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OO - I was wondering if you were going to be able to get to Barca Ok, race conditions sound great. If I hadn' had a year out from decent mileage running and was starting from where I usually am your prediction might be about right. Finish times are one of the uncontrollables anyway, it will be a result of the campaign in total. Just hope it's not a 3:XX.
Approx 6m done running up and down the middle of the main road within the indusrial estate by work, was doing fine until I kept meeting nutters in cars. Don' they know there's weather alerts in place!
Looks like the Big Half is still on, but I think they're taking a bit of a risk. Can imagine loads of volunteers not wanting or being able to be there considering how long they are expected to stand around in the cold. That's what happens when you rely on goodwill of volunteers rather than paying your staff.
20,000 runners is way too many for the first running of an event. First wave of starters is at 9am, and baggage buses being advertised as closing at 08:20. That's an awful lot of people standing around in the freezing cold for 60-90 mins plus.
Early start relies a lot on the trains working properly too. We shall see; fingers crossed it goes off smoothly.
I've been (and still am) stranded in Scotland. Been here since Monday. Got snowed in at hotel in Stirling. Have had two planes, and two trains cancelled on me so far. Trying again tomorrow with both train and coach options booked to bring me back South. Hopefully one of them will run!
The really annoying thing is that where I was stranded at Stirling Uni they have an amazing gym where all this weeks sessions were planned. But the Uni got closed and so did the gym! However managed to savage something out of the chaos today and made it to Edinburgh city centre. Made sure hotel had a gym and did 3 hours on the treadmill. It was way better than I imagined it would be. Expecting it to be really tough going but actually the time went quicker than last weekend's 3 hours along the canal. So relived to get that run in and staying on track.
Anyone listening to George Lamb's marathon training podcast on Audible? Good fun as long as you're not expecting anything serious or enlightening from a training perspective. Mo is his coach!
Good luck with all your long training runs and any races that go head this weekend people.
It' going to rain here later which will hopefully complete he thaw, and clean the pavements up. Although it looks like being a rainy long run tomorrow. Roll on spring.
The forecast rain during this morning's run never happened, so that was a bonus. Hilly 21m in 2:45, good time on feet but I was pretty weary by the end. 5 more long runs.
Wardi - The Saurna bar it is then - I'll mention your name. I would have said it would have been my first drink for 3 weeks, but fell off the wagon last night into a lake of wine.
9m y'day with 4 fast ones around 6mm, rest-day (hangover recovery) today.
Tentative Barca targets (a) 2.44 (b) sub 247. (c) sub250
I enjoyed the week of snow, it did not affect my running too much bit played havoc with my attempts of celebrating my birthday.
I hope everyone's training is going well.
TT - well done on the 22, treat yourself to another b'day beer.
TT - belated happy b'day. Solid long run.
TR - ditto on the long run. So around 7-8 20 milers for you total? I have 5 weeks until race day (April 8th) so am running out of time. I have banked 4 20's incl today. Can get another 3 in so 7 total. One of those could include Wilmslow half. My final long run (time-on-feet) will likely have to be 2 weeks out - too close?
Today's 20 was on my scenic hilly route out to Saddleworth. Still lots of pesky white stuff up there as the ploughs had cleared the roads by shoving it all onto the paths so run mostly on roads dodging cars. Felt pretty tired by the end and had to have a lie down under the duvet as body would not warm up. Feel much better now.
Going to have to start increasing my tempo as couldn't do any last week and I've only really managed to get up to about 40 mins. I will try and get up to an hour over next two weeks. I have a feeling this could be close having declared I thought I would miss out a few weeks back. The Polar predictor thing based on my running index claims I could run 3:01. As inaccurate as these things are I would be gutted to run that and would prefer 3:10.
SJ - Well toughed out, must have been spectacular.
TR - Getting the 20's in - its the only way. (Self-reflects on the 2 20m+ runs, I've run over the past 12 weeks but clings to the hope enough marathon miles in my legs).
