This morning I was singing along to my music while running to make me go slower. Gonna look for slower beat songs now.
Haha, I thought of this when you said you were going to take a book out with you as I often catch myself singing on easy runs! I recommend a bit of cheesy country & western.
I sing along too. Not today though. This morning was 8 including parkrun and this afternoon was 4 in a howling gale and persistent rain. Still, it's better than ice.
Hi Doppy/Gobi. Will definately be following this thread after reading back over the first 5 pages.
I had the "pleasure" of being mentored by Gobi back in 2011 and he helped me to my first sub-3. It took me a while to get me head round running most of my runs slower to achieve a faster end goal. However, when I did eventually slow the majority of my runs (after much frustration from Gobi) and concentrating on hitting the prescribed training paces, I progressed massively.
For the last two years I have followed used the sessions I learned back in 2011 and achieved two further sub-3 (with a best being 2.49).
Heed the advice and it will be worthwhile in the end.
I was following the 55mpw P&D plan at the start but changed a number of sessions under the guidance of Gobi. For the last two years I have written my own based on what I learned in 2011.
Personally I like the more challenging runs and find the slow/recovery runs quite boring. However, I've now got podcasts for easy runs and music or nothing for the more challenging runs.
I have been running easy for the last 3 months to build a base (now up to 50mpw) and over the next few weeks will add intervals, tempo and progressive runs to build speed endurance (2 then 3 specific runs a week; all others slow). However, as I have learned in previous years, speed comes in February and March and not this early in the plan (although I think your marathon is before VLM).
yes Barcelona is March 16th. My base is just over 50 now. I plan to do 1 tempo, one interval one progressive run and the rest slow each week now if Gobi agrees. I thought P&D might be too much for me with 2 fairly long runs mid week and another at the weekend. Also haven't got the time. Work gets in the way!
excellent that Martin has posted, as he took a while to slow down too.
My MP is ~6:30ish and I spend a lot of my running time at ~8mm, you have to view it as arm chair running, its about fidning training time not finding effort.
"Yes Barcelona is March 16th. My base is just over 50 now. I plan to do 1 tempo, one interval one progressive run and the rest slow each week now if Gobi agrees. I thought P&D might be too much for me with 2 fairly long runs mid week and another at the weekend. Also haven't got the time. Work gets in the way! "
Define Tempo, I ask as people have interesting views on what it is
Is that interval or progressive each week ?
If it is then I would be putting in intervals every week but switching "Tempo" with the progressive
If you can then a midweek 10 - 14 is a good run, you only need one :??)
Weekend long run, just needs to be easy now and then in Feb you spice it up a bit.
Just out of interest Gobi, would you make any tweaks to your normal stuff to allow for doppy being rather more at the pointy end of things than your average sub-3 aspirant? Sub 3 would put her straight into the WV50 UK all time top 10 (and the first for over 3 years).
Thanks Gobi. That makes it clearer for me. Dave, now you have scared me. Hope I'm not trying to achieve the impossible. I KNOW I have got it in me, which is why I keep trying.
No running today, which feels a bit strange. Gonna pray for some better weather for my long SLOW 20 miler on Sunday. The challenge will be the SLOw, not the 20! I'm gonna surprise you Gobi.......
Oh, it's clearly not impossible doppy - others have done it before, just not very many! Gobi can get you there, you need to have confidence though. I think one reason folks run long runs too fast is that they want to be confident that they can run that pace on the day, but in fact it's actually having the opposite effect.
I heard an interview with Martin Rees a while ago - he's been setting some amazing times as a vet for years - and although he takes a 'not rocket science' approach, he did say he's had to adjust his training as he's got older: a bit more recovery time between hard sessions, that sort of thing. Mind you, he's in his 60s now and still running 71 minutes for HM.
CD - if coaching properly yes you would adjust according to fatigue or weakness to fine tune but reality is pace is pace so you really are only tweaking.
This is due to a better relationship with the athlete rather than due to them being pointy end.
The reality is you still need to be on the startline healthy so harder sessions in a search for more speed may break rather than help the faster runner.
TR - It did take me a while to slow down. But I am now the same as you in that my MP is around 6.30 but run alot of runs around 7.50-8.20 pace. I find it means I can concentrate on the "fun" faster sessions by not stressing my legs unnecessarily.
Doppy - You need to be adaptable with your programme and trust in the advice that you get from Gobi. The hardest part of starting my journey on here was the SLOW runs. But you will have fun when it gets a bit spicier and those later runs will give you massive confidence come race day.
Martin thanks for advice, I am willing to try anything . In a way it's nice to have permission to run slowly . I just have to teach my legs how to do it! And will they remember how to go fast again ?
They do remember they have speed in them. I've ran very conservatively over the last 3 months but ran a progressive run yesterday with the last 3 miles under 6.30m/m.
You just need to trust in what you are being told.
Martin - sound similar pace wise then, sometimes I have to listen hard to see if I am actually still breathing. When you get to the end of an easy 20 and feel that you could go round again then you are getting nice and fit, I'm not there yet this year (but dont need to be for a while anyway).
