P + D training for VLM 2013

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Comments

  • Lit - it's ok I'm not included eitherimage

    HeOw - I am well chuffed with what I got. I never in a million years thought I could achieve what I have. I know there is more to come. I'm never going to be superfast angels he isn't on my side but I want to be competitive in my age group. I see all these ladies on the v40 and v50 groups doing sub 45 min 10 k and sub 1:40 hm and I want to be doing that. I'm beginning to believe it might just be possible now. I did get my first age group trophy (3rd) at my last marathon in Oct with the time I got yesterday, I would grave been first I think. image

  • Great report Fiona well done again.

    So you are all doing Chester..goodie I will have someone to chat to on this thread , Abingdon is 2 weeks after.

    Is everyone following the same schedule ?

  • MennaniaMennania ✭✭✭

    Fiona - after reading your report I for one think you are selling yourself way way short with a 3:50 target. Two  back to back Maras  at 3.50 ish is impressive and leads me to believe that you should be looking for a sub 3.45 or even maybe a 3.3x next time. I reckon in an uncompromised race (ie not in fancy dress, in shite weather on an unflat course or not preceded by a 26 mile LSR the week before) you would be 5 -8 mins faster now anyway putting you firmly in the mid 3.4x range thus making a 3.3x a reasonable target.

     

  • MennaniaMennania ✭✭✭

    Are we about to open a P&D for autumn Marathons 2013 thread?? Go one someone - I dare youimage Or can we just rename this one?

  • I vote  Heow ...

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Except Pamela Anderson.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    I've obviously got a Pammy obession too.

    I think we just need a P&D thread with no real target which can run for ever and ever and ever.

  • Started Autumn thread MoFo's.  I think I am ill.  I think I was not too well on Sunday either but it is just coming out big time.  I am in bed. My husband is fucked off as I am either tired from training, tired from tapering or tired from marathoning. Tough shit. 

  • I agree cos I'm not doing an autumn marathon but don't want to miss out. You've all been so supportive and positive. Besides i'll miss all the toilet discussions. image

  • Fiona - WHAT, YOU AIN'T DOING AN AUTUMN MARATHON....?  *SLAP*

  • HeOw - oh dear hope you feel better soon. These things usually rear their ugly heads post marathon.

  • HeOw - no. Never old any plans to do so. I find all the long runs take up so much of my Sunday and I've been marathon training basically since Dec 2011 as I did spring and autumn last year. Like Ten I'm going to try to improve my shorter distances a bit and aim for marathon next spring. I'm going to use the P&D plans so I'll chup in my tuppence worth.

  • Heow, husbands eh ?? glad I ditched mine and never bothered looking for a replacement image

  • Stupid phone... Never HAD any plans

  • ShazmoShazmo ✭✭✭

    Havent had a chance to bring myself upto speed but thought I'd keep up the race report tradition...although it looks mighty long as I'm pasting it on to the forum!

    This was my second marathon and this time I'd prepared more than my first one (Manchester last year) so felt reasonably confident I could do sub 3.50 (which would have been a 9 min improvement). I live in Isle of Man so travelled over on Saturday - most of which was spent dithering whether to play it safe and go for 3.49, take a small risk and go for 3.44 or to hell with it and go for a sub 3.40 Getting to the race was painless - drove from sister's in Frodsham to Altrincham, got the tram and was there at race HQ for 8ish. When I arrived at HQ I was pleased to see it was much better organised that last year and conditions appeared more favourable - it was cool and dry with a slight breeze. I had travelled alone and felt a bit lonely as there seemed to be lots of groups of people. Changing facilities were adequate and loo queue was ok. Managed two pre-race wees and it was time to head to start. I found the 3.45 pacer,  although I was still pondering whether to go slightly faster or slightly slower than 3.45. Was immediately put off running with 3.45 pacer when he told me he'd never run a marathon! Couldn't spot HeOw, so decided to 'see how I felt' once I got going and adjust accordingly.   So, off we set, bit congested for the first couple miles but noted I was doing just under sub 3.40 pace and kept thinking 'must NOT go any faster or will blow up'. Needed wee stop at about 4 miles which was a bit of a faff cos I couldn't get shorts untied. Back running and made a mini surge to get me back on sub3.40 track again with a view to seeing how I went as the race progressed. I felt ok at this pace - not brilliant, but ok.  The course headed towards the southern suburbs of Manchester and the crowd support in places was overwhelming and very uplifting.  There were more 'draggy climbs'  than I expected but nothing horrendous, a reasonably flat course.  I  was pleased to spot 15w a few times (cant rem exactly where, sorry). I was also chuffed to bits to see my family at miles 12 and 16 as last year they kept missing me cos I was way ahead of my target time.   I started to get a bit warm and was struggling to get the water pouches to dispense more than a dribble to throw over my head. From about mile 18 I started to get a bit fatigued and I started to feel twinges in my knee, shin and ankle and negative thoughts were creeping in. It all went a bit downhill from here....out onto a stretch of country road, hardly a supporter in sight and a head wind. I could feel myself slowing and by mile 22 I had serious fatigue and an overwhelming desire to give in and go home. I seemed to be slowing by about 40 second a mile and it was here I gave up on the sub 3.40 dream.....after all,  I kept saying, I was only going for a sub 3.50 and a 3.45 was in the bank if I could just keep plodding. A lovely lady, Jax, ran with me for a while, urging me to stick with her but I couldn't. The last 3 miles I employed 15w's counting strategy and kept saying 'it's just one more lap of the prom', a regular run at home.  I was hurting big time, felt a bit dizzy/tingly, could barely do more than a shuffle but just kept moving, praying for Old Trafford to come into sight. The crowd support was immense in the last mile,  people shouting my name and words of encouragement.  A marshal shouted 'one more corner and you're at the finish'. One last glance at the watch, checking I was sub 3.45 (although it would have been too late to do anything about it had I not been) and saw 3.38 something on my watch. Surely not, I thought...I rounded the corner and there was the finish - no more than 150 meters. I gave it everything I had for a sprint finish and
  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    ...and???

