Abingdon Marathon

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  • Sorry that should read always do my EASY runs at MP + 90 secs!!
  • I do nearly all my runs at MP+90 Secs image. I tend to only 1 run a week that is fast. Those are either intervals or tempo or MP or a build up race.  Its the only way I get 50+ mile weeks in without being injured. 

    I am hoping my consistent average of 43 Miles a week through the year ( Including taper, 2 weeks rest from first marathon + I week holiday) Will help when the fat lady is preparing to sing on race day !! 

    You boys scare me !! image

  • mee meepmee meep ✭✭✭

    Big mileage Martin, but you obviously recognise this and respect it by saying if you need to miss a run if not feeling right then you will, a lot of people, myself included in the past, would just crack on and end up becoming more and more tired. For me the 24 wouldnt be the worrying one it would be the 12 with 6 at 6min/mile. Probably helps that your a lot quicker than me though image

    AC, I'm sure it was just one of them runs and looks like you have put it to bed and moved on well.

    AGF, i doubt there are a great many runners throughout a year that would come out with an average of 43 miles a week, I'm sure it will stand you in good stead come race day!

  • AGF don't worry about being last as I think i've already got that covered, this is starting to look like an elitest thread, image  hope there will be more than me hoping to get somewhere around 3 55.. Have done Abo before but can vaguely remember other slower posts.

  • Thanks Meep Meep.

    Joe, I went for sub 4 last year and ended up with a 4:09 and there were plenty behind me. it was my first marathon. there were lots and lots going for sub 4 last year. You will have plenty of folk to run with.

    To be fair its great to listen to the faster chaps and it gives an insight into whats needed to get faster.  Its good to listen to. As I have upped my mileage ( whilst slowing it down ) I went from the 4:09 to 3:34 @ Brighton....So will be chuffed if I get below 3:30.

    This race seems to be a target for anyone wishing to break a barrier ( whatever that barrier is ). image

     

  • Some serious pre-mara training going on now!image

    MG-That's mouth-watering mileage you've got planned this week.  You could be joining Warren at Comrades next yearimage

    Quite a busy weekend for me running wise:- Fri- 6.5 miles off-road at my local forest with some of my club.  My first trail run for 18 months, as I'm quite crap trying to negotiate craters, tree roots & other hazards. Bit of a shock to the opposite quad this time, but settled down after the first couple of miles, and quite enjoyed the experience, so will go again before the weather makes it a compulsory mud-fest.  Sat- Standard 14 miler, & Sun 24 mile long run done in 3:15.  Even managed a negative split of 1 minimage  Total 54 miles for the week.  A bit crammed into Fri-Sun.  Rest day today.  I must now get up to 70 in the next couple of weeks & do a few at this level before the 3 week taper.   

  • AGF, this will be my third Abingdon marathon, first time found it quite lonely at 4 03, second time ran 3 53 & had more company, just seems more fast guys this time round. am in awe of all of them. some fab training going on. image

     

  • AGF 43 average a week is nothing to be scoffed at, in fact you'd be up there in my club, we had a talk of a local guy who is a local welsh athlete wins all the local races at a canter etc he does 50 average he says that's what works for him so that's what he does. I've only upped my mileage in the past 12 months. If I was hitting 43 I would have been happy. I upped it for London last year and coinciding with losing a bit of weight (1 1/2 stone) my times have gone into free fall. The higher mileage seems to be working for me but it will only work up to a point and the gains get less the higher you go but I'm interested to see where it can lead to. This time last year a sub 3 was a fantasy for me I used to run around 3:15/3:10.

    One thing I have found that helps me is following a plan, I enjoy the structure and feel it pushes me out of the door if I have a session to do. But like I said earlier most of my runs are at a comfortable pace with only two or three proper sessions in it.

    Joe the thing I love most about our sport is the guy coming first can be as happy as the guy coming last. There are so many races/targets within races that's what makes it so interesting image

    Easy 4 this am and easy 6 before work. Bit of swapping of runs as I'm off weds/thurs so hitting the long one tomorrow which I'm really nervous about lol
  • Joe -   I think most runners at Abo have a few lonely moments due to the numbers taking part. There'll be lots of people lurking on the thread -  come and join in.

    Martin - Good luck with the monster one tomorrow, you not tempted to do the extra couple to make it full distance.image

    Fraser -  Impressive 20 miler.

    AC - Due you take gels on your long runs, I've ordered a camelbak as I feel in the heat i'm getting dehydrated on the long ones and can't be doing with carrying a bottle.

    Speed session this morning 2x(6x400) 90 seconds rec and 2 mins 30sec between sets, did n't feel great(when do they ever) but reasonably happy with pace, slowest 5:56min/mile and quickest 5:36.

