P&D Spring Marathon 2018

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  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Scott: I'm going to target 5km/10km speedwork after London as I got a place at Eastleigh 10km with it being rescheduled for June. That's the plan anyway!

    Hazel: well done - good consistent reps

    Final RunCamp session this morning - not risking one next week. Took it fairly easy so there's not much recovery needed now.
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    AWC / John / Hazel - Nice final Vo2 max reps.
    Hazel - Yes, legs are fine now after the half, but I'm just taking it easy to log the miles as it's all about the endurance for the ultra training. Will probably add some speedwork back in shortly though.

    Easy 8 miles today, progressive run starting at 9:39 and finishing at 8:04.
  • Great consistency with those reps Hazel, very nice. Any long term forecasts for Zurich yet?

    Tom - thanks for the report. Sounds like it was going really solidly and then the wheels came off. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you're a bit of a marathon enigma as your short distance times suggest you should be much faster than all of us! Really hope you find out what works for you; still a great marathon time!

    NE - sounds like you really enjoyed the day, I love doing marathons without time pressure; so much more fun!

    John - safe travels. Where are you staying over here in the UK?

    Written a blog on the duathlon from the weekend if anyone wants a read; https://spragginsblog.wordpress.com/2018/04/10/diss-duathlon-08-04-2018/

    Not much running for me this week. Lots of swimming and a bike session. I'm personally hoping for some warmer weather for London!
  • Great report Tom. It really does sound like it was going perfectly until 20 miles, you must have been so pleased to arrive at that point feeling the best you have at that point, which makes what followed even crueller. Hard to know what to suggest as your training seemed pretty spot on to me. Hope the legs recover quickly so you can enjoy Newport.

    Great final long run and reps John. Enjoy Tokyo.

    HA I will go in to more detail in my race report, but my plan wasn’t hugely different. It stuck to the basic P&D pattern of session, medium-long and long run. I just replaced the 4-7 mile LT run, and did more long runs that featured MP or faster work in them. I also worked quite a lot on the mental side of things. I know some people scoff at that kind of thing, but for me I think it made a big difference in hanging on towards the end where previously I've just felt like it's getting too tough and thrown in the towel slightly.

    Solid final session SQ. As I said on Strava my MP felt hard work when I did that session, and I had similar thoughts about being too ambitious. See how you are on race day.

    Great final reps AWC, sounds like your 5K is due for a renewal! Good work from you too Hazel.

    Great report Joe, hopefully that’s your mechanical issues dealt with early on this year!

    Thanks for the thoughts on massage. I went ahead and got one today - I used SQ’s previous recommendation, so thanks for that. It was quite unpleasant at times, but it didn’t hurt as much as I feared it might. Legs felt much looser afterwards, however she warned me I might feel terrible tomorrow, so I suppose let’s see where I am after the weekend :)

    I’m currently writing my race report… I’m already over 2,000 words, and I’ve not even got to race day yet! :D

  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    Great final session mile reps everyone. AWC - I’d say that if you’re 10s/m quicker on these you’re due a parkrun burn up for a guaranteed PB. This Saturday a goer? I’m considering it. 

    Brave man spoons! Nicola is excellent so I am sure it will really help. Looking forward to the dissertation! Can I ask how many sauna sessions you did, how long for and at what point the final one was? I did 25 mins at the local pool sauna last night. Had a little sleep and then got bloody hot towards the end. 

    5M recovery for me today, nice and slow. 
  • SQ, I only did 5 in the end. I only ever managed 25 mins before giving up. Probably not enough to have a major effect, but I really didn’t enjoy them and as the forecast grew more positive for Manchester I struggled to motivate myself to do them! 

