Sub 3h15

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  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭
    Bad luck Poacher but a brave effort - c'mon Palace!!
  • BadbarkBadbark ✭✭✭

    BI – I hope the ITB problem clears – I used to suffer similar problems until I started doing this stretch a few times a week - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x30rjVT-TLo

    PMJ – A good Parkrun after the track session

    Lor – Nice 35 miler. Don’t worry about running twice that. Just keep moving forward and you’ll get there.image

     Birch – Steady Parkrunning

    Commiseration Poacher, and well done Gul!image

    I started my long run this morning at 5:15 am. By 8:50 I’d completed a marathon and reached 30 miles before my local Parkrun. I ran it in 21:41 very comfortably and was enjoying how much easier it was not being glycogen depleted like last week. However, after about 38 miles I started to fell a bit rough.

    I seriously considered giving up and was questioning how I would run 62 miles in 3 weeks time. However, I just kept plugging away telling myself that it was all in my mind. By 40 miles I was starting to feel better again and stopped off at my house for a refuel at 44.

    I had another few difficult miles but 49 and 50 were both sub 8 minute mile pace. I had planned to stop at 50 but ran past my house adding an extra mile, just so I could say it was my longest ever training run! I would have run on further if I hadn’t have had other commitments in the afternoon.

    So 51 miles completed in 6:55 running time which was 8:08 m/m average pace. It took 7:30 in total including all the breaks for fuelling and chatting at the Parkrun.

    I’m niggle free and full of confidence now about the 100k. I know I will have difficult miles but I’ll just run through them knowing it will get better again.

  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭
    Nice one BB. Are you going to indulge yourself with a taper?



    That's a cracking log run for Lorenzo too. Makes my 14 look very tame even with the preceding bike session.



    Fingers are crossed for BI.
  • BadbarkBadbark ✭✭✭
    SlokeyJoe wrote (see)
    Nice one BB. Are you going to indulge yourself with a taper?

    .

    Cheers SJ. I'll taper a bit after next Sundays Marathonimage

  • Thought my efforts looked good until I read Madbark's post! image 

    Even more concerning is that I've just realised my race is 111K rather than 100K. image

    Poacher - are you waiting for Gul to report back before revealing your account of how you got on?

     

  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭
    Hahaha - have you only just checked the race distance Lorenzo? image
  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭
    Another tapery sub 3 BB?
  • Good training miles there BB, solid build up.

  • PoacherPoacher ✭✭✭

    Lorenzo - no secret, 3.43.30, nothing much in the landscaping legs; would have been quicker but stopped about 20m to check on state of a runner who appeared to be in trouble, doubling up and cramping, but was desperate for a sub 3.45 PB. Ran with him to the finish and happy to say he showed real grit and got his goal.  I will let Gul-Selasie tell his own tale.

    I've always heard that 100k is a piece of cake - it's 111k that seasoned ultra runners really fear....image

    BB - I have 160k & 235k PBs in the record book, but even I think you're mad as a badger! image 

  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    Hi guys. Sorry to keep you waiting! My mobile phone is virtually from the last millenium and can't even take photos let alone browse the internet. We didn't hurry home so only just got on-line.
    As the very generous Poacher indicated I did finish ahead of him, but not by the huge margin his amusing commentary seemed to indicate. It was tough out there today, but I did manage to get about a 20 second PB. 3:30:11 I think my watch said. I will try and post a full report but I may fall asleep first in which case tune in tomorrow!

  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    how can you enter your house after running 44 miles and then go out again to do more !!!  ? 

    Poacher - nicely toughed out, and well done with the assist  . . . .

