Sunday club session - marathon training

I turn up at the club looking forward to either a 2 hour session with the leisure runners, or a 1h30 session with Miguel destined more specifically at the 10k racers. Laurence has decided that she will be running the 2 hour session and has taken the Cemlbak especially to practise as the last long run before the Ecotrail.

At the club, I spot José, Thierry, Bruno, Laurent, Philippe and Nat and apparently there is a third option : a 2h20 marathon session with 3x20' at marathon pace. Since Marly's hill-training went well, I decide to do this and see how I fare against the marathon runners. Laurence also decides to do this with Christelle, Muriel and Katia.

The session is up Princess Road and I set off on the warm-up with Philippe and we chat as we climb Princess Road at the front of the group until we reach the top where we wait for the rest of the group to catch up. I'm happy trundling along with runners that would normally be slower than me in the races but with my lack of training the most important aim at the moment is just to manage the mileage.

We set off again along the road towards Feucherolles, when I bump into a couple of runners that are running the other way: Philippe and Anne. This is their last long run before the Ecotrail too and they're running for 75 minutes before they attack the 80km version of the race next week. We chat for a few seconds and then Laurence and I set off in pursuit of the rest of the 20 or so runners in the group who've run on ahead. Just as we catch them up 10 or so head off left on a shorter version and Laurence follows them, telling me that she'll wait for me back at the club. I head off right chasing the serious marathon runners, wondering how I'll manage with no food or water.

I manage to catch the back runners since they already begun the first 20 minute interval at marathon speed and José and Thierry are well ahead in the lead. I focus on catching Philippe and Laurent and having done this push on to try and chase Bruno. Towards the end of the first 20 minutes (which I have no idea how long is still to go on for!) I finally catch Bruno and time is called. I've been running at 4:09 - 4:12 per kilometre for 5 kilometres now. 3 minutes recovery and we set off again. I'm prepared this time and I set off at the same pace with Bruno. I'm pleased to see that he struggles a little to maintain the pace and this gives me the motivation to push on and running this second interval between 4:05 - 4:08 pace with one kilometre in 4:14 up the hill from St Nom. Bertrand is pacing this interval and I catch him just before the end and drop him as he tires in the last kilometre.

2 intervals down now and I'm tired, wondering how I'll manage for the last. Off we set again and this time I decide to ease off and follow Nat. The only problem is that Nat, having taken the first 2 intervals easier, decides to push this one and soon I'm on his shoulder running 4:02 - 4:10 pace this time, with the fastest kilometres at the end. The relief to finish this last sequence is tremendous and I'm happy with myself for being able to hold on for so long and also for finishing ahead of Bruno on each one.

We just have to get back to the club now and we run down Princess Road, passing Paul in the process running the other way. I'm shattered and these last kilometres back to the club are interminable. I'm starving and my body is now totally devoid of energy. I run the last kilometre in 5:11 having been running the previous few at 4:45 pace. I collapse when I get to the club and flake out on a bench while Laurence hands me over her last cereal bar. Never has a cereal bar tasted so good and had such an immediate effect on my well-being.

28 km all up in 2:20. Great run and really pleased with my progression lately. Wondering what to do about London marathon now.