London to Brighton 2004

[Deleted User]

Well, I'm up for L2B this year. I did it in 2002 in 9:13:54. I'd love to be able to do it in about 8 hours. My best time for a marathon to date (Cardiff, 2003) is 3:14:20. My plan for running L2B faster is: 1. gradually increase weekly milage to 100 by early September then start a steady taper. 2. Run the two Bridges race (August) at 8 min/mile pace and the same for the Robin Hood marathon as a training runs. 3. Eat early and often (I left it a bit late last time) in the L2B.

I found the main problem in 2002 was that I was OK up to mile 30 and then despite 9 min/mile pace I was still tired. But then my peak week was 85 miles at the end of the first week in September with the longest run of 35m. I'm hoping by peaking higher but earlier I may be fresher and fitter on the day. Last time I also only started on the rice pud at about mile 30 (I didn't feel like it before then and used energy gels up to that point). I'll start the rice pud at mile 15 this year. Actually, I'm only doing this race in an effort to get through the entire 'Muller Rice' range. Any other suggestions? Who else is up for it? I bet Tim Rainey will do it - what about it Tim?

[Deleted User]

have you entered?
i need to.... will be happy just to finish for now.

[Deleted User]

I haven't entered yet but I'll bung it in the post by the end of the week. I'm an RRC member and I'm sure early entries will help to ensure the races future.

[Deleted User]

i need to do a string of entries for the rest of my year.... and this has long been on the plan

you're welcome to join me (and possibly tim?) for the coventry way in september (40miles off road), although you may be a little quicker.

[Deleted User]

I don't know the Coventry Way. I'm up for it if its early September then that can be my longest and last very long run before tapering. Any details?

[Deleted User]

Looking again at my diary, I'm planning to do the 2 Bridges race (35m) on the 28 Aug. Then the following week put in plenty of miles but at an easy pace (104 in total) before starting a 4 week taper which will include the Robin Hood Marathon on 12/9/04 run at 8 min/mile pace. Then a final 3 week taper as for any marathon.

I suppose I might be overdoing it in the week after 2 Bridges but I wont hesitate to cut back if I feel tired or sore. I also don't plan to go for any records at 2 Bridges and use it as my longest training run at my proposed L2B pace - i.e. 8 1/2 min/mile pace.

Monique

Hello Ian, what is the date ofL2B this year?

[Deleted User]

Ahhh, Monique, Battenburg of my life, how are you?

Its the 3rd Oct this year. Entries are available on http://www.roadrunnersclub.org.uk/

Have you done your triathlon yet? I'm now over the cold that held me back on the pre-potts 20 and hoping for a good one this Sunday at the Potteries Marathon (Sorry! Afford Rent-a-Car Stoke-on-Trent City Marathon (doesn't exactly trip off the tongue does it?))

Will you be joining me then?

Monique

Oh I am fine- my car on the other hand (see thread in general)is not. Not done the triathlon, that is 4th July.

Soooo was thinking of the next big thing to keep me motivated fo beyond Austria. I had decided to train for a fast 10k and go into the x country better prepared, but this is tempting. Wonder how fit the IM training would make me as a base for this.

I really enjpoyed Pre Potts, boosted my confidence no end, as did the coast to coast bike we did on sunday.

[Deleted User]

Pah! Like you need to be kept motivated!? The IM training would be a great base. Hillary Walker has a L2B training plan on the RRC website (see above). Last time I found that training for L2B paid off in faster times at other distances too both before and after, although as I reached my peak milage I did get rather tired. But so long as one isn't a slave to it and afraid to take a day off or an easy week I found it good fun (if that's the right word - I suppose it is for a Masochist).

[Deleted User]

Sorry Ian, not doing it this year.
Your pace was good last year, more strength on hills needed I think.
I'd prepared for that and (despite 3 previous goes) completely neglected the downhills so I'd really recommend downhill training too.
hopefully see you at Potts on Sunday

[Deleted User]

website is here ian.
weekend before nottingham i think.

[Deleted User]

A Coventry Way looks really good. I may do it. Its the same day as the Wolverhampton marathon/half but it looks much nicer and better ultra training. I'll see how the training pans out by August.

I had a poor run in the Potteries (3:26) because (I think) I'd done Man v. Horse the week before (3:08) and hadn't really recovered. My ham-strings are giving me jip at the moment...

Tim is right of course, I'm not good on hills and I'll work on that.

[Deleted User]

good work ian.
well i got my sub-4 at potteries so i'm happy.
can apply for L2B now, will be taking it easy through july before cranking it up again.

