P&D Spring Marathon 2018

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  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Jools: great finishing pic!

    NE: good luck for tomorrow - hope it goes well!

    Scott: thanks - it does look hot but it was similar last year so I know what I've got ahead of me.
  • Hello, just popping in. I've been casually lurking recently. You're all amazing and I've been enjoying the race reports especially.

    AWC - what's your number tomorrow? I'll keep an eye out for you. I'll probably be easy to spot - the very pregnant woman with a box of haribo gummy bears! My OH is 255 if you come across him. Good luck!

    I've somehow manged parkrun most weeks despite my increased size. I'm still running it in around 30 mins with no ill effects, but feel my time will be up soon. It would be nice to keep going until the twins come, but I'm 32 weeks now and feel like gravity is against me from here on in.. We'll see! 
  • Hope AWC is getting on well

    Notice on Strava that Joe has racked up some swim and run miles today!

    http://www.runjumpthrow.com/videos/24074 Anyone wanting to watch some athletic, the Grand Prix from Loughborough is being streamed

    Great work sticking on with the park runs JCG.

    Session this morning 6mins, 3 x 3mins, 4 x 75s and 10 x 30s. Rep paces were 5.06

    4.46, 4.52, 4.53

    4.44, 4.44, 4.36, 4.41

    Was pleased with the paces and it showed in how slow and terrible the 30s felt

  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Good luck for your 10k tomorrow spoons, anybody else racing tomorrow?  If so good luck as well.

    Nice finish line pic Jools. 

    Great HM ramjet.

    Nice to hear from you JCG and that you are doing well.

    Sorry to miss wishing you good luck for the RTTK AWC. 

    Hope the hat does its job NE.

    Back home from my holidays in the UK.  Not as much running done as I would have liked but plenty of walking.
    Hill race tomorrow, then next week I will be back to marathon training for Berlin in September.  (12 week P&D planned this time). 
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Thanks guys - RTTK went really well. Finished in 10:39 which is about 20mins faster than last year. 

    I also hadn’t tapered this year with the idea of using it for training for NDW100 in August - I’d done a 14mi/30mi double LR 2 weeks ago and Eastleigh 10km last Sunday and my legs were definitely shot in the last 10 miles. 

    I am am honestly questioning whether I can do the 100 miler. I need a few days to take stock and work out how I would cover another 45 miles

    Ill post a report up during the week. 
  • It's a holiday Hazel, just call it an unplanned rest week. Hope the hill race went well

    Great job AWC, seems like the training is paying dividends

    48mins at 6:30miling yesterday, progressively picked it up. Rest day yesterday
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Macca I can’t quite get my head around 22000ft of climbing. Not far off Everest!

    Some great training from Scott. The opposite end to the above distances and height gain but so fast per lap.

    No CWR for me, Jooligan, although it’s a shame. Flying solo on the parenting front this weekend so hope to manage a parkbuggyrun at best. I did a leg (9, I think) of the CWR a few years ago. Enjoyed it but you certainly have to recce it first – which I didn’t. Think everyone got lost at least once. Cracking finish line photo – how on earth do you look so fresh?!

    Great running at the Freckleton Half, Ramjet, and brilliant photo. Love it when a plan comes together.

    Some huge training from Joe. Cotton wool time?

    Hope you’re feeling stronger, spoons. Looks like the 10k went well?

    AWC that’s absolutely fantastic, and in such hot weather as well. As you say, it was untapered and so I think it should be a massive confidence boost for the 100M. Looking forward to the report.

    Lovely to hear from you JCG. My wife carried on doing parkrun until where you are now, albeit with increasing walk breaks and loo stops. Just do whatever you are comfortable with.

    Good lord Hazel¸ is it only 12 weeks until Berlin?! Your trip looked great and no doubt the walking and hills will set you up nicely.

