Sub 3h15

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  • Bit drunk, needing sleep. Great day, must check my splits but think the last 5k may have been my quickest. Owned the embankment having followed the pre-race plan exactly to the letter, unlike Literatin who just threw the plan in the bin and shot off into the distance image 

    2.58.22

    Red Lion done, Chandos done, free burger at GBK done. Now I need my bed. Will read back when sober.

  • marrowsmarrows ✭✭✭

    OO, Lit, Speedy, Martin, CC2, Lorenzo - imageimageimageimageimage

    PMJ - very sorry to hear the foot (?) wouldn't play.  A friend once told me about a nightmarish holding area you find yourself in when you go to the finish to collect your bag after dropping out - full of weeping men - is it as bad as he says?

    AR - London is the place to do that!

    I had a good run, 3:09:47, a PB by 24 minutes. 2 minute negative split so set two HM PBs on the way!  ha ha!  I will write an interminable race report at some point, possibly tonight as am still wired from caffeine gels.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Did you also get the free prosecco, Speedy? And also, what's to stop you going in again tomorrow and getting a second free burger? Nothing, presumably.

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    Fantastic result Lit. image

  • marrowsmarrows ✭✭✭

    Oh and Minni - nice to meet you!  Looks like you had to pull out (hip trouble?) but I hope you had a fun day anyway.

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    Marrows: bloody hell 24 min pb! Tell me that it hurt just a little this time.

  • marrowsmarrows ✭✭✭

    no it didn't hurt

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭

    Cheers Blisters. I though bugger the pacers today, left him at thr start and didn't see him again. Can confirm Speedy got pacing spot on, had to let her go off at 24 miles- she was unstoppable today. 

  • moofmoof ✭✭✭

    Fantastic performance Speedy, a negative split from you I think.

    Storming run marrows, it must have hurt a bit.

    The women are fast on here, I'm gonna get myself one of those crop tops.image ( and chop my nuts off!)

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    I might be forced to spectate at Abingdon to see that moof. 

    I'm in a cheap hotel with no ice and one very angry achilles. Bad combination for any chance of sleep.

    On Saturday I went to see 'The Book of Mormon'. I'm not usually one for musicals, but this was hilarious - highly recommend.

     

     

  • Leslie HLeslie H ✭✭✭

    0051,speedy and Lit -well done on going sub 3 image

    Marrows-24 min pb -what plan were you on ?image

    Poacher- Good running.

    Martin-cracking time.

    Sandy-great pb.

  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    WOW, what a day! Some unbelievable performances in London yesterday.
    PMJ - sorry it wasn't to be your day - sensible decision. Are you going to have another crack at sub 2:50 very soon?
    Martin - congratulations - fantastic result for you.
    OO - woohoo! Just brilliant. Congrats on the new PB.
    Lorenzo - so chuffed for you - that's a huge chunk off your PB! Tremendous achievement.
    Poacher - nice result.
    AR - unlucky. Amazing time to say you were just jogging round, high-fiving, chatting and stopping to massage the achilles!
    SB - great chunk off your PB! Well done.
    literatin - what can I say? Just an incredible performance. You must be on cloud nine. Congratulations.
    Speedy - wahey! HUGE congratulations on the sub 3 and to finish so strongly is fantastic. Thoroughly deserved.
    marrows - wow! That's some PB! Congratulations.
    Soooo looking forward to all the reports.
    10 easy miles with strides d&d.

  • Leslie HLeslie H ✭✭✭

    As Gul said for anybody I missed especially PMJ and Minni who have scores to settle next time out image

    Moof-I dont think you will save much weight choppin em off image

  • marrows wrote (see)

    OO, Lit, Speedy, Martin, CC2, Lorenzo - imageimageimageimageimage

    PMJ - very sorry to hear the foot (?) wouldn't play.  A friend once told me about a nightmarish holding area you find yourself in when you go to the finish to collect your bag after dropping out - full of weeping men - is it as bad as he says?

    AR - London is the place to do that!

