RW Forum SIx – 3.30 – 4.00

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  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    I found out by accident today that they are holding an Olympics Anniversary 5m run in the Olympic park on July 21st finishing in the Olympc Stadium.

    The website fell over this morning and when I checked this afternoon thinking it would be closed it had just reopened and I bagged a place. So another race for our event list.

    I was browsing through local running clubs very late last night trying to take my mind off work issues, when I discovered that there is a local 10k race that I never knew about taking place on June 23rd. It is called Hampstead Midsummer 10k and is 3 laps of the Heath extension on the far side of Hapmstead Heath from where I live. It is an undulating track / trail course.

    So I am doing that too.

    Will update the list of races tomorrow night. 

  • Tonight I ran a 10 miler - my next longest run will be Limerick Marathon itself in 10 days - yikes!

    Aim of tonights session was to run MP & gauge form for the race. I ran with my faster mate (the white 16.5 stone Kenyan) so pace was always going to drift up to faster side of proposed MP.

    I averaged 8.21 pace with avg HR of 146bpm (only 3 bpm more than LSR avg HR).

    I have to say it felt extremely comfortable - just like a LSR in fact.... we chatted the whole way round and I felt as fresh in the last mile as the first. This was an extremely confidence boosting run and I guess maybe the benefits of the taper are kicking in? That said this is my 4th consecutive run of the week with back to back speed sessions last night & the night before.

    So I am back in the "what pace to run" dilemma.... originally was 8.35, after tonight I am back to thoughts of 8.25.... the white kenyan heavyweight suggests I just go in the middle @ 8.30....

    My thoughts are just to go out feeling comfortable without being a slave to the garmin .... hopefully that will translate to a similar pace to this evenings run.

    Feeling quite good about things now & really looking forward to toeing that start line!

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭
    Ricky W wrote (see)

    Carl - Rome wasn't built in a day... good session considering your recent weeks. You will increase the speed & distance at that speed and start to feel stronger over the next few weeks I'm sure.

    Ricky - You are no doubt correct. It is just funny how back in the hard days of marathon training I would have knocked that out on a cold freezing windy night with no bother. But since then there was taper madness, the marathon and slowly getting back into thngs. It will be interesting to see how this feels in 2 weeks time.

  • You are getting a nice full racing diary Carl!

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭
    Ricky W wrote (see)


    So I am back in the "what pace to run" dilemma.... originally was 8.35, after tonight I am back to thoughts of 8.25.... the white kenyan heavyweight suggests I just go in the middle @ 8.30....

    My thoughts are just to go out feeling comfortable without being a slave to the garmin .... hopefully that will translate to a similar pace to this evenings run.

    Ricky - I have a sneaking suspision that your white 16.5 stone kenyan running buddy might just know what he is talking about.

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭
    Carl - good to see you have added a couple of more races to your calender. I anticipate that by the end of the summer you will be getting close to cracking 40 mins for a 10k. You have already proved you can churn out 4/5 miles at near to 7 mins per mile during marathon training so I see no reason why your times can't come down if you are focussing on the shorter stuff.



    Ricky - not long now mate. I'm putting you down for a nice 3:41 at limerick. You have done some cracking long training runs at a decent pace so you won't be far off that in my opinion.



    So, today marks my 10 day anniversary of not running. I'm surprising myself by staying fairly positive despite this and generally being a bit of a miserable bugger. Even going to the gym hasn't got to me yet !
  • Hi all

    Sorry that I deserted this thread a while ago, I didn't log on to runnersworld much as I was caught up in a bubble of concentrating ready for VLM.  Just thought I would let you know how I got on.  I managed to finish in 3:53:58 which was way better than I ever thought I could do!  I hit the first 24 miles at pretty even splits and I think managed to speed up for the last two miles with a sprint finish.  I have so much faith now in the marathon schedule I followed.  But I also wanted to say a massive thanks to you all, especially Spoons, for your advice, support and encouragement, it really was appreciated!!

    So Oirish, how do you go about training for a 100K?? image

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    Hi Carl,

    Yes I am looking around the forums like a little sponge trying to soak up all the little bits of useful info ;0)

    I am running the Edinburgh Marathon at the end of May. Seeing as I live in Edinburgh thought it was the logical choice. The training has been going well since getting over the ITB issues and touch wood I have not had any issues with it while training. I have just kept up a regular regime of strengthening exercise and stretching. I have a good physio I visit every two weeks who certainly gives my lower body a good seeing too! I also ice the knees every night to keep down any inflammation that may be lurking about too....I probably sound a bit of a hypochondriac but it is working. I must admit I have never enjoyed my running as much as I am now.

    I am just focusing on enjoying the marathon as I did the half I ran the other week.... so fingers crossed another 20 miler this Sunday, hopefully I will get a nice morning for once!!

