Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Moraghan Training - Stevie G
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
but I guess others probably think it doesn't matter what is recorded on the app, it's what's in the legs that really matters.
good luck Dachs, is this the big attempt for 2018?
ric . Hope the trio of niggles clear quickly
Dean, Yes, this is my 2018 stab at being a good marathoner.
Had an 'elite' reception, race briefing and buffet which was nice. The 10k here looks full of quality.
Dachs, just water and some sort of Lucozadey type stuff at the stations then?
The time I covered full marathon distance with Marlow, or more accurately, one other geezer, I remember feeling like a shell after, and that was just jogging and chatting. That was a hot day though, fuelling with water and the odd fizzy drink!
The 20 the other week with Datchet was just a water job. Chap I ran with took some sort of caffeine hits, which seemed to take him ages to get down, and then gave him a monster surge of energy!
However, clearly a 20miler with 75% at convo pace is a fair bit different to a racing snake like you at full capacity for that extra distance on top.
Will report back for a good read.
ps Bus, Strava is like an extreme version of club sessions. You know, those club sessions you know you're pushing a bit too hard. Strava is trying to avoid doing that every single day!
SG, just forget that extra mile
Hope the niggles disappear soon Ric.
Glad to hear you're feeling better now Bus - funny how these things can just (for the most part) clear up overnight! I'm still managing some lingering congestion from my last bout of cold, can't wait for it to go.
SC, a bit late to wish you luck for the relays, but I hope they went well. Look forward to the report!
Not a lot going on for me this week, just ticking over miles with no quality sessions - combinations of not really feeling like it, and also the foot issue flaring up again. A bit of an ache, with a sore spot, on my arch below the big metatarsal and a little ache on the outside edge.
Think it's something to do with uphill running as that's all that has changed this week. Easy run today on the flat, and no issues, but decided to have a foam rolling session in the hope there's some tightness somewhere that'll disappear and sort it. Just gotta see how it is in the morning.
Hope the foot eases!
Lot of Dashers joining Dachs tomorrow, ranging massively in build up let's say!
Four days back to back of 10 miles off road running simply reached parts that hadn't been tested for a while.
Good luck with the marathon Dachs.
I did a marathon once on just water and hit the wall good and hard. Another occasion I took on the gel stuff and only drifted into the decline gradually.
However on one training run, I didn't grab anything until I felt I needed it. Bought something called Boost which seemed refreshing enough. Seems it must have been something else too as ten minutes later I was blasting along. The final five miles were good fun.
Matt, hopes the foot clears up. I've had something similar now for weeks. Strange that the sore spot seems to move. Maybe I've got a fragment of something floating about in there.
🙂
Cheers MH, not a brilliant run yesterday sadly. The weather was great though, sunny and quite warm. The course is 5.3 miles for the long leg, opted for the Saucony's like at the 5k. Right from the off and the dog leg didn't feel amazing at the start but felt a little better after the initial hill had been conquered! Then past the jubilee stone where the short leg turns down the hill and the horrible part to halfway which felt really laboured. Anyway started back and felt a little better and back to the stone and down the hill, past the lake, up the short hill and down to the finish hill.
Checked the watch and was already nearly at 29 mins nearing the bottom of the hill, so knew time wouldn't be great. Ended up with 29.27, about 30 secs down on what I wanted. I think we were in the 30's as a team.
It was ridiculous at us at the end as the last 2 legs were forced to do a mass start at 4pm, when only the first 4 teams had finished leg 11. Lots of shouting and finger pointing. Will be some fall out from this.
And well done Dachs! Look forward to the report, especially the last half hour!
No doubt you are all waiting for a report of some kind. So, here it is.
Brighton Marathon. My fifth marathon, and time to hopefully get somewhere near what I should be capable of on paper. What I should be capable of on paper is sub 2:30. Failing that, my PB going into the race was 2:36:27, dating from London two years ago. What is apparent is that my approach so far had not been working. Each of my marathons I had gone in with conservative aims, started sensibly and then faded anyway. So this was going to be different – treat it like a race, go out bravely and just see where that takes me. If I’m going to fade anyway, it might as well be off a fast pace than a slow one.
