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Sub 3h15
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happy to just break 3. I'm not greedy!
Doppy... I found the more easy miles I did the more I could do the next month when I did my marathon , your biggest issue is trying to do too much other stuff which wont benefit your race times but will tire you out.
At the level you are at now the marathon will need to get 100% effort to get where you want to be , there's no room for other sports and time is running out so go for it.
Well done Minni for sticking out those miles in, erm shall we say less than ideal conditions...
Welcome Doppy, stick around for some good advice, motivation and inspiration. Sounds like with a few more miles in the bag you could get to wherever you want, marathon-wise. Best of luck, anyway.
Doppy, I stalked you (sorry) and see you are a member of Midland Masters. Is that worthwhile do you think? I turn vet next month.
Right - finally, finally I pulled a decent performance out of the bag, and I think it's the best I've run all year.
I did the 8kms de Castrillón, which curiously enough is actually 8,484m- It's a pre-Xmas favourite here in Asturias, and today was no exception, with 1,204 finishers. Crowd support is really good too, in both the towns the race visits.
It starts and finishes in the nondescript town of Piedras Blancas but heads out to the coast and goes to the seaside resort of Salinas; there's a great moment when you go through a tunnel, come out and there you are on the headland looking at a dramatically beautiful stretch of coastline and an amazing beach. See the map here . The organisation is excellent and there's generally a fantastic atmosphere.
It was a 5p.m.start and when the gun went there was a mad scramble and scrabble but soon things settled down and I was able to concéntrate on getting into a good rhythm. The first two kms are mostly downhill as we headed to the coast, and I knew straightaway that some solid training in recent weeks was going to pay off (3:51, 3:43). Km 3 is more undulating but the aforementioned tunnel and view gives you a real boost (3:51). Then you're in the flat streets of Salinas with great support, and shortly after km. 4 (3:49 and feeling good) you turn round and head for home.
I went through km 5 (3:51) in 19:06 but knew that I had to dig in as the next two kms were uphill and could make or break the race for me. I found I was overtaking people and held on as best I could (4:01 and 4:01), before gaining heart from the km. 7 sign. I was working hard now but feeling strong, so I pushed on as we came back into Piedras Blancas and a long, straight road that seems to go on forever...I got to km.8 (3:51) and then legged it as fast as I could for the last 484m which I covered in 1:31, which is 3:34 pace.
So in the end 32:36, av. 3:53min/km (6:14mm), which is nearly two minutes quicker than last year, and definitely where I want to be 16 weeks out from VLM.
I realise that it's not the fastest race anyone's ever run, but I'm very happy with it, especially given my disappointments this year, not the least of which being the HM DNF in October.
I am now off for the traditional Beer In The Bath, before heading out for my work's Christmas do
.
CC2 stalker not sure midlands masters is worth it. They are a bit disorganised and there is something strange about standing at a start line with lots of old people which I don't think of myself as. (yes I know I am) I did however feel quite honoured to represent England at xc. Got the t shirt now to show the grand kids if ever I have any.
Nice one too Minni, sounds horrid
Am I allowed to suggest that Doppy considers the hand grenade under the training?
Day 1 of the big weekend survived, 3.23 in trying conditions, tomorrow will be tougher
I am definitely old. I was eyeing up knitwear in M&S the other day. There's clearly no hope for me. I might give it a whirl if there's a chance of an England vest one day. V35 is a tough category so I may have to bide my time on that one!
Ant, great racing! It's good to hear you have a good race after so many disappointments. I couldn't run that pace for 5km at the moment, so you're well ahead of the game.
Poacher, you're barking mad!
No Poacher, that's just when you've run a number of Sub 3s and it is no longer exciting in itself. Those of us going for our first Sub 3 will celebrate the achievement by going to Sainsbury's and buying cheap champagne. Age irrelevant.
Ant - Stonking performance and some personal redemption of sorts. Well done and enjoy your xmas do, you deserve it!
Poacher - Great resolve and good luck for tomorrow!
Great result Ant with a nice pacey finish - you've now earned tonights celebration!
Hello to all the thread Newbies = particularly looking forward to you progressing over the weeks Doppy.
Welcome back to running Birch and I hope Poacher went well!!
Been mainly lurking and just head down dealing with chrimbo and running the P&D and hitting it ok with 9 with 4 at LT last night which came out at between 6.03mm and 6.09mm.15 miles tomorrow and week 3 chalked off Hope yours ankle is behaving itself Orenzo
Good work, Ant - enjoy the "do"
Top start to the weekend double, Poacher - looking forward to tomorrow's report
Well toughed out, Minni
Nice ride on the broom-wagon by PMJ,
& most impressed by the young Lorenzito's early start !!