    Managed to secure a late place in the Nailsworth 10k. It got an immediate tick when we realised there was a toddler friendly park very close to the start/finish, however I got a real taste of things to come when a 1.5M warm up contained 400ft of climbing. Despite the race series being called ‘trailmania’, I was shocked at just how ‘gnarly’ the trails were. I had assumed that with the very dry weather it would be easy going underfoot – instead we were met loads of branches, leaves, boggy mud and trees to climb through. I was in third place from the start and was in awe of the leader. He could scale styles with no hands and no perceptible break in stride – every style result in another 10m gap for him. Very impressive. There was a massive climb after about a k until we eventually came out of the woods. This was where the nettles started. These, combined with the long thick grass actually pissed me off quite a lot and reduced the enjoyment of the actual running – rare for me! About half way through I somehow stumbled going uphill. It was a very innocuous bit of hard pack trail. I fell onto all fours not too heavily, and so was gobsmacked to see (another) massive hole in my knee. Deeper than last March, skin flapping and the muscle on show. I swore loudly and looked around for help. As none was coming I decided to bat on. The nettles certainly stung but then I think helped numb the pain. I was in second by this point so pushed on, but never went close to the red zone for effort. Just tried to enjoy the spectacular views during the downhill finish. Nice to come second, especially as my wife came third lady. When I looked down at the finish, I was relieved to see the wound wasn’t on my kneecap – a bit lower and to the side. The fly that had crawled inside it was disgusting however. Four hours in A&E was a painful wait, although I sat in the kids’ waiting room watching the football so shouldn’t complain. Internal and external stitches. What a muppet! Hoping that I can return to running quicker this time as not being on the kneecap it shouldn’t be stretched quite so much.

  • Congrats AWC, that's a brilliant performance. I think if you believe it then you can do it, just approach it in segments and break it down instead of thinking of the entirety. Also, as you said, you hadn't tapered for RTTK like you would for the 100. 

    SQ - ouch! Sounds bloody nasty mate. Really hope it doesn't put you on the bench for too long. Can't believe you carried on a still finished 2nd! At least the footie was on in the waiting room.. Not quite cotton wool time for me yet. A rather aggressive taper; another big weekend 2 weeks out (this weekend coming), then starting to reduce in the penultimate week before last week being very easy. 

    So yeah, very happy with a massive training week last week (23 hours). I completely forgot it included 20x800 - seems like a lifetime ago. 

    Saturday I swam 4km (just over an hour) in the lake before heading over to Bushy Park for my key long run of the plan. 5km easy, 5km ironman pace, 5km hard, 5km IM pace, 5km hard, 5km IM pace. Was really hot by the time I started but you can't control the weather I guess. Managed to hit 3 hour pace as planned for the IM pace sections, and hard pace came out at 6mm, which nearly ended me - I was frazzled at the finish. 18 miles in the bag.

    Sunday I surprisingly felt pretty good. 112 miles on the bike in 5 and a half hours, keeping the effort level well in check. Ran 6 miles straight off the bike which also felt encouraging good. 20 days to go. I'm already so nervous. 
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    A mental few days training Joe! This brilliant weather must make tri training so much more pleasurable, although I've no doubt you'd be out there whatever the weather.
  • Nice to hear from you JCG, great you’ve been able to keep up the running.

    Great session Scott.

    Sure the rest will have done you some good Hazel.

    Incredible effort AWC, superb stuff. Look forward to the report.

    Sounds painful SQ, and your description has put me off my elevenses ;) Hope it doesn’t take you out for too long. 

    Another superb weekend Joe, impressive long run.

    Stone 10K for me yesterday. Great low-key race on a pretty flat 2 loop course. It was being used for an intercounty championship so plenty of faster runners up front. After a terrible 10K last month I was a bit nervous, but started well and was averaging around 6 min/mi until half way. After that I slowed a little as the heat started to get to me a bit, and it was hard to muster the motivation to really push myself without a PB on the cards.

    I still managed to duck under 38 minutes though with 37:57 official time. That’s slower than half marathon PB pace, but a massive improvement over last month. Given that I’ve been concentrating on short sharp stuff with very little longer tempo work etc I’ll take that. 

  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Great run Ramjet. 

    Some fast running from you Scott, don't get injured this time, looks like you're hitting some good form.

    Joe, with all that work you should be looking at something close to the hour mark.

    Hope you had a nice holiday Hazel, must have been good weather.

    Super run at RTTK AWC. Look forward to the report.

    Sounds horrible SQ, hope it heals quickly.

