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My #asics262 Journey to Paris: Sub-5 Gareth
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Sounds like you had an awesome day!
Ruffles - I thoroughly enjoyed the morning. It was over too quickly. A day would have been too long and time to reflect would have been handy. Luckily I was staying in a hotel across the road so was able to go back and try it all on again.
Learnt so much about myself through the body and gait analysis.
eMail from Sam Murphy today - programme is on it's way but for today I have been asked to run a lunchtime 5K at a very comfortable pace of 10:30 - 11:30.
It will be done tonight as I have meetings at lunch. Will report back later.
Training Programme is a go....
Hello Gareth - and hello everyone else too. It's nice to be back on the Runner's World forum, coaching some new runners and, hopefully, sharing some advice and insights along the way.
So, I'll let Gareth post his own first 'batch' of training but thought I'd share some of my reasoning as to what he's got in store and why...
His current PBs and the marathon time they predict are:
Gareth Marathon prediction from time
5k: 28.20 4.36
10k: 59.22 4.38
Half: 2.14 4.42
That makes me feel comfortable that a sub-5 finish is achievable (goal pace of 11.22 per mile), though you can see clearly that as the distance goes up, the predicted time slows, which I would suggest is due to a general lack of base endurance, given that he has only been running 3 years and has not done a lot of mileage. So we'll be working on that!
I've used Gareth's Half time as the base for my pace guidelines. But it's important that he, and any runner, looks at the words describing how the pace should feel, as well as the actual figures. If, for eg. it says, 'should feel comfortable' 10.30-11m/mile but you feel as if you're about to keel over at that pace, then ADJUST accordingly!! I will review the pace guidelines for Gareth after the first 4 weeks.
Training pace guidelines
Very Easy 11.30-12.00 Should feel as if you could do this all day. Effortless!
Easy 10.30-11.30 Should feel comfortable. Can chat quite easily.
Steady 9.50-10.30 Still comfortable but slightly more breathless and less chatty!
Threshold pace 9.35-9.50 Challenging but controlled effort. Can get short phrases out. Breathing should be hard but controlled, not ragged
Speedwork 8-9 min mile depending on length of rep. Tough. One-word answers only!
Current HMP 10.14
Current 10k pace 9.34
Current 5km pace 9.06
Current 1 mile pace 8.09 (giving speedwork guideline of 8-9 min/miling, depending on length of rep)
The programme generally includes 4 runs a week, plus 1 circuit training session, which Gareth really enjoys doing. There is only one weekend run - it fits in best for Gareth to run more in the week. The weekly 'fast' session alternates between 10k-type pace (eg mile reps) and faster stuff (say, 1 or 2 minute efforts at 1-mile pace) to improve Gareth's strength, aerobic capacity and base speed without putting too much high intensity training in per week. There are a few hill sessions too, though not too many, as most of Gareth's long runs include hills due to the local topography! I have, however, specifie
Oh sorry about that... specified a few long runs for him to do on flatter ground, to prepare more fully for the flat road marathon he has in store
Thanks Sam for posting and for the programme. I managed to get out at lunch time today for a 5.64km run - felt okay but I need to work on my pacing. My phone app didn't really help me out and I was too quick.
I'll upload the data to the MyAsics app later this evening and get the link posted here for everyone to follow.
Here we go everyone - keep up.
Gareth
So my first week from Sam looks like this. If you are following my plan then make sure you read the advice Sam gives above.
WEEK ONE (approx 19 miles)
I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Here are the other three weeks for those that like to plan ahead. I will be posting the next 4 weeks after this 4 weeks.
WEEK TWO (approx 20M)
WEEK THREE (approx 23M)
WEEK FOUR (approx 21M)
Any questions - please do ask. If anything needs changing I'll add it in after chatting with Sam.
I am worried about my pace - today's 5k was too fast. I need to be slower. I also found my calves were really tight - but that could be the new trainers which were being used for the first time today.
Gareth - well done on kicking off the programme! Many people talk about starting to train for a marathon but far fewer actually take that first step.
Be careful with those calves! I would say keep them well stretched but I'm terribly good at handing out advice that I never follow
Sam was awesome with Ady last year. I'm sure you'll follow her direction to the letter!
Out of interest, where did you get that photo of us all from?
Sam - welcome back!
Malcs - It was on Facebook. Tweeted by @runnersworlduk - I've been stretching a lot over the years. Just a bit stiff after the walking around London and the train journey home. New trainers might not have helped.
As for following the programme - having never done this before I am putting my running life in Sam's hand.
are the trainers the same as your previous ones or are you new to asics........
a few years ago one of the chosen ones got injured as she changed to the suggested ones and it buggered her up.so be careful.
