ASICS Target 26.2 - 2013

18485878990137

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  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭
    Tigger - would love to but it's my daughters birthday that weekend. Have a great time with the guys.



    DS2 - cheers Dave and well done on that long run. I'm still a bit unsure how much I should drink but I think it'll be cooling here and may even rain so your experiment with no water is very reassuring. Thanks for taking one for the team image



    Currently I feel sick. Legs are all weak and shaky. Hopefully it's just nerves. I've never felt this bad before a race but then again I've never been fully fit before either! Pressure is on and I think I'm feeling it. Breathe in .... and out.... in....
  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭
    I'm feeling nervous as well. Luckily Steve Marathon Coach reckons I can do a two week taper since I haD an easy week this week.



    I had so many doubts running today. Have to be positive.



    Go get em Malcs. Make sure you text me your result.
  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭
    Cheers DS2!



    Weather is good here. Ready for action!
  • sarah is doing well on target for 3.24!! how exciting!!

  • jenfjenf ✭✭✭
    boot campers are stars! brilliant running today Sarah n Malcs image
  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭
    Wow - I hope Sarah finished with that time or better, she's an absolute rocket!



    Everything went brilliantly for me today and I came in (on my watch) at 3:32:46 - a PB by 26 minutes! I'm absolutely elated!



    Will be back with more info later as we now have a 4 hour trek down the M4 to contend with. However, I can't go without saying a massive, massive thank you to Jen who was an absolute superstar in support.



    I reckon she clapped every runner on the course. She popped up at all points on the route to help gee me on, even the bits at the arse end where nobody else was there. She was a bit like the witch from Chorlton and the Wheelies if you remember that - disappearing and reappearing in a moment. Except not witch like at all of course. And with running gear on. image



    Most importantly of all she helped drag me (and some other fella too) up the last hill and down to the finish line when we were really suffering.



    Jen, couldn't have done it without you! Thank you so much.
  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    malcs & sarah - brilliant performances from both of you. malcs - a 26 minute PB is unbelievable. A minute a mile quicker than ever before. Amazing!

    I believe forum etiquette is to allow a successful poster to put their own time up so don't want to steal anyone's thunder but it was very good!!!

    Jen - definitely this threads supporter of the year....................or is that stalker???

    Seriously, it must have been incredible to have you there giving that help!

    I'm really delighted for Malcs. He has shown the true fighting spirit of a marathoner this campaign. You may all remember that he had an injury early on and then a nasty cold that derailed his training even before it had started, but he didn't let him stop him, got on with the hard work during the harshest winter any of us can remember and comes up with this result. Brilliant effort mate!!!!

     

  • Excellent running Malcs and Sarah......very, very happy for the both of you. Great work indeed. All the hard work definitely paid off and you got what you both deserved. Enjoy the elation!

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Top no.plate Jen.

    Just about to leave for the West - will be in touch over the weekend!

  • jenfjenf ✭✭✭

    thanks for your kind words Malcs! image I really really enjoyed the day, I think I've found my calling, I'm a much better supporter than runner!! You would have done it without me, you did all the hard work, it just wouldn't have been so interesting not playing 'spot Jen' Hope the legs feel ok today, sit back n enjoy the glory!

    Sarah, hope you are taking a well deserved rest for a few days, and enjoy your glory as well!

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    I think booting up my browser re-posted an earlier message there so ignore the no. plate one.

    Jen - ha, spot Jen! I like it. Like Where's Wally but err.. with Jen image. You are one mighty supporter but I know you're a great runner too and Snowdon will prove it! When are you starting your training for that btw? It's around the same time as York and Abingdon so there will be a bunch of us all doing this together again through the summer and autumn image

    DS2 - thanks so much. I was all ready to use my injury/illness issues as an excuse but I bounced back so well into training that, had I screwed it up I was left with nothing to blame it on image 

    Whether you liked it or not you and Minni were my adopted mentors for this little foray and without all your help and advice I would never have done it so many thanks indeed and I'll be right behind you as you head towards that sub 3:15 in Halsted!

    Ady - cheers dude! I have to say that following your Paris campaign was a major help to me. The Spitfire run was a pivotal moment and gave me a huge lift. I was thinking about it at many points during the race yesterday. I managed to latch on to another runner who was doing 8mm pace and we stuck together from mile 6 to mile 17. This helped massively. I'm sure I called him Ady on more than one occasion image

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    I have posted on Sarah's thread but wow, how brilliant was she? Absolutely amazing performance but then, did any of us doubt her? 

