Manchester Marathon 2016

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  • Gosh, some good running going on, im just about to taper for Benidorm half in 2 weeks otherwise I too would have been running at Eynsham Orapidrun. I got  a 10k pb there last year but took another 35s off it a few weeks agp on an undulating course so wish I could do it and see if I can get a sub43..... maybe at Anddy Reading ....

     Rugged Radnage 10k for me yesterday a hilly MT race, very enjoyable image

    Training for me starts Xmas week hoping to do the double and go for 2 marathons in 2 weeks :/

     

  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭

    Excellent stuff swizzle! Slightly better weather in Valencia than we are experiencing here!

    Glad I got my 9 mile tempo run early this morning. Calm before the storm by the look of the forecast!

  • I daresay I'm slower than most of the you - the new 10K PB was 55:19. I'm not grumbling though as I've taken two minutes off since January and I've knocked 10 minutes off the half marathon since March. I'm aiming for a sub-4:30 marathon but I'm not too worried about it as the main goal is to finish that damned thing.

    Just an easy 5 mile recovery run this morning. A few slightly grumpy muscles but felt pretty good.

    Good going on your runs, all of you.

  • Impressive stuff J Swizzle, firstly on going sub3 and for the third time this year....kudos. Tom13 - how are you doing those 9m tempo runs, are they similar to the P&D set up, eg 4m easy then 5m @ HMP?

    washwood - hello - sounds like we're on a similar local circuit of races - Rugged Radnage 10k looks like a good event, I'd like that kind of event but for me all eyes on Eynsham10k this year. Andy Reading is defo on the cards, will enter on the day if going. If I win the club ballot then I'll also be up for a double marathon too this spring (two weeks later), Manchester then London. I did Paris then London (two weeks later) this year, it wasn't so bad and eminently doable. If it happens, Manchester will defo be my A race out of the two.

    Hello to rockinrockyrobin, Nonstick (big mileage already or is that normal for you?) and Pete Holt too.

    Cal Jones - pb is a pb - an unprecedented level of effort - well done. Keep chipping away.

    Speedwork tonight at the club session (6x4min sprints/hard effort with 45s rest).

    image

  • Orapidrun, yes we must compete against each other, do you do the motavation races and ox mail XC ?  My 2 will be manchester and London .... all being well ... Manchester is my A race and I will make a definite decision after that about London but if I get a GFA at Manchester it will be game on image

  • washwood - yes, did motavation series this summer and doing the oxmail xc series now, Ascott-u-W was a good start, on an unusually hot day. Judging by your 10k aspirations sounds like we're running in the same part of the race too! I want to dip under 43mins at Eynsham, that'd be a good finish to the year. I'm not close to GFA for the marathon yet, still chipping away nice chunks though every time.

    Hang on, can you enter London with a GFA from Manchester 2 weeks before the event or am I missing something? Thought it'd be closed/full by then.

    I'm guessing you're a club runner, which one?

  • I dont usually do XC but fancy Culham next month. I got a ballot [place for London this year so if I get a GFA for London 17 at Manchester ill definitely run London next year ...

    Im aan Alchester runner, you ?

  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭
    Orapidrun- I know the type of run you are thinking of from P&D plan and I will be doing one with 5 miles @ HM pace on Friday. Today's was a bit different. I did 1 mile warm up then 8 @ 5:58 avg pace per mile. It was quite tough but I felt strong and the weather was ok as well. Horrible now though!!
  • Yikes Tom13 thats quick !!!

  • Woodstock Harriers

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    good for you getting a ballot place, what were the odds I wonder? I didn't get one therefore into the club ballot drawn at the Xmas party in a few weeks!

    Tom13 - that's a tough ratio 1:8 - well done - big fitness kick off that in a week or so! And fast too!!

  • Ah ok, I ran Woodstock 12 this year and know a few of your fellow runners image I have been incredibly lucky and got VLM ballot places 2 years in a row :/  I need to find out if I need a 3.45 or 3.50 at Manchester for a GFA in 2017. its a bit of a grey area...

  • Wow Tom that is a serious session this morning!! Do you have any upcoming races? Or is this all in the build towards Manchester?

    washwood not sure if this helps but GFA is the age you will be when you run VLM not when you did the performance (if that was grey area)

    looking at the weather looks like I timed my down period of running well

  • i marshalled Woodstock12 - good race - outcome wasn't settled until the end and a fab marathon training event. An Alchester lady won the ladies race, was it you?

    lucky on the ballot - and 2 years running too!

    my gfa is 3:10ish, basically I need to run a bit quicker than current HM pb pace to get that, or just get older and not slower... groan

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  • Nooo wasnt me, I was 3rd lady back for us I think I did just under 1.34, I loved it though, found it enjoyable as paced it pretty well (maybe should have tried harder but would have risked blowing up).  My half PB was at Oxford last month 1.38.01 so hopefully I can manage a sub 3.45 but who knows ... Following a sub 3.30 plan to give me chance of getting best time I can.

  • Sounds like a good, achievable plan - washwood

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  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭

    Haven't got any races upcoming swizzle. Have just registered for the Essex 20 on March 6th which will use as a training race for Manchester. Fits nicely into the schedule. I wouldn't mind doing a half or two in Jan/Feb but can't seem to find any. Happy to just train for the time being with the Big Spring target in mind!

  • Tom, I struggled to find a half for Feb to but finally found Worthing on the 14th which is a new race but looks decent if you are down south. there are a few good quality races on the 21st of Feb but my wife stole that date for her prep for London.

