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Wardi - nice with the continued parkrun improvement. Jr is doing Reading HM. He seems to have kicked on a little since his 10m in May so all being equal should go well.
TR - you're sounding strong, particularly with that last mile into a headwind.
LS21 - I'm glad to see improvement for you. Keep the faith.
Got back out for a 4m jog yesterday after spending most of the day up a ladder repairing guttering. Will jog around watching the half today which should be enough to put me on 50+ for the week by the time I make it home.
79:30 for Jr on his HM debut. Training had indicated a 5:51 pace (6 and 7 mile road tempos at that pace), but he struggled a little as it heated up.
10m+ for me as 3.5m brisk/80% (7:13) dotting around the course, short jog with Jr, 4m @ 85% (6:58), then 2+ easy. Gives me 54m for the week which I'm more than happy with for now.
TT - sounds like jnr has more to come over HM then.
No running here today.
RJR - No I don't really trust treadmill paces. HR is more predictable. Having said that, my gadget does a reasonable job of capturing indoor running since it's supposed to go off previous outdoor metrics in conjunction with the accelerometer in the watch. Good work at the relays last weekend. Good news Cork is your target race. Good to have that carrot. Cracking MP run earlier in the week. Very confidence boosting I imagine.
SteveMac - Sharp mile reps the other day. Plenty of leg speed there. I was going to ask if the lurg was still lingering so the fact you ran them that quickly when clearly not 100% bodes well.
TT - Hope the coding stood up to scrutiny. Although sounds like a bitter-sweet kind of job considering it's purpose. Well run Junior today. Very nice debut indeed. My lad wants to run Mcr half in the autumn but will have a far more modest target of possibly breaking 90mins. Rotten luck catching COVID again btw and as you say partly explains why you were so rough. Nice work on the short efforts session. Always good to get one under your belt after a lay off. Nice weekly total with today's running.
Wardi - Glad to read the lurgy has almost gone and good job on the parkrun improvement. Sounded like a solid effort with the pacing especially as you had a big turnout.
LS21 - Good that the hammy has seemingly responded well to the physio treatment and rest. Going into the race with a more positive outlook will have benefits. Glad it's come good. A sensible race strategy will further enhance your experience despite your reservations over optimal training. You ran well at Barcelona off less than perfect prep.
TR - A fine final MP run wind assisted or not. You'll feel different again next Sunday with another week of tapering, more sleep etc. I don't remember ever feeling amazing in the week or two before a marathon as you said. The magic of putting a number on and being surrounded by like-minded folk.
OO - Followed your progress. Hopefully you're happy at getting the job done. I know that was your C target but still, well done. Hopefully you're enjoying a couple of cold ones.
Similar week to last at this end. Monday rest day, easy running Tuesday, Wed, Thur I was down in the Cotswolds for a couple of days so I ran a progressive 6 miles around the lake I was staying at. Rest day Fri. Saturday was another session run on the treadmill of 200s/400s. 10 miles today with 3 at MP effort. It felt suitably difficult and uncomfortable. Standard.
Followed lots of running clubmates today at Mcr. Some PBs and solid runs but some spectacular blowups. A reminder that this game is never easy.
Congrats OO, I guess you must be pleased with that as it was close to expectations. Conditions looked good.
SJ.. well done on getting a good week in with time away. I do sometimes enjoy a treadie session as you just have to keep up with whatever pace you've set rather than keep checking your watch!
2 x 4.5m today to bring up 59m for the week. Quite pleasant here though tomorrow looks wild! London forecast currently looks spot on for next weekend.
You sound like you're freshening up nicely! And good luck to Jr with his training for Mcr Half.
TR - yeah, he definitely has. Just having the experience of one under his belt should see him quicker next time out. Hopefully not too much quicker yet though as that will be both of us in Ireland in June! We're running it in memory of my Dad - it's where I won the full 10 years ago (but obviously trying to do the full justice in 10 weeks time would be daft so we're going to have a head to head over the HM, which my Dad would've loved).
Wardi - I think, as you say, just the race experience will bring him on. Good volume from you! And it is definitely wild here this morning!!
