ASICS Super Six: Matthew (Sub-5:00)

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  • Hi seren image and I agree with you bout triggers attitude! That's what we need!...and in to the saga of the 14miler....ok had a good few beers yesterday as at the tremendous match and got caught up in it all but then ceased by later afternoon and was on the water for the evening when we went for tapas. Lovely food and really rich some of the dishes and I think the combo of beer and tapas was like a minute chemistry set in the stomach. Cause I woke early this morning excited about going around new places, down by the thames, to Richmond park around the stadium...and so set off feeling pretty good.
    1st mile 9.52 down to the Thames and in direction of Richmond....mile 2 10.01 getting in to Richmond and on the lookout for the park...then sudden need for the toilet so searching around for anywhere and thanks to the cafe owner for letting pay a visit to the porcelain temple....so mile 3....well I won't specify the time as you don't want to know how long I was busy for...so let's scrap mile 3 time wise...mile 4 up Richmond hill toward the park then down to the river in 10.47 and headed towards the locks staying by the river....mile 5 10.47 and comfy plodding along image... then about a minute in to mile 6 I was not looking at the ground and caught my foot at the edge of a divert type thing in the ground and went over on the right ankle! Oooooow so stopped for about 5 mins cursing and gingerly hopping around in a circle cursing my demise at the hands of effectively dried mud. I walked out the rest of mile 6 and 1/2 of mile 7 before attempting jogging again. By this point I was past the locks and looping around the Richmond park. Ankle felt a little sore but kept going but times not good at mile 8 11.35, 9 at 11.40 10 at 11.41. Felt a little lost at this stage so asked a fellow jogged for directions and was the friendlieat guy who gave me a step by step description of the best path with recommendations of places to eat and drink in image which I appreciated but meant mile 12 was in 15.23, miles 13 and 14 cross the bridge and back to twickenham but at 11.37 and 11.52. Then went up to the stadium and jogged around it (0.6 miles around the rugby cathedral!).
    So what to make of all that. Well not up to the highs of Thursdays 9 miles by any means...distance covered despite difficulties....poorly fuelled as out on empty stomach (well empty by Richmond), forgot jelly babies and feeling dyhydrated I'd done all my drink after 1 and half hours...
    Positives take the positives Matt....life experience!
  • Bud thanks for the advice. My speed today or lack of it meant that I could have handled a conversation as I went along. I did not use the heart rate monitor as it was at the bottom of my bag as I was getting ready and did not want to wake the wife. I will use it next session though to try and get an indication of effort levels and by recording these, make sure that sufficient effort goes in to the training sessions. I do know I am tired tonight, yawn as drive back to Wales took forever
  • MKT

    Good to get the miles in under difficult circumstances. This is the time to learn before the big day. You probably started off a bit quick

    . I find it easier to start off extra slow and speed up.

    I ran 9 today under the influence of last nights red wine and suffered somewhat myself.

    Gook luck with the week ahead.

  • Well done for getting the miles in Matt. You really need to know your max heart rate to get the best from HR training.  Measuring your resting heart rate (first thing in a morning) is a good indication though of whether your training is going well or if you need to rest.  A rise of 10 beats (some say 5 but Bud would know) indicates that a rest is needed.  One of the great bits of advice that IronMin gave me as my mentor was to wear my HR monitor but to cover it up with a plaster (to stop me glancing at it) and run to perceived effort, then to look at the stats after.  It was a liberation to me as I'd been running to 145 HR but on doing this I found I could maintain 150 for 14 miles.  I've now got different long run paces established which I've never managed to do before.  I even ran a negative split at Wokingham today by ranking up the pace as the race went on and it felt so good to finish strong. 

    Rugby came good didnt' it?? image

    Edit - I agree with not going off too fast. I always start slow and work up to a  pace.  I count my breath in for 3 and out for 3 to get a rhythm going. But then I'm a slow plodder so what do I know, except what works for me?

  • Nice going with getting the 9 miles in the bag flo po! What sort of times are you looking at? Your right went off to quickly and shook all my stomach contents around...learning all the time and thanks for your positivity image feel a bit disappointed by it today, however legs feel so they are getting used to things image
  • Soup thanks for that and I will try it image glad wokingham went well and 2 hour 35 is good going especially the negative split! Would write more but train pulling in leg it...
  • MKT excellent work mate. Also excellent endurance x-training too. Remember look after your body especially with the mileage going up.

