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2016 Marathon Training Thread
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Today: 3 hour cycle covering around 45 miles into strong winds and rain.
The next 2 days will be rest days ahead of my Park Run on Saturday.
Sunday will be an easy 2 or 3 hour cycle.
My gym sessions including spin classes, lifting weights and fast paced treadmill runs will be put on hold until next week.
Easy 3.8 miles this morning (slow pace). This was instead of yoga, which I couldn't make because I was waiting for cooker repair man. (Having a baked potato after two days of salad and rice cakes was totally worth it, though).
Ollie nice 4m @ LT, and well done on the 12m today. Enjoy the ELO concert!
Stuart well done on getting the 5 done
Stewart nice to see you out running, take it easy
Sub17 nice 3 hr bike session
Cal well done on the morning's 3.8m - yay for the oven repair man
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8.5m tonight with the club, with 7m at MP. Really hot and humid here.
I managed to last a whole six months thinking I wasn't going to run a marathon in 2016 and concentrate on the 5k and 10k distances, but this morning I broke down and entered the Auckland Marathon at the end of October so I'll be rejoining the marathon training thread. I'll start posting my runs and look forward to reading how all of the old hands from the 2015 thread are getting on, as well as how the newbies are doing.
Hey all.
SM6: Okay, thanks for the advice. With regards to the tempo runs, I'll drop down to 6:25s for the first mesocycle, then if I feel comfortable, will drop further to 6:20s in the second mesocycle.
Always tempting to enter a marathon, I don't even bother resisting the urge now... Best of luck in your training.
SC: Cheers, enjoying being back on a structured plan. Nice running, good to see you're not taking undue risks with pace/hills as well.
Sub17: Great cycling yesterday, enjoy the rest days prior to parkrun. Do you do any triathlons/duathlons or is cycling purely for fun/training?
Cal: Good to hear your oven is fixed, hope you enjoyed your 3.8 miles and long-awaited potato.
Teknik: Cheers, nice marathon paced running yesterday, sounds like a tough run in those conditions, good stuff.
Gaz: Hello, thread newbie here.
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6 miles later today, a nice and easy run; probably for the best as I've had a couple of bevvies tonight. this will be the last night I touch alcohol until after the marathon.
ELO were great, fantastic night but think it's time for sleep now.
Have a good day.
Ollie: Easy 6 miler.
Tek: Well done with 8.5 mile run w/ 7 miles @ MP.
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My cycling is purely for aerobic fitness to recover from my short hard runs. I can drink more while I cycle and take down gels easily to keep my energy and hydration levels up.
2 Half Marathons ahead of my next marathon in mid-October. I believe it is best I confront my demons and give a marathon another shot this year. I will skip the electrolyte drinks out completely because the weak sports drinks provide little or no benefits.
I am going for an 8 gel marathon with water + drink at the 8 drink stations I will stop at to get my water + gel. I can easily stomach 8 gels over a 3+ hour run.
Olliepop: Thanks; although if you're tempo run pace is in the mid-6s then I'm not sure that you could accurately be described as a newbie
Sub17: 8 gels? Yowser! I managed 1 just before and 5 during my last marathon and felt that worked very well; although the extra water before the off meant that I had to pee at the halfway stage.
Tempo Run today. 2m easy, 2m at 07:00mm, 1m easy, 1m at 07:00 then 2m easy to finish at 8 miles total in 01:05:10.
Gaz
Well done guys.
Gaz welcome back - nice tempo session
Ollie glad you had a great night - hope the 6 went ok
Sub17 good luck with the new mara attempt
HM thanks
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Feeling a bit under the weather here, so just a very tired 2m recovery run for me tonight.
Sub17: Ah, fair enough with the cycling, sounds like a good idea to keep aerobic fitness without over exerting yourself. Again, best of luck for 2016 marathon round 2.
Gaz: Aha, should clarify I meant a (relative) newbie to the marathon training thread, having joined this thread early 2016. Nice tempo running today, good going on those 8 miles.
HM4: Cheers.
Teknik: Well done on the 2 miles, despite not feeling your best, hope you're not as tired tomorrow.
Morning.
10 miles starting at 8:30 min/miles and finishing on 7:50s.
Have a good day.
Tek - Thanks! Good to be back.
Olliepop - Well done on the 10 miler.
14 miles at a gentle 08:45ish pace today in miserable weather. Here in West Auckland it's the freaking monsoon season. Stopped in at my local running club (Glen Eden Harriers) to introduce myself, as I'm thinking of joining.
Well earned glass of wine waiting to watch the start of the Western States Endurance Run on t'internet.
Gaz - Good to hear from you again. Good tempo, and nice 14 earlier
Ollie - Well done on the 10 this morning. I think your approach to the tempos is sensible, hadn't really considered the fact that you'll struggle to actually hit a proper HMP once the mileage gets silly.