Got out for a 4m jog earlier before the weather turned from just really windy to include heavy showers. My legs are aware that I done back to back runs over 10m after 2 months of single figure runs, on top of plenty of lifting/diy/manual labour over the weekend, but overall not too bad. HR stayed low, which wasn't particularly surprising as the first mile was 9:00!
The streak is over and I wasn't even the fastest Peter Norris on the day.
Yes, really pleased I was able to start and give it a go and for an hour or so thought it could be "on". I started at the rear of the white start (sub 250) with others who'd had compromised training campaigns. There are around 10 colour themed wave starts.
Good conditions, well supported and a nice course. For me, a race of three parts. The first 10 miles were fine and was able to maintain pace c6.40, would ideally have liked to gone a bit quicker but that light -legged zip wasn't there.
From mile 11 to 15 started to dip over sub3 pace but below 7 mm. Half way in 1.28:45.
From mile 16 to the end gradually slowing from just over 7mm to 7.30mm with the faster sub3 runners from the next wave catching up and overtaking., though also overtaking a good few too. Surprising how quick 6.30 mm looks when your running 7.15-7.20 mm and being overtaken. I tried to latch onto some of the overtaking groups, who were encouraging, but my legs weren't turning over quickly enough.
I enjoyed the race throughout but from mile 16 knew it wasn't on, so slightly mentally and physically eased off to make sure I finished. Saw my wife and family out on the course at miles 21 and miles 25, which was a pick me up and had a bit smile of relief as I crossed the line. Also lost around a minute with a troubled tummy incident, in woods just off the course!. 1 cold Erdinger Alcohol free beer at my BIL house, then left for Cornwall at 5.30 pm (I drove) getting home at midnight to see my Newport Marathon number has arrived!!
My achilles played up from about half way so will let that settle and then hopefully back at it - this time a bit quicker and a bit more of the eye of the tiger in 2 weeks time. I prefer the Newport course (quieter/ countryside, even less logistics, closer) and hopefully with the boost from Manchester, and better racing can shave a chunk of time off.
LS21: I know you've also had compromised training for London, but hopefully words of comfort/ encouragement, its surprising how much endurance we have, from past marathons and good old muscle memory. I had one run over 15 (17.2m) since January and felt I could have kept on going in Manchester if asked to but what I didn't have (and you have more than this than me from your more active racing) is the zip/ speed endurance.
Will read back, but well done TT Jr. Rapid!
TT - Well done to junior. Not a bad debut and i'm sure from his 10 mile time he's capable of more in the future. Solid week from you, mileage and pace wise. Very positive. Not sure how much your manual labour is helping your training.
SJ - My watch pace vs treadmill pace is around 30 seconds difference per km. But I don't know which of them needs recalibrating. I know my cadence and stride length are different on the treadmill so really can't get to grips with it. Not that it matters much. Would it be a marathon build up without running a few late marathon pace miles and feeling like it would be close to impossible to hold it for 26.2?
Wardi - nice looking parkrun improvement. Our parkrun felt very busy Saturday as well. The fair weathers are coming out now it's warming up.
TR - Let's not twist your knee this time around. That must have been very frustrating! Sounds like a nice week coming up. Do your legs love the lighter load as a bigger mileage guy? I think my plan is 2x20m and 2x22, maybe one of each fairly easy and the other with some MP or MP+10% towards the end. All runs over 13m have been an average of around MP+10% anyway, it's just extending the distance.
Steve - good luck in the half this week. Conditions currently looking good, maybe a little warm.
LS21 - The later miles are going to be challenging regardless. You've had enough volume to give you a good shot.
Buggy 5 Friday, 8 miles including parkrun (17:23) Saturday and 7 miles on Sunday. 55 mile week which is a big one for me. Was really happy with that parkrun on the back of a big week. Felt really good and it felt like I recovered very quickly as well. However, achilles are groaning again so hopefully i'll be able to manage them as I did 4/5 weeks ago. Gym this morning. Final week pre cruise. Hopefully another solid week incoming then a few slightly down weeks (and possibly some gym cross training) on the cruise.
rjr - I'd usually be looking to get some gym time in so lifting heavy stuff instead probably won't have any negative impact. Good week from you. Mind those achilles.
Boston Marathon today. On Eurosport in the UK from 2:30.
SJ - agreed never feel good this week, hopefully it'll start feeling good after 10m Sunday.
