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GD - fantastic stuff. You must be delighted. Did you cross the line with Kelly Holmes - looked as though she got her pacing absolutely bang on; a superb negative split.
Just entered Abingdon for my autumn "treat" to myself!
Well done all! Fantastic times and some great posts
hope you all enjoyed your day. It was a great watch on the box. Big pat on all your backs from me!
Sorry you had a dns Jools, same for me back in 2013 the day before so I know how gutting it is.
Great to meet the battle weary in Chandos after the race, everyone looked like they'd put in a decent shift.
My race went rather well although it didn't feel that great in the last 4. I ran with a local runner, Mike Sheridan, who has a habit of running decent times with negative splits, in fact he won his age group today ( 64-69!) with 2.54.xx.
We had a little chat about pace strategies and since we were on for similar targets I stuck to him like glue. A non eventful first half just tapping out the miles and got to the 13.1 point in 1.28.20, my heart rate had been reading a little high but I didn't think I was working too hard and still felt comfortable at this pace so carried on.
Second half Mike picked up the pace a little and I just worked with him, taking turns in the lead, I dropped off his pace a couple of times and had to work hard to make up the 10 meters or so.
We seemed to be overtaking so many people with continuous weaving in and out between groups, I do think there seemed to be a lot more people attempting sub 3 pace this year as there really never seemed to be any open space.
Mile 20 come around quickly and I was starting to feel it, especially in my calfs, mile 21 I had my first wobble while taking a caffeine gel. They are bloody disgusting, like drinking day old coffee. I'd lost the pace and rhythm momentarily and Mike disappeared into the distance.
The rest of the race I ran strong and felt I was reeling people in all the time but the last mile the legs were on the verge of cramping, I still had plenty of energy but couldn't push on.
Around the final bend and dug deep to cross the finish line in exactly 2'56" which gave me a 20 second negative spit and a 1min 49sec pb.
Overall I'm really pleased with my time and effort.
What an event! Which was slick organisation from start to finish and the crowds! Deafening! Loved it all.
Great results from lots of people, and I see a lot of folks delivering the classic positive split performance. I'm slightly surprised to hear that more folks delivered over-time results than sub 3:15. WTF's been happening? Pull your collective fingers out. There's a thread title to respect here.
I trust that you're not going to drag me out of retirement.
(Lorenzo, G-Dawg, cojones chaps. You are exempted from the above sniping).
3.00.10 for me today. Knew fron the start that a pb was not on so concentrated on pace. Got it about right with 1:29:45 at the half. Just misjudged the finish and left it too late for a sprint. Great to see you guys in the pub. We saw you Speedy but couldnt catch your eye....
Hello moof, I think I was chasing you for ages, if that was you in a blue vest with 'moof' written on the back of it. You probably didn't see me as I was behind you, but I was wearing a Fife vest and you may therefore have heard lots of cheering for someone called 'Fifi'. In the end, I finished in 2:58, which I am delighted with after a somewhat suboptimal build-up.
Hi Literatin, yes that was me
. Just checked out your pic and I do remember seeing you a few times. That's a great run! Fantastic day for running wasn't it.
Cracking sub-3 performances from both Moof and Lit. One day I hope to join the club - just need to work out the changes to put in place.
Speedy - sorry we missed you in the pub. Was that you upstairs sitting on one of the sofas?
Wow, what a day at the races!
A very good time considering everything Speedy.
Sorry you had a DNS Jools - a very tough decision to make.
Good running LB70 - a tough day by the sounds of it.
Glad you enjoyed the day SSC - still a respectable time.
Congratulations on a great PB Lorenzo, G-Dawg & Moof
Good time Poacher just 2 weeks after manchester
00 - So close to a sub 3, ab it like the winner just missing out on the World record - can you believe how quick he was. I think he should have fallen at the beginning
Top time Literatin - very impressive.
The Purple fairy had a good day today and came home in 2.52.xx
Add Moof and Lit to the thread heroes list, and OO52 for a solid performance (checks thread title).
Lorenzo. If you stalk Jools' recent posts she will tell you where to go. Or what to do. In a nutshell, it's what you have been doing so far, but 5% bigger, better, faster, longer.
Sorry to read about your DNS Jools - a difficult but good decision.
I didn't watch the coverage until the evening highlights, but I had all of you fine runners set up on the VLM tracker and found that much more exciting than the elite race race.
Well done to you all.
