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Nice cycling Padams (insofar as I know about these things!).
OS: I had a 305 and now have a 405. The satellite reception on the 405 seems slightly better but I am not overly enamoured of the bezel. It's a pain in wet weather as you have to lock it, or it just seems to scroll at will. If I wasn't so tiny, I would go back to the 305, but the size of the unit is annoying for me. Unless you are a skinny 5'2" lesser spotted this is unlikely to be an issue! I rarely use any of the 'souped up' features on either, so frankly could probably downgrade to one of the entry-level models.
Great stuff MtR, glad it went well.
Your training is going well Jools.
OS -- at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, I hugely value the map screen available on the 205, 305 (which I have) and 310XT but woefully absent from all the others AFAIK (but check the downloadable user manuals). On holiday I've used pre-plotted routes (done on www.bikehike.co.uk) almost every day for runs, family walks and cycle outings, allowing me to progress without pausing in totally unfamiliar places, and I've similarly avoided wrong turns on poorly-marshalled races by having the pre-plotted route literally up my sleeve. Even without a pre-plotted route, having the wiggly line of where you've been (in 'north up' mode) and an OS map to correlate with it is a good way of navigating quickly while running somewhere new.
My wrists are probably of Jools' proportions and I found the rigid curve of the 405/410 etc totally uncomfortable when I tried one on -- it was just too big. The 310XT felt lovely. My 305 is OK having followed someone's tip of wearing it on the inside of my wrist, where it sits quite nicely, though it bashes around uncomortably if I wear it while cycling on bumpy roads.
If I ever do the Bob Graham Round for real I'd splash out on a 310XT (for extended battery life). Only negative I've heard there concerned problems with the strap breaking.
Edit: oh, and I've done some running. 12M with 4x2M efforts a couple of days ago, and 10M @ 6:45/M this morning (intended to go faster but my calves were stiff from the previous session), bearing autumn half marathons in mind. I've only done one fell run so far (ascent/descent of Snowdon) but should do the more challenging 'horseshoe' route there in a day or two. (If any tea-leaves are reading, the in-laws are in residence at home...)
Another quite heavy week for me (my third successive week over 70m, which for a newbie has been totally exhausting) - have been on holiday from work, which meant I could get sufficient rest but I have to say I'm looking forward to the taper starting in 2 weeks...Coming week should be a bit of a cutback before the final heavy week and then the taper. God knows how you all do this regularly. I suspect Berlin will be a bit of a one-off (though I said that about my HM in June!). Still, I'm going to be sensible now and follow your advice to get to the starting line uninjured...
Thanks TR, Padams, Murph1, MTriton and Philip for the reassurance on MP runs. I added in a MP section on my MLR this week and will do next week too. Also, the P+D plan I'm following (I've now merged with the final 6 weeks of the 18/70, though have pushed a bit harder on the long runs) called for a LR of 18 w/ 14 @ MP this week, which I'd been dreading. It was tough at first to get my legs going but I ended up clicking into it and (in my usual slightly foolish first timer desire to reassure myself it's all possible) ended up pushing a bit further for a total of 20m in 2:22 w/ just over 16m in the middle @ an average of 6:47.
M - 10m total with 6 x 1k at 3:23, 3:21, 3:23, 3:22, 3:32 and 3:28 (first VO2max training - last 2 intervals were pretty tough and I was totally wiped out for the rest of the day - I take it this is usual? I hope so anyway)
T - 16m MLR in 2:03 (last 1m v slow recovery, overall average 7:42 - felt like a tough run, perhaps residual tiredness from the intervals on Monday)
W - 5m recovery (am) / 4m recovery (pm)
T - 12m MLR in 1:30 w/ 4.3 @ "MP" (6:43 average) - following from your suggestions to get some more MP into the runs.
F - day off (much needed!)
S - 20m in 2:23 w/ just over 16 @ MP (6:47 average)
S - 5 m recovery
TOTAL 72m
I'm trusting you all that MP will feel a lot easier after tapering but the idea of 10 miles more after the 16 I did fills me with a bit of dread and raises a couple more questions on MP:
1. How long do you generally find it takes for you to plug into MP at the start of a race? I anticipate that Berlin will be pretty crowded at the start (though I'm down to start with a 3:00 target). Is it worth trying to catch up any lost time over the first couple of miles? I find in my long runs it generally takes a couple of miles for my legs to wake up too (despite stretching beforehand).
