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Shit weather predicted. Shit time predicted.
Fantastic result in the half HR. At least there is one high performing V50 on this thread.
22M bagged up on the hill, made it last 2h 48min, so hopefully I'll only need another 5 to 10mins on race day. Thats 5 long runs (3x18, 1x21, 1x22) and a medium (14) in the last 12 days !
Padams -- heroic, and many congrats on qualifying for the worlds (again?).
. MP trial time:
Excellent session Lev_ -- the rest of us only get to mentally rehearse those landmarks!
Dan -- that's rotten.
HR -- well done again. I've sometimes got stuck in the trap of running too fast or too slow to get some shelter behind other runners when I'd have been better off going solo at my own pace, as you did. You remind me that the great thing about London is that there are _always_ other runners to draft if there's a breeze (at my level, anyway).
OS -- I can't quote any research; maybe I should have a look. Pushing 'the wall' out to higher mileage is something P&D talk of, though I find their scheduled long runs a bit underdone. The body is quite good at adapting to what it experiences though, so after giving the glycogen stores a good kicking a few times, it does in my case at least seem to be better tolerating the long runs, which can only be because it a) is storing more glycogen or b) falling back more on burning fats -- both may happen, but I think most people would reckon it is b) which is more signficant.
TR -- wow, that's a lot of long runs. Nice.
Anyway, I tapered back to only 28M today
10M @ 7:11/M (so steady rather than slow)
10M @ 6:08/M (oh dear I was hoping for 6:06/M, i.e. 2hr40 pace)
8M @ 7:28/M (still running normally bar one wobbly mile, mara split 2:59)
If the second 10M is taken at face value, that puts me on about 2hr41 this year, a couple of minutes slower than last year. Which ties in quite well with my slower HM recently. In mitigation, though I had yesterday off, last week's 84M was an all-time record for me, and not slow either. My average HR in the 10M was 151 bpm (though 155 in the last desperate 5:55 mile when I pushed on a bit), and while I chose a route with a crosswind, overall I lost out a little wind-wise and the 6M into the wind were noticeably slower than the 4M back (6:03/M).
I tried one of the stock of caffeinated gels I got with a prize voucher and I'm glad I did -- seemed to give me raging indigestion, so I'd better swap back to my previous ones. My HR was quite low for MP I think, suggesting that tuning my leg power up for higher speed to make better use of my endurance and cardiovasculars is the way to go at this point. Despite the gel I actually did feel a bit light-headed for a while at about 23M, but then got better again.
Great racing padams, good luck for the worlds. I'm expecting medals this time, no pressure.
Nice report HR, sounds like you had to properly race it.
CW, I do hope you're not canning a sub 2:40 run on the basis of being 20 seconds too slow over an hour's running? Heck, the gps error could be more than that, not to mention the lack of race conditions, the 10 miles beforehand maybe being a bit quick, all that good stuff.
I suspect you'd be on for a 6:00 paced marathon myself. I know you're not likely to run on feel alone, so you're probably a good candidate for running to HR - you must have enough data to know what you can sustain for the duration, whether that be at 6:06 pace, 6:00 or whatever.
Anyway, 22 for me this morning, in around 2:40. A random route out and about, it felt pretty easy in a TR shelling peas style, so it's all good.
HR - awesome!
TR - er, doesn't sound too sensible but you know your own body.
Padams - I don't understand the event at all, but I understand you did well, so congratulations!
24 miles for me this morning. I realised towards the end of it that if I carried on to 26.2 that I would actually beat my first marathon time. I wasn't tempted though. That brings up my biggest week to date of 86 miles, 50 of which were in the last 3 days. Now just to survive the dreaded taper...
15 miles steady this morning with some m.p thrown in. A good taper confidence builder.
CW - crackers behaviour on all fronts. Esp doing 10M at MP in a 28 and then worrying about 2 seconds.
CD - nice, I was hoping to feel some pea shelling myself not sure I did though, the lack of 20 (or more) milers makes the last few miles tough, but I did run a pretty tough 18M on Friday. Hopefully backing up long runs is doing me some good though.
CC - good work. Not too sensible indeed, but I've been keeping an eye on the matches.
HR - Great report. You're clearly in cracking shape, and having raced at Dorney myself in windy conditions (duathlon) I'm even more impressed by the mental side of things. Strong work all round.
Padams - I think you were always a shoe-in for qualification but that looks pretty emphatic. I'll back you for a Worlds medal as well!
Some impressive miles getting packed in (CW/TR!) as we're peaking. We've got a handful of sub-3 aspirants from the club running and I was out with some of 'em for pace practise this morning, 19M w/ 5 at the end @ 6:50-5 or so (depending on whose Garmin you believe; I think mine goes a bit funny in Greenwich Park.) Brings up 65 for the week, with 40 of those at target pace or quicker.
