P + D training for VLM 2013

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  • Been loving reading all these reports. Sounds like everyone ran their hearts out. Almost literally in some cases. And a world record holder in our midst!

    Ten - thanks for your comment about my run. Really made my day.

    I called the VLM office today and confirmed that my Barcelona March 2012 sub 3:10 still counts for 2014 GFA. Amazing! Totally didn't realise that until today. May well do London again next year. Looking into Chester too. And Amsterdam...

    I've said no running for 2 weeks. Legs feel awful today. Particularly hilarious when I got to Highbury tube station only to discover the down escalator was out of action...

  • Al Runs - just been reading your training thread, very very interesting and brilliant run by the way and I am considering joining a rowing club (I live in Chester so there are a couple).  May well give it a go!  2:45 marathon for HeOw... image

    Chris - just rest it, doesn't sound achilles, will be just wear and tear from the race.  You'll be fine.

    Literatin - thumb is better after some codeine, definitely not broken but rocky few hours shitting myself!  I don't think I could hold a broken thumb up for 26.2 miles! 

    AG - I agree with Chick.  I would stick with your goal, if you have started too slow, you will know nearer mile 20 and would be able to ramp up.  If you have faster in you, you'll do it.  Don't obliterate yourself.

    Craig - are you feeling the taper pain?  I am not too bad to be fair, I am quite calm about it all at the mo.  Still feels too far away!  Are you doing the Borders League race tomorrow still?  I really think you should run it at MRP and not race it to be honest...

  • Fiona, I had Liverpool booked in after Chester last year, it was a back up race.  I dithered about doing it and decided against it and day of race, I woke up with vomiting bug.  You know your body best and I do think if you did run Sunday quite easy, you could get away with it but I can imagine you would find it very hard. 

  • Thanks Heow. Think I'll bath and ice it. 

    Oh and if you are calm at the moment, then you are not tapering properly! You need to be going crazy, like proper off your head, if you are going to run a PB. Its the rules. 

    P.S Screw the Kenyans, my mate just told me I'm the 36th fastest marathoner in Wales in 2013! 

  • Not too bad with the taper at the moment, had 7 recovery earlier only around 8 min/mile and could not accept that I have to run around 6:40 a mile for 26 on Sunday, but I suppose the training is banked and should come good on Sunday (I hope so anyway).

    Borders League Final, good question.  Its only 4 miles, just see how it goes tomorrow on the night, marathon pace would be the best I think.

     

  • Don't race it Craig - too near to marathon in my humble opinion. Ask yourself if Mutai did a race last Wednesday...?  (Maybe he did, that is why he didn't win!)  

    Chris, that is brilliant! 

  • Cheers, got a feeling I'll be down to 37th after Craig runs Manchester.

  • OK race report.. 

    After an early breakfast of yogurt and 6 slices of toast and jam we were off to Maze Hill Station, which was only one stop on the train and most people had already got off so even had a seat.  Had to be there before 8:45 to be vetted by the Guinness people so plenty time.  Got rid of bag and joined the loo queue then went and stood at the fence to speak to my mum and OH who had come to see me off.  One of the advantages of the green start is that it is small and easy to navigate so no problem getting to start pen.

