RW Forum SIx – 3.30 – 4.00

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  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭

    Carter - yes, you're right about injuries catching up!  I can't believe that I've fought through all that horrible weather and now that the weather is perfect for running, I've decided I need a week off.  Bloody typical!  

    Next up is Gloucester 20 this weekend but I very much doubt I'm going to do that and I'm just trying to see if the organisers accept race transfers.  The race is sold out and I know a few club mates want a place.  If not, I may trot around as an LSR but it's a long way to travel for that (2hrs each way roughy).   The week after is a 10K which I was hoping to PB at, but we'll see what happens at the physio before I commit to going for that.  Funnily enough, if I go relatively slowly the achilles does ease as I run but any hint of speed or hill work seems to aggravate them.

    Good luck with the final week of "proper" training.

  • Carter – you’re looking in good shape this time around. Fingers crossed for you that continues as you wind up for your wind down. Nothing organised in my diary now before London. I had thought about the Surrey Spitlfire this weekend  - a 20 mile race starting and finishing on the Top Gear test track. But I’m giving that a swerve (!) and putting the race funds towards a new pair of trainers.

    Stuart – I registered for my local park run at the end of last year and fully intended slotting in a few as part of the training programme. But the shocking weather from Dec til about 2 weeks ago turned the course in a quagmire and so I’ve given it a miss. But I will definitely be doing one in the taper weeks.

    Big G- best of luck at the physio, hopefully the prognosis will be good.

     Carl – still a long way to go yet and all sorts of potential pit falls! This is the 4th marathon I’ve trained for, but I’ve only made the starting line once due to injuries. So until that Sunday morning when we line up I’ll be taking nothing for granted.

    After a rest day yesterday, I’m off out for lunchtime run today – 8m with intervals.

    The weather is looking very calm for the coming days so good luck to everyone getting out there

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Canter - you 'must' have new trotters for a marathon !

    A lunchtime 6 miles for me down by the river with 3 @ tempo pace of 7:10. I could still feel Saturday's run in my legs but managed to get round feeling reasonably ok. It was a lovely day out there today. I started off with a light jacket on but very quickly that came off and I still had a base layer and tee shirt on and finished looking like 'Mr Tomato Head' !! Still, after some unpleasant weather it's great to be running in lovely conditions. It has, however, made me think I should prepare for hot weather conditions for Manchester, so far I've only been planning for rubbish weather

  • Ha ha Carter – you’re right there!

    My current ones (Brooks Ghosts) are coming to the end of their useful life – they’ve done about 600 miles and don’t owe me anything. I’ve had my eye on a pair of Asics Nimbus 15 for a few months and have just been waiting for them to come in under £100.

    I’ll be breaking them in gently with some walking initially, some medium runs then a LSR to get them primed for four and a half weeks time.

    I was down to 2 layers this lunchtime, but I think it’s gonna be short sleeves for the rest of the week.

  • Hi all, lots of good running going on. I still have 10 and bit weeks to go before Edinburgh.  Not long now for some of you all though.

    Carter, i am running the Forest of Dean Trails half. It mostly forest trails but  they are hard packed gravel, so will run it in normal shoes. Looking forward to it. Will be a good test of my fitness as i started to increase my running and fitness just after my last half which was in October last year.

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Big G - really sorry to hear about your 'injury'. Hopefully it is not too bad a some physio will sort it. You have been running so well too. But as others on here will advise best not to run through it if it is for real as that will mean a longer layoff.

    Canter - interesting on the shoes. I have transitioned to a new pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire some weeks ago and will probably have about 300 miles on them by race day. I have another pai in a box. Do I breal them in and have say 50 miles on them and use the fresher pair on race day ? will it really make much of a difference ?

    So 400m intervals for me tonight. I was home late and the girsl were a little high spirited shall we say. I had to put them to bed so it was 9.30 when I got out.

    Where did summer go. I am sure it was here at the weekend. Clear skies so teh running track was quite dark as there was no cloud reflection of the london street lights. It was also freezing with a very strong wind. I had to run directly into it down the back straight and it was hard work.

    I was aiming to get my time for each split between 95 and 100 sec.