  • Joe - welcome, and please join in as much as possible. Abo in my experience has a good mix of abilities, although more of the faster runners tend post on the thread. As BB points out. I am sure there is plenty of people, who have a similar target to you, who are lucking.

    Luvsa - good mileage there, and strong 24 miler. You certainly earned a rest day.

    Martin - great improvement over the last 12 mouths. It is good that you have been able to up the mileage without suffering a major injuries. When you upped your mileage, did you also make a decision to try and run most of your training runs faster, or did the speed just come.

    BB - good effort session. The few days off, has not effected your speed. Yes, I do take gels on long runs, 1 if running for 2 hours, 2 if running for around 2.5 hours, and 3 if running for 3 hours+. Although they do nothing for your thirst, so I always also take a drinks bottle  on long runs, which to be truthful I hate, as it does effect your running action. This is one of the reasons why I have done my long tempo runs in races this year, where people hand you a drinkimage I have tried a running belt, but could not get on with it.  What do others do on long runs for drinks?

    It was hammering down here this morning, so wimped out, and went for the treadmill  for 7 miles at MP (13.3Km per hour) with a mile warm up and down. Was as wet, as if I had gone outside I think.

  • I tend to stash bottles in hedges along the way but you'd be amazed how many get tidied up before you get a chance to drink them, and I mean within the hour lol image

    AC my paced runs equate to what my goal pace is for the marathon I'm training for. For Abo I'm hoping for around 2:50 so my MP will be 6:30ish, long runs about MP + 10% easy runs always seem to be around 8 min/miles which is MP + 90 secs

    Steady runs always seem to be around 7:00 min/miles. I suppose the only ones hat change are MP pace runs and my long ones which have improved since London and seem to have just done so naturally. For London my ave pace was around 7:15 which funnily enough is what I have to speed up by per mile so fingers crossedimage

    Luvsa that's a quality couple of days you had over the weekend top running, you seem to have these 24's sorted so come race day the extra won't be too much trouble.

    Barry I'm worried enough about doing the 24 so I'll leave the extra 2.2 thanks :-0
  • Good luck with your Target Joe. Sounds like you know what your doing !!

    Thanks Martin. I sort of make up my plan on a spreadsheet and go from there. I think Weight is/has been an issue for me too. As a I am losing a little I find it is helping. Still a couple of stone to go though image

    Barry - some very impressive intervals !! sounds like the leg is better

    AC, 7 Miles MP is a cracking effort at this stage. Well done

    Luvsa - thats a lot crammed in to the weekend. Good luck on this weeks target !!

     

    10 Miles today. Felt hard all the way after yesterdays progressive 10 Miler !!

  • MG - good idea with the drinks. I assume you drive round early morning on your planned run route, stashing drinks as you go. If I had some spare time before a long run (although that rarely happens) I would do this. Would have to be careful though not to change my planned route half way round, which I sometimes do.

    AGF - good back to back runs. I struggled myself a little with my 10.5 miles steady (8.10av) this morning (felt similar to Sunday), still warm and humid here.

    I saw the weather forecast for the weekend last night, and they said it would get upto 30C (86F) in this part of the country on both Saturday and Sunday. I feel an early start on Saturday for my long run beckoning.

     

  • 24 done all the worry for nothing felt quite strong all the way round, I was tired but that's to be expected!

    Finished in 2:24:50 average pace of 6:54 which is about three hour pace so very happy with that. First twelve done in 1:24:51 second twelve done in 1:20:58 so a 4 minute negative split.

    Didn't intend to go so fast and was running on feel only looking at the watch when I was working the route out don't feel to bad now but we'll see how it goes in the morning. Feeling confident now as this is the highest distance I will go seems to be a bit more speed work now and my two week holiday will help me recover from the latest block and hopefully hit the final five weeks strong.
  • MG- Just read your 24 miler done in 2:24 & my eyes were out on storks!image  Think you might of meant 2:45:49{1:24:51 + 1:20:58}, which is still over half an hour quicker than me! ...or else we must all hail the potential winner of this year's Abo maraimage

    Bloody good going, & shows how far you've come in a short period of time.  I find no matter how many 20+ mile training runs I've done, the freshness of body & mind is seriously wilted by 20 miles, & I sometimes have to play mind games with myself to get to the end.  Last Sunday, I told myself at 21 miles I'd quit at 22, but then managed to bluff another couple of miles to finish!  I run alone & without any music in my ears.  3hrs of 'thinking time' can often be too much!

    Anyways, I'm waffling too much!  After 2 days off, I've got a bit of a mountain to climb this week to achieve 70 miles.  Tonight did 6x1 mile speed session down at the track all by my lonesome.  My club had a local off-road annual race which I avoided.  Reps came out 5:32!, 5:55, 5:55, 5:59, 6:06, 5:55. 2 mins recovery, & 1 mile w.u. & w.d.