    Spoons -  Good to see you slowly coming back to form. It's amazing how you peak for big races and then your form tends to dip immediately afterwards. Do you think that you just peak perfectly for the big races and then ease off. Maybe it's the sheer physical and mental work you put into a training cycle?

    Joe - That's a ridiculous weekends work. I can see why you are nervous, you're absolutely bang-on it at the moment. As long as you get that bike effort right and don't give yourself too much to do on the run, I reckon you'll qualify with ease.
  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2018

    Afternoon all.

    It's been a long time I know but I have been reading occasionally so have kept up to date with the fantastic training and racing that has, as ever, been going on. I will endeavour to stick around now as I'm getting back into it but this thread is most probably on it's last legs anyway!

    My foot injury had me benched for 3 weeks and still hasn't gone away so I made the decision just to get on with it regardless. It's not too bad whilst running but needs icing etc. after every run and is more annoying than anything else now.

    Wasn't going to race Swansea HM yesterday but decided to give it a go with very little expectation-particularly in the heat. Was pleasantly surprised that I was able to hold 5:5x pace throughout without burying myself to finish in 1:17:21. Felt good to be running with a bit of purpose for a change as to just plodding along thinking about the foot pain. Didn't enjoy the heat in the last few miles though! Foot felt fine during the race but very sore (as usual!) after and today. Managed a 5 mile recovery this morning and legs not too battered so, hopefully onwards and upwards.


  • Tom13Tom13 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2018

    Cracking HM Ramjet!

    Reg- I noted you ran a fantastic 5k a while back and a very quick 10k soon after that weird team running/camping thingy you did. Clearly in great shape at the moment.

    Spoons-looks like you are getting back into it. Where you injured for a while after London?

    That sounds nasty SQ-hope it heals quickly.

    Scott-Great to see you are flying at the moment. Have you got lots of track races coming up?

    Fantastic stuff AWC! Looking forward to reading about it soon.

    Joe-Incredible training you are putting in-inspirational stuff! Really hope it pays off for you in a few weeks time.

    Any races at the weekend Jools?

  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Good to have you back JCG & Tom. Glad to hear you're both running too.
    What's up with the foot Tom? Doesn't seem to be too bad if you managed a 77:21 HM in the heat.
    Cracking strength from AWC & SQ in their respective races.
    Decent performance from Spoons too - glad you're headed in the right direction.
    Those reps sound pretty speedy Scott. When's the next 800?
    Epic training JB - some brutal sessions you've been doing that should earn a good time at IM in 3 weeks.
    No racing or training for me this w/e. Just a mile wu before Exmouth parkrun which is definitely a quick one: flat tarmac with just one dead turn about 4.5K. No wind just the lightest of breezes to take the edge off the heat. I managed 19:25 but was back in 19th place. Went out at sub 19 pace but tiredness meant I drifted backwards with each K (3:43/3:52/3:53/3:57/3:55) finished it off with a 5:56 last 250m. 
    Decent run out at lunch along the canal today 7.4M@7:38s felt OK but was very sweaty by the end and conversation was a bit staccato.


  • Must have been running on alot of adrenaline after the fall SQ, sounds nasty. Hopefully it doesn't keep you out for too long

    Looks like you're on top form in all 3 disciplines Joe!

    Certainly shouldn't be disappointed with that time Spoons considering your sessions are targeted to the shorter stuff  :)

    What does the foot problem actually appear to be Tom? Not bad being able to run 1:17 off limited training

    Something must be wrong, Jools didn't race at least twice this weekend?! 

    Yes, lots of track races coming up, main ones will be Watford Opens every other wednesday that alternate between 800m and then 1500m/3000m. Will be occasional other races around them too. Jools the next 800m, I suspect will be at Watford 2 weeks on wednesday

  • MaccatheknaccaMaccatheknacca ✭✭✭
    edited June 2018
    JCG - good to hear from you, good luck with your "taper".

    Ram - fantastic time, especially for the time of year, like some others, I tend to dip a bit in summer.

    Scott - looks like the speed is coming back, if it ever left. Just need to bullet proof yourself.

    Hazel - good luck with the start of the plan.

    Tom - good to hear from you to, decent result given the injury.

