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P&D Spring Marathon 2020
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Still, 4th is very decent, and that's still a fast time. You'll get better with experience I'm sure.
That's a very good MLR too. (Wine's a vegetable, right?)
Hamo - cant be too disappointed seeing as you showed up to a champs race during a 100+ mile week. The positives are that you find more out about yourself on the tougher days or when things dont go quite as planned. You'll be stronger and wiser. You're still on an upcurve for sure.......faircplay for doing the mlr and then mp run too. You are obviously strong and the 10k didnt destroy you. Top boozing too.
AWC - you posting up you were doing the mp run helped me saturday (i should have known hamo would still do his too - but i used to be a week out of sync with Hamo?).
SQ - im joining you on the cutback week, but next week for me.
12m here.
Cal...I'm counting the wine as 1 of my 5 a day certainly yea
AWC...Sensible idea booking the track, lucky there is one close to your Dads, we have none down here at all, closest is Newry or Belfast. Brilliant MP run, very encouraging that it felt almost comfortable. Enjoy the recovery week.
SQ...The day after the race i realised/wife explained in no uncertain terms
TR...Very true, you learn more from bad days than good, need to be reminded of that sometimes. I was a week ahead of you in the plan, as i started a week early to account for me ballsing about with my running for a week on holiday (ie no pressure to run set sessions on holiday if i didn't want too, or so i could run to explore rather than have a target to hit etc), so i doubled up on a week and "done it twice" so to speak so i'm back in sync now. Have you moved your cut back week? Because mine is planned for this week like AWC? Nice MLR.
10 mile with 10x100 strides this morning, felt like i needed the strides to waken the legs a bit.
TR, well done on the 12.
Hamo, nice 10 and strides - I hope it was red wine, resveratrol is very good for you.
I had a bash at the Vet Runners virtual HM this morning. I wanted to see if I could go under 2 hours - had my doubts after Sunday's 15K but thought I'd see how I felt.
First mile was a warm-up, more or less (9:50), but I hit target pace on the next three (despite stacking it at the start of the third mile and ending up with two bruised hands and a bloody knee. I didn't even notice the knee had bled until I finished the entire run - I must have alarmed a few people along the way).
I did have a sneaky blast around Groton Loop once I got to Earlsfield and took 2 seconds off my time there, which means I now hold the crown outright rather than sharing it with another woman. Small victories! But as with the 15K, my pace dropped off once I got to St George's Park but I kept plugging away.
After leaving that park, my intention was to do a lap of Wimbledon Park but that was thwarted by a one way turnstile that was definitely not there last time I went, so I had to backtrack and reroute which cost me more time. I ended up doing an out and back along a section of the Wandle Trail to Wandle Park and back, then back along the stretch I'd done in mile 3. I recovered some pace on miles 11 and 12 but the there was a bit of a hill at the start of the final mile and my achilles got pretty grumpy so I slowed a bit there, then I had a bugger of a time crossing Trinity Road.
Fairly content with the time - 2:02:49 which is 10 minutes slower than PB my but a decent effort for a virtual run/training session, especially coming so close to the 15K.
I'm currently third fastest overall, and fastest woman, although a lot of people haven't logged their runs yet.
I was also third overall and fastest woman in the 15K, 6th overall and 2nd woman in the 5 mile and 11th overall and 3rd woman in the 10K. So not bad really. Vet Runners UK is a fairly relaxed group with a mix of abilities - some fast peeps but not like my club's virtual events where I'm near the bottom in most things.
NE - Good to see you back on here.
Macca - Superb running and exciting news on Sparta!!
Hamo - Brilliant time after some big 100 mile weeks.
Jools - Crazy elevation and mileage as always!!
TR - Superb MP miles and a big month.
Cal - Good running.
AWC - Good idea to book the track for the LT session.
John - Sounds like a great place to run.
14 miles on Saturday, 6 on Sunday to finish off a 45 mile week.
10 miles today including 5*1k in 3:46/48/46/46/41, with 400m recovery. 2nd rep felt tough, so thought it was going to be a rubbish session, but the next 2 reps felt better, so pushed the pace a bit on the final one.
John - that sounds like a lovely trail run. Hope things don’t get worse over there and you can look forward to some local races.
Cal - I don’t mind the heat for up to 1/2 so I’d be inclined to give yourself another day or two but you’ve done it now😀I would say that’s a decent solo result - I wouldn’t expect to get anywhere near a Pb whilst solo. Looks like you are consistently troubling the podium in that series, great stuff.
AWC - impressively executed MP, great when you can see the fruits of your labour, enjoy the holiday.
SQ - impressive recent mileage. I like the sound of the trail relay. Could you load a phone app for directions ?
TR - another solid 13 @ MP. Some impressive MLRs with pick up towards the end. Hopefully you get some clarity on Brighton soon and we all do on VLM this week.
Steve / solid reps, funny how sometimes you can ignore what you feel and press on.
