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Wokingham is fast isn't it? Looks like a good test of where you are at, SBD.
Nice 6s from SBD and Leslie. And an early 10 from Gul to remind us, indeed, that (despite a new scary president) all is well in the world again.
Sympathies on the travel, OO. I fly so infrequently that when I do I am struck by how immobile one is and what a waste of timing sitting around. That hand sounds like it can't be put off really. Hope you can fit in the surgery at a "good" time.
More tester miles today on the birthday 'mill. Just 5 @8min/mi. Seemed fine while running but will see how it is in the morning.
MsE - I'm sorry to hear that Manc is most likely a no goer but hopefully you'll be good for London. I'm glad you're able to run, albeit tentatively on the B-day-mill. Please do keep us posted as to how it is.
OO - It's not nice to have a constant nagging pain like your hand issue and you're right to get it sorted but only after your marathon!
SBD- It's coming together nicely for you. Will you be racing Wokingham or will it be a MP run?
Gul - Good news re your return to your normal routine. Nice 10.
Leslie - Good patience. Keep at it and you'll be grand soon. Is your marathon in May?
Poacher - Good training!
PMJ - You seem to enjoy pacing, I do too but haven't paced a half a few years. Sub 1:45 will be a very enjoyable run for you. I'm toying with the idea of pacing a sub 4 group for the marathon in October at the mo. It appeals to me in that it's a big target for a lot of people and it would be cool to help runners achieve that goal but as I said I'm toying with the idea until I decide whether I will be racing an autumn one or not.
I had a chance to run tonight as my boy was at cub scouts. It's too dark and icy to run on the trail path which is nearby, so I drove the 3 miles down to the promenade which is roughly a 10k stretch out and back. It's well lit and has a nice wide cycle and pedestrian path. I set out for a tester run and I usually can't bear to plod when it's cold so decided to run a progressive run of sorts. Mile splits were 8:10, 7:50, 7:40, 7:10, 6:55 and 6:47 and a bit of change for the rest. It was quite icy in patches and I had to run on some grass verges to avoid skidding or falling over but I saw two other runners who were just starting out on their run just before I turned and they were heading in the other direction I was about to go and with about a 100m gap I decided to try chase them down. That was the reason for the speed up and I was just catching them at about 4.5 miles when they both stopped and looked like they were done in. I did think to myself these boys are moving well and I closed the gap to about 5 seconds before they stopped and I had another 1.7 miles to go. It felt like hard work when I had nothing to chase but I kept going and just kept telling myself the faster I go the less cold I will feel and it worked and I didn't fall over either. It's meant to be cold but sunny again tomorrow, so I hope to get out for a lunch run.
GUL nice ealy(ish) 10
0054 best get a full body mot before retirement make sure you are 100% for running
MSE back on the mend
Gerard sounds like you whipped those guys ,nothing like a bit of friendly competition
My Mara is the 4th June
6 easy today going much better on the return with the strong wind today at my back
OO / MsE - I'm not sure if I can cope with such responsibility!
GM - good chasing there in your progressive run.
Leslie - 4th June? Plenty of time to go yet then.
12 easy to steady miles this morning. 6 @ 8:29 m/m and 6 @ 7:55 m/m.
MsE - glad to hear the ankle permitted at least a bit of treadmill running. How has it responded?
Good to see Gul back to it at ridiculous times of day - all is well in the world.
Leslie - how's the leg holding up to the miles?
Nice progressive run from GM.
SBD - your Brighton prep seems to be going very well. Committing to any time targets?
7 on Monday with 8x100m strides and then a grim 12 MLR last night in the dark, cold fog. Eurgh. Still, got it done and avoided the cars, so all good.
Yes, I enjoy pacing but don't think I could pace a marathon. I do cheat a bit at pacing in that it is supposed to be an easy pace but I actually pace a bit above that. As an example, my parkrun now is probably low 19.xx and so I should pace 21 or 22 minutes but actually pace 20 minutes. Same for a half, I pace 1:40 and am probably only in sub 1:30 form at the moment. If I applied that to a marathon I'd need to pace 3:30 and that just looks too much effort to do and not have a proper outing.
Good Parkrun 0054
Well done on your weekly mileage Birch & jools. A good half time nonetheless after all those miles in your legs.
Go for Manchester Birch!
Good that you are back running MsE, take it easy building back up.. Are you sure Manchester is off
Managed my first 20 miler on Sunday, mostly done at an easy pace, but did 8 miles around 7.25 pace. Will do more MP miles this weekend. Having to juggle my runs a bit this week as I'm out seeing Russel Howard tomorrow night.