  • Dobster - I had a good look at some training programs and the long and short of it is clocking up time on my feet including doubling up on LSR's at the weekend. Pace goes out of the window and it is all about piling up the hours running. 

    The schedule is pretty intense to say the least but it is going to hold me in pretty good stead for next years challenges.

    Then again I could do the marathon, hate it and never want to run again image In which case the following challenge could be a drinking one

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Oirish - count me in for that last challenge you mentioned image

  • Dobster - well done that's brilliant

    Ricky - nice run there. Makes sense - go for 8:30 pace. 

    Carl - don't worry about it feeling tough. It will be easier next week. Possibly tiredness too. I get that sometimes where everything just feels like a real struggle....

  • Carter  -  no pressure with that prediction eh! Good see you keeping your chin up whilst on "the bench" so to speak..image

    Dobster - congrats! Great time in VLM and a very strong finish by the sounds of things - v impressive!

    Nell - Edinburgh looks like a great marathon, I have an old school pal who I met a few weeks ago whilst we were both out on a run. We hadn't seen each other for a few years so stopped the garmins for a chat - turns out he is training for Edinburgh!

    So for those of us in taper mode - how are we all feeling?

    I must admit that I am itching to get going and wish my race was this weekend instead of next!

    With my last run of the taper done last night instead of Sunday I actually have very little running left.... only 4 runs in fact totalling only 13 mls!

    I can't help but feel this a much too easy week & am getting the nervous nerys's that I need to get few extra miles in!

    Still - if I stick to the plan, I will have 693 mls clocked since the 18 week plan began on 1st Jan so I don't suppose another few miles will make much difference?!

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Dobster - fantastic finish from you at the VLM and great result. Well done.

    Ricky - you do NOT need an extra few miles. You have the miles. It is about being as fresh as you can be, starting with 8:30 in mind and seeing how you get that negative split to bring home the bacon and nail the new PB.

    Oirish -  a double LSR at the weekend. That sounds like hell to me. But you seem content with it so I say go for it and we will all stand back and watch.

    Nell - enjoy the 20mile run. Sortof glad I am not doing these at the moment.

    Carter - you are doing great. Just think about how much stronger you will be when you get back.

    Spoons - thanks. I think that tiredness definitely played a factor. It has been a mentally tough week at work and I am just glad the weekend is here.

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    Hi Ricky - Yes it is not a bad course a nice one to ease me in. Just hope we don't have a heat wave again this year, there was people collapsing all over the place last year.

    Hi Carl - I am kinda enjoying the long runs, does that sound a bit perverse??

    Hi Dobster - What was the temperature like for the VLM?

  • Ricky - it's natural to be worried towards the end of the taper but it does work. You need to be ready to go, full of energy and have recovered from all fatigue before you start. 

    Carl - mental fatigue can really affect running. Even if you're not physically tired from running or similar, being mentally tired, from lack of sleep, stress, a long car drive, a challenging meeting at work, whatever, this can affect your physical performance. 

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Spoons - I see you had a good run yesterday that included some speedwork. You must be chuffed to be back !

    Re the Robin Hood marathon, for some reason they havent announced the full route yet. I emailed the organisers yesterdayand all they said was that details would be announced 'some time in the summer'. Have you come across this before ? I'm slightly worried that if I enter then it might not actually go ahead and I will have missed the chance to enter another marathon. Or am I just worrying unecessarily ?

  • Nell - It was very sunny, most peopel would probably say it was perfect running weather but for a pasty 'strawberry blonde' like me it was a little too hot.  I got pretty burnt on my shoulders!  But luckily I wore a cap (which I never normally wear) so it protected my head.

    Ricky - This is the first time I have done a proper taper.  In the ;ast week I felt slugggish and tired and was really worrying about race day but on race day I felt great, it really does work and you have to have faith in the plan!

    Oirish - When you say double up your long runs, do you mean 2 separate long runs or just double the distance?

    Thanks for all your kind words image

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Hi Dobster - well done on your marathon time ! I too am considering getting into the world of ultra running. The training plan recommends you do back to back runs on consecutive days e.g. 30 miles on Saturday and 15 on Sunday. This is to get you to spend more time on your feet and practise running on tired legs. I dont think you do much speedwork when training for your first ultra as the focus will be on finishing the thing rather than trying to win it ! I started pulling together my own training plan, using parts of other plans and trying to make it fit in with my home & work life etc, and it ended up with me working up to about 75 miles per week. It is highly unlikely that we could run all the way around a 50 mile route for example so the training suggests you adopt a run/walk stratgey e.g. run for 25 minutes then walk for 5 minutes while you re-fuel. Generally, most people will also walk up the steeper hills. To estimate how long it would take you to run a 50 mile ultra the calculation is to double your marathon time and add 2 hours, which means on this thread we would be looking at around 10 hours for a 50 miler. Do you fancy having a go at an ultra then ?? image

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Hi Nell - I used to work in Edinburgh and it's a lovely part of the world. I wasnt running regularly at the time but I did try and run up Arthur's Seat which I struggled with but well worth the view when I got to the top. I also ran along the seafront up at Leith which was really nice but could be very harsh in the winter with the wind blowing in off the Forth. Whereabouts do you do your training runs ?