Did the Big Half y'day. Bit weird doing the London Marathon course but without any spectators. Guess nobody knew is was on other than a few friends and family plus bemused tourists and residents. Tried to go at PB pace but had to back off after 5k as I'm not in that sort of shape (yet), esp. after a couple of big weeks, and settle into something close to MP instead. 81:10 so a bit of work to do over the next month or so.
Cheers Wardi. Dan A - Had few mates from Herne Hill and Kent AC doing it, looked like the course wasn't quite as fast as they had hoped for, not sure if it will be a 'fixture' race. Good to put down a marker though eh, knowing what you need to do.
I was sensibly hiding indoors at Lee Valley in an inter area masters thingy, did a dizzying 3000m, 15 laps...can see why that's as far as you go indoors
happy though as I managed to win it in 9.06, better than I thought and helped smooth over my football frustrations from the day before..
Cambridge Half was on - won by an unattached V45 in 66.xx. Possibly foreign student? wondering if CW might know who they were?
Interesting to hear you did the Big Half Dan, I'd have been tempted had it not clashed with our own Cambridge half...
... which was a bit of a damp squib for me I fear. The conditions were good, the thaw having mostly happened already by the middle of Saturday, so there were no ice problems. I was harbouring high hopes having gone unexpectedly well in the Brass Monkey in Jan (75:28), but my legs just weren't up to the same turn of speed yesterday I could sense at once, and I held pretty even splits to log 77:21, despite (or because of?) all the training since York. (Same kind of thing happened last year actually.) There were various shenanigans about people running under other's numbers, so I'm currently listed as 2nd V45, but the first looks bogus -- so I should get a fortuitous trinket as 1st MV45 at least I think. Very sociable though as so many of my club do it, and a pub meet-up towards the end of my 8M cool-down. 22M for the day.
Possible factors in my less than stellar performance: being unable to do my usual tune-up tempos properly because of the snow, which also meant I was doing unwanted doubles (though of very minimal effort/distance) just as a safe way of commuting; general lack of any speed training of late (though that was probably true in Jan too); and maybe a failure to warm up properly, so it was all a bit of a shock to my legs when we set off.
SC - Many congratulations on the win.
CW - Possibly the same for you too! Despite the contribury factors, still a very lively time.
Sounds like plenty of long runs got done this weekend despite the snow. Well done everyone. Ironically yesterday seemed like pretty good conditions for racing...
Nice HMs by Dan and CW - solid efforts even if neither of you are massively pleased.
I managed 18M on Saturday morning with a couple of mates, all off-road and on snow, so hopefully worth a bit more than that. It took about 2h30 so good time on my feet at least.
Then only time for about 6M yesterday - the first 3M with the dog then a few 5:50ish miles to stretch the legs. 4M this morning also with the dog.
DanA - likewise well done at the Big Half (was that the inaugural event?) Your training looks to be coming along nicely - which marathon(s) are you doing this year?
Padams - well done for staying on your feet through the snow for 18miles. Another one with some seriously good training / results this year. Loved the parkrun win pushing a buggy!
Shame about the Bath Half getting cancelled. Despite the conditions being fine on the day, I don't think they had any choice given what it was like on Thurs/Fri. I decided to run the route on my own on the day anyway. Really struggled round in about 1h27m. A bit of a wake-up call that I need to actually start on the long runs to have any chance of being ready for London.
Stevie G - seeing as you asked about the 'secret', I'm afraid it's just three very simple words which I'm sure you can glean from my training log:
Every.
Day.
I managed the whole of 2015 and then about half way through 2016. Even if it was just a mile or 2 - I just didn't want to see any blanks on my Strava training log.
You're welcome! (And I look forward to my pint at the Red Lion, not to mention hearing about all your new PBs ;-) )
What did you think of it as an event Dan? I didn't think there was a lack of publicity so I wonder where the crowds were, weather affected maybe?
Conditions were still grim here yesterday and I only managed a MLR but made up for it this morning with a LSR - what a difference a day makes, just the odd short stretch of compacted snow/ice and mild and still.
