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P&D Autumn Marathon 2018
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Brilliant stuff AWC! Really made up for you, especially after such diligent training. Look forward to hearing all about it.
Sounds good, Jooligan. Definitely the biggest party animal on the thread.
Solid long race, muddy and good to have you back on board. You do like a shoe malfunction, don’t you.
The travellers had traveled on, so parkrun went ahead. Enjoyed a slow cruise with the buggy before a dip in the lido.
Pleasing long run this morning, especially as it brought up 80M for the week. 20M at 7m/m average, including 8M at MP effort - at or below 6:30s. It was a little bit net downhill, but I’ll certainly let take it at this stage. I do like locking into this kind of pace. Left about 5:30am, into a blissful 12C. I swear I could see my breath at one point!
Hope your feet unmess themselves quickly macca so you can gently enjoy your week of freedom. Saw on Strava you have been out and about.
Interesting course your OH is doing stevemac. Might start to cast around for something useful myself as by the looks of things I will be out of my current job in the next few months.
The back issues don't sound fun chicksta, I hope they stay manageable.
Well done on the 19 miles muddy. Ouch to the feet.
Nice session Scott.
Decent weekend of running for me - had to be out at 7ish at the latest as it is still hot here. Lacking in sleep a bit but will head off for a siesta soon.
7 miles recovery yesterday with 10 x strides - managed to count to 10 this time.
Today 15 miles with 11 @ planned mara pace (8min/mile pace) was on the agenda which I completed in 2:02. Ran laps to take in two fountains to soak my headwear and drink a bit which helped me not to overheat too much. These runs with longer sections @MP caused me a lot of trouble last time around, I'm coping with them much better this time. Pace wandered around a bit but on the slightly too fast rather than too slow side.
SQ - The test certainly was one of ups/downs. Good result in the end though! Racking up the miles
19m is an odd distance Muddy, good time in this heat though
Strong end to the week Hazel!
What a result AWC, just finishing alone is an achievement let alone finishing in that time!
Sounds like excellent carb loading for running Jools, what work you doing at festivals?
Yesterday's session was a struggle but still ran around 27min of effort at the majority sub 5 miling so not all bad. Today a flat out and back group run, just over 60mins at 6:22 miling. Rest/easy day in prep for Watford 800m Wednesday now
Muddy: Crikey, that pace on your 19 miler is still faster than my 5k pace
Hazel: Another impressive training week from you and well done on the MP sesh. I was 2 mins behind finishing mine in 2:04
Jools: Not my kind of diet (my body is a temple and all that
Scott: That's a couple of hard/fast sessions there. Nice work.
Joe: Hope Katie got her sub 40
SQ: nice high mileage week and jealous of your 12 deg
AWC - brilliant result, congratulations. I was tracking you during the day and willing you onwards. Horrible conditions. Sorry I didn't get out on the course in the end. My good mate Matt won the race in his first 100 miler! Absolutely made up for him.
Hazel - great MP run, glad to hear they're going well. Better to be slightly too fast..
Scott - good luck for Wednesday! Cooler conditions forecast which should be good, right?
Another cracking weekend - loving this weather. Was already quite warm for the start of the 10km on Saturday morning in Battersea Park. Standard is always high - winner ran sub 30 mins! Running with Katie, letting her run her own race but just there to give a 2nd 'opinion' on pace. We went through halfway in 19:30, could tell she was hurting but willing her to hang tough. Slowed slightly, but still picking people off, finished in 39:30 which is a 34 second PB. 4th female and 40th overall - said the standard was pretty good for a pretty low key race. She was very happy. Anyone who is running around that pace have thoughts on what in their experience that would translate to in a marathon given appropriate endurance training? I've got a 3:05 prediction atm.
Did 60 miles on the bike in the afternoon before quite a boozy engagement party (not ours!) that evening. Then we had another of our favourite 'adventure' days on Sunday. 15 mile long run in Bushy park, quick change, and a 23 mile walk on the North Downs (out for about 7 hours). Absolutely loved it, brilliant day. Decent ice-cream too.
Easier day today. Haha.
Best of luck for the 800 tomorrow, Scott.
Great work to Katie, Joe. Pleased she broke the 40 barrier. I like your MLR long walk combo. They look really fun. Are they done with a training effect in mind? Or solely for good times. I remember reading about NZ and Japanese athletes using long hikes (tramps) in their endurance training.
Legs still pretty buggered from long run with MP on Sunday. Recovery yesterday and this morning. A bit more this afternoon as well. Planning to do my club’s hilly 10k tomorrow night. Tough work but normally fun.
