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Sub 3h15
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Freemers - yes, I remember the end of the course wasn't ideal. The marshall was looking away and I nearly missed the turn into the field!
Jools - nice club session on tired legs. All the best for the Bath Half!
Lorenzo - 14 miles off road in rain and mud! Probably preferable to the M25 though.
GD - nice multi-pace session. Hope the hammy is OK for Sunday.
10 very slow miles this morning.
Gul - fantastic long run 7:19m/miles is good for 3:11
Poacher-must be great to be on tour
KR- great pace and week
Birch -steady as she goes
PMJ- the last mile is the toughest
Lorenzo-maybe you need waders to go on those river crossing runs
couple of 5 milers this week and a rest day yesterday due to grumbly knee ,only 2 days left to enter my favourite local mara I must and will resist this year
Goodluck the sunday racers
Great running at MP by Gul and KR. And some other great sessions noted by Freemers, GD and Jools.
Its been very wet here the previous 2 days and my work commutes have been very slippy as I've been running where dirt turns to mud or on the grass by the side of the road. (Probably not a severely muddy as Lozenro's run though) As a consequence of slipping around or of recent running I've now got a sore adductor and a pull in the right side of my abdomen. I'm taking today as a rest day to let it calm down and see how it is tomorrow.
Happily I sneaked into 5th place on the Marathon Talk listener podium.
Jumping into this thread pretty late on as didn't think this was a realistic goal until recently.
I have entered my second marathon, MK in May, ran t last year in 3:44, was aiming for 3:30 but due to illness injury etc it never came together.
I entered this year as an afterthought really, I had entered a 20miler at beginning of April and thought being as the training was there I may as well do the marathon a month later. My wife gave birth to our daughter in January so haven't been following a plan as such, I've just been doing my normal 3 runs during the week, 2 steady 5/6 miles and either one speed session or tempo run but making sure I do a long distance at the weekend. This seems to be going pretty well as I have hit PB's in all distances this year, 5k -19:40 10k - 40:39 Half Mara 1:30:21 (this was the aforementioned MK half with its dirty hilly last mile - would have been sub 90 if not for that).
I guess what I am looking for in encouragement that the 3:15 goal is realistic (ideally I'd like 3:11 as this is 65% WAVA). Also, What sort of pace do you think I should go for in my 20mile race bearing in mind it's 4 weeks before marathon day, ideally I don't want to just go super slow as it is a club championship race.
Sorry for long post.
Some good HMP miles there G-Dawg, good luck for Sunday.
Looks like you have a good plan there Freemers with your half marathon approach.
Good luck in Bath Jools.
Hope your abductor eases BikeIt.
Welcome Effillo, your half marathon and 10k suggest a sub 3.15 is within your grasp. Are you able to squeeze in another running day in the week? I found going from 3 to 4 days a week helped a lot. In regards to your 20 miler, I wouldn't race it. Instead I would turn it into a progressive run and break it up into. 5 mile chunks, so that the last 5 mile were at hopeful marathon pace.
14 miles On Tuesday night @ 7.16 av pace then a very wet 6 miles yesterday morning with some 100m strides at the end.
Effillo - I agree with KR, a progressive race would be a good one with 4 weeks to go. How are your long runs going generally? I would think with limited training time they could be tough?
Jools - great speed session
GD - another fast paced run, hope the hammy is OK for Sunday.
BI - I was wondering if that was you on the podium, I was listening on my way into work this morning. I loved the interview with Kelly Holmes, she sounded exactly like I am sure we all did when starting on our first marathons!
Intervals are so much harder first thing in the morning before breakfast (IMHO of course). 3 x 1 mile at 6.30 pace and I was blowing a gasket at the end.
Long runs are ok, so far I've done 2 15 milers and a 17 miler. Got 17,18,20(race)&18 left planned in, I know they aren't quite long enough but should see me through, as I say when I started the training I didn't have a proper plan in place, just slotted long runs in around planned races.
I am on 4 runs a week at the moment, any more is pipe dreams at the moment due to the new arrival. Once she is a few months older I'll be taking her out in the running buggy.