    Enjoying a few days rest from running, legs and feet especially are thanking me massively 

  • Tom - Are you based near Chelmsford or Cambridge? There may be a way to get into the Cambridge Half in Feb. I'm using it as my final race before Manchester

  • Had a sore throat last couple of days but seems to have settled now, might go for a test run tonight, would ideally like to do some speed work as mostly done long runs last 3 weeks. Trying to lose a bit of weight as this will be a big factor in my marathon pace and should also help limit injury, started off about 83 kg but down to about 77 kgs and would like to get to low 70s. I found a calculator that shows the effect of weight/performance which is quite interesting so thought I'd share for anyone doing the same although this is just an indicator:

    http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/diet/weighteffect?metres=42195&hr=2&min=55&sec=44&weight=83&weightunits=kg&Submit=Calculate

    I'm looking for a half marathon around Jan/Feb but not looking to travel too far, I am based in Reading but not found anything so might have to travel after all, can't see myself waiting to April to race.

  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the recommendations guys. I'm based in South Wales but my parents live in Essex hence the entry into the Essex 20 on March 6th. Will have a look at those HM's.

  • Nonstick, Wokingham (in my eyes not far from Reading) on 21st of Feb is a top race! Did it this year, lots of really solid runners.

    i have played with weight over last year in marathons, think I over did it last year getting down to 69kg, felt I lost a fair bit of leg strength. About 72kg seems to be my sweet spot for long distance running. only 3 years ago I was 95kg and lifting weights every day, how times have changed!

  • Excellent jswizzle do if I run a sub 3.50 at Manchester aged 40 that will be ok for the 41 - 50 gfa time which I will be by VLM 2017 ? will still be aiming for sub 3.45 but gives me some Lee way. I ran my first marathon this year at VLM in 3.59.25 so hoping I can knock 10 mins off image

    currently  taper so speed work last night was mile reps mile 2 fast and 2 slower so 1@. 6.43, 2 @6.37 then 2 slower at 7.30 and 7.43

     

    gentle 5 miler round the forest today image

    i too have been struggling for a suitably timed half .... Looking like. It may have to be Coventry end of Feb with Milton Keynes 20 the week after and Banbury 15 thrown in 3 weeks before marathon day image

  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the Calculator Nonstick-interesting! Funnily enough swizzle I weigh 63kg but am looking to strengthen up the legs over the winter so should put on a few punds.

  • J Swizzle, thanks for that, I found the site just never noticed it on the events page, Wokingham is only a few miles from me and looks like its fairly flat so will probably enter that, thanks for letting me know. Great work on the weight loss also, let me know if you have any tips, I'm mainly keeping carbs to a minimum but will not be able to maintain this when training start properly in a couple of weeks. 

  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭

    Just had a look at Wokingham also. With a 10am start I could get there in time  no problem in just over 2 hours. Looks a decent race, fits the schedule nicely so will probably enter image

  • Ooh Wokingham could work for me too instead of Cov !

     

  • Good info on that weight thing Nonstick - it makes sense. I couldn't get below 90kg for Amsterdam marathon (I'm 6ft4) - but somehow now down to 88kgs - possibly not eating so much as mileage has dropped from 45-55mpw to around 30-35mpw - and started doing lots of 75%HRR running to boost endurance for Manchester P&D training, maybe that's where the weight has gone too? So if the theory holds, I could see 8mins off my AMS time by doing the same training as before and just by losing those 2kgs, bonza! Give Mo a 30kg rucksack and then we'll have a race, joke, he'd probably still win!

    However, for Manchester am looking to make further improvements still, it's going to be a pb event - just know it.

    I'm entering both Wokingham HM and Banbury15 too - heard good things, for different reasons, about both events. Trying to fit in Oxon XC too into the weekly mileage is proving a bit tricky but of there's a will...

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  • I've just entered the wokingham half also, great that a few of us will be there and also because I have to miss the Reading half as its a week before manchester which is.far too close
  • Wokingham is a great race sure will all go well, regretting slightly giving away that date to my wife.

    Orapidrun, being slightly above average height (6ft1) always really surprized how much shorter most others are who run similar marathon times to me. Wonder if there is a relationship between height and marathon performance or is it just the weight that comes with being taller.

    Nonstick on weight loss I believe in 3 pretty good sized meals a day which are pretty high in carbs for breakfast and dinner and high in fat for lunch. No meal is massive and I dont seem to get big energy dips.

    Washwood- I wrote the training plan for a lady this year for her first marathon, she was 49 on race day and ran 3:57. She now has her GFA place confirmed for VLM 2016 for rage 50-59 age group. 3:57 is not fast enough for 41-49 (3:50).

    Good luck with strength training Tom! i found it hard to maintain the strength stuff in the high mileage weeks, but have seen the benefits even on not perfect strength training. Good luck with your strength routine

  • pah, it's not 8 mins with a 2 kilo difference but 4 mins over a marathon....looked at the wrong one.

    J Swizzle - if you look around you at the finish/in the race at body types and especially look at elite level endurance athletes there's going to be some similarities you could draw conclusions on but with any rule or pattern there are always exceptions. As I creep up the field in events, I'm noticing the changes of who I'm running with as I am probably changing too. One thing though, which is quite reassuring, is that age seems less of a factor than weight - my club for example is full of very fast V40-60 runners - to improve, sticking with the training and punching through the plateaus seems to be the key.

    Hoping to get out for a MP/Tempo 7m a bit later, would be great if it stopped raining.

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