SQ I’ve still applied for GFA, as you say Champs is the dream but I’m under no illusions that’s a given. Especially after this weekend! Great long run from you.
Great mileage Chicksta.
Top work ticking off all your training despite the heat Hazel.
Hope the feet sort themselves out soon Macca.
Nice sessions Scott, good luck for Watford.
Good to hear from you Jooligan. Nice quiet summer for you then
Top work muddy, bet it was hard work in the heat.
Huge congrats on the 100 miler AWC.
And congrats too to Katie, Joe. Her performances since coming back from injury have been superb.
So, a very mixed weekend for me. I had a good medium-long on Friday morning, 15 miles averaging 7:01/mi. However, afterwards my feet felt very sore with what I suspect is plantar fasciitis. I’ve had it flare up before but usually it’s just a bit sore first thing and I can run it off. However, this time it seems a bit more serious. I literally spent 4 hours on Saturday debating whether to go out for a run, but in the end decided to be sensible and just do some cycling.
On Sunday I decided I’d head out for my long run and just see how it felt. After a mile or so my feet felt normal so I cracked on with my planned loop of the Droitwich and then Worcester/Birmingham canal. It was going well and I was really enjoying running a different route, however after about 10 miles I started to struggle a bit with energy and motivation. Not quite a bonk, but something definitely wasn’t right. I also began to feel my feet again so bailed just before 17 miles.
Not quite sure what the energy dip was about, possibly the heat as it was warming up fast, or just birthday excesses catching up with me. More worrying is my feet though, they were very sore post run. I took yesterday off, and have been doing calf stretches and lots of rolling on the feet. It feels better today, but I can still feel mild discomfort while walking so I think I’m going to take today off too, and maybe see how it feels on a short recovery run tomorrow. Very frustrating just as things seemed to be clicking again with my training. I'm hoping that if I’m sensible I can get it sorted early enough to not impact Frankfurt too much. Although I do fear my luck may have finally ran out injury wise!
All the best with the continuing recovery Steve.
Well done on the mp run Hazel, great it feels stronger than the last training block.
Chicksta - impressive mp session after the 22 miler, got to be feeling strong to do that.
Good luck at Watford Scott.
Joe - that sounds almost like an IM weekend you had there, impressive mileage. Well done to Katie for smashing the 10k. FWIW, I ran 39:35 May 16 then a few weeks later a 3:10 which I was a bit disappointed with tbh, I reckon there could have been 3 or 4 mins less if I had gone for it. So 3:05 looks completely realistic. If Katie’s in for the long game I would advise go for the 3:05 then target 3 in the spring.
Spoons - you're definitely doing the right thing, better to be over-cautious than try and force the issue. Might be worth getting a 2nd opinion off someone, hope it clears up sharpish.
Fairly hard bike session this morning, total of 45 miles in 2:15. Falling asleep at my desk now.
Spoons - really sorry to hear about the feet. As I said on Strava, everyone’s different, but when I was diagnosed with PF, I had already tried rolling the feet with a golf ball and frozen water bottle, also ‘towel grabs’ with the toes. I had it for long enough for a NHS physio appointment to come through. She suggested calf stretches and so I have done this for 2 x 2 mins a day (ie whilst teeth brushing) for the last three years. Good luck and I hope you can jump back into training soon.
Macca - a week to yourself, lots of miles?
Spoon - Considering your mileage, the fact you've been pretty much injury free up until now is certainly not down to luck. Did you wear spikes for your recent track session? I'd like to give you some advice but my physio days are well behind me now so can't really add anything, other than to echo Joe's suggestion of going to see someone early on.
Great pacing Joe. Great to see Katie's running well after her injury probs earlier in the year.
Looking forward to AWC's report.
No running on the weekend as we went camping and was busy with child wrangling and other stuff. Was great fun though and spent lots of time at the beach. Back into it yesterday, 11 miles with 7.5 mile tempo. Just an easy 7 today.
Scott, I thought it an odd distance too, so made it up to 20
You have more impressive powers of recovery than me Chicksta, I won't be able to tackle any mp sessions until at least tonight, after a Saturday long run. Well done to you and Hazel on getting them done.
RSR - Sorry to read of the PF. I had a spell of it. Apart from being zapped in the foot with a foot zapper thing (really quite painful in the process) several times to accelerate healing, I worked on ankle flexibility with swimming, which seemed to help a lot with the calf tightness that was also present (and possibly the cause). I needed to build up the heel on minimal low drop shoes to get some long term relief, so Just chopped insoles from an old pair of shoes and stuck it into my low drop shoes. But as Joe said, get it looked at from an overall function point of view.