Cheers Gobi. I learned a lot 3 years ago and I still use quite a few sessions you gave me. Good to see you mentoring again.
TR - Know what you mean about finishing an easy long run and feeling as though you could continue. I'm up to 17m so far with an easy 18 miler in the morning. Not looking forward to it if the wind and rain continues.
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Strange
Haha, I thought of this when you said you were going to take a book out with you as I often catch myself singing on easy runs! I recommend a bit of cheesy country & western.
I sing along too. Not today though. This morning was 8 including parkrun and this afternoon was 4 in a howling gale and persistent rain. Still, it's better than ice.
Hi Doppy/Gobi. Will definately be following this thread after reading back over the first 5 pages.
I had the "pleasure" of being mentored by Gobi back in 2011 and he helped me to my first sub-3. It took me a while to get me head round running most of my runs slower to achieve a faster end goal. However, when I did eventually slow the majority of my runs (after much frustration from Gobi) and concentrating on hitting the prescribed training paces, I progressed massively.
For the last two years I have followed used the sessions I learned back in 2011 and achieved two further sub-3 (with a best being 2.49).
Heed the advice and it will be worthwhile in the end.
I was following the 55mpw P&D plan at the start but changed a number of sessions under the guidance of Gobi. For the last two years I have written my own based on what I learned in 2011.
Personally I like the more challenging runs and find the slow/recovery runs quite boring. However, I've now got podcasts for easy runs and music or nothing for the more challenging runs.
I have been running easy for the last 3 months to build a base (now up to 50mpw) and over the next few weeks will add intervals, tempo and progressive runs to build speed endurance (2 then 3 specific runs a week; all others slow). However, as I have learned in previous years, speed comes in February and March and not this early in the plan (although I think your marathon is before VLM).
yes Barcelona is March 16th. My base is just over 50 now. I plan to do 1 tempo, one interval one progressive run and the rest slow each week now if Gobi agrees. I thought P&D might be too much for me with 2 fairly long runs mid week and another at the weekend. Also haven't got the time. Work gets in the way!
excellent that Martin has posted, as he took a while to slow down too.
My MP is ~6:30ish and I spend a lot of my running time at ~8mm, you have to view it as arm chair running, its about fidning training time not finding effort.
Define Tempo, I ask as people have interesting views on what it is
Is that interval or progressive each week ?
If it is then I would be putting in intervals every week but switching "Tempo" with the progressive
If you can then a midweek 10 - 14 is a good run, you only need one :??)
Weekend long run, just needs to be easy now and then in Feb you spice it up a bit.
Morning
Just out of interest Gobi, would you make any tweaks to your normal stuff to allow for doppy being rather more at the pointy end of things than your average sub-3 aspirant? Sub 3 would put her straight into the WV50 UK all time top 10 (and the first for over 3 years).
Thanks Gobi. That makes it clearer for me. Dave, now you have scared me. Hope I'm not trying to achieve the impossible. I KNOW I have got it in me, which is why I keep trying.
No running today, which feels a bit strange. Gonna pray for some better weather for my long SLOW 20 miler on Sunday. The challenge will be the SLOw, not the 20! I'm gonna surprise you Gobi.......
Oh, it's clearly not impossible doppy - others have done it before, just not very many! Gobi can get you there, you need to have confidence though. I think one reason folks run long runs too fast is that they want to be confident that they can run that pace on the day, but in fact it's actually having the opposite effect.
I heard an interview with Martin Rees a while ago - he's been setting some amazing times as a vet for years - and although he takes a 'not rocket science' approach, he did say he's had to adjust his training as he's got older: a bit more recovery time between hard sessions, that sort of thing. Mind you, he's in his 60s now and still running 71 minutes for HM.
This is due to a better relationship with the athlete rather than due to them being pointy end.
The reality is you still need to be on the startline healthy so harder sessions in a search for more speed may break rather than help the faster runner.
balance is key
martin rees is amazing.....
TR - It did take me a while to slow down. But I am now the same as you in that my MP is around 6.30 but run alot of runs around 7.50-8.20 pace. I find it means I can concentrate on the "fun" faster sessions by not stressing my legs unnecessarily.
Doppy - You need to be adaptable with your programme and trust in the advice that you get from Gobi. The hardest part of starting my journey on here was the SLOW runs. But you will have fun when it gets a bit spicier and those later runs will give you massive confidence come race day.
You just need to trust in what you are being told.
People I coach do 200 metre reps at mile pace while mara training.
it is your head that controls pace not your legs
Martin - nice to see you are still following the rules. Regards
I have scheduled for today, 6m with middle 4 at half MP. Is that appropriate for now?
what she didn't say was the other 6 miles was at 10k pace
Martin - sound similar pace wise then, sometimes I have to listen hard to see if I am actually still breathing. When you get to the end of an easy 20 and feel that you could go round again then you are getting nice and fit, I'm not there yet this year (but dont need to be for a while anyway).
TR - Know what you mean about finishing an easy long run and feeling as though you could continue. I'm up to 17m so far with an easy 18 miler in the morning. Not looking forward to it if the wind and rain continues.