Tek - Hope you're feeling a bit better. Good club run earlier in the week
Stewart - Well done on the couple of runs earlier in the week
Cal - Nice 4 miles, the baked potato sounds a step up on rice cakes and salad haha!
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Though I had posted after Thursday run, obviously not!
11 miles after work on Thursday, just felt so tired. Gym and 5 yesterday, felt even more tired. 11 with 6x4 minutes (alternating 1min/2min rest between reps) club session today, felt a bit better. Pace was really good actually, 24 minutes running averaging under 6:00
16 planned tomorrow.
Gaz good 14 earlier.
SM nice pace on the club session ????
Limited running this week due to work and Noro Virus ???? which is stiill making feel a bit jaded, had a massage on the quad and IT area today which was pretty painful but will help lossen things up.
Hey.
Gaz: Good running in wet conditions, sounds like a well earned glass of wine. Hope you enjoyed watching the endurance event.
SM6: Nice 11 miles on Thursday, and club session today, good stuff.
MG1: Hope the massage helps matters, sounds like a tough week.
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Volunteered at parkrun this morning, then did 6 easy miles in the evening.
Have a good day.
Snap! I was on the funnel. Elected not to do anything else so I'm fresh for tomorrow. And on that note, early bed!
Next week my training will be: 2 x 10km runs on treadmill on Tues and Thurs. Wednesday will be a spin class + 4 mile treadmill run. Mon and Fri rest days ahead of my next Park Run on Saturday.
Repeat the above up until my first HM race in early August. I will see if I can get sub 83 mins in my HM. 3 weeks after I will run a 12km fun run or a second HM, either sub 46 mins in 12km or sub 83 mins in HM.
Then it will be a 7 week count down towards my Marathon. I will need to fit in 15 to 18 mile long runs ahead of my mid-October Marathon.
Minor changes I will make for my next marathon will be:
1. I will not wear full leg compression socks they contributed significantly to weakening of my legs and knee soreness.
2. I will wear lighter trainers or racing flats instead of heavier support trainers in my next marathon. I felt the heavier shoes required too much energy to maintain effort.
3. I will replace some of my gels by taking caffeine pills. 4 gels during a marathon will be easier than stopping to take down 7 or 8 gels.
4. No alcohol the night before a marathon. Drinking a bottle of red wine to take the edge off my pre-marathon nerves resulted in minimal rest before my marathon.
5. I will not drink 2 pints of iced coffee milk an hour before my marathon. This may have been the worst mistake I made on that day. The body needs time to digest protein and racing a marathon an hour after drinking 2 pints of milk is a daft move.
Morning.
Sub17: I think the longer runs are the best preparation for the marathon, hope the 10ks and gym sessions go well in the build up to parkrun.
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17 miles today.
I will start at 8:15 min/miles and work my way down to 7:30 min/miles. Despite only just recently adopting this pacing strategy of increasing pace throughout the run, it's surprising how much confidence having a stronger finish instills, as well as making it seem less daunting to get started on a long run.
Have a good day.
Ollie - Good luck on the 17
Cal - I take it you are racing today? Good luck
MG - Hope you and your legs are feeling better
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16 miles @ 8:12 average. Felt quite the grind but saw it out at least. Long distance fitness seriously lacking.
57 miles for the week.
SM6 - Well done for having the discipline to get out when you were tired, and well done on the long run.
MG1 - I've had norovirus. Not fun and felt weak as a kitten. Hope you feel better soon.
Sub17 - Good luck with your week's training. I agree with Olliepop, I found the long runs essential; although I went up to 23 miles for my last marathon.
AOH - Nothing like a run in the mountains.
6 mile upper aerobic run today around my usual loop, only 08:30 pace but with 200m of ascent. Warmed in to it and felt strong and fast at the end. Total of 41.6 miles this week.
Flying back to the UK on Tuesday night for 1 month. Aiming to hit 45m, including a 16m long run.
Sorry for late post...
Weekend Races
25/6/16 Arran Tricialitt
26/6/16 Thame 10k yellow52
26/6/16 Torbay Half Night Nurse
26/6/16 Harry Hawkes 10m Cal Jones
Sorry Cal, meant to say good luck for your race earlier this morning. Have a good 'un.
Also best of luck to Tricia, Yellow and NN for their races. Hope you all have a good time.
SM6: Thanks, went very well (~2:09 overall, generally kept to the planned pace, putting more effort in the further I ran).
OH: Have fun on your mooch around St. Andrews.
Gaz: Nice going on the aerobic run, and nice weekly mileage too. Any reason for the UK visit, aside from our wonderful weather?
Teknik: No worries, impressive how you can keep up with all the races.