    I had a good run, 3:09:47, a PB by 24 minutes. 2 minute negative split so set two HM PBs on the way!  ha ha!  I will write an interminable race report at some point, possibly tonight as am still wired from caffeine gels.

    Marrows, great run there and well deserved. Don't think I have ever heard of someone breaking their HM PB twice in a marathon.

    For me the finish area was very odd: when you are a runner, coming down the last 800m is easy to navigate, just down Birdcage Walk, round past Buck Palace and up the Mall. I was in the spectator areas and they have the course highly segregated form the spectators. I eventually found an entrance and was accompanied to the baggage lorries. Once there, I was on my own, with a number on my chest and everyone clapping and congratulating me as the clock ticked over about 2:10.

  • PoacherPoacher ✭✭✭

    Firstly, sympathies for the family of the man who died yesterday. Cause so far unknown.

    Good to see so many of you yesterday....PMJ, Ant, GE, OO at the start & AR, Minni, CC, Lorenzo in the pub (apologies if anyone forgotten, it got a bit hazy as the afternoon wore on image).

    Some super performances & some commiserations...
    Martin - spotted your purple head at a distance in the start pen, fab result for you
    OO - sorry, didn't click that it was a PB, another tick for sub3at50, excellent result so close to Paris and impeccable timing to deal with the 2.59 brinkmanship
    CC - well deserved, long inevitable, next stop 2.55?
    Literatin - superb, obviously ran very strong, I hope a large amount of tasty beef awaited
    Marrows - 3 PBs in one day is greedy, rein yourself in
    Lorenzo - another huge leap, a very big chunk to knock off and tantalisingly close to a shot at sub3 if you have the time and the will
    Sandy - the big PB shows you got it absolutely right
    Ant - you could have been faster if you CBA, so still in good shape
    TR - peas shelled, another good one
    PMJ - sorry it wasn't to be be you are still faster than most of us, and no doubt made the right strategic decision on the day
    Minni - worth a try but again a sensible decision. Did you make it back to the bar later?
    AR - great effort against the injury woes, but sounds like it was a fun day anyway apart from the hotel

    Let's do it all again next year

     



     

     

  • Gul Darr wrote (see)

    PMJ - sorry it wasn't to be your day - sensible decision. Are you going to have another crack at sub 2:50 very soon?

    It is probably premature but I think that was my last time toeing the start line of a marathon. The initial plan was to go sub 2:50 yesterday and then use that as a qualifying time for London 2016 and a bash at sub 3 as a V50, but now without a qualifying time it means changing plans so either run a new qualifying time or race a different marathon at 50 and neither of those appeals.

    Sorry to be so maudlin after a day of great performances by so many but it appears my strength is at shorter distances so it is probably time to re-focus on a few autumn races after getting some speed back into my legs over the summer.

  • PoacherPoacher ✭✭✭

    Xpost PMJ - understand your thoughts, but you know you would be a shoe in for sub3at50 if you wanted to do it. Although you are clearly very strong over the short stuff which takes considerably less time....

  • PoacherPoacher ✭✭✭

    Race report time: very inconsistent training and the need to keep matches dry for Comrades meant not going flat out in London, & a week of struggling with a throat infection didn't help. I went to Orpington park run on Saturday, got the legs moving for 19.31, nearly threw up at the finish but coughing up some nasty stuff & gargling with a strange tasting liquid anaesthetic left the throat feeling a little clearer. 

    Official VLM target 3.19, but would have preferred sub 3.15 for old times' sake.  Bumped into a very fit and relaxed looking PMJ at London Bridge, then saw Ant, OO & Golden Eagle on Blackheath. As ever I set off too fast, got to 1/2 way in 1.32.43 without busting a gut but knew it wouldn't last.  The Hawaiian hula girl costume was a bit irritating but got a lorra lorra laughs and support from the crowd (who as ever were fab and make VLM such a good day out). Advice: if there's any chance whatsoever of an emergency pitstop, DON'T wear a grass skirt 

    Lost a minute or two there, but carried on....towards the end it was clear that sub 3.15 was in the can so I walked quite a bit of the last 3 miles & ran down the clock  to come home in 3.11.49.   Happy with the result as it's comfortably Comrades B Seeding - London GFA - Boston Qualifier - & a fancy dress PB. If OG50 GFA stays at 3.20 for the foreseeable and I CBA, should be OK for London for a few more years.  

