It's a race I am really looking forward mainly for the reasons that I really loved Run Hackney which is also a Vitality organised event and starting and finishing a race in one of most iconic sports stadiums in the world sounds like a great idea to me!
I also feel I am due a good run and a good result. Just like a striker in football who goes a few games working hard for the team and playing well commentators love to say going into the next match 'he's due a goal now', like wise I have been training hard and have raced well in my two recent half marathons without coming away with a time I felt I deserved.
My training in the last few weeks has been a mixture of marathon training, ahead of Halstead in May, continuing to work on my 5K pace and more specific half marathon training.
Recently I have done some hard track sessions with either 400m or 800m efforts, two long slow runs of 25K and some split pace work as well. All in all I am feeling good and getting fitter and stronger.
My last two half marathons have seen good improvement, in January at the Runthrough event in Victoria Park I posted a sub 1.50 run of 1.49.56 and I followed that up a month later also in Victoria Park at Innovation Sports run running a 1.45.39. So a 5 minute improvement in a month, can I take another 5 minutes off this month?
My PB remains 1.39.01 from Tunbridge Wells in 2014 so that is my real aim to beat as I come into finish under the Wembley arch. However further motivation comes from an amazing run from training buddy Chris at the Runthrough event in January where he posted a 1.38.35. So my targets are all lined up ready for me to hit!
In terms of my preparations in the last week or so things have gone well. I have eaten well and have actually been sleeping a lot. However I decided that last week needed to be a big marathon training week in which I covered 64km and to be honest I am feeling that this week. As a result I have listened to my body this week and toned down a few sessions this week both in terms of distance and intensity.
I do feel full of niggles at the moment though and I think that is partly to the high mileage last week and partly due to a little pre race paranoia. My main concern is the ball of my right foot which started hurting during last nights run . I will keep icing it and taking painkiller and I should be OK, fingers crossed.
With 12 half marathons under my belt I know what I am letting myself in for and should be experienced enough to pace myself to the best time I am capable of running on the day.
The final countdown
So with less than 48 hours to go, the route for Sunday morning is planned, my kit is ready, my pre race nutrition planned and all I need to do is look forward to finishing on the greatest of finish lines come around 10.40.
North London Half Marathon I am ready for you!
I received my place in the North London Half Marathon courtesy of Urban Massage.
I received my place in the North London Half Marathon courtesy of Urban Massage.
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