After an enforced recovery week I felt fresh for a virtual 5k (9th since end of lockdown) and registered a best time for a year. Shouldnt be surprised what a low mileage
week does but I was. Any LR was put paid to by a 9 pint mini keg for the football. I was made up to get 11 pints out of it, a bit cloudy towards the end but allied with the footy result, it really did make my weekend.
SQ - (at risk of turning into a Sparta bore) it’s a 150 mile race from Athens to Sparta with fairly strict cut offs recreating an historic journey from 2,000 odd years ago. With a small field < 300 and a mandatory Covid test and a few other tweaks it should lend itself to social distancing. Feels strange looking forward to “just a race” but I am even though it could all go pear shaped- flights were cheap though !
Cal - that went pretty well then, youve had a tough few days.
Steve - you are back on it, what are you following now?
Macca - top boozing by you too! 9 pints saturday ? That race sounds amazing and daunting both at the same time, it would ruin me.
12m today.
Steve...Nice reps, well done on bringing it back after a tough 2nd one, would have been all too easy to throw the head, but you smashed it.
Macca...That Spartathlon sounds mighty and a lot more than just a race, really hope you get to enjoy it all properly. I'm teetering between being jealous and thinking, balls to that 150 miles is just mental
TR...Just right you are, running and training plans have to come 2nd (or a lot further down sometimes) in the grand scheme of things really. It'll do you good surely, both in letting the body recover and the gathering of brownie points
1st vo2/interval run of the plan this morning for me, 10 mile with 5x800's. 3 ish mile warm up down to the canal then into the reps which came out at 2.30, 2.29, 2.28, 2.31, 2.29 off 90 secs recovery, then back up the hill home for a 3 ish mile cool down, which as usual was the worst part. Happy enough with it, was a bit of a shock to the system having not done reps in months though
Sorequads - last night I made a reccie film for you. Edited to 10mins but at 250Mb, I guess it’s hard to get it to you. Any ideas?
It was my 4th pretty long run in 8 days. Three 14/15s and a 20 miler. Planning to enter my first hundred-miler September 12th. Probably Robin Hood ultra although not yet ruled out White Horse ultra which is probably more spectacular but a bit riskier for a first timer.
Hamo - Smashed those 800's!!
TR - Nice MLR. Good to have a bit of time off to recover. You have been smashing it for months. Currently following a Hansons marathon plan in a sense. However I've cut down the MP miles in the week and only running 5 days a week instead of 6 days, but I've kept the mileage similar. I liked it as the long run tops out at 16 miles, and at the moment there is no need for me to be running 20 miles. I'll save those for the start of P&D for next years marathon.
Easy 6 miles today.
Sounds sensible steve, will be doing you good after all the easy running.
AWC - well done on the reps, enjoy the break.
Another 12m for me tonight.
They both sound epic races. And that is a great few days of training from you.
macca - not a bore at all. Great to find out about events new to me. Look forward to hearing more about it.
Anyway... I did my best to edit in the time available - and I added in a bit of spoken commentary to fill in bits that are missing. Bit annoyed that it missed off some of the mileages I'd recorded etc... but still think it will be really quite useful to visualise a few turnings... but also some spoken advice, even when the picture is too dark to see - that can be really useful too, I think - especially if you read the notes alongside it.
Quite enjoyed doing it! Any questions, let me know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyBBfmBu_2U
Happy anniversary, AWC!
SQ...
I know someone who did well using Hansons but like you, I'm a bit sceptical. I've done my best marathons after doing 4 20-22 mile runs, and I'm someone who takes at least 3:30 to run a 20 at training pace. I think time on feet is important. Anyway...
Yesterday I did a 6 mile recovery run - legs felt trashed and the first few strides were very awkward.
Today wasn't much better but I ended up doing an 11 mile hilly run up to Beaulieu Heights (the woody bit under Croydon Transmitter). First couple of miles were very slow (11+ - my stride length was down to nothing) and I toiled up the first couple of hills, but I picked up a bit of speed when I got to a downhill section and mile 4 was my fastest in 10:14. Mile 5 had 52m of climb though, so that was back over 11 again (Garmin's elevation has been back to normal this week, thankfully).
At this point I had come to the bottom of Beaulieu Heights. I ran down it last Sunday - or rather I walked as there are steps - and it hits 20% in places, but it actually felt easier going up. I ran at the side of the steppy bits where possible and it wasn't so bad. I had trouble locating the exit though and spent a few minutes on very narrow, trippy trails through the woods until I came back to the top exit, which meant a 12:46 mile here (I didn't actually walk at all, but my stride was only .73 for this mile thanks to the terrain).
I made my way back from there, which was undulating but primarily downhill, and left hammy was definitely not happy. My stride was getting really short as I couldn't get any power from the hams at all.
However, I had thought I would do the last kilometer (or 0.62 miles, since I'm an Imperial girl) quicker as it's the Vet Runner's 1K challenge today. I wasn't quite sure how I'd manage it as I felt trashed, but as I hit 10.38 miles I pushed on and somehow mustered a 9:35 final mile, which gave me a 5:44 kilometer. Obviously that's more than a minute slower than I could run it if I ran a km flat out on its own on legs that were functioning properly, but you do what you can under the circumstances and I'm impressed I managed to go that fast today.