  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    WHITE PEAK MARATHON 2016 REPORT

    PART I

    My entourage and I travelled down to stay at the luxurious Ripley Premier Inn on Friday evening. Mildly amused to be given room 118image I was glad that I had a good night's sleep on Thursday as I woke up at about 2am and didn't get back to sleep apart from the odd nap (or so it seemed to me). As Poacher can vouch, I get rather anxious and in a bit of a tizz, unlike the laid back marathon veteran I was pitted against today. I managed to get to the start without biting anyone's head off fortunately at about 9:20. The entourage know me well and left me to it and set off for Go Ape in Buxton and planned to return to cheer me over the finish line.
    It was a bit of a comedy getting to the start line. Queued up in the half-marathon queue to begin with. Got in the marathon registartion queue and was handed my bib and wrist band chip (more of that later!). Just found a seat to pin the bib on when I spotted a familiar looking face and sure enough, it was no. 107.
    It was such a pleasure meeting Poacher again; properly this time! However being a typical man, I can't multi-task and made a real pig's ear of pinning my number to my vest (several times). Poacher then informed me that it was time to head to the coaches which had been laid on to run us down to the start (finish was back in Cromford). Well the bib looked all scrunched up and at a strange angle, but as long as it didn't fall off I decided it would do. We stood up to set off and fortunately someone asked Poacher where the stickers to put on the baggage were. Of course, I hadn't done this. So quickly scribbled on a sticker and plastered on the side of my bag. Poacher handed the sticker back to me as I was heading for the door - it had fallen off! What am I like?!
    Soon we were sitting in the coach for tiny thin people getting well acquainted. I looked at my wrist. D'oh! No wrist band. Not in my bag or pockets. Most definitely on the table in the club house. I rapidly alighted from the coach and did a bit of a keen warm-up back to the registration hub. Sure enough there was the tag. After verifying it was indeed mine with a helpful marshall and his phone app or whatever it was, I jogged back to the coach. Fortunately there were half a dozen or so as Poacher's coach had departed. So I found a seat on the next coach (remembered to check it was heading to the full marathon start not the half-marathon!). Then 20 minutes later we set off. What!!!! I could have just taken my time. Oh well.
    Finally arrived at the start area around 10:50 and just had time to text Mrs GD, stuff a gel down my throat and try out the portaloos before finding Poacher queueing up for the start. No idea what the marshall said at the front but I guess it was a pre-race instruction talk. Breathed a sigh of relief. Finally I was at the start line of a marathon with a decent training block behind me. Time for the smackdown!
    But a very friendly smackdown. Poacher had lent me his gel pouch and we chatted as we jogged along down the Tissington trail...

  • Well done Gul, but you've obviously fallen asleep so will catch part II tomorrow.

  • Leslie HLeslie H ✭✭✭

    Badbark- nice casual parkrun in a 51 miler ! ,I suspect you will do well in your race image

    Lorenzo- its only a little bit more image

    Poacher- always good to bag a pb even if its not yours image

     

    Gul- nice report so far ,looking forward to part 2 ,sounds like the start was stressful enough already.image

     

  • Bike ItBike It ✭✭✭
    ... the suspense is killing me ....
  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    WHITE PEAK MARATHON 2016 REPORT

    PART II

    The Tissington Trail is quite narrow and it took a few minutes for the runners to space out a bit. Poacher and I continued together for a few miles and it was a reasonably pleasant day. Everything looked like it was going to plan. The incline was too slight to notice after all, the rain hadn't yet materialised and we were enjoying the beautiful scenery (Shakespeare Raceways eat your heart out!) Best of all the company was very enjoyable.
    After a while, Poacher said he was going to ease off the pace a bit and wished me luck. A very English smackdown. Sometime later, I heard a couple of voices behind me and one of them was familiar. The ruse was up. Poacher had been sitting on my shoulder for the last mile or two waiting to pounceimage Or maybe not.
    The splits were a bit up and down but generally in the right sort of region:-
    (1) 7:52, (2) 7:15, (3) 7:20, (4) 7:32, (5) 7:22.
    Poacher then did genuinely disappear off my radar and was not spotted again until the point where we double backed and joined the High Peak trail...
    I found someone else to chat to and got a bit distracted. (6) 7:47.
    Overcompensated in the next mile or two . (7) 7:05 (8) 7:08.
    Of course I was feeling strong and thought it was fine. I could conquer the world today.
    Gradually though, it dawned on me that the gradual upward incline was still there and it began to very slowly but surely to take its toll. (9) 7:16 (10) 7:24.
    After 10.5 miles I saw the return trail heading back to my right at an acute angle and shortly afterwards spotted a runner heading towards me. We were drawing near to the turnaround point. It was at the next mile marker. (11) 7:12.
    Lovely, now we would be heading on a very gentle downward slope. Dreams of PBs, GFAs and glory beckoned. Wrong! It was still uphill (albeit only just). Never mind. It couldn't be for much longer. Just before switching tracks onto the High Peak. I spotted no. 107 doing a Usain Bolt impression (the pose, I mean, not sprinting at world record pace!) I responded with the Mo-Bot.
    By now the wind had picked up a bit and was coming across the trail. It had started raining too. Warning signs were starting to flash. I think it was also here that I was overtaken by a Steel City Strider. I called out to him and asked if he knew Birch (first name omitted from report to preserve anonymityimage ). As he sped away into the distance, I thought I heard him say, "I will do soon"? FOGIT hearing impairment maybe? (12) 7:15. (13) 7:34.
    The final nail in the coffin of my perfect day was about to be driven in. The wind was now more or less a headwind. And it was picking up a bit more. No sign of the change from ascent to descent either. The mile markers were excellent. But there was no halfway marker. So an estimated first half of 1:36:58.