    After the disappointment of the 'competition voting stage that never was' she won a well deserved place on the forum Six with mighty Minni - what a combination! After that a massive PB was always on the cards. 

    Starting to sound like This Is Your Life now.

    Anyway, really well done Sarah, so pleased for you!

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Malcs. Talking of Minni - did you see her time???? 3:15;48image

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Just saw it - wow, wow, wow!

  • Thankyou everyone for all your support and encouragement, I really dont think I could have done it without you all, you have been great.



    Malcs your making me blush...now its your turn.....a 26 minute PB....thats what dreams are made of and you did it, like what DS2 said, thats a minute per mile faster, completely amazing, you must be so proud.



    Now we need to turn our attention to the next marathoner...DS2.....and then its Jen (how long its it until yours again jen?)



    Its just taken me 3 hours to catch up on the forums...after not being able to access them on my phone for the last 3 days (which was so frustrating)....had better go and do something else with my day off before I spend all of it on here!
  • Good Morning Happy marathon runners and supporters!! I really enjoyed tracking your run yesterday Sarah hence when I found out your estimated finish time I got very excited and had to share! Didn't mean to steal your thunder and post your time when actually I didn't you were still running at the time! the London Marathon website was awsome!! Well done both of you Sounds like you had a fab day for it and have worked so hard!

    DS2 nice of you to share Minni's time!

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Thanks tigs & Sarah!

    I still think I am dreaming. This is the real world right? I dreamed last night I was chased by a giant jelly baby.

    Yes, DS2 next up! 

    I think Jen is October Sarah.

    Tigger - did you say you had entered medoc?

  • jenfjenf ✭✭✭

    Snowdon is 26th Oct, I believe that is week after York. Hey That's great, we can all suffer marathon training together againimage!!  I'm going to start serious prep for that first week in july. In the meantime I am chasing that elusive 25min on the 5k clock!

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Indeed I am next .........................and somewhat feeling the pressure after all of these fantastic performances. I will need to harness all of this inspiration and make sure I do what I have to do.

    Less than three weeks to go so taper madness beginning to nag away at every piece of confidence I've built up over these past few months.

    Jen - looks like we are all looking at an autumn marathon. Should help keep us all focused. Although I have the small matter of Lands End to John O'Groats to worry about in August so I can't imagine I'll be very quick in October!

    When are you next racing 5K.

    Pleased to say that eldest daughter came home from working on the baggage lorries at VLM with the marathon bug. She now wants to do it 2015 (a month too young next year!).

  • Malcs - A big somerset 'GET IN SON!!!!'  26 min pb, high five's and man hugs. (it feels appropriate to send man hugs at this time)

    Sarah - Excellent result, well done and I would send man hugs but that may be a bit inappropriate.

    Great weekend all round and I got to see Bath spank the Tiger's

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Reg - feelin' the love, many thanks! Always good to see anyone beat the Tigers...even Bath image

    DS2 - keep that head straight and everything else will follow. I think in this campaign more than any other I've learned how much of a mental game this is. We're not going anywhere so keep posting here and we'll be with you all the way!

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Malcs. Just read Minni's report on the 3:15 thread. Inspirational and backs up totally the theory about the mental side!

  • Malcs- Awesome result- knew you had it in you. You quite rightly must be delighted. Testimony to the hard work you've put in over the winter.

    Sarah- well done again, already posted on yopur thread but that is an awesome result. Almost glad I can't do Sheffield Half as think I would only be blinking from the dust in my eyes as you go flying past image

    Jen- sounds like you have a vocation as a motivater!!

    DS- You're next up....no pressure!

    I've put my name on the W/L for York, so if that comes up great, oherwise a trip to the Fatherland in October- can't decide between Frankfurt or Cologne- any suggestions?

    Want to go running but still stiff after horrendous transatlantic flight wedged next to morbidly obese american lady. She couldnt put her arms down over herself so had to spill over the arm rest into my seat. Had to lift her arm up to change channel on TV....

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Cheers Clive! It would be awesome if you could get to do York too. Would be fantastic if there were a whole load of us there. 

    OMG - that flight sounds awful. It's hard enough to fit into those plane seats when you're average sized!