The other approach that was due a revision was fuelling. Post-marathon sickness has been a real issue for me, and I wondered if this was due to gels. Usually I take four, but inspired by TipTop who runs 2:27 with only water, and based on feeling great on long runs containing a good element of marathon pace without gels, I decided to do without. However, I didn’t quite have the courage of my convictions, so brought two gels along as emergency backup. Then I started worrying the evening before, convinced myself it was an error, and backed out a bit, and decided that I’d use the two gels I had.
I have managed to sneak into the Category A elite group, due to my sub 70 half. This means I get a free entry, Saturday night’s accommodation, expenses paid and a buffet dinner and race briefing the night before. Unfortunately, in anticipation of my usual post-marathon sickness, I need to stay the night after the race as well, and the elite hotel is full the Sunday night, and I can’t be doing with lugging bags around between hotels after the race, so I have just booked my own accommodation. I also don’t ask for expenses, because, to be honest, I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near good enough to be claiming travel expenses for running a race. Probably sounds a bit odd, but there you go.
One interrupted sleep later, and morning comes far too soon. It’s onto the elite shuttle up to the start. We get a tent with tea, coffee and yoga mats, which is great. I mean, I don’t use any of them, but it’s nice to know they are there, cos you never know when you might want to sip a hot beverage whilst in the downwards dog position. Weather is near perfect. Overcast and still. With so much of the race on the seafront, a bit of wind could kill times, but there will be no such excuses today.
Miles 1-5: It’s time to start. Let’s do this shit! Nervous before, but now I just want to get on with it. This uncharacteristic enthusiasm leads to a first mile in the low 5:20s. Hmm. That’s 2:22 pace. Not entirely advisable, but it is a slight downhill, so let’s go with it. Immediately, two groups form, and I’m in the second. Pace calms down after the initial excitement, and I settle into a rhythm of miles in the 5:30s. My group has turned into a group of four or five, containing a THH, a red/yellow vest I don’t recognise (turns out to be Epsom), a Midlander I was chatting to at the dinner the night before, and someone else, and we’re just ticking the miles off comfortably.
Watch splits - 5:21 (1), 5:39 (2), 5:33 (3), 5:34 (4), 5:30 (5) (please take these watch splits with a pinch of salt as I am conscious that my watch was hitting the miles before the markers came up, but the 5-mile marker came up in 28:0x)Miles 5-10: Epsom and THH push ahead a bit on the long drag out of the city, so the Midlands guy and I share duties on leading into the slight breeze, with the third guy always sitting behind and letting us do the work. OK, so it’s like that is it? Through 10K in pretty much 35 dead, and things are going just swimmingly. Past ultra posh Roedean school at around 8 miles, and we catch up to Epsom and THH again and reform a group of five. Someone has dropped off the lead group and looks to already be struggling, and we pass him and forge on. Take my first gel. Towards the turnaround, and I can see the leader, Dan Nash, has built up a sizeable lead over the chasing group, the rest of which all remains together. Round the turnaround, and by 9.5 miles all of the uphills in the race are done and dusted, which provides a mental boost. 10 miles is up in around 56:15.
Splits - 5:47 (6), 5:40 (7), 5:30 (8), 5:37 (9), 5:35 (10)
Now Epsom starts to forge ahead, the lurker has disappeared off the back, and we’re down to a good group of three of THH, bloke from Midlands and me. This group now starts to work well together, sharing the load for most of the mid section of the race. It’s back through central Brighton, and the fantastic support inevitably results in a lift of pace. Hitting halfway in 1:13:32 gives me a slight reality check. 2:27? Really?? But what can you do when it feels good. Hey, maybe TipTop is tracking and is momentarily concerned about his 2:27 club record? Always good to keep him on his toes. We now start the looooooong drag into Hove, which looks much shorter on the map than it feels in real life, but we hit the 15 mile point eventually in just over 1:24.
