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Sub 3 Tom: #asics262
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Tom can have an optional rest day Christmas Day if it doesn't fit in or alternatively do his faster 3 during a Parkrun if one is near.
I will also probably try and get a parkrun if I can on Chrsitmas Day.
A rest day on Christmas day? Not sure that's allowed
Bramster, I'm most nervous about the longer run followed up with a another run the following day. I've always given myself a rest day after a longish run for my body to recover, so am interested to see how I cope. I guess I'll know come Monday next week!
Steve, sorry to hear your longer run wasn't the best today.
Speedy Goth - yeah, the treadmill is great if you're in the gym anyway doing another class or doing some strength training etc... I'm also extremely self competitive so I tend to race against my previous treadmill run in either interval pace or overall 5km times!
Christmas day is actually scheduled for 7M. Really looking forward to it. I've never even thought about running on xmas day before, but just going to get up early and be back before anyone else is even awake! Luckily I don't have kids or anyone who will be awake at stupid o'clock! Most importantly the run means I won't feel too guilty about the extra few cheeky potatoes and wine! Steve has been kind enough to give me boxing day off so I'll make the most of that!!!
It begins! Good luck Tom. I'm looking forward to seeing your journey unfold.
I love running on Christmas day. Before parkruns I used to run intervals in the deserted car park of Tesco near my mum's house. Shame it's only that empty once per year!
I'm starting to think you're nocturnal Amy
Good luck to you as well!
Just back from official training day 1. Should have just been like any other run, but for some reason it felt significant. I had the option of a 4M easy run or rest day, but let’s be honest, there wasn’t really an option! I ran 7 minute miles which felt comfortable.
Over the next few weeks I’m out in rural Oxfordshire rather than London. There are NO flat runs at all! Completely different from what I’m used to. Steve has advised me to focus on effort rather than the suggested pace and luckily the next two Tuesday sessions are hills anyway. It’s a real luxury not to have to stop for traffic lights or side step people on pavements!
Love your creativity!
Nice start Tom well done!
7 minute miling for an EASY run? I soooo would't call that easy. What training paces has Steve given you? The RW training pace calculator suggests 7.45s for easy pace for a 2.59 marathon. Even that sounds a bit fast to me, but I do normally train in a very hilly area.
Isn't it supposed to feel 'easy' rather than 'comfortable'? I suppose over 4 miles it doesn't really matter, but when you get to proper long runs easy should mean just that, much easier (and slower) than a pace you can 'comfortably' manage. Just my opinion, of course - I'm sure Steve's advice to focus on effort rather than pace is the right one given you don't really know what your MP will be, but there's always the tendency to push a bit harder than you should. It's a mental thing, 'no pain no gain' etc.
Speedy Goth / Cheerful Dave - think I might have to read more into the difference between easy/comfortable/slow/relaxed etc.... I've got 12M relaxed in 90 mins scheduled this Sunday, so 7:30 per mile. 7 minute miles over 4 miles did feel very easy, so maybe comfortable wasn't the best description!
Cheerful Dave, 'no pain no gain' haha definitely a tendency which is true to me. Maybe I need to make a conscious effort to run slower than I usually would. After all, It's a marathon, not a sprint - sorry couldn't resist!
The hard part with that 12 miler will be taking 15 minutes for the first two miles. It'll feel really slow. Good marathon training though - on race day if it feels desperately slow at the start you're probably bang on race pace (whatever that turns out to be).
Some people naturally run faster in training than others without taking a lot out of themselves. I would say it's a little quicker than ideal but probably not too much of a problem on day one but might be after a 15-20 miler the day before with a speed session to come.
It just might be that given Tom's current speed levels that 7:00-7:30 doesn't feel that quick but I think if you did all your running at that speed, you would get fatigued quite quickly in the schedule.
But CD as for 15 minutes feeling easy for the first two miles - it took me 18 yesterday and worringly didn't feel slow but sure will be fine as get fitter.
I'm clearly not one of those people! But then I do rather more volume and easy really does have to be easy otherwise I'd break down. My 8 miler today came out at 8.09s (more like 8.45s into the wind and 8s with it behind me, somewhere inbetween when it was a cross wind). It was much flatter than my Nottingham runs though. I'm not sure Newcastle has any hills.
So what's on the cards for tomorrow? Speedwork of some sort?
You'll be fine Steve, and you know that on the day you'll be able to run the best possible time because you won't panic about pacing. I think you're right, a lot of people stepping up in distance find it hard to slow down enough in training and end up leaving their best miles on training runs. I know I used to do that!
Tom - well done mate- sounds like a good start- I think Superman also found his first run easy and "comfortable"- I guess easy pacing is all relative... Your plan does seem really tough later on, but having seen you on the track, I'm sure you'll smash it! Looking forward to seeing how the training develops. Good luck with your xmas hill runs!
