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Sub 3h15
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Poacher - sounds like your long run this weekend will be a fun one. Which marathon is it? On the bike question, others with more expertise than me will come up with more informed comments, but from reviews I get the impression that Cube is a decent brand. Are you planning to use it over the winter?
Looking back on my mileage log, I think my biggest week was 87 miles which was down to 3 20+ mile runs between Monday and Sunday as I was training for an Ultra at the time. Apart from those weeks where I've actually run an Ultra, I very rarely go over 65 miles and I guess I average 45-50 during a block of marathon training; for London next year I'm not planning on going over 50 so that I can concentrate on getting some decent speed work sessions in there.
6.5 commuting miles this morning - not quite so sweaty when I got on the train compared to last time.
Hull, not sure why I entered, but the idea of running over the Humber bridge appeals. I would quite like to give up marathons and do something else. Maybe 4 more then retire on 70?. The cycling aim would be to work up towards long sportives. When you look at other sports, you realise how expensive they are!
Everyone is different but it doesn't necessarily take more miles in order to improve - they just have to be better miles coupled with optimum race-day tactics and smart pacing.
Birch - my HM PB is from GER too. Mind you I've only done 3 HMs and 2 of them were GER! Not sure about my highest weekly total in a Mon-Sun week - will have to look it up!
Poacher - isn't there an endurance event in which you see how many times you can run back and forth across the Humber Bridge in a set time (24 hours)? Sounds right up your street!
9 slow miles this morning in between juggling loads of extra jobs. I'm booked in for a training course in Leeds next week and will be staying one night - anyone know a good place to run near the centre?
Did anyone listen to Jason Cherriman on Marathon Talk- he gives our thread a nice plug. I assume this is Race Jase? It seems he's certainly a fan of the 100+ miles club.
GNR was one of the hottest I can remember Lorenzo. Junior and I were both down about a minute on last year. I don't think the heat was a factor for me after all my hot training in Geneva. I'm not sure why I'm doing so well at the shorter distances (5 & 10k) but my form is going backwards over the longer distances. But not to shabby as you say.
I haven't finally entered Hull Poacher but the race had the same appeal for me- running over the humber brige both ways will be unique. Hope you have a blast.
Still a great time, OO. Well done to your daughter too. It was obviously a hot day. Friend of mine with a sub-80 PB ran nearly 2 mins slower.
Gul - were you running those 9 miles in the dark now the sun rises so much later?
Poacher - I agree there is more than one way to skin a cat. I am part of a sub-3 group that has a lot of Americans in there who LOVE to compete on mileage. That is a one way ticket to injury for me (and many of them over time!) I like seeing what my optimum gains are on the more modest mileage. I have yet to do more than mid-60s during a marathon cycle but can see myself going up slightly. Need to factor in some speedwork first. Not both.
Lorenzo - I think you are a natural ultra runner as you seem able to absorb those big miles. When's the next one lined up for?
Leslie - I have the utmost admiration to you in fitting in runs with moving shift patterns. My running works best when in a routine. Otherwise, my body gets really confused...
GM - keeping the faith while relaxing.
You know when you are having a really nice meal and you leave the best bits till last so you have the anticipation of enjoying them for longer? That is me during the taper. Just 40-50 mins easy running to do today and I am saving it for a bit.
Gul - along the canal is good, and quite near the middle of Leeds. Don't go too far west though, as the canal finishes on Merseyside.
OO - I have run over the Verrazano Bridge between Staten Island and Brooklyn, and the Golden Gate, but confidently expecting Hull to top them.
Poacher wrote "Birch in your speedy heyday you must have been churning out some very decent numbers for years on end"
Not really big miles - eg - I've never averaged 50mpw for a calendar year (closest was 49.nn), but a marathon schedule would have been maybe average 60 -65 mpw (with higher weeks included) - in fact prior to last year's VLM, legs held up enough to allow 13weeks (pre-taper) at average 62mpw, with the last two weeks each at 70.
It's really the old chestnut of "consistent consistency" that's given me the 30+ year average of 38mpw - which, of itself, isn't owt to write home about, but I'm happy with it as I'm now in week 1588 of recorded running.
Speaking of Hull prompted me to delve in my records - did the old "Humber Bridge " marathon on 04/10/1992 - this was point to point (Hull to Grimsby), and crossed the bridge fairly early on - my diary states "weather fine, cool, with strong headwind most of the way" ! My splits suggest the wind took its toll in the 2nd half !!
Poacher- 600m in 3 months for a sub 3 ..nice running but did you have 20 years running experience to back it up
tiredness is the biggest problem on shift alright made worse by the insomnia with constant shift changes and you won't retire on 70 maras you need the 100 
I have come to running very late ,turning 44 soon and time for a sub 3 is rapidly running out for me ,I doubt few make sub 3 for the first time over 45 ,if you are already sub3 staying there isn't quite as tough id think.
