Week 4: Training for the Manchester Marathon
Only two months to go.
Published February 16, 2023
So far, balancing training for my first marathon with family responsibilities has been challenging, and week four has been no exception. With the added challenge of the kids being off school for half term, finding time to train has been even more of a challenge than usual.
Despite the obstacles, here’s a log of what I did for training and exercise this week.
Monday: Planned Rest Day and Family Walk
On Monday, I took a planned rest day but stayed active by joining my family for a short walk in the woods. It was a lovely way to spend time with my loved ones, and we all enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
Tuesday: Rest Day
I didn’t have the opportunity to run due to family commitments, so Tuesday was also a rest day.
Wednesday: Treadmill Run and Rowing Machine
I got an early start and headed to the gym. I ran 10 km on the treadmill at an easy pace. Later in the day, I hopped on my rowing machine as a continued effort to work on my endurance. On the rowing machine, I aimed to keep my heart rate above 144 bpm during three sets of 10 minutes with 1:30 minute of rest between each set.
Thursday: Tennis with a Friend
I played tennis with my friend Lee for 85 minutes. Unfortunately, I didn’t play particularly well - I felt tired and rusty. Despite this, it still counts as exercise.
Friday: Country Lane Run and Treadmill Speed Play
I went for a 5 km run in the country lanes near my home. I averaged a pace of 4:50 /km and an average heart rate of 150 bpm. That’s a pretty good heart rate for the pace, but running in the Nike Pegasus 39s did feel quite laboured. Unfortunately, unlike the Nike Pegasus 38s, I cannot wait until I can afford to replace them.
Later in the day, I did a 7 km speed play session on the treadmill. I did jogs at 9 km/h, runs at 12 km/h and 14.5 km/h and a final sprint at 16 km/h.
Saturday: Planned Rest Day
I took a rest day.
Sunday: Long Run with Knee Pain
I headed out at 6 am for a 23 km long run. Unfortunately, when I hit 16 km, my right knee started hurting, forcing me to walk on and off for the rest of the run. As a result, I need to do more short runs next week. On the upside, the weather was lovely, and it was nice to see the sun coming up earlier in the morning than in previous weeks.
Overall, it was a challenging week of training for the Manchester Marathon, but I’m proud of myself for sticking to my training plan as much as possible this week. With only two months left until the marathon, I’m starting to feel a little nervous, but if I keep pushing myself and staying consistent with my training, I’ll be ready for the challenge.
