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RW Forum 5 - sub 4.30
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Year 7 boys very impressed by my 'war wounds' and wanted to know how I could run so far. Lots of walking up and down stairs today and then a very gentle two mile run. Legs feeling good, just a bit of tightness in thighs. Still in hungry mode!
Well done Memsahib and Emjay @ MK, and also bob in Madrid
Completing your first marathon is a magical experience, and in many ways the time really does not matter. However, if you wish to improve for a subsequent race, this is where you use that first experience as an opportunity to learn!
emjay, it took until my 3rd marathon to learn to control the pace from the start, and even in that one, I pushed too early at 16 miles, and missed my target by a few minutes. Being conservative in Manchester (conservative relative to my short distance times and training evidence) actually allowed me to finish 5 minutes faster than my target, and wahts more, i finished, other than feeling in my legs like i'd run a marathon, in rather good physical form- I could eat and drink well pretty much straight away
Is it just Macfinbob at Edinburgh to go now?
Hello, thank you for remembering Angela ( CB69 & sub60just are also going to be there I believe) - 17 days to go now..... Although slightly dreading it all, I feel like I want to get it over and done with now!
I have my number and know where I'm starting, I've sorted out the pre race dinner and my parents spectating, so there's nothing left to do other than taper, get there & do the run!!
I did 15 miles on Monday in the glorious sunshine, which felt much better than the fairly painful 18 miles the previous weekend. I think that at this stage I am fairly tired and feeling my age and looking forward to shorter, faster runs over the summer.
Thanks everyone!
Angela- yes it's all down to experience, thinking back over it now I think I'd given in mentally far too early, but at the time I accepted that and I'm still happy with how things went now. Wouldn't change it at all, just putting it all down to the learning curve and next time I'll aim a little lower and stick with the 4:30 pacer from the start. After all 4:30 would be a pb for me next time!
I think beforehand my ambition perhaps got the better of me and I thought I was more than capable of running the whole way at under 10mm's....and I probably was but you just don't know what will happen until the day itself!
Good luck to Macfinbob, CB69, sub60just and anyone else who has taper approaching!
Yes, I'll be in Edinburgh MacFinbob - I think I feel pretty much like you at the minute: a mixture of dread and just wanting to get it done. I feel quite tired too but the last long run is done and hopefully the taper will leave me feeling refreshed and ready to go!
I think I've decided I'm not quite at sub 4.30 level - I'm planning to head out 10.30m/m and see how I feel at 20 miles - whatever happens, if I finish I have a marathon PB and something to work on for next time!
Have an absolutely fab race, and I'll try to catch up when i'm in the airport waiting for my flight to honeymoon
xxx
Thanks Angela!
Enjoy your wedding - someone told me before my wedding (almost 16 years ago!) to take some time out during the day: at a few points throughout the day just take a mental step back, look around, remember the people and the feeling etc. It really was good advice, it's all over so quickly but I'm glad I took those few moments out. Have a great day!
Don't worry about us doing Edinburgh we'll be fine - we've done the training, that's the hard bit now we've just got to turn up and run the race, easy right?
My taper is working brilliantly. Called off my 20 mile run at 4.5 miles due to knee pain and now have tonsilitis which means I literally cannot move off the sofa!!
Luckily I still have 3 weeks to make some kind of recovery.....
Angela, I hadn't realised that your wedding was the same weekend as the race!! I would be seriously worried if we see you at all between now and then
Thank you for all the advice and help, and I hope that everything goes fabulously for you!
CB69, I wish that I could hold a nice slow pace at the start and then see how I feel later. I will be setting my Garmin to keep beeping at me to slow down to 9:45 pace, but my passed experience shows that I just get over excited and have to slow down later on..... Hopefully this will be the one time that I do what I'm supposed to!!
Sub60, I'm so sorry to hear about the tonsillitis and knee issues. Here's hoping that you will feel better very soon and are going to be able to get off the sofa for some short and easy runs.
Sub60, maybe the tonsillitis is a good thing - enforcing rest to get that knee ready for the big day! Hope you feel better soon.
Antibiotics are like magic. 2 days of pills and finally feel human again. Did a very gentle 5k this morning and knees are slightly less sore so as you say CB69 the rest probably helped. Will just try for some easy stuff between now and the big day as nothing i do now will make a huge positive difference and only runs the risk of putting me further behind my plan.
This marathon lark is fun
Quiet in here! 3 days til marathon day & I have all sorts of niggles going on! Trying to keep calm and organise my stuff
and checking the forecast hourly! It still looks as though its going to be damp and cool 
which as long as its not too damp and cool will be better than too hot!
I hope that you have got over your tonsillitis sub60 & are ready to run!
Good luck to you and CB69. Where are you both starting?
It's all part of the magical ride that the marathon gives you (so magical that I have entered Valencia in November). Good luck to all those running in Edinburgh this weekend. Enjoy every moment!
