P&D Spring Marathon Training Thread

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  • Shazmo wrote (see)

     

    I'm a right sad tw4t, but I'm counting the days til my 18/55 commences 

     

    I'm clearly a "right sad twat" too then... Start on Monday and really looking forward to it!

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    me too, largely because the first 6 weeks are predominatly easier than my normal training!!

    Oh, and in terms of finding tune up races that you might otherwise not find, I have just gone through the power of 10 results page from March 2013 as most races are annual fixtures and com up with a few local ideas. A pretty flat half in warwick on 23 march is tempting.

  • The good thing about doing a May marathon is that I get to see all you guys going through the mill first!  On second thoughts maybe it is just stringing out the pain of the MP runs! image

  • Good outing today, I managed my longest run to date, 14miles image  Pretty much on target pace, except for mile 2 when I had to get through the crowds blocking the path as they shopped at the Christmas market. Will be avoiding that bit for other weekends!

    Also tried out a gel for the first time, one I got in a goody bag last week. A bit meh!

    I'm also booked for the Silverstone Half, looking forward to it. 

  • Well done Rachel!

    Re. gels, if it doesn't make you need a mid-run poo, it's probably a winner.

  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭

    Well done Rachel sounds like you are well on track.

    The thing with P&D is that the first 16 miler includes 10 @ MP so if you get to do a 16 miler before starting the schedule all the better!

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Rachel, well done on long run. I'm using high5 isogel. I find texture more palatable as its more like a isotonic drink. 

    Yes- that seems like quite a harsh session early on. I have that pencilled in for 30 December. 

    Easy few days for me in anticipation of kicking off Monday with threshold run. 

  • Well done Rachel! It's a great feeling when you manage to break new barriers.

    i also use the high 5 isogels - easier on my stomach than some of the others.

  • macemace ✭✭✭
    SGB - I had it confirmed this morning, no Thanet 20 in March. That's a right pain the the arse image
  • Well done to all those choosing their tune up races. I'm hoping that by VLM I might have managed to walk/run a parkrun. image

    for strides I usually do then in the middle but that's just cos the only flat straight bit is about then.

    Shazmo- have you tried stretching piriformis as I found that helped keep my prenvious groin problem under control. 

    Another vote for high5 isogels here Although the SiS ones aren't too bad either.

  • I think high 5 isogels are so disgusting I couldn't even manage to swallow more than a sip of one. The SiS ones are not nice, but are at least palatable enough to actually consume.

    I intersperse the strides throughout the run (after a decent amount of warm-up) but before a race (or quality session) I do them after the warm-up with recoveries.

  • mace - let me know if you've got any ideas for a replacement.  February 23 would be ideal!

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Well I suppose we all have our own tastes so its just trial and error. Still chopping and changing mind on tune ups. I have found a pb 10k course 4 weeks out and hm course three weeks out.

    The 20 milers all clash with rugby weekends and I have to be realistic about my drinking habits on 9th and 16th!

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Well done Rachel. Thought I might bump into you in London but didn't see you.

    Over indulged a bit this weekend and feeling a wee bit fatigued this evening.

  • Those High 5 Isogels are the most palatable I've tried.   Quite nice actually.   IMO.

  • Thanks to you all for the feedback on when to do the strides.  The general consensus seems to be doing them towards the end of the run, so I will give that a go!

  • macemace ✭✭✭

    SGB - there seems to be absolutely naff all end Feb/start Mar ?

    which part of Kent are you ?

  • mace -Tunbridge Wells. As I may have mentioned, Surrey Spitfire looks best, but is only 4 weeks before VMLM. 

  • macemace ✭✭✭

    I'm doing Brighton which is the week before VLM so even less suitable for me

    You're more central than me ( Thanet). I don't mind a bit of travelling but it takes me at least an hour to get out of Kent so not worth the bother for what would only be a progressive training run.

    Best of luck finding something

  • mace - Agreed.  The schedule calls for the long race-pace tempo run to be 6 weeks before.  I think we're stuck.  I wonder if there's anything near the tunnel in France!?!  I probably will run the Surrey Spitfire since I want to do a 20 mile race anyway, and won't let VMLM prevent me doing everything else.

