Cobbles & Red Wine - Sarah’s Paris Marathon Plan: Sub 3:35

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  • Evening DS2!

    Fab to hear from you! I’m terrible … every time I pass a good view on my run I whip out the phone and take a picture! I like looking back at the pics to remember a good run. image

    No …! Someone else with the same excellent taste in socks? I completely approve!image

  • Charming! Reasons not to let Little Sis (Yes YOU – RunningForChocolate!!) know where your thread is on the forum …image And Bacon Steve … you’re ENCOURAGING her!!

    Although … I could probably set myself up as a competitor to British Gas … (Looks proud before realising what she’s discussing ….)

  • Food Diary 7th January

    Breakfast: Cornflakes, skimmed milk, 3 x teaspoon of sugar

    … Back at home!! …

    Lunch: Bowl of spinach with 30g Double Gloucester with Chives & Onions, 3 slices of baked ham, 1.5 tablespoons of reduced fat mayonnaise.

    Tea: 125g salmon, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, 1/3 portion of stirfry mixed veg (flowering broccoli, courgette, mini corn, carrot slices, kale), 6 mushrooms, small leek – all in steamer. 100g cottage cheese.

    Snacks: 2 x custard cream biscuits, packet of rolos, kitkat (got home starving hungry after a horrendous 80 mile drive home with vomiting 3 year old and spotted the leftover Christmas goodies), orange,

    Drinks: 3 x coffee with small amount of semi-skimmed milk, 3 pints of orange,

    Exercise: 30 mins grocery shopping with 3 year old (a PROPER interval sessionimage ), 90 minutes housecleaning.

  • your blood sugar must have really dipped on your journey home!



    Loved reading the advice from Ruth as ive never had advice from a dietician before.



    Ive tried the banana before a run and that really didnt agree with me, as didnt porridge and blueberries before a race, although I can happily have these before a training run and have it most mornings...porridge, banana and blueberries together, mmm.



    I always have a cheese toastie/panini before a race and its never let me down. I once had pasta with bolognese sauce for lunch and raced 6 hours later and was sick...that really didnt agree with me!



    How did you get away with doing so many MP miles in your training run..im so jealous!



    Loving that your sister is on here....dish the dirt RunningForChocolate!!
  • Hello-  RRR loving the descriptions of your runs - seems you have as much fun exploring as I do.  I must take more pictures on the run thought.

    I have a question for Steve Marathon Coach...  I dream of qualifying for Boston, one day...  I'm 26 and have been running for about 5 years, however, commitment to it has been patchy.  I did 2 marathons in 2011 - London (4:38) and Berlin (4:33) - My training for Berlin wasn't great, and I plan to be a lot more committed now I'm training for Halstead and Essex in May this year.  I did plan to do NYC last year, but it was cancelled, and I was greatful, as I had a really tough year which significantly affected me- and lead to a couple of injuries,

    My best race times are 5k: 24:01, 10k: 52:50. Half: 1:59:03, though my most recent half was more like 2:05.

    Is a BQ completely off the cards for me? If not, I'm aware it would take time, but what would you recommend - My current thinking is that I focus on getting the shorter races times down-  mainly the half, and that a much faster marathon will come from this.  Any comments and advice much appreciated-  have u seen examples of where people have taken an hour off their marathon time?

  • Hi Sarah, thought I'd pop in and say hi after your post yesterday. I'm struggling to keep up with everyone's threads at the same time as doing my own, logging on MyAsics, tweeting, etc, etc!! I think the trainings the east bit!



    Your running well, keep up the good work! You seem to be running everything a bit quicker than guide pace, are the efforts feeling easyish?
  • Four and a bit mile plod to work wore the heart strap which I dont do very often my heart rate was around 140bpm. Need to go and check what my max is but that hurts I reckon so dont fancy doing that. 170 going off the age thing. Was able to get it up to 185 a couple of years ago but dont think I could now. Whats the best way to test this? Run like a nutter until you collapse then go again or something like.image
    Heres a question for discussion, debate. Is it right to take Ibupofren before a race? I have a lively discussion with a fellow runner about this!! I wouldn't he always does!!
    Do you not eat carbs RRR apart from Orange juice? Being Coeliac I have to get gluten free bread and pasta. No wonder you are starving!!!

