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P&D Autumn Marathon 2017
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Also, a possibility for a sharpener is the opening cross country of the season, in Jooligan's very own school grounds. It is completely flat but is just under 10k. What do we think to that 8 days out? It's that or solo 5k for as parkrun timings don't quite work out.
Great plan, Joe. As long as you start slow enough! It would be a great way to be controlled, get a sense of real achievement and so much fun overtaking towards the end.
Unfortunately I'm going to Cardiff for the Gwent League Saturday so won't be able to give you a shout as you lap me!
Happy racing Steve, JohnO & have fun JB
Like a small Guinness Foreign Extra before a marathon myself.
Another encouraging 7M today after a good one yesterday. Felt good once I got going & managed a MP finish in the final mile.
Great reports from ouchouch and spoons, I'm impressed at how well you both closed out your races when it got tough. Will use it as inspiration this weekend when I hit the gentle (but brutal) rise at 22 miles!
Finished with a final run and just the big dance left!
No problem Just Phil
Spoons-Great report-enjoyed reading that with my porridge this morning! Amazing the amount of progress you have made in the last year or so and certainly much more to come. How much quicker do you think the Nike's make you compared to the adios, for example?
8 miles this morning. Windy and very warm out...urrrghh. Alternated 4 miles cruising (6:20s) with 4 miles effort (5:50s) but felt rubbish throughout.
Good luck John, Steve, Joe and anybody else racing this weekend.
ML84 - It's tough to just run another marathon 2 weeks later, let alone trying to race again. It'd be good to see you there but I'm sure no one would blame you for opting out.
Spoon - I liked the blog. Great race. It's a shame that group were going just a fraction too fast. It's always a tough call as to whether you should stick with the group or let them go. Good to see you're recovering well. As SQ said, it must be going well if you're contemplating a track session.
Joe - I've got the perfect plan for holding back. Why don't you do it in fancy dress? That way you certainly won't worry about the time and will surely make it an easy run.
Popped to the shops yesterday to pick up these. Don't worry there are plenty for everyone. Wanted to get the normal colour but only blue available.
Just an easy 9ish miles this morning. Had a 12-13 mile MLR scheduled but didn't really see the point of the extra few miles when I'm somewhat worried about recovery.
Good luck for Sunday Joe, John and Steve.
Good luck John and Joe, plus anyone else racing this weekend.
I was busy for two days and the thread exploded.. as a catch up:
Well done Ouch, sounds like a great race and fantastic to feel like you have more for next time.
Joe - Try not to forget what normal training/racing is. I think Ironman racing/training changes your perceptions and it's not sustainable long term. Hope Amsterdam is enjoyable.
Nice XC Macca. Glad you feel properly raced now!
Did you cramp up NE? Well done pulling it back for the finish.
Jooligan, classic racing. I feel I should have also made use of being close to the peaks for hill training etc.. I have not and will be moving away soon. Oh well.
Just Phil, heh.
Good luck to everyone racing this weekend: Joe, John, Steve, Jooligan.
Just entered Wokingham..
Funnily enough when I ran home last week I couldn't get my phone in my shorts pocket so improvised an upper arm holder out of three work elastic bands. Worked well.
On closer inspection of your blog site Spoon, it' seems unlikely you'd be out geeked by Bill Gates, nice report.
I quite like that Wokingham publicise a list of runners and expected times pre-race. Can't see a Just Phil on there yet though.
Rest day yesterday as we had go-karting at work. It was good fun actually, principally because I was the fastest qualifier and won the final lapping second place
I have now entered Wokingham and I've put down a real stretch target time. Are we going to be playing fantasy marathon times again in the spring. I was rubbish.
I'm happy to get the old Fantasy Marathon League spreadsheet out again if people are keen.
Thanks, Jooligan. But not keen on blowing up at 20M! Considering it, but will probably just do a hard solo 5k and not really worry about the time.
HA - that was the plan in London and we all know what happened there.. Keen for the fantasy premier league.
Point taken JCG - great to see you'll also be in Wokingham. Going to be so many of us!
Reg - competition can't have been much, right? Did you get a trophy?
I've kept up the running to ensure I'm not completely fresh for Sunday. Knocked out a 40 minute 10km this morning which felt ok. DEFINITELY not racing it, feel free to abuse me if I do. Weather is looking quite toasty actually, but will probably end up being perfect conditions. Will aim to do something fun like each 5km quicker than the last.
Obviously very excited to see how Katie does (Katie Lysons if people want to stalk - I'm sure she won't mind/won't know
3:10 would be a tidy conversion from her half time?