Good to get the 20 miler in there KR.
Keep nailing those mid-week MLRs Abbers. No real target yet - but I'd like to beat my 2010 Brighton time of 3:05:xx and avoid cramping up at 20 miles
A good morning's work Gul.
Good steady miles Leslie.
Good to see the competitive spirit is alive GM.
Wokingham HM is fairly fast and a good club runners event MsE. It's out and back with a couple of miles downhill at the start and, strangely enough, a couple of miles uphill at the finish. So you need to save a little for the final quarter.
So how would you pace Wokingham PMJ - even pace splits or even effort?
14 miles MLR this afternoon, feeling lethargic and generally stressed (all will be fine once we get past 31 January!) but managed to get out there and do the distance at an average of c. 7:40 m/m. Pace picked up at the end and even found some unexpected speed when a runner I passed tried to stay with me
Back in the office with plenty of work to do and desperately trying to stay awake - more coffee needed ...
That's a great afternoon effort SBD. I'm often tired after a 6 mile lunchtime run so I can imagine how you feel.
Congrats Abbers and Gul on those important mid week 12 milers, and to KR for getting your first 20 miler under the belt- I may have a go this Sunday.
Would be great if you jump on the mara band wagon Birch, but you are right to take your time and give it proper consideration.
I haven't run since Monday but planning a double day tomorrow to catch up. It's going to be tough to reach 50 this week off of 5 days running- blame it on all the travel.
PMJ - I've done similar and paced a 1:35 half off a 1;30 half but it wasn't difficult at all. A marathon is a different ball game altogether but a sub 4 should feel like a more enjoyable outing if a bit long time wise. If I was able to run say a 3:0x marathon I wouldn't be keen to take on sub 3;30 pacing duties for the same reason you say.
Leslie - Yes, I remember now. It's the walled marathon hey? I just checked the course profile and there are a few lumpy bits. Are you able to train on the course as part of your marathon training?
SBD - Nice work on your 14. Not ideal to have to go back to work though but whatever it takes to get the runs done when in mara training.
KR - Always good to get the first 20 in.
Abbers and Gul - Nice MLR;s. Seems ages since I last did one of them.
OO - I hope you manage to get your double in tomorrow. I really like double runs to bump up the mileage. Suits my inherent dislike of running for too long all at once but I get to run twice in one day.
5.2k lunch today along the seafront in a tad under 6:50mm. All the ice that was there last night and yesterday had melted and it was colder today at lunchtime. Must have been a couple of degrees warmer overnight.
Abbers - well done getting out for the MLR in the freezing cold.
KR - a good feeling to bag the first 20.
SBD - good MLR from you too.
OO - travel is a good excuse. Enjoy the double.
GM - good lunchtime jaunt. Most days I speed walk my 30min lunch-break. Not long enough to think about changing for a run.
5 mile recovery and some core-strength work d&d.
If I was pacing I'd follow the pace notes which are almost always even pace. As you say, Wokingham has a small kick in the tail so if I was pacing it myself it would be even effort which means slightly fast on the first 4 miles which is the outward leg, then steady for the next 6 miles with is the country loop, then 3 miles back with the sight uphill.
I did it pretty well on 2012 (Garmin trace here) and got to 4 miles 23:36, then 10 1:00:14 and 79:34 at the line so maybe a minute lost over the last 3 miles.
2015 was a little more uniform (trace here) and I had forgot to change my watch from pacing parkrun the day before so all splits are in km.
Half way there Gerard. 7.5 this morning. A steady plod to save my legs for a club session tonight.
SBD it's great having someone to chase down
Abbers nice to get a 12 done ,leg is holding up ok for now though could flare up at any time.
KR nice fast finish 20m
Gerard yes the walled city marathon , haven't seen a course profile though I've ran all those hills (about 5 miles I recon ,one is a continuous 2 miler but approx at around 16m to 18m
but not that steep many times its just some have no footpath and the others have a drop kerb for house drives every 10m and I've nearly been knocked down several times on these bits so I tend to avoid them of late. I certainly need more hillwork !
Gul nice 5 ,yes plenty of time yet but lots to do
PMJ sub 1:20 half you were flying
good lie-in today then 12.2m at 7:31 average with a hard progression towards the end in quite windy conditions.
Gerard - nice progressive 10K the other night. Hanging on by yourself takes a lot of talking to oneself!
