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Abingdon Marathon 2013
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easy couple of days for me friday was an easy 7/4 double and Saturday a rest day.
Last longish run done this morning. Plan was 1m easy then 5 @ MP + 20 secs, 7m @ MP + 5 secs then 2 miles @ MP - 10 secs w/d. Managed 5 @ MP + 17 secs, 7 @ MP + 2 secs then finished with 1 @ MP - 10 secs and 1 @ MP - 15 secs.
Pleasing run felt quite strong until the last couple. Stuck to a pretty flat course and the wind was slight which makes the world of difference. Nice to get the last long one done, only one more decent sessions far as I can see, on weds then it really eases off.
Hope everyone is going well and not going stir crazy, and Leebe hope your half goes well.
It has gone a bit quiet around here!!!
I hope everyones taper is going well. I have just done my last long run (17 miles) and cut back the miles next week. Lovely weather here in London today but perhaps a bit too warm to race a marathon, I bet in 2 weeks time it will be much cooler.
I hope so TT - like everyone, I want cool, overcast and almost no wind!
Nice run MG.
10k race for me today. Pretty pleased to come away with my best time on the course and just outside my 10k PB despite almost no speed work since July. Shows the benfits of marathon training
I was just keeping the head down low to avoid getting that taper madness at this distance out. I had half a plan for about 16 miles yesterday, but wasn't really up to running in the morning. Instead went out for a bike riude with the tri club. Not too hard, but 55 miles covered, easing off a little if the weakest rider dropped out of the group. It fitted the bill.
Today, just a swim (in about an hour's time).
Cheers TB and MG,
MG, sound's like your 15 went better than planned, which Is always nice for the confidence.
TB, Nice one, well done. I managed a 1:22 HM today which was slightly slower than I was hoping for but as TT pointed out it did feel quite warm down South today. I also had the off putting scenario of my watch not getting a signal and so went off far too quick and far too annoyed! Saying all that though I am pleased as it's a PB for me.
Now to take it easy for a couple of days to ensure some proper recovery. 2 weeks to go!
Cardiff half today. How did you get on, Jamie? Hope you weren't trying to keep up with the 1:01 winner.
A slower than I would have liked 1:48 and beaten by my son doing his first half marathon by 47s and having to buy him a drink.
What didn't help perhaps was that yesterday - and I didn't ask for this to be put on the list - I did a LDWA offroad event of 26.5 miles, so I still had that in my legs. Ran most of it except for the hilly bits (5700' ascent). So that was my last LSR.
Enjoy the tapering and try to be nice people to live with!!
Hi Folks,
Making a long awaited entrance. I've been reading posts for a couple of weeks but felt like I would jinx myself if I made one myself before taper time!
Ran 22 at 7:45 today and am now officially on the taper (at last).This will be my 9th marathon. Ran 3:01 at Leicester last year and will be going for sub 3. Had a few near misses during the past few years and hoping that with the quick course and my current fitness which i reckon is 1-2% better than last year, I have a decent shot!
My fastest 2 maras have been when i have done my last long un 2 weeks out so I have stuck with what seems to work. For me I feel that I lose a bit of battle hardiness when I do my last long one 3 weeks before. Recovery is also quicker. Been very inspirational reading everyones posts over the past few weeks. I am now getting excited about the race. Who else is hoping to to run just under 3?
Leebe - I reckon I was in 1:27 HM shape last year when I ran 3:01 so if i ran 1:22 i would probably target 2:52-54
Lee - 1:22 is a good time, and you have only just started tapering so still a bit of long run tiredness in the legs probably. As Frank says though - reinforces the need for a well-sub 3 target for two weeks!
T-Rex - glad its not just me that gets grumpy at taper time
TT: I did this race a couple of years ago and there was frost on the ground first thing. Ran with gloves all the way in perfect marathon conditions. Let's hope for the same.
Adjusted Target after yesterday:
Abingdon Marathon Predicted Times
Dachs - 2:39:59
Martin G - 2:42
Keir- 2:48
Millsy1977 - 2:58
The Bus - 2:54
Leebe - Sub 3
Jamie F - 3:04
Zirion - 3:05
Ballesteros - sub 3:10
Simon W - 3:10
Blisters - 3:15-3:20
Dr.Dan - 3:25
Rosie rr - 3:35
T Rex - 3:40
Paulie B - 3:45
Hissy fit - 3.50
Hi Frank,
Welcome aboard, sounds like everything is in your favour for a sub 3 this time around.
Thanks TB, the time has certainly helped with the confidence for a sub 3. Like you and T-Rex I now have to concentrate on not taking my taper frustrations out on those around me!
