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Talkback: ASICS Target 26.2 Team: Lee
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Alex, I remember your name from Pete's thread last year and I see you did a good time at Abingdon. Like you I want to try for 2:50ish, (2.4x anything would be magical) and my time last year was 2:57:09 so I am starting from a point about 30 seconds slower than you . Any hints and tips you can pass on? What exact programme are you doing?
My biggest problem is probably mental, I started last year with a 1:28 HM (a lot of years off serious running, I used to be 75 minutes for HM) and aimed to go sub 3:15. I did a half in the marathon training in 1:22 so adjusted to sub 3 and got 2:57 on a windy and hilly Stratford course. I reckon it has to be worth 2:55 on a flat course with no wind so I am pitching at 2:50 which is 25 minutes faster than I was thinking this time a year ago. I have Wokingham in just over a week and am aiming at sub 80 so that two back to back 85s seem easy.
I assume with a time like that you are champs start, so Choisty may be faster, but he is hoping for a champs start whereas you already have one.
Damn
Wish I could be down for the Kenyan Hills tonight Lee, with no races this weekend I think You, Sean, Blissy & a few others will be burning up the road tonight.
Can you manage to start 13 in the 30 minutes Lee ??? (like Sean).
At least you will not be lapping me, think Sean managed it 3 times the last time we did it.
Ruth, thanks for the notes, I will keep you posted on wieght as we go on. On a positive note I have more energy and feel much better (besides a cold) thanks to the increase in calorie intake, I especially like the second breakfast.
I have a very set plan on race day, but am willing to change, it goes like this...2 hrs before porridge with honey, then water and energy drink (lucozade sport) sipped until race time.
I never train with any fluids or snacks (including last saturdays 20.65miles). When racing I will take fluids at each station and sip what I can while running at full pace. I raced 20miles last year without anything and lacked energy from 16miles, however I was not training to race this distance.
I will practice fueling, as I know carb loading works for me and let you know how I get on...I will aim for a dry run before the 25miler that Steve and I discussed.
Great hills session there Choisty. Good you got a good team around you with club members to train with, spurs you on that like bit extra I'd imagine. Thanks for posting your schedule, I'll be doing something along those lines for Abingdon training over the summer.
PMJ I've enjoyed reading some of your posts on the sub-3 thread- although only read it occasionally you come across as a hardened club runner with a low tolerance for bullshit ;-). I don't know the Stratford course at all although I live around there, should check it out one year. Is it undulating? I'd be mega chuffed with a sub 80 half so good luck with that in Wokingham, my HM pb is still 1.23 from August time, needs revision but will have to wait till after London as got too many club and xc races in the run up. Also doing a 10K in Battersea Park late March. You doing nationals?
Stratford is undulating, total gain on my Garmin trace was 132m but the worst was one steep hill which was done once per lap and it was steep up and even steeper down, so hard up and hard down. Like you I have lost of races, nationals indeed are on and they mark the end of a 9 weekend race streak and after that I can concentrate a bit on the marathon training for real
If you are shooting at 2:50 it is pretty likely you will get close to your HM PB for oen the the splits at VLM. I am thinking of 1:24 / 1:26 splits as a best hope to hit 2:50.Is Battersea local to you now: I train up and down the Thames from Hammersmith so Battersea is one of my haunts from time to time: love speed work in the park there.
Hmm maybe will give Stratford a miss for a couple of years till I get PBing out the way. What is your all-time marathon pb? No I live in Walthamstow so run mainly along the Enfield-Bow canal ways but doing the 10K in Battersea Park as nice and flat. Makes sense that you do your speedwork there.
Following the 24-week up to 70M P&D program but also doing an easy 5M on a Monday so up to 75M. I needed a different approach (for a change) and to increase mileage from my previous marathons so it's working well in that respect and good for long tempo running which I'm hoping will improve my HM times. But missing speedwork so want a more Choisty type of plan for Abingdon.
How come are you aiming for a positive split, is it because you know you will slow down anyway or you think it works better generally?
I can't honestly remember my all time PB, I never took marathons seriously so always hated them (those last miles are hard) and tried to forget about them. I think it was round 2:50 off a 2 hour 20 miler so crash and burn.
75 miles is serious miles, I am doing the 18 week (but missed the first two due to Christmas) up to 70 but skipping doubles and cutting a bit so I can race so am really going to be in the 65 region rather than 70. I know I have the speed so the main issue is endurance, I was at 6:30 miles for a long way at Stratford until I tired up the hill at 18, recovered a bit but never got back into the swing so lost 30 seconds a mile over the last 8.
Positive split is a reality for me, I know I will tire so need a little in the bag: guess it is my mental build. Stratford was 1:26 / 1:31 so I am going for less of a drift as a first step.
Lee - I am happy with your pre race eating if this works for you there is nothing I would change.
Let me know if want me to have a look at any aspect of in race fueling (please use this 25mile to practise this and perhaps a couple of other race situations so you know what you can tolerance at high workrates).
You have motivated me, I am about to enter the Edinburgh half once off this thread!
Oh damn...or words to that effect. That was my reaction after 14.74miles on Saturday.
I had been taken away for the weekend as a birthday treat to have some fun at centre parcs longleat with the family and friends. But needed my long run, so off I went 10miles out on some of the most wonderfully picturesque country lanes I've seen, with snow covered tress and fields, the tarmac for the most part was ice free so running was easy. On the way out I was supposed to be running 7:30, but was closer to 7's but feeling very relaxed and got to the turn feeling fresh and relaxed.
From here on in it should be more difficult, running marathon pace, but the miles simply flew by. Mile 1 6:06 (bang on MP), 6:08, 6:05, 6:09 all looking good and mile 5 was averaging 6:10 despite being all uphill when....there was a sharp pain in my left hip, stopping me in my tracks, as a true runner I stopped the watch before investigating, it was stiff, slightly painful to the touch, but no problem lifting the leg (even to my chest), but painful to push off (possibly quad?). Now what should I do? I was literally in the middle of nowhere, without a phone and 4.26miles to run. Easy decision really, I ran back as follows 7:21, 6:58, 6:35 (thought it was OK at this point) then more pain and 6:47 for the last mile basically running only using power in 1 leg.
I have called a local physio reccomended by a friend, now awaiting an appointment. It has been rested for 2 days and has eased so under Steve's reccomendation will try an easy two later on today.
My fingers are now firmly crossed
2 miles successfully completed without hoping, not completly pain free and one sharp pain, but in general bearable. Question is do I grin and bear it?
Not sure about grin - more grimace but at moment may just be a minor niggle in need of treatment and rest rather than a fully blown injury but hard running could make it a proper injury.
If you felt one sharp pain then it's a need to be careful and so get treatment and get it assessed before you do any more running. If osteo/chiro/physio agrees then you could possibly try another short jog Thursday (on flat and presumably warmer than when you had the problem) to assess where you are.
Take this week sensibly with plenty of rest and you will be no worse off for Paris but push it too hard it could be a month off or more.
Hey Choisty
Sorry to hear about the hip issue - really hope it resolves quickly.
I'd second everyone's views that playing safe with regard to any hard training/racing is the only sensible course of action right now. You've got 8 great weeks in the bag already so no need to panic or worry as yet. Speedy recovery!
Overnight there has been slight improvement, the pain is minimal now. I shall try the 6miles steady today and see how it goes. The Physio appointment is tomorrow and he said if I can run without pain carry on.
Fingers crossed for you Choisty.