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Shades Marathon Training
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At the in-laws this weekend but planning another short buggy run, then home alone next week so hope to get a couple of decent runs in plus a couple of squash games.
For me, Plym Trail isn't a PB course. You may be stronger on the hills than me, but the nature of the course means that for me I won't get a PB there. It's not that it's hilly as such, but the outward section is downhill and the return section is uphill (each done twice) and it's hard to be consistent over the course.
Ian/Nick - MK can't be any worse that Abingdon...
Just come back from a 7-miler and felt okay. It's really sunny here, but quite cold in the shade/breeze.
It's a Trotters night out tonight (chaps only!) so I'm going along to that. I won't be getting drunk though as I need to catch a train back at around 10pm.
Its very interesting to read the weekly mileage you all do and the planned events you have coming up. It's really helping me get motivated to increase my mileage.
This week I've done my first mid week back to back training runs on Tue,Wed & Thurs nights.
Shades - I managed the mileage as per week one in the plan, but I am still working on slowing my pace down. At best I'm getting down to 9:10min/miles. 9:30 -10min/miles will take some practice. I just feel clunky at those paces, might be my long legs and big feet.
I've got Gosport Half lined up this Saturday and also now have both Portsmouth Coastal half's booked for December and February. I'll take it steady this weekend as I haven't really done any proper training this last 4 weeks, but I'll use it to bench mark my current fitness level pre-plan.
Really looking forward to getting into training
Big G-55 seems to be my most,I've tried to edge towards a couple of 60 mile weeks in my new plan but have to see how work goes for that
Nick-if you do MK,then hopefully I'll be closer to you than last time.
OTB-Good luck this weekend,I'm also tall and felt clumsy when I started at the slower paces,sounds daft but I ran like I was running on a cloud and the slower effort seemed to slow me down.
Nick - so home alone for a few days, you can catch up on that sleep.
Big G - the danger of running a marathon without a watch is that 90% of the time the runner will go off too fast, that's what the watch is for, it's not to keep a runner up to a certain pace but to slow them down. You might be better just checking your watch every 5 miles to see how you're doing.
Not often you see the phrases 'I won't be getting drunk' and 'Trotters night out' in the same sentence.
OTB - keep working at it, you've done well running on consecutive days and I assume that your legs aren't aching now as you've not mentioned it. Maybe you need to focus on practising to run in good form, I would guess that you are probably overstriding, it seems more common in those with long legs. Try and relax more when you run, you are training to get those heart and lungs up to the pace that your legs want to go. If you use music, stop using it for a while until you get your pacing right. Music often makes a runner speed up, often without realising it at the time.
Good luck at Gosport half tomorrow.
Ian- 19-20 degrees is OK if the humidity is low, don't they get a breeze there too?
That's a really good analogy 'running on a cloud'.
Had to take my 20 year old telly down the recycling centre this morning, either that or it would have had to come on a day out to Cornwall on Sunday with me. I put it in the car last Sunday and forgot about it.
I might try for a late place on the Sat or Sun if we're having warm weather for January.
Was talking briefly to Chair about marathons etc, and he laughed when I said I want to continue to do a few more events and get quicker as well....
I do still have this cold about me though so I'm hoping I'm going to be okay for tomorrow, and I'm just taking it easy today. I had planned to jog around parkrun this morning, but decided against it.
You'll just have to prove Chair wrong, after all that's exactly what you did this year, more marathons and big PB's
I've just been checking the forecast for tomorrow, I'd like it warmer than the predicted 7 to 10 degrees but next to no wind, which is amazing for that area and will be good conditions for that course. My best time on this course was 4:52 and this morning I accidentally found my splits for that race and I did 2:26 for the first half and 2:26 for the 2nd so I would assume that the 2nd half is slightly faster, there is a long flat stretch in the valley along by the river after we pass Jamaica Inn. The mile splits aren't even as there are some hills. I'll be a good bit slower tomorrow.
