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Talkback: Lucozade Sport Super Six: Andy (sub-4:00)
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Last year I kept visualising exactly that - turning the corner and running towards the clock with 3h?????? on it - it worked! Completely normal pre-marathon behaviour!
Morning All,
One day to go then! Are we ready sub 4 threaders!
Best of luck to all.
My strategy for completing the training is to complete all the runs scheduled for each week but do them in my own order juggling work, family (two young kids) and my wife's running commitments (she's doing her first half marathon at Reading this year). This won't differ too much to the published order in anycase as the weekly long run is likely to always be done over the weekend.
Additionally I plan to include one gym weight machine and one free weight session per week (alternating when the mileage gets abit heavy) plus various stomach exercises three times a week.
Looking ahead I'm gonna need some advice from Coach Steve as I'm doing two halfs on consecutive weeks in March which doesn't tally with the scheduled mileage. I'll cross that bridge in a couple of weeks though.
Right ....WEEK 1 :
This calls for 19 miles in total including a 3M Slow, 4M Slow, 2M Steady, 3M Easy and a 7M slow. Week 1 is relatively easy mileage and pace wise though it will involve me running five times a week for the first time. Better get used to that I guess! My pre schedule training (and advice from Steve) clearly indicates that I need to get used to running at a slower pace if I'm going to get through this.
In theory my plan is as follows:
Mon 3M SLOW
Tues REST
Wed 4M SLOW
Thurs 2M STEADY
Fri 3M EASY
Sat REST
Sun Goring 10K RACE(6.22M) ,if places are available on the day, otherwise 7M SLOW at home
And Finally........
Ok so I've totally nicked this off an old VLM official newsletter but as we embark on this journey it felt appropriate:
"If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail" (Steve Prefontaine).
Nuff said!
Hi all, and Happy New Year.
The roads round us are pretty icy, so I'm waiting until a bit later to get out and run. The forecast isn't showing temps much above freezing this week, so it's a bit scary. I had a heavy fall while running on ice last Monday, and find I've lost my nerve quite badly now - wuss!
In case newly inspired sub-4 trainees are looking at Andy's times, going pale, and backing out quietly, DON'T!! You can be over a minute per mile slower at this stage and still get comfortably under 4 hours
.
Good luck everyone with week 1 - don't fall over and wrap up warmly..
Happy New Year!
Not had the best of starts to 2010, still not shifted this cold, and snowed here again last night, so not much hope of an outdoor run, not run for a week, but I suppose tomorrow is when it all starts to count.
Like you Andy, I will have to juggle the days, I prefer to do my long runs on a saturday morning, my boys play footie on a sunday so I am always stood on a freezing cold sideline, in the middle of nowhere on a sunday.
Back to work for me tomorrow too, have had the 2 weeks off, Boooo!
Good luck with the training everyone ... is it only me that feels anything less than 4 miles isn't worth getting changed for? (sorry coach!
)
BTW - Super sixers all look very professional in the RW mag
Andy, good luck, stepping up to 5 runs per week- I'm following a very different schedule for my marathon (FIRST 3 days per week) - as my body doesn't tolerate running without rest days between (Ican cross train on those days, but my feet just get too sore if I run more often).
My aims for the marathon this year are similar to yours (sub-4), although a different race- Lochaber, 18th april.(just a TEENY bit quieter)
It's good to hear somone's comment about Andy being much faster than is necessary for a sub-4 pace. OK, so I've only managed sub-4 once, but my 10k race pb is 2 minutes slower than Andy's little 10k jaunt that he just posted here.
G'day to you AndyV
Back on the web after a couple of days away, so first opportunity to say Happy New Year! (to one and all).
So the start of the schedule is almost upon us? it's a big commitment but i'm sure it will be worth it in the end.... i've done lot's of exams in the past, University, Professional etc and like you say the motto is always the same, ' if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail'.
To be honest, i'm starting my schedule today with Monday's run. I'm down for a 10k (Telford) on the 10th and an early year HM on the 17th, so i've had to tweak the schedule a little to fit everything in. In fact I was gonna race today (5 miler) for speed work but i'm sure i've regressed from my fitness and speed levels of mid dec last year so thought i'd opt out for now. Like you mention one thing i'm trying to work on at moment is teaching myself how to run slow.... whilst overexcited celebrating the New Year, I slipping quite badly on some ice and whilst ok and common sense, it dawned on me that any injury or illness that's gonna put you out of action for a while is gonna screw up preparations badly in the whole scheme of things - so running slow is a good measure for taking it easy and proceeding with caution to try to avoid those injurys from overdoing it!
