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My #asics262 Journey to Paris: Sub 4 James
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James - would love to join you for a run. I live near Rochester but my office is in Bexley. With Malcs in Orpington I'm sure we could organise something!
glad to hear the twins are doing well. Mine have autism so it's been challenging. They are doing well now though thanks to the schools they go to. Do you teach or some other post in education?
No problems James,
I've been inspired by bootcamp and i'm running the Bath Half in early march. Aiming for sub 2 hours so i guess i'll be training at around the same pace as you? 2.02 is my best but that was a few years ago.
I'm using the My Asics App for a training programme and post my runs on Twitter! The trainings going good at the moment but have my first longer run on sunday. Need to lose a bit of weight to run faster so need to stay off the beer over christmas
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Jon
Morning DS2, I am sure you have had a challenging time with the twins. We have so far been relatively lucky after the rough start. Winter is a bit of a nightmare as the were on ventilators when they were very first born and are susceptible now to hacking coughs!
I am sure the girls are very well cared for at their schools. The developments in educational psychology and pedagogy has made huge strides forward in the last 20 years.
I am currently Director of Studies at a school in South London. basically, I look after the curriculum and assessment for the school. Really enjoy it, came back to the UK 4 years ago after teaching in the Middle East for 6 years. Mrs C is also a teacher but is currently taking some time out to bring up the boys.
I am sure we can get a run organised sometime soon. Will probably try and get a local 10K or half in over January.
J
Morning James
Have fun this weekend.
Are you going to keep up tri training during marathon training? If so, would love to know what your schedule looks like. I'm trying to keep up base bike and swim training but it's tough...and I don't have twins!
Morning Sophie,
Will keep the cycling up as I often lengthen my commute in to 16-20miles depending on the weather. Will need to wait till I have the exact marathon plan to see the daily break down. In the 3 months before IM70.3 I was training 6 days a week, with maybe 2 sessions on some days.
The marathon training is the priority, and I will fit other aspects in around it if possible. Our school pool is being rebuilt this year and that is where I did all my swim training. Would therefore look to get into the local lido from April onwards. It may mean my season starts later this year, Mrs C would love that!
With a young family and a wife who is also a runner, it will mean a few lifestyle changes for me. But the rewards at the end of it will be incredible.
Are you cycling to work? I find this one of the best ways to keep the base fitness on the bike. Getting on Strava also adds a bit of incentive as many of my friends commute on the same route!
Weekend running plans?
J
Jon, good to hear you have kept the training up. What date is the Bath half? Have a few family down your way that are due a visit, so may investigate coming down. Running the Sussex coastal half on March 22nd which I had planned ages ago, not sure how it will fit on my training plan
Our training pace would be similar. Currently all my data from runs and cycles are on another app, may need to see if it needs to be changed!
Good luck with your longer run on Sun, will be out for mine. Can compare notes Sunday evening!
Have a great Friday.
J
I'm gonna be following if that's OK. Got a place in London so hoping to go under 4 after what can only be described as a shocking year for me. Hoping I can get carried to achieve on your coat tails
Craig
Hi James, my commute to work is only 3 miles so it doesn't really count towards cycle training, I try to do one spin sesh a week and a proper ride at the weekend, or some time on the turbo. Am not keen on swimming so I try to force myself to do it once or twice a week. Shame your school pool is shut, convenience is def a factor in swim training!
It will be interesting to see how I cope with that and mara training.
I'm planning a HIM at the end of Aug so there should always be time to sort the swim and bike out after Paris, just need to keep in touch.
Am also running Bath half, think it's sold out now though!
Hi BoDuke, welcome on board! I hope you enjoy it as much as I am sure I will! On meeting Sam and Steve at boot camp I knew they could change the way I run and the times I could achieve. Stay tuned and feel free to quiz me every step of the way!
Have you been hampered by an injury or another reason for a bad year?
Sophie, the swim is the least favourite of most triathletes that I know. Especially the first open water swim of the year! You are so right about the convenience of the swim session, trying to get to a pool before work is a logistical nightmare, post work toddler duty kicks in!
The element I will drop during the next few months will be the long weekend ride. Takes up 3-4hrs, which is tricky to manage. Will probably switch to shorter MTB session to train those glutes! They need it.
Have you thought about which HIM you will do? I may give the Gauntlet a go, Hever Castle in Sept.
I put my back out in January and was off work for months. Started to get back and then had another issue at the end of the summer that knocked my off track. But 2014 is gonna be a great one! For you too...
Hi Craig, I had seen you were one of the lucky few last year. It looked like you had an amazing journey. Pity about the last few months, we'll get you back on track. I'm under no illusion that it is going to be a hard slog to hit sub 4 in my first marathon...maybe a bit too optimistic. I hope not!
At boot camp, a few simple little tweaks and adjustments from Sam, had a definite impact. I am not one to always get my pace right! That is going to be something I will need to concentrate on over the coming months!
You seem to have picked up a group already *waves at the others* who are here to share. And you'll be amazed by the amount of people who read and follow but don't post anything.
Get the pacing right and adjust to Sam's recommendation and you will have the most amazing running experience ever!
Do you have an outline plan yet or is that going to get posted at the start of the week?
Craig, I don't have my plan as of yet, we are all meeting in London tomorrow and I am under the impression we will get it then. As I was saying to Sophie, I may need to make a few lifestyle adjustments but that is part of the journey. I train in the morning between 5 & 7, then take over from Mrs C when I get home at 6:30ish, she then goes out training! We do see each other hopefully by 8ish!!!
My suggested training pace for the longer runs was 9.30 pace. It seemed unnaturally slow but then I have never run a marathon!
