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Hail Hail
Well done TJK, nicely summed up.
Meant to wish the LeJoggers all the best yesterday but forgot. Day 2 and its still easy apparently.
nice one TJK and again, great to meet you in Barcelona - you were a real inspiration on that hill.
Got a new Garmin device today - a Garmin Dakota 20. Screen big enough to be able to follow a pre-defined route on a scrolling OS 1:50,000 map. Using it for Green Belt Relay course-marking (although obviously if everyone had one we wouldn't need to mark it at all).
Find it bafflingly carp to set up - there must surely be a cleverer way of loading a gpx file than just hacking it by Windows Explorer to a likely-looking folder, and the instructions just assume you know what "POIs, waymarkers, geocaches, routes and tracks" are. Still, once I figured it out it worked a treat, even if I'm still not clear why my courses are "tracks" and not "routes". And the fact that it takes standard AA batteries is good.
Not sure if you can just carry it on a run and then extract your route (or perhaps track) afterwards; must be possible but even the detailed instructions don't tell you.
Went out for TEN whole miles today, with minimal complaint from the calf. Probably looked daft with one compression sock on, but had bags of energy and needed iron discipline not to accelerate and risk any damage. There's nothing like a bit of a lay off to make you appreciate being able to get out there. Sun shining, kayakers on the Thames, Richmond Park looking fine......things finally looking up.
Even had a nice touch at Sandown yesterday. Was having difficulty backing this nag on my iPhone. Kept trying thinking it wasn't working. Found out eventually that I'd accidentally backed it four times.....and it romped home at 9/1!!!!!
TJK - nice report. Remember you telling me your target on Las Ramblas in March last year. A good job well executed.
Hail Hail
Tmap - not familiar with the Dakota model, but with my 310xt, I can design routes on BikeHike, and them export them onto my 310 as a tcx file. You can also import a gpx file onto BikeHike, and then export as a tcx. Its a bit of a faff, but once you get the hang of it, its quite easy. Hope this works on your new toy.
Hail Hail
Jammy bastid!
Hilly - Think a lot of those "old school" marathon runners seemed to train that way, Gratton, Hill, Adcocks, Steve Jones etc. Next race for me is Langtoft 10k on Sunday. Have also entered Woodhall Spa 10k and Redcar 1/2M. How about you and BR? What's on the racing schedule? Nice 10 miler. Not sure if any of the trouble you describe is down to a tight piriformis, but I find the stretch illustrated in Fig 20 helps me when I have trouble with my piriforms.
Coro - I reckon you did well in your match-up against Mutai, Trafeh decided to go out with him and didn't make it much past halfway. Seriously though, think you and CW are right on the money regarding one of the great aspects of our sport being able to line-up with the best in the world. Helluva 10 mile training run mate.
TJK - quality performance in London. Very well raced mate.
Another beautiful day here. Very pleasant easy paced 10 miler at lunchtime. Intending to woof some easter eggs a bit later.
TJK super race report and many congratulations! Fantastic.
Back in training and legs feel great. Will take the mileage up pretty steeply this week and a 10k race a week today.
Just to throw some further grist into the mill re. JH1 and -ve splits, according to P&D (pages 124-125) because during the marathon our bodies gradually switch to fast twitch A fibres which are marginally less efficient than slow twitch fibres, the most economical way of running a marathon is to do around a 2 to 3% positive split. In other words, we should stop making negative splits the holy grail, because it's actually a sign that you could have run the marathon quicker. The best way, say P&D, is to allow for a very slight drift second half and thus if you were running a 2:39 marathon to do between 1:18-1:19 first half, and 1:20-1:21 second half. If you try to run an exactly even split, or a negative split, it means you either could have run the first half quicker or that you will be having to over-compensate second half increasing your oxygen consumption detrimentally ... or both.
Dunno. But I do know that despite my overly quick start my pacing thereafter felt not far off a perfect race on the day: splits were 1:23:26 / 1:26:42 Once I'd settled down after backing off the Marders train I felt sweet. Think I might continue with this sort of strategy in future.
Problem is though, P&D are talking about getting the best time you're capable of on any given day. You only find that out at the end of the race (or have some idea of it), but it's unlikely to be the same as your target time, so that 1:18 first half could be followed by anything from 1:17 to 1:3X or worse. Given that most targets tend to be overambitious (the eyes engine thing) going too quickly in the first half compared with average target pace is more likely to end in blowing up. So aiming to hit your target time at even pace is the more sensible strategy, IMO of course.
