Newport State of Mind

After a relatively disappointing running season, hampered by injuries and illnesses I seem to have got my pace back. It's post the Cardiff half, I suspect that had I had an extra month's training that I would have got a very good time, but you never know. 

Shortly after the Cardiff half, maybe even the next day, I found out that yet again I hadn't got into the London marathon via the ballot. I've never got in in via the ballot. This put a spanner in the works of my 2018 running plans. I was contemplating my next move when out of the blue the inaugural Newport marathon was announced. The timing was very smart as the organised snagged many people like me who hadn't got a place in London.

There's been talk over the last few years of a Cardiff marathon organised by Run Wales, the people behind the Cardiff half. The Cardiff half is now a world class race so I was hoping it would come off. In the end it went to Newport, which I suppose is fair enough, they don't get much. It still means that I can sleep in my own bed the night before and after the race and it shouldn't be too much of a pain in the ass to get to. 

It's been advertised as a flat, fast course, which attracted me. My goal is to do a marathon in under 3 hours, with my best time so far being 3:18 in Tokyo last year. To achieve an under 3 hours time I will have to - not so much up - but change my training. One of the milestones will be to run a 5k in under 19 minutes, something I've come close to, but haven't managed to achieve.  I'm running good times at the moment, and my 'big run' on a Sunday is getting quicker and quicker. Running at a 6:40 mile pace comfortably is what I'm aiming for. The Newport marathon is at the end of April so must make sure that that I don't peak to early. It feels good having something to train towards.