Shades Marathon Training

SHADES

Good luck to all racing this weekend, hope it's not too windy.

GSR is on telly tomorrow morning C5 I think.


Am signing off for the day as I'm not feeling very well, had to walk a little bit at the end of my run as I just didn't feel right and now I feel slightly sick.   Had to cancel night out tonight with running club as definitely not up to eating a curry, or even thinking about it. 

Ian5

Good luck to all racing tomorrow.
First parkrun tourism for me today over in marple.It was a lot different than I'm used to,mainly over fields and flooded a lot so more like cross country,Flattish but tough with the terrain.finished in 21:57 and 13th out of 130,and it felt good so on a normal course I should be back to normal.My mate also done his first so happy for him as he enjoyed it so should do more.

steven renton

Shades- hope you feel better soon.

I feel bad to all who are suffering strong wind conditions. Up here in central Scotland not a breath of wind.

6 miles with 4 @M/P for me today which felt really good.

Big_G

Hi Emmy, fingers crossed it's not too warm for you.

Shades, bad news you're not feeling too great.

Ian, I stopped in Marple on the way up to the Lakes a few weeks ago.  There was a cracking little pub in town with great beer and food.  I was injured at the time so didn't do the parkrun, but did do a short run around that park, as I was staying in a B&B nearby on the Friday night.

I got to Abingdon fine, and I've got my bearings as I've seen where the start area is and I'm close to the pub for a meal, so just relaxing for the rest of the afternoon.  When I checked in, there were two separate runners here just before me, so the place is properly set up for the event.  As I got here, the owner offered me tea/coffee and a plate of biscuits  The thing is, the two runners I've spoken to so far are quite quick - one was hoping for about 2:50 and the other around 2:40.  When they asked me, I just mumbled 3:40...

Looking forward to it though, although it is really windy at the moment with a weather warning in the area.  The forecast does look a little better tomorrow though (no warnings anyway), but still not great with gusts of up to 38mph forecast.

Slowkoala

Oh no, Shades, I hope you’re feeling a bit better now. Good idea thanks miss the curry night.

Good luck to Emmy tomorrow and to Big G and Louey doing Abingdon. I really hope the wind eases up for you (all this wind talk reminds me of my Brighton half!). I hope you are over your bug, Louey.

Also, good luck to Steve in the GSR.

I went out for a curry last night with some friends, but didn’t drink so didn’t feel too bad for parkrun. I did a local one which has changed the course slightly recently. I think it may be a bit short but I ran 19:12, my fastest parkrun in a couple of years so not complaining

Louey

I've admitted defeat. Tomorrow is going to be my first DNS  As stubborn as I am, I would be totally bonkers to run. I've got wobbly legs and I still have stomach cramps.

BigG - the very best of luck - I'm sorry I won't be able to meet you but given the number of marathons you are doing, I guess I will at some point! 

Good luck to Emmy and Steve as well.

Shades - hope you get better soon. 

Slowkoala

Louey - bugger, but a DNS is better than a DNF. Get well soon. 

Big_G

Sorry to hear that Louey, but definitely the right decision!  Hopefully see you at another race at some point

I've been out for my meal and back at the B&B now.  Very nearly finished Steve Edwards' book, and it was a good read.  Our own Shades was mentioned in one of the sections, regarding a 10-in-10 event.

SHADES

Ian - that's a good time over a rough course, hope you didn't wear those nice new shoes 

Steven - you get your fair share of rough weather up there, just not this time 

Big G - hope the weather has improved for marathon running in Abingdon and you have a good run today.

Glad you've enjoyed the book.

SK - great parkrun time, the course can't have been that short.   You're running really well at the moment, when is your next race?

Louey - so sorry to hear you've decided to DNS, but definitely the right decision.   You can relax now and just focus on getting better.

Any chance you can find a marathon in the next couple of weeks to do instead?


Retired to my bed and then the sofa yesterday feeling poorly and today feel a lot better, not up to a run but on the mend 

Big_G

SK - I remember that Brighton Half of yours.  Didn't we come up with some helpful promotional slogans?  I.E., "Brighton, known as the 'windy city'", or something    Well done on the parkrun.  I'm not saying yours was short at all, but I wonder about some of the ones local to me.  The Torbay one I do regularly sometimes changes its route (yesterday was quite a different route to avoid a field with trees) and I do not know how accurately it's measured.  Great run by you though!