To be honest if people have been running for a while in shoes without any problems i don't know why they get you to change just at the start of your most important 4 months running ......a bit risky for me......
but if you have been having trouble with your old ones then i suppose its a good time to change...
watch the calves carefully and hopefully it will all feel back to normal in the morning.....
Hi Seren - thanks for the advice. It would seem that even though I have been wearing neutral trainers for running (and am still a neutral runner) I have been in a larger shoe just to get the width fitting.
I'm sure it was the new trainers and the weekend/journey. Circuit training tomorrow night should stretch me out.
Just one question Gareth... what are all those question marks that have appeared all over the training programme!?!
Sessions you don't yet understand, or ones you don't fancy doing??
I have no idea what they are. I only noticed them earlier when I read back on posts. Heh - I assure you that each training session will be attacked and logged with vigour
Not shying away from anything.
I think they appeared when I cut and paste from the Word file you sent me.
I cannot edit my forum posts once they have been there for a certain amount of time. I have deleted them on my blog.
Oh dear, oh dear, poor Gareth! I seem to have forgotten Christmas when I devised his plan (unlike the other two). I had him doing a punishing session on Christmas Day which he assures me may lead to divorce proceedings!
All rectified now and I've put week/commencing dates in, so we all know where we are. Ho ho ho 
Don't back down Sam... Make him train on Xmas Day!!! If I can go and run the local Parkrun at Llyn Lech Owain I expect to see him out on the road slogging through a tough 'un as I drive back thru the village to face my family
Sam Murphy makes an exceedingly good Santa ho ho ho
Hope all is going well Gareth, enjoying the thread so far.
_Bill_ - That's just nasty. There are some ParkRuns in my schedule so get ready to see me there. You can pace me around or run like a snail with me
SupermanRuns: Thank you. I'm enjoying writing it and updating my blog at the same time. Not sure I can keep up with this every night though. It's already late and a full day tomorrow.
Ooh, ooh, are you near Llyn Llech Owain Gareth?
We're in Llanelli for Christmas and the parkrun there on the 29th is on our target list. Would be great to see you there! (and _Bill_ too of course)
I have mentioned the Christmas day option to Mrs Malcs but she wasn't amused.
29th? That's a Sunday. Do you mean 28th? I'll do my best - it starts at 9am!!! I'll check my schedule. Should be fine though.
I've never run the Llyn Llech Owain run before. Keep meaning to go over. Maybe this Saturday I will venture over but it's supposed to be a rest day.
Gareth
Ah yes, sorry got over excited - 28th
Ha ha - you have a 3 year old, surely 9am is mid-morning for you?
Anyway, rest day is Christmas Day, the 28th is parkrun! I'm sure Sam can find a way of fixing it for you
I tempted to drive to llanelli on the 29th to run with you guys
seren nos - Well you might be on your own as it's the 28th
Thought I'd say that Sarah Connors (Physio) phoned last night for a chat. All part of the wonderful service we are getting as part of this event.
I wonder when we will hear from Ruth McKean (Nutritionist) and Dr Victor (Psychologist) - dying to improve my diet and shed a few pounds and visceral fat.
Happy for you to do the parkrun on 28th Gareth as long as it's not instead of the 10M on the Sunday! Sounds like you'll be in good company if you do...
I entertained the idea of Christmas Day parkrun (did last year's, in Edinburgh) but this year I am hosting as opposed to being waited on, so don't think can justify the couple of hours out the morning schedule....
i like christmas day parkrun (small field, no frills!) but then i only live a mile and a half from my local one so its easy to do in less than an hour!
Ah yes Sam, those potatoes won't peel themselves!
From what I've seen (not experienced, note that carefully) cooking Christmas dinner is a workout in itself. All done in sauna like conditions too. No need for a Parkrun!
Seren - do it, would be great to meet you!
Gareth - Sam hath spoken, no getting out of it now
I think Ruth stepped in at new year last time. She just gives you enough time to get used to the good life before jumping in and taking all your treats away. You have been warned!
Maxs Mum - fancy broadening your horizons? Little trip to Wales? No?
But I used to live in Wales so perhaps you would consider my horizons pre-broadened?
SamMurphyRuns: I'll do it as well as the 10M on the Sunday.
I promise. I also will not eat or drink over XMas 
Malcs: Am definately going to get to that ParkRun if you and SerenNos are going to be there. Marks and Spencer potatoes are already peeled
MaxsMum: It's not XMas Day - it's the 28th.