Anyway, 11 hilly miles in 2 hours, and it's probably in my best interests I take a rest day tomorrow.
Got the gym at 2pm this afternoon (the earliest I could get a slot) so that's going to be fun. And yes I'm being sarcastic.
I am really not happy about a week of 30 degree temps but what can you do?
Cal.. tough going. Well done, but look after your hamstring! As for your last question... you could move to Scotland?
Yesterday, I committed to the Robin Hood ultra, Sep 12th. Oops. Very slow 5k recovery run this morning but hope to go out late too.
Steve...Nice easy 6, I copied you this morning. I've heard a lot about Hansons plan, not sure how id feel having my longest long run at 16 mile, but each to there own. And you're right, no need to be running 20+ at the minute with no marathons on the horizon. One of the coaches at the new club advises over running your long run twice (at least once anyway) up to 30 miles in training, but sloooowwww, suppose everyone sees benefits in their own way of doing things. I *might* try it in my next block, but at the minute 24 miles is enough of a long run for me
AWC...Brilliant reps, i wouldn't call them leisurely pace at all. Tough getting up to that speed first thing in the morning, well done on getting them done. Happy anniversary for Sunday.
TR...Yea, i find the stop starting nature of reps takes a bit of getting used too, I almost prefer the solid block of LT miles with no break to it. Nice MLR. Any inkling on what London are going to announce tomorrow?
SQ...Lovely boozing, top work
Cal...Lovely hilly long run. Fair play to you giving that 1k virtual TT a go at the end of that run too, speedy time. Hope the hamstring is nothing serious, and just complaining. Enjoy the gym.
6 mile recovery run this morning for me, and a 5 mile recovery tonight.
I tried my first ever s&c circuit last night (i'm not sure of any technical terms here, so forgive me, as i hate all this stuff and try to avoid it as best i can, but the wife/club reckons its a good idea). Shes been at me for a while to do some, so i gave in and gave my more intelligent and sensible Mrs the p&d book and she told me what exercises to do and how to do them from it. Was actually not too bad in the end, the 3 eejits of mine joined in and it was good fun at parts with all of us making fools of ourselves on the floor
Her next mission now seems to be to try and get my to a physio for a sports massage for another first for me
Twice a week should be fine for S&C. As for the massage, it shouldn't make you sore but may hurt at the time (calf massage is pretty much torture).
NE - tempting!
The Times are saying they expext a closed loop elites race in a Royal Park to be announced. Hopefully you'll be inculded Hamo.
We'll see if the masses get rolled to April or Oct.
SQ - Ouch, sounds like a painful session with a hangover!!
TR - Nice MLR.
Cal - Nice hilly running.
I'm not convinced either by the Hansons method personally, however like everything what works for one won't work for all. They do include 20 milers in some of the plans, but only if that is (I think) around 30% of the weekly total, there reason is people run 40-50 weeks and that 20 miler will then be 40-50% of the weekly total. Like you said though, I've normally got tired legs on P&D!! I figure, while I wouldn't run a marathon off it, it was a good plan to try to maintain some fitness.
So today was 10 miles with 4 miles at MP (tempo) came out to 6:50/44/43/35. Really humid today, t-shirt was soaked after those 4 faster miles, looked like I'd gone for a swim by the time I got home :-)!!
AWC - good that you are still feeling the fitness improve.
The lack of volume as well as the short long runs is a Hanso issue for me, you could top out with a 16m ling run if you ran 16m 3 times a week as per Tommy Hughes (3 days in a row).
Lonfon update as expected, wise to keep it as Oct too. I'll defer Brighton to April.
10m here, last double digit until next weekend. Ive put a Goodwood entry in to prevent myself from slacking off too much.
Steve...It's a good plan to maintain fitness surely, and that's what running at the minute is all about. Nice MP/Tempo work, your smashing these every week.
AWC...Good to know, cheers for that, good info. Nice MLR, you have really adapted to the plan well. Yea i agree, having a race to target gives training a different feeling.
TR...You where right then, and i'm not surprised with the London announcement. It was coming in hindsight (esp after local lockdowns etc), shame but it'll be nice to get to see Kipchoge and Bekele battle it out. I have the Galway Marathon booked for the Saturday of the weekend London was meant to be, so no need to change the plan and will keep plugging away until (i want to say if but can't see it) it is cancelled. It's a smallish marathon with only 350 in for it last year, but is part of a "running weekend" with races from 5k up to 26.2 and the Irish government have a ban on any more than 200 meeting outside at the minute, and keep pushing back the entry into "phase 4" of their lockdown relaxations, so not in any way positive it'll happen but it'll keep me honest for a while yet if nothing else. Nice 10. Enjoy your cut back week, richly deserved
13M MLR this morning, ran more out of habit than want, but felt better as the run went on and averaged 6.41's for it so not bad at all.