Shades, good news you're on the mend.

I've just had some brekkie and will leave the B&B probably around 8:30am.  I'm still not sure what pace to go out at!  

SHADES

Good luck Big G, just see how you feel once you get going.

Cal Jones

Oof, I've been visiting a friend this week and so many posts! So I'll just say, well done everyone, good luck everyone and feel better soon, Louie.
Not much to report - back and hip still aren't right (the back is also affecting my sleep). Got another massage booked for Wednesday though so I'll see what he says.
I think the TFL is starting to improve, though. I did a little stress test around the block just now - walking with a few jogs and a couple of strides (not very fast ones). It didn't grumble but I could feel it a little. That's better than last time when I couldn't run more than a couple of steps without it giving me merry hell. I will try some run/walks this week and maybe try to do a mile. Baby steps.

Ian5

Louey-Sorry you couldn't race but definitely the right decision.
Cal-Glad there's a bit of improvement there.
Hope it's gone well for Big G,Steve and Emmy.
Shades-Not chance I wore my new ones,my old mizuno got an appearance,glad my foot is feeling better now so going to go along to the club tomorrow.

Big_G

Hi all. A quick write up as I'm here in Bristol services, for what is fast becoming my customary post race KFC. 

I got to the race start just as the gun went off, as there were queues for the loos, but I suppose you could say it was perfect timing as I joined the middle of the pack and a few seconds later started running. 

It was blustery, unfortunately, but I was feeling pretty good so went out at around 8:30s, and went through the first half in 1:49. I was happy with this and knew if I could hold that or, whisper it, speed up I'd get a PB. 

This course is a bit odd as the guts of the race are basically 2x9-mile loops, and unfortunately the one approx 1-mile drag (done twice) was into a strong headwind. On the first time around I told myself to not get disheartened on the second loop. 

Unlike at Munich, at shortly after half way I just felt I was going as quickly as I could go and couldn't pick it up, but looking at my splits they were still around 8:30s mainly so I was happy enough, but I was starting to struggle to maintain that pace. 

At about 23/24 the wheels well and truly came off - I just felt really weak and was reduced to a walk, unfortunately.  I think even the marshals were a bit worried as they all asked me if I was ok - I did feel like I was swaying a bit.  I knew there was a lucozade station up ahead, and at that moment that's all I could think about. When I got there, I took the drink and it was really good at that point, and my spirits did pick up a bit. 

I knew a PB opportunity had gone, but I shuffled around the last couple of miles as best I could (10:01 and 9:20) and finished just under 3:49. It's not what I wanted really, but I have to remember it's my second quickest time, so I shouldn't be too disheartened. I overheard that a lot of people got PBs so the conditions couldn't have been that bad. Just not my day. Splits were roughly 1:49/2:00 so not ideal, but still I've had a lot worse!!

I got back to the B&B and the winner of the V60 category was there. It was his second ever marathon and he knocked 15mins off to get under 3:15. Great running. 

As for the course, I know it's picked as a quick course, but really it's not great. Narrow paths and pavements for a lot of it and it was doing my head in having to go up and down curbs and driveways. Really twisty in some parts too. Would I do it again?  Probably....

SHADES

Big G - well done, 2nd fastest time is a great run.   But the course is very dull and quite demoralising especially the 2nd time round when you could just do with something to mentally pick you up.   Maybe a bit more fuelling at 20 miles might get you over that blip in the latter miles, but you did well, your 2 fastest marathons in 3 weeks 

Cal - even baby steps is a very positive sign after the time you've had.

Ian - glad you didn't ruin those new shoes 

Good luck with joining your first running club tomorrow, don't be too competitive, it's only a week ago that you though you might have a broken metatarsal 

Big_G

Thanks Shades.  It's only when I got home and properly unpacked my bag that I realised that I only ate one of the SiS bars.  I definitely took one on the hour, and had planned on taking one on 2hr and 3hr, but it seems I forgot!  School boy error

Official results for the list show 3:48:44.

