VLM 2013 Outsiders Thread

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  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Hi Georgina, nice to see a female in here - you're the only one! image

    Good to hear the training's going well, you've probably read about mine, could be worse though, at least I don't have any major injuries to contend with - touch wood! I'm jealous you've got all your long runs in, that's probably where my training has faltered the most but hoping all will be well on the day, still got 6 weeks and an 18 miler & 20 miler to do!

    You can probably tell I'm Scottish so wont be anywhere near Finchley but am doing the Alloa 1/2 this weekend.

    Good luck with it though, hope all goes well, it looks a good route to get your pacing nailed!

     

  • Haven't been on here for ages... Then I remembered about a few on here doing Alloa half on Sunday. How are we all feeling before the race? Miggito, it sounds as if you have managed to catch all the winter bugs! My wife and the 4 kids have all had some sort of winter illness but I have managed to escape it (I think it comes from working in a hospital that toughens your immune system!??)



    Training wise for myself I had a great week 2 weeks ago. 61 miles done and felt superb-including 22 mile long run. BUT last week was awful. I got the miles done but did not enjoy one minute of it. I took this Monday off as an extra rest day to get the mind and body back on track and so far this week have enjoyed my hills x7 session last night and my 10 miles tonight, so hopefully back to where I want to be.



    What times are we aiming for on Sunday? Firstly I just want to beat my best half time of 1:39:54... But a guy in my work said his best time for a half was 1:35 so my competitive nature comes out and I will aim for this if going well? !!
  • How are all of you getting in so many miles each week?? You're all making me feel bad as i hardly manage to get out!

    I have a 21 miler next week which will be my final (and longest) run before i begin my taper. I'm getting my upper body waxed as part of my fundraising efforts next Friday (stupid i know), any of you any idea if this will affect my run on Sunday and if so what i can do to lessen the impact it will have??

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Dave, yes it's not been ideal for training on the bug front but happy I'm not seriously injuredimageMissed 4 weeks of training from the 16 week plan so not a disaster! Went for a sports massage this morning to get loosened up so feeling good for Alloa! My PB is 1.40.01 so need to get under that 1.40 time, to do that I need to run at approx 7.30 min / miles and not sure I can sustain that currently but knowing me I will give it a go! If at any point I struggle, I will calm it down so I don't do anything reckless that will scupper London efforts! I've not even looked at the course properly as have just been too busy but seems to be flat apart from a couple of wee hills at the end?!?  Sometimes these long mileages do grind you down and you need to get your mojo back so looks like you've done that, 61 miles is a lot in a week. The training plan I'm doing doesn't take me over 30 but time will tell if that's good or not (certainly makes the training a bit easier!)

    So there you go Sharky, hope that makes you feel better about the mileage you're doing, it's probably more than me! Just stick to the plan you're following and you'll be fine! You're a brave man with the waxing, that will hurt with the friction from your top rubbing against your skin and will get itchy when it starts to grow back? Can you not postpone it until after the Marathon, forgive me but that sounds a bit crazy getting that done on a Friday and then doing an LSR on the weekend? If not, I am a big fan of anti-chafe so might be a good idea to cover yourself in that before you go out and make sure you get whatever the waxer recommends on straight afterwards to cool it down as it's gonna hurt!! Good luck with it! image

  • Sharky, can I just point out I am following a plan that involves 6 days of running (every Friday is a rest day) I do a medium long run (12-15 miles) on a Wednesday and then the usual long run (18-22 miles) on a Sunday. The rest of my runs are between 4 and 6 miles. I felt this plan was working well for me... until last week when I felt tired/heavy legs/no enthusiasm.

    This week I will only be doing 35 miles as I am taking a couple of rest days before the Alloa half marathon on Sunday as I want to try and run it at a close to marathon pace(or better)!!

    Miggito,I heard the half on Sunday is fairly flat apart from a steep hill just after 9 miles. Was going to try and look at it on Google maps but then thought it won't make a difference. When it appears on Sunday just attack it!?!!
  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Dave, there is a link on mapmyrun which shows you the elevations of the course so you could have a quick look at that, although there is an incline, it doesn't look too bad (on paper anyway!)image

    I'm still deciding how to do it on Sunday, went for a Tempo run this morning and struggled to hold 8 minute mile pace (had to walk for a bit after 4 miles!) so might just run it all at MP of 8.30 as opposed to racing it at 7.30. I'm obviously still not as fit as I should be after my illness (apologies all for continually moaning about it!)  but it was also very windy and pissing down this morning so who knows, it's just annoyed me for ages to get under 1.40 but I might just let that go until Edinburgh 1/2 in May!