...and I'm back on GREEN start. No more mix-ups, that's confirmed.
26.2m this morning @ 7.02/m. Inspired by CW and really glad I've done it. Tops off 101m for the week which is my best so far, including 14m on Tuesday and 18m on Friday. My weight has dropped off recently and feel like it's helped. That and my new bright orange adidas hagios. Haven't done enough mp stuff but didn't last year. Not really sure what time to go for. How are people deciding?
1 mile at 95% effort in middle of a tempo 7 miles (first run which is officially part of my taper).
Not the pace I had planed but as my plan is made up on the 5 minute drive to most runs....
So 7 miles fell running @ 7:25 pace- very uneven under foot ended 15 secs per miles quicker than I would normally expect tempo to be on that route.
My "fast" miles was 5:35 minutes a pb ( but never raced a mile and only ever raced 2 5k's so not a lot to go on)
This has got me thinking is there any coloration between mile pb and planned MP?. I would be at miles pb 5:35 /planned MP 6:50
Not sure either and a lot less experienced than most on here so god help me!
I may try Yasso 800's some point this week but without going to a track (which I have never ran on) then finding a flat route to do it on is difficult around here. For example 230 miles so far this month and 23000 foot of ascent and I have been trying to find flat routes!
This is going to be my worst VLM time since I stepped up the mileage eight years ago and I don't like it.
Definitely going to do the Charlie long one this week, a long one on Sunday, two long interval sessions. The rest will be prayer.
CD -- 2hr40 is still possible, I admit. I may well go out at that pace. But 6 m/M would be a stretch too far -- after all, I only managed 5:49/M avg in the Cambridge half recently, well tapered and in fair conditions. Good to hear your run felt easy BTW.
CC2 -- nice run, and a great week's total (beats my record). I should say I was only intending to do something similar myself today; I only carried on to 28 because I'd managed to get out of the house pretty early and it wasn't yet time to breakfast with the family. Plus I thought my super-endurance adaptations might fade a bit from 4 weeks out, but would be safer from 3 weeks out.
PP -- sounds like you're getting your pacing duties in early...
Sweedo -- nice one on the training marathon, and a hell of a week's mileage. You're owed a down week now! I'm a couple of pounds heavier than last year, but not fatter (according to skinfold thickness), not sure why, or whether it matters if it's not ballast. How I decide on MP is by doing the kind of run I did today: 10M steady, 10M at MP, then some more steady; whatever I do that second 10M at is in the right ball-park. Quite a tough gig though and not foolproof.
running eye -- good burst of speed! You have the opposite problem to me, in that meaningful hill training is hard here. I've found myself scouring the contour map for flattish roads to train on when holidaying in hilly places though, so I appreciate the problem.
LD -- we'll pray for you! Surprise us.
LD - don't give up yet!
CW - another insane run. I would have thought you can find a few extra secs per miles in the race.
Nice long runs by TR, PP Sweedo, CC2 and others.
PP/CD - I'll try my best for a medal, but being away for over two weeks in the next four is not ideal for training. Plus, if I did manage a medal, chances are we'd have 2 medallists from the same town in my AG!
3 hours on the bike this morning - wasn't feeling too spritely but managed to keep up.
Great report HR. Very well done!
TR - impressive!
CW - I never cease to be amazed by your long runs!
Nice long run Lev_. Likewise Bedders, CW, CC2, PP and Sweedo.
Dan - that's bad luck
Fingers crossed it's not as bad as you fear.
Well done Padams! Quality!
Good to hear Ode. Yeah, not in great shape yet, but well ahead of my usual curve so can't complain
LD - I'm sure the training effect will give you a nice boost so keep the faith.
Eastleigh for me today. Sciatica has been playing up, and I'm still not fully over the bug (tummy), but everything held up reasonably ok and I had a good run all things considered.
33:11 for me in a 16:46/16:25 split (pb, but I probably would have run quicker if I ran a 10km around Amsterdam time). Had to run a 3:13 last km to hold off Dachs. Ended up with 16m for the day with some warm-up and cool-down miles with Al_P and A.W. Saw bufo and occasional poster Johnas too.
Windy too, but, by my usual conversion that puts me in ~2:29-low to mid shape, which is the best condition I've been in 9 weeks out. Not sure how I've managed that given my haphazard training, but I'll take it.
I was running a little lopsided so skipped my planned second run just to be on the safe side.
Some quality racing and big long runs this weekend again.
Congrats Padams, great performance.
