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Well done to all the Frankfurters, but mainly WELL DONE JOOLS!!! Fantastic pacing and great to see several years of hard work pay off.
Great run by Al_P too - impressive to pick up the pace at that point in a marathon.
Wardi - well done for sticking at it and as others have said, still not a shabby time by most people's standards.
CC2 - nice one on the County win.
I did about 1h50 easy on Saturday - no idea of distance but probably about 8 m/m on average, almost all off-road. Then just cycled to a XC race and back with some mates (I didn't run the race) for about 40M - luckily the wind hadn't picked up too much at that point.
I feel almost bad posting as I don't want to distract any attention from the two real heroes of the day, Joolska and Al_P - it was great to catch up with you both and I am genuinely thrilled and over the moon for you. Joolska, so richly deserved after the long build up, the dedication and the knock backs along the way - like Dan, it was the one result I really wanted to know afterwards (I hope you get home ok today, by the way). Al, truly top notch and you gauged it perfectly - so pleased all that great training paid off (we should exchange thoughts on pre-marathon marathons at some point, actually - in light of the Berlin/Frankfurt combo, I can see the benefits, albeit doing it rather closer to how you did it than how I ...) Wardi, was sorry I didn't manage to meet you, and sorrier still to hear that you had a rough day - it certainly wasn't easy out there (just look at the leading times and the leading Brits - makes you realise what a great job Torry and Webb did). I really hope you don't give up on the marathons though. A speedy recovery to all three of you. Johnas, if you're there, nice to meet you briefly too.
As for me, I'm really pleased I decided to run it in the end. I certainly won't be doing back-to-back marathons 4 weeks apart again, but the combination of the two has given me a lot of food for thought and has really boosted my confidence in being able to run the distance (will put some of my reflections together in due course). Nice to do one without any pressure for that reason. With rather pleasing consistency, I ended up with a 2:37 - 14 seconds slower than Berlin 4 weeks ago, to be precise, but actually I think it was worth a lot more than the Berlin time. Conditions were pretty miserable at times (17 miles with wet feet and some very strong winds is never fun). It showed me that, if I'd really believed in myself in Berlin, hadn't overdone the carbo loading and had got the nutrition right, I could have gone a good chunk quicker. It also shows that endurance takes a while to vanish - one way of looking at yesterday is as only the third time I'd run over 20 miles in the last 2 months. (I was fully expecting to run today somewhere around 2:43-2:45 with a possible major crash.)
I felt good enough on the morning, if not fully psyched up as for an A race, and decided I'd try to go out around the same time as Berlin, hopefully finding a group to shield me from some of the wind - with the second half being downwind (apart from a cruel cruel last 5k) that seemed sensible. All went well (conditions excepted) and went through half way in 1:17:45. Around 27k, however, as we'd crossed back over the river and were about to hit the long straight downwind section, I started to get nasty lower left had side abdominal cramp - one never knows, but I have a suspicion it was overdoing the caffeinated gels. I'd deliberately caffeine fasted for a week beforehand this time but the combination of an early morning double espresso and then effectively 3 or 4 hits gave me a lot of trouble. (Generally nutrition was going to plan - managed to sip water at each station this time and was on track with gels but regret having taken one 10 mins before the start - ummed and ahed a bit and should have just done without as I think it got too much into my system.) So I was in a lot of discomfort at the worst possible time - instead of 3:40-3:42, my 5k splits for 25-35k were up around 3:52, though my HR was a good 10 beats below MP effort - so it was the physical discomfort rather than the aerobics. Pulled it back a bit in the last 7k and kept picking people off, which was a good distraction and encouraging, particularly given the massive winds.  
Couldn't quite summon up the speed at the end to match the Berlin time (the last 2k was like running into a wall it was so windy) - but though I wish I'd not been hit with those cramps on the downwind section, which probably lost me a minute or two (Al played that part of the course to perfection), I was in it for the experience, not a PB, and all things told I reckon it was better run than 4 weeks ago.
Now for 3 weeks probably totally off (heading away on holiday for a fortnight to Vietnam/Cambodia on Friday). Then perhaps I'll turn my thoughts to a first time VLM...