    Got the hotel confirmed for London today so that's cheered up my face anyway image

  • Good luck on Sunday everyone, I hope you get some half decent weather and all do the times yo want to.

    Parkrun for me tomorrow and then a run around Rutland Water on Sunday image

     

  • Roger....weather not great...but happy with my time.

    How did others get on at alloa half? Or any other half this weekend?

    Miggito...that hill that looked not too bad on paper..how did you feel today? I was fine for the first three-quarters of it, but the last wee bit really hurt the legs!!

    Weird thing happened to me when my Garmin malfunctioned just after the start so i panicked for a moment (i really am far too dependent on my watch???) Then i remebered reading somewhere, prob on these forums, advice just to run and use the way your body feels to control your pace.

    Fast forward to the last corner, turning towards the finish line, and i saw that the course clock said under 1:30 so i sprinted, well in my head i did, and finished with gun time of 1:29:03. (Just seen online that chip time was 1:28:12)...so i was delighted. My last half time was 1:39:56 so i was hoping to beat that, but thought maybe nearer 1:35 would be achievable.

    So now for London...do i leave the Garmin at home and just run the way i feel? I would like to get under 3 hours 10 (and obviously as close to 3 hours as possible) so what do others think??

     

  • Well done dave b 74 a good time without the garmin image and agree with that bloody hill the final bit seemed to sap the energy out of my legs aswell.  Weather wasn't brilliant but I enjoyed the wee showers every now and then.

    I normally try and got out and do a negative split race but started off with a pace of 7:23 and felt comfortable and kept it there or thereabouts for a few miles and the worst splits were mile 11 @ 7:44 and mile 12 @ 7:51 so that darn hill took it's toll on me, never had any gels with me either so not sure if that didn't help either as my legs did feel heavy.  Lessons learned image My official time was 1:38:37 so I'm happy with that.

    5 weeks to go and looking forward to London but I doubt I'll be aiming for time dave image

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Hey all, yes looking "not bad" on paper and the actual thing are two completely different things!image Well done on your times guys, that's great running and sets yourselves up nicely for London! The hill was a killer but I did manage to overtake a few who gave up on it (which is always good)but what a fantastic course! Stunning scenery, which made for a very enjoyable run and I thought the event itself was very well organised and was surprised at the amount of supporters out, considering the weather!

    Anyway, I decided not to race it and concentrate on getting my pacing sorted. Sub 3.30 Marathon (original goal that changes daily!) is 8 min miles so decided to see how I got on with that. Did very well, considering last effort when I had a crap run, not sure if it was being in the race environment with other runners, fitness coming together or whatever but it felt comfortable. Whether I can do that pace for another 13 miles is a different story and something I'll decide over the next few weeks when I'll decide to go at that or do 8.30 min miles and get the sub 345 or go out at 8 min miles and see how long I can go for before I crumble image - decisions decisions! So I came in at 1.44, which is pretty much spot on in terms of the pacing - I did have to slow myself down a few times as well but felt good to have nailed it as pacing is something I have struggled with in the past but loved the race! But I did feel good enough to beat my current pb of 1.40 at Edinburgh 1/2 in May, which I'm now really looking forward to!

    Anyway, had a Chinese and 1/2 bottle of red to celebrate last night and now back on the health kick, training all week except Friday and then 18 miles on Saturday.

    Dave, re your query about the Garmin, if you're going for that time, have you considered running with the sub 3 pacing group? I'm seriously considering running with one, even just to keep me spurred on but if you're going for that time and you feel you can do it, then that might be a help to you?

    Where's everyone else at now? Hope all is going well for everyone? Would be good to hear some more stories on how the trinaing's going!

  • Great time Paul... Since you were thinking 1:50 was an expected time.

    I never had any gels either.. If I'm doing a long run of 13 miles I don't take anything so went on the same thinking for this.

    It's amazing how your mind-set changes with marathon training. Yesterday many people were running the furthest they have ran EVER.. But we were just doing a medium-long run that we do at least once every week for the past 10-12 weeks.

    Good luck with an injury free few weeks in the lead up to London. 33 days to go!!!