    Also, completed mara/ultra no. 50, hurrah. Stats break down into 10 ultras & 40 maras of which 16 x off road & 9 x London.  It's taken 10 yrs with 42 in the last 6 yrs.  No intention whatsoever of pushing on to 100 though.

  • Poacher - famous last words. I can already picture you in the 100 Club running top!

    PMJ - sorry it didn't work out for you yesterday. Take some time to reflect - one bad marathon doesn't make you a bad marathon runner. 

    Marrows - cracking performance with super consistent splits. No wonder you're pleased. What's the next goal? I was looking at for pink crop tops at the start but couldn't see you so had to settle for next best and try and spot Ant when we joined up with the red start. 

    My early thinking on the plan for the next 12 months is a summer combination of shorter stuff (with the aim of taking making inroads into my 39:55 10K) and plenty of miles on the bike in preparation for my ride up to Yorkshire to watch the start of the Tour de France.

    Is a sub 3 on the cards for next year? I'd love to do it but I'm not sure it's doable just yet - 7 mins is a big chunk to take off, but I'll get a half in the diary for the autumn (possibly Gosport again) with the aim of getting down to 1:25 and see how things look then.

    Just looking at the results from the crew on here, and thinking about something that Poacher said yesterday, is there any strong evidence to show / prove that women are better at running even splits than men? Or is it just the ability of those on here?!

  • Just a quickie - fantastic stuff from so many. Enjoyed cyber-tracking a few of you

    Patricular congrats to those that dipped under a number ending in lots of zeros ! Awesome

    Commiserations to those who didn't have a good day.

    PMJ - take your time to make a final decision....

  • MinniMinni ✭✭✭
    Quick check in to let those of you who don't know it was a DNF for me, as expected. But there are positives - I was still drinking when then rest of you were tucked up in bed!!!



    Some great performances on here and I'll read back when I get home to recap properly but for the moment:



    Lorenzo - well pleased for you. Your face said it all!



    Speedy - you're the tops. And afterwards you didn't look as if you'd run for a bus let alone a marathon!



    Poacher - sounds like the skirt makes you run faster!image



    Ant - regardless of what the others say I think you were awesome yesterday!! Really enjoyed your company and thank you for letting me feel your blister (realised in the night that I then finger ate food on the restaurant without washing my hands!) and wax your legs!



    PMJ - I hope you feel as good as I do today. Sending good vibes to you.
  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭

    Well done Poacher, another GFA and #50 notched up beautifully.

    Congratulations Speedy, it's been coming for a while so I am not in the least bit surprised - I'd love to see you just go hard from the start in the next one and see what happens!

    Lit! Stellar time! 

    AR, sounds like you had a good time with your fans. Like you say, it's a pity that we didn't get any empirical data on the Hanson approach after all of that work. There's always another race though.

    Great PB Sandy. 30s per mile! You must be very pleased with that.

    Even bigger PB Marrows! Nearly 1 min per mile and HM PBs to boot. Amazing!

    Bad luck Minni image

    OO, How were your legs before the race after running the week before?

    No decisions are allowed until at least May PMJ so your resignation is not accepted.

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭

    PMJ I can image the feeling but you are a great marathon runner- miles better thsn me. That V50 plan has been in your head a long time so don't give up on in.

    Very well done to you Martin.

    Legs felt fine before the race Slokey but cramp was threatening at the end so had to be sensible.