0053- maybe Jase doesn't have work to contend with like most of us ,most of the top runners work part time if at all ...If we didn't need to work we could rock 100 mile weeks with the best of them ,well maybe ...
Mse- you are part of a sub3 group that has lots of high mileage runners ..enough said really ,who says mileage doesn't work?
and yes my body is confused a lot too ,I really need the 8 day or even 16 day cycle plan otherwise its constant changes to fit it all in.
As is often said most of us would see an improvement from running more miles
If you log in to runbritainrankings and filter the extended rankings section (I chose men aged 45-60 running marathons in 2015) then go to the page with marginal sub 3 times, it's quite striking how many PBs you see! I wouldn't give up hope yet. http://www.runbritainrankings.com/rankings/rankinglist.aspx?event=Mar&agegroup=ALL&sex=M&year=2016&agemin=45&agemax=60
Also, if you'd been running for years and still weren't sub 3 you probably wouldn't get there after 45 either. If you started late, you might not reach the heights you'd have been capable of as a younger man but you'll peak later.
Oh, erm, hi everyone! I still lurk occasionally.
According to Marathon talk RJ has 2 small kids, a full time job and a very understanding wife...
Poacher you have inspired me- I just entered Hull marathon. Looks like we have a smackdown for Sunday
Lets hope I also have an understanding wife, haven't told her yet
Great, that's the 3rd smackdown of the year I'm going to lose.
Leslie you might be surprised by how much you can still improve. Plenty of speedy folk on here at or around the 50 mark. I broke 3hrs in my first race as a V50 so it can be done, OO must be about the same age but is a fair bit faster than me. Lit is right about starting later and peaking later.
Good to see Jase getting a namecheck, nice bloke and a talented runner.
Literatin thanks for the info and welcome back ,looks like I would need to be in the top 415 though ,nobody said It was going to be easy
0053- how does he do it
enjoy your smackdown.
Poacher- that's good to hear although I hope it doesn't involve me running 50 training maras as training
4 very slow recovery ones , got proper doms after yesterday that will teach me to take a week off !
I have 8 months to improve , anybody dot a cunning plan
Really have till start of feb to take get into the sort of shape to even start a plan and it may be a bit shy of sub 3 !
Very rare for me to get over 50 mile a week. I've been running quite seriously for 30 years and I fear that above 50 per week might bring my running days to a premature end.
Skipped 5 miles on the beach this morning with Nordic poles, then 5 easy run this evening. I'll have to cut back later in the week so I don't give Poacher an unfair advantage
Re mileage, even when I was running regularly I would normally average 25-30 mpw and I think I maxed out at 60 one week in marathon training.
Leslie - I think Lit is right. Like you I was a late starter Dec 10 was my 1st ever race and only started a few months before that. One of my friends has been running for about 10 years now and is 53 and he pb'd at every distance last year. He ran a 78 min half and now runs about 35 for 10k, so there's hope for us late bloomers.
Lit - Hi there! Hope you're well!? Are you doing an autumn marathon?
Gul - That was a really good 25 miler. Have you picked a race yet?
Poacher - Yes it was idyllic, one of my best pals just bought a new 25ft cruiser and the weather was gorgeous, light winds and about 21c. The sea temp was lovely too and my young lad was delighted to be jumping off the back of the boat into about 20 metres deep water. 70 marathons is some going, and love the way you just do them ad-hoc. I'm sure you'll run well at Hull.
OO - 30 years of running, I had no idea you were running for that long. Are you going to race the marathon on Sunday?
MsE - I keep telling myself how lucky I am to be able to run and I do miss racing but I can wait.
Really enjoyable 1hr coastal cliff path/trail run for me tonight even if I did find some of the hills tough going but caught sight of a beautiful sunset and barely a soul about. Saw lots of rabbits and pheasants though and it really warm out. Wore my head torch as well and was glad I did as it was getting dark towards the end of the run and some sections are a bit hairy along the cliff paths.
Lit - welcome back on here and thanks for that link. I'm there at 609, one place ahead of PMJ
. The only difference is that I've got the letters PB next to my name (at the grand old age of 48) whereas his PB puts mine to shame.
MsE - not sure I'm a natural Ultra runner, unless that's a euphemistic term for plodder. I've just been very lucky with the lack of injuries down the years. No Ultras planned at the moment although I did hear of one in Wales that involved 3 consecutive days of 50 mile runs. I might be tempted by another one in 2017 but the focus is seeing if I can get close to sub-3 despite knocking on the door of being 50.
Poacher vs OO - sounds like a classic smackdown to me. Just need to persuade Gul to enter Beachy Head now.
