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Lorenzo - I would like to do an autumn mara but can't plan or figure out how I am going to do it yet. Haven't given up hope yet as I don't want 2 years without one on my running cv. Just sorted out custody for my son and I have him one full week on now and one full week off but I have no family here and only a few good friends who offer support childcare wise, he comes first in my book, so at the mo don't really know what to do. Next one for me has to be a real proper campaign so it may have to wait but that's ok as long as I can still run and log on here!
How many days have you got out in SA before your ultra?
Gul - 1/2 an hour lunch? Do you work full time? I get 1:15 and I struggle to get out for more than 30 mins, 40 at best, and shower, and, get something to eat etc.
Bike it - Nice one! Real eye opener hey and a nice place to be training!
OO - I am not a fan of Gym's either.
Minni - You are very determined and will get there, but please try and be careful, must be frustrating when you are getting mixed diagnosis for your injuries.
G-Dawg - You're dedicated, good on you!
Leslie - 10 with hills eh. Fashionable I'd say. Nice work!
2 lack lustre non running days for me!
Minni - sorry to hear, with your determination you will be back
Gul - thats 20 marathons in 15 years.... thanks all the same (I doubt I will ever get to 100 though)....
I dont do gyms as get bored too esp on treadmills, but a necessary evil sometimes if staying away. 9which is about the only time I go to a gym)
Good hard session on the track tonight - 4 x 1200m (threshold) off 200m recovery then 4 x 200m fast off 100m recovery.
Take care
Minni - must be difficult at the moment, but you're a tough old bird
and you'll get through it OK and come out stronger (mentally and hopefully physically) at the end. Look forward to buying you a pint in April.
Bike It - sounds fab. Not sure about the heat, but no doubt you'll acclimatise to it.
GM - you're absolutely right to put the youngster first. I guess it'll be a tricky one to fit a decent campaign in around everything. My plan for SA is to fly out overnight on the Wednesday arriving midday on the Thursday so two and a bit days before the run on the Sunday, then I fly back overnight on the Tuesday, i.e. a couple of days' recovery. Pretty excited as I've never been to South Africa before so open to any suggestions as to what to do.
Commuting run for me this morning but decided to extend it from 2 miles each way to nearly 5 miles each way. Nul points for the scenery en route (especially the stretch round the Wandsworth one-way system) but good to get almost 10 miles in.
20 marathons each is a great total RFJ (nice track session tonight) & Lorenzo - a very wet 8 mile run too Lorenzo!
Minni - I do hope your labral tear & bulging disc heal so you can get back to running soon, it must be very frustrating at the mo. (like the pictures of the home gym BTW).
BikeIt, those facilities sound amazing.
Gerard - I'm still trying to get my backside in gear to get out for a lunchtime run at work. It's usually 20 minutes for me at the moment.
Found a good steep hill near where my lad does his footy training and managed 10 x reps with a warm up & warm down.
My body obviously needs rest at the moment. I'd hoped to do a few more miles this morning, but didn't wake up till 6am. So just another 2 miler.
Apologies for the flying visit, but just time to say (((Minni))).
Good news with the custody GM, I'm sure you work something out- and understandable that running takes a back seat when he stays with you. You'll have to get him running
One of the best things to do in SA is to take in a braai which is basically a BBQ with the emphasis on meat with a healthy side of meat and meat trimmings. In fact the only thing that is not meat is the beer. Of course, this may not be the best marathon preparation.
So, after 2 lack lustre runs, today was the planned MP session. P&D said 16 with 10@MP so the plan was 3 miles warm up to the Serpentine, 5 laps (2 miles each) and then 3 miles back to the office. MP is nominally 7:15 for a 3:10. Started off fairly well, 8:00 for the first mile and 7:50 for the second but the third was 7:08 and I had already done 1 mile at MP without realising it! Got onto the loop round the Serpentine and hit a good rhythm and, long story short, 10 miles just inside 7:00 pace later I was done, so 11 miles in total at an average of 6:59. 3 miles back: the first couple were with heavy legs (7:46 and 7:59) but by the last the heaviness had mostly gone and I was back to 7:30 pace. Total 16.15 miles at 7:15 pace.
