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11 miles tonight at 8.05. Couple of short easy runs this week with a 3 at MP effort Wednesday.
Lorenzo - I like the way you tuned into the task of nailing the track 5,000m. Not an easy thing to do. Was it a solo effort? You're looking in pb shape and I hope it all comes together for you on the day.
I stayed up to watch the CWG mara and wish I hadn't. It was truly awful to see Callum Hawkins implode in such a bad way. It made me feel sick and the response from the RD was piggish at best. I hope he is ok and comes back strong after what must have been a very traumatic experience. There were so many things wrong about it that I just can't even comprehend.
I had a major blow out last night with a friend which resulted in a very filthy hangover. Only one thing for it. 8 miles along the prom, felt good and was pleased with 6:48 avg which felt surprisingly comfortable given my state.
Brighton Report
Arrived at Brighton at 8:00am after a 1:45 min drive. Weather was 11 degC and cloudy with winds of 9-12 mph - so temperature ideal, wind manageable given it was from the south, so mainly cross wind.
The Withdean start is reserved for those looking to run under 3:15, so c 300 runners and a downhill run from the start in to Brighton with the mass runners joining the course at c. 1 mile. Even compared to the FGFA start of previous years, this was very civilized. So no real queues for the toilets and a relaxed approach to the pen timing and entry (5 minutes before the 9:45 start).
The general plan was to average 4:12 km splits on the watch (so 4:14 actual), equating to 34 minutes per 5 miles on the mile markers. The first 5 miles has a bit of downhill, the second 5 is a bit undulating, the third 5 miles is downhill and the rest is pretty flat. So the aim was no quicker than 4:10 on the watch for the first 5 miles, not pushing too hard for the next 5 miles, picking it up for the third 5 miles and the holding the pace to the end.
I was really focussed on not getting away too fast, so the first mile at 6:42 was ideal. It was also good to get ahead of the 3:00 hour pacers within the first mile and the following crowds. The Garmin pace was fluctuating quite a lot during these early miles but the first 5K split came out at 4:11 pace, so pretty ideal.
Lots of good crowd support over the first five miles though the town centre. I was really focussed on keeping the Garmin splits at around 4:10 but the fluctuations didn't help. Missed the 5 mile marker for the real speed check but the Garmin had 4:09 as the average so happy with that.
Hit the coastal road at 5 miles, and it felt like we were running in to a headwind. Pushed a little to catch the group ahead for some shelter and then stayed with them through to 10 miles. Coped better with the undulations than I feared and arrived at 10 miles in c. 1:06:59, so a good minute under schedule.
I was a bit worried about being ahead of schedule but everything felt good, the effort level felt right and the HR was in right zone.
Miles 10 to 13 are the best stretch of Brighton, a downhill run in to the centre and the waiting crowd. I really enjoyed these and the reception from the crowd. Through half-way in 1:27:59 though I didn't register the time, deciding to just focus on the 15 mile split.
Miles 14 to 18 are an out and back loop along a minor road. Had bad memories from this section when I last ran Brighton, but this went really well and the band playing Squeeze's "Take Me I'm Yours" contributed more to the speed than the gel at 15 miles!
Back on the coastal road at 18 miles and heading west to the dreaded power station. Feeling really good at this point - a couple of Garmin 6:30 m/m splits - and feeling the need to stop the pace getting too quick.
Hit 20 miles in 2:13:40, feeling really good but thinking this was somewhat quicker than planned.
The legs had been behaving perfectly until this point but then the right hamstring started to feel tight and was threatening to cramp.
Official 5K split paces up to this point were:
5K - 4:10
10k - 4:10
15K - 4:12
Half - 4:08
25K - 4:07
30k -
35K - 4:12
The family were a bit worried when I didn't register at the 30K split but this was just a technical hitch!
Disaster! I had gone through 20 miles faster than planned and was feeling aerobically really good and the right hamstring (not even the dodgy one) was threatening to pull a sicky!
The speed slowed and it was just a case of trying to keep the speed below the point at which the hamstring would not cramp. Before long the right calf, followed by the right calf and then finally the dodgy left hamstring threatened to cramp as well.
So 10K to go and the lower leg muscles were not happy! I had time in the bank but this was not part of the plan!
Miles 21 to 24 were tough. I felt full of energy and desperate to pick up the speed but was limited by the cramp-threatening muscles. I had to stop 3 times to stretch the calfs and struggled to get going again on the last stop.
Back on the main road at 25 miles, and with the increased crowd support, I managed to pick up the pace a little. I hadn't looked at the watch since the 21 mile point and was just trying to push as hard as I could without bringing on the cramps. I had some time in hand to make the Sub 3 goal, but this was dwindling rapidly.