For what it's worth (which isn't much, given I'm a sample of 1) my pb was off a 40s negative split. Two VLMs since have both been around 30 s slower, off 2 min & 4 min +ve splits. So 3 near identical times, 3 very different 'strategies' and apart from the course & my shoes being the same, lots of other variables. As I said, not terribly useful information realy. I reckon the first two were pretty much the quickest I could have done on the day, the recent one I could probably have been a bit quicker with a more conservative first half, but only by maybe a minute at best.
Parkrun yesterday, which was a bit of a struggle but not too bad considering. Then today I jumped on the biking bandwagon, 112 miles around the Thames Valley & Chilterns, followed by a 6 mile run which was sedate to say the least but a good session. Roll on the swash!
Hilly - Have you tried a physio? Most of the work to solve my sciatica problems is done on my upper spine because that's where my problems originate. If I do the stretching then I can usually keep it in check. Have barely stretched since London though and my left leg isn't doing what it's told at the moment.
Mr.B - Very interesting heart rate data. Wonder if the fact that you were full of nervous energy in the lead up to and in particular on the morning of London might have contributed? I was only ever around you for one other race (Bath) but the difference in your demeanour was remarkable. Also, as others noted earlier you may have made the final decision on the 2:45 chase but plenty (including myself in person) were encouraging you. Worth keeping in mind when you're thinking about targets in the future.
Just a little bit of cycling at the moment for me. Thought I had put the London experience to bed but found myself repeating my half splits at about 3am last night as I was trying to persuade the youngest to go to sleep so I guess it's got me a bit more frustrated than I thought! Planning to cycle for a week or two and start stretching and core again with a view to starting running again as soon as I've brought the length of my right calf muscle back to normal. Hopes that having a bad day where I didn't push (because I realised so early on that it wasn't going well) at London would result in a faster recovery were dashed by the state of my thighs which insisted on telling me that I had in fact run a marathon as fast as I possibly could have.
Thinking about targeting a 10k and half for the autumn and/or following that Hadd plan over the summer. Also wondering about P&D's book on shorter distances - anyone got it or have an opinion on it?
For those who have followed the Hadd plan. Is there an optimal time frame for following it or is it a case of the longer the better?
CD - Nice biking miles there. Just happens to be IM distance. Was that planned? Must have been a bit tired with the run after.
So that must be you TR and MTR at the Swash. I predict TR coming out the swim first then things might change.
Just back from 1st proper run since VLM and 7m came out at 6.33 pace (not planned that fast) dodging all the families and dogs on the canal. Lovely afternoon to be out there.
TR will certainly beat me on the swim, but after that who knows? Looking forward to it.
Just got back from a few days of enforced (by the SPO) zero's on the IoW, which should get the fires burning burning for 3 weeks of smacking the carp out of it ready for the Swash. 3 zero's is more than I've had in the rest of the year though ! But I wasnt really up for it after VLM last yr, but I didnt have to dig so deep this yr mentholly or physically, so I'm hoping to do better at the Swash.
looks like I'm a bit behind on bike miles too, lots of folks are at it - good job there's another bank holiday next weekend.
DanA - most pleasing to see you back at it.
MrB - dont beat yourself up too much you waged a great campaign, maybe just start a bit later next time and relax a bit more before the off.
Tom - I liked your idea of lots of miles all yr round, and then a 8 to 10 week build up, I just have to to the lots of miles all yr round now. I'm sure that Dids hit the nail on the noggin anyway, high mileage results in improved marathon perfromance, well I never !
JH1 - MtR is doing the Sept 1/2IM, I cant tell you whod the 3rd person is, cos he'll get the hump ! CD beat me out of the swim last yr, but I dodnt intend starting behind practically the entire field this time.
I'd recommend the latest edition of the Daniels "Running Formula" which is extremely well regarded by almost everyone. I've only got the first edition, and he has refined his views on some his ideas since then.
A book I really like, but hardly anyone else does (how's that for a recommendation!) is "The Cutting Edge Runner" by Matt Fitzgerald. It's a bit similar to the P&D book and Greg MacMillan's website in that all their stuff is based on Daniels' ideas.
Of course there's always Lydiards stuff, much beloved of the 1970-80 competitive club runners, but if you really want to make your hair stand on end either Google Frank Horwill or go onto the Serpie's site and read some of his training articles there.
Biking for me today as well. A pretty hilly Sportive round Essex. 70 miles in 3:36. Set off about 15 mins after most people Almost nobody passed me all day (except for one club pack early doors) but I was passing people all day -especially on the hills. Very happy with a 19.5mph average especially as the second half was faster and I destroyed the remnants of the club pack on the last big climb.