    Miggito.. Well done on the good pace, and keeping it steady. If I was you I would be tempted to go for the sub 3:30-remember you still have a few more weeks training to go. Start off at 8 min/miles and, as you say, see how long you can keep it up. I did that in Dublin, my last marathon, and was pleasantly surprised not to hit any dip in form. Reimageacing group-sounds a great idea... to keep me going, and also to slow me down if, as usual, I stupidly get too cocky and speed up.
  • Well done guys, the training is working and it is always nice to get a surprise result in a half marathon leading to your goal marathon. It sounds like a good challeng too with a good hill near the end to test your stamina to the full.

    I was thinking the same as Dave and Miggito in terms of a different race target because everything has been going to / or better than planned, but I have now decided that my target time was my main goal for 2013 and it would take some getting over the dissapointment if I am fit and healthy at the start and blow up because I have decided to go a bit faster. So sub 3 is still my target which is 6:51 min/mi, however I am going to run at 6:45 min/mi to make up for the two tunels and any Garmin problems. This should bring me in at 2:57:30. My recent races are saying that I should be able to achieve 2:50:00 so with any luck it should be easy!

    Normal week for me now, recovery run today, track tomorrow, 11M on Wednesday, Hills, Thursday, Rest Friday, Parkrun Saturday and Oakley 20 on Sunday (but I am going to treat this as a training run).

  • Thanks Miggito and well done at Alloa. Finchley was my first 20 miler and longest run ever by 2 miles. I'm still learning to pay close attention to pace, but I mostly ran by what felt right... Managed to average 10:33, and finished in 3h30 which is ok considering I'm hoping to do the marathon in around 4h30. And I'm not too sore today which is a relief! Dropping down to 12m this weekend and will try and get in some intervals on the treadmill later this week.

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Nice easy week for you then Roger image I agree with you re your time aspirations, if you're going for a sub 3 that to me is a huge achievement in itself so would be great to get that under your belt and then you can see what you want to do for the next one! Your training's gone really well so wouldn't think you would want to start messing with it now.

    Dave, I really want to get under 330 as that is a target I have set myself for my lifetime so I do have plenty time to get it (foot permitting), would be nice to do it whilst I'm on the right side of 40 though (ie this year!) and I don't know how my foot issues will affect me over the coming years but will keep have it set in my mind by the 15th April my plan so will let you know then how good I feel for it.

    Georgina - well done on your 20 miles! Fantastic achievement! image I remember first time I ran 20, almost as good as finishing the Marathon itself - especially if you're not sore - I couldn't walk for 3 days image Going by your times and assuming your MP is 9:30 - 9:45 you'll get your time no probs. If its your first Marathon, don't worry about your time too much though (unless you're planning on it being your lastimage). I made that mistake a couple of years ago, was desperate to get under 345 and hobbled over the line in 4 hours 27!!! I'm just getting over it now, I was devastated but recognise I was very naive back then! Sounds like you're being a bit more sensible than me though!

    Got my 12 x 400m out of the way this morning, glutes hurting, need to have a roll around on my spikey ball later!

     

  • Afternoon all, starting to look forward to London after getting a couple of very different 20 milers under my belt.

    Ran the very hilly Spen 20 in 2hr 37 then Sunday just past I ran 20 miles with a friend down in Cambridge. Spen was fine and felt great afterwards but Cambridge was terrible after 15 miles despite being a flat route.

    Ok the full blown head wind from 12 miles didnt help, neither did the 250miles of driving the previous day or the 6 beers but I didn't expect to be that bad. Needless to say, my pee was neon orange when I got back and I felt hungover the next day.

    Going to take a steady 18 miles this weekend, then run the Leeds Half Marathon route the following week before tapering. My midweek runs have been doing wonders for me, 5.5 miles into work in the morning then the same back, unless I'm feeling brave and take the longer 8 mile route back. Certainly feeling the benefits of double sessions, if only to get the miles clocked up.

  • Miggito.. The point I was trying to make was you don't have to decide just now about your pace/time for the day. You have had a few bad weeks with illness and so I guess confidence might be low so you will then up your target time... But say in a couple of weeks of good running and you do a fantastic long run you will again be aiming for sub 3:30.

    Also age is just a number. I am also in my last year of my 30s, but I believe experience and knowledge (and maturity) make a great difference.