2. Do you reckon it's worth following TR and going out at 6:40 to bank some time or just playing it safe and going for 6:50 splits (i.e. 3:00 target)?
Dan A - thanks for the tip off about the park runs. Might try one next weekend as my schedule calls for a tune-up race, though in your experience would racing 5k really be as beneficial as going all out and pushing myself in a 10k time trial (I've abandoned idea of doing a HM time trial - I imagine that following 2 months' heavy training I could improve on my sole HM time of 1:25:45 but I'll leave it till after my marathon...).
OS - I have a Garmin 110, which I bought as I didn't think I needed any of the more complicated features. Very easy to use, reliable, no problems at all. I don't know whether you want a screen that can be customised more but it's served me well and isn't too bulky at all.
Thanks all for your support once again...
Lev
Good week's training, Lev. I think if you can do the 1k reps and 2 MP sessions in a 72M week, you will be fine. I would start at 6.45s as there is a risk that you will slow in the second half (simply because you're very new to running and so, even though your mileage has been quite high, you probably don't have the years of endurance in your legs to really push through). However, if you start much faster, there's a risk you'll pay for it in the end. And final caveat is that if you lose a minute or so in the first few miles, don't panic, and make up any lost time very gradually!
17M for me today to bring up 60M for the week. Still very steady on the long run (8.24s today) although this wasn't a flat route today. Also pleased that Friday, Saturday and Sunday totalled 41.5M, which is good for Running Home for Christmas
Edited to correct weekly mileage total...
Lev - you are killing it Dude ! you did 16 av 6:47 in a 22 in training!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You shouldnt be able to get anywhere near 16M at MP in training ! You are easily capable of 6:40s on race day and probably more like 6:30s or better....................I did a 20M build up race in March with 15 av 6:45, 4 av 6:30 and then 1 @6:15 which was a controlled effort and then went on to hold ~6:30s all they way to 23M (and then got cramp)at VLM.
On race day you hold back for a few miles to make sure that you dont start off too fast and MP feels like fast jogging.
Good miles there Jools
I'd agree with Dan A that parkruns are a good unpressured way to get some sharpening done, although I should perhaps mention that IIRC it was a parkrun which put paid to Dan's London Marathon hopes this year...
Personally I'd say 6.50 all the way if your target is sub-3. As TR says, you are probably capable of better, but I think sub-3 is a logical target. Actually I'd be aiming for say 10 secs per mile slower on the first mile or so to avoid going off too fast. But yes there is the issue of congestion. Do not make the dreadful mistake I made in my first marathon (Berlin 2008) of jumping on and off pavements, weaving left and right, etc to get through the crowds. Don't waste any energy in the early part of the race. You will want it later on. Is Home Run around? I think he ran 2:50-ish at VLM this year from the mass start and might have some tips. As Joolska says, you should be looking to make up any lost time evenly over the rest of the race.
Nice session yesterday Gobi.
Nice miles Joolska.
So thanks to the wise advice on here I missed the 10k yesterday. One of my favourite races of the year, oh well, big picture and all that... I hit on a compromise, I offered to pace a friend who was going for sub 19 at the local parkrun. But I woke on Saturday feeling slightly creaky and so didn't do that either - which was just as well since she ended up easily under 19 mins which was a bit faster than I wanted! Instead I did 8 miles easy yesterday and 16 miles easy today, making 41 miles for the cutback week. The good news though is that for the first time in a couple of months I can sneeze without a sharp pain in my lower abdomen (much milder now), and I can do the plank pain free. Fingers very much crossed. Still not right but it's the first time I've been able to pinpoint a definite improvement. I did chuck in one 6.25 mile during the week with no apparent ill effects.
My goodness that hurt and in a very different way to my 1,500m track race on Wednesday.
Stating at 7pm by the Humber Bridge was the inaugral 'Hell on the Humber'. This is a 12 hour race through the night that goes backwards and forwards on the Humber Bridge with a particularly steep bit at one end and no flat bits. I was a little nervous as the only ultra races I have done have been 30m trail and 40m canal/trail. 12 hours on tarmac is very different.