Cracking run and PB for you HR.
Was it a hard training week too LD? If so I'm sure that would be a factor.
Great run and PB today TT, was nice to meet you, Al_P and Dachs and have some company for the cool down.
Now for the long runs! Great marathons from Sweedo and CW, nice runs from PP, Bedders, CC2, Lev_ and CD too. Sorry if I've missed anyone!
Hope your enjoying the taper and not going stir crazy Jimbob!
Nice mile in your tempo there running eye.
Eastleigh 10k for me too today and all in all happy with my run. I wasn't quite sure what shape I was in and what pace to run at. In hindsight looking at my splits and the effort level, I think through fear of over cooking it I may have been a bit conservative early on.
So 35.32 was what I ran, which is a big PB by just under a minute. I was feeling good after the race and not completely spent though which is a huge plus and just as pleasing as the time.
Carried on for a few miles cool down with TT, Al_P and Dachs and then did a few after too. 20 miles total for this morning so bagged my last long run which was a secondary goal for today.
Delighted for HR, AW, Padams and the longer-runners. Absolutely gutted for DanA - hoped things would be better for you by now.
Larne HM for me yesterday wasn't quite the sub-85 I'd have liked, but a still pretty respectable 85.20 was just under a minute faster than Bath 3 weeks ago and I know that I lost the sub-85 in the two hilly miles (6.44 and 7.05 respectively, when all the rest were under 6.30). 3rd lady, but didn't hang around for the prize-giving as it meant an hour's wait and I was combining my trip to NI with catching up with friends from uni.
Nice racing at Eastleigh everyone. I'm curious to see what dachs is going for if TT converts that to 2:29.
Hard luck LD, but if anyone can pull a rabbit out of the pit of despair it'll be you. Sometimes there's a turd in the toaster but a wholegrain bagel still pops out in the end.
CW, yes it felt good today but I still need that element of self-doubt to keep me going to race day. I need to start the race resigned to the fact that it could all go pear-shaped, then I can relax about it all.
CW - that was a crackers run today, 28M with 10 at MP in the middle. How many next Sunday, just the 26.2 ?
well played TT and AW (I should have been somewhere around that time in that race too !).
Nice one Jools, more Saturdays 1/2s.
Dids - hopefully I can offer you a 2:55 tow rope.
Some great stuff going on. Makes my 2 50 hilly time on feet jog look pedestrian. pleasing to me as it felt very comfy at the end of a long week (82 miles, on a quick count back).
if I can offer an observation it looks like a few are risking breaking down, or having heavy fatigue on the day by cramming loads in in last few days. And if I could be so bold, TR when you are lobbing such bricks over to Charlie's greenhouse maybe you should read your post on the last page and consider that he could chuck a few back. All in all guys, I suggest steadying the ships in the next few weeks is the best option. If you haven't got it already it may well not be coming on time. I know this from experience. There are other events beyond London, and HR has shown that glory can come from different places.
OS - fair point, didnt mean to particulary lob bricks at CW, I dont want to see him empty his match box (mixing very long miles with MP). As for myself, I've been quite careful to not run hard in those long runs so hopefully wont have that fatigue, and I've kept some of them to 18M which isnt much time over 2hrs, and I've been nowhere near 28M or 30M. The alternative was 1 long run in 5 weeks and then 2 more before VLM, didnt see that as enough myself, I now have 3 weeks to freshen my legs up. If my plan fails then I'm fully aware that I'm to blame.
CW - sorry dude, didnt mean it in a brick lobbing way, but if it appears like that (to OS), then it might do to you too.
Happy to accept any bricks onto my own greenhouse, if folks think I'm going wrong then I hope they'd tell me. I guess the point is that CW thinks he's doing the right things, so i need to butt out.
Brilliant run HR, well deserved PB by a big margin.
Seems CW’s overdistance is becoming standard now – great extra long runs from Sweedo, CW (I’m sure you can find the extra bit to go sub 2:40) and good long runs from everyone else. Nice to be able to run on the actual course Lev, sounds like a very good session.
Good racing from everyone at Eastleigh and nice progression over the past few weeks Jools.
Decent run at the Eastleigh 10k today and good to meet a few others here, was hoping for sub 32 and seemed just about doable at 8k (in 26:38) until getting hit by a headwind in the last 2k. Happy with 32:16 though and still a good PB, hopefully can go sub 32 at BUCS 10,000m in May. Finished behind the same person as at Reading as well, though should have gone with him when he went past rather than gradually working back on my own. Also useful to find someone with a similar target for London.
Would be nice if everyone’s conversion was like TT’s based on 10k times, hopefully still on track for 2:30 – one decent week + big session left then time to taper.