Hope you are OK for tomorrow, I'll bring the books but if you decide to stay home we can always arrange to sort that out another time.
I'm just settling down now with my flask of coffee, have an ARC Skype committee meeting in half an hour, odd time but that's as it follows our AGM in Bedford today.
Basically, up to 8-miles looks kind of manageable, 8 to 10 a struggle, 10 to 22 not too bad, and then two kicks in the final 4.
SK - I just do a basic strength/stretching routine involving push ups/plank/sit ups and squats plus stretching, the whole lot taking up 15/20 mins and I can now do it without thinking too much and have made it part of my daily routine. I must do it first thing when I get up or it just doesn't happen.
I have another bike (Well I only have one bike, the racing bike was actually OH's which I'd "borrowed"
Shades - I'd love to do DD - it's just the logistics of getting over there which defeat me. I can't take time off in school time unless it's exceptional and that would involve more than a weekend with flights etc. However 2019 is some time away so we'll see
That was an encouraging post about getting older and marathon times - food for thought. I'm sure if I was thinner and had a good INJURY FREE training period I could maybr shave a bit off my PB.
The bike repair bill is expensive but the racing bike was a very good one, if a bit old. We got it second hand as could no way afford that for a bike. Still waiting for news from insurance company.
Interesting discussion about training as well. Do you think doubles are as good as long runs then Shades or is it only when you're doing lots of marathons? I can't seem to find the time to do doubles - but I guess if you really want to do something you find the time. I like a long run distance of about 24k, any longer starts to feel like a drag so bumping up mileage by doing doubles seems like a good idea.
Still no running here. I think my hip is twingeing (have I spelt that right?) less but it is still there so I'm not chancing it. Really missing running though - lovely cold, fresh mornings here at the moment.
Anyway - best of luck to Shades and Big G tomorrow, hope you both have good races and also to OTB for your half - be interesting to see how you get on!
Shades/Big G-Good luck at Cornish,hope it goes well.
OTB-Good luck at Gosport,it will be nice for you to have a base number to work from.
Busy day at work today but managed a 10k after,nice and steady as I have my long run tomorrow.
I'm surprised Plym Trail comes out at 1800 but that's only as it's deceptive, it looks much easier.
mamafox - Good to hear your hip seems to be less painful. If you can walk pain free maybe a longer and slightly faster walk with the dogs will help it. Has Charlie recovered fully now?
Doubles aren't better than long runs, but they are a way of topping up the mileage and are less tiring than doing daily long runs and for a lot of folk easier to schedule into their day. Elite runners will run 2 or even 3 times a day, that is usually so they can do different sessions on the same day and keep their mileage high. When I looked back in my training diaries even if I wasn't doing my highest mileage if I managed to get some doubles in that's when I made the most improvement in my race times.
Yippee, will put you on the 2019 DD list and we can work out the logistics nearer the time. If you can get the time off work I'm sure we can arrange to pick you up at an airport somewhere. We're a year away from that discussion but I'm thrilled you'd like to do it.
I normally drive up and back to DD on the day, not far from me 21 miles, 40 minute drive each way but I feel that as prep for 2019 I need to do some research for the Shadies so I've booked accommodation for 2 nights and will go to the disco. Did we mention there was a disco after the race, it's good for the legs honest
I have stayed up at Princetown three times before for DD, the disco has been good, the recovery run the following morning a bit tough. Although I stayed in 3 different places, one bunkhouse and 2 different B & B's the experience was not good for various reasons so started driving to the race on the day.
Ian - that's a shame about your half marathon but you're experienced enough to know now how your training is going and you've now got your club sessions to help you assess your level of fitness too.
http://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/colin-mccourt-smashes-16-minutes-to-win-running-bet-in-style-70235
17 miles today,planned on doing it nice and easy as I've done a few miles this week,got to 4 and had to give way to a bloody boat,I've drove over this bridge for years and never had it raised on me but it was today so had to wait about 5 mins for it to pass,then got going again,got to 13 and felt good so thought I'd try a faster finish so done the next 4 miles at about 7.55 pace.I was hoping to do 18 but as I turned onto a hill I felt sore in my calf,probably nothing but not worth pushing for.