    Splits as follows :

    96 ; 97 ; 95 ; 95 ; 93 

    96 ; 96 ; 94 ; 95 ; 95

    95 ; 92 ; 95 ; 92 ; 86 

    Always nic to get a really fast time in for the last one. Makes you feel good even if it was 10.30 when I was hopping over the gate.

    Part way through, the police van that patrols the heath passed and shone the spotlight down on the track but left me alone. I also had another runner join me on the track late into my stint. This was strange as she just appeared out of the gloom. Was a bit unsettling for a while as you try and work out if there is about to be trouble and then you work out that they are another mad runner doing laps in the dark.

    I would love to run during the day but just do not have the time. It is nights like tonight that you wonder are you barking mad. Training in the dark. Pushing yourself as missing a session now is bad news. Hopefully it will be worth it.

    Carter - I am still undecided on pace for race day. So I did manage 14 miles at a decent pace. But can I hold taht for 20 and then another 6. Not sure as it was tough for 14 miles. I was still feeling it tonight when I went out. Took a while to run through it.

    Really pleased that your race number has arrived and you are in a good place. I remember this time last year so well done to you for sticking with it and coming out the other side.

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    Hi Canter, Wow! well done on the HM. I am indeed very proud of you image not sure whether I will be able to match that this Sunday at Alloa...

    Hi Carl, You are an inspiration with your training commitments...

    Hi Big_G, hope the injury get's better matie....

    Hi Carter, You must not have long now until the marathon, how are you feeling?

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    I had a run Monday night, 5 miles @ 8min/miles. Since then I have been over in Brussels with work and not managed to get any running in but drinking too much belgium beers I am afraid. Early morning starts and very late finishes mean I am not feeling in great shape. Getting back home late tonight, so hopefully can get a decent nights sleep and get out tomorrow morning. I did bring my kit but it hasn't  made it out of my bag image

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭

    Carl, some great running from you.  Regarding the race pace, I think it is quite hard to replicate race conditions in training, so try not to worry about finding that 14-miler hard.  You know you've done the training and will be tapering soon, and if it all comes together on the day I'm sure you're going to do great.  For me (and I think probably most people) something happens at a race and on the right day everything clicks into place.  I know this because there is a measured 5K course that I run on in training, which is also used as a time trial by my club.  When I run it by myself I'm lucky if I get within 30-secs of what I run it with the club.  Strange but true.

    It is for the above reason that I've got rid of my number for this weekend's 20 mile race.  Physically, I probably could trot around and not do too much damage, but I question whether I could stick to the LSR pace in a race.  If I ended up racing it (or trying to race it), I think that would cause me problems.

  • Big G- that’s the right decision for your run this weekend. We’ve all been guilty of champing at the bit to get going at times when we really shouldn’t. You’ll see the benefit of not going in the medium term when you’ll be better for it.

    Nell – did you get some of those moules frites to go with your beer? That way at least you know your salt intake is where it should be. Yum! Plenty of the non alcoholic fluids required now to prevent any cramps, and keep something back for Alloa.

     

    Carl – they are some fantastic split times. I reckon that’s 6km in about 23 and a half mins – which is a low 19 min 5k?

    Do you have any trouble sleeping after running so late?

    I would have stuck with my existing trainers for the duration but they weren’t looking good for another couple of  hundred miles and when I had that niggle it was suggested that in view of their mileage I should consider replacing them as soon as.

    I’d say your current ones should comfortably see you through and I doubt there’s much differential to be had time wise.

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Big G - defo the right decision. Not always easy to do this but as Canter says over time you will get benefit as you are giving your body time to heal. When do you go to the physio ?

    Nell - what you are describing is normal life. Sometimes it is right that it gets in the way of running. You have loads of time to Edinburgh so not likley to have any impact on that race. Being honest I am at that stage of marathon training where you want it to be over. It is all consuming. The legs are tired. The body is tired. It just wants to stop but it cannot as there is a training schedule to be followed.

    Canter - as I have always hada tendancy to run later than most would I think I have just got used to it and so it does not really stop me from sleeping. At least I do not think it does.

