P&D Autumn Marathon Training Thread

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  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭

    First Chester report!

    Plan A was 3.20. Got nowhere near that. Plan B was 3.30. Did that by 12 seconds!

    For the first 6 miles I stayed with the 3.30 pacers. Felt nice and easy.

    I then pushed on to 7.30 pace. This felt ok. At 11 miles I had a bit of an energy dip but then felt good at halfway. I think I got a bit carried away at this point and did a couple of fast miles.

    By 15 miles my pace was starting to slip and by 20 miles I was trotting along at 9.00 pace.

    At 24 miles there was a hill of death which finished me off. I felt lIke a complete weakling after that. At the top of the hill the 3.30 pacers sailed past me. If only I had stayed with them!

    Now it just a question of whether I would make 3.30. Thankfully the last mile or so was pretty flat. With 100 metres left I could see I was going to make it but my calves started cramping up. I had to run like a robot without bending my knees and finished in 3.29.48!

    More later.

    Hope everyone else who ran today is ok.

  • Phil, the last six sounded tough well done getting your B target image

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Hello all ... managed 2.49.32...so got my 2.4xx and a PB by about 50s, but not by top goal of sub 2.45 which is maybe beyond me. Will try and write a proper report later or tomorrow as am completely knackered and a little bit drunk now. In summary though, great race, great weather (bit warm at the end), great organisation, and very nice city to hang out in afterwards.

  • Well done 15West be proud of your acheivement, enjoy your evening celebrations and the hangover tomorrow image

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Well done Phil. The last 6 were indeed very tough. I slowed quite a bit also...and quite a few others did I think. I was with a group for much of the wnd half the race and they all fell off behind me after about 19miles.

  • ShazmoShazmo ✭✭✭
    Well done lads!!!! image
  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭

    That is an awesome time 15W, especially in the warm weather.

    It is indeed a great event. The only annoying thing was the guy on the PA about 15 mins before the race going on about how much the race was going to hurt! I was trying not to think about that.

  • Well done guys. Slightly jealous as the Jersey Marathon was yesterday. 

  • Well done 15W and Phil image

    I was wondering how you would evaluate your training now that the race is done? Did P&D work for you, would you use it again or try a different plan?

  • Well done Phil and 15W! Fantastic times.  Great question velloo, would love to read the responses.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Ouch...my legs. Right, going to try and write some sort've report...

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Race report:

    Lead up to race wasn't ideal....plenty of niggles going on, feeling a bit under the weather etc. The day before went over to Chester with the family, was a bit of a grumpy old man which was probably due to pre-race anxiety (and I'm a bit of a grumpy old man). Spent afternoon walking round the town centre, and went over to the race course to register daughter in mini marathon. That evening ate probably a bit late, and had a chicken tikka masala which I thought was most carb heavy meal on menu.

    Race day, woke about 5am after about 6 1/2 hours sleep. Nerves were getting to me and had quite a few visits to the toilet...which was making me more nervous that I may have stomach issues in the race as I had in a few of my long runs. Once got there though I was ok. Parked up at Castle carpark and walked short distance to race course. Got sorted out, quick warm up running round with daughter...then over to the start line.

    9am and we're off. I was near the sub 3 pacer at the start, and didn't get past him until got out of the race course due to crowding, which is fine as wanted to hold back for first mile or so. Once out of the race course and onto the roads I got in a steady pace and started slowly increasing pace to 6.30 and beyond. Had to stop at a wee at mile 3, but apart from the first half went pretty smoothly. Got to half way about 1.24.29.

     

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    I originally was thinking of sub 2.45 for this race, but after training and a few races knew that this was unrealistic...but somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking still possible. After half way tagged onto a group who seemed to be running at roughly 6.20 pace and stuck with them for 6 or 7 miles. By about mile 20 though we started splitting up and people started breaking off, I felt myself slowing but they must have slowed more as they all fell behind me. I was then on my own for the last part of race, just trying to keep focussed and wishing for the end. The hills were a killer of course, and the last few miles were about 6.40 pace. When I saw the mile24 sign which was incorrectly positioned, I looked at my watch and it was 2hr30...so I though I could just cruise home and would get sub 2.45 easy. Then realised that sign was wrong (at the time I thought I must have imagined it), and that really I need to pick up the pace to get 2.4xx; so that was a bit cruel.

    Crowds along the river and back into the race course were amazing, and when I saw the clock at 2.49 I even managed a sort've sprint to make sure I came in sub 2.50. Was greeted by one of Andy or Chris thanking me for running their marathon and shaking my hand, a really nice touch. Met the family, my daughter having really enjoyed the mini marathon and wearing her medal with pride. Then got myself a bargain massage, and made my way into Chester to eat and hobble round the shops.

     

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Sorry - that was probably a bit of a crap report...just wrote quickly without re-reading etc. So, probably loads of mistakes and crap grammar.

    About P&D - this is third time I have followed P&D schedule. First two times followied the 55-70, and this time followed the 70-85. Got a PB by 50s, so not sure if the extra mileage is worth it really. If use again for next spring marathon will probably go back to 55-70, but maybe I need to add more speedwork...do more 5k/10k races etc. I don't know. I've done well with the training and getting sub3 and beyond, but there comes a point when genetics comes into play and I'm not sure how much faster I can get. These marathons take over my life a little bit, and I'd actually like to back off a bit and just enjoy running and races more and be a little less obsessed with getting PB's etc.

