Thames Path 100 Prep

I’ve had my head down, getting on with training for what seems like forever now. All through the winter months, the cold dark nights, long runs in the pelting rain, but I really feel as though it has been worth it.

After last years DNF at the Thames Path 100 I wanted to make sure I was better prepared this year.

I feel as though last year I just hadn’t done the quantity of longer runs I should have. I’d done a 40 miler and a good bunch of longer runs up to Christmas but the three months before the race didn’t go as well.

This year I’ve tried to do a better job in the block between Christmas and now. Been trying to make sure I was running longer (12, 14, 18 ish miles) twice a week and especially trying to make them tougher mentally (in the rain, in the dark, along boring/testing routes)

I did a nice 40 miler a couple of weeks back as my last long / tester run. This went really well. The plan was to take it easy and have a consistent effort, and it seemed to work. I spent some time comparing it to last years final long run / tester run and this year I was 45 mins faster over the distance and much more consistent in terms of pace.

Overall, pretty happy – but still wish I had done more (that’s normal right ?). The only minor blip (and I’m not sandbagging here… ) is that I tweaked my left knee on last weekends long run – feels like one of the support muscles and I was limping around the day after but seems to be getting better – hopefully all will be well for an easy 12-16 miler at the weekend leading into the final taper week and a great Thames Path 100.