Number 25 in the box

stats of the week: run 7 km, hiked 14 km, gym 1 h
stats of the previous week: run 58 km
London Marathon result: 4:35:19

London made a successful weekend having finished my 25th consecutive London Marathon. I would have wished to be 6 min faster but so what? Finally the main target could only be to finish the jubilee race. And it was a great day with perfect conditions and the best ever crowds along the capital's streets.

In the evening my colleagues surprised me with a chocolate cake and 25 candles what sent me close to happy tear drops. After 20 years of work with interAir it was a wonderful London weekend that I will remember forever. Many thanks also to all the friendly interAir clients who finished their own marathon and made my day taking part at the celebration party on Sunday evening.

Photo: Like me David Weir finished his 25th London Marathon in a row. Alas! he made it to the podium 22 times.

Waving to the interAir fan group on Tower Bridge.

Not downgrading

stats of  the week: run 13 km, cycled 97 km, hiked 7 km
stats of the previous week: run 34 km, gym 3 h (Berlin half 2:03:40)

The Berlin Half didn't show the result I hoped for. And I think it's not just the heat and Sahara sand I can blame. Legs felt tired from the first step on. It was a race with great atmosphere but I was not able to enjoy it. Already after 17 km I had to walk short parts. A bad day in good weather.

I am not sure about the lesson for London. Was it just a bad day or do I suffer from too many races during spring? I refuse to downgrade my target of a 4:30 finish on the mall. We'll see.

Time to taper

stats of the week: run 57 km, gym 3 h, walked 16 km
stats of the week before: run 32 km, gym 1.5 h

The week's mileage was bigger than scheduled due to several reasons. The result is that I feel exhausted and doubt that I will be able to repeat the speed of my last half marathon. I urgently have to taper now to recover for next Sunday and the Berlin half marathon. I don't have a special time target but I would be disappointed not to finish sub 2 hours.

Oscar to hide

stats of the week: run 53 km, gym 1 h
stats of the previous week: run 52 km, gym 3 h
stats of the week before: run 37 km, gym 3 h

Training followed roughly the schedule and culminated in running the race on the island of Sylt, a 34.5 km distance along nearly the complete length of the isle. Proudly I received the kitschiest cup ever for my 2nd place in the age group. It will stay on the mantlepiece for a week before I will hide it on the guests' loo.

Now it's time for a week of recovery before preparing for Berlin Half Marathon which this year uncomfortably takes place only 2 weeks before London.

I am quite with my mileage so far. It is rather rare that I can follow the plan.

Another Oscar on the mantlepiece

stats of the week: run 26 km, gym 3 h

The hamstring strain disappeared just in time to get ready for the final half marathon of the winter series. I could stick to my pace plan for a sub 2h finish until 17 km when it turned to a strenuous fight between legs and thoughts. On the final stretch I had to walk shortly twice but still managed to clock 1:58:53.

Thanks to my lead of 9 minutes after the second race I had no problems to secure my 3rd place and happily received another running Oscar.

A sprint in between

stats of the week: run 38 km, gym 4 h

I could not resist to fill in a 5 K race between the longer races the week before and after. The event at Herten-Bertlich is a must to take part and I was rewarded by my second "Oscar" for the age group victory. However, I have to pay for it with a hamstring strain and I now can only hope to get fit again until next Sunday for the half marathon which is the final of the series.

Photo: 2 happy veterans showing their trophies

Running logically

stats of the week: run 48 km, gym 3 h

The 2nd race of the winter run series was another good day. And I discovered a mathematical logic. For 10 K I finished 12 min (52 min) behind my personal 10 K best (40 min) which I set 34 years ago. For 15 K I finished 18 min (1:20) behind my personal 15 K best (1:02) which I set 24 years ago. 

Following this I should be able to finish the oncoming half marathon at 1:58 which is 25-26 min slower than my personal HM best that I set 33 years ago (1:32). This makes an average pace of 1:36min/k what sounds fairly realistic. We'll see in 2 weeks.