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LMH - Great result in the HM, getting to the start sounded like a right mare!
Padams - Nice progressive long run
Jooligan - a 20M race with multiple water features doesn't look fun, great result and time ATC
CD - Nicely done getting the miles ticked off in somewhere like Baku
Good mileage Wardi & TR
Dan - Impressive weekend miles, was the 28 Sat/HM Sun combination planned?
TT - Thumbs up for the pacing job and training mara-fun!
Stu - At London last year I averaged 170bpm and I take my max to be 190, so that's near on 90%. The max value is based on what I've seen in training (end of a 5/10k race, can't remember which one now), it could be a couple of bpm higher (although the various MaxHR calculators seem to put me around 186/187) Prior to 2017 I was running marathons more around 166bpm which I thought was the max I could sustain for the distance, last year I threw caution to the wind and went at target pace, do or die style.
5M + Brockenhurst (winter+reverse) parkrun on Saturday for me. I had zero expectations given the weeks miles. The run turned out to have a sharper front end than usual, I was 4th but time of 18:10 was reasonable, spurred on keeping ahead of a club mate and trying to hang on (but failed) to 3rd! The reverse course has a nasty long uphill drag in the last mile, my splits were 5:54/5:57/6:16, probably lost 20-30s on the hill. That brought up 100M for Mon-Sat and 120 in the last 7 days.
Did manage to get out on Sunday but only for a 1.5M jog around the village with mini Al_p (who's been picked to run in the local schools XC, so wants to get some practice in!)
Al_P -- heroic miles, and tough to fit in without any of them being commutes. And well parkrun.
UDS -- my marathons have averaged about 146bpm with a max of 165, so 88%. If anything it seems to be creeping up.
Jooligan -- well done on the 20, shame about the floods etc!
OO -- sorry about the cramps, but glad you were happy with the result.
TT -- Noakes' take on going hypo (affecting the brain) was that it was the liver using up all its glycogen, and then being unable to maintain blood sugar. Which is what taking gels/sports drink should actually help with (whereas they don't make a lot of difference to the muscles, was his argument).
Wardi -- if you export your run to a .gpx file, you can edit it at bikehike.co.uk, then re-import it as a new activity I guess. I don't recall any way of doing edits at the Garmin site though.
LMH -- I don't know what you got, but it obviously went well -- congrats!
Top training Padams.
Yesterday worked out well, and went to plan -- the race having a scheduled start of 09:00 meant that I had time to run the marathon, do a quick bit of back-slapping and banter, hop on my Brompton to get 2.5M home for 12:30 just as the in-laws arrived, then showered & changed & back on the Brompton to catch them up for the (very nice thanks Wardi!) pub lunch at 13:00. I feared I'd pushed it a bit hard for a training run in an effort to be on time for lunch, but actually my legs don't (yet) feel too bad. I logged approx 3hr05, with about a 5 min positive split which is fair enough as there were far more boggy sections in the second half. All good low-key fun.
CW - What marathon was that?
Congrats to OO,TT LMH and Jooligan - loved the photo too! I can imagine that a fair few Brits out in Barcelona found it hard going. The beast from the East before going to Spain to run a marathon can't be a great combo tbh. Flat coke after a marathon is stuff of the gods too!
USD - I wasn't at the indoors as I was one of the unlucky few that had to do the Intercounties mudfest. Ridiculous tbh, mud all way round (small report on the Stevie G thread) ended up 215/284, plus an unwanted pit stop too... Shame as I could have got in amongst the bling at Lee Valley (note to self next year)!!
You're not the first person to say that Padams. It's not that I expect the worst but more that I don't count on things going well - and I'm always expecting someone faster to turn up, especially at my age, competing against people literally half my age I tend to think that an age group place is a reasonable ambition.
So TT wanna pace me to a 2.59 in Brighton :-D
6M early doors today, my legs were clearly still in bed with the 1st two were above 8min/M! Got them going in the last couple with a more sprightly 6:24 and 6:10 (had to put my foot down to get home so Mrs Al_P could go out).
Then went out for a steady hour and a bit at lunchtime. First four were in the 6:20s and then picked up the pace into the 6:0x's for the next four, mile 10 was slowed a bit by having to negotiate pedestrian traffic/road crossing in Eastleigh town centre, but then got a shuffle on with a 5:40 for the final mile back to work. I've been doing these sort of runs a couple of times a week since Jan and the pace has gradually improved from 6:47 average down to 6:10 today (@82%MaxHR)
Thanks for the good wishes, course tips and the well-done as penance a brief report.
Barcelona Marathon - 11th March - time: 2:49:22 place 139th.
