Split second timing

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).