Sub 3h15

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  • Brilliant moof. Sub 3 d&d. I'm sure the last 4 miles will be a distant memory in a drink or two's time

    Good effort to give it a go PMJ, and still end with a great time.

  • G-DawgG-Dawg ✭✭✭

    Wow! Some superb running there guys. I feel a little intimidated on such a big boys thread. Plenty to learn though.

    Well done all

    SB

  • Nice one Moof, enjoy those beers!

    Good racing too from PMJ. 

    I raced myself yesterday, but only a XC league fixture. Got my highest ever finish position in that league though (6th), and the first race is usually the best attended. There were a few notable by their absence, but a check on last year's results show I would have been 6th with the same time then as well. 

  • moofmoof ✭✭✭
    Race report.

    The drive up from Newbury was a wet and windy affair with the odd bolt of lightening to keep me company.

    Luckily there was just a drizzle and some blue sky when I arrived at Abo.

    Didn't feel too nervy at the start and said hello to a couple of the sub 3 guys I recognised.

    In the first mile my heart rate monitor strap came loose and fell around my waist which was bloody annoying, I now have a friction burn on my lower back where it kept bouncing about. I could have launched it.

    I settled into a group of about 5 who were tapping along nicely at a pace between 2.55 and 3. This all felt very comfortable. Although there was a little too much chat going on which I tried to keep out of. I'll talk about why I got into running any time but not in a blinkin race.

    We were joined by a girl running her first marathon just to 'tick it off her list', she ended up first lady.

    Hit the halfway mark in 1.27.50.

    The group seemed to split at about mile 19 with me and fast lady making a bit of a break.

    Spotted keir at about mile 19/20 at this point I was still running strong and pushed on. He shouted 'camel power' which made me smile.

    At about this stage we had a real heavy downpour and the wind really picked up. Struggled for a while with the wind.

    Hit mile 22 with no sign of cramp in my legs which is usually a problem for me but my energy levels were starting to dip and the legs were feeling heavy.

    To be honest the last four miles were a miserable affair and I questioned why I was doing this, never again etc etc.

    My pace in the last 2 had dropped below 7mm but I was determined not to blow it.

    I imagined the lap on the Abingdon track to be a triumphant affair but I was just so relieved it was nearly over.

    I knew I'd cracked my target and punched the air as I went under the finish. I could have wept with relief.

    I'm not sure if I'm cut out for marathon running as it is so so tough, but today I beat my demons and I'm really proud of myself.
  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    Good one, Moof - it is tough, and those beers will be well deserved !!

  • Well done Moof - briliiant time and also I like how 'Never. Ever. Again' four hours ago has become 'I'm not sure if...' And also to PMJ on the excellent wava score.

    Speedy - I was actually perversely jealous of the xc yesterday even though I usually hate every second while I'm actually doing it. Might manage the next one though so you can beat me easily.

    SB, don't worry about the big boys, there are plenty of petite girls on here too.

  • Fantastic result Moof - Every step earned and deserved. Loved your report as it sums up my feeling exactly with 4 miles to go - please let it be over!

    Hope everybody else had a good day to.

    Welcome SB - plenty of running sages on here to help you.

    Nice running PMJ, OO50 and Speedy.

    Struggling to get my legs back after last weeks 10k - 12mile with 3 at under 6mm pace  yesterday and Achilles is somewhat problematical.

  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    Well played moof, great stuff. "I could have wept with relief" - thats what makes marathons different and harder to convert. Sub 3 is a great achievement.

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭

    Brilliant moof and well deseved. Not ashed to say I shed a tear when I finally broke 3 hours. Enjoy a few beers...

    Great run also PMJ- still very respectable and clicked 80% on the WAVA. I hope to get around that time at the Brampton to Carlisle in a few weeks. And Speedy I'm sure there would be plenty of mud with all this rain-so well done on a great placingat the XC. 

  • GerardMGerardM ✭✭✭

    Scorcher there Moof well done and I'm am sure there is more to come for you!!

    PMJ - Excellent performance as usual from yourself!

    Ant - How did yours go?