Haven't listened to RJ's interview on MT yet, but hope to later this week - genuinely nice guy and a great story of someone who's gone from beer drinking biffa to top notch athlete.
Managed some reps this morning in the shape of a 1min/2min/3min/2min/1min/2min/3min/2min/1min set of ladder intervals.
Hello! I've had a slightly crap year to 18 months of iron-depleted running, but am much better now and have got back to nearly where I was, which is a comfortable place to run Chester from in 3 weeks: not fit enough to be under any pressure to PB, but way fitter than I was at London this year. I'm thinking about 2:54.
Lorenzo - still remember you sailing past me towards the end of Gosport half and managing to say 'hello, I'm Lorenzo!' as you did so!
OO - yes, that's RJ. Must listen to it sometime.
MsE - most of my mile are in the dark again now, but yesterday I had a change of routine and went a bit later to coincide with the Sorting Office opening time in order to pick up a parcel. Turned out to be tube shaped, so I pretended to be a relay runner
Poacher - thanks for the tip!
Leslie - no, don't say that! I'm 50 and I haven't even cracked sub 3:30 yet, but I'm not giving up just yet!
literatin - good to hear from you.
GM - I love running on the coast - sounds great.
Lorenzo - nice ladder intervals.
8 miles inc. 4x1M this morning, 6:14, 6:14, 6:20, 6:20.
Fair summary, I'll take that. Just off to run a few laps of Wormwood Scrubs to collect diamonds some careless bod has dropped.
Yes Gerard, I'll be racing Poacher on Sunday
With GNR in my legs and lack or serious marathon training I'll probably be happy below 3:15. May well go off at 7min/mile pace though.
Great to have you back Lit and seems you are fully on the road back to top form.
That's some dedication Gul to be out at 3am and weekly mileage!
Defo not mara training MsE, but looking at longer weekend runs.
Shame you had a disappointing GNR 0053. Still a stella time. Well done to 00 jnr!
Hopefully the endurance will get you through Poacher.
Birch a few of my friends from my athletics days back in the 80's occasionally post scanned in paper results from back in the day. Regarding highest mileage, it was last year training for the 24 hour event. I did 102 miles in the week which included a 24 hour period from Friday night - Saturday night where I did 60 miles 15.5 / 26.5 / 18. Leading up to that I'd done a 90 and 80 mile week. Good luck for the XC season, I bet you're waiting for a good bit of rain & mud!
That was a big week Leslie! I think you get into a cycle of long days, then run & sleep. When you look back you wonder how the heck you did it!I think you are right about the routine though MsE.
Hi Lit welcome back - a good goal for Chester! Thanks for posting the link too. I'm at 501. Interestingly there is no gun time on there, maybe they thought the 3.30.xx gun time was an error (having missing the start by 27 minutes!).
10 mile progressive run last night with a 7.59 first mile and 6.18 last mile.
Gerard- you friend is proper fast
hope for us alright 
Lorenzo- nice reps
Literatin-nice target !
Gul you ran a 3:30 last week
about time you booked a mara times running out 
Sub 3 at 50 ! ,you would need to be getting up at Gul o clock to run those times 
Have you a plan ?
0053- could be close between you are Poacher
Kr- some weeks I have a monday to fri evening off so there is potential for huge miles that week if I had nothing else to do ,weekends on shift with noise in the house and nightshift is a bit of a disaster though for training ! The 90 odd miles the week before which must have been nights was probably a bigger achievement ! Nice progression run.
Sorry not kept up with the chat, good intentions but seem to have been too busy with the not fun stuff (work). Same could be said of the training so 3.15 on Sunday would be excellent.
On that note best of luck with Hull on Sunday OO53 and Poacher. You two got any recognisable features, kits, traits? Would be nice to say hello. I'll probably be one of quite a few purple vested City of Hull AC runners. I'll wear probably be wearing a buff pirate style to differentiate (maybe a red or black Hardmoors one)... Quite the fashion statement I know
no 12 which is worryingly low, hope its alphabetical rather than having me down as elite or something accidentally 
Seeing the course and having local experience theres not much by way of a ramp, never mind hill till nearly halfway, then gets a bit tougher for a few miles either side of and on bridge. So worth being plenty fresh for second half.
whatever happens I'm looking forward to getting back to off road and ultra (name change to celebrate). Got ripon 35 start of October, is a new one for me and gets me the last point I need to get in UTMB ballot for 2017should I choose to.... But no shortage of great options out there and I'm in Lakeland 100 2017 already which is a great event. Will keep reading/posting though as enjoy reading the varied exploits of you lot.
Hey WD very pleased to have another threadster for Company on Sunday and thanks for the tips.