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    PS. I just noticed I have broken the 1K post barrier! image

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    Not sure any of us skinny runners count as average sized any more malcs!image

    Clive - I'm on waiting list as well but have Abingdon as a back up. Did consider a German option for a while. Problem is that it's Mrs DS2's birthday in October and she always wants to spend it with the kids so going away never easy. A bit difficult to leave the twins at anytime to be honest with the autism issues. A bit unfair on others to be responsible for them.

    I feel really motivated today. I think it helped getting the last LSR out of the way on Saturday (apart from 18 this coming weekend) and seeing how well others have done by believing in the training and sticking to game plans has made me feel better. It looks like the weather for Halstead is expected to be about 16 degrees which is cooler than last two years. Still a bit warm but at least I have 3 weeks to acclimatise!

  • 1k posts Malcs, you need a TV.

    Clive sounds like you had upper class with pillows chucked in for free!

    DS2 - As I have not been on for a while, when is Halstead and what is the aim?

  • DS2DS2 ✭✭✭

    I declare myself officially in taper madness mode. I keep checking every long range weather forecast I can get my hands on and believing that it won't change over the next 3 weeks!!!

    To make matters worse if it shows as cloudy I keep convincing myself that is the only conditions I can run in!

    Oh dear!

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    DS2 - Ha image You are officially losing it. Taper madness is hitting you hard. As a recent sufferer of this debilitating disease you have my deepest sympathies.

    Reg - good point! Either that or a more dominant wife image

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Thought I'd write a little race report:  

    Let's start with the bad - Saturday was a nightmare. I was a complete nervous wreck. I couldn't do anything. I had to lie down for an hour at one point because I felt so ill. I have never felt so sick with nerves before any event in my life before (that includes the day before Katy Grainger's 9th birthday party when there were rumours that we'd be playing Postman's Knock).  

    Thankfully, a day on the adrenaline completely knackered me out and I slept like a log. Conditions were perfect - nice and cool, cold even at the start. Actually had me questioning if I needed an extra layer.   

    There was an impeccably observed minutes silence at the start for Boston and then we were off. First four miles were great - kept pretty much on pace. At mile 5 I got talking to a guy who was also aiming for 8mm pace so we decided to stick together and help each other along. Having done this with Ady at Spitfire I knew how much of a benefit this can be. pace slipped a little above 8mm but I wasn't too concerned.  

    At mile 9 we hit a 2 mile freakin' wind tunnel. Up to now the breeze had been quite pleasant but this hit us like a brick wall. Once we adjusted it wasn't too bad but we were looking forward to the push when we turned to come back. However, bizzarely it dropped like a stone or at least it felt like it did. Maybe it was just because we were running away from it. I will need to dig my physics books out!  

    At mile 15 I decided to duck into the bushes for a quick pit stop. I say quick, I was there for a full 40 seconds! Seemed like an eternity. I must have offloaded half a litre of fluid. In true formula one style I was poised ready to withdraw the fuelling hose and get back on the track asap. but I really didn't want to hit the exit lane with my hose dangling out. Luckily my timing was perfect and with a spring in my step that such relief always brings I was able to make up the time and catch up with my running other half again.  

    We stuck together until mile 17 but unfortunately my OH was starting to struggle a little. Reluctantly I decided to push on solo. It was a good decision as I found out afterwards that he ended up suffering quite alot later on. I did miss the company though.   Miles 17-22 were great, I really felt good and then I hit the wind tunnel again.

    That was tough and my legs were getting a bit sore by then. I passed Jen at 22.5 miles and she gave me a massive lift. I had already seen the ubiquitous Jen about half a dozen times round the course. She was awesome. I'm sure I've seen her several times since too. I reckon she has a tardis or something - she's freakin' everywhere!  

    Looking at my watch I knew at this point that sub 3:30 was going to have to wait for another day. However, I wasn't at all disappointed. Quite the opposite in fact. Just seeing that three thirty something was well within my grasp sent shivers down me. It was a great feeling and counterbalanced the pain nicely.   My legs were feeling it now so I tried to take on another jelly baby to give me a boost but my stomach was having none of it. At 24 miles I saw the kids and Mrs Malcs and that gave me another big boost.

    They were near to the turn back point so I saw them twice in quick succession which was fantastic. As I knew I was done with fuelling I could also hand over my race belt which freed up a bit of weight as I was carrying way too many sweets as contingency.  

    With just a mile and a half to go I knew I just had to hold pace and I was there. I started shouting to runners passing the other way urging them to keep going and stick in there. I think this probably helped me more than it helped them. The faster runners had been doing this around this last section - it was a wonderful show of camaraderie............  

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