The 6:59 pace corresponds to 3:03 so very happy with that as an effort. Recovery tomorrow and then just a MLR and a GA run to go this week. Little icy underfoot at the start but I felt positively warm when I saw swimmers doing lengths in the pool at the Serpentine Lido: fools!
Definitely need to concentrate on pace: it is fine doing a session at 7:00 and not 7:15 but if I head out at 7:00 I know I will feel it well before 26 miles.
RFJ-nice long reps.
Lorenzo-good 10
KR-10 that's a lot ! 400's?
Gul- don't book any mara's sounds like the lurgy to me.
Gerard- get that lad new trainers he will need them
PMJ- 16 at mara pace in the first week ... on lack luster legs too ,did you ever think of running a sub...never mind
! just watch that ice .
6.5m this morn with 5x 400m hill repeats,hard effort ,10 secs easy either end , stride down came out around 6:50 pace.
GM - good news about the custody. A tough situation about the running and fitting it in. I guess you just have to see how to work round it. But as running can be an opportunist sport, I'm sure opportunities will arise, however maybe not consistently enough for a set campaign?
That was a good 16 miler PMJ. 10 miles at MP is a tough call and good to get into a rhythm. I guess there were no interuptions, so a steady flow of running.
Leslie, I think the hill reps were just over 200m, not done any for a good while so a good reintroduction. Maybe do more next week? Looks like you had a good ill session too!
KR, I did it on a lap course which is all tarmac paths and pretty wide ones too, so no roads to cross etc. I was initially a bit worried about doing a lot of laps but they were not so bad at all.
I think you've given us all a scare with that one PMJ- glad I'm not following your programme- looks far too tough
I did another 6 miler at lunchtime. Bit quicker today averaging 7:30 pace with my colleague pulling me along. Those long mid week runs are a key ingredient but I'll save mine until later in the programme. Just want to ease up with a couple of 50 mile weeks. My hip is behaving, want to keep it that way.
PMJ - I some time find laps help me with the motivation and mind set when it come to the big day. Good 16m BTW
GM - Always family first. Glad you are getting it sorted.
legs a tad tad tired on tonights 6.25m...
Take care
Leslie, OO, Lorenzo, KR et al cheers re the encouragement. Defo know I won't be able to fit in a solid campaign for a mara around my fatherly duties and I'm not interested in another below par run so I'll put it on the back burner for now and see how things pan out. Who knows what will happen further down the line.
PMJ - Very nice confidence booster MP run at this stage of the game, but as you said, there is a fine line, and if you go out at your target pace I think it will be a very satisfactory outcome for you. You're fit, smart and fast, all you need to do is run smart.
Lorenzo - I know you do a fair bit of traveling around re your job etc but that flight takes a bit out of you, that is unless you fly business class. Given your time limitations I would recommend that you take it easy and not try do too much. I've only ever been to Natal once and that was way back in 97 and all I did was surf and canoe down/up Limpopo river. I was staying in a beach resort named Scottsburgh which was about 50k from Durban city. Durban city is nice and has a lovely promenade. This year is the UP right? Where are you staying?? PMJ is right the Braai is a thing to behold if you are a carnivore but they also do lovely Fish braai's but as PMJ said, the meat is the main event. You'll have a fab time.
1st lunch run for me in a while and it was an easy paced 5k run which I rather enjoyed even though it was a bit windy.
Leslie, you seem to be really racking up the miles and getting some good quality in the mix. Seems not long ago you were benched. Must be awesome to run as you want again. Can you remind me what you are targeting next?
PMJ, I think you may cruise around this marathon in well under your target goal (as per your plan). The nice thing is you'll be able to go out controlled knowing you are going to feel good (maybe even best) along the final stretch. Anyway, I'd say that 16M w/11 at pace is a good indication you are starting out very fit and ready.
GM, good news on your son and your time with him. Agree, he has to come first. Like you, I don't have any desire to race that distance unless I'm prepared. Because my real love is just getting out there to run, I don't have a problem being patient between races. For your training, you could almost adopt a hard/easy plan where the week you are alone you crank and then recover the following week. Wonder if that would work? You might just find you are much fresher for everything and therefore get good returns on all work. Alternatively, you may not be able to overload the system as needed on that rotation. But like you say, get out when you can and the rest will sort itself out.