Just before the 26 mile point, the two Sub 3 markers went past me. I had no idea how far we were from the 26 mile point but was desperately trying to keep them in sight whilst managing the threatening cramps. Hit 26 miles at 2:58:00 and realised I had a 30 second cushion. Huge relief but a cautious run to finish to cross the finish in 2:59:32.
Official splits for the final section were:
40K - 4:38
Finish - 4:37
The splits don't look so bad but it felt like I was walking at times!
So a result that I'd only dreamed of a couple of months ago but a race that could have had a different outcome if the muscle cramps hadn't been a factor. It would have been nice to have been able to push myself aerobically over the last 10k but I'm over the moon with the time!
And even better - the legs feel no worse than after the usual long run!
I'd love to feel as comfy on Sunday as you did yesterday. I didn't realise you're approaching v55. Wow! Impressive. I turned v50 in September, so when the same old gits bash out quality times I find it quite inspriational.
Brilliant work! Chapeau!
Got out for a 12 yesterday and managed to dodge the rain, was thinking either slow for 8/9 then pacey end stretch; or push a moderately fast one all the way through - ended up doing neither and averaging 7:20 over the hilly route. Thought it felt faster but maybe tired from pushing up Mount Parkrun on Sunday.
Final week now! No carbs for 3 days and light running duties is the plan; think some 200s tomorrow at the track and a short MP blast later in the week as well as 1 or 2 recoveries.
Good luck to all the VLMers staying sane this week.
Well done SBD on your sub 3 and great report. I know someone who was pacing way back down the field and he found the course and conditions pretty good.
Saturday was parkrun day and came in at 19:06. Felt pretty good and didn't really kick in the last km as it probably isn't a necessary stress at this stage.
Yesterday was the last 'long' run before next Sunday. 12 miles including 6 @ MP.
Speaking of Marathon pace, I have devised my strategy based on best case and not so best case scenario:
A Goal-sub 3.15
B Goal- sub 3.20
C goal- finish the damn thing, smile and wave to friends and family, still be running up Birdcage Walk. This might be the case if the weather is warm
Happy Maranoia week to all those doing London. Thankfully I have a busy week at work to keep my mind busy
You achieved exactly what your campaign deserved. Brilliant !!
another marathon supporting day for me, but after last week's joy at Manchester, this week ended with my friend dropping out at Boston (Lincs) after 15 miles. She had battled with hamstring issues in the final weeks of the campaign , and so carded the DNF.
Slowly (key word for me) realising my running joys and disappointments are coming from friends (real & virtual) and family performances these days, rather than my own . . . . .
Red Start
Nicko1981 (58559) - Bald, blue shorts plain white vest (possibly with "Portable Toilets Ltd" logo). A goal: 3:05 (GFA and BQ), B Goal: 3:10 (PB by 2 mins), C: goal sub 3:20 (course PB)
Blue Start
DT (25637). A goal - sub 3, B goal- PB (3.04.45 currently), C goal- Sub 3.15 to renew GFA.
Green Start
Lorenzo (26694) - red and white British Heart Foundation vest. A goal: sub-3:05 (PB), B goal: sub-3:10 (beating last year), C goal: sub 3:20 (GFA time?)
Poacher (26709)
Nice report SBD. A lot I have seen seemed to decide to bank a lot of time in the first 3 miles due to the downhill nature. They didn't end up where they wanted to be.
A very easy 3.5 miles this morning in the sunshine with a few strides and a fast last 400m. Rest day tomorrow then 5k at mp planned Wednesday.
Red Start
Nicko1981 (58559) - Bald, blue shorts plain white vest (possibly with "Portable Toilets Ltd" logo). A goal: 3:05 (GFA and BQ), B Goal: 3:10 (PB by 2 mins), C: goal sub 3:20 (course PB)
Blue Start
DT (25637). A goal - sub 3, B goal- PB (3.04.45 currently), C goal- Sub 3.15 to renew GFA.
Stevie (13158) Red & White Myton hospices vest- white shorts A Goal: 3.15 B Goal Sub 3.30 C Goal: Finish
Green Start
Lorenzo (26694) - red and white British Heart Foundation vest. A goal: sub-3:05 (PB), B goal: sub-3:10 (beating last year), C goal: sub 3:20 (GFA time?)
Poacher (26709)
Hi All,
Great running SBD - brilliant performance!
Great parkruning from everyone else at the weekend.
I spent the weekend in London celebrating my girlfriends birthday so I have ate and drank far too much and haven't ran since Wednesday. Will get out for 4 easy miles tonight, hopefully I won't have lost too much fitness!
I'm running the 'Not the London Marathon Marathon' on Sunday. It's really only a final long run before a sub 3 attempt marathon two weeks later. So I'm not tappering or carbo loading and will be targetting sub 3:15.
I see there are changes to GFA but cannot find what they were before, anyone got a before and after?
Stevie - sounds like perfect preparation!
