Marathon training: week 9 Long run

Today it is NINE weeks, one day until Milton Keynes marathon and THIRTEEN weeks until Shires & Spires 35.  Getting close!

Breakfast was a toasted bagel with almond butter.  I had this about 2 hours before setting out in the end though.  I'm loosely following the Runners World Sub 4h30m plan, although without intentions of finishing sub 4:30.  Today I was down to run 8miles at 11mm pace, followed by 7miles at 10mm pace.

I knew I would struggle to keep as slow as 11mm to begin with.  I have found pacing with my watch really tough.  As my last few runs I have focused on not looking at my watch whilst running, but instead running by feel, I decided I would do the same today and see how I got on.  8 slow miles, followed by 7 at a slightly quicker pace.
I didn't get on too badly!...
Mile 1: 11:17 (included warm up)
Mile 2: 10:51
Mile 3: 10:54
Mile 4: 10:55
Mile 5: 11:05
Mile 6: 11:10
Mile 7: 10:56
Mile 8: 10:58
Pretty much spot on for 11 minute miles!  I was desperate for the toilet at about mile 5, so turned back on my route to jump into the local visitor centre toilets at my sixth mile.  I couldn't go before I started my run so planned a run with a loo stop as knew I would need it before the end of the run!
From mile 8 I began munching on a few Lucozade jelly beans each mile.  They are very sugary sweet and I can never finish a packet on a run.  I accidentally swallowed two whole today whilst running as well!
My run started to go downhill from here.  I had told myself that as long as the second half of my run was faster paced I would be happy, but I possibly tried to pick up a little too much speed, and was constantly checking myself back.  It didn't help that most of the second half of my run contained hills either!  The rest of the miles are as follows...
Mile 9: 10:23
Mile 10: 10:12
Mile 11: 10:04
Mile 12: 11:59 (I had a stitch this mile, possibly from too much water?  It was quite hot out and I was drinking a lot so walked 0.4 mile to get rid of it.)
Mile 13: 10:15
Mile 14: 10:39
Mile 15: 11:06
1927 calories burnt and just short of 15 miles with most of it run so I treated myself to a glass of cold milk in the back garden with Bella, where I played 'throw-the-leaf-into-the-wind-and-catch-it-in-a-leap-with-your-paws'.  Bella's favourite game!

Going on the last few weeks of training I think my targets for MK second time round are BRONZE: Sub 5h SILVER: Sub 4:50 GOLD: Sub 4:45.  I am definitely capable of all three of those targets and do not want to set myself too strict a target that ends up with me panicking and pressurising myself on race day.  I have to remember I want to run the ultra just four weeks after and running the marathon last year drained me for weeks.

 After a quick stretch and a shower, I came downstairs to see Bella getting some quality time in with Dan in front of the footy before I put together lunch.  I had been looking forward to this lunch all morning as I picked up lots of nice ingredients whilst food shopping yesterday.
I had some wholemeal pitta breads, and filled Dan's with tuna and cheese, sneaking a piece of cheese for myself before filling my pitta with mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas and goats cheese.  Yum!

Maria pointed out on my post where I compared out and backs and circular routes that the worst runs are definitely runs with repeating loops!  I have to agree...My run from last Sunday was good, but I did wimp out at mile 13 instead of following through to 15 miles partly because I couldn't face adding the two mile loop onto the end and running it again!  There's a lady at my running club who has a park near to her house that is a mile all the way around.  When she's building up her distance for marathon training she runs round and round this park to make up her mileage.  So a few weeks before the marathon she's running around this park 22 times non-stop!  I would be extremely bored and definitely duck out of runs if that was how I had to train!  I love that I can go and explore new places and see things.