Lovely spending time with Mr and Mrs Wardi too. Lovely couple and hope you get home safely.
Storming run Al. That negative split is insane! You looked far too fresh afterwards too
And to Jools... Echo everyone else. Brilliantly paced sub 3. Glad to see I didn't distract you out on the course! Congrats.
Lev.. back to back marathons at that standard is a superb achievement, well done indeed and enjoy the hols.
Hope you're all surviving the UK storm, glad I'm coming home tomorrow. Best of luck to those trying to get home today.
Al_P - fantastic. Big negative split in dodgy conditions. So much more to come from you too.
Lev_ - likewise much more to come from you too. Very impressive to do that so close to Berlin.
Wardi - so sorry that you didn't get the result your training warranted. You really deserved so much better. Maybe a change of training before discounting marathons altogether though?
Johnas - congrats on the pb, even if it wasn't quite what you wanted. I'm sure you'll rectify that next time out though.
Well done to the Frankfurters, and a huge well done to Jools ... inspirational stuff!!
Waiting for Jools' race report is like waiting for a South West Train this morning. I'm particularly impressed considering that there was a strong headwind in the last 2k. Wouldn't have been surprised if wee Jools had ended up crossing the finish line at Berlin instead
Al_P - that's a seriously impressive 12 months you've had
Lev - very very impressive double
Wardi - don't lose heart mate. You beat my Abo time at least!! Once you can accept it's only a running race, and also that it's not a reflection on your true ability, you can move on to the next one. That's my approach at least; a few weeks off to refresh and start from scratch for the spring.
Lev: nice report. You've got to be pretty close to 2:30 if you roll all the good bits from both of those races into one.....VLM14?
CC2 - sorry I missed your post earlier, congratulations and a high five for the county win.
Hi, thread. Sorry for the radio silence, but my phone is a bit sh!t and can just about do Facebook, but not RW. Anyway, you all know the punchline, but the story goes something like this:
Felt pretty good doing my final strides on Thursday and did a very gentle 20 mins jog on Saturday (in the company of Marders, no less!). Apart from popping down to the Expo I did practically nothing for the rest of the day and sat around reading and sipping electrolyte. Mmmm, lovely. Dinner with the 2.09 group (sorry I didn't make it to the Frankfurt thread meal, but 2.09 were eating at 6pm, which suited me better) and then an early night. It's the only time I've slept really well the night before a marathon, which I took to be a good omen.
Got down to the Messe about an hour beforehand and dumped my bag. Spent far too long queuing for a pee and only just made it into the start pen with minutes to spare, also ending up too far back. It meant a slow start (first km was 4.24!) but I told myself a slower first 5k was perfect and I could warm up as I went along.
After 10km I began to get into my stride pretty well, and 10km-30km felt really comfortable. 30-35km was my fastest 5km stretch (I think( and right up to 37km I felt great. I did lose pace in the last 5k, especially the last 4km where it gets a bit more twisty and the wind picked up, but by 40km I knew I was going to do it and just started enjoying myself. Probably cost me a sub 2.59, but frankly I think there was some Noakes central governor going on and I wanted sub-3 so badly that I probably wasn't as concerned as I should have been about which number came after the 2 and the 5!
To say I was delighted is an understatement. I barely slept a wink last night because I kept on waking up to smile!
Big congrats to Al_P on what really is the thread performance of the weekend in terms of brilliant execution and a negative split; well done Lev and nice to catch up with you - very impressed at your consistency 4 weeks apart!; sorry to hear you had a tough day, Wardi and I hope you are recovering ok.
Oh, and DanA: I'd like a red t-shirt, please
Well done again Jools, sounds like much tougher conditions than when I ran in Amsterdam
Brilliant news Jools, I know how long you have been chasing this goal and the set backs you have had on the way. Just shows that with the dedication and will power it comes to you in the end. What next?
Jools - fantastic result. Was tracking, and of all the people you were by far the most metronomic. Seems almost a shame that one of the longest sub-3 probation periods in living memory has come to an end. Who are we all gonna root for now eh?