GM - thanks. The leading group (the winner was sub-16 by quite some margin) shot off at the start so the only time I saw them was when I got lapped but fortunately there were three of us involved in a bit of a tussle on the last couple of laps. One lad misjudged the number of laps and put in his finishing sprint with a lap to go, but I wasn't able to reel him in on the final lap once he realised he still had 400m to run.
The slightly frustrating thing is that I don't appear to be on the results sheet, so it's not gone up on Power of 10.
Rest day today.
The Good for Age qualifying times for the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon are:
PMJ- Where have you seen there are changes? Do you mean London gfa for next year?
I cant see anything on this and London usually wait until after the event to analyse data.
do you have a web link to this? Yikes, i'm safe next year as last years 3.04 will cover me!
Im surprised open age women has stayed 3.45 as that is the softest of them all!! Though I guess its done on a number analysis!
Edit- Found it
3.15 then is no longer a goal time. It's sub 3, sub 3.04.45 or sub 3.05!
Just reading the faq's. This is going to be mad. They appear to be adopting a Boston style rolling gfa, so whilst you might hit 3.05 for me, if the number of applications for med get to 3000 with faster times the gfa is reduced accordingly. It doesn't say however, how they measure that across the age groups.
Another big change is the fact that currently at 39 if you ran 3.12, it would qualify you at 41 as sub 3.15. Now whether you have a gfa is assessed on the age you are and the gfa for that age when you ran it. Therefore if at 44 I run 3.08, I would expect to get in at 45 when the gfa is 3.10. However they will now assess whether I have a gfa based on the time for a 40-44 year old.
Might need to bust out a new AA* target.
SBD I'm really please for you- you really deserve it after a great campaign. Your race report is very typical of most of mine. It's always a drama in the last 4-6 miles, usually with the hammies, and usually eating up minutes in the bank.
So are VLM setting a 3000 GFA limit for 2019? This will be really significant change.
I eased back to a 26 mile week last week after Paris- and still felt tired by Sunday. 6 this morning felt much better. I plan to taper and have a last proper run Thursday, them a parkrun plod with my family on Saturday.
I'll be happy to go upstairs at the pub (same place as usual Poacher/Lorenzo). Blimey that came round quickly!
Yes 3000 of each sex. I am not sure quite how they will apportion through the age groups as no doubt there would be 3000 applicants in the first 2 age groups alone that would be faster than many of those in the remaining age groups. Obviously they wont want a race filled with open age and v40 men. I suspect given how popular London is, you'll need to be a few minutes quicker than the stated time to make the cut. It's a bit annoying as it removes the certainty to a large extent.
I know someone that did Manchester going for sub3 but got 3.02 but was quite happy as it got him a gfa for London next year.
SBD - Your cramping, and i'm sure a lot of others, was exactly how my Brighton went. Hammys went at 21 and even though I had bags of running left I couldn't dare pick up the pace, luckily like you I had banked a bit so keeping ahead of my target time (sub 3.15 pacers - who did great) was easy enough, and made for a fairly easy run in, shame my plan was for nothing, still happy with 3.12 on an average 40 miles a week since Jan. Happy to share my training for anyone interested as I think it went quite well. Getting 3.05 might be harder though!
OO - Thanks! Let the taper do it's thing and here's hoping you have a great day on Sunday as well as everyone else.
Gul - Welcome back. Hah, no it wasn't a dream, two (consecutive) pb's in a week which is not something I've managed in a very long time. Who knows I might even get good at this by the time I reach 50.
DT - Nice parkrun, sounds like you did it the hard way. Looking good though for a fast one on Sunday.
Lorenzo - Sounds like a quality 5,000. Are they not able to amend the results to add you to it? Bit of a shame that.
Those GFA's are tough on the men. I haven't really studied it but can anyone summarise why? I presume it is to limit the amount of places but does that mean more charity and ballot places? Not sure if it appeals to me anymore if I'm being honest. I'd much rather run Berlin, Boston and Amsterdam (defo my favourite course so far that I've done. The Spanish ones appeal too, so lots to chose from.
Did anyone watch Boston today? Oh my word, it was biblical rain, they were building arks out there it was so bad. I've never seen an elite race where they ran in their jackets and masks etc. I was watching from about 5k and had a feeling Kawauchi would have a shot a win. That guy is tough, runs a fast marathon almost every month. Hard as nails and delighted for him and being an amateur too is unheard of. The ladies winner looked like she was on a training run and didn't seem fazed at all by the conditions. She ran a brilliant race. MsE - Where you watching?? A friend of mine ran it and somehow got a pb, he did 2:59 in Chicago last year and ran 2:58 today. Not many will say........... I got a pb in Boston in 2018.
Lovely sunshine here again today. 7k along the prom on lunch in a modest but honest pace of 6:59mm, It's meant to get quite hot by Wednesday, can't wait.