OO - fair play for giving off a go, knowing you'd be in for a tough day. You usually have more of a sub3 buffer than me, mine is shrinking which causes more self imposed pressure, hopefully we both have more sub3s to come but the 3:XX days are coming for me soon, not sure how I'll handle it.
Joe - you sound well prepared then, how you feel when you get back to it after the cruise will probably have a bearing.
5m home into a gale and rain, I really don't need any more foul weather preparation this campaign. It shouldn't be blowing a gale in the city.
RJR.. that's a cracking Parkrun time, nicely done! Hope your achilles settle down.
OO.. a good report and a wise decision to ease off late on. Hope the recovery before Newport is sufficient.
Just over 5m this morning, sunny but very windy.
TR - We've plenty of sub 3 marathons still in us. You should take massive encouragement from your consistently fast half marathon race times this year, which are key. But yes inevitably we will slow but not yet. You've not backed down and kept your sub3 buffer strong.
Joe - Another great week, good PR! On my one and only cruise holiday (Which I loved) the ships gym had a row of high-end running machines facing a clear plastic wall so you could see the ocean go by. My wife's main memories are of the places we visited and places we ate at, mine the view from the running machine, so sure there will be plenty to keep you active and fit.
Very tired here, more from the driving and hampered sleep more so than from the race. After Manchester & Boston, all eyes on London now, so hope your tapering is going well LS, SJ, TR. For Newport, hopefully a combo of losing a lb (currently 2-3 lbs over race weight), Manchester boost, eye of the tiger, easier logistics, better course will enable me to run in the 2.56 - 2.59 range assuming no further injury woes.
TR - The wind continues! Felt the force of it out today and I think it's even windier tomorrow for the long run. Can only hope it makes us tough for a hopefully much calmer raceday.
Wardi - the sun is very welcome and warm. Convinced i'm getting an early tan ahead of holiday.
OO - Good luck now on the build up. Well deserved bit of rest for you. Yes, the gym on the cruise looks good. Provided the little one sleeps well i'm not expecting too many barriers to keeping up some good training whilst we're away. Need to get some good podcasts or audiobooks downloaded though as wi-fi very expensive.
The achilles were both sore yesterday but thankfully were no barrier to a 6 mile run this morning. Assuming they remain ok i'll be rolling the dice with 22 miles tomorrow as 3 different loops to/from home to pick up gels and carb mix.
Have really enjoyed watching/tracking the marathons over the weekend but very aware that no one seems to be hitting their targets (obviously OO you have mitigating circumstances) despite what appears to be decent conditions. Wonder if people are over-stretching/under-training or perhaps super shoes are giving people too much confidence? Maybe even just the extra hundreds of metres you end up running on race day are catching people out?
OO - Good run there.
TR - Nice MP run.
Wardi - Nice weekly miles.
Still not feeling great, was coughing a lot yesterday, but did 7m with 2m at MP today (6:55/6:53), HR a bit higher than I'd like, but probably ran those MP miles a bit too fast. Feeling better today than yesterday, so will see how I feel later in the week before deciding on Sunday.
Wardi - I don't mind the treadie for sessions either but they sure feel better when fit and strong. Keeping up with the belt zipping along is a struggle otherwise. No resting on the bends at the track haha. Sun out in full effect in Liverpool today but blowing an absolute gale.
TR - I'm not looking at the weather for Sunday. It is what it is. I'm just hoping it's better than Amsterdam was last October. Was it you who coined the expression of being in your armchair for the first half of a marathon? Never a truer word said. A long run with a number on is another favourite.
TT - Back to back double digit runs is certainly heading in the right direction. I think 10 miles are my favourite runs. I have a lovely out and back along the canal which is great in the summer. Great when they start to feel easy as well which I'm sure you will get to very soon. Nice work on the performance gains with the programming too. Very satisfying I'm sure.
RJR - That's a sharp parkrun with the buggy. Nice weekly total too. That's also about my limit per week too. I've managed to string lots of them together this campaign. I creak too much doing any more so think I've found my sweet-spot/limiting factor. Hopefully it's enough once more to dip under 3. Enjoy the 22 miler midweek.
SteveMac - Hopefully you continue to feel better. The MP miles will feel easier when you are feeling 100%. Do you run to effort? I find this removes the pressure of hitting paces especially if not really feeling it. It's been a big revelation to me in recent years.