Al_P - really impressive performance, particularly picking up the pace well into the race from what was already pretty pacy. That's an awesome time, and you're going to have some fun in the near future taking your shorter distance PBs apart.
Lev - great consistency, and glad you got away with what was a bit of a risk.
Wardi - sorry it didn't quite go the way you wanted, but good running nonetheless, and hope you enjoyed a few well-deserved beers afterwards.
CC2 - well done on the County championship!
AL_P - well done too mate, that's a hell of an achievement
Lev - likewise a tremendous effort to pull out a time like that after Berlin
Wardi - tough luck, I know well that you don't often get what you might deserve in a marathon. Will you do London next year?
Lake district with my Dad on wednesday so will aim to get a decent fell training run in pending weather. Although I wouldn't mind some cloud/mist to practice navigation.
Not running at the moment due to jarred metatarsal bones in my right foot. Not a running related injury you'll be pleased to hear.
Should be operational again by December.
Regards to All
Dull
Ah, it's lovely to see so many old forumites popping out of the woodwork to say hello! Hope the recovery goes well, Dull.
Spent a hour watching the live stream yesterday morning. From 2hrs30 onwards, they were focussing on the Festhalle with it's music, lights and dancing. Great it was. And then as soon the race clock hit 2hrs58 they cut to some African women on a bloody podium.
I wanted to see some more of the dancing girls, who were very good. At dancing. And stuff.
Good to see Dull back, a Dull sub 3 would have been the only thing to top a Jools one.
Jools, if Dan doesn't give you a shirt I'll buy you one myself.
Dull.. nice to see you esteemed thread founder & fellow codger. Hope all is well apart from your foot.
Jools.. sorry you didn't make the pub, we were all sitting there waiting to raise a glass to you - not just for the time but some lovely even splits. Not surprised you kept waking up to smile!
Definitely worth coming out of the woodwork to congratulate Jools on a well deserved and long overdue sub3. I was lucky enough to be able to congratulate her in person, along with Lev_ , and we went to town on the celebrations with a round of tea and croissants in the train station
A local Frankfurter voiced his displeasure at us sitting there drinking our tea which was amusing.
As I called it a day early I managed to get a ride back to the finish in time to watch things perched just behind the finish line. Atmosphere was amazing and I'll be back another year to take it in properly. In the mean time I'll get on to practising my signature cartwheel backflip to give the cheer leaders a run for their pom poms (last done about 10 years ago on a cruise ship as my "special" talent so past performance probably not a good indicator of future performance!).
A belated congrats to TT too for a fab result in Berlin and smashing another big barrier.
Lev - I didnt expect you to do another 2:37, cracking run. Like you say, you probably could have gone a bit quicker at Berlin. A bit more self belief and a bit less fitness testing next time might help you run quicker on A race day. Still a cracking pair though !
Jools - its brilliant to see you bag the sub3, look at all the folks you made come out the woodwork too. Great stuff.
Not had chance to track back properly as dodgy internet connection.
Jools really pleased, really well deserved.
Al_P and Lev sounds like you had great race
Wardi well done on your run,hope you are not switching to 5km
I am hunting Strava segments in Spain and also drinking and eating too much
Thought I'd also pop in for the first time since 2009 to say well done Jools! So well deserved.
Pound for inch the best thread performance by minutes for many a season. Definite fair effort in the perserverance stakes unlike that Floppy Labrador quitter. Just wondering if it is an U11 lesser spotted Russian National Record?
As you weren't sh1t.
That's a few old faces come out of the woodwork. How about the Holy labcoat.
Jools - At last, feckin well done. Your face must be hurting with all that smiling.
Al P - What a result off a neg split. Sub 2:30 beckons.
Lev - You're also a big mover in the last year for another 2:37.
Wardi - Not the result you wanted for the input but you put yourself on the line and will live to fight another day.
This thread has come a long way since the early days when sub 3 was the aim now 2:30 is nearly the new sub 3.
OK, perhaps I should retire: Crab has just declared that I wasn't sh1t. Man hath no higher praise!
jools- Top bombing....awesome
What's this ...... some sort of sub 3 "has-beens" reunion