I am rather jealous of all these nice MLRs going on now (Gul, Abbers, SBD, Leslie). Some paces rather indicative of sub-3 marathon training in action. I love how the sub-3:15 thread has moved on (with members staying put!)
Just an easy 45 mins on the birthday 'mill today. I went to yoga yesterday and tried a two mile trot home and just felt all wrong. That was quite depressing. It might have been that I tried to run straight after yoga (which worked the ankles quite a lot). Or it might have been the surface (although I was only on pavement). Either way, I am not out of the woods yet. I may try another short run later on, OO style to get the miles in. I can feel my fitness ebbing away (and the weight piling on, ooof!)
Off to catastrophise...
Looks like there is some nice early running going on here! I'm hoping to increase my MLR as well.
I had a good 17miler on Sunday around the river and seafront and then a recovery run Mon followed by a 7x4min interval session on Tuesday and I've tweaked my calf so resting for a few days.
Seeing a therapist on Sat for a massage and a strengthening plan as my glutes are like jelly which really wrecks my hamstrings as they take the load.
Hang on it there MSe, fitness will come back quickly and it is worth waiting a bit to sort things out fully first.
7.5 miles at 7.5 m/m pace lunchtime, all nice and easy. (Not quite true, set out very easy at 8:20 for the first mile to warm up and then a 7:45 but then I got wound up by a stupid dog and even more stupid owner so a couple close to 7 before the steam cooled down and 7:15s back for 7:30 average.)
I like 7.5 miles as it adds up nicely, a pair of 5s on Monday and Tuesday and a pair of 7.5s on Wednesday and Thursday gets me 25 for the week by Thursday, then Friday rest day, parkrun Sat and XC Sun for an approximate 40 mile week.
Leslie - Hill work is always good for racing I find.
Dazzal - Calf muscles can be painful things. Hope you get sorted. Nice 17!
OO - Nice 7.5. What was the 2nd run like?
PMJ - 7.5 @ 7.5 is good running.
MsE - It's difficult being patient when trying to get fit for a marathon. Hopefully all will be well soon.
Gul - How come you only get 30 mins for lunch?
Another 5k lunch out and back run for me today along the promenade. Nice and sunny again but really cold. 6:41mm average. The wind was force 6 on the way back but I felt fairly strong and I managed to hold a decent pace.
Indeed you did Gerard. Very cold here too. Back to Blighty to find weather similar to Switzerland. 6 tonight. Just hung on the back of the group for dear life..
Great effort Lesley.
Got a free entry to the Reading Half marathon (£38 for UKA affiliated runners, WTF!) yesterday via uk.runningheroes.com. 30 places at 18:00 on the dot, I repeatedly pressed refresh and got in, a few seconds later it was sold out. Places for Reading normally sell out very early in the New Year, not surprised there are still places at £42 a pop and they are now giving them away.
Probably need to sort out some specific training for the next 51 days, 2 hours, 32 minutes and 16 seconds.
OO - 7.5 seems popular at the moment! How did the club session go? Ah, OK. Well done hanging on.
Leslie - good progressive MLR.
MsE - I can feel your frustration - patience now.
DazzaL - hope the rest sorts out your calf and the therapist sorts out your glutes! Just trying to get into some strength work myself.
PMJ - good plan. Nice free entry there!
GM - legal minimum I guess! You're putting in some solid lunchtime performances.
13 miles early this morning. 6 @ 8:11 and 7 @ 7:39.
DazzaL - hope that calf is OK.
PMJ - the 7.5 at 7.5 - I know you like that session as a gauge of fitness. Looks like you're in a good place - any targets for Reading? Good online skills there!
GM - clocking up those swift 5ks!
GD - that's a very solid run at any time of day, especially early.
MsE - hope that ankle's improving.
I know I'm missing others... apologies!
5 easy on Wednesday, then was meant to be 10 with 6 at HMP yesterday. Ran before work and had to be back for a 9am meeting, so cut it short at 8, but still included the 6 mile tempo section (figured that was the important bit). Got back to my desk at 8:59 to find the meeting had been cancelled and could have done the extra 2 miles after all! Grr. Anyway, 32 so far this week, with the first 20 of the campaign to come on Sunday, although that's going to feature the Romsey 5 miles part way through and I'd like to give that a good crack. Forecast looking shocking though.
Can't decide yet. Sub-90 has to be a minimum.