CC2 - there's a hill on Town Moor as remember suffering in the National there a long time ago.
My average page yesterday for 18 was 8:40s but without a xc the day before on a flatter course, I have averaged 7:30 for a 15 a few weeks earlier and quicker on shorter long runs so hopefully that wasn't typical yesterday.
I'm doing hills tomorrow like Tom but he's doing his in no doubt a more rural setting than a steep climb opposite Sydenham Hill station.
Ah yes, Cow Hill, which is in fact really two hills. The National was there in 86 I believe. Last year I did some hill reps up those and nearly broke my ankle. Didn't bring any spikes with me this year though. Saltwell Park will have to do for me this time around. Not till next week though, I have a big gym day planned for tomorrow. I'm not marathon training just yet so I'm just doing whatever takes my fancy. Tomorrow is Metafit, Body Pump and Core Strength. Plus a few treadmill miles no doubt. It's great not having to go to work isn't it?
Thanks Charles and great to see you on here! Are you training for a specific marathon?
Hill session today – not the easiest thing in the world but felt awesome having completed it! Hills are definitely a weaker part of my running so it’s an important session for me. I’m determined to learn to love the hills!
So many times I’ve been in a XC race feeling good and then hit a hill which just makes my legs feel like stone whilst others seem to bound up effortlessly like mountain goats! There aren’t too many hills in Battersea to conquer so I’ll make the most of being in rural Oxfordshire over xmas.
Today I found a steep hill of about 400m which took me between 90-105 secs of effort up and 120-130 secs of recovery down back to the start. Total of 10 reps but was feeling it after 3!
Steve suggested I play around with my running style to see what feels best. Not something I’d previously given too much thought, but I found leaning forwards, shortening my stride and working the arms helped massively. Anyone got any other tips?
Tomorrow is 45 mins steady at 7:15s (6M). I’m going to do some core work afterwards.
So, my little sister wants me to wear a santa hat on my Xmas day run…. Great!
If she's not going with you you can always stash it in a bush somewhere and retrieve ti on the way back. Or you could just go with the flow and just wear it. It is Christmas after all
When did you set your current PBs? Your half and full mara are rather out of kilter with the shorter ones.
well done on the session - sounds good- did you hold the pace reasonably well throughout.
Re tomorrow, the speed isn't too important and so don't worry if it's 7:30s or slower!
There was I think 16 at our hill session today - only half of the numbers at track last week.
Normally it's more of a two minute hill but the first 30 seconds isn't too steep and thought better to do the steeper part of the hill which is a fairly consistent 10% and then the recovery would be less so was approx 12 x 90 seconds with 1:45 recovery down.
Went slightly better today than in recent weeks but struggled the last 30 seconds of each hill.
Running up hills hard and then jogging back down isn't quite the same as keeping a pace going uphill in middle of race. You can attack a shortish hill and recover reasonably well by the time you get back to the bottom. In a race though you are running continually fast and can't attack the hill in the same way and it's often a case of getting up as economically as possible and saving energy in a race.
While the ups do improve leg strength and fitness - a hill circuit (where there is no actual recovery) is better for endurance and improving your uphill ability in races but difficult finding a downhill that's not too steep so you can run fast down without risking injury.
Haha yeah, I'm sure it would put a smile on any passers by!
5km, 10km & HM were all this year. The half was the Royal Parks in October. I was actually in better shape than 1:26, but due to difficulties getting to the race, and then a crazy long bag drop queue ended up starting from near the back. I didn't think it would be a problem, but the course was so crowded I couldn't really get into in. Very frustrating as I'd wanted sub-1:24 on the day and know I'm capable of closer to 1:20. Lesson learnt to get to races earlier thought!
My mara PB was my first in 2010 which triggered my running addiction! I never ran before then and only did it because it was my Grandad's final marathon and he asked me to do it with him.
Yes, think you have to wear a Santa hat and should think about a bright red top to go with it.
Steve - I held the pace OK throughout it definitely got harder with each rep. Wish I could have been doing your session - sounds like a good one. Do you find the hill sessions scare people away or was attendance down due to the Christmas period?
Interesting re. the advantages of hill circuits. You suggested I should do one next Tuesday so I'll have a scout for some good circuits in the area. To be honest there are no flat runs around so shouldn't be hard!
Glad you went better today
Tom
that's good you held the pace. My last one was easily the fastest but I was barely moving in the last 50 metres as overdid it.
It's definitely easier with others there.
I think quite a few people were away and others still had the memory of the 2 minute hills we did back in September!
Tom- I'm training for Manchester. I'm following you and the Superman, and will be picking up on as much as I can from your forums over the next few weeks... I've programmed the RW standard sub 3 (starting Monday) into Garmin and will see if that breaks me... I think 3:30 would be a more realistic target, but why not aim for smashing it?!
Enjoy the Santa run xmas day!