Fantastic running from Katie! Typically exercise filled weekend from you both and big bike miles this morning
Good luck at the hilly 10km tomorrow SQ!
Hopefully with the sensible approach Spoons you'll nip any problems in the bud before they get too serious
Recovery 30 with strides this evening before tomorrow's 800m. And yes Joe, certainly grateful for it being a little cooler for tomorrow evening, even if it just means I'm not dripping with sweat after the warm up
Good luck for the 800 Scott - could we have another finish line photo please?
And Good luck for your hilly 10k this evening SQ.
Nice busy weekend Joe. Congratulations again to Katie. Would agree on the long hikes. I remember having a crap long run last summer - CBA rather than a niggle. Rather than abandoning it and slinking home I said well if the body won't run it can bloody walk and got the 22 miles done.
Nice to see you Steve. Good luck on your recovery.
Sensible to cut short that run spoons, hope that the rest day has helped your feet.
Nice beach and camping break HA.
Hmm - do that list of jobs next week macca?
North Downs Way 100
I went into my first 100 miler excited, anxious and not knowing what to expect. Training had gone really well and I felt confident I could at least beat the 30 hour cut-off if not better. Forecast was awful with almost 30 degrees for Saturday afternoon.
Pre-Race
I slept OK on Friday night and woke up at 3.30am feeling excited and ready to go.
My Dad drove me to the start and headed off to Box Hill which would be my first meeting point with him and my sister who were crewing.
Pre-race briefing warned us to take it easy from Box Hill to halfway as that was going to be very hilly and very hot.
6am and we were off…
Start – Box Hill (0-24.6mi)
Totally uneventful until we got to Box Hill at 10.00am (51st position), stopped at the aid station to resupply, hit the stepping stones which were beautiful and headed up 275 steps to the top where I met my crew for the first time.
Box Hill – Knockholt Pound (24.6-50.0mi)
Easy part done and now the bit we were warned about – take it easy here and the night time will reward you we were told.
This was the beginning of a section of very steep hills and steps but the stunning views made up for it.
It got very hot here but restocking my cap with ice cubes at aid stations really kept my core temperature down.
On reaching Knockholt at 4pm I was in 48th position so had just creeped into the top 50 now. Some people were a sorry sight – shoes and tops off with blisters/chafing. Reminded me of how good I was feeling.
We had hot food (meat pasta and cheese, yum!), picked up my head torches from my crew, more ice in my cap and was on my way.
Knockholt Pound – Holly Hill (50.0 – 65.6mi)
This was one of the most difficult parts mentally. I expected things to start cooling down now but instead I was getting hotter and feeling nauseous for the first time which worried me.
I felt awful by the time I got to my crew at Wrotham (60mi) and had to ease up for a few miles so I wasn’t sick. I was too hot in the aid station and too hot outside. I told myself to ease up a bit, start drinking more plain water and get to Holly Hill station. The thought of another 43mi, mainly through the night, now began to scare me and some doubts crept in for the first time.
I took my own advice, and had cooled down a little by Holly Hill, but was still feeling a bit sick and really painful in my quads so that running was now taking a big effort every time.
Had some coffee as the night time was coming soon which really helped.
Holly Hill – Detling (65.6 – 82.0 mi)
Total turnaround – I left Holly Hill and after a few miles hit the start of my recce’d section. The temperatures were now falling, it was dusk, and I was leading a train of 4 or 5 guys through the forest, picking up someone who had got lost on my way. I arrived at Ranscombe Farm in no time to see my crew with a cheeseburger and milkshake from McDs!
Another slow section up to Bluebell Hill aid station and then the start of 2 gruelling sections pre and post Detling – more steps and really steep hills.
Got to Detling in 52nd position as I’d been overtaken by a few people with pacers in the last mile or so (a pacer would clearly have really helped me!)
Some hot soup and bread were amazing here. My sister taped the start of a little blister on my foot. Changed my socks which felt ace and I was now ready for the most difficult part of the whole course…
Detling - Ashford (82.0 – 103.0 mi)
The trail after Detling is pretty horrific – lots of big steep steps, the path literally goes through bushes, where you have to push your way through the foliage, so parts of this section are totally unrunnable.
I almost ran into a bull at one point which scared the life out of me but luckily, he was too sleepy to bother with me.
Amazingly this bad section went really well for me. Maybe I had built it up so much in my mind, but similarly to when I hit the start of the recce’d part pf the course it felt like I got a new set of legs.