Doppy - you're not too old for your target - put age to one side - your half shows what you are capable of now - heed TR . . . .
10 here this a.m.
Great running Ant, you are in a good place.
18:38 at the parkrun in windy conditions. The good runners turned up today so I was a lowly 7th.
Doppy, I'm also 50 and finally broke 3 hours last year at attempt 14. Much lesser achievement for a chap than it would be for you of course. The secret for me in the end was simple, more long runs at a faster pace (never avearaged below 8 min/miles mind you!). I like to do 1 or two 20 mile races in the build up and I always race them. Others on here are much more savvy than me but you do have to work out what works for you and we are not all the same.
Picture of Ant in the bath please.
well done poacher - going back for more tomorrow?
When he says a faster pace it's all relative though. OO isn't running them 'fast', it's just that he used to run them ridiculously slowly!
Well done Ant, that'll make up for massively losing at scrabble.
Speedy - I don't think M&S make clothes in small sizes, whatever they put on the label. I am thinking of doing Ashby 20 too but will do 3 miles easy, 14 miles MP, 3 miles easy. DISCLAIMER for Speedy & Doppy: my MP is somewhat slower than yours!
Oh they do, I have a size 8 skirt from there that fits. I bought it in a charity shop last year.
It was probably made back in the days when they had sensible sizing. I tried to buy jeans in there last year. They came up to my armpits and were like clown trousers.
Nice work Ant.
Good to hear of your plan Birch.
Parkrun today. Conditions poor. Finished in 22:05. Less bad than last week, but still I've got a huge amount of work to do. At least I overtook one other village resident who I chatted to in the pub last night.
I really don't know what has happened to my speed. I'm planning weekly tempo runs and strides in ever run.
Nice effort Ant, glad you're pleased with the performance because that is all that counts really.
Mennania- That's a very decent pace on your tempo run, you've got your speed back.
Hi Doppy, good luck with your sub 3 goal, you've certainly got some excellent shorter PB's to back it up.
Anyway, isn't 50 the new 40. I'll be knocking on that door in 3 and a bit years time and I don't feel old. Well, apart from my knees...and my hip....and my back.
No running for me today, xmas (shopping) got in the way. Oh, and a boozy night.
Ant - fantastic result - you should be really chuffed with that. Well done.
Doppy - Welcome to the thread and good luck chasing sub 3. Your record shows you have the ability to achieive it.
Poacher - well done on part 1. Good luck for today.
OO - interesting that you upped the pace of your long runs to get the sub 3. I'm running mine at a plodtastic pace during base-training, but plan to do more of a P&D style LSR in the next phase of training. Still mega-slow compared to others on here though!
Moof - only 2 and a half to go for me, but fortunately don't feel like 50 yet!
Somehow, I think Poacher is relishing every moment of it. Thread Nutter award is a given for December.
Brilliant result yesterday Ant. Nice to kill a few demons and end the year on a high.
Longest run in 2 months today. A whole 11 miles, and it felt like a long way.
Poacher - don't know what to say. ARs 'Nutter' sums it up though!
Christmas party last night and I'm not (too) hungover. Will just be a 6m off road with the dog for me.
Well done Holly! I'm well jealous with how your running at the moment!
Going to try and start my RW's Sub 3:15 schedule
got to do a longish 12 miler today at some point. got to keep my pace between 8:25 and 9:31 min/miles. although not sure what my knee and chest have to say about it? gonna start at the slower end of the scale and try and finish faster?
cant believe I only have 15 weeks till race day and I'm no-where near where I want and need to be!
Guess if I can come back from this run today in fine spirits it will give me the confidence I need!
Minni, if I had a works night out last night I'd be tucked up in bed right now!
Thanks TBR - you can call me Ant if you like
. 15 weeks is a long time - keep the faith and trust in The Plan. If there is no Plan - find one - quick!!
Minni - is that an off-road 6-miler with the Hair of the Dog?
Not sure whether I feel more sorry for Poacher or Minni - both self-inflicted!!!
Wow Ant - great running from you there. You must be very chuffed.
Decided to play it safe and not go out today as the ankle still feels tender and looks a bit swollen. Hoping it'll be OK for a couple of miles run each way into the office and a game of badminton in the evening. Leaves me with 41 miles for this week but will hopefully start getting 50+ in consistently from the New Year onwards.
The Jantastic team is looking strong already although it's always a bit confusing to exactly know who's on it with everyone using their "real names"!!!