To push or not to push? That is the question.

Tuesday 19th June 2012

Cycling
00:41:19 – 8.95 Miles (13.00 MPH / HR Zone 3 / 76% Max / Cadence 79rpm)

Just 3 hill repeats today as I am tapering.
No big issues today - in fact it all felt pretty good and on my second run up the hill I put in my fastest ever set up the hill at under 9 minutes.  That was pretty pleasing.

Running 00:45:00 - 5.48 Miles (08.13 per mile / HR Zone 3 / 86% Max)

I have the Lisburn Half Marathon tomorrow night and I am in a bit of a quandary as to what to do. (Do you like the use of that word? it is not often you get to use it.)
I feel pretty strong at the moment but not necessarily very fast, but I do feel like I have the stamina and probably more importantly the mental toughness at the moment to push myself pretty hard and hurt myself (not in that sense though.)

So I am wondering do I have a bit of a push at the race tomorrow night and perhaps get a Personal Best time (sub 1.52) or do I just hold back a bit and do a sub 2 hr run and feel very comfortable throughout.

My heart says have ago for it, but my head says that I would be stupid to risk running at a pace I have not sustained for that distance less than 3 weeks before the Ironman, which I have been training for 8 month towards - and perhaps risk some sort of stupid injury.

To help with the decision making I went out a bit harder on my run tonight as it was only 45 minutes ( did I mention I am tapering???) and I felt like I could get a feel for how it would be to push on.

It was a great run and I have not held 8.13/mile pace for that distance for some time.  It felt good and I think I could have gone on another few miles at that pace and then slow off a bit.

I think my decision has been made by the very (and I mean very) slight niggle in my left knee.  I am not prepared to risk all of the training for a PB which I may not achieve anyway and could be chased at any other time.

I love the lisburn Half Marathon and this is my 8th year in a row running it and I am now doing it because I love it and will take it pretty easy and just enjoy the route.