  • MinniMinni ✭✭✭
    OO - I saw you going past at 23 miles. I shouted but you were past by the time I realised it was you! Spoke to one of your club mates in the first few miles. He was hoping for sub 3:15. Hope he got it. Well done yesterday!
  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭

    This is a fairly easy race report because frankly not much happened. You may have noticed I felt no pressure before the race and had a simple plan. Run at my race pace and keep going until the legs gave up. Running the week before actualy helped psycholgically and took away the fear of the distance. It also helped with pacing- I think my natural marathon pace is 6:45 to 6:50 and I stuck to that for most of the race. The shirt was off and I had a good time getting the crowds going- time just slipped by.I built a minute buffer going through 1/2 in 1:29, and continued to build a bit therafter. At 18 miles the calves and thighs were starting to get tight and I thought the end was coming but the pace didn't drop. The last 3 miles were pretty tough, Minni passed me looking good and I let her go. I eased back slightly and a couple of 7+ miles slipped in. It was all about conservation and I tried to block eveything else out. Suddenly I was there, I was going to make it. Panicked slightly as I turned for the finished. It looked like the sub 3 was on but I deperately wanted the PB as well and put on a spurt of sorts, and crossed the line in 2:59:33 on my watch- exactly 1 minute faster than Paris last week and a 15 second PB. My legs were a lot more tired than last week and cramp was threatening in the last 3 miles, but I can't remember a marathon with less drama. A PB is always special, and you don't get many at 51. However it was the whole weekend, the whole 2 weekends in fact which really topped it. I met so many friends over the last 2 week, some fairly new and some going back years. It really makes you appreciate what this sport bring to your life. Days like these are the pinacle but what we work for all year round.      

  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭

    Well done again OO and a lovely report too.

  • Minni wrote (see)
    Quick check in to let those of you who don't know it was a DNF for me, as expected. But there are positives - I was still drinking when then rest of you were tucked up in bed!!!

    Some great performances on here and I'll read back when I get home to recap properly but for the moment:

    Lorenzo - well pleased for you. Your face said it all!

    Speedy - you're the tops. And afterwards you didn't look as if you'd run for a bus let alone a marathon!

    Poacher - sounds like the skirt makes you run faster!image

    Ant - regardless of what the others say I think you were awesome yesterday!! Really enjoyed your company and thank you for letting me feel your blister (realised in the night that I then finger ate food on the restaurant without washing my hands!) and wax your legs!

    PMJ - I hope you feel as good as I do today. Sending good vibes to you.

    My foot has started hurting again so it certainly seems to back up the decision to stop early and save injury so I feel good about the decision but not good about running at this moment.

     

    SJ, I didn't realise I had resigned. I just said no more marathons. Thank you everyone who has said nice things and it is hard to put down most of this into words as every time you make a statement, there is a hidden counter statement ("I like red wine: what you don't white wine, what's wrong with white wine?") but it seems that I am more suited to other distances. The marathon experience has been fun and ticked a box that had to be ticked, and you guys have been a most marvellous and supportive group, but I feel I can get more rewards at shorter distances. I know WAVA is crude but my best runs are not at marathon distance: if I plot WAVA vs distance I get a clear peak at 10k / 10 miles so I am slow at the shorter distances and slow at the longer distances.

    Need to start a 10k programme ...

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭

    Thanks Minni- if it was a tall skinny lad yes he got 3:14. I didn't hear my family either there was just a wall of noise over the last few miles.

  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    Well - more tales from the front line coming in  . . .
     
    already congratulated one or two, but to expand - OO seriously, that is a top display and result so soon after Paris - big admiration !  
    same to our half-centurion, Mr Poacher - (you are a warrior, sir)
    PB's from Marrows ( you did what the evidence suggested was possible, and executed perfectly
    Lit ( great result, and heroic refuelling)
    SB - well done, big chunk knocked off  . . .
    Lorenzo
    - deserved kudos to you, sir                      
    Speedy ( so, so pleased for you, nothing less than was expected                                       here- hard work, race plan, execution (neg split once more),                                 and good rehydration "I'm a bit drunk"!! Rightly so, too!)   

    AR - well toughed out, esp in view of the "drop out now" voices having already started their whispering ; fine reporting, too
     
    Lastly, Minni, - DNF's aren't the end of the world, I can say from experience; you'll be back.
    Philip - if you have ended your marathon career, then best wishes to you for the shorter (not lesser) distances.  
     

    ps - I've seen TR's result, so get on here man and report !!!

    atb


                          
     

     

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