Splits - 5:34 (11), 5:34 (12), 5:32 (13), 5:32 (14), 5:43 (15)
After 15 miles is the first inkling that this is feeling hard. We’ve still got a good group going though, and behind is no man’s land, so now I’m committed. I see the runner up the road ahead peel off and go into a portaloo, so we take a place whilst he does his ablutions. Another turnaround in Hove, and bloke from Midlands has fallen off the pace a bit and it’s just me and THH. We pass famed multi-marathoner Adam Holland, who has dropped from the lead group. But as we get to 17 miles, I can feel my pace slipping. At 18 miles, I briefly struggle to get my other gel out of my pocket without also dislodging my hotel room key, and the resulting slowdown puts me a few metres behind THH. He looks round, concerned, and tries to encourage me to get back up with him, which I do. After 18 miles, we start heading westwards again, and with the slight wind at my back, this means a bit of a rally. But soon, it starts to feel hard again. I’m slipping behind THH again. He keeps looking back, and clearly wants me to stick with him, he’s calling encouragement to me. Much as I appreciate this, I’m struggling to live with this pace now and slipping further and further behind. 20 miles comes up in 1:53 dead. Hey, all I need now is a fraction quicker than 6-minute miles to break 2:30. Easy, right?
Splits - 5:43 (16), 5:44 (17), 5:50 (18), 5:36 (19), 5:41 (20)
Shit a brick this is hard now! It’s a lonely section out towards the power station, and speedbumps are decidedly unwelcome. I’m still hanging off THH by 20-30 metres. Local serial race winner James B is up ahead, and pushing past him raises me a position in the V40 stakes. Another turnaround is ahead, and at this point I can see I’m still within a mile of the race leader coming back in the other direction. But by Christ this is hard now. Force myself through the next couple of miles, but I know this is going south fast. As I approach mile 23, I’m in no mans land. My mind drifts and before I know it I’m walking. No, I’ve never walked in a marathon! Start jogging again and try to force the pace, but I can feel I’m cooked. It’s a case of up to pace for a couple of hundred metres, followed by some jogging. I can still rescue 2:30 if I can summon some pace from somewhere, but it just isn’t there. Find myself walking again. No, no, no! Someone comes past who I’ve never seen before. Try running again, but the bursts of proper pace are getting shorter and the periods of jogging are getting longer. And I’m walking again! The maths in my head is all over the place. Is sub 2:31 still on? Sub 2:32? I can’t work it out. The Midlander comes past too now. 800m to go now, and I have to walk AGAIN. Surely I can run it in from here? Well, running is a generous term, but yes, in a sense I can, and I finally stumble across the line in 2:32:47, in 13th place.
Splits - 5:46 (21), 5:59 (22), 6:19 (23), 6:22 (24), 6:46 (25), 6:52 (26), and some other stuff.
From there, it’s a long time sitting in the elite tent trying to gather some energy to return to the hotel room. When I finally manage it, I spend much of the afternoon throwing up (probably not the gels then), before recovering at around 6pm and finally venturing out to find some food.
So, all in all, I went out too fast and blew up in classic marathon style. But I don’t regret it. The whole idea was to stop fearing the distance, and just attack it and see where my limits lie. Well, now I know. In all probability, a more even approach might have got me under 2:31, and maybe even under 2:30. But maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe I would’ve flaked out anyway. We will never know. But I’m glad that I had a go at it. 2:30 will come I think, but will probably need a bit more circumspection.
It definitely shows a huge wadge of character and the last three mile splits show there's no reason why you can't take off the few minutes you want next time out (but you really don't want to be thinking about the next one just now I guess!).
tough last few miles but as bus says there is reason to be optimistic about even better next time out. Looking back do you think it was the early fast few miles or the fewer gels refuelling that bit you? But proper racing from you, brilliant work!
Feel a bit gutted you didn't eat into those freebies and expenses better though!
Your tactic of going out brave certainly paid off, and like the others have said, you've certainly got the ability to take off those few minutes emplaced in the last few miles. I'm sure yoully have it down to a tee soon!
I was tracking a number of familiar names within the elite field, and there was a marked downturn for the majority in the last 5 km - looked to be a good quality field at the sharp end!