    Spoons - hopefully things moving in the right direction, again, a decent result.

    Joe - some incredible sessions there, getting nervous for you as well !

    SQ - great result but that photo on Strava ?Could you wear some skateboard gear next time out ? Recover quickly.

    Jools - as has already been said, great finish line photo.  I've perfected the hollow/haunted look for mine. Well done on the PR too.

    AWC - great result.  Don't underestimate the benefit of taper and the psychology of A race.  If you ran an equivalent first 55 miles at NDW, you would have almost 20hrs to walk the remaining miles.

    Ticking over here.  Slipped in a PR at the weekend but to get there on time required 3 miles @ MP +5% ish, probably a bit too optimal warm up.  Today I dropped my car off at the garage and cycled 15m back with a 6m run tagged on, I might get the bus to pick it up.






  • HA77HA77 ✭✭✭
    Hi everyone. Just back from 4 weeks in Oz. Whole family had a great time. Did a bit of running but nothing serious. I'd forgotten how much hillier it is in Brisbane compared to here. I tried to make the most of the hills and ran up as many as I could. 

    Have only read this page so not up to date on all the goings on. 

    Great work on the RTTK AWC. I've got no idea about running 100 miles but I think there's a good chance you'll surprise yourself.

    So close now Joe. Some great training. Sounds like you've taken it to another level again this year. You must be itching to get out there.

    Getting close for you too JCG. I completely forgot I offered you that running buggy ages ago. The start of the year was pretty chaotic for me with lots on my plate. 

    Great HM with a sore foot and limited training Tom.

    Nice one also Spoon. 

    Good to see you're getting some good training in Scott. Good to see that you're getting ready for the track season.

    Sheez SQ, that doesn't sound pleasant. Fingers crossed you'll be back running soon.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Nearly commented in my last post that we were just missing HA for a full house & up you pop. Glad to hear you're still smashing out the miles & 4 weeks in Oz sounds awesome.
    Looking forward to the PB photo in a fortnight then Scott :D
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Nice racing, spoons. Definitely on an upward trajectory. 

    Cracking half time, Tom. Hope the foot is ok. 

    I like the staccato conversation description Jooligan. 

    Good luck with the tack races Scott. 

    Macca, I think I might have to start wearing a helmet at this rate. 

    Great to hear from you HA. Pleased it was a good trip back to the motherland. 

    Pleased to have run a 5M recovery tester today. No pain and stitches didn’t seem to bleed. Very pleasing. May even try some intervals tomorrow but will judge how the greater range of motion affects things. 

  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    SQ: well done on the 2nd place but sorry to hear about another gash on the knee. You've not had much luck!

    Spoons: sounds like your speed is returning after what was a mammoth build up to Manchester. I'm sure your body is benefiting from lower volume and slower running

    Tom: good to see you back and super comeback 1/2! Hope the foot clears up properly very soon

    Jools: good parkrun time considering what you put your body through a week before

    Macca: good point - gotta remind myself to take the first 50 slow and the 2nd 50 will be even slower! The worst problem was the pain in my quads running downhill. Apart from that I felt OK.

    HA: 4 weeks in Oz sounds lovely - good to see you back!

    I had physio yesterday which has loosened things up a bit. Still pretty stiff today even though I've done a bit of walking about. Hopefully get back and do a short run tomorrow as I only have a couple of weeks now before I need to start tapering properly.
  • Welcome back Tom. Hope the foot injury clears. Impressive HM time after 3 weeks off!

    Decent parkrun if you were tired Jools.

    Busy schedule Scott! Good luck.

    Good to hear you too, HA. Any autumn plans?

    Glad the knee seems ok SQ. Might see you at the track if you make it?

    No rest for the wicked eh AWC!? 

    No injuries Tom, other than to my pride! Just the usual post-marathon slump. I’m not totally sure what causes it Reg, I suspect a number of factors. A marathon definitely takes a lot out of me, despite being able to cope with plenty of miles in training. However, I had a similar (if not quite so extreme) dip in form when I took a week off after the GSR last year, so it can’t entirely be the effects of a marathon.