Nothing much happening at this end. 40 mins easy today. Same tomorrow and then Thursday 30 mins. That just leaves a 20 min leg stretcher and some strides on Saturday before setting off for London.
OO - hope Newport goes as planned then. hopefully those HMs will keep me sharp. I've the usual GW HM planned for July and then Battersea in Sept.
Joe - hope the 22m goes well. It's tricky to nail a marathon, but folks should aim for a realistic time and not a hopeful best scenario......maybe folks train too fast in their supershoes as you say, best to do the odd test run in them but then save them for race day........at somewhere like London you will run 26.5m on your gadget cos of the weaving, watch on elapsed time with auto lap off, and use the on course mile markers.
SJ - yes get in the armchair, try to sleep until at least half way. Tricky to do at London but you can make time up later on.
6m inc 2m av 6.44, felt as difficult as ever. We'll take that as reassuring.
Previously the route was a big one-lapper. For 2024, the major change is the addition of a 8 mile loop from miles 5.5 to 13.5 which we run twice before we head back to Newport at around mile 21.5. So the bit to the loop and back is just an out and back, with the back a retrace of our previous steps. Hope it is as good as the last course version which I really liked. Hope to see you there but somewhere in the distance way ahead. Look out for the S4C cameras and motorbikes as the race is televised as a 1 hour special, a week after the race on the BBC.
TR - I'd take that.
SJ - All looking good.
Steve - Hope the bug/ cold is on the way out.
Joe - I noticed that too. We were all not as fit as we'd like to be!
I'm very much hoping they've retained the flatness. I'm not overly bothered by the key sites of Newport that they are pushing.
Are you pushing for sub 2.50? I ll keep an eye out for the cameras, take it, it'll be on bbc wales? Hoping the weather is as good as it is set to be in London on Sunday.
4m inc strides. On the train to the expo, train trouble so been re routed with a few changes, tedious. Good job its not race day.
TR - Hope the number collection goes well. Recall from my Londons', the venue also hosted a sci-fi games expo with lots of chubby (I am guessing) single males in jeans and black sci-fi tee-shirts. Quite a contrast with the runners.
rjr - interesting observation on people hitting targets. I think sometimes a 'round' number appeals (it's why we have this thread after all), even if it's not quite viable. I know certainly when I was targetting sub-2:30 there were the odd occasions where I knew I wasn't in that shape but rocked up with a 'let's see how far I can get on target' attitude. Super shoes could certainly be an element now though. Good luck for the long run.
TR - I hope the rest of the expo trip goes smoothly. I always get worried if I don't have a run or two in taper that makes me question my target!
I'm with you on supershoes and sparing use. As a pair become no longer race-worthy I do use them for training and do notice a recovery benefit, and I understand there have been studies that show a benefit to training in them regularly. It's hard to know which way to go, but there's also a massive cost aspect to doing all your training in shoes that are not as durable and cost a small fortune.
OO/Wardi - I've still not managed to talk myself into getting on our treadie yet - I get flashbacks to when my knee was properly ruined in 2010 and I replicated my training on an elliptical facing a gym wall. Any tips for making it seem more appealing would be gratefully received!
Carrying on introducing more Canova elements at reduced volume. Monday I kept as a recovery day with a 6m easy to join the am 4m jog. Yesterday lunchtime was an easy 8m where I just felt shattered (combo of work, dietary adaptations - back on a low-carb/keto as experience shows it helps with my fibro symptoms), but strangely I felt better in the pm so ended up with a mildly progressive 4.36m (started easy for the first mile and the last 0.36m at least was about 5km effort).
This morning was a re-intro to 'short variations'. 1.5m easy, then 5 x {1' @ ~cMP, 2' brisk}, before 2m easy.
Wind here has been brutal the last few days! Hopefully that disappears before Sunday!
wardi - cracking stuff at the parkrun at the weekend. Great to see some progress!!
TT - a solid run from Jr at the Half, and a good session from you chasing about the place by the sounds! Good to see you getting back to it a bit more now
SJ - we've spoken elsewhere. You'll be fine mate, probably the most sensible runner I know. Will see you on Sat afternoon
OO - well done at Manchester. You raced that really well, and used all your experience to bring it home. A really solid run that. I know I had longer between marathons last year (5 weeks I think), but Barca was a massive help for when I ran London. Hopefully you get the same kind of thing happening with Manc to Newport.
