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RW F7 – aiming for 3.15
I’ve only ever done one marathon (York, 2013) and I absolutely loved it. At first I was aiming for sub4 but my training went well and I altered my goal pace to a risky 3:45 to try for a GFA for London 2015. It turns out training went really well and I crossed the line in 3:32.
But not content to settle now for GFA, I wanted to have a crack at getting a champs place. You see I’m a northern lass and probably only going to do this London thing once….. so how amazing would it be to start in the champs pen?!
I’m aiming for 3:15 – 3:20 at London and would love a mentor to help get me there! I’ve been running for less than 3 years so I’ve still got an awful lot to learn and of course I’d be a lively thread contributor too
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It's me! WOOHOO!
Oh, I'm mentoring.
Lol Westie
OOohhhh!!!! Thanks to Minni for giving me the 'head's up' about this thread. Very pleased to find out I've got 15W as a mentor - he's fantastic over on the P&D thread and this just means I get to chat with him even more......bet you're so pleased 15W?!
Okay so a bit of info on what I've been up to - started following the P&D 'Advanced Marathoning' plan (the up to 55 miles a week option). If anyone's still searching for a plan, please don't let the title put you off - I used it for my first marathon and it was a fantastic plan.
Going with 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' theory, I've decided to use the same plan again. However, I'm a bit uneasy about the lack of speedwork in the plan. I've gotten used to doing regular speedwork and to stop feels a bit weird. I know marathon training is a different ball game to shorter distances, but I'd still like to keep the once a week track sessions going. So, first question for 15W, what are your thoughts?
I'd also love it if anyone else aiming for around 3:15-20 would please make themselves known! I really hope this can be an active thread that we can all benefit from so please do just join in and say hello. Otherwise 15W will get bored if it's just me
Yes, yes, YES!
This is going to be great. Well done tinyrunner! (and 15West too
)
Hi Malcs! Nice of you to say hello
. I've got a good feeling about this thread - think it will give me that extra boost of motivation. I've missed quite a few runs this week because of the ice so this will be just the thing to help me get back on track.
Hello Tiny!
In my opinion speedwork is the icing on the cake of all your endurance work for the marathon. You run all year round though, right? So your base is probably pretty solid; so you could add a speedwork session if you want, but remember that the MLRs, LRs and LT/MP runs are what make P&D a plan that really does work for the marathon.
In the 2nd half of the schedule there is more speedwork introduced...but you can keep the intervals on the track going now if you want as long as not detrimental for your other workouts. You know your body and what you can handle...after all the schedule is a guide and can be changed to suit the individual. Just don't try and do too much. What is your injury history like?
What day of the week do you do your track sessions relative to your long runs etc? What session would you sacrifice for the track session? Are the track sessions with your running club?
(I'm also following P&D (12wk 70-85) for Paris in April in case anyone interested).
Eeek! Ice is not nice. Fingers crossed for a bit of a thaw.
You definitely have what it takes to get there so you have every right to have a good feeling about it!
15West - 12 weeks eh? Interesting. I've not been running recently due to illness and thought 12 weeks might not be long enough but you've got me thinking now
Malcs lives!! Has this brought you from your death bed?
lol - certainly injects a bit of excitement into proceedings
I feel alive again this weekend. Not run yet mind but one step at a time!
Yeah, 12 week Malcs. Picked up an overuse injury in August and didn't start running again till November so thought I'd give myself a bit more time to get used to running again before hitting P&D again. I've actually followed first two weeks of the 55-70 12 week plan last two weeks and start the 70-85 one tomorrow, although am tweaking to give myself a bit more recovery, no doubles, only run on 6 days a week (although might be able to run 7 days a week now due to a change in other commitments).
What's up wth you?
Tiny - congratulations. What are your PBs at other distances?
I used the 55-70MPW schedule last year and was also a bit surprised at lack of speedwork, but I got a good 5K time out of it (a week before the marathon) so somehow it worked for me. The VO2 sessions looked wimpy on paper but in the context of the plan, which makes your legs a bit tired all the time, they felt like plenty.
Will be an interested follower of this thread and I am sure with Westy's help Tiny you will reach your target
With the speed sessions, you could tag a longish warmup/cooldown onto them so shouldn't miss out too much mileage whilst still ensuring you keep the speed session you want each week?
Alright gang - will be following this one closely - should be fun!
Ah. My disciples.
Hi everyone - lovely to see some familiar faces, thanks for joining in.
Marrows - PBs at other distances:
5k - 19:49
10k - 40:59
half - 89:14
Lots of wise words already 15W, thank you. Injury history is pretty much non existent. Had a bit of ITB trouble when I first started running but that cleared up after strengthening glutes. That's it! I know, I'm a lucky sod
.