40th edition with 20,000 runners growing from c3-4,000 runners in the mid 2000's. Unsurprisingly cosmopolitan. A good route taking in many of the city's landmarks bu I would say a slower marathon than Valencia's (2.45 there got me 340th place, 2.49 here 139th) and less faster runners to run with, more elevation and the headwind other differences. Aim to sub245 which was a 3/1 shot, a first half in 1.21 be fresher to reduce my second half fade and run 1.23 for the second.
Sunshine and a rousing chorus of Queens 'Barcelona' the 2.45 pacers behind me and we were off to the Camp Nou, 10k came in 38.22, feeling comfortable and 20k in 38.47 with h/w in 1.21.30. Temps were around 14C but plenty of cloud cover and plenty of support/ dancers/ colour/ noise/positivity. Mostly running on my own or now and again in small groups but felt slightly off the pace - no sign of the pacers on the cutbacks. But at c27K felt cramp in my left quad (my left hip has been giving me gip for months) and a few kms later in my right: haven't had cramps for about 2 years (forgot to take salt pre-race?) time!). With the brisk headwind, started to struggle (10k to 30k in 40.11) as couldn't push my legs to move fast enough so losing time and at 37k, head dropped when the sole 245 pacer with a small group go past. The pre-race plan was to dig and follow but in those key seconds I just couldn't speed up and they just ran off. Still running past some great architecture but my spirits were dropping and in the last 5K lost c20 places as couldn't get going. At 40k there is a long drag to the finish, rallied a bit and overtook a few and relieved to run into a jaw-dropping finishing straight with a background of massive fountains and incredible buildings and saw 2.49 on the clock, so a sub250 which was great, a 3rd sub250 in 6 months and 3rd fastest marathon.
Some great applause and help (and a decent medal) from the volunteers then off for a few beers: most of the people I was and talked to were also 5-20 minutes off their pace - which kinda helps.
Karma moment: On the way back to the hotel given 12 bananas as lots left over from the race which I gave to some of the homeless people. Jut got back home to find our supermarket has over-delivered 20 oranges - result.
SC2 - I saw some photos from the Intercounties, would have been a nightmare for me! Pleased I couldn't make it.
OO - nice report. Interesting that lots of people were slower than expected as it sounds like the weather was reasonable and the course is relatively fast IMO. I guess we're all used to vey cold temperatures at the moment.
CW - just another marathon, solid pace too!
6M yesterday lunchtime nice and easy - legs actually felt OK after the long run on Sunday, just lacking a bit of spring. Mile reps on the track this evening - session says 200m jog recovery, so more like a tempo run than proper intervals, which suits me fine.
UDS -- I used to be at the low mileage end of the spectrum, so I know it can work (2hr43 one Abingdon off 40mpw average from memory, but with a couple of bigger weeks). The DQ'd "winner" of the Cambridge half does very low mileage, it was reported in the last day or two. Padams has always done amazingly off low mileage, but seems to be doing a bit more of late...
Al_P -- excellent training paces given that you're also doing big miles.
Nice report OO!
Another 9M on the way to work today, legs not too bad so I managed not to DOMS myself on Sunday.
Thanks CW, I had a look at some fixtures and saw that one, so thought it might be the one you did, sounds interesting..organised by students! OO - Like Padams said, the weather conditions here can't have helped. I find it bad enough and often struggle with the first xc in October, when it can be quite warm, after you have been training in cool evenings previously
Padams - yes it was a nightmare, no firm ground anywhere tbh, real struggle. Tweaked my knee a bit too, the lateral movement can be a real issue in these types of races..will stick an ice pack on it tonight, should do the trick.
Good news on the bumper bag of oranges too!
Al P.. that's a decent Park Run time in between all of your mileage - you seem to be fitting it all in very neatly.
Charlie.. good result in the Boundary Run. Very impressed too with your timing the lunchtime visitors & activities to perfection.
SC2.. brave effort in the intercounties, everywhere around here that isn't tarmac/concrete is like a wet sponge or a quagmire!
Padams.. nice long run at the weekend.
5m recovery yesterday. Couldn't resist 6.2m this morning as the weather is kind at the moment. We have UKA coaches at the club tonight so I will join in with whatever they have in store for us to make up the double for today.
Can't say I like the look of the weekend forecast, I keep thinking winter has finished but it keeps coming back!
When are you going to sort that niggle OuchOuch? I seem to remember you suffering with it last year? Nice fruit karma - though I'd rather have the bananas!