  • Carter - I am defo thinking about it! I don't know whether my new found confidence will be short lived or not but hey, I'll go with it!  So because I have run a marathon last week, should I just keep upping the distance each week?  Are there training plans on here for ultras?  I work about 14 miles from home (17 miles if wanting to run on safer back roads) so I have the option to add a couple of longer rund during the week.  No speed work also pleases me image

  • Carter - to be honest I hadn't noticed about the course not being announced when I entered! Oh well, it will be what it will be. I'm sure it will happen.....

    Dobster - google 50 mile ultra training plans. As Carter says - back to back weekend long runs plus a midweek MLR. Not much speedwork required but I would always advocate some sort of tempo effort. Don't forget hillwork though as most ultras have lots of hills!

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    Dobster - Yes I suppose it is a fine balance, just wondered how hot temperature wise it had been as my cousing ran it and his time was 25 mins slower than last year but haven't got hold of him as yet to find out what happened.

    Carterusm - I live over by the ski slope at Fairemilehead, so I do my hill running on the Braid hills as it gets me off the road. I also have the Pentlands just down the road, so hopefully now that the weather will be getting better ?? I will start running a bit over that way. It has been too wet of late on the Pentlands so have just stuck to the Braids. On my long run I head over through the Gracemount, Inch and over to Arthurs seat, run up the lower road/Queens drive and then round through town to the Meadows round there and then down on to the canal at Port Hamilton, along to Meggetland and then up to the Barracks at the top of Craiglochkart, circle round there to Oxgangs and then up to Fiaremilehead. I incorporate Portobello and other places to stretch out the length dependant on the distance I am running. I ran the BHF 10k last October, that is twice round Arthurs Seat, that hurts ...lol!

    The weather hasn't been great for training this year but Edinburgh itself makes it durable. Where are you based now Carterusm?

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Dobster and Carter - you are welcome to those 50mile ultras. Not sure taht I will ever do something like that. Maybe if I lived out of London I might consider it but I will stick to more conventional running for now.

  • Me and the GF went to Edinburgh last December and had a brilliant run up Arthurs Seat and up and down all the hills around it. We got a round of applause from some walkers that were struggling to get to the top whilst we ran past them image

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    It was very windy out there today when I put the running gear on. Did a couple of hours gardening prior to this as the grass was overdue for a cut and some general tidying up was needed after the cold long winter.

    Did 6 miles today with the middle two miles at 7:08 mins and 7:03 mins, overall average pace 7:53 min/mile which is about the same as the un on Thursday night.

    Funny how these short runs are still fighting with me.

    Will do a short 3-4 mile easy tomorrow to knock the remaining cobwebs out of the system and plan to go for it next week.

    Hope everyone had a great day.

  • Carl - good session. How did u find the run compared to the previous one? Any easier?

    I paced myself admirably at my football dinner last night and in bed fairly early at 2am. Up bright, breezy and hangoverless this morning. Stormin  Norman Whiteside says hello ..... he's a big fella these days!

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Ricky - impressed with your control. Norman used be big when he played and like most of them they balloon when they stop the disciplined training regime. A lesson for all of us no doubt.

    Run was a little easier yesterday but it was marginal. Hoping that a few miles today will put me in good shape for a decent week of training next week.

  • Hi all

    My last long run today, gosh what a sad, emotional moment it was when it was over before my taper kicks in good and proper.

    I had a bit of an internal debate about what exactly I was going to do mileage wise, my plan said 18 miles but I felt that was a bit OTT and then it was very warm this morning so I went conservatively, I didn't think a hard slog was a good idea two weeks out when I have plenty of long runs in the bank.

    In the end I settled for 13 miles which was a bit shorter than I planned. After realising my pace once I was out there I chipped a couple of miles off of my route but ran it at Marathon pace. 

    So 13.14 miles @ 8:33 avg and it felt really comfortable doing it and I felt fine afterwards, there was plenty left in the tank and that was a real shot in the arm for my confidence. I felt if I had carried on running the full 26.2 I could of kept that pace fairly easily. Fairly.

     

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Manchester marathon today, I've been sat thinking what might have been. Hey ho

    Ricky - good pacing at the Norman whiteside bash last night. 

    Oirish - good sensible running today, you must feeling confident for 2 weeks time. 

    Carl - enjoy your 10k training. 

     

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