more than double the initial distance. Also no issues with the hamstrings this session, so that's a bonus. Hydration wise, I used one 250ml hand held bottle and that was just enough for this run (luckily it was first thing in the morning before it really starts to heat up).

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 13 / 42 sessions completed (31%)
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, but the pace was quite erratic. Could have done another mile, but would not have been pleasant.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but the average HR was the same as last week's session, only difference was the max heart rate as explained above.
3. How well am I recovering: Legs feel good. The easy bike rides are helping recovery for the legs, so may even try and sneak in a session on the bike later tonight.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 4, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Twelfth Session: Week 4 Session 3: Easy Run 1:40hrs + 6.4 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Long Easy Run for 1:40hrs
I had a friend visit from Hong Kong this week, so this session's long run was a perfect opportunity to show him around the Singapore City Centre. The easy run took us 16.5km in 1:40hrs, with an average pace of 6:04min/km. Looking at the heart rate data, majority was in Zone 2 (average HR 113bpm), and by the end of the run the legs were feeling good, rather than heavy. The reduced mileage (no 10km warm up run to the Kallang track) and reluctantly staying off the bike before this session are likely to be the key reasons for the freshness. But, it could also be possible that my legs are adapting to the training volume, which is great news.

On top of the magnificent Benjamin Sheares Bridge

Marathon Pace Portion: 6.4km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 26:40mins)  

I timed the finish of the long easy run to start at my usual trusted Marathon Pace route; Marina Promontory to Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay East, return. I also decided to start the Marathon Pace run just slightly over goal pace at 4:13min/km. Usually my MP runs start off too fast, under 4:00min/km in the first kilometre, so I decided to try a negative split strategy to see if it would a difference. Note: Negative splitting is a pacing strategy that involves beginning with a slower pace, and gradually speeding up so that the second half of the run is faster than the first half. In beautiful evening conditions, I finished the run in 26:43mins for 6.41kms, right on target and receiving another tick in the box for a completed session. The only issue I faced during the run was my hamstring started to tighten a little towards the end, but nothing serious, just more work required on stretching.

During the 6.4km run:
Average Heart Rate: 158bpm

Max Heart Rate: 166bpm
Cadence: 184

Session Analysis / Review:

I made two changes to this MP run; 1) mental preparation and 2) applying a negative split strategy. I have to say both of these made the run feel easier than last week's run. It's still a hard session, but the belief in my ability to complete the run at goal pace coupled with a strategy that helps you build into the goal pace makes it a lot more manageable. This session was a massive confidence booster going into week 5 of the training plan.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 12 / 42 sessions completed ( 29% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, although starting a little slower in the beginning, I was able to ease into goal pace and also accelerate at the end (4:05min/km) to make up for time lost and hit the target time for the MP run.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No. My average and max heart rates were marginally lower in this session compared to last week's set, and possibly due to the negative split pacing.
3. How well am I recovering: So far so good, but will work on my hamstrings and calves a little more during foam rolling and stretching sessions.

14week Marathon Training: Week 4, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Eleventh Session: Week 4 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 5
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Instead of the usual easy 10km jog to the Kallang track, a few of us decided to ride. As the mileage is starting to pile on, I thought it would be wise to give the legs a break from the constant pounding on the road (note: the extra 10km warm up to the track is not part of the training plan) in the hope it'll pay off in leg freshness for Thursday's long run. It was also a good opportunity to take my silver fixie bike out for a cruise after a long hiatus.

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 5
"Comfortably hard", and straightforward are probably the words that describe this session. I'm always confident that I'll come away with the tick in the box for these sets, and that gives me a little spring in the step each time. Training as a group, we're hitting the targets spot on, then having a chat and laugh during the 400m recovery. Mind you, I'm not saying this speed session was easy; for 30mins of work, as one of my training mates rightly pointed out, my running top was completely drenched in sweat.

During the 5 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 146bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 167bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 127bpm, 2: 132bpm, 3: 130bpm,  4: 136bpm, 5: 135bpm
Cadence: 180

Session Analysis / Review: (11 / 42 sessions completed): 26%

This session's average and recovery heart rate data is slightly lower than last week's session, and this is definitely due to the even 3:45min/km pace throughout the 800m blocks (no negative splits and friendly competition). The easy 25min bike ride home was a welcome change to sitting in a car straight after a speed session. No injuries, and no soreness at this point. These sessions are a great confidence booster before Thursday's long run with the MP kick. It also needs to be said that the confidence I have going into these sessions (mental preparation) is definitely helping. I'm going to work on that same mental preparation and try to apply that same level of confidence before Thursday's set and see how what happens. 