    My own goal for London is to get under 3:10.. and hopefully a good for age entry for next year to aim for sub 3 hours... anything is possible!!!!
  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Cheers Dave, yes I know what you were meaning. You're right - the fact I've missed a good few weeks is playing on my mind but again as you say, hopefully after my LSR on Saturday I'll be telling myself I'm back at the level of fitness I need to be at. I just dont want to be "found out" on the day and do great up to 20 miles or so and then struggle. As I said before, VLM 2011 was my first Marathon and so I want to do the course justice this time and settle my score with it as I'll probably never do it again as I look for different routes and challenges in the future.

  • Age is just a number, I am 46 and have only been running for three years, this is my fourth year so don't worry about age!

    Mind you I guess apart from smoking, drinking excesively and being four stone over weight three years ago I am still fairly fresh to this running game which must be of some benefit to me.

    Shanko - if you done your 20 in Cambridge this weekend just gone, the weather was bitter. In actual fact it has been bitter cold and windy for weeks now.

    I done my track session last night and followed that by a twelve mile run early this morning which was quite tough, it should have been eleven but I worked my route out wrong (schoolboy error) and something I could have done without.

    Not sure if anyone is interested but a club in London is doing 22 miles of the course on Sunday March 29th and has four different paced groups. I am going to drive down and run in the 3:45 group with a club friend. Four other club members are going to run in the 4:00 group. It should be good and give me an idea of what to look out for on the day. Let me know if anyone is interested and I will put you in contact with the organiser.

     

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Roger, I'm jealous! That sounds like the perfect preparation! Unfortunately would be a bit too expensive a jaunt for a training run for me image 

    Anyway, nice to see the sunshine this morning at 6am - Spring is finally coming - although it was bloody freezing at -1 Deg and very icy! Good job it was a tempo run - encouraged me to run fast and get back in the house quicker image

    One month today I'll be running around the streets of London in probably 25 Degrees!!!

     

  • Yes Miggito, I have been tellling everyone we will have a heatwave for one bloody day only!

     

  • Hi all. I've managed 10 miles this week. Reluctantly missing parkrun but will get 12 miles in later in the day. Doing a Where's Wally 5k fun run with my flatmate on Sunday!

  • I hate missing parkrun, tomorrow will be my 100th and I am going to run it with my sister as it was her that dragged me along the my 1st parkrun in March 2010.

    We are also going to run it in 28:04 which was my first attempt. Hard to believe I set a pb three weeks ago of 17:45 image

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Never done a parkrun, they look like fun though but LSRs always on a Saturday so have to miss them! Well done on your 100th though Roger, quite an achievement!!

    I've got 18 or 20 miles tomorrow (depending on legs), hope the snow dissapears otherwise its on the treadmillimage, will be good mental strength training if that is the case though!

    Good luck with your runs this weekend all image

    PS - Georgina - I'm off to google "where's wally 5k", never heard of it - must be an English thing image

  • Hi all, good to see everyone getting on well with their training, keeping my fingers crossed everyone stays fit and well over the next 4 weeks image



    Wishing the weather would warm up, yesterdays LSR was like runni through Narnia, just missing the enormous Lion and dodgy looking Faun!!! Still managed 19 miles in just under 2:30 which was pleasing. I don't have the mental strength like you Miggito to run that sort of distance on the treadmill, that really does take some sort of crazy to do that, in the nicest possible way of course image



    Have had a couple of interesting races in the last couple of weeks, ran the infamous Grizzly in Seaton, Devon which was 20 miles across countryside, up cliffs along shingle beaches, through rivers and the 'Bog of Doom'!!! This was definitely the hardest thing I have ever done, after the first 10 miles you feel like you've gone 20 and then find out that the second half of the race is harder!!! Regulars say that your time for the Grizzly is a good estimate of your road marathon time so I was pleased to finish in 3:26 and in one piece image



    Last weekend was the Naseby Battlefield Half which turned out to be a road race run on a couple of inches of settled snow (should have worn trail shoes!) which also proved to be tough, but I managed to ski my way round in just over 1:30. All in all the training seems to be paying off and I am just hoping to stay injury free until the 21st with only 2 more long runs before I start reducing down.



    Hope everyone is enjoying the challenge of the snow, lets hope it warms up soon!!!
  • Matt76 - looks like you have had a busy couple of weeks and got through them relitively unscathed. I am crossing everything in the hope that the enxt four weeks are injury and pain free.

    I done parkrun on Saturday and failed in my mission to finish it in 28:04 to mirror my 1st parkrun three years ago. I finished in 27:44 so it was pretty close but just as hard trying to run slower than I normally run. 