SSC - sounds you made it a meaningful and memorable day which is more important than the time
Lorenzo - you did the right thing in going for it, when it didn't work some would have thrown in the towel so to come away with the PB is very strong. Abingdon as you know is quite fast, and less crowded, so it's game on. I'm convinced the answer is in learning to take the pain of running short and fast - this makes 6.52 seem easy(-ish). You are right about that 800 metre sign - it feels like miles to the end.
CC - so you swapped our company for a free burger? We're collectively upset.
GD - cracking PB under painful circs., very good stuff.
Moof - precision pacing, a substantial PB and you looked very fresh afterwards - very well run.
OO - still a very good one from a chap of our age, and you will retain some bragging rights over jnr, at least for a while.
Fifi - another excellent result on limited prep.
OO, GE & Lorenzo stand tall to display their medals, with a short bloke in a shiny hat.
BTW there's an entertaining thread elsewhere on RW about people who (allegedly) cheated. Or maybe they really can run a 2 hour negative split.
Well done to all the VLM crew. Did anyone else spot Martin H. in purple fairy garb?
Poacher - nice job. Great photo! Are you a Jedi?
Lorenzo - congrats on the PB. And well done toughing it out to the end. Sub 3 will come eventually if you keep at it, I'm sure.
Speedy - hope your recovery goes better than you expect!
GD - congrats on a great PB and hob-nobbing with celebreties!
moof - fantastic PB - you really smashed it.
OO - excellent effort. You must be gutted to miss sub 3 by 10 seconds, but not half as much as Kipchoge!
literatin - well done on sub 3 off "sub-optimal" training!
I hope no-one is suffering too much today!
(I've been back out training the last 2 days, so all seems well, thankfully).
Few shout outs first, then a report.
Saw poacher at the start and had an old gits conversation inside the gents changing area. I see from the photos you got your Boston top round after the school boy error.
Saw Lorenzo ahead as we came off the Isle of Dogs and it looks as though we must have been just about alongside each other from there on in.
OO, great run there. Was your friend Magnus the Diesel out as well? Saw a big chap with Magnus on this vest dispelling all conceptions about big guys and running.
Lorenzo - purple hoody, looking cold - that was me!
I saw someone cheat. A large lady with a pen 7 blue number, walking towards the finish at mile 22 ish when I passed her still at sub 3.15 pace at the time. She had obviously ducked the barrier on the highway after Tower Bridge.
So this was my declared last raced marathon. For ages my wife and family has been asking why I don't run for charity and as this was my last outing I agreed to do so and have raised over £5,500 for BEAT: https://www.justgiving.com/PhilipMorrisJones
Sunday looked a little cool. In the past years I have been up to Greenwich very early and waited for a long time so I decided to try and get there a little later. I slept well Saturday night and got up Sunday just before 7am, a cup of tea and two almond croissants then a drive into London. Tube from Hammersmith to Cannon Street to catch a train to Maze Hill for 9:02. Thanks for the hint to join at Cannon Street and not London Bridge: they were turning people away at London Bridge so had to catch the later trains.
Walked up from Maze Hill to the green start and had a cheeky piss in the bushes (CPB) on the common. Got into the green pen at about 9:20 and the tannoy was saying 2 minutes until the baggage lorries go. The train I had caught was listed in about the middle of the suggested trains: heaven knows what happened to those who were later. quick strip and change in the open and then into the male changing area to keep warm and dry.
Saw someone in the corner in an Altzheimers top and asked if he was Paul and he said yes: it was PSH of parkrun fame, just quietly sitting in the corner of the green start. I do like that about him: he could easily have had a celebrity start in the tent next door but was just doign what he does and doing it quietly and dignified. We had a brief chat for a few minutes, he even remembered me from a parkrun we did together for the fitbug launch.
Moved to another corner and bumped into poacher, so passed the time away. 9:40 and I though a last urinal and then starting pens. Urinal queue was massive so another CPB and then to the pens. My pen was number 1 but the entrance was for 1 and 2 and I got there as it was about filled up: no sense at all in having two pens if there is only one entrance. Pushed as far forwards as I could but still well back in the pen. Threw away an old t-shirt and then the gun went and we were off.
The start was slow: lots of slow traffic so a couple of guys running three legged etc, but the mile marker came up in 7 minutes. Plan was for miles between 7:00 and 7:15 so that was OK. Next one was a shade inside 7 and then mile 3 (downhill) in 6:25. All felt easy and I was trying to find a balance between pushing it and letting it flow.