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 4, Session 1: MP run

Tenth session: Week 4 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 9.7 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Yesterday I went on an "easy 65km Kranji Loop" group ride, with the team. Our small group of four enthusiastic triathletes have only been training a few short years together, but the team has definitely helped shape the competitor I am today. Our team remains nameless, but not due to lack of trying, as we even have a dedicated WhatsApp group chat for brainstorming one. The suggestions so far have been more funny than fitting, "TriLah", "DADS" which stands for our four nationalities (Danish / Australian / Dutch / Singaporean), and even "GOAT" was thrown in at one stage, which stands for Greatest Of All Time (accompanying a picture of a Silverback Gorilla). Maybe getting too ahead of ourselves but funny nonetheless, but the search continues. I digress. It was our first ride for 2017, and was nice to be back on the road, on the TT bike, in the early hours of the morning. Power data also supported this ride as "easy", showing 124watts as the average over 2:16hours and a perfect way to loosen up the legs from all the marathon training so far.

Mandatory coffee stop at the end of each ride (Tiong Bahru)

Main Set: 9.7kms in 40:00mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

Fresh legs, an evening (6pm) start, a beautiful wide running route through Gardens by the Bay, Marina Barrage to the National Stadium and back, and the promise of a cold beer and pancakes were all key ingredients to the success of today's run. Running with my training buddy for this session, we quickly set into marathon goal pace and held it pretty much all the way. The only slight drop in pace was when we starting talking about our triathlon bike fits, where we lost focus on the pace and slowed down so we could get full sentences in. Looking at the heart rate data below, you can definitely see this happening as there is a dip in my heart rate just past the half way point (25:00min mark). We were quick to spot the slowing pace and picked it up again with no issues. So at this stage of the training plan, keeping our goal pace of 4:09min/km is still not natural, and requires constant focus and glances at our watches. Accelerating to goal pace doesn't seem to be an issue, its the body and legs being able to hold it without "thinking". That's definitely supported by the heart rate data that shows my heart rate in Zone 4 for the majority of the session.

During the 9.7km run:
Average Heart Rate: 159bpm
Max Heart Rate: 172bpm
Average Cadence: 182

Session Analysis / Review:

Beer and banana pancakes with nutella should be our regular recovery meal after our marathon training sessions. Couldn't be happier with it as we analysed the data on Strava. But on a serious note, I will need to consider and plan my nutrition and fuelling strategy during these sessions carefully. For today's session, no gels and only 250ml of fluid were taken. That will not be enough for subsequent weeks, as the distance for these MP sessions will max out at 19.2kms at week 10.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 10 / 42 sessions completed (24%)
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, and still believe a few miles were left in the legs, which is good news for coming weeks. Nutrition and fuelling will become important as the mileage increases.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, and as I progress through the sessions, I'm forecasting this might not happen until the final weeks of the plan (where tapering happens), and all the training load and work has had an opportunity to "soak" into the body. This is not based on textbooks or on anything scientific, but rather an optimistic wish.
3. How well am I recovering: Great! The easy bike rides are great for the legs and also help maintain the base fitness for cycling.

Why run a marathon in 3 hours?

I was curious about marathon finishing times and what it meant to complete a marathon under 3 hours. So I started searching around on the Internet to get an idea of how this ranks. The first graph I found was one that showed the marathon finishing times based on a percentage of total finishers, for major marathons across 10 million runners. It forms a rough bell curve distribution, so reading it as such, if I achieve my goal of a sub 3 hour marathon, this would put me roughly at the top 2 - 4% of marathon runners. The other interesting thing to note are where runners set their goals. You can see a sharp drop off at the 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 5 hour marks, showing that their marathon goal finish times are rounded to these times and achieved accordingly.

So why choose sub 3 hours as a goal?

To put it into context, the current fastest time for a marathon (world record time) is 2:02:57 hours, set in Berlin 2014 by Dennis Kimetto (Kenya). So this sets the upper limit of human endurance and speed that requires talent, years of dedication, and the highest level of coaching and nutrition to attain it.

The average marathon finishing time globally (in 2014), was 4:13:23 hours (for men) and 4:42:33 (for women). This average also lines up quite well in the graph above being in the centre of the bell curve.