Less happy to puncture a tyre on the car on the way there. Once I'd finished the bike I had to change the wheel. That'll be the best part of £100 to sort out.
I do the high(ish) miles all year round. Not had more than a few days off in 5 years. No more than 2 days off ever for illness or injury and a week off for Glastonbury each year.
Planning on being in Bristol this weekend. Thinking about doing the Bristol parkrun if it's started properly yet.
hi y'all..... been a bit quiet on here, i guess combo of easter hols and post marathon resting! nice to see the usual suspects continuing onwards, and the benchees Joolska and DanA on road to recovery. Can't believe (well i can - freak!
and great photo) the Coro post marathon running, and nice racing by some on surely tired marathon legs, Brilly springs to mind.
i was away for family stuff up in the kingdom of Fife since Thurs avo, back tonight. very nice it was, half sisters wedding up near St Andrews. Lots of fun, lots of food and booze, but have picked up a bit of a bad cold so quite under the weather now. i did take my kit, and although no window for a long run, managed a 6.5, a 2.5 and a 12. rest day and travel day back today, but it made for approx 50+ week i think so going OK. hope to still train through this pesky cough and cold and get some decent miles in this next long weekend. doing the regents park 10km as well, so that will tell me a bit about where i am i guess (no tapering though of course, just a nads a kimbo training run!).
So rather than add him to a list I'll as good as do so. Yeah that's significantly different isn't it?
As you were.
Dan A - great that you're up to 10 miles again. And a very nice iPhone cock-up
RW-H - thanks for the info re your week's schedule. I'm not sure why you couldn't PM me. Under 'My Profile' I have a setting 'Message Me' which is checked. I did get a message from someone else a few weeks ago. But I might be missing the point - I'm having a bad few days with technology as it happens. I turned up to 'help' at the local parkrun after a very heavy Friday night and was entrusted with the scanner, which worked fine when it was being explained to me but somehow had stopped working by the time I needed to use it
Having posted here on Friday that I was going to rest until Sunday I couldn't resist the fantastic weather and was out running a few hours later. 7, 10, 9 and 0 so far. Legs a bit tired again today so had a rest day.
Going to go for some long overdue PBs over the next few months. I'm looking for a flat, fast and accurately measured 5 miler and half marathon in May, June or July. Preferably within 50 miles of London, but not necessarily. And I'm just discovering that the event list on this site seems to have quite a few events missing. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be interested.
I didnt mention any names and I make a lot of folks grumpy on here. JH1 there places for the Swash going spare on TT.....you know you want to...........
Selbs - keep plugging away
might have to see if my feet will take a trainer again soon........anyway off to Bedski, big day tomorrow, U11s first match of the season, need to keep up my good record as team manager (co-manager this year though).
Clearly: Not looking for further excuses and it's the same for everyone but I don't think we chilled out enough on the Saturday. We didn't really rest even when we got back to the hotel after going to the Expo; it seemed like we were only there for few minutes before we were off travelling across London again to get to Greenwich. An afternoon nap would have been a good idea....did you locate your sunglasses? I'd agree with what the others have said about the P&D book. I've got a copy you can borrow if you'd like, the next time our paths cross.
TR: I've stopped beating myself up now and I'm just thinking about Abingdon plans. Think I'll follow the same schedule but just be more relaxed about missing or reordering the odd session to fit in with family commitments through the summer....co-manager this season; that may give you a bit more breathing space re. 'Me-time'. Goodluck for the lads today.
Did a sub 62 for a rolling 25 yesterday and was slowed by those happy car driving people. Nearly hit the back of one vehicle it pulled out so slowly. Rach went sub 61 !!!!
10.5 miles of running for me @7.35 pace just to keep the engine working.
EDIT: Its clearly on VLM site.
Saw a pretty sorry sight as I was changing my car wheel after my event. A rider came in to the finish and didn't pay enough attention to where the route left the road. He smacked into the back of a car = one carbon fibre frame snapped in two.
TR: Yep, on the Planet X. Very nice it was too - although something's rattling somewhere. Only problem I had was a pair of broken sunnies, (patched up with black tape). Kept getting smeared with sweat and suncream rendering me near-blind on one occasion. Only el cheapo ones from a street market in France last summer - now binned.
Very happy with the biking - it's been about 15 years since I did any organised event - good to know the 25,000 miles of commuting since then has kept my legs in shape.
Jools: I may see you there for the parkrun.