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65 miles overall this week, and marathon training week 1 now complete. :
So, Harry Hawkes today. My original plan, when I entered, was to try and run it at my target HM pace (9:09), given I'm hoping for a sub-2 later in the year. But after a disappointing Osterley Park 10K and a disappointing parkrun the following weekend, I figured anything under 1:35 would be a win, especially as a) recent rain could mean mud in the woody section and b) it was likely to be warm.
I met up with Jo, a fellow Chaser, at Clapham Junction and we both noted that it was actually a bit chilly, though that was two hours before race start. Once we got there the sun started to peep through it and it felt quite a bit warmer.
First mile went down in 9:04, which is under target, but I felt pretty good so I pressed on. The second mile included the first pass through the wood, but whilst there were a couple of muddy patches, it wasn't bad - it was more that it was quite narrow in places so I had to slow a couple of times 9:12.
Mile 3 was all downhill (just a slight slope, really - elevation loss of 6) but it was enough to result in a (for me) speedy 8:51. After that I was running behind a quite elderly lady in a very faded Serpentine vest. Not sure how old she was (I looked her up afterwards and she was in the 55+ category) but she looked about 70 and she was going really well. 9:06, then a 9:03 put me just past her so I started using a grey haired man in a red shirt as a pacer. 9:04 for mile 6.
At this point it started to get pretty warm. There was a nice breeze off the Thames but I was starting to tire a bit. 9:10, then 9:15. Went past red shirt, then past the Windmiler in front of him. 9:14, 9:14 again and from god knows where I found a sprint finish, probably because I spotted Jo cheering me on. Garmin time was 1:31:21, just inside my original goal time. Chip time has me at 1:31:18. (Results were up super fast!)
Nice medal and water bottle at the finish; fruit, water, snack bars and coconut water at the finish. Very bloody happy.
And the thing is, whilst I did slow a bit, I was able to keep a good pace for that distance and I enjoyed the race. Nice scenery (OK, much of the course is the same as the Hampton Court half I did in February, with a couple of deviations, but it's nicer to run in sunshine rather than under cold grey skies!)
So, I do need to work on stamina a bit but that sub-2 half is definitely in my sights now. All in all, a great result.
So how did our other racers get on?
Well done guys.
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Cal,
Great report - that seems a speedy time.
Thame 10k was enjoyable and well organised as ever.
It's a pleasant local race, 1000 entries, closed roads/paths, mostly flat with a slight ramp in the last 1k just to sort the men from the boys or something like that.
My 10k PB was 48:59 there last year. On the back of Brighton Mara training I had dreams of sub-47 this year. Especially as I was holding that pace for 6x1mile intervals a month ago.
In the end I finished 47:43, a PB nonetheless and I'm pleased with that. I think I got the pacing bang on, as I tried kicking at the end and only had a little left to give. I think if I'd gone out quicker early on I'd have blown up halfway.
Should be onto Abingdon training now, but the left shin pain has flared up again so I'll see the physio and take it from there. If a few weeks of rest will sort it them fair enough, if it takes longer than that I'll maybe have to put Abingdon off for this year.
Your 70 old lady reminded me - I sensed someone just behind my right shoulder around 9k in today, and she said "don't worry, I'm not overtaking, just trying to keep up with you". It wasn't until after the finish I saw her properly - at least 70, and very spritely for it. I hope I'm running sub-50min when I'm in my 70's
Thame 10k was enjoyable and well organised as ever.
It's a pleasant local race, 1000 entries, closed roads/paths, mostly flat with a slight ramp in the last 1k just to sort the men from the boys or something like that.
My 10k PB was 48:59 there last year. On the back of Brighton Mara training I had dreams of sub-47 this year. Especially as I was holding that pace for 6x1mile intervals a month ago.
In the end I finished 47:43, a PB nonetheless and I'm pleased with that. I think I got the pacing bang on, as I tried kicking at the end and only had a little left to give. I think if I'd gone out quicker early on I'd have blown up halfway.
Should be onto Abingdon training now, but the left shin pain has flared up again so I'll see the physio and take it from there. If a few weeks of rest will sort it them fair enough, if it takes longer than that I'll maybe have to put Abingdon off for this year.
Well done yellow! I'd like to still be running (and running well) like these ladies. It's a good goal to aim for.
Hi Peeps lots of reading back, some very good training taking place as well as some a little different. Had a good relaxing week in Fuerteventura with a nice mix of of swimming and running. Came home to a very green lawn which has now been cut, I collected Buddy from the kennels on Thursday only for him to come down ill on Friday evening. We spent all night Friday night up with him before I got him to the vets half before they opened. I told the vet his symptoms before I went and due to that the vet asked if I could keep him outside. The vet came out to see him and confirmed what we thought that he had come down with Kennel cough, thankfully this has been caught early but even for a fit dog this is awful. Managed to take part in the NI Masters on Saturday afternoon but only ran in the 800m coming second. Helped mark out for a race on Sunday and a short swim this morning of 50x25m.