TR - hope you get sorted ok at the Expo. I'm heading there Fri eve. Nice work on the 6 with 2 at MP as well. I've got that delight to come tonight after work.
rjr - a great week from you, and a very tasty parkrun - well done!!
Hello to DT19 - good luck at Newport!
SteveMac - hope you're feeling better, and nicely done on the MP stuff.
Not much happening here. My leg felt a bit better Sunday. I then squeezed in a 30 minute session with my masseur fella on Mon night which seemed to just flare everything back up and make it feel much much worse. I still think it's sciatic that's manifesting in hammy pain - but the pain is quite acute, and is in the exact spot where I tore it last year. So I've prob got a weak spot there. It is a worry if I'm honest. As I'm typing this I've got a very pronounced ache there, and it's pretty sore.
I was supposed to be back in for another treatment tonight but I cancelled it. I actually felt it was making it worse, so I've decided to just leave it and hope it settles. Hey ho. What will be will be now. I've said before I get round I'll do ok. But there's a fair chance I might DNF if it goes bang. When it went bang before I couldn't even walk, so if that happens then there we are.
Anyway, looking forward to seeing some of you on Sunday!!
SJ - I definitely couldn't run that time with a buggy. That was solo. Safe looking week for you. Hope the taper goes well.
TR - Yes I think the overrunning definitely a factor for someone just aiming for a pace. Also I reckon it's quite hard for someone to imagine going out conservatively and then speeding up. Lots of people expect to slow down, so they go out a bit quicker and then end up slowing down a lot more than they thought. As we probably all know, if you end up having to walk then it's pretty much game over for your goal time. Can't believe it's expo time already. Hope you have a good one.
TT - It's ok to roll the dice I think. We're all trying to chase bests even if its relative at an age grade or something. I guess it just shows how impressive it is when a plan does come off, even if it might be a little conservative. Some interesting training from you there. I would really struggle on a low-carb diet I think. But you don't know until you try, and i know it's not entirely by choice.
LS21 - Sounds frustrating. not entirely surprising it feels worse post massage. I'd like to squeeze massages in but i feel I have to time it with training because it makes running difficult for a few days after. Reckon just letting it settling and seeing how you go on the day is probably best. Good luck!
Happy to say long run went well. 11 miles @ 7:20 pace and the second 11 @ 6:50. Heart rate seems to have really dropped in recent weeks which shouldn't be a huge surprise but the legs did feel a bit tired. I was aching after 9 miles but it wasn't a barrier to pushing the pace on which was nice. Managed 120ish grams of carbs which could do with being more like 180 i think.
TippTop: can't help with dreadmill phobia, I'm afraid. Maybe audio books/podcasts/YouTube? Whenever I do cardio at the gym I watch a LOT of YouTube with my bluetooth headphones on!
Oo, laps are a bus man's holiday for me. My session course, once into the maim body is a 2k loop. Sadly Gwent won't quite size up to Dorney views.
As for time, since March I've run pbs at 10m, 20m, 5k and on the long leg at road relays.
The 20m was run at 4 x 5m progressive blocks and averaged 6.08mm. If it's a good day in all respects then I'm hoping to be close to 2.40. Of course we all know what an unpredictable beast a marathon can be.
DT19.. Best of luck at Newport, your training has clearly been going to plan. Hope the weather gods are smiling on you.
RJR. that's a very encouraging long run, hope you didn't get too wind blasted. Glad the carb supplements helped.
TR.. hope the number collection went without further dramas!
LS21.. sorry to hear of your hammy woes, bummer of a time for it to flare up. It took 4 fairly vigorous massages to flatten the resulting knot that I was left with after a tear.
I agree with what Jools has suggested, the ice application should ease the soreness.
8m yesterday, 12m today. A chilly north wind this morning. Glad I got it done then as we've had some pretty hefty showers and black clouds this afternoon.
My clubmate who ran the 2.26 at Valencia is starting on Sunday. His half time improved from 71 to 69 from Sept to Jan so I think he is hoping for 2.25 this time with a following wind.