Cal Jones

Well done, Big G. D'you think not eating one of your bars was why you faded? Anyway, 2nd fastest time is still excellent.

Big_G

Cal, not sure really. I didn't feel hungry or anything. Shades mentioned to next time have something at 20 miles, and then I kind of remembered that I forgot to do that during the race...

mowzer

Shades - glad you're on the mend 

Louey - right call. You wouldn't have wanted to have got even worse when running the course. Take care and hope you feel better soon. 

Big G - well done for keeping with it. 2nd fastest time while not having a good final couple of miles is not too shabby 

Cal - don't be in too much of a hurry to get back to training. Make sure you are fully recovered, even if it takes a bit more time than you'd like.

17 mile walk out in the wilds of Essex today - and there were even some hills  . Still a very strong wind (usually a headwind) but otherwise decent weather. Nice day out 

SHADES

Big G -  If you are running along feeling fine it's easy to forget to take on fuel.

I prefer not to take on anything except electrolytes but I know I need something so I have set times to take on a few carbs and I often look at my watch and thing 'oh bu$$er, need to take on carbs again'

mowzer - how is your running training going, are you getting back into it now?


I had a lovely run this morning, felt really good, especially compared to Saturday's bad run and then wasn't very well.   Did 6 miles today and the faintest hint of a twinge in my hip flexor at the end so I won't be surprised if that causes me a bit of grief at Dublin on Sunday but we'll see.   Back to Yogalates this morning too 

Big_G

I had a little lie in this morning, and had brekkie and will go for a short recovery run in a bit.  I did the weekly report for the club last night and looked up the Abingdon results.  87 of the 751 finishers went sub-3, with the winner doing just under 2:30.  With my time I was 491st where at usual events with that type of time I'd be inside the top half of the field quite comfortably.  

I know they're totally different races, but I couldn't help do a bit of stats:
- Sub 3 at London - 1935/39504 = 4%
- Sub 3 at Abingdon - 87/751 = 11.5%

- 3:48:44 at London - 10217/39504 = 25.8%
- 3:48:44 (my time) at Abingdon - 491/751 = 65.3%

- Average time at London for 19752nd place = 4:26:35 (actually it's for 19750th as for some reason 19752 doesn't show up)
- Average time at Abingdon for 376th place = 3:34:12

Shows how quick Abingdon is!

Cal Jones

Or more like, Abingdon has a much higher percentage of club runners/serious runners, whereas London has a lot of charity and more casual runners. If London was a small race with less than 1000 people, I'm betting it would be just as fast if not faster.

Big_G

Cal, yes, they're totally different events/races  

SHADES

Big_G said:

I had a little lie in this morning, and had brekkie and will go for a short recovery run in a bit.  I did the weekly report for the club last night and looked up the Abingdon results.  87 of the 751 finishers went sub-3, with the winner doing just under 2:30.  With my time I was 491st where at usual events with that type of time I'd be inside the top half of the field quite comfortably.  

I know they're totally different races, but I couldn't help do a bit of stats:
- Sub 3 at London - 1935/39504 = 4%
- Sub 3 at Abingdon - 87/751 = 11.5%

- 3:48:44 at London - 10217/39504 = 25.8%
- 3:48:44 (my time) at Abingdon - 491/751 = 65.3%

- Average time at London for 19752nd place = 4:26:35 (actually it's for 19750th as for some reason 19752 doesn't show up)
- Average time at Abingdon for 376th place = 3:34:12

Shows how quick Abingdon is!

No, it shows how slow London is    Also a lot of faster runners don't race London, they run for charity, and /or in fancy dress.   Abingdon is targeted as a fast course for fast times, London isn't.   There's also 5 hour limit at Abingdon which reduces the number of entries from runners at the slower end, they will run another race rather than risk a DNF.   Abingdon is well organised but as you've now run the race you'll know it's not run because it's a scenic or pleasant course.   Abingdon is also 3 separate county championships and they are treated as a very serious competition so some top clubs will field their best runners for that alone.