I went out today for a 12 miler and froze my a$$ off
. It was 18 mph winds and when I started the temp was 16 F (windchill -2). Ran w/wind mainly at my back for 7 miles and it was cold but not uncomfortable. Then turned around to come back and hit the wind. Fingers and face got very cold the last 5 miles...had do duck into some stores twice to get fingers warmed up enough to keep going. Ran w/gloved hands in pockets last 4 miles (lovely picture...glad I didn't trip!). Felt I was dressed enough when I set out, but then looked at the weather at the end. Temp was 4 degrees and the windchill was -22. It wasn't supposed to drop until later so got caught unaware. Will get the warmer gloves out now for anything this cold. The hot shower after was goooood...
PMJ - excellent 16 / 10 @ MP. I'm hoping that the raceways course does, as Poacher suggested, break down into 4 straights of very similar lengths. That would make each 5km loop 8 x 625m and excellent for getting a quick handle on pace. BTW Isn't the spring marathon in Stratford called the Shakespeare too? I think Raceways have missed a trick with theirs being in the middle of March it should have been called the George Eliot
Leslie - nice reps. No mara booked yet...
OO - good news on the hip.
GM - nice lunchtime run. I am full-time but only get the legal minimum of 30mins. I think if I am really organised I can do a couple of miles. The office is very laid-back so if need be I could even go to work in my running gear! The worst bit is there are no showers, so it would just be a quick wash at the hand-basin in the toilet (so no sprinting!)
VTr - blimey, and I thought it was cold over here the other day.
Woke up nearer my usual time this morning and did 6 slow miles (MP+21%). Didn't feel quite as washed out as I thought I would. Really need to get back to some decent mileage next week.
Gul,there appear to be 3 marathons a year in that region. There is the Spring Shakespeare and Autumn Shakespeare on the airfield and the Rotary Shakespeare marathon which is round the roads and countryside of Stratford on Avon itself (I did that one in 2011).
The course for the airfield loops is in the race day info
http://www.raceways.eu/site/images/Long_Marston/Shakespeare_race_day_info_v4_220914.pdf
but also you can see a good Garmin trace here
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/633499231
The 2k and 4k points on the lap seem fairly near pertinent landmarks and the 5k lap start / finish is also clear so should be fine. I may need to start working in kms as 4:30 per km comes out as 3:09:53 and the maths just looks nice: 4:30 per km, 9 minutes each 2 k, 22:30 per 5k, 45 per 10 k.
PMJ - scary paced run at this stage of the campaign.
VTr - scary temperatures. I guess you've got to be doubly, if not triply, careful going out when it's that cold.
GM - most of my travelling is by car or train, unless I'm up in Scotland, so the point is well made about needing time to recover from the flight. Unfortunately I'm not flying business class unless I strike lucky when I get to the airport.
I'm staying in Durban so I'm hoping that BI and Poacher have got some insider info on the best place for a braai. When I lived in Chile, I loved going to the restaurants where the only choice on the menu was how much meat you wanted to order!
5 miles with hill reps (400m x 4 up a 1 in 5 hill) yesterday; 5.5 easy miles this morning.
It isn't that early in the campaign for me. The marathon I'm doing is 9.5 weeks away. I am following a P&D 12 week plan and skipped the first 2 weeks so missed the 8@MP session in week 1 and have just done the 10@MP in week 3 which leaves 12@MP in week 6. If I was doing London which is 6 weeks later it would be scary.
Lorenzo - Nice hill reps! Re the braai again, Boerwors (pronounced Vorce) sausage is the national favourite and is a lovely sauage with a bit of spice in it. Bit like Merguez if you've ever had that but nicer, also highly recommend the Karroo lamb, it's amazing especially the chops, they graze on the local fynbos (local bush) and IMHO it is nicer than Welsh or NZ and don't get me started on the steaks! I need to eat something now with all this talk of food.
VTR - Crikey that does sounds bitterly cold and having to stop in shops/stores to warm up is pretty extreme. I did think about the one week hard/one week easy thing but the easy one would be too easy and it would mean that I would more than likely need to adopt a much longer campaign if I was to fit in all the long runs etc and I can't do that in time for a Spring one. It's cool though as KR rightly said, some opportunity will crop up.
Good session there PMJ. Crikey VT, that's proper cold...Brrrr!