    I can't drive which poses an extra problem.

  • I’ve started (and f***ed up already) !!

     

    Ran 8 miles this morning, with 4 miles supposedly at lactate threshold. LT splits were 8.30, 8.09, 7.50, 7.22. I ran on feel rather than pace or heart rate, and looked at the data afterwards. The first two miles were too slow… Strangely, the last mile didn’t feel any harder than the first one.

     

    I was wondering do others run these pace on feel, pace or heart rate? And is there a “best” way to do it or a trick to keeping pace constant?

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    I think that sort of run requires quite specific pacing. I am doing that session today but due to other factors I will be on treadmill so guaranteed to hit the paces. If I do it outdoors I would be constantly watching my garmin. In all likelihood the last mile felt like that because you were properly warmed up by then. 

  • Impending sacrilege alert! I don't think it matters THAT much which weeks you do the runs in as long as you stick to the pattern of cut-back weeks where needed. I did actually do that 14 mile MP run (by myself) 4 weeks before VLM last year, because I'd postponed one of the longer LSRs to do a half and had to shift everything else around. And I still finished the marathon. image

    NSGNR: gasp! You might as well defer now... I would do those runs on pace and would at least check my mile splits as I went along to make sure I was on target. What was the pace supposed to be?

  • North Runner - I tend to try to use pace, but can't usually get fast enough, so a race can sometimes be better for me.  Heart-rate doesn't seem to work for me, nor does "feel".  Some Garmins, including mine, can be set up to "beep" if you're outside a defined range.

    From an initial read of Jack Daniels' book he seems to recommend treadmills for hill repeats and some types of defined pace runs, though I think even the second edition of his book was written before Garmins etc became so popular.

    I'm not starting for a couple of weeks yet, so don't this problem just yet.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Lit- If you say it enough times then people will believe you on that long runimage

     I always use treadmills for my weekly tempo session as it guarantees you to hit the right pace throughout and its more difficult to slack off when tired and pretend to yourself it was windy or hilly!!

  • Haha... Yes, I’m doomed now! Thanks for the feedback everyone. I will go on pace from now on. Unfortunately, my watch is a bit too basic to let me know when I’m off pace but I’m considering an upgrade and I can make sure the new one has this feature. Oh, and I can’t abide treadmills! I can’t run on one for more than 5minutes for some reason. I wish I could it would make life easier -  I’ll just have to look at my watch more frequently.

     

    Regarding paces – McMillan would suggest my tempo runs are done at 7.16-7.31 but that’s just too quick for me… I think I should be aiming for around 7.30 – 7.50.

  • To be honest, I nearly didn't bother - 4 weeks before the marathon seemed like the latest possible day it would actually be beneficial to do it, since I hadn't managed to fit it in before that.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    agree with Lit. If you move things round a bit to fit in races or other stuff you're not going to break the space time continuum.

    NSGNR - I go by pace for my LT run which means I keep looking at my garmin, realising I'm running too slow and have to speed up a bit. Probably best bet is heartrate but I don't know my resting or max HR and I can't really be bothered with all that. Going to have a little LT practice run today, but not wearing garmin till proper training starts, so no doubt my LT miles will also be too slow!

    I have used treadmills for LT and intervals as they make hitting and maintaining pace a little easier...but probably best to do them out and about if you can.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    LT run done at lunch on treadmil with the requisite 4 miles at HMP. Had to cut short so only covered 7.5miles in total instead of the required 8.

  • The whole treadmill debate is a huge can of worms but I think they are pretty good for keeping pace for the fast stuff - i've got a running track on my road so like to use that as you get accurate pace info without messing about with Garmin.

    Did 8m with 2 tempo today - although the fast 2 were a bit of a new idea (from someone very fast at my club) First one at threshold and the second at MP - the plan is to get to 4m of each, alternating between the 2. The idea is to make MP feel like recovery. 

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