    Feeling pretty calm at that point and just wanted to get going.  Got into pen at about 9:45 and settled in behind the 9 min/mile pacer.  Watched the elite men whizz past at the blue start before we started moving forward.  Over the line at 2 mins...  Decided to stick with the game plan and 9:09, first mile in 9:18 due to a bit of congestion and trying not to go off too fast.  Got into a nice rhythm and settled down.  First 6 miles a bit warm but otherwise fine.  Saw family at 6 miles just before  Cutty Sark which was great and then just tried to focus on taking it easy.  Miles 6-10 were uneventful  but plenty of support from the spectators.  Onto Tower Bridge and the noise was deafening.  Still a good pace and comfortably through half way. Saw Richard Whitehead somewhere along this bit.  It was beginning to get narrower and people were starting to slow which was making it a bit tricky to keep the pace and I knew if I slowed that I would never pick it up again.  Through 16 miles and still feeling not too bad although legs were tiring.   By 17 miles it seemed that they were getting further apart, but I knew I was on target so just kept going.  18 miles seemed to never come and I decided that I would take my 20 mile gel at 19 and then my emergency gel at 22 just to make sure.  Started just counting off the miles and focusing on the next one.  I’ve never run a whole marathon before but had to if I wanted that record.  Kept going through 19, had the gel.  Onto 20,21, 22, people going the other way were walking, I’m still running many more walking on my side too.  Lots seemed to be pulling up with cramp.  My legs are really beginning to feel it, BUT I’M NOT GOING TO STOP.  22-24 went on in a similar fashion.  Mile 24 through the tunnel and up that hill and it didn’t seem quite so bad this time.  Around and into 25 miles, saw Colin Jackson and thought he better not stop me, I’ve only got 15 minutes to do 1 miles and 385 yards.  Thinking to myself, how much is that... 1 mile is 9 minutes and then that means  6 mins to do the rest, is that possible?????  My brain couldn’t remember that it is 0.2 miles by then.  Turn the corner and see the 800m sign.  I’m going to do it if I keep the pace.  Decided I needed both arms free to keep the pace so chucked my water bottle and off I went.  Damn sure I wasn’t going to miss this now.  Through the finish.  I’VE DONE IT!  Run the whole thing and set a record. 

    Hobble round to meet my family and then onto the HeartUK reception thingy.  Gobbled down a fabulous sandwich, changed and then of to Harrods for a spot of window shopping.  Negotiated several sets of stairs both up and down getting there and then back to Greenwich, but I now have a Harrods carrier bag too.

  • Sorry long post, OH says you'll die before you'll get to the end.

  • Well done Chris, great achievement, I suspect our times will be very close.

    Helen, your right, I know you are, 4 miles at MRP would be the best option I think.

     

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Cool man. I like the idea of having a world record - just wondering what to go dressed as next year....

  • 15W - at your pace you'd have a lot of options.
  • MennaniaMennania ✭✭✭

    Fiona - Great effort and congrats on the record, Fantastic acheivement!image

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Great report and photo Fiona, but I can't believe you had the energy to go shopping after it!

    The pic also reminds me it is time to go back and stalk everyone's race photos.

    I can more or less manage stairs again and can lower myself onto a chair without wincing in pain, so might just manage that recovery run tomorrow. I went to pilates tonight and had this conversation when the teacher asked if anyone had any injuries at the start:
    Me: my legs hurt.
    Teacher: well, that'll teach you to run 26 miles.
    So that told me.

  • TenjisoTenjiso ✭✭✭

    Fiona - I can assure you I ran as hard as I could, Matron.

    I think the reason I haven't had severe DOMS like you lot is because I followed the plan, while you lot deviated. I recall the 18/14 MPR was key to avoiding DOMS on race day image

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    My pics are very unflattering. Gurning in most of them. I really must remember to smile more. Also, see my form is all wrong as I am getting tired, lifting shoulders, clenched fists etc etc.

    How is everyone. My DOMS is decreased this morning, can almost walk down the stairs normally. Will be on my bike to work this morning.

    Had a quick look at BBC weather this morning and looks spot on for Manchester.

    I like your report Fiona...

  • My photos shouldn't be looked at by somebody thinking of running a marathon, too much pain showing, yet I didn't feel it.  Must practice smiling on the last two miles where most of them have been taken.

    Doms better today, going down stairs forwards with just some quad tightness.  Might do a 3 mile recovery run tonight.

    I wore Skins on Monday/Tuesday and sure it has helped generally with the tightness

    Great report from the threads world record holder Fiona.

    15W I think we should vote for the category for you to cover, I'm seeing a character out of the Rocky Horror Show in my head not sure why!

