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Abingdon Marathon
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Warren - Good to see you back, and not it was n't quick by your standards but still a very good effort given your problems.
AC - Couple of good runs for you. Maybe we 've both turned the corner,
AR - Maidenhead Photos are on website link. I'm sure you can sneak your shoes in.
5 miles recovery yesterday and 8 today with 5 x 1mile with 90 secs recovery, legs still feeling sundays race but splits got better.
Today was a track session 5 1/2 mile warm up 5 x 600's and 200 walk recoveries followed by 1 mile warm down on the track. Again felt quite tired but looking at the splits from the last time I did this session I've slightly improved splits were 1:58, 1:59, 2:00 1:55 and 1:55 proper whacked after the last two but they were a little quicker!
Barry, mile splits are a killer well done on the session!
Nice sessions Barry and Martin. I really don't like those 1m intervals.
Feeling good but tired today, After the ankle held up well on a recovery run, I did a MLR last night of 15 miles, averaged 7:10 for the run with a few quicker ones. I felt surprisingly fresh after Sunday. Ankle felt really flexible so decided to get a bit of hill work in.
Today I ran my hill interval session. Nowadays it takes me 1min 50 sec to get to the top, and a relaxing jog down. I run these at just quicker than marathon pace. It felt really tough today, with rep 8 and 9 really 'burning'. I tried running the last repeat at 'Run till you puke' pace, but it barely came in under MP. Tired but contented for now.
I'm looking to try and nail down my pace for Abingdon now. I'm want a sub 3 and am thinking along the lines of 6:40 or 6:45 which would give a bit of room for fading.
Also ran, never even got close to a retch let alone a spew, even during a race, probably means im not pushing hard enough
Some good running from you post Maidenhead, you musty be pleased with how things are going.
Barry, another one banging the sessions out a few days after a HM, and i agree mile repeats are never the most comfortable.
You certainly have speed in abundance Martin, working off the all inclusive gluttony i bet
Bought the gloves out at 5am this morning for the first time, still freezing fingers though, seems the debacle of last weeks HM is behind me, 3m warm up, 11m @ 6.48/m, cd. Wasnt really looking forward to it last night but it felt so comfortable, the only downside was it was done on a .55mile loop so 21 laps!
I'm back. My puter blew up nearly 4 weeks ago. It got half repaired, then it got properly broken on the way back to the mender's. Now it's a new computer. Don't you just love reinstalling everything on a computer?
Time to delurk and say hello thread!
Seems like you lot are training hard and there will be some good times.
This will be my 15th marathon and 6th time at Abingdon so either I lack creativity or I think it is a quick course and well organised race.
Training has gone well to date even though I decided at the start of summer to just run when I felt and focus on enjoying the Olympics, preferably with a beer in my hand. Weirdly I have somehow run myself into semi-decent shape. I even ran a PB in Maidenhead and beat my PB from 1996 when I was 28!
So I am hoping to get 2 more weeks of decent training then start taper. Plan for the day is probably going to be to aim for 2:57ish but will decide closer to the day.
Hope everyone's training's going roughly to plan
Belated race report from me on Sunday's Maidenhead half. The plan was to try & maintain 6.20-6.25mm, get to half way, then see what I could do at the business end!
Met a couple of club mates at the start who are 81 & 84 min pb standard. Said I'd try & stay with the 84 man for as long as poss. Race starts & I'm tucked behind 84. First mile split of 5:52
. I make the decision to back off if this continues. 2nd mile 12:09{cumulative}. 84 is getting further ahead, & I decide to let him go & run my own race
I settle down & feel quite comfortable, not too bothered about every split, as I've not raced a half for 6 months, & want to avoid further niggles before the main event next month. Got to half way in 39ish mins, still feeling pretty fresh & confident. However, started to feel the waves of fatigue starting to hit me around mile 9, & then just had to dig in to get round in one piece. No pain in shin or quad, just a strange feeling in my back!