Effilio: welcome. Totally endorse the advice not to race the 20 or do the full distance @ MP. You will almost certainly leave the best your legs have to offer on the roads of the 20M race! 5 easy, 5 steady and up to 10 at marathon pace.
Effillo - Welcome and I concur with what Jools and others have said re your 20 mile "race". Your shorter pb's are very similar to mine when I ran my 1st marathon in London 2013. Speaking from my personal experience when I ran VLM 13, I lacked strength and endurance and I only did 1 20m run. I would suggest, if you can; upping the distance of your LR's that you have planned. You have already done a 17 so maybe progress to a 20 and then back that up with another 20/22 and do your planned 20 as Jools said. I've done 2 marathons since and lowered my pb's in shorter distances but what I and many others have learned is, the marathon is a different story altogether. Good luck with your training and please keep us posted. Always good to have new blood.
KR - Nice to see you back and in great form too!
Freemers - Nice work early doors!
Bike it - I'm surprised you are back to it already, hope you feel better tomorrow.
Leslie - Progress!
Re Marathon talk, I have never tuned in, other than when something was posted on here. I fear I have been missing out for some time.
Zero running for me this week so far as work has gone FUBAR. I'll get some miles in the w/end but not ideal really. Hey ho, I am not injured and I'm still ticking, so can't complain really in the grand scheme of life.
Freemers - I'm with you on the challenge of doing reps first thing; 6:30 pace is good going as far as I'm concerned.
Great going KR - top form from you at the moment.
BI - haven't got around to the latest episode but will be listening out for the name check. Badbark seems to be on the podium at frequent intervals as well.
Effilio - welcome. There's no shortage of advice and experience. on here. My first sub 3:15 was on the back of a 1:31:25 half which would suggest that your sub 3:15 is do-able.
However, without knowing how you found the last 6 miles in your previous marathon, I feel that a few more long runs, preferably with the last few miles at marathon pace (7:20) would be beneficial. Rather than doing 17,18, 20 and 18 could you manage a 20 and a couple of 22s? You've still got 7 weeks to go so if you get some structure and good quality sessions in there, you'll be in with a chance.
Rest day as planned for me today - commuting runs tomorrow.
I have to confess that I've "done a Poacher" and entered the Race the Wall ultra in mid June - 100K from Carlisle to Gateshead. Looks a wonderful route and there's something in the idea of running across the country even it is at the shortest route. I'm not planning any over-distance runs as part of the London build up so will have to get back into long slow running fairly quickly after London but there's 8 weeks in between so I should be OK.
x-post GM - great minds think alike!!!
Hope work gets back under control soon.
Effillo - welcome to the thread. I wouldn't recommend racing the 20 miler that close to your target marathon, as others have said. Also if you could do a few more 18-20 mile runs that would certainly help. But I'm not really in a position to give advice as I've still not even run a sub 3:30! All the best.
KR - another good MLR.
Freemers - not sure why people think intervals are harder early in the morning! Good effort.
GM - hope work quietens down soon.
Lorenzo - Race the Wall! Next year China
Slow 14 mile MLR this morning (7 @ 8:36, 7 @ 8 @ 8:17). Re-stocking the match-box.
Effilio - Just to back up what the others have said, try to get a couple more 20s into the final weeks before taper. I'm not as quick as some on here or do the volumes they do (I average 40 miles per week at the mo)
I got my first (and only) sub 3.15 last year and that was off the back of 4 x 20 milers. I'm doing 4 or 5 this year (3 done already). They really are key sessions and complement the 15 to 18 milers nicely. Since December I've run at least a HM distance every week. That endurance build up is essential for the dreaded last 10k. Good luck!
GD
Morning all, apologies for the low profile this week; little MsA has had her chicken pox pretty badly, so more juggling of childcare & work, and tapering for the weekend anyway which means not much running. Had to go to Kent for work on Wednesday in the middle of all that, and my birthday yesterday got rather overlooked!