What is your target time? If it's really 3:15 that would do me too, but I may inevitably go off a bit quicker.
Here is my picture so you can spot me. Not the best photo, I know.
KR - nice progressive run.
Leslie - a plan? No, that would be too organised.
WDfDE - good to hear from you again - all the best for Sunday.
OO - that photo is just scary!
7 slow miles this morning. Mrs GD went to see a physio this week and he is recommending that she has an MRI and sees a specialist as he thinks she has Femoroacetabular Impingement, where the hip ball and socket are not a good fit and the soft tissue gets worn away. Rather frustrating that no-one has picked this up sooner as there is a procedure that can help with this but it needs to be caught early, but Mrs GD has had this problem for years. Hopefully her GP will now act on the physio's diagnosis and get it followed up.
Good to see Lit and KR popping in again.
In response to a much earlier question from MsE, there's no particular plan for Salisbury training, just a mixture of some fast, some slow and some long, topping out around the 40mpw mark. I've yet to work out how people find the time to do more with family and career too!
Woldsman Dan -100 miler and a very tough course that is crazy stuff
I see it has a 50-60% fail rate and that's not surprising I suppose !
0053 - big strides there !
Gul sorry to hear of mrs Gul's hip bother ,Hope she can get something sorted out soon. Speaking of hips when I lift my knee up high my right hip gives a good old clunk each time ,anybody else get that
It's not sore or anything but there does seem to be a bit of slack in there ..
Abbers -welcome back.
got to near 9 hilly miles this morn then my hammy decided it was time to stop que a 1 mile walk of shame home
Just a minor niggle ,it's not been a great week to start back so far lol !
Nice bit of unintentional celebrity baiting at lunchtime. Out of a gentle 6 miler at about 8 minute pace and got the first 3 done happily and crossing Hammersmith Bridge when I see a runner ahead. Didn't really pay much attention but noticed I was closing in on him. I pulled close and we crossed a road together and my route then headed left through some bollards and down a straight 1 mile residential road. ahead of me, he turned into the same road and I was on his shoulder. He turned and saw me and I stepped out to pass him but he picked up his pace and soon we were sub-7 pace. Eventually he pulled over and stopped outside a house and I said "giving up now?" and he said he was up for some more. Turns out he is Vassos Alexander who is a radio presenter but has also wrote "Don't Stop Me Now: 26.2 Tales of a Runner's Obsession".
How did you esteblish it was Vassos PMJ.
Vassos is a very talented sub-3 runner.I hear his tales on R2 in the mornings on the Chris Evans show. Seems like a nice chap. I follow him on twitter, tweet him PMJ, you'll get a mention.
Lots of action on here, not read everything but sorry to hear the GNR didn't go as you wanted OO but well done Jnr.
Some crazy miles going in from some of you people!
Taper week 2 continues here. Taking the eldest back to Uni in Wales over the weekend and won't be able to get a 10 miler in, so did it last night in oven-like temps. Chatted easy all the way at 7.30 pace on an undulating course. Sweat-fest!!
Track tonight for some easy mile reps. Coach said I had to do 4 x 6.45 pace with 2 min recs but it was quite difficult to go that SLOW and they all came out around 6.35, only good discipline stopped me going quicker.
Really nice feeling to think that used to be my balls out mile PB and now I can do that at what feels like LSR pace.
Of course, the track is quicker than the road and I won't be doing anything like that pace in |Berlin but it's nice to feel quick at this stage of the campaign, albeit the short distance.
Time to read back...
GD
Literatin - Great news re your recovery and that's a tasty target. Good luck!
OO - Cool. I'm sure you will nail a fast time in the marathon. I love that photo, it's cool, you look like you are running scared.
KR - Nice to hear from you. Sounds like you are still running well.
Abbers - Nice dreadmill session!
Gul - Sorry to hear about Mrs GD's woes, very frustrating indeed. Hopefully you will find a solution soon. Nice to hear that she is doing a bit of running too.
Leslie - I have yet to run anything further than 8 miles since April. Hope the hammy is ok.
WD - Good luck on Sunday!
PMJ - You can't resist going into hunter mode on a planned easy lunch run. It's much more exciting than running 8mm! Although I have no idea who he is.
G-Dawg - If 6:35 feels fairly comfortable then you are in good shape my man. Good though that you held back. I made the fatal error of not doing that 2 weeks before I did Manchester and look at me now!
What are you aiming for in Berlin?
5k lunch run for me today. Quite windy going out and balmy coming back. Average pace 6:52mm. Felt ok but not ok enough for my liking. Going to try parkrun on Saturday. I'd be lucky to get near the right side of 20 mins right now on that course. Small matter of another MRI scan tomorrow evening first. Not an ideal Friday night to look forward to but will be good to get it out of the way.