Target 26.2 - First Timer Steve's Journey to Paris

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  • Hi Steve, love the thread! Just found out that Brighton is supposed to be a hilly course so not sure if its ideal for a first timer like me but as I'm guaranteed a PB, I can't complain! My other half has decided that we should take a dreaded trip to Oxford St but just maybe I can persuade her to detour past the Topshop etc and into the Asics store!

  • jenfjenf ✭✭✭
    looking forward to seeing the runners strength workout steve.
  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Paul - some runners think that if a marathon gets one metre above see level it's a hilly course - I blame London for spoiling everybody!

    It isn't hilly - honestly! Enjoy it. Finishing your first marathon is one of lifes great joys!image

  • Ady - I agree the world is probably not quite ready for the sight of us in leggings...

    Maybe we should agree to a public outing for the leggings at the Dorney Half?

    Tigs - what took you so long?!?image It's not a party without Tigs... any burning questions for the first-timer? image

    SC - yep, one of my weaknesses too - I do a few sit-ups and push-ups then completely run out of ideas! Plan to follow...

    oscarr - you're not filling me with confidence!image When is Abingdon?

    Clive - Thanks image and yes, I'm loving the laces too - great way to do it (although was tough trying to figure out exactly what pics to take for the step-by-step guide haha)

    PAUL - thanks, really enjoying writing it, so I'm glad you're enjoying reading it! image Haha exactly - can't go wrong with a guaranteed PB! I'm in the same boat, so as long as we can drag ourselves to the end, we can both be really proud of ourselves...

    You should definitely visit the store - it's kitted out with so much stuff and the staff there are great, they really know what they're talking about. One of them is seriously quick as well - 30mins for 10k and 1hr 7mins for a half mara!! He measured his heart-rate on the treadmill and resting it is 48bpm. I thought he was about to start flat-lining...!

    Jen - coming up image

    DS2 - can't wait to cross that line image

  • The long-awaited Strength Circuit

    Well, without much further ado, I give you the Sam Murphy Strength Circuit © complete with handy illustrative photos of the various exercises described being demonstrated by the lovely Sam Murphy herself.

    Sam explained to me that this strength circuit, whilst not being high impact, should be done 1-3 times a week and would be most effective if carried out on days with less strenuous runs.

    The best advice she could give?  As always, it was: listen to your body.

    Sam - I must confess that I cheated a bit - my best mate is an award-winning web designer, so he solved the posting problem for me. It's not who you know, it's what you knowimage

  • Training - Week 1

    Today I went out for a 4 mile jog ((10.15-11 mins per mile) with 3 sets of Acceleration Strides to finish.

    I have actually just realised when typing that, that I mis-read the training run before I set out and I actually completed the four miles at Comfortable pace (9.10 - 10.15 mins per mile) by mistake image Sam, I'm really sorry - please don't slap my wrist...!

    My splits for the four miles were (1) 9:13 (2) 9:22 (3) 9:20 (4) 9:11 which, if I had been running at the correct pace would have been great!

    I felt really good the whole way round and finished with more energy than I started with - I had another early start at work today and had to travel to another hearing so I was feeling a little washed out as I headed out of the door but by time I had finished warming up I was feeling pretty good.

    Sam showed us some great active stretching exercises at bootcamp that I find really help me to get the blood flowing and get you in the mood for a run, much more so than the static stretching I have always done before.

    As a side note, and on the plus side, we won the hearing and the client was delighted - when we got back to his bar, he cracked open a £250 bottle of Cristal champagne... would have been rude not to have a glass! My job may involve long hours... but it isn't all badimage

  • jenfjenf ✭✭✭
    champagne is my favourite drink! apparently delays onset of dementia.image

    downloaded strength circuit... I'm on it! thanks
  • Santa loves bacon wrote (see)

     

     

    Seren - smoked. Easy. Next?image

     

    right so I now discover you are an essex boy and that you prefer smoked to unsmoked......................3 rd strike and you are outimage

  • Steve, thanks for sharing the strength curcuits, I'll be adding those to my program, I just tend to do high knees, heel flicks side to sides, squats and lunges etc as a warm up anything else you could recomend.  Sounds like a very happy client, I hope you enjoyed the glass or two of bubbly image

  • Well done on posting the strength workout so professionally Steve! That gets you off slapped wrist for running a minute/mile too quick for recovery runimage

    It's not all 'core work' as such - as you'll all see - but have explained why I use each exercise in a running context so hope that's helpful.

     


  • Santa loves bacon wrote (see)

    The best advice she could give?  As always, it was: listen to your body.