I just looked at Chester 150 runners sub 3 there, 2587 finishers but last runner is sub 7 hours so that would attract a higher entry of slower runners.   Chester is a nice marathon route too, scenic.

I'm sure Cal is right, if there were only 1,000 runners in London it would be a very elitist race and I doubt there'd be anyone slower than 3:15

SHADES

Good to see they disqualified 3 runners for wearing headphones at Abingdon, 3 more pulled off as too slow and quite a lot of DNF's so some of them may have pulled up voluntarily knowing they wouldn't make the time

Big_G

Shades, yes, London is slow in comparison to Abingdon due to the types of runners it attracts - most definitely - but I think a lot of quicker runners still want to run London, and do well.  Chair still classes it has his favourite marathon, for example - in his view, it's the best feeling in running to go down the Mall knowing you're on for a PB.  Even Smokes ran a GFA time just so he could do London, and he was chuffed to bits with himself to qualify for it.  That may well be to do with our location - for Trotters, it's a full weekend away, whereas for those that live near/in London, it's a day out, so for Trotters it's even more of an event I guess.  Of course, London can manage the amount of quicker runners they attract, with the FGFA/GFA times.  I suppose there is an argument that London is unduly harsh on the faster runners (based on how few are there in terms of %), but they want more charity runners I'd imagine.  On the flip side, it could be argued that some of the GFA times are quite easy, but we won't get into that  

I wonder what percentage of runners take up their GFAs?  My guess is that it's quite high (just based on Trotters), but I do not know.

In summary, London and Abingdon are totally different races for many reasons.

As a matter of interest, Leiden was arguably more similar to London than Abingdon, certainly for sub-3s:
732 entrants.
20 sub 3.  3%
366th finish time.  4:04

I tried to do the same for Gloucester, but the results were split into men and ladies, and I couldn't be bothered to merge them.  I won't look at the likes of Enigma/Plym Trail as their entries are too small, but I'd imagine that the "average" time is pretty slow at those types of events.

I wonder if anyone has the stats like this for all marathons?  That would be quite interesting.

Regarding Abingdon results, yesterday when I checked there was a 5:40-ish finish time, but this morning that had been removed and I think the last person is now showing as 5:11.  They were pretty clear about no headphones, so I'm glad they removed those runners.  In places, it was busy with traffic, so dangerous to run with headphones.

NickW2

Louey - sorry you had to DNS, can't have been a nice decision but sounds like the right one. Hope you feel better soon.

Shades/Cal - glad you are both feeling a bit better

Big G - well done at Abingdon. I heard it was very windy!

My daughter has had a cold (her first!) since Wednesday, me and my wife both picked it up on Saturday so have felt a bit run down all weekend as due to the cold she's not slept as well as normal either. So decided not to bother trying to get out for a run yesterday evening. Am feeling a bit better now, though it's still hanging around a bit - hoping it buggers off soon.

SHADES

Big G - a lot of runners I know don't take up GFA times, sometimes they'll do it once but never again.   The weekend trip for the Torbay and Trotters is a great weekend away and I would think that's a big attraction plus all the talk about 'getting into London'.

The Gloucester results should be merged on RunBritain website.

I don't think you can compare marathons in this way, they're not like for like so the data is always flawed.  

Nick - that will be the first of many colds that your daughter kindly passes onto her loving parents 

SHADES

Big G - I might be lining up to run DMV this weekend after all!

My hotel in Dublin have just emailed and they've been flooded out and some of their rooms are damaged and won't be repaired in time.   They did find me another place to stay nearby but I've turned it down as it's an extra €69 a night and I'm not prepared to pay that much more.   At this late stage everywhere is asking high prices, cheapest I can find is £361 for the weekend but that's still £111 more than my original booking for 3 nights.   While I've been looking one hotel went up by €100 while I was on the website!   So I might be better off DNSing and using the money for another marathon away somewhere else.

Big_G

Ah, that's a shame Shades.  Dublin's one of your faves as well    Can you move the flight to another day/destination, or is that lost?

I think officially entries close today for DMV, but probably they'll get you in a bit later if needed, if you drop them an email to say what the issue is.