    This is the best race report cliffhanger yet!

  • ShazmoShazmo ✭✭✭
    (didnt do the cliffhanger on purpose....stupid ipad) ....praise The Lord, finishing time of 3.39.22. My family were right at the finish to see me....although I didn't realise this until later when I found them at baggage reclaim.  So...! I obviously misread my watch or miscalculated - or both when I was in the post 20 mile stages. I'm really happy to achieved a 20 minute PB and dipping under 3.40 but I'm miffed at letting the demons take over and allowing me to 'give in' and settle for a slower time....albeit I was quicker than I thought in the end. In a strange way I feel more proud of my performance last year when I pushed and pushed like my life depended on it in the final 2 miles (in order to scrape a sub 4),  because I knew I'd kick myself forever if I didn't. Oh why, do I over-analyseimage 
  • ShazmoShazmo ✭✭✭

    I swear the cliff hanger was an accident.....technology is not my forteimage

    HeOw, my scoliosis in a lumber one and makes my hips cock-eyed and also rotated, so one hip is further forward and my legs are different lengths....saying that, I don't really have any major issues (touches wood). I run with a hobble thoughimage 

  • Brilliant report , well done on the massive pb Shaz, it amazes me how so many of you remember the run in such detail,

    Now Shaz are you up for an Autumn marathon.?.image if so we have moved..hopefullly I will make it to the start line next time

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Great report that Shazmo. What are your plans for the remainder of the year?

    HeOw, leave your husband and marry me, I won't mind you being too tired as I will be too tired too. We can be too tired together.

    I'm staying on this thread until AG is done. You must be feeling well and truly rested by now AG?

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Yeah, and after AG is done aren't we supposed to do the post-P&D post-mortem and think about what worked and what didn't? Or do we do that on the exclusive new thread?

  • That's the big bonus About being on here. Everyone is too tired. image

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    AG isn't, he's got a marathon to run!

  • ShazmoShazmo ✭✭✭

    I'm with you on the unhealthy running obsession...and a few other unhealthy obsessions tooimage 

    I've not decided on my next road running target, but I imagine I will probably end up doing an autumn marathon. Quite fancy Amsterdam or Chester as it's handy for family . Think I might have to pretend I'm doing one a anyway, just so I can get an invite to the new thread image

    Meantime I have plenty of on-island shorter stuff to keep me occupied, more for the social scene than time targets.  I am a fell runner, so my next 'proper' target is the Manx Mountain Marathon in September which is technically an ultra at 32 miles, 12 summits and 2600 meters of ascent. It will be my first attempt at the full distance, having done the half two years in a row. To get round within the cut off time is my primary aim. 

    PS - Isle of Man hosts a road marathon and half marathon every August. It's just a small club run event, but was featured on RW site last year as one of the best small marathon in UK. Not PB stuff but an excuse to visit the beautiful isle image  

     

  • TenjisoTenjiso ✭✭✭

    Another great report Shazmo. It's interesting to see how we go through the same pain and emotions, regardless of our intended finishing time. I guess it just never gets any easier when we are ambitious. I'd love to know how the 3:45 pacer got on. 

  • Shazmo - I've invited myself on the other thread regardless.

  • Great run Shazmo

    Is anybody here?

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Still not sure if I'm actually going to follow P&D for the autumn marathon...might go down the 2 or 3 key sessions a week, and then make up the rest as I feel...

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