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GBRM - if you do find a marathon to race, let me know which one it is.
ES - You did as much as you could to be ready, but on the day is sometimes out of your control! A top effort none the less
CD - A impressive time given the conditions!
GBRM - Sorry the race didn't work out for you, all these interesting tales from across the pond are making me a bit apprehensive about giving it a go one year!
TT - Good to hear you are getting back on track
RS - I'm erring towards 17:45 5k's up to 30k and then push for home/hang on for dear life to the finish, if I've got a sub 2:30 in me I don't really want to put it at risk with early enthusiastic pacing...
Padams - That's hot running at Poole Parkrun (just inside the top-30 on the all-time list!), did you see DrDave? he ran it too last week
SL - That's a stonking 20 miler, nice schedule of running and teaching you've got lined up for the summer :-)
Coro - Stalked the results, cheeky time from you at Brighton ;-)
LHM - Got everything crossed for you still being able to run a good time on Sunday, as said LS managed it a couple of days after a nasty sounding accident.
Up to town and to the expo for me today, nothing new, brought some socks, had a chat with DanA and skiddadled outta there. Holed up at my brother's in High Wycombe now, Progressive parkrun tomorrow and on the carbs...
Al_p 2:29:xx Champs #1257 White/Green New Forest Runners Vest
Coro
CharlieW 2:40ish Champs #1159 White vest with 2 blue hoops
Selbs <2:45 FGFA #32114 blue vest
DanA
TickTock 3:05ish FGFA #32420 Grey vest, orange trainers
OuchOuch 2.49.59 FGFA #31930 white adidas vest
Joolska 2.52.30 Champs #631 White crop top + red band. Orange trainers
LMH FGFA #33497 Alzheimer's Society vest. Black shorts. Sling.
ES (a) Finish (b) Start (c) Get out of bed
I'm not clever enough to change the list from my phone - would someone please change me to 2:29:59? Thanks
Al_p 2:29:xx Champs #1257 White/Green New Forest Runners Vest
Coro
CharlieW 2:40ish Champs #1159 White vest with 2 blue hoops
Selbs <2:45 FGFA #32114 blue vest
DanA
TickTock 3:05ish FGFA #32420 Grey vest, orange trainers
OuchOuch 2.49.59 FGFA #31930 white adidas vest
Joolska 2.52.30 Champs #631 White crop top + red band. Orange trainers
LMH FGFA #33497 Alzheimer's Society vest. Black shorts. Sling.
ES (a) Finish (b) Start (c) Get out of bed
So good luck to everyone, DBS - the weather looks perfect!
RyanS 2.28 Champs #1414 Blue Exmouth Vest
Coro
CharlieW 2:40ish Champs #1159 White vest with 2 blue hoops
Selbs <2:45 FGFA #32114 blue vest
DanA Champs #1078 yellow West 4 Harriers (not going to predict a time!)
TickTock 3:05ish FGFA #32420 Grey vest, orange trainers
OuchOuch 2.49.59 FGFA #31930 white adidas vest
Joolska 2.52.30 Champs #631 White crop top + red band. Orange trainers
LMH FGFA #33497 Alzheimer's Society vest. Black shorts. Sling.
ES (a) Finish (b) Start (c) Get out of bed
2:46:25 for me, almost 3 minutes quicker than Boston last Monday. I set out aiming to feel easy, at least aerobically, but my legs were reminding me that they had a marathon in them. Getting home in anything under 3 would have been great, but around 19 I reset that to beating last week's time. At one point 2:44:xx might have been on, but it would have needed a big push from 5k to go and at that stage there was not a lot in the tank.
Given how wrecked I was Tuesday and Wednesday I can scarcely believe I did that time. I've run quicker a dozen times but that's right up there in satisfaction of a job well done.
Good to see few faces at the Red Lion, some great performances today.
CD, that was an outregeously good time considering you ran another marathon hard only six days ago.
OO, I ran 2:50:11 in Chicago last year, and was disappointed at the time. Boston has rather put that in perspective though!
