Paris marathon 2013 here we go! A.W's Sub 3 attempt!

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  • SBD.SBD. ✭✭✭

    Excellent work AW - thoroughly well deserved and a great execution of the pacing strategy.

    What did you take on-board in terms of gels and fluids during the race and was this different to what you've done in past marathons? 

     

  • Hi SBD - Got my gel strategy slightly wrong in the race, I had a bit of a mental breakdown when working out where to take them. I was meant to take a gel at 6, 11, 16 and 21.

    I took one at 6 miles but then for some reason had it in my head I was taking a gel every 6 miles or 10k!? so ended up taking another get at 20k and then realised what I'd done at about 17.5 miles so took another one here and a last gel at 22 miles.

    As for water I just took a mouth full or two at I think 5 of the water stations, it wasn't that warm so didn't feel I needed much, I was a little dehydrated at the end so maybe could have done with a bit more.

    On the whole I think I got it about right with fuel, as I had good energy levels for the whole race. Its about the same as I've done before, I think I took one more gel than my previous couple of marathons.

  • Congratulations Alex, Denis and Cookbox and everyone else who did Paris in a great time.    Shows what consistency in training can do.   

     

    p.s.  If you can run at the paces consistent with a 3 hour marathon and can cycle reasonably well you have a good chance of getting into a GB age group team for long distance duathlon.  Check out the British Triathlon Federation website if interested.  

     

  • CaroTCaroT ✭✭✭
    Alex I am MORE than impressed!!!! I'm soooo pleased and very relieved for you that you kicked that sub 3 goal into absolute smithereens!! What an incredible PB!! You flew the flag very proudly for the PB Hunters and you were the best and right candidate for the job all along as you did "more than excel" in Paris! Amazing achievement! Very, very proud and chuffed for you! As all the others say there is definitely more to come!

    Enjoy your chilling time now xox Caroline alias CarroT
  • AndyVAndyV ✭✭✭
    3:09:22 for me at Brighton today. 8 minute pb and london 2014 qualifying time hit!!
  • Grat time Andy! GFA time is always tough to get and will really make the difference next year if you decide to run it.

    I havent got much to report. Last week was pretty uneventful. Mostly easy runs at relaxed pace with some MP miles and some tempo miles in between.

    Looking forward to my final massage on Wednesday and start thinking about race day. The only worry is that my household is currently inhabited by 2 individuals with a nasty cold. Been trying to avoid contact and keep as healthy as possible.

    Also, I hope the weather behaves on the day and it stays below 15 celsius and not too windy!

  • Great run Andy! An 8 minute PB is fantastic and the GFA is the icing on the cake. 

    I bet your itching to get on with the race now Yasunaga, I know I was the final week! Good Luck to you and everyone else running London this week!

    I have a little outing this weekend too, I'm running Hamburg marathon! I say running and not racing as its going to be a very very easy paced effort with the focus on enjoying it and a bit of a sightseeing tour!

  • Alex,



    Sorry for not dropping in sooner as was on holiday last week and no real Internet access. Just wanted to congratulate you on an awesome performance in Paris. Really pleased for you. All thoroughly deserved tho.



    Have a good time in Hamburg- maybe can enjoy the scenery and local 'cuisine'image
  • Brilliant PB Andy V, and a massive chunk off your time too. Sub 3.10 sounds so good!

    Good luck in Hamburg AW - one to enjoy with no pressure.

    Just got 10 days left till Manchester and did a good 10 x 400 rep session down the park tonight.

  • 3.04.16 for me in Vienna. Went for sub-3 following Steve's advice of going through halfway in 1.31. 

    Felt great up until a long out-and-back section from around 30-35km where the heat really took its toll. Think it was about 19 degrees which although not overly hot it was hard work after the winter we've had. 

    Chuffed with the time it's a 22-minute pb and like Andy (well done!) the GFA was always this year's main aim. 

     

  • Terrific PB TL! Getting a GFA time is such a joy!

    AW, it will be interesting to see how your body copes with another marathon. At whatever pace. Do you have a strategy or are you just treating it like another long slow run?

    I am in nail bitting territory and raring to go. I've been out for short runs the last couple of days and I felt like pushing the pace unnecessarily. I can't wait!!

    Got my final massage tonight and I'll do a final 4 easy miles on Thursday. I might even do a mile or two on Saturday just to satisfy my excitement and get rid of some excess nerves.

    Going to the expo on Friday.

  • AndyVAndyV ✭✭✭

    Great stuff TL!

  • Top work Tim! Congrats!

    Had the Hamburg marathon booked from before I knew about the Asics Target 26.2 project so just taking it as a LSR Yasunaga, was planning to pace for about 4 hours. Me and my girlfriend are both doing it and are probably going to run together. She's just got back this week from the Marathon Des Sables so neither of us are going to want to push the pace too much!

  • Good luck Yasunaga and everyone else racing on Sunday and well done Tim and Andy - great times!    Have fun in Hamburg AW.   Congrats again!

  • well done andy and tim on the marathons. Horrible weather today wet and windy but weather looks great Sunday  - went to Mo F press conference today and got soaked coming out of hotel and getting off train.

  • Steve, you were just on Channel 4 news!

  • yes someone texted I was though didn't see as was out at a race. They wanted an experienced London runner to talk about Boston and for some reason asked me to bring along photos of the first few Londons.

  • CC2- are you feeling any better?

