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16-22nd April
Mon - Rest
Tues - 1M w/u + 5x800m reps + 1M c/d
Wed - 4 miles slow
Thurs - 1M slow + 3 miles @ MP + 1M slow
Fri - 4 miles slow
Sat - Rest
Sun - 8m - 4 slow plus 4 @ MP
23-29th April - RACE WEEK
Mon - Rest
Tues - 1M w/u + 2x800m reps + 1M c/d
Wed - 3 miles slow
Thurs - 1M slow, 1 miles @ MP, 1M slow
Fri - 2 miles slow
Sat - Rest
Sun - 26.2m @ MP
I only did 4 x 800
forgot to set it up on my Garmin and the closest thing I had stored in it was 4 x 800 so with that and the weather which I wasn't dressed for, that's what it ended up being.
Started off sunny, howling wind by first rep, slashing rain by second rep so I was glad when it was done.
I am not sure about tomorrows run, I am going to be visiting London all day, I suppose I could get up early and do it before I go....
Well 4 rather that 5 won't really make much difference. Pretty speedy though.
I am going to go to running club for the first time in weeks tonight as I have been doing the speedwork on my own recently so it will be a change to run with others, hope I can get the pace right as part of a group.
All good here thanks PM. Rain sounds like perfect conditions too
Flo Po + Soooz - good luck to you too. I hope everything goes well. Just remember not to go off to fast. It's all about pacing. Better to start slower and gradually speed up.
Thanks for the good wishes PM and Spoons - no chance of going of too fast, I'm blue, pen 9, so probably end up behind the chap with a fridge on his back!
Finding this last taper week a bit of a bind phsically and emotionally - the weather is getting me down dreadfully; seems to absolutely pour down the minute I step outside, be it morning, lunchtime, hometime walking to the tube, walking from the tube to home; this evening I was treated to hail with thunder and lightning thrown in for good measure. Should really have gone for a run tonight, but didn't. Am going to do some gentle abs work and stretching. So, short run (3 miles) Friday and maybe another 2 on Saturday? Or just a short run on the Saturday? What would you suggest. (Did just over 3.5 on Tuesday, progressive tempo with mile 3 just nudging under the 9 min mile, so not too bad).
On Sunday have been advised to aim to be there for 8.30 a.m, but this seems rather early given the start isn't until 9.45 and even then it can take up to 45 mins to cross the start line.
Am also thinking that I will take the DLR to cutty sark and walk slowly from there to give the legs a bit of a stretch. May go and have a walk around on Saturday so I don't feel too overawed by it all on the Sunday.
What start are you FloPo?
PM - your training comittment has impressed me immensley and it really shows in the time targets you are hitting. Spoons - you must be really proud of her!
Soooz
As Soooz says thanks for the well wishes.
Soooz I am blue start pen 8 to be honest last year I was in 9 and it only took about 10 minutes to cross the line. What was really stupid was that the 11mm pacer was in pen 7 so had to try to catch them.
I am struggling this week struggled to do 4 on Monday then struggled to do 3 this morning. Eating more and just feel fat lazy and lardy.
Wish I hadn't tapered at all as I never run well after resting up. Don't really understand how lazing around eating loads of food leave you in the best physical shape. I can't run tomorrow so the only chance for a small run is now Saturday but another crap one would definitely hurt my confidence.
Blimey Flo Po - hope the 11mm mile pacer isn't in pen 7 again this year - was hoping to do around 10.45 this year but that doesn't sound likely. Still, that'll really stop me from going off too quick!! Very pleased to hear it won't take 40 mins to cross the line.
I think the trouble with short runs now is that we've got used to accepting that it takes time for the legs to warm up - usually takes me at least 3-4 miles before I stop wondering why I set out and settle into a run. With all runs being less than the distance it takes the legs to soften up, its no wonder the legs are complaining. Hopefully, once they do settle in, the muscles will remember what they have trained for, but be much less tired. Reading some of the other threads, lots of people seem to be finding their legs are tired and heavy!
First part of run for me will be to cutty sark; then tower bridge; after that I'll probably get a little lost in Canary Wharf, so I'll try and divert my mind away from telling me I'm getting tired by working out which way I'm faceing - north, south, east or west; then homeward stretch is start of Commercial Road where I have put in a request that any wind is to be behind us; then next target is to pass tower of london and then easy three mile run to finish. Sound like a plan?