Then we have the qualification time for the Boston Marathon. The table below shows the current time needed to qualify:

I'm within the 35-39 category, so a sub 3 hour marathon should guarantee me a spot at the Boston Marathon. Note: Although 3:10hrs is the qualifying time for my age group, achieving this time will not guarantee a spot as its also based on a limited number of allocations and only the top fastest times submitted will receive a spot. So a faster time will offer a better chance of qualifying.

Lastly, I think the following excerpt from the Bridger Ridge Run webpage (where the 14 week Marathon training plan is from) is a great summary of why I'd like to go under 3 hours:

If I can hit my goal of a sub 3 hour marathon, I'd:

• be considered "darn good marathon runner",
• have a great chance at qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and
• build a solid running foundation for an amazing marathon leg of an Ironman race and one day qualify for Ironman Kona.

Although the first point is for a bit of fun, the other two points are definitely worth the hard work to improve my running and get faster. Bring on the next marathon training session!

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 3, Session 3: Easy Run + MP Run

Ninth Session: Week 3 Session 3: Easy Run 1:40hrs + 4.8km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Long Easy Run for 1:40hrs
We decided to try another route for long session to mix up the scenery. My training buddy mapped out a route along the Alexandra Canal behind Tiong Bahru / Red Hill and down Commonwealth Ave onto the Ulu Pandan Park Connector. The final destination was the Pandan Reservoir where we would run around the perimeter for the 4.8km at Marathon Pace uninterrupted. The easy run took us 17km in 1:40hrs, with an average pace of 5:52min/km. Looking at the heart rate data, majority was in Zone 2 (average HR 117bpm), so exactly where I want it to be for these runs. To be honest, I quite enjoy these easy, conversation filled runs. Mental note for if I ever return to the corporate world; meetings should be done over an easy run.

Marathon Pace Portion: 4.8km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 20:00mins)  

To hit 1:40hrs on the long easy run, we had to run a portion of the reservoir, but that gave us a good idea of what to expect for the marathon goal pace run. The terrain was all gravel, which is a nice change from road surface, perfectly flat with fast corners, but hampered by poor lighting and the occasional fly to the face (and if you were lucky, one in the mouth). Once we hit 1:40hrs, we reset our watches and off we went around the reservoir at speed. This was the first time we've run a marathon pace session in the evening and that definitely helped. We were able to hit MP quite quickly and maintain it for the 4.8kms. The interesting thing was it felt much faster than previous sessions. Maybe it was the gravel or the poor lighting that gave me that impression, but it felt fast and the constant thought of, "how am I going to hold this speed for 42kms" kept playing through my mind. I finished the 4.8km in 20:01, achieving another tick in the box for this session.

During the 4.8km run:
Average Heart Rate: 160bpm

Max Heart Rate: 170bpm
Cadence: 183

Session Analysis / Review:

Firstly, this is the longest timed run I've ever done; 2 hours of constant moving. The legs pulled up fine immediately after the run so feeling confident with the body being able to cope with the increasing mileage each week. Secondly, although the change in scenery was great, running 4:09 min/km pace on a gravel track with limited lighting wasn't ideal. Maybe we'll keep this as a morning running route. And lastly, the 4.8km portion was hard. But I have to keep reminding myself that I was running for 1:40hrs prior to this. It's going to be hard as the legs aren't fresh, and this is where I practise "eating pain" and grow mental toughness.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 9 / 42 sessions completed ( 21% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, and if I continue to focus on recovering properly, looking to next week session, I think next week is achievable.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: This session was almost identical in terms of heart rate data from last week's session. Although majority was in Zone 4, I'm going to take this as a positive considering the extra 16mins of total running time from last week's set.
3. How well am I recovering: Much better as I stayed off the bike before this session. Not ideal for the bike goals, so will need to find a new time on Fri/Sat or Mon for bike training.

14week Marathon Training: Week 3, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Eighth Session: Week 3 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 4
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

I always look forward to the Yasso 800m (speed sets) as its nice to go fast, then follow it up with a nice slow jog recovery lap (also known as active recovery). I did an easy 10km jog to the Kallang track as warm up.