    Yes looking back at last night they are good split times. I do like the way you have added them together. If only I was able to run 5k at that pace. My PB on a 5k course is 22:37. It is a hilly parkrun so it is not necessarily a true comparison.

    Got out for 10 miles at 8:48min/mile pace tonight. It was not the easiest of runs that I have done and just reflects what I said earlier. Tonight's run has moved me into the 400+ miles done in this specific training stint.

    image

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭

    Carl, I got in to see a physio yesterday afternoon and she has given me a different stretch to do, and I must say I could immediately feel the stretch 'hitting the spot' so I have my fingers crossed.  She has asked me to go back next week and she will consider referring me to a podiatrist if necessary but wanted me to try the stretch first, which is obviously fair enough.

    I asked her if I should stop running and she didn't exactly say "yes", so that's good, although she said "take it easy". I am going to at least take today off and see how it feels on Friday. My last run was Saturday....

    I've transferred my Glos 20 entry to someone else, so I'm definitely not doing it.

  • Big G – that’s some reasonably good news, hopefully those stretches will do the trick for you.

    Carl- I’m hearing you on how these 14 – 16 weeks can take over your life. Whenever there are discussions at home about arrangements to be made, my first thoughts inevitably are ‘how does/would that affect the training plan’. I never feel good about that, but this running lark is addictive!

    My other half is very understanding in the circumstances, as I’m sure is the case for everybody here. But we do trade on some enormous good will when those LSRs take up half a day on a weekend.

    As a compromise I fit in all my other runs around my working day. That means taking a lunch break 3 days a week where previously I’d usually just have worked through. As I’m running for the charity I work for that mostly keeps everyone happy, most of the time.

    After midweek 10m yesterday and the exertions of the weekend race, the legs are feeling a bit achy today so I’ve swapped tomorrow’s rest day in the programme to today instead.

  • Hello All. I'm back from Munich and feeling quite worse for wear. Steins, sunny weather and football, that's a lethal combo for me. 8 mile club run tonight should blow the cobwebs away. 

      So I ran the East Hull on Sunday on a very barmy hot day. Took all the runners by surprise and dehydration became quite an issue for quite a few of us later on in the race.    So it was a race of 2 halves for me as I completely put my foot down at the start and went at 7 min mile 10k pace for the 1st 10 miles, totally ignoring my 8 mile per minute race plan. Been running seriously for 4 years now, and I still make schoolboy errors like that. Hey ho it felt good at the time and I wanted to see how far I could take it. I passed 10 miles in 72 minutes and HM at 1:38. I was flying. Then came mile 15 and something happened. My running club buddy called it bonking, you may know it as 'hitting the wall'. I lost all my drive and motivation and felt physically sick. Had to run/ walk a few times, but only let myself walk for a maximum of a minute at a time. Then by mile 19 I found a 2nd wind and had quite a powerful finish to the line.   20 miles done in 2:42.49. Average 8:09 per mile pace. Decent and im happy with that.    Valuable lessons learnt, and I shall be doing my final LSR before the taper this Sunday at a more sedate 8 min mile pace for 10 then 8:30 for 5 before trying to hit 8 min mile again.

     

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Big G - glad to hear that it was not a definite 'no' to running. And you seem to being sensible which is very unlike us runners. So fingers crossed that a bit of rest and another physio session might do the trick.

    Canter - unfortunately I do not get the luxery of a lunch break - usually eat on the go which is not clever - so my choices mid week are early morning or the evening. I am not really a morning person so there is no decision to make. So even extra guilty about coming in from work and dissapearing out again. But I am fortunate that my OH is on the whole very accomodating. But like you whenever things are discussed I am always thinking about how I fit my running in.

    Sean - good to see that you have at least survived that messy trip. Hopefully the club session went well tonight. That was a decent time for the 20 miles considering you had some difficulties at mile 15. Better learn the lessons in this one than in the marathon though.