    My race report (as well as thoughts on training and what comes next) is now up: https://run.spoon.run/manchester-marathon-2018/ . It’s so long I think reading it counts as marathon training ;)
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    SQ: it’s tempting but I’d be worried I’m too close to London now. I think I’ll start speedwork mid May and target Eastleigh 10km in mid-June with a parkrun beforehand
  • Apologies to everyone who's taken the time to congratulate me...  and I haven't found time to reply...  and say how much I enjoyed Tom's frank report and Spoons's exuberant one (looks like I need to put aside an afternoon to read the full length version)  and macca's Parisian exploits, alongside some other classy running.  Will catch up soon...  I am still reading... just not writing!
  • dctdct ✭✭✭
    Ramjet - how was the speedwork run commute? Was reminded of your comment as I was bearing down on a busy junction and my Garmin ticked to 0.99 on my third mile of the 3x1m session tonight. Just hit the mile in time for the green man. (5:48, 5:51, 5:59.) Not too concerned about times at this stage. Two kids under 3 + P&D has broken me. 

    Far too late now for the thesis Spoons. Will enjoy it on the train in tomorrow.

    Also looking forward to some warmer, brighter weather next weekend.
  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭
    Amazingly consistent reps Hazel. Good suggestion about the fartlek - that's pretty much what I did.

    Nice progression again Steve.

    Great blog as ever JB.

    I'll put aside some time tomorrow for your report spoons!

    Nice pace dct on those reps.

    The speedy run commute was pants. I had a chilly headwind, a tired head after work and my legs felt flat and lifeless. Managed to get the HR up quite a few times though and broke some of my Strava segment records (mainly because I am normally just plodding on that route!) Anyway I don't think the 3 x 1600 session is going to make or break my marathon so not too concerned.
  • I'm looking forward to reading your blog spoons - must have taken you much longer to write about the marathon than to run it.. Will read it later as I should be working right now.  How are the legs post massage?     

    Joe - I am going to stick with my 3:30 target.  Would be a 4 min PB.  (current 3:34)

    Good timing on the lights on the mile reps dct.

    ramjet I was initially surprised to see the 3 x 1 mile reps in the plan in the taper but due to the reduced mileage dealt with them well.  I found it helped with the flat legs problem.   

    Rest day yesterday.   5 miles recovery later with some strides - will try to get OH out again. 
  • 15West15West ✭✭✭
    Morning.
    Summer weather this time next week. Bad weather for marathon runners.
  • 15West15West ✭✭✭
    Oh, and WW3 is about to start.
    Will keep you posted if I have any more positive news.
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Spoons - Great read!! Bet that took a while to write :)

    Early morning start planned for tomorrow for a 22 miler!!
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Spoons - Loved that report; well done again.  I don't think you've plateaued. 
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the positivity Westy!

    Just booked my flights there to Rome for Liverpool's CL semi and wondering what I'll do if we make it to Kiev given the current 'clmiate'!

    I might get round to reading Spoons' monster blog later today!

    Steve: good luck with the 22 miler. Is this ultra training now?

    5 mile recovery this morning - legs felt slow and tired after mile reps and RunCamp the past 2 days. Hopefully they feel a bit fresher for tomorrow's 13 miler.
  • AWC: Ah yes I'd forgotten about Eastleigh, I reckon some big PB's coming your way then!

    Got the blog open ready for some evening reading Spoons

    As you say, certainly wouldn't be too concerned by that Ramjet

    30mins progressive on the dreadmill yesterday and just 20mins on the indoor rowing machine today 

  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    I'm following Tyler Andrews 50k world record attempt - https://twitter.com/TylerCAndrews, He was on the Strength Running podcast recently talking about this world record which is 30 years old.

    He's doing it on a track which is a bit bonkers but does give him control of a lot of variables and he's trying to beat the 50K Any Surface World Record: 2'43'38


  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Ramjet I think HR is the critical thing at this stage in order to get the vO2 effect. So it sounds ideal. I’ve done Hill reps in he last when I’ve been nursing a dodgy hamstring and they seem to have worked fine. 

    Scott 20 mins on the rower sounds bloody hard work!