  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    WHITE PEAK MARATHON 2016 REPORT

    PART III

    The trail crosses the main road somewhere around this point. I was disturbed to see an ambulance in a lay-by with it's flashing blue lights on. I checked after the race with a paramedic who told me that it was just to try and warn traffic of the runners crossing and there had been no medical emergencies that he knew of, which was reassuring.
    Ahead on the skyline, I was a lovely hill stretching from left to right. I was very relieved to see the trail heading towards a cut through it! (14) 7:27.
    It was around this point that I began to lose the mental battle, which I think was key to my impending implosion. I had forgotten to don my peaked-capped in all the panic at the start and my glasses were getting covered in more and more rain. The trail was covered in puddles and I started dodging them, going onto the grass verges where necessary. Still uphill and finally, even supercharged with caffeine and gels, I began to struggle. (15) 7:43, (16) 7:47, (17) 7:55.
    The headwind continued unabated. I think on a calm day, it might have been a different story. But it wasn't too hot or too cold, there was no steady downpour of rain. It just felt like the combination of headwind and relentless tiny uphill incline had been chipping away at my resolve, until it cracked and fell to pieces. I knew there were DEFINITELY three steep downhill sections in the last few miles of a reasonable length and I was beginning to dread them. I certainly didn't notice any slight downhill inclines over the entire course. (17) 7:55, (18) 8:25, (19) 8:39.
    I was a broken man. Maybe I won the human smackdown. But I had to admit defeat in the man v. nature smackdown. At one of the water stations I stopped to drink and attack a jelly baby. Fatal. Run/walking ensued. Several runners overtook me over the next few miles. More psychological battering. (20) 9:22, (21) 9:21.
    Finally the uphill grind was over somewhere around this point but it just came too late. Then came the first downhill section. I braced myself for exploding knee joints and pulled hamstrings and aching quads. But oddly enough, it was really enjoyable! I actually managed to run again for a while. (22) 8:52, (23) 9:51.
    But now even the level sections in between the downhills were becoming a real drag. After the race I could have kicked myself for the amount of walk breaks I took. But I thought there was nothing to salvage. (24) 11:02. Pitiful.
    Somewhere in the next mile, the last downhill section began and something clicked. I was flowing effortlessly, careering down towards the canal and the finish. The finish! I checked my watch. Run, man, run! (25) 8:47.
    I started overtaking people and felt fantastic. Dodging people on the canal path. Sprinting with everything I had left. I think I made a mistake and took a split on my watch distance for a 6:49 mile! At the marker it was another 19 seconds, so (26) 7:08. The course turned a corner onto the rugby club field and the finish was in sight. My family were there to cheer me along. Final bit in 1:36. My watch said 3:30:11 in total. Unofficial PB of 23 seconds, I think. It was over.