Shades - That's interesting re doubles. worth making an effort to try and plan a doubles day into my next training plan then.
Regarding 2019 DD have you already booked accommodation then?! I talked about it .. or rather TOLD Mr Fox about the race this morning and he's definitely up for coming over. I think if I tell work well in advance they should be ok - plus if I remember rightly it is around mid June which is almost the school holidays too so work a bit more laid back around that time. Just up to me to sort the finances out well in advance
I will need to book accommodation etc in advance so will be relying on you Devonshire Shadies for a bit of advice there
LOL at the disco after - a load of people hobbling around, I bet that's funny!
Ian - That boat was just meant to be.. you obviously needed a break! Those 5 minutes must have felt like forever though. Well done on getting that long run in - 17 miles is a good stretch. I'm trying not to think about all the long runs I've missed before next Sunday's marathon.
Edited to add that yes, thank you for asking Shades, Charlie has completely recovered from his greyhound encounter.
Unlike my bank account
Shades, really sorry I didn't manage to see you today. A few people said you were on the look out for me, and I was also on the look out for you, but our paths never crossed. Apologies for that. I'll pick up the books another time.
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Well, I did the Cornish Marathon, after all the umming and ahhing in the week. Don't know if it's just race day adrenalin or what, but I woke up feeling fine, so cracked on with my race prep.
It was pretty ideal conditions for me today - chilly but not too cold (for me), no wind, no rain and no sun, and it stayed that way all the race. I can imagine that conditions can be horrendous though, but it's a stunning route as Shades said.
I'm glad I had looked at the route elevation as I knew where to take it easy in the first half, as best as possible, as the worst of the hills were in the second half. I had my watch on but I wasn't looking at it for pace - splits were all over the place anyway, due to the route profile. But I got to half way in 1:58 which I was pretty happy with as it meant that a sub-4 was on, at least in theory!
I got to 15 miles and at this point I was picking loads of people off, as this was the prolonged down hill/flat section. I'd already passed a Trotter at 8-miles who always goes off too quick, and I didn't see him again, and then passed another at about 20 miles who ended up finishing around 30-mins behind me (although he may have picked up an injury - not sure). I knew there were two hills towards the end - one at 22 and one at 24 and I was really hanging on at this point. I wasn't really sure if I'd get under 4hrs as legs were hurting - A LOT!. With about 0.75 miles to go a marshal said "It's down hill to the finish now", but even that didn't fill me with confidence as the down hills were hurting as much as the uphills - but you don't feel you can walk the down hills, as it just feels wrong somehow!
Anyway, delighted with a 3:57:48 (watch time) and to get another sub-4. Again, I'd have happily taken that at the start of the day, and it's a reasonable race in terms of splits too (1:58/2:00).
Look at these for erratic splits! There's nothing you can do though - it's just the uphills/downhills, and in a way I just had to run to feel really. I walked the big hills, but ran when I could.
9:09, 8:43, 9:21, 8:04, 9:30, 9:12, 8:18, 8:44, 8:56, 10:34, 9:02, 8:37, 8:47, 8:53, 8:32, 8:16, 8:11, 9:17, 8:33, 8:16, 9:17, 8:33, 8:16, 8:23, 10:06, 10:23, 9:46, 9:56, 9:39
It's a beautiful course, really well organised by a good, local running club, hoodie, pasty, tea, fruit at the end, medal, showers, etc. £25 - really cannot complain.
Shades/OTB - hope you had good races too.
MF - that’s so frustrating re the bike. Is there no chance the lady who knocked you over would want to settle with cash rather than going through the insurance? Although I guess it’s maybe better for you to go through the official route. Hope you get the full cost of the bike back. I’m trying to be better re stretching, but it’s so boring! I need to do a reminder in my phone or something.
Pic of yours truly out on the course today.