Got to 10 miles in 65 mins{which is my 10 mile pb from Maidenhead 10 in 2011}. Kept it together to crawl? over the line in 1:27:46. Don't think I'm quite in sub 3 shape, but I'm not beating myself up! Some days you're on it, others you're not!
84 man got a PB, & is now 83 man
I've only run one marathon before - I have a lot to learn on pacing and can understand what you are saying - thanks for sharing the experiences of past marathons.
I targeted 3:15 for the Wales Marathon in June and it came out as 3:02. It was really hilly with virtually no flat. Pacing became a guessing game, and 3:02 is what came out at the end (6:56 min/m). I strugged up one of the hills towards the end, with pace dropping to 10+ min/m on one hill, and was virtually running to a standstill (the memory is still fresh).
Maidenhead HM and Abingdon are the first two flat races I will have run. I should have put more thought into how I paced / raced Maidenhead. My HM pb was 6:29min/m before this. On Sunday I got carried away and ran the first 3 miles in sub 18mins, ending with an average pace of 6:15 for the HM. It was a big improvement to my pb, but I appeciate I ran rather naively. I'm still at the stage where I'm making fairly big improvements compared to runners who have been training for several years ( I started running in January - still wet behind the ears).
I'm hoping that 6:45 pace is something I will be able to maintain. It leaves a little in the bank for fade, however I'm hoping I will be able to push on at 20 as you have done recently.
Luvsa - similar starts at Maidenhead! I think everyone was quick out of the blocks following that cannon!
TickTock 1st Abingdon for me. Can't be bad if you keep going back for more.
Martin – I see that you getting back to the swing of things.
Also-ran – good 15 miler. I think your target is very realistic given your recent race. As you have only been running for a relatively short time, you are absolutely correct, you have great potential to improve by merely getting your pacing correct, which only comes with experience.
Meep – excellent tempo effort. You must be confident if it felt so comfortable. With regards loops, I often do my long run on a 5 ½ mile loop, which does help to break down it down in your mind into smaller chunks. Having said this, I am still looking for a local track marathon to do, which would be ultimate mini-lap long run
Chillies – sorry to hear about the computer, hope the running is going well.
TickTock – welcome, and sounds like you are in good form. If it has taken you 16 years to beat your HM PB, then there is hope for us all.
Luvsa – sounds like you had a good race, especially if you beat your 10 mile PB on the way. What will be your target for Abo?
Club track session tonight should be 2 x 3 miles (at 10K pace - 6.30 to 6.40 for me), which I am not looking forward to.
Aching I'm not surprised you're not looking forward to that session, 3 mile reps!!!! Good luck hope you can buddy up with someone
Tried an MP session today 14 with a mile warm up/down sandwiched between 12 @ 6:30. The wind wasn't kind and on an out and back course I found it quite difficult to maintain pace on the way out and the legs were a bit bashed coming back fairly pleased overall but the last mile warm down was more than welcome and I was starving getting home and stuffed myself silly lol.
Splits were 7:19, 6:33, 6:36, 6:39, 6:55, 6:45, 6:49, 7:01, 6:36, 6:31, 6:30, 6:26, 6:36 and 7:45.
Still don't feel I've got the holiday out of my system yet, I manage to do the sessions but as per pre holiday they were quite comfortable I seem to be coming home shattered. Another week or so I reckon it'll be back, just about in time for taper
Luvsa - That's an impressive first mile at Maidenhead thru' the twists and turns.
Chillies - Welcome back, how's the training going?
Tick Tock- Welcome, another one for the sub 3 train, speaking of sub 3 where's Fraser gone?
Martin - Good running fella, you' re still hitting the paces even if it does feel harder.
9 slow yesterday and just under 6 today 1 WU 3 fast, 6:46, 6:48, 6:31 WD
Thanks for the welcome.
