Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
manchester marathon 2015
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Right - so we sold our house on Tuesday last week and over the weekend we had an offer accepted on our dream house in our dream location so we are all systems go! Both ends of our chain need to complete by Christmas so it's going to be a mental few weeks (as it's also our daughter's 8th birthday and my little sister's wedding in those weeks too...) Good thing with that timescale though is that we should be in our house by Christmas, in time to start marathon training!
I'm so in love with this new house - it's in a really gorgeous area of Poole which is quite expensive so I never thought we'd ever be able to afford to live there but the original buyers for the house had their mortgage rejected and so they stuck it back on the market at a reduced cost to get it re-sold and maintain the chain so we got a bargain! I am just so worried that it's all a bit 'too good to be true' and something is going to be wrong
. I don't think I'll sleep or relax again until I have the keys in my hands!
As a result of all that jazz, I haven't managed to do much running at all. Original plan was to be running long weekend runs of 10-14 miles between now and December to build up endurance but I'm barely making it out over 5 milers at the moment due to time pressures and mortgage/solicitor appointments etc. Better than nothing but I think this stressful build up to the official training might affect my sub-4 goal. I am considering changing my objective for Manchester to just having fun and getting as close to 4hrs as I can and then do Seville the following February and target sub 4 there.
Kirsty -sounds like a good plan
Full survey should eliminate any doubts but like you say "you pay for what you get" so always best to check
We want to move but on the flip side we're not that far off paying the mortgage off with about 7 years to go and unfortunately, living in Trafford with the 11+ and great schools means you pay an additional premium for houses so we'd struggle to get the 4 bedroom we want, unless we bought a "doer-upper", although that said prices are still far lower that darn Saaf
We used an online solicitor to sell my OH's house a couple of years ago and it was much better (and cheaper) than the local guys we used to sell mine a few years before
You can perhaps overtrain by stretching out the plan, I went straight through from HM training last year with a race at the start of November, maintained that mileage through to December and then started P&D, I think it was too much
This year, after the Arley HM this weekend, I'm dropping back to my "usual" weekly mileage (30-35) and starting to build up again so that I'll be doing a weekly LSR of around 14 miles by mid-December and around 40 miles per week, just in time to start an 18 week plan. I just think that gap from next week through to mid-December should give me a little bit more recovery time than last year
Still flipping between the running for enjoyment marathon approach, I know a lot of people who are going to run their first at Manchester next year or going for the elusive sub-4 which I feel is just beyond me but I can improve on the 4:15 and 4:12 from the last 2 years and also have a number of friends of similar ability (although younger) who have gone sub-4 for the 1st time this year
Cake - are you sure your missus wasn't calling you a plank rather than telling you to do them !!
Ian - hope your back gets better soon. I have to admit I do absolutely zero core strength work. Hopefully I can carry on being lucky and getting away with it but if you can find the time to do something about it then I'm sure it would help you.
Kirsty - congratulations on finding your dream home. I'm going to disagree with RRR (although what he is saying is absolutely right) about stretching the plan out. Last year I suffered with months of ITB issues. I decided to have a 22 week plan for Manchester this year. It gave me that flexibility to get 6 x 20 mile runs in without overdoing things. I never picked up any injuries during my plan and only felt tired just before I started tapering. I got to the start line feeling in fine fettle. Managed correctly, I believe you can have a 'longer than normal' training plan without over training. Maybe it's something to consider if you really do want to have a good crack at the 4 hour mark at Manchester.
RRR - age shouldn't be an issue ! I was 46 when I ran my first marathon at Manchester in April and knocked out a time way better than I was expecting (target was 4:00 but I finished in 3:36). I believe that, at our level, we need to train hard to achieve our desired results, not that I'm suggesting you haven't or won't. Most of us weren't born with the natural talent of an elite so we have to take the hard graft approach. To me, it's all about making the decision whether you want to just get round or if you're prepared to take the risk and go for your goal but risking everything going horribly wrong on the day. I fall into the latter category myself, what about you ?