     Rest of planned week looks like this:-Thurs-14, Fri-10{possibly off-road},Sat-14, Sun 24. Gulp!image 

    Hope everyone's training is going to plan, injury-free! 

  • Nice session Luvsa mile reps in a group are a killer on there own they're worse. Yes sorry must have been getting carried away there lol 2:45. I ran without music today as it was lashing it down when I left and I didn't want to ruin my iPod. Conditions improved however but it was nice for a change. I know what you mean about psyching yourself after 20, I'm the same! What I've found with my MP runs is when I'm pressing the splits on my watch (it won't do it automatically) it takes my mind off the distance, might be an idea to try it on the long runs. Tough end to the week but I'm sure you'll be fine, you have done plenty of 24's haven't you! Good luck anyway image
  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    Reading back, there is some great training going on by you all. I'm looking to crack 3hrs at Abingdon, having recently done a hilly one in 3:02. Training has been going really well for this however over the last 7 days everything has suddenly seemed much harder. Tired legs, slightly elevated heart rate, and sweating buckets even on v.slow recovery runs.Hopefully its just a bug or tiredness, so I've forced myself to cut back this week.



    Supposed to be doing a Half this weekend. Told myself to do it at MP if I'm not feeling 100%, but I'm not sure I trust myself
  • MG-Thanks! I know I can usually bash out the miles, it's just trying to tread the tightrope of preventing new injuries/niggles that I'm more cautious ofimage

    AR-Sub 3 is def on the cards if you've done 3:02 on a hilly course.  Backing off for a week will not destroy your training, and is probably just what your body needs.  Agreed, the only way I could run a race backing off would either be making myself wear a heavy rucksack, or hopping round on one leg!image 

  • That's a MONSTER 24 miler MG. If that's what you can knock out in training untapered and un carb-loaded you're on for a cracking perfomrnace on race day. Keep the lid on it and don't overcook it bwetween now and then

    Great mile reps from you Luvsa - consistent and quick. You certainly can';t be accused of not squeezing your hard days into the back end of the week !

    AR - I think you just need an easy week. Sensible to listen to what your body'd telling you. Ages to go yet. The hot humid weather is a factor too. Maybe wise to sit the HM out altogether if you can't trust yourself to keep a lid on it. The option is to set the goal of EXACTLY running to MP and keeping an eye on pace - see the goal of hitting perfect MP all the way round as the target. Start a few rows back and enjoy catching up with folk who've set off too fast

    Struggled a bit with my session on Tuesday - had felt a bit knackered and tired all day - plan was 4 mile warm up then 3 * 8 minute intervals staarting at 10k pace and getting quicker. In fact paces were 5.54, 5.56 and 6.00 so ended up more like a tempo session. Still a good workout but a tad disappointing. Nice easy 13 miler yesterday though. Rest day today

  • MG - fantastic 24 miler, it certainly shows you are well on course for your target, and a great confidence boast. Don't get too greedy between now and Abo, and you will have a great race.

    Luvsa - cracking mile reps, although do not fancy the rest of your week. I have got my club track session tonight, which should be 2 x 2miles, but certainly will not be running as fast as you.

    Also-run - I know the feeling, I have felt the same since last Sunday, tired legs, working hard, even on slow runs, and sweating buckets. So, like you, I may back off a little next week. I ran a HM race at MP pace back in June, and have since done two other races as tempo and progressions runs. Yes, it is hard to keep control (although no harder than keeping the pace down in 1st half of a marathon), but if you start well back, you certainly get a nice feeling spending most of the race passing people. While they virtually collapse on the finish line, you can say, what was all the fuss aboutimage 

    FW - good run, although may be disappointing for you, still sounds very quick. Glad I am not the only one feeling knackered.

  • AC not much chance of me getting greedy running wise however two weeks all inclusive in two and a half weeks I may just have a problem with greed image

    The plan was always to train hard up to holiday have a bit of a rest (with the minimum number of runs) while away then a decent five week block before race day.

    Easy 4/6 double this morning both at around 8 m/m pace legs grumbled for the first mile and a half this morning but fine after. Got a steady 15 planned for the morning but I'll have to fit it in before mrs g goes to work so I might not do it all we'll see how it goes. Massage booked for after so that should aid recovery before the weekends race

    Fraser we all have those days always worth changing a session mid way if it's not going well and hitting again another day, sure it's nothing to worry about!!
  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    Had an easy 11 miles today, but decided before setting off to do 3 in the middle as a "mini tempo run" to test things out, without clock watching. The 3 came out at 6.15, 6.05, and 6.02 and actually felt really good - and well beyond what I expected.  Breathing and the legs felt fine.  Returning back to my easy pace, I ended the 11 still feeling a little bit more jaded than normal, but feel like I'm coming back out of a bit of a trough. I think I needed the last week of lower intensity and mileage, and to catch up on some sleep.