Well done to everyone who ran today, lots of good days at the office from what I saw.
I went out for my first run since Boston and it turned into 10M. Conclusions: quads still not fully recovered, sore for most of the run, and the downhills were properly painful.
I said I'd go for it today; was in shape so 100% put it on the line. No watch, so all on feel. Early miles felt great and just went with it crossing halfway in 79:40 - still felt good at 17, but then hit the wall quite badly at 19. Had taken a high risk lightweight shoe choice, and I think that was, in hindsight, an error as my legs were battered and cramping. Feet shredded, and I never get blisters; today I had half a dozen corkers and blood everywhere.
Leaked time in last 10k badly (plus ça change) and finished in 2.51. A London PB, but should have been better. No regrets because I put it on the line and got what I got.
Worst I've ever felt post-race though. Didn't manage my first pint until about 4pm. Great to see some old friends in the pub; apologies to those I missed as I was lying on the pavement
Congratulations to OO on a shiny new pb.
Al: huge congratulations on the new t-shirt status.
DanA: hope you're ok. You didn't reappear at the Red Lion...
As for me, I'm curiously happy with my slowest marathon since I broke 3 hours: 2.55.53. I knew 2.52.30 as a target was a bit of a stab in the dark, as I hadn't done any marathon pace tempo runs since the injury. Turns out I'd stabbed a bit optimistically, but I split in 1.26.25 and gave myself every chance. I then hung on to just dip under 1.29.30 in the second half, and am really proud I did so. If you'd asked me before, I'd have said 2.55 would be a disappointment, but I know I gave it everything after a disrupted build up. Lovely to see some familiar faces at the Red Lion, but I will let them tell their stories! No autumn marathon and will hopefully be able to focus on running a bit faster as a result. In the meantime, today's efforts have made the Achilles grizzle again, so my first job will be to let that settle and then rebuild my fitness.
Al_P - proper chuffed for you. It was obvious how much it meant to you so enjoy basking in a job well done!
CD - impressive turnaround from Boston!
OO - yay for the pb, and ouch (ouch) on the near miss!
Dan - that sounds flipping painful! I saw you briefly at the pub, was going to say hi, turned around, and when I turned back you'd disappeared. Fingers crossed you recover well.
Jools - good to see you, and a good result from where you were. Enjoy the mara downtime.
Loads of very good runs from others, but as they haven't posted I'll save congrats until they do.
Put it all on the line for 2:29 and was on course at 20 (could still see Al_P ahead) but faded a touch to a 2:32:13.
To be expected so soon after Manchester but no carb loading was a success - felt much more bouncy and fresh than three weeks ago!
Al_P - As mentioned elsewhere, undoubtedly the run of the day (I'm sure most will decipher your 'cryptic' post) It was a pleasure to hang on to you for a few miles
Dan_A - Hats off to the balls out approach.
CD - Very nice so soon after Boston
OO - Cracking PB
Jools - Nice to briefly meet you on the Mall and I'm happy you're pleased with the time
OO - Excellent work on the new PB, for the record the goodie bag protein ball is a bit odd, I got hungry in the car on the way home, opted for that instead of the wide variety of chocolate Mrs ALp had brought and regretted it!
Dan - That's sterling work with buggered feet and kudos for putting it all out there.
Jools - Glad you're happy with your time, that's definitely an upside of London, if can't quite nail it on the day it's a hugely satisfying race to be in anyway and I think it drives people on to do their best on the day...
TT - It was great to catch up outside the pub post race
RS - Top running and well done on the PB, that's a serious achievement 3 wks after Manchester and with another couple of hundred miles in your legs! As I've said elsewhere, I owe my time today in part to your 'just go for it' attitude.
Ticked off a now well rehearsed 1 week taper with a combo of short (3-4M) easy runs, some 'MP' treadmill strides (eg 4-8x200m@17kph) and a daily sauna session, plus a quickish progressive parkrun (18:39) the day before. Everything went smoothly getting to the start and enjoy the usual pre-race chat and banter in the champs start.