  • Thanks for recommendation on headlamp. I'll look on Sweatshop site. Got delivery of my new trainers and waterproof (needed for NW weather conditions) so excited to go for a run tonight.

    Did my first long run since autumn on Sunday. 11 miles. My calves are still hurting image

    Any strecthes recommended?

     

  • You're going to have to run rings round me in June so that I can keep up! Too much choc over Christmas! Congrats on your speed btw, you are so fast! Many hugs xx
  • Evening Sarah Osborne!

    Yes – it was so nice to have such detailed advice from Ruth!! But I think she’s right … I may have a teeny cheese addiction …! Take my trainers, but don’t take my Stilton!!

    Oh yum! Banana and blueberries in porridge! I’ll have to try that … had sugar in mine this morning – I must get used to using cinnamon instead of sugar again. Is it dried banana or fresh and do you mash it or slice it?

    I got a bit told off for doing MP in the training run so made a big effort to behave tonight and get the splits right! image

    Eek!! Don’t encourage my sister any more!!! Really ... she's more than capable of spilling the beans!!

  • Evening Angela Isherwood2!

    Fab to hear from you and I’m glad you’re enjoying the run descriptions! Any excuse for me to whip out the phone and take a pic! image

    I’ll be interested in Steve Marathon Coach’s advice regarding your Boston Qualifying time. Which marathon are you looking to run to get the qualifying time?

  • Evening Alex (or should I call you AW? image

    Ha ha! Glad I’m not the only one with time issues!! The running seems to be the easy part!image I’m loving reading everyone’s threads although I have to admit to being a bit of a lurker rather than a poster! It’s so nice to chat to everyone on here though … running and talking about it… FANTASTIC!!image

    I have been running a bit quicker than the guide paces Steve’s given me but I’m making a determined effort this week to behave and stick more to these! I haven’t struggled with any of the sessions yet, although I imagine it will get more difficult as we get further into the training so I probably should be enjoying the easier paces while I’ve got the chance!!image

  • MCS – Evening!

    Goodness I don’t know about the heart rate question … can anyone advise us?

    mcs wrote (see)

    Four and a bit mile plod to work wore the heart strap which I dont do very often my heart rate was around 140bpm. Need to go and check what my max is but that hurts I reckon so dont fancy doing that. 170 going off the age thing. Was able to get it up to 185 a couple of years ago but dont think I could now. Whats the best way to test this? Run like a nutter until you collapse then go again or something like.image
    Heres a question for discussion, debate. Is it right to take Ibupofren before a race? I have a lively discussion with a fellow runner about this!! I wouldn't he always does!!
    Do you not eat carbs RRR apart from Orange juice? Being Coeliac I have to get gluten free bread and pasta. No wonder you are starving!!!

    Regarding the carbs question I tend to get most of them from the porridge in the morning and the vegetables I eat in the evening. Bread upsets my tummy a bit dramatically so I tend to steer clear…!

    I was definitely starving yesterday when I got home but that was mainly because my 3 year old had a projectile vomiting moment in the car 30 miles into an 80 mile journey ... argh!

    I’d originally meant to stop for lunch on the journey but hadn’t felt that me and my vaguely sicky-smelling child would be very welcome anywhere. Besides after sorting out the child and the car, I’d run out of baby wipes so it would have been a bit of a disaster had she chosen to throw up on the waiter.

    So lunch had been postponed to 3:30pm … hence the cookies and chocolate image (Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! Hee hee!!)

  • Evening Sarah Blunt 2!

    Ooh exciting re trainers and waterproof!! Which trainers did you get? I NEVER get bored of getting new trainers – it’s always exciting!!

    Eek! Hope your calves have eased a bit … I tend to do the standard stretches but I also find that a cool bath really helps after a particularly long or intense run. It definitely stops my legs from aching the next day! Think it reduces the inflammation!

  • RunningIsHardWork – Evening!

    Well, I’m glad you’re bringing your running gear along in June … no excuses about forgetting trainers now!image

  • Week 4, Day 2

    Goal 1: 10 x 400m starting every 2 mins 30 …

    Actual: 2 mile warm up and a trip to Sainsburys.