    I on the other hand had a shocker. Went out last night and got totally smashed and when the alarm went off at 6:30am I felt soooooo ill. Anyway decided that I needed punishment for my excessive alcohol consumption last night and ran the 6k dash which turned out to be 7.25k!!! 4 midgets got the better of me again and I crawled home in 29 mins! Had a titanic battle with one other junior and only shook him off after 6k. Got what I deserved & racing still pi$$ed is not clever but least it took my mind off the hangover for 29 mins!image

  • Gerard - Ready-made excuse, there. Hope the hangover isn't too dreary.

    Moof - You've had a blinder - congratulations!

    PMJ - That is still an excellent morning's work.

    Speedy - A great result for you - no wonder you're pleased.

    I had a funny one today. I actually thought I ran pretty well and it all went to plan, except that I registered a PW by nearly a minute for the distance of 10k.

    I parked near the finish and had time for a coffee and a read of the papers before changing and jogging the 4-odd kilometres to the start. I noticed I was sweating already, and it was getting warm. I got to the start with 10 minutes to spare, a few stretches, a gel (yes, really) and we were off. The first two kms are uphill but I got into a good rhythm and polished them off in 3:51 and 3:57. We turned round a roundabout and came back down the dual carriageway,for 3 and 4 and still I was feeling good and comfortable (3:52 and 3:56). Then we turned off and headed for the beach, past the football stadium to halfway (3:58 for 19:36) and then we cut through a housing área and then up a hill, and I began to feel it (4:00 and...4:13!!) Onto the seafront and heading for home for ther last three and I still kept the head on, (3:59, 3:59) working quite hard but still no red lights flashing...until I was into the last km and saw to my dismay that sub-40 wasn't going to happen - all these were garmin splits. Yes, km. 10 was another 3:59 but then there was still 150m to go, and there went my hopes. In the end, 40:19. 262nd out of 1,974.

    As I say, this is a PW, and I know I should be doing better. But after last week's fiasco I can't help feeling quite pleased and that I've laid a few demons to rest. I should have realised the splits weren't accurate enough, but when all's said and done, I gave it a good go and there's more to come from me yet, I promise you.

     

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭

    That's the spirit Ant...

  • Great report Moof. Ant too, and 40.19 isn't at all bad for a PW. I think mine to date is 51.55, which was admitedly my first ever proper race. 

    Gerard - rather you than me! Did you feel better afterwards or merely suitably punished?

  • KeirKeir ✭✭✭

    Well done Moof. A cracking run and a cracking report. As you said to me post race, always nice to put a face to a name. Mind you as we entered the changing area around the same time I am glad we didn't bump into each other in the showers as that might have been a bit too familiar!

    Not such a good day out for me. Despite many 80+ mile weeks in the summer and a couple of 27m LSRs, the return to school has really impacted on my training, but more crucially motivation and energy levels. Despite caffine de-loading (depressing) and beetroot juice loading (disgusting) nothing makes up for lack of training.

    However I didn't do months of training and pay for Abo entry for a day out so decided to lay my balls on the line and go for it. 6.40m/m for the first mile but then the group of 10 runners I was with slowly sped up and I was soon down around. 6.25m/m. Too fast, but then into the headwind I made the decision to follow rather than ease up and face the wind by myself. By mile 10 I realised I was left with 16m to run and a box of spent matches (the splits below say it all!) Despite easing up the damage was done and the next headwind stretch on lap 2 finished my off. By mile 18 my legs stopped working and although I only needed 7.30m/m to achieve sub 3 I was royally screwed. Moof came by looking strong and good for sub 3. Ignoring the time and focusing on getting home I just enjoyed the run, including the highlight - seeing some old guy trying to hand out Mars bars to the runners at mile 26- right at the gates of the stadium!

    At the finish although I would have loved a sub 2.50, or a sub 2.54 pb, no other time would really have surficed. With that in mind I am proud that I laid it all on the line and went for it. I am also happy and relived that it is all over. I've had some good marathons and some not so good ones. Unusually the early ones were the good ones and I seem to have got worse with experience! But the time has come to put the pressure and stress of pb chasing aside and rebalance my life a bit to cater for other parts of my life. I won't stop running, but will probably race much less. 