Plan was to run 17:45 5k's up to 30km or so and then hopefully be able to hang on for the final stint. The start was a bit of a manic weave-fest with RS and George King from Winchester AC, but a few miles in and things had settled down and we'd tag on with a good few other sub2:30 aspirants. The first 5k ultimately was a bit quick in 17:28 with the downhill and by 10k the margin under target had grown to 30s with a 17:38. Honestly in the first 6M I was seriously wondering if I'd bitten off too much, but I'd taken all the HR stats off my Garmin and just focused on the pace. Thankfully as the miles progressed my legs settled in nicely. 10-15k passed spot on in 17:45 and around that point I found myself drifting forwards into and to the front of the next big group of runners. 15-20k was 17:47 and I started to get the inkling that this couple be a good day, but it was a bit early to tell and my mind see-sawing a bit from the positive to the negative going through half way in 1:14:25 and 20-25k in 17:44. A bit of a headwind going south through the Isle of Dogs was enough to push thoughts towards the 'well a PB will be just as nice' but thankfully the crowds around Canary Wharf rallied my mind. 25-30k clocked at 17:51 and the 'av lap time' (using manual splits) on my watch told me I was still on 5:41/M pace, so it was game on at 20M with 30ish secs still in the bank.
30-35k (17:50) was when the mental fight kicked in, my legs were slowly voicing their displeasure louder and louder, nothing critical in terms of cramp potential or the like, just resistance to the task at hand. Going along the Highway through mile 22 the field was becoming quite spread out which made it tougher still. Somewhere in the 23rd mile the thought popped into my head (with the actual pace showing 5:42) that 'that's a decent outing', to which another part of my mind retorted back, 'you don't get the kudos for running a good 23M...it's less than a parkrun to go, get on with it...' 35-40k was my slowest (admittedly not by much) split of 17:52, but the target margin was down to <10secs.... With only a couple of miles to go finally the conviction that this was going to be the day really started to kick in and it had a rallying effect on my pace with the last 2.2km averaging 5:39/M. The run up Birdcage walk seemed to go on forever counting down the 1km, 800m, 400m, 385yd(!) markers to the turn into the Mall. Sighting the finish line clock at 2:29:0x, for a moment I wasn't sure I'd get there in under a minute! Crossed the line elated and got down to kiss the tarmac in respect. Job done and massively happy
Well done on the PB OuchOuch.
Amazing running backing up Boston like that CD.
I'n in the Joolska and Dan camp. Didn't get what I thought the training said I could (admittedly pre-fall) but have to be happy with doing what it says on the tin and managing my second fastest ever marathon time and another sub 3.
I really enjoyed meeting a few of you and passing the time before the start - thanks for the company guys. Was amazed by the lack of women in the FGFA (now I know why we're 'lesser spotted'!) but found it a nice relaxed starting area. My elbow was fine, hurt me once in the entire race though that may have been because my right knee was so painful from the off that it paled into insignificance. I said I'd give it a go and I did, in fact I was surprised how quickly the miles were ticking past and when I hit half way I thought there was still a chance of 2.55 as I tend to even or negative split but despite being incredibly comfortable aerobically my legs obviously weren't working properly as I nearly fell on just about every speed hump, incline, decline, camber - just couldn't pick the feet up I don't think. From about 18 miles my legs were getting worse and worse, left adducter hurt, right calf threatened to cramp as did left hamstring (I never suffer from cramp) and the pace just dropped. I told myself to just jog it in but couldn't quite give up on the sub 3 even though I didn't actually think I could do it until I saw the clock on the run in. Frustrating initially as the engine was fine. I guess I'm going to have to have this week off at least and let the elbow and knees heal so will decide what to do next when they're better.