The course flattened out at about 4 miles and the blue sub-3 pacer (philpub) passed me. I let him slowly drift ahead but my Garmin was still saying sub-3 pace. The green pacer (choisty) passed me just before Tower Bridge and I went through half way in 1:29:52, still easy and still sub-3. Reality started to cut in and by 15/16 miles I was off sub-3 pace but still ahead of sub-3 schedule but that faded by about mile 19/20 and the last sub-3 pacer passed me as we left the Isle of Dogs
From then on, it was just damage limitation: keep on moving forward but definitely foot off the gas, so backed off to 7:30ish pace and brought it home from there. Mental calculations said 3:05 was maybe possible but there is no great reward for 3:05 and I did not push as hard as I could and made sure I was seen by my family in the grandstand seats and then pushed for the line to ensure I beat last year's 3:07.
Absolute shocker from me - 3.40.40, which included a 20 minute positive split....just goes to show you can't wing a decent marathon on hardly any speed work for the last 8 weeks. I'll post a bit more later, but let's just say I "adopted a run walk strategy" from mile 17....
Will read back to see how the rest of you got on....but wanted to say to Jools, so sorry you didn't make the start line. Must have been a tough call.
I was a bit down at the finish but not so much now. It was a decent run and even 2:59:59 would have been a bit of a let down. I think it helps that I misjudged finish. My old eyes are not as good as my old legs and I could not read my pace band while running. I thought I had a minute in the bag at 23 and only realised when it was too late.
Apart from the guys I spoke to would also congratulate Freemers, that's a remarkable time.
Legs feel pretty good today, looking forward to Keswick half next Sunday
"CPB" - never heard that before. Great and very descriptive shorthand.
through the beery haze I'd forgotten already about OO's Keswick half. Hilly! Good luck.
Freemers - plenty of determination shown, and (surely) GFA.
Great report PMJ. I really enjoyed the race (superb organisation, amazing marshals and the support all along the route was quite incredible). My race went well. I was aiming for 3:20 and was through half way at 1:40. I felt strong so picked up the pace slightly but at mile 18 I could feel my hamstring getting tighter (I have had a niggle with it for the past 3 weeks) and at mile 20 I made the sensible decision to slow down and manage it to the end. My result was a 3:26 and a 23 min PB so very happy. Next marathon is the Snowdonia marathon in October so I better start some hill training.
So, VLM. After last year’s injury woes, GFA qual. had run out and I suspected that after 11yrs this may be adieu to LM. However, 3.26 in Manchester gave a glimmer of hope and it seemed worth trying for 3.19 which would be my fastest mara in 18 months. But the legs never seemed to recover and the 2 weeks between Manc. & London consisted of a couple of parkruns and a lot of eating, mainly chips. I decided to ditch fancy dress and actually be a normal runner with a vest, riskily lightweight shoes and a target – this was a nice change and gave some pressure to perform, albeit at a lower level than before. A good natter with PMJ at the start, then it was off, somewhere near the 3.15 pacer. Even that sort of speed never felt hugely comfortable, and at 10m it seemed likely that lack of both LRs & recovery would see a finish in 3.28-3.30.
Halfway just inside 1.37 made me think again so it was a case of plodding on, enjoying the anonymity and as ever the lovely crowds who must have had a long cold day. I saw Biwott & Bekele passing in the other direction, looking fabulously fast. Around 15m I nearly threw up (Lucozade related?) then at 17m felt like fainting and had visions of waking up in a heap with paramedics shoving unfeasibly large needles in painful places. This passed and I had the rare sensation of being a proper runner again, even running through the horrible underpasses and overtaking people over the last few miles. The 3.15 pacers went by at around 21-22m, might have gone with them but cramp was lurking. Sub 3.20 was in the bag, I mistimed the sprint for 3.16 but 3.17.00 is OK so long as the GFA goalposts don’t move. It’s clear that more and more people are getting GFA places but it would be very harsh to tighten times for old men while allowing women in their 20s/30s to stroll round in 3.45; and one doesn’t imagine it will be made harder for women anytime soon. We shall see.
10k splits were not too awful with a 3min +split: 45.50 – 46.05 – 46.35 – 47.57 – (10.33)
After rehydration with OO, GE, Lorenzo + families in the Chandos it was home with mara/ultra no.64 D&D. Just managing to keep ahead of Badbark. However 64 is a long way from 100 so I’m still tempted to retire soon rather than draw out the pain.
Next stop: White Peak on May 21: Gul are you ready for a smackdown?
Good running. Good Stories. Good results. GFAs secured all round which I think is one of the measures of a good performance.