     

    Goal 2: 5 mile build up run starting at 9 min miles and ending at 7:20

    Actual: 5 mile build up run starting at 9 min miles and ending at 7:18 (so close!)

               

    I’ve ended up switching Tuesday (Day 2) and Thursday (Day 4) training sessions this week.

     

    I was feeling very pleased with myself as I’d managed to wangle getting out of the office an hour early to do this session.

    So all ready and psyched up for 10 x 400m at a 6 – 6.22 minute/mile starting every 2 minutes 30 … and the track was closed. 

    If that wasn’t bad enough, I‘d spent 15 minutes in the cinema car park with my car in the darkest corner possible trying to surreptitiously get changed without a) flashing anyone b) knocking the handbrake off and rolling the car down the hill INTO the cinema and c) having security knock on the window with a big torch and ask what I thought I was doing.

    I decided that I’d do the warm up anyway and hopefully by the time I finished a couple of slow miles the track would be open. Did a slow loop and I could see that the lights were still off at the track. Stopped at Sainsburys for a tube of toothpaste … godliness, cleanliness, speediness etc but the track lights were still off when I came out. Bother.

    I was on a tight schedule tonight and if I couldn’t get the session done before 6pm I was going to have to do the run at 10.30pm with a headtorch …

    (Wavy lines …. Just think of Wayne and Garth from Waynes World saying “Diddly, do, diddly do…”

    10.30pm … headtorch on, running gear STILL on, Garmin picking up signal … And she’s off. Very, very slowly …

    /members/images/645234/Gallery/dark_street.JPG

    Pic: My view tonight!

    I was determined to get the splits right on the run tonight after previously going too quickly in practically every session … and I think I (finally!) pretty much nailed it.

    Mile 1  9:02

    Mile 2 8:38

    Mile 3 8:10

    Mile 4 7:37

    Mile 5 7:18

     

    Garmin Info Here

  • well done excellent pacing and control and good speed at the end

  • Food Diary 8th January

    Breakfast: porridge, skimmed milk, 3 x teaspoon of sugar.

    Lunch: Tin of tuna, tablespoon of mayonnaise.

    Tea: kipper, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, 1/3 portion of stirfry mixed veg (flowering broccoli, courgette, lemongrass, pak choi), 6 mushrooms, green beans – all in steamer. 30g cottage cheese.

    Snacks: Cadbury crème egg, 5 x chocolate coins, banana, babybel, 1 x tablespoon dried fruit mix, cup of red grapes.

    Drinks: 5 x coffee with small amount of semi-skimmed milk, 2 x pint orange squash, 2 x glasses of water, 1 x cup of tea.

    Exercise: 1.8 miles at slow pace, 5 miles buildup run, 1 mile cool down.  

  • Hi RRR, I'm interested what he has to say too- looking over what I actually achieved in training for London and Berlin in 2011 I'm surprised I completed either, though I suspect most of my mileage happened on the treadmill, whereas I'm a total outdoor runner now with no gym membership. I want to see how I go in Halstead/ a race with a much smaller field than I'm used to, and take it from there- I'm getting married nxt may (2014) so a BQ would likely become a focus after that, though I'd like to set the balls in motion now so that a) I look great in my dress, and b) I'm trying to gt the times from a higher level of fitness...
  • Dont know how you survive on that diet with so little carbs..........great story of getting changed in the car done that myself to get a run in. Must get a cadbury's creme egg forgot they come out after xmas.image
    Did an interval session home in the dark with batteries fading on my headtorch last night and got my heart rate up to 179 but reckon in daylight should be able to go a touch higher, perhaps try it on a hilly section.
    Steve defo needs to get some sleep or he is in another time zone!!!

  • RunnyRunRun - Question 1 how come you've so many aliases? (RRR & your twitter name)  image

    Q2 - can I have a training diet that includes Cadbury's Creme Eggs and chocolate coins?  I'm currently upping the training to try & shake off the chocolate excesses of Xmas & New Year

    Q3 & following up on a couple of our twitter conversations - I got a new pair of Asics shoes at half price in the Sweatshop sale at the weekend so I had enough pennies left to invest in the latest issue of RW. Nice write up on bootcamp.  I assume you & the others will be in every issue between now and post Paris? 