My legs are sore today as the campaign proper starts to take hold. Had a cracking night at the World Darts in Frimley Green last night. Managed to get my ugly mug on TV too
.
Drank far too much but feel fine today. Managed to do a 4 mile tempo before hitting the sauce. Average pace was 6.46 but check these splits - 6.50, 6.44, 6.44, 6.44. Surprised me when I got in, that's for sure.
Quickest run for a while and I'm happy with that! Onwards!!
GD
Gul - I meant to say in my previous post, 30 mins is not alot! I couldn't/wouldn't run if I didn't have a shower at work.
G-Dawg - That's a quick 4 miler there!
Hi everyone and a belated Happy New Year to all you runners.
Hope you don't mind me checking in at the beginning of the VLM 15 training phase - it's a long while since I was last on here.
A quick read back over the last week suggests most are already well into their training and looking in good shape. In particlar I noticed a superb XC performance from Speedy (cruelly deinied a deserved podium place) and a scary MP run from PMJ. Good to see many familiar faces and several new ones.
2014 was an unremarkable year for me running-wise. VLM was poor (my slowest since my first back in 2007). I then got into reasonable shape over the summer/autumn culminating in a 90 min HM at Royal Parks in October. Along the way I shaved a few secs off my (soft) 5k PB - my only PB of the year so a highlight of sorts.
Unfortunately I have subsequently let it slip in the run-in to xmas and over the holiday period. 8 miles yesterday morning was a laboured effort. VLM target is to get under 3:15 to retain a GFA place and I have left myself a bit of a mountain to climb. Hopefully plugging back into this forum will help provide some motivation!
VTR- yes i'm going ok at the minute trying for a consistently consistent 60m/week, changing sessions every 6 weeks or so to mix it up, this weeks newly hatched plan
is to target the Walled city mara as my A race at the end of may , target wont be set till start may ,I had planned a half mara pb effort for end march but i'm not anywhere near pb shape and not looking like I can get there either in time so will settle for 90 mins if possible 
Windchill -22 thats some serious weather you are getting ,I think id be scared to venture out .
Lorenzo- thats not a hill its a cliff face you are climbing , did you need a rope ?
G-dawg- cracking pace you earned a beer
GoldenEagle - time to get cracking as times running out ..pun intended !
double yesterday and 7 this morn
PMJ - sounds like an ideal course for continuous running. Since I did that Maravan of multiple laps, I think your brain doesn't twig how far you are actually going!
VT - those conditions sound horendous. Sometimes when it is really cold I go out with double gloves and it works a treat.
G-Dawg - good paced tempo miles. Did you still have your running gear on when you got on TV?
Good luck with regaining the fitness GE, maybe a few weeks building up the base miles might help to ease back into it?
Planned an 8 miler last night but it turned out to be 11. I have a few similar courses that I run and had mixed them up, so when I got to halfway (literally is turning a corner) I realised my mistake. So consequently missed half of Silent Witness!
Welcome back GoldenE! You've got some decent speed by the sound of it and hopefully you will have a good mara campaign.
KR - Nice unplanned 11 there! Is Silent Witness back on tv? I used to love that.
Left home this morning and it was miserable, wet and very windy. By the time I went out for a lunch run, the sun was shining and did a lovely 40 min run along the beach. Was overdressed and could have done with my sunnies!
GM, I think they said it was the 18th series? Started back this week. A run along the beech with the sun - my kind of run!
PMJ - I had in mind a fractionally slower pace - 23mins per 5km, which equates to 3:14:06. I'll just concentrate on getting to the start line to begin with!
GD - good tempo session.
GE - welcome back!
Leslie - very consistent.
KR - subconscious decision I reckon
GM - nice beach run.
6 steady miles this morning @ MP + 7%.
Looks like you will be scaring us for the next 9 weeks then PMJ
Welcome back Golden E- I'm sure you can make it from a 1:30 HM, and you know you are in the right place for motivation..
Could be a windy flight home this pm- rest day here.
Parkrun tomorrow then 18 on Sunday I hope to secure a 50 mile week
KR- good mistaken 11 , keep at those hill reps , I will be trying them for the next few weeks too
Gul- that sounds more like it
0052- very strong winds here last night thought our trampoline would be gone this morn luckily it was still there
10.5m with hills today and possible rest day tomorrow