AC whilst it took me 16 years to beat my half PB, it took only 15 years and 13 attempts to dip under 3 hours for the marathon - so there really is hope for everyone.
Also-ran - yep Abingdon is a great course the only pain for me is getting up at 5am to drive up then the fun of a 2 hr drive home after the race. Amazing you ran 3:02 when targetting 3:15 and having to do a 10 min/mile up a hill in race. If you pace it right you are going to run an amazing time.
I did 10 miles at today with 6 at MP (~6:45). Legs still a little tired from Sunday's half but aerobically felt not too bad. I am bringing my long run forward from Sunday to Saturday so hoping to do ~22 miles with last few at MP.
Hi all - another long time lurker deciding to surface!
This will be my second Abingdon Marathon and my third attempt at getting a sub-3. Was a few minutes ahead of pace at 21 miles back in 2009 when my calf went and I limped home in 3:16. Had achilles surgery since and then ran 3:01 in London this year.
I also ran Maidenhead and finished with a new PB by three minutes - 1:20:59. Feel I should be good for sub-3 with that time. Only concern is that I haven't run a 20 miler yet but have two in my plan over the next two weekends.
On pacing I'm planning to go out at 6:40 and see how I get on. If I remember my last Abingdon outing the first couple of miles are on a slight downhill and I ended up getting carried away and running 6:27 and 6:30 for the first two miles. Won't be doing that again!
Hi all - it's been too long to read back, and I'm not sure this replacement puter is working properly - but I shall persevere if only to get a backlog of work done.
Marathon training has been rubbish, basically, but Maidenhead half in 1:36-ish was OK in my head - didn't push too hard. So this Saturday I'm doing London to Brighton off-road bike ride (75 miles) which I will somehow pretend is better than a slow 20!
I'll check back at a more sensible hour and have a read of the past couple of day's postings - hope everyone is OK
Adam - Welcome, great time at Maidenhead, you've obviously got bags of pace for a sub 3 attempt, see how your 20's go, how are you planning to run them?
Chillies - Well done at Maidenhead, should have made it a thread outing, but it is a very good race and I am planning to do it again next year.Enjoy the bike ride.
Hi Barry - I signed up with a coach in January and am following the programme he sets for me. He operates to times rather than distance so my runs for the next two Sundays are:
2:45 and in the last hour 3 x 15 mins @ marathon pace and 5 min recoveries
3:00 with last hour @ marathon pace
I reckon the first one will be around 21 miles and the second I did as part of my London traning and ran 23 miles so expecting the same.
Agree that Maidenhead is a great race. I've been telling people about it and would definitely do it again. Loved the finish back through the town.
Been ages since I posted - too muh other stuff going on!
Looks like people are getting some great training in. Not long to go now eh
Still hoping to get somewhere in the 2.5x mark but we shall see
Planning a couple of mp finish runs in the next 2 weeks which should see where I am
Did a semi multi terrain up in crathes in the north of Scotland ( in 21 degree heat!) on sat. Time was poor at 1.24.28 ( nearly 5 mins off pb) but this got 6th place so prob hard to draw any conclusions
Martin – maybe not fast as you would like, but still good run there.
TickTock – best of luck with your 22 miler tomorrow.
Adam – welcome and congratulations on the recent PB. This suggests you may be well below 3 hours at Abo. Sounds like you have 2 tough long runs planned though.
CFB – best of luck with your marathon bike ride tomorrow.
Fraser – sounds like the training is going well.
Club track session last night, 2 x 3miles (with 5min recovery). Times were 20.21 (av 6.39) & 20.28 (av6.33). Reasonably happy, and hope has not taken too much out for Pleshey HM on Sunday. Anything better than 1.35 on Sunday will be fine.
Aching - yes not as fast as I'd like but hopefully I'm getting there, had an easy 8 today and felt a bit fresher got a 13 tomorrow and a 20 Sunday so big finish to the week.