    I suspect I lose fitness faster than “normal”, don’t know if that’s due to my non-sporting background. And when you factor in a 2-3 week taper, then a few weeks of no/little running post-marathon (effectively doubled this time with doing London), it’s quite a lot of time to detrain I guess. Plus I’m a complete glutton after a big race and usually put on 10 lbs, which definitely doesn’t help! 

    Lovely sunny 10 miles along the canal for me this morning, although it was already getting warm at 7am. Glad I’m not doing doubles at the moment as heading out in the afternoon would be toasty. 

  • Spoons - a great marker to work from building into the autumn. You definitely can't be peaking throughout the year, it's so important to have the physical and mental refresh. The weight definitely won't help, but when you're back in full training each time the fitness comes back a bit quicker. Definitely nothing to be concerned about.

    Reg - we'll have to see what happens I guess. I'm definitely feeling in decent shape, but can't control who turns up, could be a few big hitters and then it'll be completely out of my hands. Looking forward to putting it all on the line, regardless.

    Tom - great to hear from you. Sorry to hear about the foot, but that's an awesome time all things considered, you should be well happy with that! Hope it doesn't keep causing you issues.

    HA - here he is! The big man is back. Sounds like a really decent break. Any plans to get back into racing or just going to see how things go? Very nervous re; Bolton. Got myself into a position where I'm thinking it might actually happen, but I know so much can go wrong. 

    SQ - that's great news, keep us posted.

    Big bike session this morning, probably the hardest 'threshold' session I'll do in the entire build up. Went really well, happy with the numbers, into the home straight now. 
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Joe - Epic few weeks training, looks like you are in great shape.
    Jools - Epic finish line photo!!
    Ramjet - Brilliant HM time and course PB!
    Tom - Glad to see you back and a very speedy HM too!
    AWC - Brilliant at RTTK. Like others have said, with a taper you'll be in a much better position for the 100. One thing I'll say having never gone that far, is don't let the distance get into your head, go from aid station to aid station. That distance is all about belief in yourself. You have done some great training.
    HA - Good to see you back too, nice break! Any races planned?
    Spoons - I feel similar in that I loose fitness quickly!

    Anyway, not posted for a while, back to 5 days a week running for me this week. So 7 on Tuesday and 5 today. Got 8 planned for tomorrow. After seeing the Foo Fighters in London on Friday and then my birthday on Sunday, plus the lower mileage I've also "bulked up" but not by much (6lbs), need to get back to 40+ mile weeks to loose that or when I drop miles cut down the food too!! So not feeling fit, but NYC plan starts next week, but also includes a long weekend in Paris!! Will fit Parkrun in while there as part of an LT session I think!
  • Absolutely true Joe, I don't expect to be on top form all the time. It's just a bit unnerving quite how much I seem to drop off, although I should have learned by now. I just have to accept I'm not one of those people that can piggyback more performances off a marathon like some seem to manage.

    More great training from you. Must be tough in this weather but at least you will hopefully be conditioned for it if the weather is hot for the IM.

    Welcome back Steve. If you’re starting your NYC plan next week, we definitely need a new thread. I will get on the case.

    Session at the track this morning, sadly without SQ to keep me honest. 12x300m with 100m walk/100m jog recovery. All between 55s and 59s, mostly 57s which I’m happy with on a grass track. My sub-5 goal feels very daunting given that is a touch faster than my average for these 300m reps. Although I suppose a 5x1k @ 5K session always feels pretty tough, but somehow in a race you can string them together without the recoveries.

  • 15West15West ✭✭✭
    Hello - quick one from me. Have pulled out of Manchester marathon (deferred) as PF still not gone. I'm assuming it's PF, haven't seen anyone about it. Not ran for about 6 weeks, it is definitely getting better, but still there - so going to give it more time. Been going to gym and now have massive biceps.
    All the best in your spring races or whatever you're doing....
  • 15West said:
    Hello - quick one from me. Have pulled out of Manchester marathon (deferred) as PF still not gone. I'm assuming it's PF, haven't seen anyone about it. Not ran for about 6 weeks, it is definitely getting better, but still there - so going to give it more time. Been going to gym and now have massive biceps.
    All the best in your spring races or whatever you're doing....
    Sorry to hear that Westy. You're on last year's thread though so not sure how many will see the post :D
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