However, all went well. The first marathon was done in about 3.40. The second marathon in about 4.10. I didn't quite get to complete a third marathon topping out at 76m in 11hrs 56. This was good enough for second place, the winner also managing 76m but stopping the clock 6 or 7 minutes before me. Third place was a Serpie woman with 70m.
My legs are mess, my feet are swollen, my right achilles tendon hurts, chaffing is rife and my toes are hiding amongst blisters. I have had no sleep and must have burnt an incredible 8,000 - 9,000 kCals. What an experience. Ultras can be tough! I actually started to feel positive at 4am when I realised I only had 3 hours left! JH1 / JAP - I think I may not make track on Tuesday . . . .
FR - good for you, I'm proud of you. being pain free was worth the sacrifice in itself, but if you go on the bag a decent marathon then you get to reap your rewards for the common sense.
Mt - madness, well done. My feet get like that after VLM, but then that is an Ultra to me
No training to report day, did some life balancing jobs around the house that had been brewing up, finished the refurb of the rabbit hutch (ready for my little lad to get some new ones) and got the camping gear sorted ready for a bit of camping it up in the New Forest this week, so more zero's will be carded. But its time to give a bit back this week.
MT - Well done , a massive effort there. Unfortunately you are not selling ultra running to me. Blistered feet, knackered, sore achilles and being a mess. Have a beerio tonight. Don't you fancy 400 repeats on Tuesday then.
Lev - Your schedule looks very committed and I would look at that and think someone was looking closer to 2.45. A solid 6.40 pace should see you right on marathon day, with the pace your already used to.
TR - Wellington did a 70.3 race today and came 6th Overall! With the fastest run, men included......
MT - I am super impressed. The bridge is just a few miles from my house and I was going to go over to see how many people were mad enough to have a go but in the end I could not be arsed. I ran across it twice during the humber half a couple of months ago and that was enough for me.
I ran 18 today with WTGY and another bloke from our club. It was supposed to be 20 but I had to bail out early due to stomach cramps. I am not sure whats causing them but think it might be my iron tablets. Still managed to hit 120 for the week and am feeling quite well on it although when school starts in a couple of weeks time I will have to cut back.
Seeing as Jamesito mentioned me, I thought I should delurk briefly to say hello...
On the Garmin front, I swear by my 310 (and Garmin's customer service is very good if you need to get a replacement for a unit you've totalled on some big pointy rocks). It's relatively pricey, but brilliant and the long battery life means you only need to charge it less than once a week even on big weeks.
MT: that sounds like a great performance at a brutal event.
Morning all.
MTR excellent effort on the tri, sounds like you are in good shape.
Lev, 16 miles at MP is v impressive indeed, if you can do that on tired legs in training it really bodes well for Berlin.
Joolska, nice miles, building a good base.
FR, excellent disipline, good to hear niggles are clearing
MT - hats off, that is some performance.
I have the Garmin 310XT and have no complaints.
21 slow and painful miles for me yesterday brought up 60 for the week. Was pleased to get it done as heavy day at the cricket on Saturday finishing with a late curry wasn't the ideal preparation. Not often I feel better at the end of a 20 mile run than I did at the start.
Hopefully the views on my ultra at the weekend are slightly better than those afforded to Hull (although I'm sure the vista of Jamesito's house is lovely). Nice mileage btw.
MT- great effort in your tri. I've been watching a fair bit on the telly. Almost inspires me to buy a bike. My wetsuit is still untouched by water since I bought it 16 months ago.
Gobi - congrats to Rach. A world champion indeed. Now that is something...
All - many thanks for the congrats. 2 hours sleep yesterday afternoon and 11 hours last night has helped a lot. Still a bit sore though!!
DanA - it seems the results are not up yet. The guy that came first was called Kevin and from Easingwold RC. He's a little more used to ultras than me. He ran the first 100m of GUCR this year before pulling out. The third placed runner was a very strong girl. I didn't catch her name but she was a Serpie and managed 70m (2nd lady managed 60m). Fourth placed overall and third man did 68m.