Brilliant stuff mate - although I did wince at the first 5k split..just need to prepare well again, pick a foreign flat marathon and pace it a little better and I'm sure the sub 2.30 will be yours!
Me - just scattered cyclists along the canal again, 20 x 35 secs off 20 secs. Good blast.
As for me still slowly trying to get fit. I can run relatively pain free for about 10k if I keep the k pace to 4'30 or more. Longer or faster still not good. Tried a new parkrun course, Rickmansworth, as a club colleague was going there. Its now an all tarmac course as well as flat. Did 19'17 when pre-injury I would have expected low 18's there so shows I'm way off where I was (the other WV guy did 17'59 and is in great form, but usually around my level). Worse was my calf was pretty painful for the rest of the day so its not fully right yet; at least it felt ok again by Sunday.
Hope you can get sorted Pete. Seems to have been a fair while now with your calf trouble.
SC, well run at the relays. Sounded a bit of a farce with the mass start but Alex Yee put in some performance. Was it 24 mins for 5.3 miles?
Decided I'm just running the first half of London this week. Only 1 long run in the last 2 months and even though I'm pretty sure I could run round with a cigar on its not my cup of tea. I'm hoping to run the first half around 1.15 and then bail out. Might not be fit enough to do that but we'll see.
Get this, I've just come back off a run with another 2 fellas. Both are running a marathon this Sunday with PB's of around 3.15 and 2.55 although the 2.55 fella is now 55. Until I turned up their plan was to run 10 miles and after I told them if I was tapering I'd do no more than 6 miles they decided on 8.
After a couple of miles I notice we're running sub 7s but despite many mentions of me about the pace they cracked on to the 4 mile point. For the lad with the 3.15 pb that's 4 miles out at quicker than MP. Told the pair of them they were crackers and said ill lead us back which lasted for about 50 yards before they both disappeared at about 6.30 pace and left me behind.
The 2.55 fella is talking himself out of going for a sub 3 and the 3.15 lad is hoping for a small pb. Imagine doing 8@ faster than MP a few days before your race. Madness. :-D
No idea how to get to the Expo, how to get to my hotel near Waterloo, no idea how I'm getting to the start and no idea how ill get my bag afterwards. Haha.
Im heading down on my own so it'll be a good couple of days on the beer if nothing else.
At least if I can negotiate it all this time around then I should be ok for next year.
I've known a few runners who seemed to be able to run a marathon at a pace much the same as they could manage for only half the distance. Good information gathered all the same.
Whether or not you feel like using it for another marathon campaign is another matter.
Pete, the calf issue can't be too far away from being resolved if you can still manage a parkrun on it.
Out of curiosity, what did you and all the others with the parkrun obsession do before there was parkruns? I mean, all that energy dedicated year in year out to a single predictable format/routine, must have had an outlet before somewhere.
I've had a few days off running to allow the accumulated aches to bugger off. Nearly there.
Finally, ML, you've just illustrated why the London Marathon is for the type of runner who likes to keep things simple like me, a load of bloody hassle.
🙂
Rick; hope so re calf issues, test will hopefully come in Fleet Half a week on Sunday. If I make it to the start it will be my first proper race since Fleet 10k back in Oct last year. Certainly wouldn't expect much in terms of the result; getting round ok is first priority. Re parkrun I think we've had this chat before; if it was the same one each week I would 100% agree with you. By rotating round about 20 of them and adding in the odd new one (still keeping all to a max of around 30 mins drive) I reckon you get more variety than the average runner pottering around their locality. Hard to recall pre pr days now; probably a lie in then a run to try and see off a hangover
ML84 - If you need any drinking companions the training group are going again, i will be around until about 6pm usually! - just give me a DM on Messenger or twitter.
Yes Alex Yee got under 25, I think there's only a few that have done it. I did see your mob there, had a quick scan to see if you were there or not.
Really looking forward to London now, mainly because I'm not going for a PB tilt and therefore will be enjoying the crowds and the sun.. Hopefully see a few of you out there.