    Nit to worry about treats you are allowed to give yourself a reward for your efforts but not too often (I still need to work on this one....<hands crawling on it's own mind toward the biccy tin on the top shelf!>

    Paintballing was fun with the kids it was completely different when playing against all-adults. The little ones tends to hang back and not firing like Rambo! So no sore bit apart from my head after walking into a branch I did not see with the limited visibillity of them paintballing helmets!

    Could only muster a 4 miler in 43 mins yesterday as wife had to do her shift due to staff sickness!
  • Every Time I think I turn a corner with my running I always think the running gods throw you a bad one to knock you down to size......However the reason yours wasn't the best was all in the prep as you know. The next one when you are at home will be much better.image

    I am not actually running a marathon this year I did VLM last year my first marathon looking for for sub 5 hours. I came in at 4.57 so was very pleased. I got last years place with my club. I managed to get in through the ballot this year but have deferred to 2012 as it is a big birthday and this year want to go and support friends.

    I like to see everyone's progress though that's why I am keeping my eye on you!!!!

  • #Well done Matt, very real progress.

    Delighted for you.

     Just so important to listen to body and respond accordingly.

    Equally  gradually and near  imperceptibly keep "pushing  out  the window " and squeezing  a little harder to allow body to rise to and cope with new level of stresses.

    But if you do  that  of course you need to ensure  recovery / rest days to ensure  body can cope with stresses and new demands.

    Are you happy with training schedule over next few weeks?

    Any  race plans ?

    Best

    Bud B

  • Hi guys,

    Just to keep you in the loop - we're currently reviewing the situation. Please give us 24 hours and I'll come back to you all with an update tomorrow.

    Thanks for your feedback and now your patience,

    Alice
  • Hey bud image and I think right that rest needs factoring in. No race plans except a 20 miler on the 20th march in Merthyr. Going to jig around the schedule a bit this week as on Sunday I'm cycling the Taff trail with father in law so probably going to do the long run Wednesday and so scrap the speed session tomorrow.
  • Silburbas glad paintballing went well and you emerged injury free! I swear I still have a Mark on my back from my last paintball experience! And nice work for the 4 miles image
  • Flo po- impressed by your sub 5 time and I really hope to emulate you. There must have been a rollercoaster of emotions during the marathon when you were thinking you weren't going to make it and them did! You are more than welcome to watch the journey and please give me a motivational kick up the jacksie as well image
  • If you want to send details of how you intend to re jig   happy to have a look at  it for you. are you currently on week 9 of schedule?

     Step by  step teach yourself to set new demands on yourself and stress  how much you  have moved on already.

    Best  BB

  • Hi bud and i think your right to think back about how far i've progressed as i have been feeling this week that i have plateaud and getting no where....but looking back i was struggling to do 35 mins for 3 miles and now under 30 regulary so big improvement.

    What do you think to this for the plan for the week.....

     tuesday morning- swim 30mins

    wednesday morning 15 miles

    thursday day off

    friday morning circuit training               evening 1 hour swim

     sat day off

    sunday taff trail 56 miles cycle

  • lots of good aerobic work there Matt --well done  and of course heart is aware only of the exercise not what sort of exercise.Nevertheless would be  little happier if you could fit in run on Friday rather than a swim- say easy  30-35 mins.

    Make your 15  as much  "fun" (!!) as possible and when you finish it( as you will do)  then   definitely   tell yourself well done

    your thoughts ?

    Stay smart

    Best

     BB

  • Matt I cycled part of the taff trail today..........luckily the diversion where you have to leave the trail past pontypridd is now sign posted........last week it wasn'timage

    have a good week running

  • MKT

    Have to say I agree with Bud you seem to have a lot on but not much running, time on feet is the most important thing. ( no expert tho image)

    Are you planning a tri with all the swimming?

  • Hi Matt,

    How are your energy levels generally?

    That 20miler in march is a good time to practise race eating before and during.

    When drinking then running 14miles the next day it will take longer to recovery and the drinking likely to have been in part the need for the toliet but good for you getting out there.

    Love reading your thread, keep up the good work. Might not get back in your thread until weekend.