  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    WHITE PEAK MARATHON 2016 REPORT

    PART III

    After crossing the finish line I thought I was going to throw up. I was handed a lovely souvenir mug of water and a goody bag, which to my delight was full of food and drink. Not a cheap tee-shirt or yet another medal to hide away in a drawer to be seen. I must say it was all excellently organised by the local club. All credit to them.
    My wife came to greet me and I was rather incoherent. The final push had really knocked me up and she said my face was grey and she was a bit worried that I was about to die. I walked with her round to the finish as I wanted to wait for Poacher. After 5 or 10 mins though I still felt I was going to collapse and so I shuffled off to find my bag and have a shower. Sorry I missed him finish. What a true gent too, encouraging the guy desperate for a sub 3:45 and accompanying him to his goal. Hats off.
    Finding the showers was quite an ordeal. Maybe I just wasn't with it, but the signs were so confusing. Now I know I am a true FOGIT! Eventually I made it though and then afterwards joined my wife for a cup of tea image Not long afterwards Poacher appeared and it was great to shake his hand once more and share our exploits. For me, it was the highlight of the day. Forget PBs and even the wonderful hills if you can, the shared camaraderie out does them all. I think I could have happily sat there and chatted all afternoon and into the evening, but I knew there were two teenage daughters waiting in the car wanting to head off home.
    I've been awake half the night again and mulling it all over. I'm not convinced that the gels helped much at all. The caffeine? Who knows. But I think I am lacking at least to some extent in endurance, both physical and mental. For now, I am going to take a couple of weeks off to recuperate and make it up to Mrs GD. (We're both on holiday following the Bank Holiday). I am leaning towards doing a couple of months low mileage with some speedwork, before setting the next target.
    Time for breakfast!
    Looking forward to hearing a report from the maestro himself.

  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭
    Great stuff Gul. Well earned PB and a report that perfectly describes the ups and downs (literal ones too) of a marathon.
  • JoolskaJoolska ✭✭✭

    Fabulous report, Gul - ran every painful step with you as I read through!  Chapeau, etc.  Enjoy your holiday, safe in the knowledge you have a new and well-deserved PB image

    Parkrun for me yesterday and rectified equalling my course best last week with a new course best by 9s: 19.43.  Now I need to get sub 19.30 on the Hill.

  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    Brilliant report, Gul ; and many congrats on your PB.  

  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    x-post  -   nice parkrunning, Jools  image

  • Gul Darr wrote (see)

    But I think I am lacking at least to some extent in endurance, both physical and mental.

    I don't think this statements is true.

    Earlier this week you posted a summary of a 19 week training plan with weeks up to 70 miles, enough 20+ milers to tick all the required boxes and have enough left over to fill the Christmas stockings of half this thread, and all done solo and at Gul o'clock while we were all tucked up in bed and asleep. You for sure have the mental strength.

    Physically you PBed over 10k a few weeks ago with a very decent sub-40 performance. You were top 100 out of over 2000 and 9th in your age group out of over 200.

    Yesterday, you set a new marathon PB on a trail course (harder than a road course) with significant height changes (harder than a flat one) and in strong winds and rain (harder than a cool, still day).

    If I were to give you a couple of hints they would be:

    1) Do a few more races, even if they are parkruns. Racing is all about nerves and the more you do it, the more familiar it becomes. You need to be calm and not racing about chasing a wristband.

    2) Make a pace plan for the marathon and stick to it. Poacher is a real nice guy but was not planning to go out at your pace. Maybe find a big city marathon with a pace team and sit behind a pacer for the first 20 miles or so.

    but the biggest thing I'd like to say is you PBed on a tough course and 3:30 with change is a decent time by most standards. This thread seems harmless enough but scratch the surface and you find national and country standard runners and you are part of it and on merit.

  • PoacherPoacher ✭✭✭

    I can confirm that Gul did really well to PB on a non-PB course. WP looks benign on paper but hides challenges - e.g. the first 7 miles are subtly uphill; and being right up in the hills almost all the course is very exposed to buffeting wind & rain, therefore windchill too. IMO Gul is well capable of a much faster time but going out at around 3.20 pace, uphill, on a trail course was pushing it - which was probably my fault as I also set off too fast, knowing it didn't matter as I wasn't racing for a time. Whatever the case, the fella done well.

    Anyway, on the road today, report later. If I ever again threaten to do 3 maras close together without training, can someone please shoot me.

