November 19th - 154 Days to Marathon - 6x60 sec sprints with 3 min recoveries

Sunday morning and another clear, blue-skied, sunny day - the temperature has dropped significantly over the weekend and its definitely now a requirement for gloves and scarf outside. The same is true for run training (bar the scarf!!) and a thin pair of gloves made this afternoons experience much, much, more comfortable.

Had a good lie in this morning, since I've upped the ante on the level of training I've been asleep before my head has hit the pillow each night. Although I normally slep well, I'm noticing that I'm sleeping harder and deeper for longer. Its all good apart from I miss reading in bed.

Sprints really aren't my favourite part of my training schedule. Although relatively short, today a total of 6mins (6 x 60secs), its the intensity which is difficult. Basically sprint training allows me to build strength which translates into greater speed over distance. However, anything done at speed, for any length of time makes me ache worse than any long distance work, regardless of how much stretching I do pre or post run.

Most of this is down to impact, I do the training on grass to try and minimise the impact shock but even so, my tibias and fibias feel as if they're being slowly gripped in a vice. Its not really super painful, but a constant ache. Spoke to Neal about it and he advised me to ensure that I don't over train and to swim at least once a week.

Each 60 sec sprint has a 3 min recovery, pretty much the time it takes to walk back to where I've left my water bottle, have a swig and then prepare for the next 60 seconds endurance. They crop up in my schedule every third day and vary between 60 and 90 seconds sprinting each time - unlike the rest of my schedule these are the only components I don't look forwards to and hope that this changes over time.

Tomorrow is going to be a rest day- I need it and I'll be back in the breech Tuesday with a 10min jog and 30 min run.