  • Hi bud- agree that another run makes sense so I'll do that on the Friday as I can fit that in before work. Toughest week so far for me with pushing on... Need to get my mojo back and a fire in the belly so going to try really hard for the
    15 miler and enjoy it image
  • Hi seren and thanks for that- will look out for the diversion. Not done the Taff trail before but looking forward to the route and scenary (worried Brecon to Merthyr might kill me with the hills).
  • Hi Flo po- your right about time on feet especially the long runs. The speed sessions i find quite easy and then sometimes this helps with the long run other times not. This then makes me feel positive and the dreaded negative about how the runnigs going. Take last week- missed speed session as resting knee, thursday fastest time ever 9 miles felt awesome and on track, Sunday..disaster. Was reading in the mag though about keeping a positive mental attitude especially if it's going wrong on the run and it says to look up when running. If you look down then this engages the emotional side more. So will try that on the run later to.
    I am in to the swimming as i've signed up for the London triathlon in august image my biggest mistake for Paris 09 was not having anything else planned for the year. That was my goal and once done I gave up on exercising for ages. So since just before Xmas I have been teaching myself the front crawl and increasing the cycling. Both of these seem a bit stuck in a rut too and no improvements made so I need to make changes. Runnings the priority... And needs to be as needs the most improvement.
    Oh and I am not nocturnal posting at this time in the morning image I was not feeling too good last night so asleep by 7....going to try and get some more beauty sleep...I need it lol
  • Hi ruth image
    thanks for that about the thread- it's also thanks to all the lovely forumites that contribute and keep us going. Good idea for merthyr so I will start to plan the fuelling. My energy levels have been shot at since the weekend. Figured that body not used to the beer and the food so is unhappy and having to process it (for a change now, instead of regularly before training and old lifestyle) . Have relished kicking back in the diet especially the yoghurt you lovely strawberry gooey stuff image need to get to the shops to make more yummy salad. Might get some of those custards you mentioned before too....
  • Feeling a bit better about the cycling as just looked again at computer and did the 24.83 miles in 1hour 47 at avg 13.9 mph (arp 74) so best 1 yet image
  • Hi Matthew,

    Firstly, I want to apologise for anybody feeling let down. I realise the forums are very important to your training and also to everybody following your progress.

    Although used to coaching athletes, coaching on the forums is obviously not my strongest skill.

    To make sure you get the service you have come to expect on the forums I have spoken to Steve Smythe and we have decided that it would be better for him to take over the day to day coaching on the forums.

    I will continue to follow and support away from the forums.

    I very much hope you maximise the enjoyment from running and realise your ambitions and dreams in running both in Paris and beyond.
    Best
    Bud

  • Hi all,

    Thanks for that Bud, and for all your hard work and expertise so far. So from now on, ASICS Super Six coach Steve Smythe will now be popping up much more regularly on this thread. We'll benefit from Bud's expertise offline and at the training days, while Steve will be taking on online coaching duties for all six of our Paris Marathon contenders until race day.

    Alice
  • Hi MKT

    Been following  threads with great interest  as I'm doing London for the 4th time and keen to pick up tips etc.   I know exactly what you mean about long runs and speedwork but hang on in there as you'll find that all of sudden everything clicks into place!   I did my best time (4:31)  when I was feeling like you do now!   A training schedule is simply a guide but only YOU knows what's best for you and if that means dropping a speedwork session for a steady run or taking another rest day or getting a masage then I'd say go with your instinct.  The main thng is that you enjoy the experience and you will if you take the pressure off now and again - running should be fun......

    Oh and if it's any consolation I've been having the same problems, i LSR  hard, speedwork sessions good.  This week (week 8)  I'm doing just easy and steady runs polished off with 14 LSD at weekend. 

     Sorry getting carried away there!  

    RB

  • MKT

    Very exciting about the tri I understand now about  all the cycling and swimming. No need to be down about your long run at the weekend it was purely down to poor preparation. Most peeps who were away for the weekend would have struggled to get out especially when you were not in your own environment. I really feel the key to your long runs is starting off slower I have been running progressively and it is really working for me.

    I ended up doing about 8 miles last night as ran with the beginners group at my club then ran  the club handicap not a good race for me but my own fault.

    All this talk of bikes going out now to check my tyres and might just get out for some cross training this afternoon

    Good luck with your week.

  • Hi bud, I want to say a big thank-you for your coaching of me. I have found your words motivational and the day at Birmingham especially inspiring. I have always said that you have your own way of doing things and I have always been happy with that and recognise the skills that make you a top coach. If I was fortune to be one off the top UK athletes I would come knocking at your door. I look forward to seeing you again and if not then its been my honour and my pleasure and I wish you the very best for the future.
  • Hi runbird and you are spot on. I read your comments and I am soooo glad that you posted. I have been getting too Hung up on the schedule, taking it way too seriously and losing all the fun from it. Not since last Thursday have I been up for the run (and then I did my best time) so figures that this is what I need to be doing. Set off this afternoon while not feeling well and headed back after two miles.could not catch my breath. The best thing would have been to realise I need the rest and to try again tomorrow if I'm feelijg better.
    Going to focus on getting back the fun into the running so going to get some new tunes on the phone and sing while enjoying the scenery and looking at the animals.
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