Im still alive Mac. Tonsilitis is all fixed and knee is up to about 90% after some shorter slower long runs. Still planning on going at 10 - 10:15 miling and see where I go.
Starting from the black pen on Regent Road. How about you?
Travelling up tomorrow but havent packed yet. Best pull my finger out!!!!
I'm still here too - can't quite believe it's really happening!! I'm travelling up tomorrow too, staying with my sister then going into Edinburgh on Sunday morning. Just about packed , I think! At least I've packed my race number, kit and gels!
I'm going to stick to my 10.30m/m at least for the first half then see how I feel and make any adjustments there and at 20 miles - eek!!
I'm Regent Road too.
Good luck guys, trust the training, we can do this!
I also can't quite believe that it's happening! I'm feeling fine about the running strangely, it's all the other things like what to wear, packing and the weather that are freaking me out
. It looks quite cool with showers and an easterly wind, which will make it fairly miserable for spectators. Hopefully this will change by then - fingers crossed!
I'm flying up late tonight and staying with parents in Edinburgh, hopefully meeting a friend at Waverley on Sunday morning and then heading over to Regent Road from there. I'm in the blue pen wearing a gorgeous pink & orange Breast Cancer Care vest and hoping that I don't freeze on the start line - remember to pack old T-shirts and bin bags
Planning to run 9:30-9:45 pace, and hopefully will be able to keep it all going!
We can definitely do this! See you on the other side!
Good luck guys. I've been so busy at work, I haven't really had the time to go on this forum, but I definitely haven't forgotten you guys! You will have an amazing race and will be buzzing for weeks afterwards. Let us know how you get on... I can definitely say that from running a marathon I am so much fitter now....I can easily run all my long distance runs at a 9mm pace, whereas I was 9:30 beforehand. Enjoy and best of luck xxx
Good luck everyone going to Edinburgh! I hope the rain holds off for you!
Well it's nearly 3 weeks since my marathon and my legs still aren't quite back to normal! Been keeping things ticking over with 3 and 4 mile easy runs but legs have been like lead most of the time. I'm off to parkrun this morning to see how far I can push them lol.
Race wise I had a great first half and then my knees gave up leaving me with a run walk walk bit of running strategy that even i didnt understand but was ballsed if i wasnt going to finish it. Ended up with 5:22 and a lot to think about for next time. Absolutely loved it though!!!!!
Shame about the knees sub60! You did it though!!
My race went pretty much to plan - My plan was aim for 10m/m pace and take a view at 13 miles and 20 miles. I lost the pace a bit at about mile 15 and found miles 15 to 19 mentally quite tough but got my mojo back by mile 20 and the last 6 miles were my fastest of the race! I can honestly say I loved it (apart from miles 15 -19!)
Finished 4.36, feeling strong and happy and pretty sure I'll be doing another one next year!
Nice work CB. Once the knees have had some proper rest I get the feeling ill be looking for another one too!
Great pacing CB69 - I didn't pace it badly, feeling very comfortable early on, but slowing down from 18, so that's something I need to work on still!
I thoroughly enjoyed myself even though my pacing was slightly all over the place! I ran with a friend for the first half and we had a great natter. I saw my parents in Musselburgh & handed over my long sleeved top that was too hot by that stage. Unfortunately Suzie's knee gave way just after the half way point, so she slowed up & I did the rest on my own. By the turn at Gosford House my hamstrings were seizing up so I had to walk off and on from there. But by mile 23 after a caffeine gel & a bit of a stretch I managed to run the last few miles. Once back in Musselburgh that last roundabout with the huge support gave me such a lift that I flew to the finish and was sprinting for the line!! Finished under 4:30 in 4:26:19 which I am very happy about.
Got a blister on a different toe on each foot & general stiffness, but pretty chuffed about the whole experience. I was so pleased that I did not get rained on at all after the start (although parents did around 1 o'clock) so being slightly slow was an advantage
Well done MacFinbob, excellent time! I think we were really lucky with the weather, I wasn't looking forward to running for four and half hours in the rain! It turned out really well.
I've just entered for next year! (even though walking is a challenge today!)
Well done MacFinbob. Chuffed you got under 4.30. Hope your friend finished ok. Think ill save my next one for next year and hopefully get lucky in the london ballot. Was an incredible day.
Well done you two....it's sooooo hard isn't it! You are both now marathoners!.....On Saturday night, I heard one of my friends saying "Oh no, she's still not going on about the London Marathon is she!?"....it made me chuckle...because I don't think that proud feeling will ever leave me.....congratulations to you both x
Obviously I'm addicted because on a complete whim I entered the Valencia Marathon in mid Nov - the day after my birthday! Am so excited, looks beautiful and is meant to be a very flat and uncrowded course - hoping of course I can improve on my London time but let's see!!
Did BUPA 10k on Sun, was dreaming of going sub 50 but despite maxing the effort (new max HR of 178!) had to settle for 51.37, still a PB though! Feels weird running at non marathon paces now - in a weird way I think I prefer the long distances. 10k hurts in a different way!