We had heavy rain all day yesterday, I went out for a run and there was flooding in some unexpected places, I know it was post race but I just got colder and slower so came back after 14 miles. Lovely weather this morning so set off for the LSR I had planned to do yesterday (was a bit more time constrained this morning) but struggled to find anywhere to run. I can cope with the odd bit of ankle deep flooding but there were long, deep stretches in places that I've never seen flooded before, just hoping it all disappears quickly. Not my best run but miles in the bank. Bit of a disappointment looking back at this time last year, whilst I ran the Silverstone Half slower than Retford my pace was actually 5 secs/mile faster as the course measured so long so I'm definitely not back where I was.
Wardi - Cheers. I think you and SC/ Padams could be right about the temperature though affecting not just the Brits - it snowed in Barcelona the week we had the snow. I just saw the last km on Youtube and nearly all around my time were shuffling along not the normal last km dash. Seems I was catching the 2.45 pacer he finished in 2.48 something.
LMH - your legs are still pretty tough despite the time out. A 1/2 pb backed up by an mlr and lsr combo.
Something got sprung on me today which prevented my lunchtime reps, then had to go to Southampton for cricket, didn' fancy an 8pm run and then my long commute double tomorrow as it'd be 3 runs in LT 24 hrs. The odd rest day isn't a bad thing during the rest of the campaign.
TR.. hope you ended up enjoying the rest day, probably for the best given recent miles.
OO.. I had a piriformis catching on sciatic nerve problem a couple of years ago, pain from glute down to back of knee in my case. I got an injection (cortisone) in the end which soothed the inflammation and cured me in a few days. BTW this fellow was our coach tonight, in your age group and quite handy too..
http://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=15237
7m in total tonight including a session around a local estate.. 3 mins @ 5k pace, 2 mins jog, 2 mins @ 3k pace, 1.30 jog, 1 min @ 1 mile pace. We did that 3 times so my legs feel like bungee ropes!
They were Wardi and it was quite narrow too. It doesn't sound as though you're tapering for the half?
Wardi - Solid speed work session
LMH - That's impressive mileage off the back of Sunday's half
CW - Guess you moderated the effort/pace nicely in the marathon then? Maybe the softer surfaces helped too..
12+7M Easy double yesterday from work, both in bimble mode after Monday lunchtime's steady 11. Explored the local woods for off-road routes (lumpy and a bit muddy) and the Itchen way going down towards Southampton (runnable but too muddy at present). Working from home today and Mrs Al_P is in London, so got up early to get some work in and once the kids were shipped off to school/child-minder I got out aiming for 14-16M however I was feeling. First few were ok, but then I hit the seafront and battled into a strong headwind. Wussed out running the Keyhaven/Pennington Marshes seawall to avoid the wind and headed straight to Lymington for a bit more shelter. Kind of made the route up as I went along and got the pace more into the 6:50s. Then by coincidence bumped into my sister-in-law (running Comrades this year) and joined her for the last 3-4 3min reps she was doing, interspersed with easy jogs and some run-chat! Parted ways at about 12M and then got a wiggle on back home, finishing with a sub-6 min mile for 16M averaging 6:48/M. Overall a bit of a random but very satisfying MLR
OO -- I also suffered piriformis-induced sciatica. TBH I'm not quite sure how I got rid of it now, but I still do some clamshell excercises and stretch the offending muscled now and then to try and prevent recurrence. It was excrutiatingly painful, at its worst, and I had odd symptoms like my leg feeling rubbery or tingly.
Al - That's why training through the summer for an autumn marathon can hold you in good stead whatever happens. If it's warm, then you've got some conditioning, if it's cold, then its a bonus. We were so lucky with Berlin in 2015 - still, blue skies and about 5 degrees when we set off!
In fact, although my only other marathon was London in 2004 (and not doing any more!) I much preferred training for an autumn marathon. I found London mucked up my track season a bit..and after Berlin I had some strength to go straight into the xc season. That's my thread marathon advice
OO, CW - Ahh don't mention the P word!! that was my last proper injury. Bugger to get rid of!
LMH - well held together with all that messin' at the beginning. I would have been in a flap for sure.
OO - nicely done at Barca. Sounded like the best you could do on the day.
All sorts ache here. Left ankle grumpy still from weekend, more worryingly is my left hamstring which has been very twitchy on recent sessions.
It's no coincidence that I picked the pace up across all sessions lastweek. However, I kind of had to otherwise there is no way I would know how I was getting on with Manchester only 4 weeks away.
Rest day Monday and taking another today as the 10 last night ended up 9 as temps dropped and hamstring was twitching. Some gentle stretching tonight but decision needed ahead of Wilmslow half at the weekend.
SJ - I have a bit of a tight hammy too, I guess we are creaking a bit !