PMJ - Poor dog owners drive me bananas. I've had a dog bite me and the dog owner told me off for 'making the dog excited'! I used the steam to leg it up a hill and grab a Strava segement
Gerard - Is 6:40 your usual cruising pace?
Gul - That's a great session for the morning. I just can't run that early, I always find excuses, like a warm bed
Abbers - good session in the time available. Good luck for the 20miler
I've had the "he's only playing" after a dog bowled me over. If I ran at full speed into its owner I'd end up in court. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs and the vast majority of owners are super-responsible and I prefer dogs to run freely rather than be on leashes, but you have to train a dog not to run after runners.
I'm much the same, I love dogs and I'm not super fussed if they jump up excited as I can tell when it's excitement.
However when a dog lowers it's stance, sprints through the grass and clamps your leg I take an instant dislike to the owner and the dog, especially if the owner didn't even notice, anyway rant over
Calf isn't quite right still so holding fire until I've seen the therapist tomorrow.
Dogs
I'm not gonna go there.
Great pacing Gul. I managed 11 today but at a plodding 8:41 average. That's 24 in 2 day, so not expecting much at parkrun tomorrow. I might even bomb and try a session instead.
In any case 50 is back on this week..
That was an interesting post from Birch the other day, particularly this bit; "no one cares except me, and there's the element of "while ever I can do it, then why stop?"
When both real times and wava times (the aged runners' last refuge) start to slow, then how does the competitive runner find the motivation to keep on keeping on? Sadly, Birch made the fatal error of running some quick marathons in his youth, thus setting him up for a harder fall in later years. Much wiser folk decided to be just a little bit rubbish all along.
And as you say, nobody really cares except us. Yet we still can't help but come here and bang on about our antics. I mean, what the hell is the point of running for three hours on a treadmill this morning if we're not then able to go online and boast about it to a few uninterested strangers? Luckily, the Frasier box set ensured the ordeal was less tedious than it might have been, despite the dip in quality since Niles and Daphne got it together.
ffs, TAR - as you were posting, I was typing up the following !
Well, I did the long run on Wed with my daughter – 21 miles (the longest run she’s done), and it certainly “did” for me. We drove out to my scenic 10.5 mile loop & completed the 2 laps, but I was slowing after about 15, & the last three miles were the proverbial “death march” (gave car key to daughter with about 5 or 6 miles left and she went ahead ) . So, after a couple of days reflection, I’ve decided that’s the end of my marathon “career”. I could fool myself that there are reasons for the dire run ( I had a cold, didn’t sleep at all well the previous night, was “sweating up” after a mile or so), but on the previous long run 10 days prior, my legs had gone at 18, so it seems that I now fulfil the Noakes model of “ageing runner” , and my legs aren’t up to the long runs now (and, crucially, nor is my mind – I just don’t want to do it anymore).
Coincidentally, yesterday completed 31 years of recording my runs, after making my first diary entry on 27/01/1986, after decided to enter my local marathon - “squaring the circle”, so to speak. The bare numbers stand at 60,869 miles, so average of 1963 per year.
I’m content my last marathon was London (2015), with a decent time for my age, with my son & daughter there supporting, as it’s always been my favourite (13 of my 26 completed marathons are London), with 2 x DNF & 1 x DNS completing the 29 campaigns.
I’ll now cap my long run at 16 miles, and make half marathon my longest racing distance.
If I was to enter Manchester, I’m sure I’d get round, but not with my daughter ( she seems to be coping well with the long runs), so I’ll look forward to greeting her at the finish !
I still intend to hang around here( I really enjoy following everyone’s exploits) but this may also be the time to join one of the “VoGit” threads, given that I’ve now deferred to the years
Cheers, all (with apologies for the self centred post) . . . . . .
TAR wrote - " When both real times and wava times (the aged runners' last refuge) start to slow, then how does the competitive runner find the motivation to keep on keeping on"?
Yes, I do use WAVA times as a motivator, but TAR's correct - eg - I had a "purple patch" in 2015 (age 60), and managed a 80% half marathon , and the aforementioned London Marathon was 76% ( both in line with my lifetime PB's), but last year my parkrun best was 75% (flattish course, so a fair comparison with the half which was flat). More starkly - 2 years ago I raced half marathon at 6mins 50 secs per mile, 2016's best parkrun was 6:56 per mile , and I'm certain if I was to do tomorrow's, then it would be slower still . . .
Still, as we say, who cares - how else would I spend my time
(well, not 3 hours at one go on the treadmill) . . . . . .