    Could still do with MG's all inclusive as a recovery! Enjoy. 

     

  • Easy 14 miler this evening in 2:06.  Still sweated buckets after going out at 8.30pm.  There's obviously quite a lot of humidity about, or else I just sweat alot!image  22 down. Just another 48 to go by Sunday.  Sheer madnessimage

  • mee meepmee meep ✭✭✭

    Bonkers Luvsa image nice mile reps the other day!

    Nice pacy middle three in your 11miles AR, good to hear you think your getting back to normal as well. Also hear what your saying about MGs all inclusive recovery, that would do me perfectly!

    That's a stonking 24 youy did Martin, great confidence builder, you must be happy with the way things are going?

    Fraser/AC, you think its the humidity making the runs feel that bit tougher than usual, i've definitely noticed it and made a conscious effort to slow easy runs a bit, dont know if it helps or not though image

    8 easy this morning, up nice and early tomorrow to go long.

  • Also-ran - sounds like you have recovered. Impressive 'mini-tempo'. Are now going to race your HM on the weekend?

    LuvsaPB wrote (see)
     Just another 48 to go by Sunday.  Sheer madnessimage

    Luvsa - definatelyimage, Good luck, and take it easy.

    Meep - I think the humidity must be making a difference, although not sure how much. I will certainly be slowing down the long run a bit tomorrow, to make sure I do not run out steam like last week.

    MG - hope you got your 15mile in.

    Club track session last night. 2 x 2 miles (avs 6.21 & 6.20) Legs ok, but breathing still heavy. I certainly would not fancy a 10K race at the moment.

  • MG -  Not so impressive maths but very impressive running on the 24,

    Luvsa -  V quick mile splits, if you speedsters fancy posting your mile times against others, look on Marathon Talk they are holding a Magic Mile comp in September.

    AC - Nice splits on your 2 milers. Re hydration on the run my camelbak has arrived and going to try it Sunday morning(think I'm going to need it). Looks a good bit of kit, very compact but holds 1.5 litres.

    AR -   Nice pacy tempo miles.

    Speaking of tempo miles, yestedays did n't go too well for me, 2WU 3 at 10K pace(6:40 I thought) then 1 WD.  First mile 6:31(gotta stop thinking I can run fast), 6:51, then 7:21(was uphill and into the wind) but crap pacing really.

  • Barry. Still a good workout. I always make that mistake of doing first effort too fast!



    Good luck with the monster weekend miles Luvsa



    Great track session from you AC. 2 mike efforts seem to go forever eh



    Glad to see you're out of the mini rut AR.



    I still seem to be in my heat and humidity related rut unfortunately. Simply couldn't get going today. Supposed to be three efforts of 15 mins @ HMP. First one was 6.11 pace then just blowing like a puffing billy for second one when I just thought bugger this and stopped after 12 mins having struggled to hit 6.23 pace. All a bit disappointing. I think I cope poorly in the heat....the trick now is to forget about the attempts at sessions this week and move on.



    Hope everyone has a good weekend
  • BB-Listened to Marathon Talk a few times but then let it slip.  Will dip back in again!

    Survived an 8 mile off-roader, finishing with another 2 miles on the road to total 10 for the day.  14 planned tomorrow & 24 Sunday.  Hope the heat doesn't make it too uncomfortable  image

    Hope everyone keeps on truckin'image

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    Luvsa - 24 on Sunday after 14 tomorrow is serious mileage - hope you get some cloud cover.



    I'm hoping my recovery continues. I've run the last couple of days at 6am. I think I might get a shock running a 10am race on Sunday.



    AC I think the heat will dictate if I race or use it for training purposes. I've a couple of niggles so am planning to rest tomorrow. 2 miles on a track must seem to go on and on - I really struggle with long track intervals
  • So jealous in a way of all this talk of hot and humid weather I ran yesterday at 6:30 and it was absolutely lashing down, I've been drier in a swimming pool! But the rain can only do some damage and in distance running I suppose heat is he runners worst enemy so it's not all doom and gloom!

    Also-ran how do you get on with the early morning runs? I've never been keen but with the summer hols and child minding it's been a necessity I seem to have got used to it and the old phrase the hardest step is the first one out of the door is quite true!

    Anyway back to training 15 yesterday done at 7:00 ave felt ok running wise but tired towards the end and after getting in I stiffened up quite bad and was quite fatigued, obviously the aft effects of my long run and 49 miles in three days taking their toll. Had a massage booked for post run and that has loosened things off a bit. Took my 8 this morning nice and easy 8:00 ave and now 25 hours rest before birchwood 10k tomorrow morning, it's a fast flat course so should give a good indication where I'm at although I've had a high mileage week and no rest so that'll have to be taken into account.

    Where is your 10k also-ran?
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