I've been going to the track on a Tuesday night, long runs usually done on a Sunday (but have already confessed to missing this week's long run). I usually miss either a recovery run or a 6-8 mile GArun. I think Scott's suggestion of adding on warm up/cooldown miles could be good? Track is only 2 miles away so could gently run there and back?
Thanks for tagging along Menn
Off to bed now - 5:30am start tomorrow and I need my beauty sleep. Will catch up with everyone in the morning
15West - glad to head you're back up and running, those overuse injuries can be an absolute nightmare.
I've had the flu. 3 weeks out. Bloody nightmare. Anyway glad to be back feeling human again!
tinyrunner - some great PBs there! Sub 90 half must surely suggest you're capable of sub 3:15?
5:30 am - ouch!
Sleep tight Tiny, my little mentee. Will be nice and cold at 5.30.
I would miss a 6-8mi GA run for your track session rather than a shorter recovery run. I know you've been lucky with injuries, but there's always a first time! Especially when you start adding mileage as you get closer to race day.
Looking at those times you should be good for 3.15, definitely have the speed...so maybe need more endurance?
What spring marathon Malcs? 3 weeks out at this stage is certainly not the end of the world, still plenty of time, especially if you were doing plenty of running before you got ill.
Uh oh!! This is one of those impossible to keep up with threads!!
congratulations tiny runner! I will probably be more of a lurker than a poster on here but will pop in when I can and I wish you lots of luck and a fab marathin training campaign x
Another disciple
Congratulations Tiny. I'm trying to convert a 3.21 into a 3.15 (body willing) so will be following with interest. Your 10k and half times are quicker than mine so as Westy says, the speed is there. Good luck.
Morning all!
Thanks for saying hello Angela and macca. Good to hear people think I can manage a 3:15.....I know it sounds a bit soft but that sub90 half was honestly the hardest thing I've ever done in my life! It took every ounce of strength to finish so I'm not taking this challenge lightly!
15W - bang on again about the speed. Endurance is definitely where I need to work on. This thread is going to be brilliant for me. Sometimes I just need someone to tell me how it is! Want to learn as much as possible so I'll be doing as I'm told.
Will post up the plan for this week a little later this morning if anyone is interested in following along.
Morning Tiny.
Woke up thinking about you. Not a good sign! You are doing up to 55 plan, right? So, probably more flexible with fitting in a speed session than I thought...But, for the marathon and for your endurance you still need to get plenty of aerobic miles in too. What is your longest run so far in the schedule? How was it?
Also - what marathon you running?
Got to go walk the dog.
For me I've got 8mi with some strides today.
...after some extensive research found out it's London. London marathon is ace (if you don't mind crowds!).
Hello! I agree with this too. I qualified for the champs start (in 2013) with a 1:29 half in 2012 and I decided I was definitely aiming for sub 3:15, because most other women on there would already have run one to qualify and I wasn't going to be slower than them. En route I got the half down to 1:28. But I didn't manage the times you have for 5k and 10k until well after I'd run a 3:06 marathon. I used the 55-70 P&D plan, though and do think the extra mileage helped more than adding extra speedwork would have done.
Flippin' heck I'm having trouble keeping up with my own thread here
. Morning Westy, waking up thinking about me ey? Must have been one scary nightmare! Yes I'm doing the up to 55 plan. However sometimes I'm fitting in an extra sneaky run, as I'm actually used to running 6 days a week and this plan is only 5. I only add an easy run though and only if I feel up to it. I always have an absolute minimum of one day a week that's complete rest. No cross training, no core work, just laziness. The other rest day I'll either do some gentle cross training or an easy run with some core work.
Minni - if ever you're interested in a really good 8 week plan for a sub90 half then I have one I can email you if you like? It's what got me there, without a doubt. Really pushed me on, especially with the prescribed track work outs (lots of loooooong fastish reps).
Yes Westy it's London. I've got a champs place though so although it will still be very crowded, I shouldn't be impinged too much at the start. Well, not as much as I would be without the champs place anyway. Longest run so far has been a hilly 15. I averaged 9:06 pace and felt pretty good. Just used water, no sweets or gels or anything yet. I should have done 16 with 10 at mara pace on Sunday but I skipped all weekend runs because of the ice, just did an easy 3 on the dreadmill for the sake of Jantastic
So, onto the plan......
Monday - 8 mile GA
Tuesday - 5 mile recovery
Wednesday - 8 mile GA
Thursday - rest
Friday - 5 mile recovery
Saturday - 16 miles with 10 at marathon pace
Sunday - rest/cross training/short recovery run
Any fellow P&Ders may notice that as this week is a recovery week, I should be doing a long run of only 12 miles this weekend. However, as I missed the long run last week I thought I'd do it this week instead, so long as Westy agrees?
Really hope that ice has thawed by tonight though. Anyone any tips for running in icy conditions?