    Really enjoyed the blog, spoons. It was good to have the context before the race itself. And well done for having the balls to ignore the ‘expert’ coach. Keen to read that book as well, will see if the school library will get it in. 

    Another 5M recovery today, just plodding along. Planning on giving parkrun a blast tomorrow. Will be nowhere near a PB as it is still the cheltenham winter course. But will attempt to keep up with the leaders for a bit. Childcare permitting that is. Although I have always wondered how fast I could go with a buggy, I don’t think it would quite be on the right side of the risk reward ratio. 

  • Apologies for the briefest of recaps......Thanks for all the reports.

     Another fan of the training mara here NE, sounds like you had a good day all round, hopefully sets you up nicely for Newport.  

    Sorry your marathon didn’t go to plan Tom.  If it was in any way related to the goodwill on here towards you, you would have smashed it and I’m sure you will one day.

    Joe - enjoyed the blog.  Great season opener, hopefully that’s the mechanicals out the way.

    Spoons, great report.  Great you stuck to your guns as you do seem to know what works for you and when to press on and when to back off.  Look forward to following future progress.
  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭
    Good luck tomorrow with that 22 miler Steve! Hopefully the weather will be decent.

    Have fun tomorrow SQ. Probably sensible not to try the buggy on a winter course!

    Another 6 mile run commute this morning. Legs felt decent. Always a great start to the day.

    Seriously not happy about the current forecast for VLM. If it is correct I think I will just be trying to enjoy the day rather than PB.
  • Really enjoyed the blog spoons.  Good photos too.    Did you not get any grief off the ASICS team for not following the coaching plan?   Can you remind me how you got selected for Men's Running Challenge?  Did you even subscribe to the magazine beforehand?

    Good luck to all doing their last weekend run before London.  Nice weather... and hopefully it will cool down a bit before race day.

    Well done Hazel and good luck in the Park Run tomorrow quads. After a quiet week of good recovery from Manchester, I'm doing the same, with a plan to really test my speed. I might need a few more days before the legs are really back, but to get any real confidence that a GFA time is possible in a fortnight's time, I'll need a big Park Run PB (it's a bit soft, I hope).

    Although I've run it before and know it quite well, I went and did a reccie of the newport riverfront course today... ran it at recovery speed.  But just logged in to check the facilities and see it's called off tomorrow....  lucky I spotted that!  Might try Parc Bryn Bach.
  • Paris 2018

    For half a dozen reasons training wasn’t quite where I wanted compared to last year so a PB was never on and a sub 3 very marginal but I was hoping for a controlled 3:05 - 3:10.  Having run it last year I knew the drill. I got a hotel about a mile from the start, ideal.  Dropped my bag off and entered the 3hr start pen.  I can’t let the portaloo in the picture pass without more detail though.  Instead of depositing into a slurry pit of doom, a bin bag appeared to be fixed under the seat adjacent to which was a box of “cat litter” with a scoop to hide ones deposit and absorb any smell.  It worked like a dream, fascinating stuff.  Back to the race, kick off 8:27am (7:27 in England), a wave start so easy to get into pace, loosely aiming for 6:52s to see how they feel.  Nothing much to note in the first few miles other than a few people walking across the course, no barriers anywhere to prevent them.   A gentle but deceptive climb around miles 5-8 can make you think you’re having a bad day but I remembered  this from last year so sucked it up and ploughed on.  It was when the course flattened and I noticed pace drop to 7:05 min miling for what felt like a reasonable effort that I thought today wasn’t a sub 3 day.  Another chuckle here in the Bois de Vincennes as a few Sunday morning runners were out taking advantage of the closed roads - but in the wrong direction !  A few downhill miles at just over 7mm brought up the halfway point (1:32ish) which began a 7 mile stretch along the Seine, much like the Embankment, a few down and up road tunnels but otherwise fairly flat.  Along here it felt like someone had turned on a heat lamp as the sun came out and pace dropped to 7:45 whilst effort ramped up. A small climb in mile 21 slowed me further and the last 5 miles were just a slog. The Bois de Boulogne woods aren’t particularly scenic ( unless you go late at night I’m told) so I didn’t mind just getting my head down, literally.  I had the wherewithal to calculate 3:15 was tight but couldn’t do anything about it until I could see the finish whereupon I managed a relative sprint to finish 6s under 3:15. Whilst a little disappointed with the time I was pleased not to completely blow up and I don’t think I could have found any more during the last 6 or 7 miles. A quick walk up the Eiffel Tower that afternoon loosened up the legs and set up a couple of lovely days in Paris.  As part of a mini break I think it’s a great event and I like their very different approach to things.   For me personally, I think with the travel and distractions it would be hard to PB there but it’s so accessible and the kids loved it (queues in Disneyland apart) so whilst the time wasn’t quite what I wanted, the whole package more than made up for it.  Whilst I don’t feel I held back, I feel ready for VLM and am looking to make a better fist of it but accept it may have a similar outcome !