There were a couple of decent 24 hour runners. One (maybe in his late 40s/ early 50s) apparently did 150 last year (and is a GB 24 hour guy) and his much younger protege did 120m at Tooting Bec last year. GB guy dropped out early on (don't know why) and Mr 120m didn't seem to have a great race.
Rest assured your ultra will have much nicer views (and much stronger competition)!
Garmin - I quite like my 405. It is unobtrusive and lightweight. That it looks like a normal watch is a big plus in my book. The only problem is the limited 6hr battery life. It's fine for most runs but I often go out for much longer than 6 hours on the bike and that really annoys me.
I note that Ms Bradley is registered to run the Ultra-Trail's sister race this Friday. Only another 98k's in the mountains.
Take a bow EPS, a good night's work by the sound of it. Who was doing the babysitting for your four binlids while you were running back forth over the bridge? Shame you didn't treat MT to a nosh up at the local (ish) restaurant which has obviously been named after him. You both deserved one of each and a tub of ice cream after that effort. Nice work MT, sorry to hear that your feet are a mess.
Some nice miles being banked.. Jools, Murph.
I have a Garmin 310XT, very happy with it and a long battery life. Having said that it went mad yesterday and recorded 3 miles short and a pace of 48.28 miling at one point. A reset has been done so will try again tomorrow. Speaking of yesterday's run, 6.5m done and happy to say no adverse reaction today. 3 runs done last week but not counting any chickens yet. 32m on the bike today & got stung on the knee by a wasp. Can't win 'em all I suppose.
Nice to see the east coasters popping in.. Jamesito, WTGY, SL. We just need Drifter to make the set complete.
MT and I shared a breakfast (we almost missed the prize-giving). Despite being the winners we were still somehow at the back of the long cafe queue.
I might be challenging MT to a manky feet competition - I'll raise you 1 nail already pulled, 4 more to follow, and a hot swollen foot...
Just back from a week in the far east, managed a few progressive 10ks on treadmills which knackered my calves more than VLM & IM put together. Aside from that it's been a light month so far, but I'll need to up things a bit for a couple of duathlons in the autumn.
Speaking of which, I noticed elsewhere TR expressing an interest in the Ballbuster, which means it'll probably chuck it down again. Thanks matey.
Nice racing MT, Gobi, MtR, E-PS among others. Oh, and Rach by all accounts.
I got an entry form for the Marathon des Sables (through my French address).
This is a tough one. On the one hand, it's an awful lot of time to take off work, a waste of holiday away from the family, expensive, some aspects of the organisation look quite annoying, and if I want to buy some expensive lightweight camping kit and make myself ill I could just do the West Highland Way. On the other hand, it's something that, as well as Boston and Comrades, I feel I need to have done.
Hmmm... Thinking probably not though. Kids are getting older (starting to look at cars for the eldest to drive) and family holidays at a premium; I can do this kind of nonsense when I'm in my 50s, with a bit of luck.
So London, South Downs and perhaps Mont Blanc marathons for me next year, with maybe the Three Forts thrown in for fun too.
Fantastic work MT and XPS (not X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy...) and while I missed what it was about, many congrats sound in order for Rach.
7.8M @ 21:40/M this morning for me -- the Snowdon Horseshoe. It was fab. Crib Goch was truly spectacular (and not as scary as I feared) and I had it all to myself in fine conditions.
I thought 400 metre tracks were dull but 12hrs on a bridge in the dark..................
I will pass all the congrats on to Rach.
Have done 35 miles so far this week and all is well.
I'd like to do it again having gotten ill mid-way through my last race there; but wouldn't do it through the UK organisers due to their rip-off prices (about £3.5k in 2009 I think). How much is the entry through the French side???
Afternoon all.
Slight hamstring (?) twinge this end, which came on during 400m reps this morning and which I'm hoping will resolve quickly. Time for a quality evening of ice and heat. Not too niggly walking and was ok jogging after I felt it tweak, but not happy at faster paces.
Ahh, thanks. I was wearing my T-shirt from the 2008 event only yesterday, though I only managed a more humble 12th (?) -- and regretted not swapping out the standard pedals for clipless ones, as many others had... a proper race though, with motorcycle outriders, straw bales, and crowded fast corners -- it could have been carnage in the wet.