    Lastly mutual congratulations on our Parkrun PBs at the weekend image  I dug out my training records from 2001 to find my lifetime 5K PB is a whole 3:30 faster than last Saturday.  Plenty of room for improvement there image

  • Because writing RunnyRunRun is a bit long so we all shortened it to RRR?!?

    Tigger x

  • Good acing on your build up. Do you find it difficult to keep getting faster while running in the dark? I've always struggled keeping a faster pace than normal at night.

    Glad to see I'm not the only one still eating Christmas leftover food. Nothing will go to waste! image

  • Angela I - sorry for delay in replying - missed your question at first.  Of course a Boston qualifier is possible eventually but it's a while off ie 2015 or 2016.

    The speed has to be improved and then you have to do much harder marathon training with the improved speed being utilised

    Currently if you did your 10k PB four times over, you'd only run around 3:40. Your 5K pb is your best PB which at least shows you have potentially more basic speed than endurance.

    To run around 3:35 you probably need to get that 5k time down to around 22, the 10k down to close to 45 and the HM to 1:38 and that not going to happen straight away..

    You probably need to work on the speed through the summer and then aim to get the marathon down to 4:00 in the autumn and then take it from there.

     

  • Thanks a lot Steve. 2016 eh? Sounds like an ideal goal for my 30th image
  • Food Diary 9th January

    Breakfast: porridge, skimmed milk, 3 x teaspoon of sugar.

    Lunch: Tin of tuna, tablespoon of mayonnaise.

    Tea: kipper, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, 1/3 portion of stirfry mixed veg (flowering broccoli, courgette, lemongrass, pak choi), small leek, 8 mushrooms, green beans – all in steamer. 30g cottage cheese.

    Snacks: apple, babybel, 2 x Thorntons chocolates, 1 x small choc chip cookie, 5 x chocolate coins, satsuma, large portion of grapes, 2 squares of dark chocolate and chilli, 5 or 6 small pretzels (shaped like Xmas trees! image

    Drinks: 4 x coffee with small amount of semi-skimmed milk, 2 x pint orange squash.

    Exercise: 8 miles run.

  • Morning Angela Isherwood!

    Training mostly on the treadmill for the first marathons? Eeek! Do you prefer running outdoors now? I find running outdoors a lot easier ... more to distract me although it’s not always so convenient! When is the Halstead race and what is the distance?

    Good luck for your wedding! I hope you have a perfect day! (And I’m sure you’ll look fab in your dress!)

  • Morning MCS!

    Re getting changed in the car ... it doesn’t matter HOW far you push the seat back you always end up banging your elbow on the door and knocking the gearstick with your knee!

    Creme eggs are my FAVOURITE naughty food! Well ... those and ice cream! I got into the habit of stopping halfway through my marathon training runs last Autumn for an ice cream ... it was lovely! Had a pub on my route selling the little flake ones for 75p! Perfect when you’re hot and sweaty! image

  • Morning Andy!

    Well ... I tend to use my Twitter alias for practically everything ... but when I first started running and coming onto RW forums and asking silly questions I didn’t want work to know how often I was on here so I changed my usual username just in case they checked!! You realise I’ve just dropped myself in it admitting that? Busted!!image

    You’ll have to ask Steve Marathon Coach and Ruth McKean about a training diet that includes crème eggs and chocolate coins.... I’M only eating them so my boyfriend doesn’t feel obliged to eat them. I’m doing it for his sakeimage (She says stuffing other people’s chocolate coins into her mouth ...)

    Ooh nice one getting your shoes half price!! Which trainers did you go for in the end? New trainer pics, new trainer pics!!

    We ROCKED parkrun last weekend! image So ... next weekend you’re planning on knocking another 3.5 minutes off???!

  • Morning Tigger!

    Hee hee!! I thought I’d see if I could get you to wear out your keyboard R keysimage You realise it’s getting to the point where I think of you all as your RW forum names not your real names any more ...!image

    Am I right in thinking you’ve got a 20 miler coming up? How’s the training going?

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