I repeated last Wednesdays double double (inc mlr) with the same 12m and 10m but upped the effort section in the 12 from 6 to 8m. I didn' eat enough last night, have a bit of a cold and was taking a beating from the wind today, so wasn' in my happy place and the av pace was slower than us have liked. But I gave myself a pat on the back for doing the 8m section when I was going to sack it off at the 6m point. 10m home was a drag at first, but got better. Legs proper ache now.
I have had enough of winter too, I might actually think of using my autumn sub3 contingency race numbers.
LMH - brilliant run in the half, I think you need to have some more confidence in yourself!
Was good to see DanA at the Surrey half, sounds like he had a ridiculous weekend mileage wise. (Maybe not ridiculous to some on here). I gave it a real crack, but didn't feel good from the start. Really dug in and ground it out, for a 1:17:37, 30 seconds slower than Wokingham 3 weeks ago. Race report here if anyone wants a read;
https://spragginsblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/14/surrey-half-11-03-2018/
That evening I was on a long haul flight to Uruguay, as I'm working out here this week. The sun and shorts are out. However, I can confirm 22 hours travelling is not ideal recovery from a half marathon.
Spoke to Luke a couple of times during the XC season, we've been relatively close in the races...well until it got really muddy!
Uruguay...definitely a long way to go to work out...
Keep it easy SJ. I can't tell you how stressed I was before I got out for my warm up mile - almost instant relief when I started running.
Great midweek miles TR.
My left knee is at the top of the niggle scale this morning, having walked the dog I'm not sure if it's going to let me run but I'm also not sure I'm not just wimping out as the weather is foul so I shall get my kit on and get out there and see how it goes. Fortunately I managed to get a cancellation appointment with the physio this afternoon.
Wardi - Gosh he's speedy, interesting he goes the 10k/ half marathon route with an occasional fast marathon. Hopefully the p doesn't get to that.
LMH - Take it easy, you had a fast run only a few days ago.
Fun commentary to the Barca marathon on Marathon Talk brought it all back (55 minutes onwards) - all apart from the Italian guy crying outside my hotel room on Saturday night. After an hour of this I'd enough, knocked on his hotel door, where his irate girlfriends confronted by 2 distraught looking guys in their pants and tee-shorts, let him back in.
Jooligan - Belated congrats for a great run this weekend.
Cheers for the Noakes info CW.
Lol UDS. Sorry, not going anywhere near Brighton after their xenophobic attitude (being Irish they declared me ineligible for prizes, despite having lived in the UK for nearly 20 years).
OO - nice report. I reckon the stiff breeze made it feel cooler than it was. I had salt on my shoulders, despite the fact I was taking it easy. Sounds more fun than my Barca disturbance - somebody couldn't get into their apartment Friday night so spent about 4 hours drunkenly (in between bouts of presumably sleep induced silence) banging on the door to their floor before somebody finally woke up.
Sounds like a solid HM JB. Enjoy the sun!
Still muddling along here. I have a few blisters and heavy legs from Sunday (more time on feet and altered running style, particularly as we slowed I presume?), so took it easy - Monday off, Tuesday easy 10, yesterday 6m + 12m track (2m @ 10k effort, jog a lap, 5m steady). Apparently my 10k pace is currently about my Mara pb pace. Tbh I'm not entirely convinced it's even that good. Still not feeling 100%, but getting there.....
SC2.. if you need any mementos from 2004 I still have the medal and a rather nice Adidas fleece but the t-shirt fell to bits.
Joe.. great effort in the half on heavy legs. Uruguay reminds me of a quiz teaser where you had to name as many towns & cities with the same letter in 3 or more times (e.g. Mississipi - double points for that!).
Al P.. more good miles in the bank. I have similarly been known to go into wuss mode in windy conditions - there are a couple of useful sheltered routes around here for such occasions.
LMH.. hope the knee isn't too bad and you got a run in.
SJ.. similarly hope you are ok.
TR.. nice double double! No wonder your legs are fatigued.
I've decided to sack the Weston Half this weekend. I was really looking forward to it but there are Met Office yellow warnings out for up here late Friday/early Saturday for snow & ice and down there Saturday night into Sunday morning. Don't fancy the long journey and my hands couldn't cope with -1 temps, snow and 20-25 mph winds anyway. What amuses me is that the organisers are sending out emails as if it's going to be a normal day. One I received this morning was cajoling as many runners as possible to come on their bikes to the race. I'm sure they will get plenty of volunteers for cycling in arctic conditions
4.2m + 7.5m today, 3rd double in a row and my legs do seem to be getting used to it.