Soooz
Ha Ha sounds like a plan...
We will probably all have bin bags on so no one will know what pen you should be in anyway.
I try to break my race into 5 mile chunks so it's only 5x5 then a jog to the end
I did a marathon pace 3 miles with a mile warm up a cool down last night at club, was in a small group so could hold the pace ok, with slight variations due to losing some of our group and looking for them but marathon pace miles were between 9.49 (too quick for the first one so I did let them know that I was aiming for 10) and 10.08 was the slowest, which when running with others is close enough. At club we always stick together rather than anyone doing their own thing so I was quite pleased with that.
The cold and the rain is good news. It means we won't overheat
Yes - really impressed with PM. We should all be really pleased with ourselves for getting to this stage. It takes a huge commitment. At the end of the day 3-4 months of training is a lot more effort than race day.
Flo Po - the taper does work. You will not loose any fitness. If you're worried about the resting up just run 2 miles easy to keep loose.
Soooz - if people are finding their legs tired and heavy now they are not tapering enough. That's the whole point.
Just remeber that the training has gone really well. Be confident and proud of all you have acheived. Trust in the training. Don't run any quicker than you planned to. Especially in the first 5 miles. Don't worry, panic or stress out about anything. Make sure all your kit is organised and your journey is sorted today so tomorrow you can chill out. Don't spend Saturday shopping, doing DIY, housework, sightseeing, or going for long walks. Spend the afterrnoon on the sofa watching a movie. And most importantly enjoy the day, wear your medal everywhere for at least a week, being the smug git you deserve to be boring everyone to death with your marathon stories.
I will be watching and cheering you all on from the settee on Sunday
I have just done my slow 4, all fine.
I am beginning to wonder when my number will arrive for Manchester, as they are posting it out, hopefully really soon...
It looked like the weather held out okay for you anyway, looking forward to an update
Hi Spoons, well I finished. Slowest ever time for me, but not surprising considering. Had absolutely no trouble at all with my hamstrings which have been troubleing me for ages - but for some reason my quads were complaining bitterly shortly after half way - not happened to me before. The meet and greet scrum at the end nearly finished me off, especially as the sunshine decided it had finally had enough, and the heavens opened; when I wasn' enjoying the run-off from someone's umbrella I was having a pushchair rammed into my extremely tired legs. When I finally got to the macmillan venue (45 mins after finishing!) they asked for my name and I had to tell them I couldn[t remember it! Fortunately hubby was there to remind me!
Currently enjoying second glass of wine and trying to work out how to get to and from work tomorrow without having to go down any steps. Could be interesting on the underground!
How did you get on FloPo?
Sooooz
And my legs are broken this morning too. Just tried to do some stretching and foam rollering. Not a pretty sight.
Well I haven't got much joy to report either.
Long story but when I did VLM in 2010 hated it found it overwhelming but got my finish and sub 5 which was my target so although I didn't like it got what I wanted.
Bit like childbirth you tend to forget and entered the ballot in 2011 and got in probably because I didn't want to really do it. Deferred to 2012 as it was Olympic year and also it it a momentous birthday year for me (50) shh don't tell anyone...
Anyway I was worried about the taper as felt so shitty all week lethargic and fat so wasn't myself and had a feeling I was going to struggle on the day found it very warm. I can say I honestly wanted to give up knew my daughter was on Tower Bridge and decided to stop and withdraw but she was on the other side of the rd. The only thing that kept me going was the thought of all the explaining I would have to do.
Anyway set off too fast ( I know we never learn) struggled from mile 7 good news is I got to the end with a P.B of 4.46 so 11 mins off my last time and I am older so not too bad. A decent time to retire on.
I am never going to do a marathon again sticking to half's and getting my shorter times down. I have p.b's this year at marathon 20 and 15 so hoping to get one at Edinburgh half then go for a 10k P.B
Sorry Sooze/Spoons you both had a similar day.
The finish was a complete nightmare this year not helped by the pissing rain and not being able to get out of Horse guards parade. Our coach which normally goes from Northumberland Ave couldn't get there and we had to walk about 3miles for the coach my poor feet were in bits.
I am getting some pom poms and supporting in future...
It is always a shame after 4 months of hard work and training that we come away disappointed. Mind you we should spare a thought for that poor lady who didn't make it to the finish line and that gives some perspective...