    Every time I do that, the wife tells me off! image

    Thanks for the circuit pdf Steve.  Worth it for the pics of the hot babe image.

    re: the easy run pacing..  I found out today why it's necessary to run the easy runs at a very easy pace.  Today's 13m run was 5m easy and 8m at MP.  It felt harder than a steady 12m at MP I did a fortnight ago, due to the accumulated effect of the training (this is only week two!! image).  Pleased to say, though, that I hit my pace (9:08 average) during the last 8 miles in spite of some diabolical weather.

    I actually enjoyed running is the rain/wind today.  Soaked to the bone and loving it.... lunatic image

  • Good advice Ten! He's right Steve, as the volume of training increases you'll be all too glad of those easy runs image

    btw, first time I've been called a hot babe in a while. image

  • Evening Steve!  - Sounds like the training is going well! image

  • jinglebellsjen wrote (see)
    champagne is my favourite drink! apparently delays onset of dementia.image
    downloaded strength circuit... I'm on it! thanks

    And obviously I only drank it for the health benefitsimage

    Would be a very expensive evening out though, at £250 a bottle! Maybe one for the Christmas list...

  • seren nos yn canu wrote (see)

    right so I now discover you are an essex boy and that you prefer smoked to unsmoked......................3 rd strike and you are outimage

    Haha - being from Essex, I clearly have no classimage

    Bit nervous about what you're going to ask me next!

  • SC is Coming to Town wrote (see)

    Steve, thanks for sharing the strength curcuits, I'll be adding those to my program, I just tend to do high knees, heel flicks side to sides, squats and lunges etc as a warm up anything else you could recomend.  Sounds like a very happy client, I hope you enjoyed the glass or two of bubbly image

    No worries image

    Re the warm-up, at bootcamp Sam showed us a range of active stretching/warm-up exercises - you've got most of them there already.

    The only extra thing we did was running with very little strides and your feet turning over really quickly - think of running on the spot, but moving forward at a jogging pace if that makes sense (!) (perhaps Sam could explain it better??)...

    Before, I only ever used to do those standard three stetches that everyone knows and we were all shown in PE at school and then just went for a gentle jog (I didn't even bother with that a lot of the time)... So the warm-up exercises have been great for me and, as I said, really get me in the mood for a run image

  • SamMurphyRuns wrote (see)

    Well done on posting the strength workout so professionally Steve! That gets you off slapped wrist for running a minute/mile too quick for recovery runimage

    It's not all 'core work' as such - as you'll all see - but have explained why I use each exercise in a running context so hope that's helpful.

     

    Thanks for the routine, Sam - looks like everyone is going to find it really useful image

    So sorry about the pacing... not quite sure what I did there!! Glad I have managed to escape your wrath though...image

  • Tenjiso wrote (see)

    Santa loves bacon wrote (see)

    The best advice she could give?  As always, it was: listen to your body.

    Every time I do that, the wife tells me off! image

    Thanks for the circuit pdf Steve.  Worth it for the pics of the hot babe image.

    re: the easy run pacing..  I found out today why it's necessary to run the easy runs at a very easy pace.  Today's 13m run was 5m easy and 8m at MP.  It felt harder than a steady 12m at MP I did a fortnight ago, due to the accumulated effect of the training (this is only week two!! image).  Pleased to say, though, that I hit my pace (9:08 average) during the last 8 miles in spite of some diabolical weather.

    I actually enjoyed running is the rain/wind today.  Soaked to the bone and loving it.... lunatic image

    Yes, I can totally believe that I'm going to be in serious need of slower paces and recovery runs as the weeks progress!  Assuming I don't go out and run them at comfortable pace by mistake, of course... image

    It's all jokes and smiling at the moment... Let's do a comparison and see how full of beans I am come February/March! image

    Well done on the pacing, sounds like you really earned that run! Haha, lunatic indeed - I love seeing the looks on people's faces when you're out running in what is technically a monsoon and they drive past all nice and warm in their cars. You can tell they think you are absolutely certifiable...!

  • RunnyRunRun wrote (see)

    Evening Steve!  - Sounds like the training is going well! image

    It's been great fun so far - loving every minute image How about you??

    I'm also loving the amazing new Asics kit! I'm looking so good in it that there is actually a six month waiting list for birds to suddenly appear every time I am nearimage

  • On the subject of car drivers... a big thumbs up to all those who passed me yesterday!  They were all very curteous, gave me space and never gave in to the temptation of "accidentally" giving me a soaking.  I guess they thought I was going through enough already.

    I've looked ahead at my Feb/Mar schedule.  With what I have learned so far, it now officially terrifies me!