Still, a short tempo planned for lunch, and little leg stretch tomorrow, and then race day on Sunday. Forecast looking favourable, so as long as I get to the start line fit & well, it should be a good day!
Welcome to Effilio - plenty of experienced heads on here have been giving sage advice. Nothing more to add - listen to the collected wisdom!
Intervals, strides, MLRs... keep it going folks, makes for good reading.
Hope work calms down soon GM!
Morning all
Gul - excellent 10 + 14 slow - perfect "matchbox-filling", as you say
Leslie - take care with the knee - I'm familiar with "grumbly knee syndrome" !
BikeIt - hope the niggle is just that, and nothing of major concern
KR - great 14 - I admire your discipline of getting out there in the evenings for these longer runs
Freemers - ditto with the intervals, but at the other end of the day !
Gerard - just a thought, but why not take the weekend off as well, and look upon the full week's rest as a planned "recharging" ? Of course, I fully understand the need to get out there , but sometimes giving oneself permission for a rest can be quite liberating. Then next week back at it !
Effillo - imo, 3:15 is more than feasible off a 1:30 half ( at those paces, 2 x half mara time + (10 - 12) mins would be a "standard" conversion), but it's only your second marathon, and the small number of long runs, by which I mean 20 + , could be a limiting factor (I say could, because we are all different, but as a general rule, I say the more 20's in a campaign, the better)
I would definitely try to make your planned remaining longer runs into 20's - replace "see me through" with "do what it takes" . . . . & definitely don't race the 20 event -
I'm sure you'll do well, and my advice is well meant (as is everyone's on here), so apply yourself to the last few weeks training, and see where it takes you
Good luck
rest day here after 6 days consecutive - cautious optimism re knee - I normally operate on a 2 level of pain/discomfort on a 1-10 range, and after being at 8 a few weeks ago, I'm around 3.5 now, so we'll see what tomorrow's longer run brings, then I might be able to look at targets for later in the year . . . .
Good choice of race to enter Lozenro.
After a rest day yesterday, it was a 4m commute after breakfast and then 10 miles at lunch on 3 laps of my new dirt-road course through the bushveld. Thankfully I can report that the pull in my abdomen is recovered and the adductor strain is almost gone. It seems like a minor niggle and hopefully should be gone by Sunday's Long Run.
+1 for thinking reps are tough first thing in the morning Fremers
Shame about work getting in the way of the running GM. Like you say you're not injured, so maybe a few days rest will help in a weird way?
I looked at that Ultra too Lorenzo, but Mrs KR has a view on me doing any more Ultras and it ain't a good one! I found the walk jog long runs helped get the mileage in, so 20 minutes running & 2/3 minutes walking.
Good midweek LSR Gul, don't forget the fire lighters too
Good luck for Sunday Abbers and belated happy birthday too.
Some good advice there Birch. Sounds like you have a Jurgen Klopp view of injuries. Distinguishing how much the pain is and gauging how to cope with it. Hope the longer run goes well.
Some good advice being fed Effillo. It took me a few marathons to get the hang of it, not just the race, but also the training involved.
6 miles last night with 10 x hill reps.
Belated happy birthday, Abbers.
Rest day for me yesterday rather than the planned 13, which has been postponed to today. By the time my last meeting ended at 7.20pm I was too knackered to contemplate a run which wouldn't finish until gone 9pm!
Birch - sounds like you're managing the knee sensibly enough. Good luck with how it responds to your long run!
Effillo - if you get the endurance in, you'll cruise 3:30. I managed a 3:27 in my one and only mara to date after falling flat on my face at mile 3 and running the rest of the way with battered, bloody and stiffening knees; my PBs are very close to yours, and I know I would have gone around 3:20 but for that little mishap, so the long runs are key.
BI - glad you're feeling improvements.
KR - hill reps. Always good fun! And thanks for the birthday/good luck wishes (ditto Jools).
So after a couple of enforced rest days, a little 5 miler at lunch with 2 tempo miles trying to target roughly 10 mile pace on feel. Came out at 6:39 and 6:40, so times were right, but didn't feel as light and quick as I'd have liked; still a bit of a slog! So, roll on Sunday and see what's in the tank. Good luck to other racers!