  • stutyrstutyr ✭✭✭

    I've never seen a flattering race photo of myself, but they've posted two of me with my head down and a gel packet hanging out my mouth like some strange metallic tongue.  Must be the worst photos ever.

    Feeling much better this morning, and now walking forwards down stairs.  I  put my Skins shorts on in Paddington station (in the toilets not on the platform image), and the pain relief was immediate.  I'm normally a sceptic, but I do think skins help.

    Fiona, that was a great report - you're in the RW list of as well thats linked from the home page, your now famous. 

  • 15West wrote (see)

    AG - what are your half marathon and marathon PB's?


    My Marathon PB (Brighton 2010) is 5:08:22 and my Half PB (Tromso 2011) is 2:00:33

    I've been doing MP runs in the P&D plan at 9:00 pace, including one that was supposed to be 18miles with 14 @ MP, but ended up being 18mi ALL at MP because my garmin packed up.

    I'm almost certainly going to head out at 9:00 pace and see how I feel at 20miles. At that pace I should get to the 20mi marker at 3hours, giving me a minute or so to play with, and even if i fade slightly, shoudl hopefully still hit my 3:57:05 target image

  • /members/images/633379/Gallery/vlm_0.jpg

     

    Can't believe the difference a day makes. My legs feel 'almost' back to normal this morning, whereas yesterday I thought I’d never walk again. Think I’ll give the 3 mile recovery a bash tonight. But I’ll be putting on the big old comfy daps for sure. As for the pics, there is one of me crossing the line which sums everything up for me. It’s a cross between a scream, a shout and a cry. I like to call is satisfaction! Still not going to pay £20 to download it though! (bloody rip off).

     

     

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Chris, nice pic! Cool shades! How did you manage to copy the pic from marathonfoto?

    Going to need numbers from you Manchester people and expected times as will more than likely be out supporting - probably at Flixton which is about mile 21 (might find somewhere earlier in the race - not sure yet), so need to know who to look out for. There is a good chance I (or a little girl near me) will have jelly babies.

    Ok AG - looking at those times then yes, go with your 9min/mile pace.

    One other thing Manchester marathoners - don't skip on the salt leading up to the race, there was a lot of people pulling up with cramp in London, although I don't think Manchester will be as warm.

  • Use the snip tool to cut and paste 15W - saves paying the exorbitant fees for downloading. Although I'll probably get done now for copyright infringement or something.

    I second the salt too. I religously dropped the SIS hydro electrolyte tablets in my water for the 3 days leading up to Sunday. I can't say it helped for sure, but like 15W says there were loads of people pulling up and I wasn't one of them thankfully. So I would say the electrolytes did their job.

  • Nose NowtNose Nowt ✭✭✭

    20 quid for a photo?  What a rip.  35,000 people... let's say that 1 photographer can reliably snap 10,000 of them crossing the line.  That's £200,000 for a day's work.   Not bad if you can get it.

  • Or you can download all of your images for £60 / £70 quid. Don't get me wrong. I think its a fantastic service as it matches you up with your photos and they are there for you to view. But I do think it's set too high. I would have thought they would make more money by setting the prices lower and therefore encouraging more people to purchase. If say a single photo was a fiver, or I could have them all for say £30 quid I probably would pay. I'm sure they've set the prices at a level that works for them mind, so all credit to them.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    It's big business these marathon photos - not bought one yet. Going to use Chris' method for copying pics and put up with a big PROOF written across me.

  • To be fair to Marathofoto they do have a lot of photographers.  Forget about the runners on threads like this because we all race regularly so probably have a running photo library, many of the 36,000 finishers will never race a marathon again so they will buy something from them as part of their fantastic day

    If the City of Westminster were cunning they would undercut them with the photos off the average speed cameras on some of those last bridges, they must have all of us.

  • I'm just glad it says 'PROOF' and not 'POOF'.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Me on the mall...nearly there...

    /members/images/350142/Gallery/mall1.jpg

     

  • I can't believe you ran 2.50 in that weather in a T Shirt. Get a vest and you will go 2.45 without any need to train!

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