Speed set at Kallang track

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 4
The 4 x 800m set was completed with a bit of friendly competition amongst the training group today. My 800m lap times were 2:56, 2:53, 2:49 and 2:43mins respectively, so the training plan pacing of 3:45min/km was definitely out the window, instead going as fast as 3:14min/km on the last 800m. My training buddy wanted to run negative splits (faster splits every 800m), which we achieved, and I personally quite enjoyed it as it added a little "spice" to the sets. I'm not sure everyone would agree to that last statement, so I think it'll be back to the normal training plan pace of 3:45min/km next week.

During the 4 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 147bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 174bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 125bpm, 2: 132bpm, 3: 140bpm,  4: 141bpm
Cadence: 183

Session Analysis / Review:

Average and recovery heart rate data is around the same as last week's session. Max heart rate is higher this session as we really pushed the last 800m, sending my heart rate up to 174bpm. I am keen to see how high my heart rate can go (Max HR currently at 180) during the Yasso 800m, especially as we get to 10 repetitions. Slightly sore legs after getting out of the taxi, but nothing to worry about as I will spend some time on the foam rollers to massage out the tightness.

14week Marathon Training: Week 3, Session 1: MP Run

Seventh session: Week 3 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 8.1km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Happy New Year! My sister is currently visiting from Melbourne and her birthday also happens to be on New Years Day, so we all made a trip down to Gardens by the Bay first thing in the morning for a day out in the park. We started our day with a breakfast stop at McDonald's, which also happens to be my children's first time at this "restaurant". Anyways judging from her smile, she enjoyed it; but more the surprise toy from the meal than the food (luckily for me as I'm not a big fan of the food). Next stop was the children's playground that has been cleverly built into the gardens (big tree houses with long slides and connecting bridges). Running up and down and around playground with the little girl was the "warm up" before my Marathon Pace run. They had planned to visit the Flower Dome, so whilst they were inside playing tourist, I would quickly smash out the 8.1km run.

Happy New Year with Happy Meals and Happy Faces

Main Set: 8.1kms in 33:20mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

Yesterday I made a big effort on stretching and foam rolling during the rest day. As the previous session was tough, I was a little worried going into today's run, not sure where the legs were at. I was running alone today so I knew pacing would be a bit of an issue, and that showed in the first km, clocking in at 3:57mins. Over the next few kilometres, I spent the time trying to dial into the goal 4:09min/km pace, which I managed to around the 3km mark. From there it was about concentrating on the breathing, the pacing and enjoying the run in the Marina Bay area. Definitely felt the heat and finished the 250ml water bottle I was holding well before the end of the run. Finished the 8.1km in 33:32mins, just slightly over the required time, but still a win for me.

During the 8.1km run:
Average Heart Rate: 157bpm
Max Heart Rate: 168bpm
Average Cadence: 185

Session Analysis / Review:

This session was pretty much straight forward. Still have some work to do on pacing but it's roughly there. Running on fresh legs compared to the previous session was very nice. For me, at this stage of the plan, I can clearly see a difference in the "hardness" of the three sessions each week. Ranked below from hardest to easiest:
1. Long easy run with the marathon pace kick at the end,
2. Marathon pace run,
3. Yasso 800m with 400m rest.

As I'm training for my first marathon, I'm also using this plan to drill and train my mental toughness. The marathon pace run (this session) is very useful to feel the body, and pace at the start of the marathon when you are fresh. In the early stage of the race, its crucial to stay on the pace and not push any harder as you'll pay for it towards the later part of the race. Whilst the long easy run with the MP kick is much harder mentally and physically (at the moment for me), as it replicates the fatigue and heaviness in the legs you will feel from the half way mark until the end of the race. So far this plan is proving to be simple, but deep in its offering (physically and mentally). Side Note: This plan also states it can be used for any goal marathon finish time e.g 3.5hr, 4hr, 4.5hr marathon finishing time. You will just need to adjust the training pace accordingly. I'm currently using this plan to go under 3hours.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 7 / 42 sessions completed.
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, but still too quick at the start, and slowed slightly through the middle of the run. However, thinking forward to next week, I still had enough in the tank and legs for another 1 - 2 miles.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No and this is the third straight session that heart rate levels are trending slightly up comparing to the same types of sessions the week before. I still believe it's due to the holiday period (excess eating, drinking and lack of rest and routine), so am keen to compare this against next week's (Week 4) data.
3. How well am I recovering: Definitely stretched and rolled out the tightness from the previous bike and run sessions. Felt very good on the run today with fresh legs. Post run, legs are feeling good as well.