  • I am thank you, but I've withdrawn from VLM. I managed to get a place at Edinburgh so I've got time to build back up, I started running again on Monday and I am very slow!

    I am in London though, everything was booked already (including a trip to the Harry Potter studios on Monday image). Am planning a run this morning and the expo this afternoon. I'll look out for you on the AW stand. You can sell me one of those goody bags I've seen advertised.On Sunday I'll be at mile 22 cheering everyone on. 

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Just popping in to say good luck to all of the VLmers on Sunday.

    As Steve says, looks like you are going to be blessed with nigh on perfect conditions.

    Speedy - great to see you are back running and that you have Edinburgh to look forward to. have a great time at the HP Studio's. My kids loved every minute of it and I, even though I'm not a huge Potter fan, had a very enjoyable day when we went.

    I'm still debating whether to pop along and watch the race live or watch on the TV at home.

    AW - did I read on here that you are planning on running Hamburg Marathon? If so, what time are you thinking of? I assume it will be a relative jog after your exploits in Paris? Or am I going mad? The latter copuld be the case - have had a very easy week this week and feel like I've started on a 4 week taper instead of 3.

    Steve - In that respect what would you suggest? I am due to race Halstead in 3 weeks Sunday but had a fair bit of soreness in my left knee last week on my long run which I stopped at 18 miles instead of the 22 I'd planned. Have only had one easy 6 miler and a couple of hardish bikes on the TT this week. The soreness has gone so intending to do a last 20 tomorrow. Do you think I should just carry on with my planned three week taper or do a bit more this week and then a two week taper?

  • DS2 - I would certainly say good to do a 20 this weekend and make it more of a 2 week taper but ease back slightly midweek (inbetween what you would have intended to do 2 or 3 weeks out) but then maybe 18 or so next weekend

  • CC2 - good luck at Edinburgh - hope the HP trip went well. I was there until about 1.30pm at the stand but had a few extra things to sort. Hope you bought the goody bag, which was only a fiver!. I am the Marathon's championships co-ordinator this year so have something else to keep me occupied apart from the running, coaching and reporting.

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Steve. I took your advice and did just under 21 miles this morning at 8:10 pace on a very hilly course and the knee felt fine. Felt a bit lethargic at first but legs were pretty strong so a bit more confidence than I've had for a couple of weeks with the knee feeling sore.

    I will have a proper week this week and then a two week taper as you suggest.

    Good luck tomorrow and all the other VLMers.

    It actually felt pretty warm running between 10am and 12:50pm in a vest - but it did feel really nice. I ran without a drink or gels and other than feeling a bit thirsty after a long 3 mile climb I was ok. I reckon you are going to have perfect conditions tomorrow.

    There was actually a nice gentle breeze that should help back along the embankment towards the end whilst keeping you cool in the Dckland miles.

    Have fun - I am really envious of you all.

  • Hi all! Just back from the race (stayed nearby for lunch).

    I don't know what others will think but I found it a little too warm today. I got the time I set out to achieve but I'm not sure I could've pushed a lot more today.

    02:54:55 in the end so very pleased.

    AW, how did you get on in Hamburg?
  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Nice going Yasunaga. It seemed pretty warm to me but all the commentators on the TV were saying it was nice and cool.

    Suppose anything above about 3 degrees feels too warm after the winter we've had.

    Well done again!

  • well done Yasungfa. Yes it was too warm after our cold spell.  I ran an ok first half in 88 and was in contention to be first British M55 but hamstring was niggling and slowed badly to 3:12. I doubt if I appeared on highlights on BBC1 during race but I was very visible on the programme intro running in the 1981 marathon in my union jack shorts- 43 minutes faster that day! 

  • I'll look out for you when I watch the coverage I recorded Steve! It certainly was warm today, I have the sunburn to prove it. Perfect weather for spectating but I was quite glad I wasn't running in it!

  • AndyVAndyV ✭✭✭

    Hard luck Steve and well done Yasunaga. Certainly looked pretty warm out there around 12.

    Really enjoyed the elite race. I thought Kebede was toast but fair play he finished so strongly. He really should have been picked for the Olympics, I reckon he could have won it in a cagey championship race. 

  • Well done for battling on Steve and well done Yasunaga. 

    I had long distance duathlon champs yesterday - 15k run, 60k bike, 7.8k run - last race before Edinburgh.  Ran run1 at 81mins half marathon pace (4th), run 2 at 86 mins half marathon pace (2nd) and came 5th in age group overall.   Hopefully 3hrs is within reach if all goes well - certainly don't want it hot.

  • Hi all not a sub 3 at London but happy with a new Pb by 35 seconds in 3hr 4' 40sec.

    Nice and steady splits for the whole race just not on sub 3 pace probably due to fear of blowing up at the end as I've had a slight thigh ache entirely due to my own stupid fault of racing a half two weeks before instead of just a relaxed paced race! I don't think I can race slow as prep so in future I won't enter races too close to marathon. I've learnt a valuable lesson!

    Although race conditions were supposedly perfect most runners struggled a bit, even the elites. It was warm in the sun and it was breezy but would always choose that over cold, just so the spectators have a great day as well! We runners always have an array of good excuses !!

    It's been really helpful and informative reading your journey aw, and all the comments and discussions. I will keep trying to get my sub 3 but with age (53) against me it may prove difficult.

    Next marathon Abingdon in the autumn! Good luck to all and stay healthy!!

     

     

     

     

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