Hi Robin,
In support of Carter's post I would add similar. I am 43, 5'10, and twelve stone. (I have typical sprinters thighs and calves). there is no reason why you cannot achieve sub 4. You know why you can't so you just need to correct those details. Stick with the sub 4 pacer, and also look outside the box for other reasons that you fade toward the end. e.g. carb load, eat enough carbs in the morning, keep your long runs at 10:00 to 11:00mm, and don't over do it in the taper. Tick these boxes; train as hard as you do and you will achieve your goals - if not over achieve your goals. It is probably one small thing that is making the difference.
Good luck with the house Kirsty! Poole is lovely, I really like the beaches around there.
I've started reading the P&D book - it will be interesting to compare it to my haphazard approach of the last few years. At the moment I am very much enjoying the no pressure training break. I might do park run on the weekend, I might not. Bliss. I will start thinking about my core though - I've just bought a yoga pass, my local 'venue' has 'hot power yoga.' Sounds like it should do the trick.
Pete/Carter - you're right
I'll be 43 when next year comes around, 6'2 and probably somewhere between 14-15 stone. Regularly run a HM in 1:50 so I'm fairly consistent as have been my marathon mistakes
Plenty of mileage in training both years but probably run at too fast a pace, I know a couple of first timers doing it next year and may well hook up with them for the LSRs to try and keep the pace a bit slower and perhaps even make the LSR slightly more enjoyable
On the day itself, don't go off too fast, stick with the pacer and so how things are at mile 19/20, don't think the carb loading has played a part but then again it never hurts to have a look
A friend managed to stick with a pacer for the first 20 at Chester for the first time and ended up coming home sub-4 so that's my motivation and proof that it can be done
Final "hard" run of the week done this morning, will have a jog with junior tonite and then a couple of days off before Arley as I'm feeling quite stiff at the moment
Wilmslow HM entries for next year are also open http://www.wilmslowhalfmarathon.org.uk/entries/
Cheers for the heads up on Wilmslow Robin! Chester also opened this week but its only 3 weeks after Manchester next year. Even when it was 6 weeks after last year i really struggled and still had heavy legs and didnt perform that great. Not sure a decent year of training will knock my recovery time down that much though. Will be entering Wilmslow though
Ok thats Wilsmlow entered. So my new year will be looking like 4 villages half in Jan, Barcelona half in Feb, Wilmslow half in March and then Manchester in April. Happy days
Kirsty - Congrats on the house situation! My advise would just see how it goes with trianing. Dont decide now what you may or may not do as you cant foresee any issues you might have or it could be straight forward and you have loads of time for training
Ian - rest up and get back out there soon fella!
Coop - The P&D book is excellent and taught me loads. Even if you only read the first 2 chapters they are invaluable. Teach you all about why you do each run at the pace you do, the benefits of each run, how and why training works and all that jazz. As a newbie runner the information in that book was incredible.
Robin - You definitely have a sub 4 in you, i'm confident you will do it next year! They have even laid a perfectly flat canal path for all your winter training
Pete - Hows the taper terrors coming along? You feeling good?
John
Hi magic, Are you sure you can't fit in a few more races?
Taper is ok, legs feel heavy, but I believe that is normal. (I did not feel like this last time however the circumstances leading up to it were different).
In fact on some runs I have been blowing a bit. I aborted a light interval session on Tuesday for this reason. Just to make sure everything is fine I have been drinking protein shakes.
Over one week to go and I am getting nervous already.....
Coop - The P&D book is excellent and taught me loads. Even if you only read the first 2 chapters they are invaluable. Teach you all about why you do each run at the pace you do, the benefits of each run, how and why training works and all that jazz. As a newbie runner the information in that book was incredible.
Robin - You definitely have a sub 4 in you, i'm confident you will do it next year! They have even laid a perfectly flat canal path for all your winter training
John
Cheers mate, agree completely with the P&D being more than just about a training plan, it's a good read if nothing else and gets you thinking
Manchester and Wilmslow entered yesterday just after payday
Was toying with Preston or 4 villages in Jan but might do the Rhyl 10 miler in Feb instead although I wondered whether the Oulton Park event might run again this year and although I don't fancy doing "laps" it might be a good indicator of where I'm at.