Sorry for the silence. Had a work trip to Brussels over the weekend. Foolishly agreed to help organise it so am suitably shattered now, rushing around the city all weekend, and only managed to get in one very very poor 11k run. Ironically I'd managed to organise the trip for the weekend of the Brussels marathon. Had I found that out more than a month ago, I might not be participating in this thread at all
.
The plus side is that it kept my mind off the running for the weekend, so I'm not feeling too much of the taper madness, but I can feel it returning. Couldn't do my HM MP run over the weekend, so I'll be aiming to do that this afternoon if possible.
Leebe - feel free to take out your taper frustrations on me. I can always put on shades if you get too violent.
Less than two weeks to go, so look after yourself and, for example, try not to walk into any doors. Don't waste the training now!
Big decision for me this week is whtehr to run the Ridgeway 15.5k trail race on Sunday. It would be my 10th in a row, and is one of my favourite races. It's a fairly tough race though and just one week before Abo....
I did originally look at it as nothing more than a 10M tempo, but I think I might be kidding myself!
I don't know you, but my guess is you can't be in a race and not race. You might start off going slow, but I'd wager that inside three miles you'll be racing, and by the halfway point you'll be going as hard as you would if you'd been racing this as a one off. I'm not saying don't do it, just that you should be damned sure you know what you're doing if you do.
The only way I could be in a race without going flat out by the end would be if I was buddying someone.
The Bus,
I would say that you would be okay as long as you are disciplined enough to run the first 4-5 miles easy. If you race it, you might feel fine a couple of days later but you would be a few minutes slower at Abo.
I was away this weekend, so didn't run. However, I did my final "big session" last Thursday - 16M at MP which went well. We all just need to keep it together now ... last year I came down with a cough during taper and missed the Chester marathon, so I am now avoiding anyone looking remotely ill (which is not easy when you work in a Uni).
T-REX - The Cardiff Half went well yesterday thanks. Finished in 1:20:59, decided I'd let the Kenyan winner go ahead without me!! Felt good during the race but kept reminding myself not to go out too hard or fast and busting a gut for a new PB with Abingdon 2 weeks away.
Just found out that one of my colleagues may have gastroenteristis, but luckily he's now left the office and gone home. Keeping my fingers crossed I don't catch anything over the coming few weeks too!!
That's a good run Dan! I've already got a cough - hope its taperitis and will shift in time! Gastroenteritis would be OK though - good way to keep the weight off during the down time
Jamie - excellent time, especially as you were holding back a bit.
Z/F - I'm very badly self-disciplined and would inevitably race it too hard! (especially as the marathon prep might give me a stab at a course PB). Just wish it was the 9th, or 11th or somehing - my OCD would be a little easier with that
Frank, Leebe
Perceived wisdom from those who have been having a punt at sub 3's for a while is that a true pb for a HM of 1:23 is what converts into a true mara of 2:59:30 (got to have some slack).
When I say "true" I mean one that actually represents your best, and that you are at peak training performance for that race, and everything was at the top of the game. In other words it's a low percentage hit rate. Get one piece of the jigsaw slightly wrong and the whole lot goes out of the window, especially at the mara. There are some in these parts who know that song off by heart. Fingers crossed for them. My approach has almost always been to play the game of chance and shoot for the low percentage of glory. Who remembers the "nearly" guy? Who came second? No idea.
Oh, and if someone has got a 2:55 marathon and is still messing about doing 1:27 HMs it's time they started to shoot at those properly. That should be a 1:20.
Bus, good to see you revised that sub-3 downwards, definitely think 2:59 would be underselling yourself. For what it's worth, I wouldn't race it on Sunday. If you can't trust yourself to run it all easy, don't start. You've worked hard to get yourself into marathon shape, and it's just asking for trouble, particularly given the off-road nature, it's an injury waiting to happen.
Leebe, any kind of PB at the end of marathon training has to be a good sign, it's all looking good.
Welcome Frank, sounds like sub-3 is on the cards.
Jamie, excellent time, particularly if you were holding back
Zirion, enjoy that MP run!
Dan, 16M at MP - crikey!
Last preparation race yesterday, the Reading O2O 10K. Very pleased to win the race in 33:48, and get a lovely trophy and a voucher for some free trainers. A good 20s behind the PB, but I wouldn't expect to be in 10K form at the moment so much more confident of my marathon target now, particularly given that I felt strong throughout and never really flagged. Taper madness hasn't really hit yet, but then last week was quite high intensity, so a bit more of a reduction this week.