    Like you Canter the fast LSR that I did at the wekend and the late night sessions this week are beginning to take theoir toill on what is a tired body that is looking forward to the taper. The legs were more achy than normal tonight but I donneed the running gear and headed back out into teh cold night air. 9 miles tonight alternating between roughly 9 min miles and sub 8 min miles. Splits as follows :

     8:51 ; 7:48 ; 8:44 ; 7:40 ; 8:54 ; 7:26 ; 8:57 ; 7:28 ; 8:56

    This was not easy. Had to stretch for a good bit when I came back in. But pleased to have knocked it out considering that the little voice in my head was telling m,e not to do it.

    Rest day tomorrow and boy is it badly needed.

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Sean – glad to see you had a bit of down time in Munich, although I noticed you didn't mention the score !! My race at the weekend also had some fairly warm weather in the second half of the race, it has made me realise that I need to consider the fact that at Manchester it might well be a hot day or a cold day, not something I had considered until the weekend. That’s a seriously good 20 miler you did and a good confidence booster for you.

    Stuart – best of luck with your trail half marathon.

    Nell – 23 days to Manchester, How do I feel ? In one word, knackered. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of time away from running, especially to drink a few beers, it might well recharge your batteries again which is no bad thing in my experience.

    Canter – always a wise call to change your rest days around if you’re feeling tired. Like most of us on here, I too am always considering how I can fit my runs in so it doesn’t interfere too much with family life. My missus has taken some time to come round to the fact that I enjoy this running malarkey but I still think she thinks that I just go out the door and round when I feel like it.

    Big_G – ‘Take it easy’ seems to be the order of the day. Don’t feel too bad about not running for a few days and don’t make yourself feel guilty and so go out for a run and do more damage. Get the bike out the garage and go for a trundle on that. I read your report, nice work !

    Carl – another session where you’ve had to dig deep but achieved the results, or better, than you were hoping for. This will, of course, stand you in good stead come race day. Do you know if you’ve done more mile in this training plan compared to this time last year ? As  you’re going for a faster time I’m also assuming this has been a tougher plan than last year ?

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    So, it’s 23 days until Manchester and to be quite honest I’m absolutely knackered. My plan was a 20 week plan and started back in the middle of November. In that time I have run a total of 560 miles with 5 x 20+ and 4 more of over 16 miles.  I have managed my dodgy knee really well to the point where it feels just about completed sorted, most of the time. In recent weeks, the other knee has decided to join in on the fun and has displayed symptoms of ITB. I’ve been giving this the same treatment as my other knee and the situation seems to be under control. I have generally avoided speed work and have only done 7 tempo runs as I felt that the speed sessions were contributing to my knee issues. I haven’t done any interval or fartlek sessions. I have taken in plenty of hills with about 26k feet of elevation in my runs. I haven’t done a half marathon to see where my fitness is as last year I broke after the South Yorkshire half. If my body has been moaning under the strain then I have not run and I haven’t felt bad about it. Although I keep throwing out lots of figures about my runs the stats have not been the main drive behind this training plan. All in all I’ve had a very good campaign and, although I feel very tired, I also feel very strong and can keep pushing on when the going gets tough. One long run left tomorrow and another on Sunday to be determined and then I’m in taper time. My race number has arrived and I’m starting to get both nervous and excited… 

  • Carter – 23 sleeps eh? There should be some kind of countdown calendar a la Advent for runners. Preferably stocked with chocolate liqueurs!

    What’s the taper mileage look like?

    Carl – enjoy your rest day today

    Picking up from another thread – what’s everyone’s alcohol strategy in the weeks/days leading up to a big race?

  • carterusmcarterusm ✭✭✭

    Canter - next 2 weeks are 32 and 26 - 4 runs including one tempo and one marathon paced run. Final week is massage plus 2 easy runs, the last being on the Thursday.

    Alcohol - I've said on many occasions in the last few months that I'm stopping drinking for this campaign. The best I've done is 6 days ! To be fair, I have cut down by a lot but some weeks are better than others. I'm currently going through a phase of having a couple during the week as well but that will stop from next week. Pre race day I will be off the juice for 1 whole week !

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭

    carter - I think knocking the beer on the head will help in the final week in terms of dehydration etc, but don't dwell on it;  I don't think one or two will hinder too much.  If you can, try and have water (in the car, at work, at home etc) by you all the time especially through that final week, if you don't already do that.