Much sympathy to DanA, hope it's something that a good chiropractor can wrench back into place.
HR.. take a bow son. That's a great time for a youngster never mind a V50, a 3 min PB too! BTW the 'Wish You Were Here' tour was on just as the album was launched, most of DSOTM was played too.
Padams.. brilliant performance & congrats on the Worlds spot.
Jimbob.. nice 15m as the taper starts, nearly cotton wool time.
Great running at Eastleigh TT, Bufo & AW (well done on the PB's AW & Bufo) & good stuff stretching it out to 20m AW.
Jools.. good effort at Larne, the wind & hills must have cost you a bit.
Dids.. as you're in emergency last minute long runs mode your legs won't have been race fresh today. As we head further into the V50 years we just don't recover as quickly as we did 5-10 years ago, just the way it is. As CD says I still reckon you still have a good chance of pulling out a good performance come the day.
TR.. pleased to see that calf twinge was short lived & the body is holding together amongst the long efforts.
Cracking collection of long runs over the weekend.. CC2, Bedders, Lev, Charlie, CD, Sweedo, TR.
Busy family day today which was partly why I clocked the long run on Thursday. Just had time today to run a few miles up to the local Sport Relief event & run the 6 miler. Essentially 6 laps of a soggy bumpy field, happy enough to hang onto 7:15 pace & 2nd place.
TT -- congrats on the PB. And how's this for precision? "~2:29-low to mid shape" [so that's a window of about 25 sec?]
AW -- similarly, a big PB for you, and 20M is quite a few extension miles. (That's how I got my car locked in a few weeks back...)
Jools -- well raced, good result. From your hair in the pictures it looked a tad windy there too...
TR -- no worries! If you're taking risks, then I can see why, as you've had some time out -- worth a gamble in that situation, as you've nothing to lose if the alternative is no decent training at all. And next week for me... well definitely not overdistance. In fact today was going to be shorter if I'd not managed to get up so early. But I did do 26 at T-2 weeks last year... my philosophy now is definitely that the marathon distance shouldn't feel like a dangerous mystery, but rather a normal thing to just pace right. I've just scared myself a bit by counting: it's been 7 training marathons (or more) so far.
bufo -- that's really classy. As I said to HR previously, I've several times got the decision wrong as to whether to compromise my preferred pace to slipstream or not. It helps to revise the course map and forecast wind direction first
Wardi -- podium!
Plodded out 21.5, what with yesterdays faster miles and a sudden drop in temperature any chance of some mp miles disappeared.
Taper time now.
HR, really pleased for you, sounds like one of those excellent races you get once in a blue moon where you surprise yourself. Something good is a-coming at VLM, or VMLM, or whatever.
Padams, top stuff! World champs qualification is impressive indeed.
Charlie, your massive runs are very amusing and impressive, but isn't it time to stop them now?
Good long runs all, Lev, TR, Bedders, CC2, CD, Sweedo et al.
Nice half Jools.
Eastleigh for me too, with the sub-3 massive. Wasn't sure what to expect, as recent races have been disappointing and it was the end of a big week, but felt I had a quick one in me. Kept my concentration throughout, and every time I felt rough I forced myself to move up a gear, which seemed to work well. Managed to PB with 33:15 for 40th place. Tried to cheekily overtake TT at the end, but he had another gear. Happy with that, I think sub 33 is there on a day with less wind and with a bit of a taper. Warm up and down with TT, Al_P and AW made about 15 for the day. Good to meet bufo too.
A good Sub 3 day at Eastleigh all in all, with pleasing performances for TT, AW and bufo.
And CD, in answer to your question of what that converts to for me - most definitely not 2:29.
CW - I know. A little woolly, isn't it
I work on 4.5 times 10k for predicted time or a gap of 22s per mile from MP-10k (for working out target pace for track reps - HM being in the middle of that), so in this case a window of 16s 
Only all theoretical, but I'm consistent enough on my conversions to plan my training off of it.
Dachs - I think without the wind we'd have both gone sub-33 today. You're earlier in the improvement curve than me, so I'll enjoy nipping you over 10k whilst I can.
Well done on making it up to 20 A.W. Hopefully you managed to avoid the hail!
Congrats on the podium Jools. Picking up nicely.
CD - we had this conversation today. On one hand I'm happy that my conversion is tight, but, if you gave me the 10k time most people would run off my full time I'd turn around and want to keep my conversion too
I suspect I haven't a fast-twitch fibre in my body!
Well done on the 2nd Wardi.
TR - you acknowledge you are taking chances because of your lost time, so no bricks from here.
He said you ran a great race ....