Effillo welcome to the thread
Quiet week here. 7 tomorrow and my 20 mile race Sunday should scrape 40.
Abbers - hope you can celebrate your birthday in style on Sunday!
Birch - enjoy your long run with pain/discomfort level
What happened to the rest of that post?! Here goes again...
Bike It - good news on the abdomen and adductor.
KR - yes, I musn't forget the fire lighters!
Jools - hope you're well rested for Sunday.
OO - all the best for your 20 mile race.
And all the best for anyone else racing this weekend.
6 mile recovery run for me this morning to finish the week with a total of 66 miles. We're dog-sitting next week, so might be difficult fitting in the usual mid-week miles!
Not a dog that runs then Gul
I was planning to take it easy at the parkrun, but conditions were perfect so I popped in an 18:32 which felt fairly comfortable.
OO, scorching effort! Well done.
Effillo, welcome. Good advice given here. My view is that you shouldn't get too hung up on time for this race. Finish out your schedule, get some longer runs in if you can, and just run to feel on the day. It does take a few of these races to understand what type of training can sustain certain race outcomes. Good luck.
Well, I've had quite the international experience. I'm not sure I've been under more pressure for work under a short period of time. Gave 3 talks in 3 days, including questioning a student for 2 hrs one on one in front of his department for his thesis. About 3 hrs sleep per night. Then when I thought I could get some rest and some miles in for the end of the trip, I got the most horrific case of food poisoning. I've been in fever-laced throes in this little hotel room for the past 36 hrs. Finally able to eat and be up again. So all things were clicking last week and now this. Not sure if I can get out today, but hopefully tomorrow. 6 days off plus illness was not part of the plan. But another way to view this is I'm pretty sure I've dropped some xmas weight and any niggles should be healed up!
VTr - sounds a bit grim. I suspect that the lack of sleep hasn't helped. I think that you said you were in Stockholm so I had a sense of deja vu having gone down with something while I was over there a couple of years ago. Take it easy and I hope you feel better soon.
Another speedy parkrun from you there OO. What's your target for London?
Belated happy birthday Abbers and good luck for tomorrow.
Almost had a CNBA attack this morning but finally made it out of the house for another muddy, hilly trek over to and up Leith Hill. 19.6 miles at 8:30 pace on the clock when I got back which tips me over the 60 mile mark for the week.
Might have to nip out for a gentle recovery run tomorrow, simply to get past Gul's total.
nice clickety-click for the week, Gul . . .
another pea-shelling 18:nn by OO noted
sounds bad, VTr - good you see the bright side - ie weight-loss !
Lorenzo - not tempted to run up and down the road for the extra 0.4 miles ? Good weekly total, though . .
planned slow 16 here, and mission accomplished; 10 with pals 50/50 tarmac & trail, jogged parkrun with another friend in 30:05 (!) , so only final 3 miles home were solo - pleasant morning's work and 40 for the week so far. Glad I decided not to give the parkrun full beans, as knee started jipping a bit during the final section to home.
good luck to any racers tomorrow (Jools)
Birch - yes, I was tempted but managed to resist the temptation. Having not taken on any fuel during the run I couldn't wait to get indoors and eat something!
Good luck to Jools (and G-Dawg?) tomorrow - DBS both of you!
Gul nice week make that dog run but not trip you up
0053- nice easy for some parkrun
VTR- get well soon, 3 hrs sleep is no good to anyone tough times and plane never work 100% as intended I find.
Lorenzo- nice week so far
Abbers - happy Birthday old un
Birch-nice week despite knee bother
10 slow ones with "Birch knee"
10m is such a long way these days 
Got my long run in today as family calls tomorrow. 20 miles with the first 10@7:32, next 10 @ 7:23, 1 and a bit cool down for 21.48 total in 2:40.
Not quite P&D style but definitely faster over the second half than the first half. Got to 20 in under 2:29 and P&D MP+20, MP+10 comes out at 2:50 pace so encouraging run.