    Who's racing next?

  • Gul DarrGul Darr ✭✭✭

    PMJ - thank you for your words. I am very pleased with yesterday's result. Perhaps a lack of self-belief is more what I had in mind?
    Poacher - you are in no way to blame for me setting out at 3:20. That was entirely my own decision. Personally, I don't think a 3:29 target pace would have made much difference - I still would have imploded.

  • BadbarkBadbark ✭✭✭

    Great report and performance Gul. Just remember what a PB stands for... You just did your personal bestimage

  • G-DawgG-Dawg ✭✭✭

    Great work from the WP Smackdown boys. Reading the team spirit and friendship involved reminds me why I love being part of events even though I sometimes struggle to beat my own laziness and go for a run.

    Superb report, Gul. Fantastic to score a PB on what sounds like a tough course. I agree with PMJ's analysis. Might be worth having that time off a reading those comments again to help refocus for the next campaign?

    Big well done to Poacher too. Helping another runner achieve their goal is noble indeed. Chapeau!

    GD

  • SlokeyJoeSlokeyJoe ✭✭✭
    Great post PMJ.



    Quality parkrunning Jools



    Full on weekend here; 3.5k swim on Friday followed by 2hr bike, long brick session on Saturday of 90mins biking in the rain then 14mile run, 4.5hrs biking round the Forest of Bowland with 6000ft climbing today. Glorious.
  • VTrunnerVTrunner ✭✭✭

    Well done Gul and Poacher! That sounded like a challenging course with some interesting weather mixed in. And loved the report, Gul. My 0.02 Gul, your next marathon should be in the autumn and flat! Then let's get you dialed in on your HR zones and training so on race day you can let your HR dictate your pace early on (and really up to 20 miles). I bet this could deliver you to 20 miles with a chance to power home strongly. Seems to me you are a speedy guy, especially after that really nice 10K this year, so I just wonder if it isn't all about keeping a proper lid on early in those races (and I know you have the mental toughness). Hard to tell on this one though as it is not a time-based course. And that is what makes a PB so special so congrats and thanks for sharing the journey. Was with you the whole way.

    Poacher, you get some sort of award for you recent exploits!

    BB, no words to describe my awe of what you do. SJ, I lump you into the same category. Lorenzo, don't worry, BB's exploits haven't diminished the huge respect for your recent milesimage Really looking forward to seeing how each of your A targets play out.

    And good racing by lots of others since I last posted, in particular that blazing 10K OO. Am liking that progression of improvement Abbers and PMJ. Also, PMJ, give a holler when you are out to NH next. I'm collaborating with a biotech outfit down there so might find a reason to cross paths on your next visit. Birch, keep the wheels rolling!

    BI, I missed earlier your job news. So sorry to hear and hope it leads to an even better opportunity. Also, am nervously awaiting to hear how your ITB plays out (especially after the epic training you've put in). Here is what helped me through with my issues http://strengthrunning.com/2011/02/the-itb-rehab-routine-video-demonstration/

    My return to volume has gone well (mostly). Last week I was at 51 miles and had introduced a subLT session of 7 miles. This week was about the same but did a 9 mile subLT effort that was both quick and strong. But my heel played up a bit after my run the following day so took yesterday off. Will see how it responds today.

  • MsEMsE ✭✭✭

    Well done, Gul.  Super racing on a difficult course. And a PB!  I think you are too hard on yourself and put too much extra pressure on yourself which affects your performance.  More racing, as PMJ, says should help that.  I am a bit race-phobic myself and not good at fitting more races in with family life so am speaking from experience.

    Super effort from you too, Poacher

    Words fails me, BadBark.  Except I am pleased to hear you out running again.  It does look promising for the race.

    Lorenzo - you are turning into a proper ultra runner!  I was thinking about you on my run today as I followed the NDW west and recalling our run along there last year (or was it the year before?!)  I am well and have just finished my last week of lectures so am doubly delighted as I cannot cope with sitting all the hours the university required me to.  Just some exams to do and a dissertation to write up. Then I hope to be able to focus on getting fitter and faster before I get too old to go PB hunting.  

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