Bouncing Barlist

I considering doing L2B but not sure if I have the distance in me but am prepared to give it a go.

What sort of distances do I need to be running each week (is 60-70 miles a week enough?), would a typical training week look something like this?

Mon – Rest Day or 6 miles easy/recovery
Tue – 6 miles intervals/speed reps (lunchtime), 10 miles easy (pm)
Wed – 7.5 miles steady (lunchtime), 1 hr swim (pm)
Thur – 15 miles easy
Fri – 1 hr swim (lunchtime), 10 miles steady (pm)
Sat – 50 miles bike
Sun – 20 miles easy

As some may know im currently training for an Ironman which is in 3 weeks so already have a good(ish) endurance base, over the last 3 months ive been putting in about 25-40 miles a week (total training time inc bike & swim has averaged about 13 hours). Most weeks my long run has been 13 miles+ and ive done a few 18’s and 20’s. I am fairly slow and it takes me about 3hr15min to do 20 miles.

[Deleted User]

Looks ok to me, anyway that's about what I'd take do 20 miles. It would be worth doing a few marathons not flat out, as part of training. Its a good way to get some longer runs in.

[Deleted User]

Looks pretty fair to me too. When I last did L2B I had a peak week of about 85 miles and I followed Hilary Walker's training programme on the Road Runners Club website. However, my only aim was to finish inside the 9:50 cut off time. This time I want to aim for about 8 hours and so I'm planning to take my up milage about to about 100+ miles. Although, having read the Mike Gratton training tips, even that probably isn't a lot for racing an ultra.

I think the long run can be done at a nice easy pace - after all you have to recover from it. My longest single run prior to L2B was 35 miles about 4 weeks before the big day. I then tapered down.

I'm also taking Tim's advice too. I'll be doing Nottingham but going for 8 min/mile and I'll also do the 2 Briges 35 miler but at 9 min/mile.

Dubai Dave

Carls schedule looks OK to me, not sure that high mileage training is that necessary for Ultra running if your aim is simply to finish within the cut off time. I ran Comrades last week on a peak week of 60 miles and nothing over 45 miles in the last two months (also no run over 14 miles in those two months), I ran conservatively and finished in 10 hours 08 minutes. Two club mates of roughly equal ability also ran having followed the full Comrades training schedule including the 40 mile training runs and finished 40 minutes behind me... So reach your own conclusions. However I beleive that you do require a good solid base (I have averaged 40 -45 miles per week for three years) and that after 30 miles most of ultra racing is a mental battle rather than simply physical.

[Deleted User]

i have the entry form...
no major ambitions on time other than the cutoffs.
aiming to peak around 100miles for a couple of weeks end of august start of september.

rarely acheive my target weekly mileage! but sounds like a good aim.

[Deleted User]

Dave is right about the psychological aspect although I'm sure that some people need more training than others, if only for the confidence. One thing I did notice was that I used to do about 50 miles a week and when I started training for L2B I improved at all other distances too. I just hope it happens again.

I found that on the actual day the hardest part was at 30 miles when despite the modest pace I was still tired and had only the consolation of 'oh well, only 24 to go!' But by the time you get to 40 miles the pain doesn't get any worse and you can see Ditchling Beacon and you know you'll make it. After 30 miles I had to walk from time to time and its that I want to avoid this time, although I expect to have to walk up Ditchling, which comes at about mile 47.

[Deleted User]

mmm well i'm just about to enter the 50mile challenge in kent in july which should be a good benchmark for me!

Jj

eddum?

are we going to be calling you Duracell now?

[Deleted User]

it was shades' fault.. she called me an ultra bunny (see 50mile challenge thread in events).

i felt like a change and it was that or batfink. dont count out the return of fry though.

and you can still ruffle the ears can't you?

Jj

erm...


but I'm a leopard.



and now you're...






























prey.

[Deleted User]

*gulp*

yeh but i'm an ultra bunny

Jj

oh

ok


[ruffle] [ruffle][ruffle] [ruffle][ruffle]
[ruffle][ruffle][ruffle][ruffle][ruffle][ruffle] [ruffle][ruffle][ruffle][ruffle][ruffle]



I can do this for hours, you know...

[Deleted User]

He'll loose you in the hills I expect!

Jj

No - his back leg's going up and down on its own, look.

[Deleted User]

Our rabbit does that too.
That's no way to get up a hill.

[Deleted User]

But you should see what it does when you comb its tummy.

Jj

[stops ruffling, just in case]