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manchester marathon 2015
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AM - I sort of cobbled my own together for Manchester but didn't really follow it in the end. If you recall, I previously had ITB issues, so was careful when I started my plan. Any time I felt the knee coming back I backed off, gave it 2/3 days rest and then started up again. Basically I ended up doing 1 good, solid week and then an easy week and this really seemed to work for me. I also felt it was really good to get my first 20 miler in as soon as I could, which I managed to do on week 3 (I had been building up to it before then so it wasn't as though I went straight into it). I also did very little speed work, no intervals and maybe a 4/5 mile tempo run every 2/3 weeks. My plan was also 20 weeks as I knew I would need flexibility due to Christmas, niggles, family life etc. I didn't do any warm up races either as at that stage I felt I was breaking when I pushed things too hard. During the 3 week taper I reduced the mileage and stepped up the speedwork focusing on 2/3 tempo runs per week. Only as I was tapering did I feel tired and it wasn't excessively. As a result, I went to Manchester feeling great and smashed my 4:00 hour target by 24 minutes and that had a 5 minute negative split as well. Looking back I think I could have pushed it even more I felt that good.
So, that approach has worked for me and my next plan for Manchester will look something very similar. My thoughts are that training plans are great as a guide but you will need to modify them to suit you. I certainly agree with you when you say you are going to take an extra rest day if needed, especially with you being on P&D. As has been said before, missing one or two recovery/easy runs wont affect your training.
Cheers Magic, for the explanation.
I am using this asics plan for Dublin:
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/images/asics/ASICS_TRAININGPLANS_Sub%203.30.pdf
I am finishing my third week now. The only differences are I am doing more mileage than on that plan and thus my long runs are longer; 18 miles this weekend. and my cut back weeks do not coincide with how that plan is structured.
This is all a bit of a rush really as I had intended to go down the online coaching route but the lady I had intended working with decided to close her business owing to personal reasons this was two days before the off.
When it comes to Manchester&Barcelona I will look into coaching again as I want to be as good as I can be.
As for the asics plan it probably is not too much different from the P&D, this week for instance I have done 1500 intervals, steady run, and this evening a tempo run with the last two miles sub 8. Friday's session is hill repeats.
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Im looking forward to next week's cut back!!!
intervals, tempo, hill repeats and a long run all in one week?! Crazy stuff
I quite like the look of that plan Pete although without looking at the P&D plan properly that Asics plan seems to have a lot more speedwork than P&D. From memory P&D has quite a lot of recovery and easy running whereas Asics throws in intervals, tempo runs, parkruns and a long run (at a decent pace) all into the same week. That might kill me off over 18 weeks
Also seen the recommended 10k and Half times to meet the 3:30 marathon, i'm a few minutes off that half time just now! Hopefully put that right at Capesthorne in November.
John
Hi magic,
I have woken up earlier close to injury my knee feels quite tender at times so I am conscious that hill reps tomorrow could finish me. probably will do an easy 5 - 6 miler.
TBH I am off the racing times for the equivalent 5k/10k on the other hand in terms of holding the steady pace over long distances and MP at the end of a long run I am fine.
my view is that I am poorly trained at shorter distances as my primary training is focused on marathon running. I could be wrong but that is what I am holding on to during the build up to Dublin.
5k: 21:40
10k: 46:20
conversely my vo2 max estimate predicts a 3:23 marathon time so I am holding on to that as encouragement to hit 3:30.
I've never done a marathon before and am thinking about doing Manchester for my first one. I'd be going there alone though... Does anyone know will there be somewhere near the start I could safely leave a bag with my things in? I've always had someone with me before.
All booked Hotel and Marathon
it will be my first 
FFS - there is a baggage tent right near the start/finish area. I left mine there last year and it was absolutely fine. You will get a 'tag' with your race number and you just tie this tag to your bag. The baggage area is then separated into sections of race numbers e.g. 1-500, 501-1000, 1001-1500 etc. It took me just a couple of minutes to get my bag after the race and I will be using this facility again next year
I think they had serious issues in 2013 with the baggage and the race got slated for it so it was one thing they had to get right and in 2014 it was like clockwork. If i didnt live ten minutes from the start i wouldn't hesitate in using it (i actually went for a nosey around before the start just to see how it was running)
It was 2012, had to be the most disgraceful and disorganised event I've attended. But my name obviously indicates bias..... FTR I hear the others went off without too much of a hoo ha.
Last summer 5k for me tonight and then half mara training starts again on Monday
Looking forward to the long slower miles again (i wont be saying that come March!) 
Ah yes 2012 it was! The day the heavens opened and the weather was as its worst!
Welcome northernlass, well done for committing to your first marathon. Sure they'll be a lot of experienced heads on here to help you through it.
Plazzy agree totaly but the weather on the day was exstreme. Did it this year and was like clockwork. Hopefully wont be the snow, hail, plague of locus next year.
Smashed my 5k PB again last night taking it from 21:23 to 20:50
Half mara training starts Monday now, a little rest this weekend then the miles will start racking up again
John
Well done animal, fantastic time!
Magic, Booooooooom. well done fella.
How's everyone? Done my first parkrun today in 22.29min. It was ok, bit tougher than I expected and happy with time since I've not ran in a week and been eating and drinking on a family break in London all week. 10miler slow run planned for tomorrow.
hi mate,
just use this to find your nearest parkrun:
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/events/events/
Great 10 miler completed in the pouring rain this morning, love running in the rain!! Nice and slow at 9.30 min miles with my sister for company.
Nice parkrun PB Bigeater
I also went out for a 10 miler this morning in the torrential rain, came back like a drowned rat. The forecast had said the earlier on the better but its now glorious sunshine! buggers.
I'm lucky with parkrun as there's about 8 within 10 miles of me, 2 more have just started (Lyme park and Cheadle Hulme) which i havent been to yet. I did Worsley woods yesterday, some 11-14yr old lad won it in sub 17 on his second run! He will be snapped up by team GB soon no doubt.
It was my first parkrun fastfinishingstub and got to say the organisers and volunteers are excellent. Tough wee course my local run, it only started in April and its in the park where I grew up as a kid so I know the park very well but the wee climbs seemed to be easier when I was 10 years old!! I work every saturday( hopefully not for much longer) and that's the first Saturday I've had off to be able to have a go at it. It was more for sentimental reasons I wanted to return to that park but enjoyed the run and hope to do it again many times. My best 5k time is 22.09 so wasn't to far away from that.
Did my long run this afternoon... 9 miles easy in high winds and heavy rain! People were looking at me like I was a lunatic out running in that... Loved it!
I also got drenched (again) at lunch today! it hammered it down 3 times then was sunny inbetween. Very strange weather to run in.
Good running everyone, sounds like some of you had some rather rubbish weather to contend with.
I was lucky with the weather for my race on Saturday, the Long Tour of Bradwell fell race. 35 miles, over 6000ft of elevation, some horrendously steep quad busting rocky descents and a time of 8:40. A tad hillier than the Manchester marathon route !