My training plan* called for a long run today, so I spent yesterday considering my options.
- 9am – coached long run of 13 miles for people training for a marathon (schedule assumes London)
- 9.30am – pot luck long run of 11 miles which may or may not have anyone running at your speed
- 10.00am – coached run of 7 miles with a bit of solo work tacked on at either end to make up the miles
- anytime o’clock – solo run
I decided not to set the alarm clock, and to make the decision when I woke up. Trouble was, I woke at 8.20am with the sure and certain knowledge that I wanted to try the 9am run.
One rushed shower and an inhaled bagel** later, I jumped into the car, and made it to the meeting place for 8.59am. Phew.
It’s a good session. About 14 people with a running pace about 11m15s and with regular stops to regroup. It was the first time at a club long run that I haven’t felt like I’m running a threshold run just to keep up. I may have found my long run solution.
Which given that my marathon is 11 weeks today*** is probably a very good thing.
*Actually, I have no real plan. I tried one, but fell out with it very quickly, so I’m now concentrating on clocking up two good mid week sessions and a gradually increasing long run at the weekend.
**Running nutrition is a mystery to me, but I figure anything as tasty as an onion bagel with Marmite must be on the list.
***Thank you random parkrunner for pointing that out. I’d been thinking of it as over two months away, which felt like a lot of time. Suddenly 11 weeks seems panic-inducingly close. Especially when you take off the 3 week taper at the end (the only bit of the training plan that I’m adopting).
abradypus 
Eugh! Marmite??!! Why would you do that to yourself??!!
Wash your mouth out! Marmite is the food of the gods.
That’s peanut butter!!! Mmmmmmm…
Please tell me you eat crunchy not smooth.
Well done on the 13 miles! Sounds like a really nice running group, even I could keep up at that pace (I think)
Love Marmite too! Ever tried it on hot cross buns?
Why not join us one week? 9am at the Windmill. As for marmite and hot cross buns, it’s not a combo I’d have thought of. Is it nice?
Well done on your 13 miler – don’t think I could have faced it after an onion bagel and Marmite! 🙂
Wahey! So exciting you’ll be toeing the line for 26.2 miles in eleven weeks. Loadsatime!!!!
I should add that marmite and cucumber sandwiches are nice, but marathon runners might prefer banana and cucumber sandwiches for the carbs. Have not tried marmite and banana sandwiches. Yet.
Marmite and houmous toast and marmite and avocado toast are scrummy too.
Marmite works with ANYTHING! I espcially like it in mash, and with ready salted crsips in a sandwich which is perfect running food as its all carbs.
I’m now reading blogs in bed craving marmite.
Sounds like you’ve get your long runs sorted! Do they get progressively longer?
Yes. I may need to adapt slightly as my marathon is a week earlier than London, but for now they’re perfect.
Wholemeal bap, marmite and wafer thin hammmmmmm. See? It even sounds yummy. It’s also perfect runfood, a 4:1 ratio of complex carbs to protein, with electrolytes in the Marmite (probably – it has salt in). Cucumber adds crunch.
Energy snack of champions!
Good heavens. Marmite? Bap? Mash? Google, Google, Google. That’s all I do 😉
I wanted to say you’ve done marvelously for Janathon. I have been watching you rise, rise, rise on the leaderboard each week! Excellent effort. You should easily complete your marathon training, 11 weeks be damned ! 🙂
Not much to say other than to confirm that Marmite is the best and well done on the long run! 🙂