     

     

  • Morning! I was tracking both of you and was pleased to see 15W get just the right side of 2:50. Phil - I knew your time and I knew your A target, but didn't know your B target, so I'm glad you did it.image

  • Lit can you tell us how HeOw got on?

  • SGB1953SGB1953 ✭✭✭

    15West - I must say very briefly many congratulations on a great time and thanks for such a great report.  I hope you're thrilled!

    I'll do a longer report later in the week, but I managed 3:21:27, so set a new personal best by 6:47.  I was also second MV60, which I was pleased about too, though 20 minutes behind the first MV60(!), who doesn't even belong to a running club(!!).

     

  • Tiny - Not without breaking the unwritten forum rule of not reporting on other people's races before they do.

    SGB - congrats! Do you get a prize for second?

  • SGB1953SGB1953 ✭✭✭

    Lit - Thanks for asking.  No, sadly!

  • SGB - superb!! Well done, great time.

    Fair play Lit - will you please give her a cyber kick up the arse and tell her to get back on this thread and tell us how it went?

    I'm sure there were others doing Chester too - Runny Knows?  Anyone else?

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    SGB - well done. Good effort. First V60 next year?

  • SGB1953SGB1953 ✭✭✭

    Tiny - Thanks!

    15West - Thanks.  I doubt if I'll be back next year, great race though Chester is.  I live in Kent, and entered Chester only because I wanted a flat Autumn marathon following a good time at Brighton in the Spring and as debut marathon following my 60th birthday, which was in July.  Chester certainly did the job, though it wasn't quite as flat as I expected.

    I'm in for London marathon next year, but may not do an Autumn marathon.  If I avoid injury I hope to concentrate on the Kent Grand Prix, where I could come 2nd or 3rd MV60, and generally on shorter races, especially half-marathon, 10 mile and 10K.  I love running, but marathons are a bit too all-consuming.  I also want to stop worrying too much about personal bests and flat races.

    I guess you might sympathise with some of that!

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    I know what you mean SGB - I am also at London next spring...and am also thinking no more marathons till 2015 at least - but then I said that after London this year and then signed up for Chester!

    If you're following P&D for London I'm sure there will be another thread for that starting sometime in the next few months...

  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭

    Well done SGB for an amazing time!

    Thanks Lit image It was annoying to be overtaken so much between 35 and 40K but I did then gain 5 places on the last 2.2 so at least I kept going. Looking at the times of those who finished around me everyone took at least 12 minutes over that last 2.2.

    Based on a 1:33 half PB before I started the training I should have done better but the marathon is one beast of a distance. I think being familiar with the course profile can help. I thought I was going really well at 15 miles but having looked at the course elevation this was probably because that was a long downhill stretch.

    Re: P&D question, I can only compare it to Hal Higdon schedules and I have to prefer P&D as they work you harder from day 1 wheras Hal's schedules tend to start off pretty basic which is a bit pointless if you are already an experienced runner.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    So - who is next up then? We've got York marathon at the end of the month (nearly signed up for that one as my sister lives there...kept hesitating and then it sold out!), any before that?

    Also - Chester types - what are your plans now? I am going to have a whole week off running I think, including next weekend. May do some light cross training towards the end of the week...and will be cycling in to work from tomorrow, assuming I can. Then from next week I'll loosly follow Mesocycle5. I've got Stockport 10 in Decemner, and I guess around then the 18week schedule starts again for London.

  • If you don't do the whole of mesocycle 5 your marathon doesn't count and you have to send your medal back. Fact.

  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭

    I should probably pull my finger out and do some decorating while I ease my way through meso 5.

    Then 3 weeks' base training before week 1 of P&D ready for Manchester marathon.

    I think you get an extra week off 15W as London is the week after.

    I am pretty confused about what my marathon pace should be as I managed the 14 miles at 7.30 pace in training but didn't come close on the day. I was going to increase it to 7.15 but am not sure now. Hmmm time to hire a coach!

  • SGB1953SGB1953 ✭✭✭

    15West - As Lit says the recovery mesocycle has to be given due respect.  A whole week off running is, for me, taking a good thing too far, however, unless injured.

    I have entered the Brooks Brighton 10K on 17 November.  Sadly P&D doesn't have much to say about training for a 10K six weeks after a marathon.  Thus I doubt if I'll do my best at that one.  I'll therefore be looking for another flat 10K race in early December or later.  Inexplicably, however, the racing calendar looks rather bare in December and January. Suggestions appreciated (I live in Kent)!

    What do you mean by "assuming I can", as regards cycling to work?  I'm no good at cycling, and am frightened of traffic, so I don't cycle much. I bet you're a good cyclist and aren't frightened of traffic!

     

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭

    Assuming I am able to cycle with my broken legs, that's all. Got some major DOMS going on today...and I expect will be same tomorrow. My route to work isn't to bad...although it does feel like sooner or later someone is going to hit me!

    I have only had 3 or 4 days off running since June sometime...so I am forcing myself to have a week off running to allow full recovery.

    Use the Events section on this website to find some races in Kent...

  • Lightweight. I cycled into work the day after VLM. Also my colleagues were less impressed by the fact I'd done a marathon than the fact I was wearing pretty shoes two days after.

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