Particularly it is good to see people being a bit ambitious and going for a stretched target and then holding it together when it couldn't quite be done.
Turmeric and Naproxyn for breakfast here - trying to get the swelling on my ankle down.
Good for age for 2017 is up: I don't see any changes
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/
congratulations to all yesterday's warriors - PB's, solid runs, pragmatic runs, gritty runs - it's never easy, accomplishing the 26.2 , so well done all - really enjoyed all the reports - (almost) makes me want to use my GFA for next year . . . . .
btw, why has sub- 3:15 disappeared from the RW Spring Marathon menu ? had to click on "latest posts" of a thread contributor to access . . .
PMJ - great report, but you've revealed your middle name!
Freemers - sorry to hear it wasn't your best day, but still a decent result in spite of that and great effort.
OO - Keswick HM next Sunday?!
DG76 - nice PB! Well done.
Poacher - Retire? only 36 to go now! See you at White Peak.
Bike It - never knew turmeric was an anti-inflammatory. Do you ingest it or rub it on? Hope the combination does the trick.
Birch - so, it's not just me having problems finding the thread then!
Good news on GFA. As I officially become a FOGIT next week, sub 3:20 sounds like a good target for White Peak.
I see some poor guy died while running at the event yesterday. Only 31, army captain, had a cardiac arrest at mile 23. Very sad.
Ingest - It is fat soluble, so I just melt a teaspoon of butter in the microwave, add a teaspoon of turmeric cook for 10s in the microwave and down it. Tastes not so unpleasant if I down it quickly. It is more palatable if you add it scrambled eggs when you are melting the butter. Better in a curry TBH.
Seems I jumped the gun: the GFA page is up and is for 2017 but says "Qualifying times for the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon are subject to change."
Gul, had fun yesterday with middle names. My kids use my middle name as a surname to achieve anonymity in social media (they are in teaching etc and do not want kids finding them on facebook etc) but I also, by coincidence, had 2 unrelated friends with Morris as a last name running and so posts mentioned the 3 of us and my kids liked it, so there was a plethora of Morris about.
LB - you held it together a lot better than I did from 17 miles!
Poacher - as above! Hope the GFA times stand
ssc - well done for that, and a great end to your race
Lorenzo - congrats on the PB, sub 3 next time!
Speedy - well done, sounds like a better than expected result
GD - great new PB, and more to come next time I bet
moof - brilliant PB with a negative split
OO - so close to the sub 3!
PMJ - solid result for you. Why your last?
DG - massive chunk off your PB!
So a report...
I got to the blue start around 8.30 and headed straight for the changing tent to keep warm. And although the portaloos weren't posh, there was no queue at all when I got there, and even later the queues were very short. Overall though I think I prefer the green start - as I had expected, because I was going to be one of the slower runners off the champ start I had loads of pen 1 guys overtaking me in the first mile and I got bumped and barged a lot. A runner was pushed over right beside me as well, lots of tripping and swearing going on! But after that first mile it was OK - I just tried to settle into a rhythm, and was running around 7.35-7.40 pace apart from the downhill bit in mile 3-4 which was around 7.00.
So the first half was OK, although in the back of my mind I did feel I was perhaps overcooking it, tried to relax and put it out of my mind! Half way in 1.38.27. But after that things got hard pretty quickly - I just ran out of energy, and then my hamstring started to cramp up a bit, and by mile 17 I had to stop and try and stretch it out a bit. From that point I more or less lost the will, stopped checking the mile times and just took walk breaks every 5 minutes or so. At one point I thought if there was a tube station right there I would have jumped on it! But then I gave myself a talking to and just looked for mile markers and landmarks to see me through.
My mum and sister-in-law were at Westminster, and I stopped there briefly before battling the last KM. Rounding Buck palace my left quad went into a spasm and I hobbled down the mall and over the line.
Thankfully my baggage lorry was the first one so I could get layers on quickly. Then a quick drink at the Red Lion before heading home for food and a glass of wine.
My Achilles are really complaining today - but apart from that my legs don't feel that bad. I think the walk breaks have helped there!
Not really sure how I feel about my result. I know my training and build up had been compromised, but I was disappointed at how quickly I unravelled. I'm not sure what's next, other than concentrate on shorter distances for a while. I also need to see how much time my new job will allow for training - if I can't get the miles in there is no way I'll do another marathon any time soon. But last year's time is good for the champ start again in 2017, and this year's will be GFA for 2018 so I have VLM as an option for at least another two years. We'll see!