Good luck to you both and of course John & Steve.
Thanks OuchOuch, Munich sounds like a good plan B then. I love Germany, have been to Munich a few times before.
SQ yeah pleased with my recovery from Sunday. Track session won’t be all out, just want to keep my legs sharp - my worry is all easy running might leave them a bit flat. Will probably aim for closer to 10K pace than 3-5K pace.
Personally a 10K a week before the marathon would be a bit much for me.
Tom it’s hard to say with the Vaporflys as I haven’t used them much aside from races. I’d love to do some more testing, but they’re too expensive to be burning through in training! In the one medium-long I used them on I was about 10 seconds/mile faster, but then two weeks later I was similarly fast in Bostons. Lots of variables there though so very hard to draw firm conclusions. One of the biggest benefits I find is that they don’t beat your legs up quite so much as traditional racing flats, usually after a race I’ll have very stiff calves but since using the Nikes that hasn’t really happened.
Regarding alcohol, I’m sure there’s no harm in a moderate amount. Indeed I saw an infographic that suggested beer is slightly more hydrating than water in moderate quantities. Personally I avoid it though as I find it really affects my sleep these days, even in small amounts. I usually make up for it afterwards though.
Glad you all enjoyed the blog. Another 10 along the canal for me this morning, legs feeling all good after Sunday.
Good luck to everyone racing at the weekend. Joe I’m sure Katie will smash that PB given her recent form!
Good luck to everyone racing, looks like bring mild again.
SQ: Don't think one XC would've led to a blow-up. Just checked back on Strava & I ran 6:48 m/m on Saturday's hilly 9K then 6:32s for Sunday's flatter 10.1K! Together with 2 parkruns at 6:20s
Spoons: great report and admirable tenacity. Can't believe a year ago our PBs were almost identical & now look at yours. Almost tempted to be as disciplined as you but think I'm more addicted to the racing than the results.
HA: wise move cutting your run short - you're still topping the Strava leaderboard. FML was great fun so if you're up for running the spreadsheet again I'm a YES. Sound advice to JB - PMSL
JCG: Welcome to Wokingham. Where you moving to?
Reg: nice pot bagging.
Crazy 8M for me today: meant to be nice & steady but as seems to be the pattern this week it was quicker again. I was running with a guy from work who wasn't happy when he was over 32mins at last year's Trafford 10K! Felt easy enough though so hopefully not done too much damage before the w/e racing.
It must have been crazy if you're describing it like that Jooligan. I'm actually moving just south of Abingdon. It's a pity the house isn't going to be ready before the marathon.
I went out to see how my legs were with a parkrun this morning. I've knocked 2 minutes off my time in the last 12 weeks and today's course is far hillier than my benchmark was. I'm damn well pleased.
Did a bit of parkrun volunteering myself this morning - love marshalling, such a feel good factor seeing all the runners going past and cheering them on.
After parkrun I did my final medium long run before Abo - did a half marathon in 1:43 (7:57/mi) which is MP+17s which felt really good and I was having to hold the pace back, so good signs for next weekend.
AWC: great job on the double dedication to running. Nice volunteering & promising (M)LR
Definitely looking good for both of you next w/e
Kicked off my w/e with a 3rd placed 19:51 at the 400th edition of my local parkrun (Forest of Dean). We had a record turnout of 211 runners with many in superhero outfits to celebrate several personal milestones: 4 50s, a 100 & a 200. The last was from a guy who has halved his time & shed 30kg since starting in January 2012. To celebrate he went round with a sumo suit & a 30kg weight vest today.
Spot of brunch then down to Cardiff for the Gwent League XC which this year was doubling up as the British Athletics Cross Challenge. Arrived just in time for the Senior Women. Cracking race which was won by the lovely Jess Judd by 1s from Verity Ockenden with Charlotte Arter just 4s further back. We were also able to cheer on our 4 ladies before a quick warm-up then into the fray. I started conservatively, pushed a bit harder in the second lap & faded a bit in the 3rd & final lap. Completed the 9.6K course (though Garmin measured it at 8.65K) in 36:17.
...I did it! 2:58:54 and absolutely over the moon with the day. Few dodgy moments early on when I didn't feel 100% but didn't fade and when I got past 32k still on pace (where I've slowed down the last 2 years) I felt good about the sub 3. Nasty hill at 36-37k but once I got over that it was a case of digging in and it felt sooooo good to cross the line and see 2:5x:xx.
Off to celebrate with the family and get plenty of rest!