    Distance Split pace Avg. HR
    5.00                6:24 163 (84%)
    10.00              6:29 167 (86%)
    15.00              6:41 167 (86%)
    20.00              7:17 163 (83%)
    25.00              9:30 143 (73%)
    26.44              8:07 155 (80%)

    Keep on keeping on (as they say!) image

  • GerardMGerardM ✭✭✭

    Keir - Well done all things considered!

    Speedy - I sobered up about 11am and having a very lively 5 year old boy about the place almost finished me off! Still managed to get out with young Seb for a game of footie this avie and had a hair/s of the dog tonight! Very naughty, but hey. Can't quite work out how they got the distance sooooo wrong. There was a longer dash,13k that measured 10.9k! Says it all

  • JoolskaJoolska ✭✭✭

    Wow, Keir - that's a tough old slog from 20-25M...  Sounds like the life/work/training balance has been a bit out of kilter for you of late, so hope that adjusting it suits you better.

  • TRTR ✭✭✭

    Keir - well played for giving it full beans, you're not getting the return on investment you deserve for all the hard work. I feel like getting together with moof and shedding a few for you. I've never wanted a training partner, but I wish I could spend Feb to April with you at times.

  • moofmoof ✭✭✭
    Keir-Ha! The last time I was in showers that crowded was in 1982 at school. Kept expecting a towel to whip my arse.

    After the race you looked how I felt and I'm sure I looked how you felt. It is mentally draining chasing there targets.

    Find your moJo by just running. What do you have to prove as there are some pretty dam fine times, both running and riding, that you have achieved.



    Well done Ant, excellent EFFORT. Pleased you had a good race.



    PMJ- that is still an great time.(although getting older sucks, doesn't it)



    Forgot to say welcome Badger, don't be intimidated by some of the paces on here. Plenty of great advice and inspiration. You are definitely in the right place if you are after your best marathon time and who knows what that will be.



    Thanks for all the kind words. I couldn't put in the weeks of endless training without the support of my peers, you lot!



    And Wheez, no need to lurk.



    In other news, I'm pissed!
  • Ant, well done. The race has served its purpose and you can move on. Not a bad PW to have on your record.

    Keir, that sounds like it was a tough day out after life got in the way of the training. Great effort and guts to approach it that way. Forget about schedules and pick up the running and cycling as you fancy.

  • Moof: Brilliant result, pulling a sub 3 out of the hat.
    PMJ: Ten miles at that pace is still one heck of a day’s outing.
    Gerard M: A nice handover cure. The big question being whether you honked at the finish line?
    CC2: Speedy by name, Speedy by nature.
    Ant: Pretty good outing, 40 min 10k is a good push, whether PB or PW.
    Keir: I recognise that sort of pacing. Mine’s similar but slower.

    Abingdon Marathon: a tough day out. Or, what went wrong?
    Training said that 3:15 was on the cards. I was in better condition than at Stratford (3:24).

    I knew that the first few miles were downhill, so handbrakes at dawn. In truth I felt OK, maybe pushing just a little bit, but this is the big day out. Keep focussing on the pace. Halfway was 1 minute ahead of target. OK. Keep the focus. Keep the pace. A very, very slight up grade saw the HR rise for the constant-ish pace. At mile 18 there was a little corner, another teeny up-grade, and WHAP for the first time in 20 marathons I slammed directly into the famous wall. 30s per mile added on. By 20 miles it was 60s a mile. I was taking walk breaks. Knees hurting, calves hurting, shins hurting. Not aching. Not tired. HURTING. Mile 25 was my slowest at 12:11.
    Finally, the line appeared after 3:33:31. A bad day at the office. Get over it. Anyway, I can’t walk properly right now.

    Why did it go titsup?
    1-Training. Not enough mileage. Yeah I did the 20s, even doing the last few at decent pace.
    2-Footwear. I’ve just gone on to Asics DS Trainers. Fast they are. If you keep your form, they are great. Start heel clumping and it’s going to produce calf cramps, knee pains, and generally a bad situation.
    So. Recovery. Starting with learning how to do stairs. Then, a new target. No idea what yet.

  • Tough one Blisters - I hope the recovery goes well. Experiencing the wall once in 20 marathons isn't a bad stat to have, and now you have the war stories to share!