    We're all different but the only thing I can add is that I have taken to doing a very short (no more than 4 mile easy, with maybe half a mile at "race pace" which varies depending on what the event is) run on the Saturday before an event.  That has become my routine to just turn the legs over with the aim of feeling refreshed after it.  I put this in as I used to have my last run on a Thursday before a big event but found I started to feel sluggish.  I think that is probably a mental thing with me though.

    What are the logistics like for Manchester?  You have your number already, so do you just turn up on race day?

  • BK: Alcohol:  I gave up on the grape and grain for a whole 5 weeks before the Yorkshire marathon last year. It was tough, like really tough, and generally made me quite miserable. I cant say it made me run much faster on race day either.

      This time round im just going for a more moderate approach, so e.g. before East Hull last Sunday I just had a couple of bottle of beer the night before to settle the nerves, but made sure I drank 2.5 litres of water that day before also. Legs felt great up until I started crashing (as discussed before).  Also since January i've just been drinking at weekends only, and its green tea all the way Mon - Thur in my house. Working in an office in town is very difficult for me as every evening someone at my work seems to be going to the pub. As well as that someones always bringing in cakes or buns. Temptations everywhere.
  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    Hi Carl, I must say you are quite an inspiration the times you get out training. I also think you sound pretty strong for the marathon.

    Hi Carter, 23 days eh. Bet you can't wait? I was the same last year, kept thinking the other knee was coming out in sympathy. well they both came out at the end of Edinburgh. But I think that was down to just not enough strengthin the biomechanic areas which I worked on in the following October marathon and had no problems. Trying to keep that up again...Hopefully what you are doing will carry you through to the end matie ;0)

    Hi Big_G, Hope the new stretches help you through...

    Hi Canter, No moules and frites, replaced the moules for steak ;0) I'm not a huge drinker Canter when I get into the longer runs I lay off the booze before the run and I don't drink during the week (don't have time with work and family life!). I may have one on the Sunday evening as Monday is usually a rest day.

    Hi Sean, Good run last Sunday (hanging on). Is your strategy for the marathon going to be more consistent pacing?

     

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    Played footie last night and pulled my calf! So I have been icing and rolling the culprit last night and this morning before work. It seems to have eased off and hopefully willl try a light run tonight and see how it feels. Not really what I wanted before Alloa on Sunday!image

  • I am lucky in that for four of the last 6 weeks before my Marathon i am on a dry ship and as such have no option but to stay off of the drink. The hard part will be the final two weeks before the race. I went into the training with the plan of not drinking at all after Christmas but this soon changed. I have cut down a lot though and only really drink on the nights where i don't have to run the following day. I does help that Mrs W is 5 months gone and so is not drinking. Even so it is hard not to have the odd glass of wine or a few beers now and then.

  • Hi all.

    sorry have been very absent this week as I have been doing no running. I also typed out a whole post on Wednesday night and thought I'd posted it only to check and see it was deleted/not there. Grrrr! 

    Well done to all of you training your arses off with some great results, I have loved reading about speedy times and PBs despite not partaking myself.

    tomorrow I will be doing the Alloa HM in high winds and not so enjoyable weather.... So all hopes of a PB out the window but I will go and do the best time I can on the day. 

    Hope everyone's had a great weekend and I will report back after my race tomorrow.

    keep up the great posting which I am loving reading!

  • Hi Ali, good luck today with the Half, hope the weather is kid to you. 

  • Nell BlueNell Blue ✭✭✭

    just getting ready for Alloa, like Ali I have not run much this week. The calf seems ok at the moment, but it is wild in Edinburgh at the moment.. I am meeting someone at the Aldi car park if youare about Ali....

  • Hi nell, not sure where we will be parking, my parents are taking me. If there, I will look out for you! I have a vague picture of you in mind from your race photos you've posted! 

    I am crapping myself! Good luck to you!

  • Carl DCarl D ✭✭✭

    Ali and Nell - best of luck to both of you today. image

  • Good luck to you guys - Ali and Nell and anyone else racing today. to all the LSR'ers today : drink lots!

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