From here, it should get much tougher. For the past 11 weeks, the training has been similar to what I had done before for five half marathons. For the next 11 weeks, the training intensifies as the Royal Victoria Marathon draws closer.

For most of the first 11 weeks, I ran 3 or 4 times a week. Tuesday is the tempo run, and Sunday is the slow, long distance run. My spreadsheet has been showing the progression from fast to slow each week; a separate tab summarizes the distances. After 11 weeks, the total is 285 km, or about 26 km per week.

This past Sunday, I crossed a new threshold: a 23.4 km long run, completed in 2:45. It’s the longest I’ve ever run, both in distance and in time completed. It was done in humid conditions that had me sweating from minute one, and yet I felt fine, but exhausted, at the finish.

If that’s any indication, then I’m ready to tackle the horrible hills, the speed sessions, and the longer runs that will constitute the last 75 days before my first marathon. Bring it on!