     

  • Bit daunting, isn't it?! But as long as we stick to our plans and build up slowly, I reckon we'll be alright. Plus we should have worked off any excess mince pies/turkey by then so we should be in good shape...

    In other news, I see your pic has finally appeared!!

  • The problem with the RW forum pic is that I was submitting with Chrome.  RW hates Chrome.  It appeared almost straight away when I used IE.

  • Bacon Sarnie  - you should feel confident cos you have youth on your side and plenty of scope to drastically improve your half time which will give you even more confidence that you can meet your marathon target and by following Sam's schedule your fitness will certainly improve.  Abingdon is in October.

  • Ten - yeah, I use Chrome as well. Took ages for mine to upload too... didn't realise it was the browser that was the problem!!

    oscarr - thanks, I am feeling pretty positive right now - first week of training is done and it was all within my capabilities so it's just a case of applying myself between now and April and buidling up...  It is such an amazing opportunity to work with somebody of Sam's calibre - I'm dead chuffed image

    Good luck with Abingdon!

  • Just bought my sis a copy of Sam's lady-running-book for Christmas - trust us - if anyone can help you be your best it's Sam...

    So... will you be having a bird for Christmas dinner or just a table laden with bacon? 

    Happy Christmas one and all - eat, smile, enjoy and be grateful for whatever good things you may have in your life right now and for the memories of good things that you have been lucky enough to have had before image

  • Lovely message SB - happy Christmas to you...

    Am on the m6 up to Scotland (not at wheel!)

    How did today's run go steve?

    Good to see you oscarr - I know you've got that sub 4 in you... 2013!
  • Training - Week 1

    8 MILE COMFORTABLE (9:10 - 10.15)

    1hr 13mins 45 secs - 9:13 pace

    I've just back from my 8 mile run to finish off week one of training...! I have to say, the week has absolutely flown past and I feel like I'm going to be in Paris and all done and dusted before too long... Let's hope I'm still thinking that at mile 25!

    The run today went pretty well - certainly a lot better than I was expecting.  I'm not going to lie, I really, really didn't want to go out the door to begin with and was slumped on the sofa struggling to stay awake but by time I had warmed up and got going, I was feeling pretty good.

    I was out celebrating my degree result (and winning this!!) with a mate last night and had spent the whole day prior to that moving furniture in and out of storage and doing a massive trip to the rubbish dump. I then spent the first part of today navigating the hell on earth that was Lakeside Shopping Centre two days before Christmas so I was a little worried that I was going to find today's run pretty tough-going after my exertions...

    But the run started out really well and I felt pretty strong.  Since bootcamp, I have been really concentrating on my form when I run as that day had made me realise how much I lose form when I start to tire.  It is amazing how much it improves your running just to concentrate on and be more aware of it - it makes you so much more efficient and you use loads less energy to cover the same distance as when your shoulders are starting to sag and you're not lifting your knees up.  Sam said at bootcamp that your legs should move in a nice circular motion and I was focusing on that too - I was imagining pedals on a bike going round!

    Between five and five and a half miles, I did start to feel tired and I did start to fear the worst (i.e. that my hangover had finally caught up with me!) but that soon passed and I concentrated on keeping my form and keeping my pace nice and steady.

    The rest of the run flew by and I felt really, really good in miles seven and eight, to the point that I was a little disappointed to have to stop! I kept my form really well right to the end of the run, shoulders back and hips high so I'm feeling pretty good about myself at the end of week one.

    Bring on week two! Sam, because she is so lovely, has scheduled a 5 mile run for me on Christmas day... It must have been something I said at bootcampimage

  • Thanks SB, that's really lovely - hope you and everyone on here has a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for 2013 (and, yes, oscarr, that includes sub-4 marathons all round).

    I shall be having turkey, thank you very much, and peeling the bacon off the pigs-in-blankets and throwing it away. Honest guvimage

    Sam - it went well thanks, finished with a smile on my face so you can't ask for much more than that image

    The route did get a little interesting at times...

    /members/images/744786/Gallery/You_shall_not_pass.jpg

     

  • Evening Steve, nice to read through such a positive thread. Looks like you've had a wonderful first week of training too.



    Thankyou for the strength circuits....any way you can get your friend to post it on my thread????



    Mmmm champagne! I've a soft spot for Bellini's. I'v had loads of chocolate bought me from my patients....think their trying to fatten me up!
  • Hi Steve, looks like you're doing really well with the training. Did my first long slow run today and had to fight the urge to speed up and keep it slooooowwww. Enjoy Christmas...and the five miler!
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