Bus- I did the Tring Ridgeway run the week before Abingdon 2yrs ago and used it as a training run. I don't think it did me any harm as i set a 13min PB at Abingdon that year. My main concern with that race was twisting an ankle or something stupid
Hmm, you two are sounding like the inside of my head
OK Bus, I've found you a solution. Buy a pair of handcuffs, find someone slow at the start and handcuff yourself to them while you've still got some will power.
so i managed to survive cardiff half in 2:35...not looking good for the abingdon cutoffs .2 weeks left to rain.,and a x country on the day before.what could possibly go wrong......
whose idea was it to enter this race
Leebe always nice to pb and psychologically puts you in a good place, another reason I'm having a crack on Sunday.
Dachs congrats on the win, something I can only dream off, there's always someone that turns up to ruin things. I've been the bridesmaid too many times now but with times like that I'm not surprised you're winning them. Chapeau.
Z good luck with the MP run. It's funny how on your own MP feels quite difficult but in a pack on race day with a carb load and taper behind you it feels pedestrian at times.
Pilates and a recovery 4 for me this morning. I was hobbling again last night but it's cleared to nothing already so not a worry. If only seems to come in after long runs and I have none left only an interval on Thursday.
Zirion - that sounds like a plan. I'll need to check the start list carefully to see who I might like to be handcuffed too
Martin - as usual, you are right! Two weeks out would have been perfect! As my first marathon for 2 years Abo had to be an A race....
I've heard that 1day per mile rule of thumb before - doesn't bode well for the Marlow half just 14 days after Abingdon! Mind you, last time I ran Abingdon, I did Marow 2 weeks after and it was a course best at the time. Also, my best ever 20 miler was 7 days after my course best at Wokingham Half....
Hope the progress with the injury continues.
Seren nos - sounds like perfect prep, especially the xc the day before - why am I being such a wimp about one a whole 7 days before?
easy couple of days for me friday was an easy 7/4 double and Saturday a rest day.
Last longish run done this morning. Plan was 1m easy then 5 @ MP + 20 secs, 7m @ MP + 5 secs then 2 miles @ MP - 10 secs w/d. Managed 5 @ MP + 17 secs, 7 @ MP + 2 secs then finished with 1 @ MP - 10 secs and 1 @ MP - 15 secs.
Pleasing run felt quite strong until the last couple. Stuck to a pretty flat course and the wind was slight which makes the world of difference. Nice to get the last long one done, only one more decent sessions far as I can see, on weds then it really eases off.
Hope everyone is going well and not going stir crazy, and Leebe hope your half goes well.
Last half marathon distance done. Next time I run 13.1 miles will be on the day
Ran 13.5 miles at MP - 3s. Saying it was easy would be a lie, but it wasn't a huge effort to keep the pace up. As you say MG15: things always feel much easier when you're properly carbed up, rested, have water and gel on the route and people to chase, so I'm hoping that I'll keep it together onr the day.
Still feels like if everything comes together on the day, 3:05 is a possibility. I'm going to hang on to that hope as we descend into stupidly short runs. Finding it hard to believe that I won't do much more than 10k for almost two weeks.
Dachs, impressive stuff and must be nice to get a free pair of trainers too! - Well done!
Martin, good to hear the hip isn't giving you too much jip. Can only be a good sign that it cleared up so quick after last night.
TB, if you ask me I'd say no to the Ridgeway, not because of the distance but because of the terrain...however, If it was me I would go ahead and do it anyway because I'm just not disciplined enough not to!
Bilsters, sound advice and trust me I'm not taking anything for granted. Just got to try not to hit the first five at 10k pace.
Seren, loving the confidence! I've been asking myself that same question.
Jamie, Nice one and sounds like you took the sensible approach to your HM, unlike me.
Zirion. Satisfying to get that last long MP run in the bag and like you said come race day that pace will feel so much more comfortable.
Calf muscles feeling fairly tight today. 'Mrs Leebe' laughed at the suggestion of a massage, but it serves me right for sprinting off like a kid at sports day yesterday.
Some good prepping going on here.
Seren, I'm sure that you'll be fine, just run on the footpath at the end.
Bus, if you need someone to slow you down, I'm your man.
8.5 miles done on a nicely hillsome/rolling route. About 7:30m/m, which is outside the marathon pace, but the aim was to test pace/ breathing/ heart rate. OK, the taper might help, and race day is not training day, but the first half of the race should be at a comfortable pace. That gives me a comfort factor for 7:20m/m. I hope. Anyone know what 26.2 times that would be?