    You have me worried now. Today I decided I am using my DS Trainers in 2 weeks for a marathon; you have supplied me with some good nightmare fodder.image

  • moofmoof ✭✭✭

    Sounds a tough run Blisters, that's the trouble with the light weight trainers. All ok when you're running along all fine and dandy but once the legs get heavy and your form goes to pot you may as well be running in your slippers.

    Oh, and nice racing from you too GM. you pi$$ head!

  • Blisters - I once ran the Madrid Marathon in lightweights so I totally symphathise with that feeling - not weariness, not achiness, not heaviness, but actual, eye-watering pain. Well done on getting through it and recover quickly and well.

    Keir - Same goes for you - when things are going well, it's a breeze, but when the wheels come off, it's wall-to-wall grimness. Respect due for not sacking it. 

  • JoolskaJoolska ✭✭✭

    I'd already decided to run Frankfurt in trainers rather than lightweights, as although I haven't had any issues with the calf in the last 6 weeks, I don't want to risk it.

    Blisters: tough old day out there, but it looks like you've identified the causes.  Hope that stairs feel ok soon...

  • Blisters/Keir - A very tough day for both of you, it is truly horrible when it goes wrong, but that's why it is such a challenge and why we do it, well done for getting round and finishing. 

  • Birch - nice parkrun comeback.
    Minni - good pacing - I presume the parkrun wasn't in the middle of a 100 mile ultra?
    SJ - bad luck with the groin injury. Hope it's much better already.
    OO - another cracking parkrun.
    PMJ - that is still a storming 10 miler to get a WAVA over 80%!
    Moof - huge congratulations on a massive achievement. That is one milestone you will never forget. Well done on toughing out those last 4 miles. Good report too.
    Jools - enjoy the last week of the taper.
    Speedy - living up to your name in the XC with some top racing.
    Mennania - take it easy now.
    GM - good racing. Maybe next year you'll get some revenge.
    Ant - that's a great turn around from last week. Onwards and upwards!
    Keir - well done for giving it a go. Hope you can find the right balance. Sounds like you need a bit of time with no schedules and targets and just enjoy the running and cycling for their own sake.
    Blisters - bad luck. That sounds like a bit of a nightmare, so well done on seeing it through. Good luck with the recovery.
    8 slow miles with a few strides d&d.

  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    Blimey, Blisters, that sounds one hell of an ordeal over the last 8  . . .
    Ant - PW s can be slightly annoying, but the main thing is you're back on the rails after last week  . . .
    and Keir - well toughed out on a hard day  . . .
    had to smile at Gerard - I guess most of us have been in the "running as a penance" camp at some point  . .
    nice XC by Speedy;  was first meeting in my local league y'day. Time was I'd have done this as a racing double weekend, but after the 12 inc parkrun on Sat I decided to just go over and support my daughter. She had a shocker !

  • Well done for digging in Keir and Blisters. Ant - welcome back!

    DS trainers - I have them but only use them for speedwork and races upto half. Was considering them for Paris next year but am thinking again now. Not sure the benefits outweigh the risks. They are about the same weight as the 1100 series which I did london in with no trainer related issues  - All eyes on AR to see how he fairs with them stateside.

  • I am definitely feeling left out on the XC front: for my first claim club we don't have a first race until November 10th by which time most leagues will have done round 1 and 2. I could have raced Saturday second claim but wanted fresh legs for Sunday.

    Also interesting to note the cyclic nature of marathons: even as the autumn marathon season is in full swing, I see others (myself included) are starting to look to base build for a spring campaign. In 2011, building up to VLM 2012, I did 150, 210 and 190 miles in October, November and December (part rest month) and this October I have 140 with 11 running days to go so will exceed 200 miles with some to spare.

    Keir, blisters, hard days out but they need to be put into perspective. This thread isn't at an elite level but it is at a high level. Sub 3:15 isn't a thing many do, and you guys have both gone sub 3 on a number of times and if you check yourselves out on po10 I expect you will see a UK ranking for marathon. It shows that these results are down to training and effort and if that training is compromised somewhat then the result suffers. Yesterday has certainly made me look at my ambitions and the 2:49:59 target may be revised in due time.

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