I am sitting here not having been out for a run since the ACP last Sunday. I am suffering from a severe case of the DOMS and my left ankle has swollen up to the size of a tennis ball. It looks like it is getting better so I hope to be back running next week.
Thinking about my performance at the ACP, I have now had time to reflect on what I need to do to improve my performance in the 100k World Championships in September, namely:
Strength: I was seriously flagging at the 60k mark and went from 2nd to 6th place.I believe that some of this is due to lack of strength in my legs. I will therefore focus on longer runs at the weekend (around the 5 hr mark on average) as well as spending more time training in the gym with particular focus on calf and ankle strength.
Pace: You live and you learn and one thing that is telling with my running is my lack of control over pace. I usually get carried away and shoot off at the beginning usually paying for it later on in the race. Therefore pacing (with and without GPS) will be a key area I will be focusing on.
Listen to experience: The guys in the Irish team have warned me about trying to race the London Marathon. The LM is in 2 weeks and I have entered the Championship stage. I will use it as a training run rather than race to avoid any tendons going snap. This will be a good test to see if I can control myself and not get carried away with myself...
What Next? I am hoping I will be selected to represent Ireland in the World Trail Championships in July in Connemara, Ireland. Home advantage! I am looking forward to getting my Talons back on and hitting the trail as trail running is really my thing. The more technical the trail is, the better.
I have entered the Brecon Beacons Ultra in May which is a 40 miler around the Brecons which will prove to be a good practice race for the Worlds. In addition I will spending a lot of my time at the weekends around the South Downs focusing on hill training and technical running, perhaps throwing in a couple of trail marathon /ultras to provide a little variety in the training. If anyone knows of some good trail marathons / ultras in June please let me know.
In short, my training will essentially be trail up until July (should I be selected for the Worlds) and then I will hit the roads to prepare for the World 100k in September. After this, I hope to get back on the trail to prepare for the Nepal 100k.
Well that's my plan anyway!
Thinking about my performance at the ACP, I have now had time to reflect on what I need to do to improve my performance in the 100k World Championships in September, namely:
Strength: I was seriously flagging at the 60k mark and went from 2nd to 6th place.I believe that some of this is due to lack of strength in my legs. I will therefore focus on longer runs at the weekend (around the 5 hr mark on average) as well as spending more time training in the gym with particular focus on calf and ankle strength.
Pace: You live and you learn and one thing that is telling with my running is my lack of control over pace. I usually get carried away and shoot off at the beginning usually paying for it later on in the race. Therefore pacing (with and without GPS) will be a key area I will be focusing on.
Listen to experience: The guys in the Irish team have warned me about trying to race the London Marathon. The LM is in 2 weeks and I have entered the Championship stage. I will use it as a training run rather than race to avoid any tendons going snap. This will be a good test to see if I can control myself and not get carried away with myself...
What Next? I am hoping I will be selected to represent Ireland in the World Trail Championships in July in Connemara, Ireland. Home advantage! I am looking forward to getting my Talons back on and hitting the trail as trail running is really my thing. The more technical the trail is, the better.
I have entered the Brecon Beacons Ultra in May which is a 40 miler around the Brecons which will prove to be a good practice race for the Worlds. In addition I will spending a lot of my time at the weekends around the South Downs focusing on hill training and technical running, perhaps throwing in a couple of trail marathon /ultras to provide a little variety in the training. If anyone knows of some good trail marathons / ultras in June please let me know.
In short, my training will essentially be trail up until July (should I be selected for the Worlds) and then I will hit the roads to prepare for the World 100k in September. After this, I hope to get back on the trail to prepare for the Nepal 100k.
Well that's my plan anyway!
