Marathon Training

I’ve won a place in this year’s Loch Ness Marathon which is on 3rd October. Some fifteen weeks away, so I’ve started a sixteen week training programme for the event. The problem is that my ankle is still injured. However my weekly course of ultra sound treatment is now complete and the task is to build up the ankle. My Physio has given me a list of various exercises to do on a daily basis, so I’m hoping that these will strengthen the ankle and allow me to increase my mileage. After Friday’s run and the two races at the weekend, I took Monday off from running but have been out every other day this week. My feet are suffering from blisters but hopefully they will clear up soon. It’s great to be back running. I’ll do a 12 mile run over the weekend and if the ankle’s ok then I’ll try the following schedule next week:

Mon 4M (approx 35 mins) easy
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 2M (or 13 mins) fast, with 800m (4-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 6M (approx 50 mins) slow
Thu 1M jog, then 2M (approx 14 mins) brisk, then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 5M (approx 42 mins) easy
Sun 13M (approx 108 mins) slow

Girvan Half
I also aim to do the Girvan Half on 11th July, although I won’t be breaking any records. It kind of fits in with my training, it’s a Kilmarnock Harriers championship race and I get it for half price as I've recently joined CSSC and they have a half marathon subsidy scheme.  I’m keen to complete this year’s Kilmarnock Harriers championship, injured or not.

Ruby’s Pic
I’ve been told that there’s a photo of me in this week’s Kilmarnock Standard at last week’s Ruby Young 5k.