  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    edited April 2018
    Good luck at VLM Macca... nice report.

    I got my Park Run PB this morning.  I haven't raced over a measured distance since last year, so could only use my VO2 sessions to help me estimate my pace.  As it was, I decided to attack 20 mins and made a good fist of it with 20:13  - comfortably the fastest 5K I've run since the 1980s!  Mind you, I didn't do any park runs around the time of my superfast spring of 2016 - so I can't directly compare my speed now with then. 

    Knowing how I convert to marathons (I think I'm a little fast-twitch biased) I had in mind that if I achieved 20:30, then any thought of GFA was propably a pipe dream.  If I got 20:20, my grip on it would be rather tenuous....  If I got 20:10, it was a reasonable possibility... and if I got 20:00, I'd go into Newport with a lot of confidence....  so this result is a bit in the middle.  Very pleased though!  Formally a 44s park run PB.

    Gave it my all.  4.02  4.04  4.02  4.06  3.55 were my Garmin km times..  clicked to 5k a couple of seconds before the finish line. 
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    Great report Macca. Good to hear things haven’t changed too much since 2014. I was having a rough second half then and remember finding the old ladies jogging on the course towards the end most off putting. Especially when going faster than me. 

    Great parkrun NE. Superb consistent splits and sets you up nicely for Newport. Your recovery is obviously going well. 

    Stunning morning here. It was the winter course still at Cheltenham, which is always a good chunk slower than either summer course. Gave it a good blast to come away with 18:34. Reasonably sure that’s a course Pb, although 50s off an actual Pb. Fairly solid mile splits of 5:53, 6:03, 6:02. Happy enough with that on a four lapper with lots of overtaking. Then off for a splash at the lido. Incredible weather! Planning on 10-13M tomorrow depending on how hungover I am. Will also try to get another sauna in. 

    Anyone doing brighton?
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Great report Macca. Hopefully catch you in London.
    Nicely parkran NE & SQ
    Inverness for me. 4th of 202 in 19:19. 2 & a half laps on grass. Lovely day for it.
  • Its the boredom on the rower that's the worst!

    The blog was a great read Spoons  :)

    Legs can't have been too smashed if you managed the Eiffel Tower steps Macca, hope you recover well for London

    Cor, you were due a 5km pb NE! Good confidence booster ahead of the marathon

    Good parkruns from SQ and Jools as well

    Lazy day for me today but did enjoy a lovely Afternoon tea and had 1st and 5th on the Grand National so a good day all round

  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭
    Great report Macca. Hopefully VLM will yield a better time for you.

    Well done on the parkrun PB NE. I'm sure you could do sub 20 there with a bit more taper and speed work.

    Nice parkrunning SQ and Jooligan as well.

    7 miles with strides for me. Nice to feel the legs coming back to life. Fab weather as well. And now to settle down with Commonwealth Games marathons...
  • FBT - good luck with Brighton today.
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