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Yes, I still rue that missed month in January but I'm close to pb shape I think. I've got a pretty big session on Friday, probably my biggest outside of manc mara, then 3 decreasing hardness sessions next week then a taper for a week.
Jools, yes I've got quite a few 'fitted' tops that along with my jeans, aren't very fitted right now. I dont think I'd want to go lower.
Tr, yes both gdawg and I have done half maras there. I certainly didn't notice any poor terrain it was all decent surfaces. The biggest issue (though it didn't seem to affect me) was the twists and turns. Nothing sharp but never long straight lines. I'd run there again without hesitation.
Gul, your body must be all confused with lunch running.
10 x 1k today off 1 min. Really struggled today and seem to have in this cycle with the sharper reps. Easy running and tempos all give me pb shape feedback but intervals take it away. Reps all came out around 3.40 with first one slowest in 3.43 and fastest 3.36. Hoping it's just fact I've pretty much gone straight through now for 8 weeks including a marathon, without taper and recovery. Also been doing 3 spin sessions routinely which is at least a 50% increase on peak cycle previously.
Assuming the route stays on the race course paths as my half did it should be OK. Though the half was 4 laps.
The course has runners go across sections of the race track, it's an all-weather track which is usually OK. However, we had rain on and during my event and those track pats became boggy with a few puddles, definitely slowed us a little. Even small sections of the pathways flooded and we had to take evasive action at times.
I did it in August, I'll be going back for more this August as a pre-London half marathon speed test and will run better with that course knowledge. It's a 10.00am start in August and under 30 mins from my house, ideal!
Kempton sounds like a good bet for you TR.
DT - are you doing a spin session as in exercise class, or a home session or steady ride?
Ive entered Kempton, it gives me 6 weeks.
Good for you Jools. I've put on a kg after 4 days of rest so I can imagine how easy that has been.
It must go out different to the half then to get it in over 5 loops.
Hope the covid test is OK and the foot manageable, oo.
8m easy and spin yesterday. Peaking session today of 5 x 3k between mp and hmp off 1k at 6.40s. Had to get out at 9.30 as going away for weekend at lunchtime. Didnt quite hit paces for the 1k, mainly because they landed on the uphill part of my loop so ran them at 6.50s but didn't really bring the hr down. Main reps came in about 6.12mm average. By about half way through set 4 I was battered, just thirsty, hungry, drenched in sweat and overly warm in the by then relatively warm sun.
11.8m at 6.22mm so a decent workout on tired legs.
All the best OO
5 miles again this morning, 2.30 run : 1.00 walk this time. Fastest mile was 8.26, although average was 8.48s - but it does show that you can achieve a surprisingly reasonable pace with very regular walking breaks!
Oo, best of luck tomorrow.
8m in Dorset this morning, felt quite fresh after a rest day yesterday. That's 55m for week.
18m tomorrow morning.
Had a nice jog around Boston Common this morning with thousands of runners and different group out for a pre race jog. Fantastic atmosphere and sunny crisp weather.
The foot seems OK but hasn't really been tested. I should get round and may even run well- I'm going into this one a bit blind but determined to enjoy the experience whatever comes. My phone isn't working so may be late tomorrow before I post again.
Race number is 5637 and race starts 3pm UK time if anyone is tracking 👍
A sunny day here. 3.30 run and 1 minute walk, for 5 miles averaging 8.30s. Fastest mile 7.56 - although I'm going to have to drop the pace of the running segments fairly soon now they're getting longer!
Good stuff jools, quicker than any of my miles today
Hope OO is going well
7m thurs, 8m friday, RHR was back to 48 first thing saturday so went a bit longer with 16m, became a bit of a trudge as legs ached from 6m (just like after i had CV 18 months ago), turbo yday cut it a bit short as chest was aching, 10m today was better but had the 6m leg aches.
6 weeks til kempton, entered worthing 1/2 next sunday to find out where my fitness is (or isnt).
Looking really good as you approached the newton Hills OO.
Tr, yes, probably 2 of the 3 I go cv hard on. Lewis always puts them in and marks them optional.
I've had that recently where my legs have just felt dead from early on and I wonder how I'll last a marathon.
18m today was a bit peculiar after a 26 and a 23. I treated it like I was off out for a 12 miler and just got up and did it. Felt very short form as a long run and quite enjoyable in cool sunshine.
First run since Manchester for me today. A very slow 5 miler on the trails. I've done glute and hamstring work nearly every day since the race and can feel the effects although it's still mainly soreness for now as things need to bed in. I guess any impact on the tendinopathy won't be felt for another couple of weeks when I'm back in a running routine.
Heavy cold returned again over the weekend, seems like I've been ill for around 2 months now. Fed up with it.
Great result on that course, well done, OO. I hear there was a headwind and despite the cooler temperatures at the start, the sun was out and must have been warm.
Looking forward to the full report.
5 miles for me this morning (still 3.30/1.00). Legs felt a bit grotty and heavy, but that's probably hormonal.
Pacing strategy on the day seemed OK. Went through half way in 1:29:04, and didn't lose much time up the Newton hills but a great cost to my quads. At 20 miles I was still inside 3 hour pace and at the top of heartbreak I only need to run 5:48 pace on the last few downhill miles to get under 3 hours. However even at halfway I started feel my quads hurting, and at the top of heartbreak my HR peaked in the 190s with my legs screaming. In my recent flat marathons I've been comfortable at 20 and picked up the pace therafter with a negative split. But in Boston my quads were done in. As the road headed downhill every step was agony. Runners started streaming past me as I got slower and slower. Mile 23 dropped to 7:23 pace, 24 was 7:46, 25 was 8:31 and by 26 I was crawling at 9:20. Five minutes plus dropped over the last 4 miles in spite of running down hill. An awful feeling but was unable to stop the demise.
After the race other runners reported a similar experience, but those who ran well and held on generally said that their training had prepared them better for the hills and undulations. I had run lots of slow hills but very few fast ones in training, and almost none of my training was running fast downhill which seems to have been a big miss. In previous flat marathons I've got away with a lot fast speed sessions in training but very slow long runs. Then combining this on race day and holding the pacing until the end. This is great if you can get away with it but wasn't enough for Boston. Slow long runs even with uphills just didn't condition me for the punishment they were going to get out there. If I'd paced the race differently I reckon I could have shaved 3-4 minutes off that time. But to go sub 3, if it were possible, it would need an overhaul of my training plan. Not sure I have a huge desire to go back to be honest but I've definitely learned something.
Onwards and upwards. A few more short races coming up and the start of the track season in May. I think I'll forget about marathons for a while. We'll at least until London comes around 😉
Oo, thanks for the report. Boston has intrigued me now following a few reports on strava etc. In the scheme of things, most had about 850ft of elevation which is more than London by about 300 but isn't unduly hilly. It seems most got caught by the downhill hammering as opposed the climbs.
I'm contemplating it for next year, though I'm yet to suggest to my wife. I'd be looking for a quick ish in and out so perhaps in Saturday out Tuesday. Is there an expo to get to though? What was the accommodation costs?
Decent session today of 3 x 2m off 0.5 easy. Felt great today, best I've felt since January. Felt like I could have done more sets. Reps all came out around 11.55 and average pace gor the 7m was 6.10mm.
I needed that little boost in what was my last tough session as was wondering if I had the fitness for a sub 2.45, or even pb attack in 12 days.