Started training in earnest for TMM 2024 post the Bangalore half marathon on 8th October. The training consisted of 2 runs and 2 cycling work outs along with 3-4 strength sessions per week. Loosely based on the 'Run Less Run Faster' program with alternate weeks of interval and tempo runs and a long run (>= 20Km) every weekend limited the total weekly run volume to 30 to 40Km. The training has been ok - with some good weeks and some terrible runs. Most of the runs till about 24K have been reasonably on target. Beyond that it has been a struggle more often than not. Surprisingly the two 25K runs that I did before the Bangalore marathon were at a faster pace than what I am able to sustain for that distance now. As a result I skipped the 30K+ run of Nov.
Following are the long runs(25K+) this year - probably the lowest number in any season since 2003.
27/08/23 27.11 2:54:07 6:25/Km
10/09/23 31.13 3:18:34 6:23/Km
14/10/23 26:08 2:54:02 6:31/Km
29/10/23 32:11 3:40:10 6:51/km
12/11/23 30:11 3:11:25 6:21/km
The next two long runs are key - a 32Km in a couple of days on 17th Dec and then a 34-35K run on 30th or 31st Dec . If all goes extremely well, I am hoping to comlete the FM in 4:28 at a pace of 6:20/Km. The worst case is 4:45 at a pace of 6:45/km . It would be real disappointing if it takes more than the slowest ever FM finish of 4:57 in 2023 and would expedite the end of my FM running days!