Al_P - great report. Being up by only 30s at 20 miles with such a key target time would have done my head in, great stuff getting it home from there. Regarding my run, to be fair sub 3 was the fallback target - the last time I tried London after Boston (2006) it was an unpleasant disaster, 40 minute +ve split, so sub 3 yesterday would have been minor by comparison. In the end my first mile was 6:13, final average 6:16, so my 'easy' pace at the start was just about right. Coincidentally James Cracknell passed me in 2006 when I was at my worst, on his way to just missing 3 hours. Yesterday I ended up running with him for a couple of miles after halfway, before realising that the pace was a bit more than I was comfortable with at that stage.
LMH - don't be disappointed, you salvaged something very decent from a lot of unlucky breaks (metaphorical and actual).
Awesome run yesterday! That feeling at 10k is exactly what I felt in 2015 - feeling good but worried that the time was too quick (I was a minute ahead of schedule at 10k). I just think that's inevitable at London thanks to the downhill. Great effort to hang on to the sub-2:30 when you only had 30s in hand with several miles to go.
CD - that's very impressive only 6 days after Boston (especially remembering how my legs felt in the week after the Boston hills!).
OO - those 6 secs are a bit annoying but you can't complain about a PB!
DanA - as usual, you put it all out there. And to run your best marathon time ever even with the problems is a pretty decent result. Disappointed in the delay on the beers though!
Jools - as you said, you can't be disappointed if you gave yourself a chance and just had nothing else to give on the day. Good to hear you're going to try to get a bit more speed, as I expect you've more-or-less optimised your marathon time given your shorter distance times, so that might be the way to make the next improvement.
RyanS - not quite what you hoped but still very impressive back-to-back marathons. Not many people could run 2 low-2:3x marathons that close together.
LMH - that's a fantastic run considering all the bad luck you've had and how you felt on the day. You must be due some good luck in the next campaign!
My weekend was pretty dull in comparison. Did the parkrun with mini-Padams in the buggy on Saturday - result was 25:3x, although there was a huge amount of congestion for the first half. I think my half splits were about 14 and 11 mins! He slept the entire way.
Yesterday was 3M with the dog then 9M progressive from 6:56 down to 6:12. 3M this morning with the dog.
Great report Al_P, makes the run all the more impressive with no margin for error.
DanA - on the lightweight shoes, I did the same in Boston and I have a feeling that may have been a contributory factor to the shocking cramps I got in the last 5M, along with the heat and the downhills. Those US concrete roads give your legs a battering.
Al_P - Amazing run. Sub 2-30 is just out of this world. Well done!
CD - wow can't believe you can run so fast after Boston especially after all the damage the hills would have wrought on your legs
OO - Great PB , shame you couldn't find the real Red Lion, though the congestion at the bar was bit of a faff this year.
DanA - well done on preserving and still posting a great time. I hope you are feeling a bit more perky today.
Jools - glad you are pleased with your time even though you know you can quicker with a less compromised build up
RyanS - Your ability to knock out PBs is better than Bubka!
LMH - Great to meet you at start and pleased you had a good run especially given the multiple tribulations you had on the build-up.
It was nice to meet up with a few of you at the FGFA start and more of you at the Red Lion. I had predicted I would run 3:05 and that is what I turned out to do. During the first 10k I did harbour thoughts of trying for sub3 but thankfully sense prevailed and I eased back at bit. Hopefully my injury woes of last year are behind me and I can start getting some speed back.
I've been reading this thread for over 2 years now but never posted as when I started reading I didn't consider myself in the same galaxy as most here. It's always an enjoyable read though - so thanks for the constant entertainment!
Had a dream day yesterday, clocking 2.42 for a 7 minute PB. I was the guy in swimming trunks and armbands if anyone spotted me. Had a good chat with Dan A en route - we're friendly through Xempo and it was great to run with you for a while mate.
Will try and get involved and post more, would be great to learn from others on here and press on with my running.
I had to put in a small burst at Cutty Sark to get ahead of you, because the crowd noise for you was a bit overwhelming. I think it was pretty similar for me back in 2014 when I did it as Elvis. Still makes me smile to think about it, so I promise you'll be on a high for at least a fortnight.
Catch up soon.