    Done 22 yesterday in the snow so had to wear trail shoes which don't have the same support as my normal running shoes, hence making it much harder than usual. Still a good solid workout with only four weeks to go.

    Some better weather would be good right now for us all.....

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Good to hear from you Matt, glad all's going well, sounds like it's all coming together for you too image Well done on doing the Grizzly, I read about that once, maybe in the mag or on here but looked like fun! Fast times as well, what time are you gong for again in London?

    I know what you mean about the weather at the weekend, I went out on Saturday morning in the snow (not sure if that was more crazy doing that than going on the treamillimage!!!) but managed just over 19 miles in the freezing cold, absolutely hated it, walked probably about 1/2 mile of it, thought seriously about phoning a taxi to get home as well but did it and never felt so relieved to get an LSR done when I arrived home and collapsed through the back door!

    Still re-evaluating my training plan as the days go on and still wishing this weather would just get better!!!

     

  • Well done everyone on getting out this weekend....wasn't that fun!image

    I managed to complete the Cranleigh 21 on a very cold and snowy Sunday morning in 3hrs 14 so quite pleased...especially considering that for the last 4 miles i needed the toilet so badly that i had to keep stopping to allow my stomach to settle! I also had to stop for a minute to try and reattach my race number, which was no mean task as i couldn't feel my fingers!

    I woke up yesterday morning and felt like someone had snuck in during the middle of the night, removed my legs and replaced them with those of a 86 year old, arthritic womans who'd had a double hip and knee replacement! Will it be this painful (or worse!!) after the main event, and how do i stop myself from having a toilet 'accident' on the day?

    At least i know i can run that distance now as 6 weeks ago i'd never run further in my life than 12 miles! Looking forwards to my taper now.Can any of you suggest a regime to do this.

    Praying for good conditions on the day now!

     

    Happy tapering everyone!!image

  • SesamoidSesamoid ✭✭✭

    Not been on here for a while but noone else has either by the looks of things! Where has everyone gone?!?! Hope all going okay?

    Big well done Sharky, I knew you had it in you image Looks like that run's given you the confidence boost you were needing, did you do that after your waxing as well, see you failed to mention that! Re your taper query I would stick to the schedule if you're feeling good and following one, (mines is a 15 then a 10LSR still with the intervals and tempos thrown in) but I wouldn't worry too much if you miss a long run at this stage. Also, don't make the mistake of putting your feet up, doing nothing and binge eating for two weeks (as I did a couple of years ago!) as it doesn't help image

    Well I got another 20 miles in on Saturday, then did intervals on Monday and true to form as my training seems to go, have a very sore calf! Got the old spiky ball on it and there is now a lovely bruise and its sore so taking it easy this week, will do a tempo on Friday if it has loosened and then my 15 mile taper LSR on Sunday, need to get another massage in as well. Having been running for 3 years, Saturday was actually the first time I ran with someone and without my iphone!!! I was apprehensive about it at first but has given me the confidence to run VLM without the tunes on, which I had never considered before but I'm sure my left arm will be all the more grateful for it!  

    Can't believe its almost the big day, the last few weeks seem to have flown in, enjoy the last couple of weeks of training!

     

     

  • Well done Sharky, the weather on dat day was aweful. I managed a 290 mile run but it will be remembered only as a painful and very tiring run, but glad it was done and out of the way.

    I hope your calf is not too bad Miggito, maybe that massage will help to loosen it up enough for you to carry on with your training plan.

    I went down to London on Sunday and ran 22 miles of the course with a running club based in East London. It was really good to run the course but with the roads busy asusual for London it was hard work having to keep stopping to cross the road. Great day though and good to get the longest run out of the way. I am tapering now, although so far this week it hasn't felt much like it.

    Last long run this Sunday should be 18 but I won't loose any sleep if I just do 15 at thia stage I am ready and in pretty good shape, just the normal niggles which may go over the next couple of weeks.

    I have treated myself to another massage a week tomorrow and I am sure boredom will be starting to set in by then image

    Good luck over the next two weeks everyone and don't forget to taper image

     

     

  • Hey. Forgive me if this has been asked before, but I am running this with a mate. He's at blue start as a ballot entry and I am at red as a charity place. I know we converge at 3.5 miles, but can anyone recommend somewhere around the 4-5 mile mark to meet up. Don't say the pub.

    Cheers

    Ade
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