Soooz - You forgetting your name, I know how you feel, when someone asked me where I was from from last year after finishing and I told them the completely wrong place
Spoons - don't know what happened to your chip, I tried to see how you were getting on.
Sorry you three didn't feel as if you had the best of days, but carrying on and finishing even when there are problems is an achievement in itself. You have probably forgotten about the rough bits already and wondering when the ballot opens??..
My number for Manchester arrived this morning and I am not saying I cut it fine in entering but there were 8000 places and my number is 7998! Entries are now closed. They also sent out a finishers T shirt so they are being optimistic
Rest day today, but I may have committed a sin by buying new shorts. When I ran on Sunday it was pouring down but I thought I would wear the shorts I was planning to wear on the day, anyway the wet weather caused chafing in only 8 miles, so I have been to get some longer ones, if I wear them on every run this week and wash them a few times do you think they will okay? Oh well vaseline at the ready.
I didn't have a terrible day. I've just decided I much prefer smaller events without the stress and the crowds. I find all the travel, the expo, the queues etc exhausting and that's before I've even started the marathon!
The shorts should be OK PM as long as you've tried them out, washed them and have vaseline. Love your cutting it fine!
So how are you feeling this week. Full of energy and raring to go?
Most important thing this week is to get lots of sleep, avoid stress, physical work, eat plenty but also healthy, avoid alcohol and ill people.
FloPo, although you didn't get a sub 4.30, I think you should be really really proud of yourself. And can I just point out that you ran for DOUBLE the time that the elite athletes ran! Mind you, I bet they weren't offered chips at mile15!
Despite how I probably came across, I am not disappointed to have my worst marathon time; despite the legs being unwilling, I had the best last six miles of any of the three marathons I have done. Mentally I felt great; I ran for 90% of it; my cardio was fine - just burning quads to cope with! At mile 13 when we were running downhill I was quite despondent to realise that in 10 miles time I would be running uphill - and I wondered how I would manage it! And yet when I turned the corner out of Canary Wharf I realised I felt great and that the remaining six was no problem. I carried on expecting at any time for that feeling to change, and it never did. I realised afterwards that I didn't notice the hills either - just kept going at my own pace.
Six months ago I couldn't run 4 miles without being breathless and in severe pain. Yesterday I ran the best part of 26. Do I wish I had done it in a better time - of course I do! But realistically it was never going to happen.
It's my last marathon. I'm not even going to cut back to half marathons - I'll think IF I enter more races, then I'll stick to 10k maximum. It won't stop me from longer runs, but I'll do them because I want to, not because I have to.
But do I regret doing VLM - not a bit.
Pottermiss - you will have a great marathon in Manchester. Your training has been brilliant. Had to chuckle about your chaffing though - my youngest son (nearly 25) came down to cheer me on with other half - its the first time he's even watched the marathon - not even seen it on the tv. He had a great time, was in slight awe seeing the elites and then so many thousands and thousands of 'fun' runners particularly those in costume. Anyway, back to my point - st johns ambulance were stood next to his cheer point and were handing out vaseline; the lady next to him had just scooped a huge blob of vaseline onto her hand and along came a male runner who scooped the whole of it up, stopped running, and without a care in the world stuck it down the front of his shorts and rubbed vigourously! My oh had to point out to him that it was because of chaffing......
,
Anyway, off for an early night. My legs need their sleep. They have not been happy with stairs today!
Soooz
Mostly I am feeling okay, I was very restless last night and kept feeling the need to run, so started getting my kit ready instead.
I have phantom niggles and twinges so keeping on with the foam roller, I will need a new one as it's looking decidedly saggy now.
I work with teenagers so avoiding ill people should be ok, the slightest sniffle and most of them stay in bed
Just 2 x 800 repeats tonight with the warm up and cool down, I shall be hardly started before I turn around. It usually takes the third rep before I get into it
A mile warm up at 10.59,
1st 800 at 8.54 pace ( I didn't feel like pushing it)
2nd 800 at 8.16 pace (felt guilty for not pushing the first one) and then back home at 10.52 pace.
I think I've only got a couple of little 3 milers left this week.
I'm starting to panic about what my marathon pace should be, what to start out at, will I be able to continue with it etc etc etc!!
At least I have started assembling stuff I might need on the day so that has given me something to think about though I might be going a bit check-list crazy