By the way, in terms of the nutrition stuff you're being provided from Lucozade. What products are you being encouraged to use? I take it all the products are available on the open market? Personally I only use the gels.
Cheers, have a good one.
Just nipping in to wish you good luck for the official kick-off tomorrow Andy.
Not that I've ever had kids, but this must be what being 9 months pregnant feels like - you know it's gonna hurt, but just want to get on with it
I read somewhere that running a marathon is the closest a man can get to the pain of childbirth.
I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or not.
No running for me today as I was marshalling a local duathlon, in the snow, sleet, hail (at times) but mostly in awe of the runners/cyclists who were covered in mud. It made me want to do the race next year, at the same time as thinking they must be mad. Especially the ones in shorts.
Ang12 - yes, I'm in the same boat as thinking there's not alot of point in running less that 4m, unless you're a beginner. Still, the schedule is there for a reason.
Right lets all start "preparing" then! I love that quote.
I'm feeling really excited about getting going, like Joddly bit concerned about the snowy, icy roads out there. I don't go back to work until Tuesday so was hoping to get a semi-long run in tomorrow if the weather gets better. I nearly fell over twice walking from my front door to my car earlier!
Like Tricia I will be following the 3 runs a week schedule as it worked well for me last year and fits in with the rest of my life but will enjoy following everyone's training on here again as it really motivated me last year.
Good luck everyone!
You mean there is a three run a week schedule and I'm "contracted" to do five? Bxgger!
Evening all
There have been a few more posts re my "fast" recent but short distance runs. All I'll say is that I have never gone beyond a half (and I've done that once 10 months ago!) so I have no idea what time I'm capable of. My mate is quicker than me over shorter distances (up to half marathon distance) yet has failed to "break 4" in each of the last three Londons. Coach Steve puts this better than me and I'm guessing is massively more experienced than all of us:
All you need to know is I'm gonna give my all and follow the sub 4 schedule. Where this takes me who knows but is that not the case for every single marathon "virgin" anyway.
Hi Lamkjo good to hear from you. Can't comment yet on the lucozade freebies as I've not received anything yet ...hint hint Gareth
Andy I think this is what will make this thread really interesting as you obviously do run well over the shorter distances and it will be good to see how you progress to the marathon distance. You have the benefit of great coaching and advice to follow so I'm sure you will do really well.
When I started running again a few years ago I stupidly signed myself up for a marathon and just went for it. With hindsight I really should have re-started with a few 10ks and half marathons and then built up as you are doing. Good luck!
Ang12: Hi , Chin up girl there is life beyond a cold! Well that's what the wife keeps telling me but I too cannot shift mine. Take it easy this week as the schedule is fairly gentle
All Sub 4's: Good luck with your training. Let's all be sensible and try and make it to the end of week 1 without slipping over (snow and ice looming apparently) and getting nasty injuries etc
Wah Hay. It's nearly day one so naturally I've come down with a cold. I knew when I woke this morning that summat wasn't right between my chest and my nose. So I might play out tomorrow and do an easy 3 or I might not.
But let the game commence. Good luck fellow sub 4-ers.
Andy - your 'slow' is still infinitely faster than my 'fast'
Best of luck for the start of the 'journey' - let the fun begin..
Tis the season for blxxdy colds hey FF. You'll be out tommy fella, checking out the wildlife in the snow no doubt
Any last minute tips mate. Looking at your thread from last year am I right in think you too had to adjust to slowing back on the pace initiallly?
I did have to ease off the gas Andy and I found it quite difficult to do so. I was always running at the faster end of the given pace range and quite often a little faster. So take it slowly for the first week or two, ease yourself into the schedule and don't give Steve too many headaches
Here's a question for MC Steve. I've got loads of off road running available from my doorstep since we moved house and fancy taking advantage of it for some of my runs. Will it be best to do the short easy runs of maybe some of the shorter longs runs?