I have an 18 planned for a fortnight Sunday (2 weeks out) which I'm planning on doing a 4 warm up then 14 @ MP. It's a session I did before holiday and I maintained pace and felt ok so if I can do the same ill be happy
Good luck on sun AC
Fraser - Sounds a pretty good effort if you came 7th.
AC - Nice pacy miles, good luck for Sunday. Don't set off too quick, aim for 7's and see what happens.
4 Easy for me this afternoon,day trip to Blackpool tomorrow to visit parents, good luck to any other racers this weekend.
Hi everyone. Only just found this thread. Will have to find time to read all the way through it soon.
Abingdon this year will be my first marathon. Training has been going pretty badly of late tbh
. Struggled with boredom on long runs until I found a decent new route. Just as I did, and did my first 18-miler (run-walk), I started struggling with fatigue which turned into a heavy cold and is now just fatigue again.
On the advice of pretty much everyone I've asked, I'm taking a break for the moment to try and get over it properly. Really hate not running but hoping it's better in the long term. I've resigned myself to having to run-walk the mara and am really just hoping to get round now without getting kicked out at cutoff time. My previous target times are out of the window.
Good to meet you all. Hopefully I'll be back up and raring to go in 4 weeks time. Good luck with the rest of your training.
Hi All,
Not been on forum for years(!), just a quickie to say I am unable to do this race justice this year (run it 3 or 4 times and its a lovely race)...so I now have a place available to the first person who emails me...Checked with organisers and if we get the details to them today then its ok.
Can sort out race fee later...
Rug19
Hi, am injured so not able to run Abingdon. If anyone wants the place let me know and can sort out transferring. Thanks, J
Running wise at last I can come on without whining
Sorry to hear of all the drop outs, Steve good luck with the rest of your training finishing a marathon is a massive achievement in itself so don't get bogged down with worrying about cut off times it'll all be alright on the day.
welcome seesteverun. Completing a marathon is an amzing acheivement which the vast majority of the population will never even try to do. You need to take it easy for a few days and get rid of your cold before running again. There is never a good time to get a cold but now is probably the least bad. You have managed 18 miles fo come race day you will be ok and get to the end.
MG13 nice paced 13 miles and good luck with 20 tomorrow. And good luck to AC at Pleshey
Today I did my long run. Felt a bit weird doing it on a Saturday but ended up with 22 miles including 6 at marathon pace. So very happy with the run, plus I can treat myself to a few pints tonight as I don't have to get up early
Hi all
Abingdon will be my first Marathon too and tbh I am very nervous about being last and getting dragged off the course on the bus. Training was going well but have struggled of late with illness and not having time to do a couple of the longest runs. I just hope I can do this justice. I plan to do 17-18 tomorrow. I am doing this with a few others from the forums and am really looking forward to it.
Seesteverun I may be joining you
Evening all. I've just seen Marti Pellow from Wet Wet Wet picking up a kebab from my local village kebeb shop. This isn't really news because he lives here.
Today I have learnt that 75 (about 60 actually off road) miles is a bloody long way on a mountain bike. I had to push it up the middle section of the last hill (Beeting Hill on the south downs) but I overtook the three blokes who were actually riding the thing! I rode the other three hills though. My knees hurt.
Steve, Ecky, if you've dragged youselves round 18 miles alone you'll get through it. There will be plenty of encouragement to keep you moving
I'll try to have a read through the last couple of days postings tomorrow. Night all
Welcome Steve and Ecky, stick around. First mara just concentrate on getting round, amazing feeling when you finish, then you either think never again or when's the next one.
Martin - Good to hear you're happy with your running. We're always a bit harsh on ourselves but that is what drives us to get better.
TickTock - Nice long one. Hope the hangovers not too bad.
400 miles round trip to Blackpool yesterday and felt it when I got up early this morning, just over 24 at 7:54 avg so happy with that. My treat myself to a pint of guiness this afternoon.