Hats off the to the long run brigade Tick Tock, TR, Padams, SJ.
UDS.. much respect for 3 hours on the treadie, 22m was my record on a day of ice and a sideways blizzard some years ago.
SC2.. cracking 3k time and congrats on a fine win.
Charlie, Dan A.. solid half -m's there, maybe a bit of peak mileage/heavy legs effect slowing you down a touch.
This picture is the start of Saturday's Park Run at York. The fast tarmac course was ice bound so they used the emergency course on the field next door. 4 laps of a mixture of snow, ice, ruts, boggy bits; I did go arse over tit at the end of the 3rd lap but thankfully had a soft landing - only falling once on a XC course is a result for me
Did a 14m MLR on the treadie yesterday watching the athletics. A bit disappointed with the minimal coverage of the Big Half.
CW - you have been doing big miles and very long runs, you can' have a couple of easy days and then expect to smoke a 1/2. You also say it was similar to last year, so keep calm and carry on. I note the fast lady from your club went considerably quicker than at Worthing.
SC - congrats on the win.
Luke - I was about to reach for the enigma machine too.
LMH - Good couple of days there.
Back to running in the wind and rain today !
Makes it sound like some chancer who just turned up for a laugh and ran 66 mins. Obviously though he is a classy runner over shorter distances. I find it weird that the organisers didn't recognise or know a leading member of the local running club. They should have been falling over themselves to invite him in for free as an elite entry. Sounds like he tried to contact them to swap numbers but they ignored him.
Luke - just got VLM in before some meaty off road ultras in the summer. V45 now so can't expect to be knocking chunks off these days.
LMH - thought it was an OK event (standard was good at the quick end). Baggage at the start a bit chaotic since they didn't have luxury of space v Blackheath/Greenwich Park. Course needs some changes as there's a lot of twisty cobbled sections down back streets esp around miles 8-10. Suppose one is used to 10 deep crowds over most of that route, but other than a few busy pockets of spectators (Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge, finish at Cutty Sark), there were very few people watching. Didn't bother me, but has some way to go if it wants to rival the GNR; only 11k runners when they annouced 20k, which would have had a lot to do with the weather I guess.
Saw PP at the finish. A very tidy run for him; looks as it he'll be well on for breaking a significant number at VLM.
SC -- congrats on the win, I cross-posted you yesterday. A bit quicker than my one and only 3000m as a student! And yes the ringer at Cambridge was a young guy from my club, half my age (gratifyingly), who has sparked some lively but also some rather aggressive discussions on Facebook, poor chap, and got that BBC coverage (subtle link also from Dan!): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-43289854
-- and on elite entries, it has caused ructions that the first two women asked for but were not given elite places -- but managed to do official transfers to get in -- whereas a couple of elite places were given to men just last week, apparently. In general there seems to be no real provision for elites. Maybe things will change next year.
Happily for me I am currently listed as 1st MV45 now, though a bit ill-deservedly as I was beaten by two MV50s with my less-than-epic performance.
TR good spot that George from my club was quicker at Worthing despite the wind there, not sure why (even though I spoke to her at the finish), brilliant that she won though.
I've had 2 days of work meetings and my legs are DOMSd anyway, so two rest days for me, back to it tomorrow.
Thanks for your kind words OO,LMH,Wardi,TR - Wardi - That's a hell of a big field..was the run in of a similar distance too? that would have been a nightmare. Apparently Tring was on too, which would have been interesting in that weather.
Got a bit more story on the Cambridge half too from my 'home' thread..
Yes looking forward to seeing if PP can do the biz in London - he was so close in Berlin 2015. I did remind him at the finish that 2.39 meant I was still a member of the 2.30's club like him..just at the other end
Organisers don't have to give elite entries to anyone though and a good club runner should know better - he can't really have thought he was going to get away with it?
I'd assumed that PP wasn't running as he wasn't posting, glad to hear that isn't the case.