Pete - I was told that if you're "feeling" the taper it's a good sign that your body is working hard to repair itself and get ready while you're not doing the workload that you've put it through in the previous weeks. Stick to your guns, I'd be more concerned if everything was going too smoothly
Forecast looking good for Arley, 500 runners registered but not sure how many of those are going to be transfers from previous incarnations of the race and might be no-shows on the day
Yeah forecast is looking good Robin, i'm hoping i can shift this cold and also my ankle clears up a bit (its been giving me jip since Rivington). Did a steady 10k in 48 mins yesterday and didnt feel too bad, although my breathing was a bit restricted and my ankle hurt for the last 2-3k. Will just go off for a PB on Sunday and if my body says no ill scale back and will have to rely on a race effort at Conwy which isnt ideal.
Pete - I like to have an event once a month or so. I don't race them all (i probably wont race any of those half marathons before Manc), i just like the social side of loads of other being around me on a long run. I also get quite nervous on race day so the more i do the more i get used to doing them
Looking at entering Wilmslow and will probably do so but £32 seems excessive for a half, don't remember it being this expensive in the past although it may be my failing memory?
I think it was 30 last year. it seems the going rate this days but yeah it feels a little steep. Chester is 32, both are excellently organised, good medal, tech t shirt. Rivington (i know its trail and they generally are much better priced) was only £20 with an excellent tech t, decent medal and a decent goody bag (decent food bits, not just flyers). At the other end of the scale Conwy half is £27 and thats without a tech t, thats an extra £9 if you want one of those!
I also noted in the Wilmslow entry that £20 of the fee goes towards a Wilmslow half marathon charity fund which sounds interesting. They use the funds for projects in the local area which is good to see. Its also a decent way of them generating more money than the actual race entry as they can claim gift aid on top.
Signed up for Wilmslow, never done it before even though it's on my doorstep!
just got back from my local park run. ITBs and glutes feel tight so will have to give them a good rolling.
nevertheless got a new PB of 21.37. only a few seconds quicker but still must ot grumble.
.
This time next week will be my first day of carb load.
Well done on the PB Pete! Was that at South Manchester?
Great pb Pete. Well done
cheers both. yeah platt fields magic.
Great work - must try that out some time, a few regs at Wythenshawe say south manc is quicker.
Robin - Good luck at Arley tomorrow. I'm #175, if you see me give me a shout. Weather forecast looks ok, just hoping the wind isnt as strong as it sounds it might be. I'm still full of a cold and still have a sore ankle so not sure what to expect out of tomorrow
Hi Magic, Having never done wythy I can't give you a proper comparison, however, I can say that Platt Fields is flat and is solely run on paths. There are puddles that people try to avoid but I just steam through them
Smashed it round Arley today. Felt really strong and managed a fairly even pace despite the strong headwind on the way back in to the finish. ran a 1:35:20 for a 5:11min PB so im so happy with that. Training had gone so well and I thought with the rivington run and this bloody cold I had blown my chance at a decent run.
AM- superb, that's a great new PB. Well done in not so good conditions.
15 miler for me today in terrible conditions, I was blown around like a chip paper and soaked to the bone but loved it. The weather in the north outskirts of Glasgow today is horrendous!
Well done AM, saw a couple of old friends but given I'd blindly missed my own number in the envelope in the shock of getting a timing chip, I was oblivious to most other people's
Went out a bit quick at Arley and suffered for it over the last 3 miles but I think I still came home in 1:49 which would be a PB. Need to get that pacing right, didn't feel like I was running fast but the watch says otherwise and I've done a positive split with the last 3 miles probably coming out around the 9 min mark rather than the 8:25 to get in under 1:50 (which was the goal), I was oblivious to any head wind at that stage!
Something to work on over the winter
Do have to say that Arley was much better than expected, easy to get to, plenty of parking, scenic venue, great weather and an XL technical shirt at the end along with the medal. Chip timed too which I wasn't expecting given there were only around 500 runners
My only moan is a course that does 2 laps rather than a full 13 mile circuit but I guess that means they have to pay to close less roads
It was quite spooky to have a couple of stretches at the end where I couldn't see a runner in front or behind nor a marshall
Well done on the PBs Animal and Robin!
There is nothing like the spooky disappearance of racers/marshalls. I spent a good 5 km in a trail race this year genuinely in fear that I had run the wrong way.
No running for me today - but I did organise an aquathlon. It has given me a good insight into the effort people must go through for mass participation races. I was more nervous before this event than for most of my races!
Magic and Robin, wow gents that is excellent.
Coop what is an aquathlon?