This group that we seem to be building up here is great and I'd encourage any silent readers to get involved. That was me last year. Seems intimidating at first but the talking about what we are doing is part of the thrill.
Enjoy tomorrow and say hello for me. Might seem slow, but it's all about time and endurance. Plus it's worked the last few years...
I'm planning on the Cotswold Classic HIM. Lake swim and nice flat bike course. Gauntlet looks good though, love the name!
I know what you mean about slow run pacing. I went out for a "recovery" run at 9min mile pace last night and it felt slow and that my form was the worse for it. I tend to do all my runs at 8 -8.30 min pace and then get gradually slower on the long runs...
Sophie, I had looked at the Cotswold HIM last year after IMUK. Depending on the coast I may well look at it again this year. Flat sounds nice! Would love to smash my HIM PB.
I am sure Sam will give me a bit more guidance on the slow pace runs. Will get it up on here asap.
J
Hey James, many congrats on making the final 5. It was great to meet you on Bootcamp, and I will be following your progress with great interest.
It it was a shame all our group couldn't get in
Im in the Brightom marathon at the same time as Paris, so will be trying to match your Plan to maximise my chances of sub 4 too.
Nice work
Tim
Hiya James, followed you on twitter today, but haven't said hi hrere. Congratulations on making the final 5! I gained so much from these forums in the last year, including friendship with Mr Malcs! I'll be following your thread with great interest. I've done 3 marathons before, but never as fast as the shorter races suggested I could. This time around I'm doing Manchester, and hoping to break 3:45 to gain a London good for age place. Also have a London ballot place. So will be doing 2 in 2 weekends! Manchester is the same day as Paris.
good luck, and enjoy the shopping day tomorrow!
Hi James.
Well done on getting through- I'm sure you're going to have a great journey and it's going to be even more enjoyable for you as it's your first marathon.
I am going to follow with interest and see how much below 4 hours you get- as I am sure with all the expertise you have helping you you can smash your goal, that's what seems to happen every year which is brilliant!
I did my first marathon in May 2012 and did 4:04, then was aiming furiously for sub 4 after that. I had a good run up to London in April 2013 but a very bad race on the day; fell over, got injured, had a really tough time and ran 4:26. I pulled my socks up, trained hard, and decided to aim for sub 4 again at Loch Ness September 2013.
Everything came together and I did 3:59:33- how much closer to not making sub 4 could I get?! But I was over the moon.
I have rambled on, but my point is that having a goal set for yourself and achieving it is the best feeling ever after months of hard work. Look forward to reading about yours.
Alibali123 - that's the spirit. Well done on the Sub 4. Shows great courage to just be inside. Means you must have dug deep! Also, great pace judgement!
james - hope you have a brilliant day today.
Hi Tim, thanks of your note. Just return from an incredible day at Asics on Oxford Street. A truly memorable experience. A huge learning curve win such a short space of time.
Brighton marathon is def on my list for 2015, as it is my wives home town and I may even be abel to rope her in...
I will have the plans in the next few days, not all at once. Sam has said she will gig sit to me in segments, very likely in blocks of 4. Watch the space.
J
Hi Angela, many thanks for the follow and getting in touch here. Still apprehensive about the first marathon status, but having met Sam today, I know I am in good hands. My shorter distances also suggest I should be able to hit a sub 4, I really do hope I can manage it.
2 in 2 weekends! Wow, that is impressive. After my half distance, I def wasn't ready for another the following fortnight.
We have had a great day today. Was fantastic meeting Roger, Isabel, Malcom and Gareth. A really great team, all genuinely interested in each other's journey to get here. Malcs and I shared a good few chats, turns out we live v.close to each other.
Please stay in touch and let me know hoe your race prep is going.
J
Alibali123 - thank you for your note. It is great to hear about peoples' experiences in the marathon. I seems to be a very special moment when you cross that line after 26.2 miles. I just hope I do it in under 4hrs! With Sam's guidance, I think it is possible. Not going to be easy.
my thing from today that seems to be a particular factor will be shed a few pounds. After a half IM last year, I think my training intensity took a dip and I know that needs tp be picked back up. After having had a few chats with Sam, and also Malcs (font of knowledge), the long slower pace runs will be a key session in my weekly plan. If I can stay losing some spare tucker over Xmas, I should be able to continue well into the new year.
The sub 4 is a challenge but one that is def achievable.
J
DS2 - Today was amazing. Felt very, very lucky. Very bright colours in the current Asics winter range. Will glow on the dark mornings from now on!
Great to catch up properly with Sam. Plans will be emailed in the next few days. I think in blocks of 4, not completely sure? I think RW has to confirm.
Looking forward to actually getting out tomorrow and running!
J
James - I'm sure you will have a great journey on your way to sub4:00. I met Steve and Sam a couple of years ago when I made bootcamp. I think Steve coaches the speed merchants, and Sam takes us relative slow coaches. I've had a couple of sub4's, 3:59 and current Pb 3:52, but trying to get that elusive sub3:30, so will be watching Malcs as well, but could end up somewhere in between. And like Angela, I'm doing Manchester the same weekend as Paris. Enjoy your lsr tomorrow, and remember it's a 'long SLOW run' for a reason
Jame,s of course will keep in touch! Quite eager for the training to start now though! I'm following a Hal higdon 18 week plan so I've already started but also included an 8 week build up based on Jeff galloways qualify for Boston book. That is my ultimate goal!
simon, are we connected on twitter? The name seems failry familiar. we should tweet up!
Ps pictures of ur new kit please!
Angela - Sorry not me, I'm not on twitter. I'm normally on the RW sub3:30 thread run by Minni. But thought I'd just pop on here to welcome James. Sub 3:30 would be a Boston qualifier for me, or Sub 3:20 for VLM
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