I then saw my crew at Hollingbourne (87.4mi) for the last time and headed off to an easier part of the course which ended up being an awful section for me. I think because I wouldn’t see my crew again until the finish in Ashford, and another 16mi felt really long now in the middle of the night I hit a real low mentally for the first time.
I trudged the next 3.5mi to Lenham aid station still in 52nd and got ready for 7mi to the final station at Dunn Street (98mi). I had now finished the recce’d part of the course now and this felt like a really long section, but I got running again and I knew the sun was going to be coming soon.
I finally made it to Dunn Street where I had a few jelly babies and composed myself – the volunteers said it was 2 miles downhill and then 3 miles through Ashford town to the athletics track.
The sun was now up, my spirits were up again and I could dream of the finish line for the first time – something I had strongly resisted the urge to do any earlier in the race.
I was running really strongly again now down the first couple of miles and quickly came upon the Church on the outskirts of Ashford that I recognised and that sent my spirits even higher (no pun intended!)
I ran past 4 or 5 people on the way to the Julie Rose Stadium and was desperately trying to hold it together and not cry as I knew I had done it. I stopped to warn my crew that I was a mile away from the stadium and make sure they weren’t asleep!
It was the best lap of a track I’ve ever done and over the line in 48th position in 24hr 50min 21sec
Ecstatic doesn’t even cover it!!!
Lessons Learnt
- Bad patches never stay around for ever – they always get better
- Recce’ing the night time part of the course was the best piece of prep I did
- Ice in my cap kept me cool and saved my race
- The night time is nothing to fear at all
- A McDonalds at mile 70 is a little piece of heaven
- Always have a change of socks in the 2nd half of the race – again it felt heavenly
- Its amazing how far 15mi seems at 4 am in the morning
- Having a crew is awesome – my Dad and my sister were simply amazing (would I have finished without them? Maybe but it would have been a hell of a lot harder)
Sounds a great weekend, HA. Can’t beat the beach. We’re off to Carbis Bay bear St Ives soon - can’t wait.
The thing about bad patches is something I shall remember next time in a race when the going gets tough.
Joe, I remember reading that endurance runners in the early 1900s would do most of their training as long walks, as they were afraid too much running would burn them out. So I’ve no doubt those long hikes will have a positive effect.
I’ve been enjoying the athletics too Hazel. Very tough conditions for the 10,000. Bit worrying yesterday when Krumins collapsed at the finish line, and the only medical support was the mascot trying to pull her up! She only got water when another athlete went to get some for her. Solid 6th place from Alice Wright too, who comes from my hometown.
Great report AWC, and epic performance. I agree with the others, you look remarkably fresh in that photo! 100 milers boggle my mind, an amazing feat both physically and mentally.
Thanks for the advice everyone. No spikes recently HA. Although I do wonder if the hard running in spikes over the last few months, followed by the jump in mileage, is what triggered this. I’ve been rolling the foot and doing calf stretches, it’s feeling better but there is still some mild soreness/tightness when walking so I’m trying to play it safe so no running yet. I think I’ll probably wait until the weekend now to try it out. If it’s still bad then I’ll head to the physio.
I feel pretty relaxed about it at the moment, although it already feels like ages since I ran! Just trying to think long term. There’s still plenty of time before Frankfurt, but even if this does impact that there’s no point trying to force it. I don’t want to rush back, make things worse, and compromise not just Frankfurt but potentially races beyond that!
Pleasing LT Hazel, strong running
Spoons - glad to see you're being sensible, it takes a great deal of restraint to do what you're doing, it's much easier to just train through. Hope the break does it good.
Hazel - really good LT run, very impressive.
Scott - Brilliant run mate, huge PB - congrats. That sub 2 will come soon enough I'm sure.
Another big effort on the bike this morning, one all-out flying lap in Richmond Park. Big PB, power numbers higher than I've ever seen. Trending upwards.
Spoons, I was just reading about Alice Wright’s debut. She’s done brilliantly. As her former teacher, I’ll take all the credit! A very calm and sensible approach you’re taking. If you’re back to running next week, I’ll be in Worcester on Wednesday and Thursday if you fancy teaming up. Perhaps for a BAC style session on the Wednesday?
Very impressive LT, Hazel. That session is physically and mentally a real toughie.
Fantastic effort, Scott. Such a shame that an elbow probably cost you. Love that this thread has everything from 800m to 100M!
Have a good time AWC and get in as much running as you can pre number 2!
Bugatti 10k last night. At 19C it felt so much cooler. It is definitely a race of two halves, with the latter being all uphill and into the wind. Disappointingly, 20 something seconds slower than last year, but 7th overall so can’t complain. Good battle with two others at the end, just being pipped by the V50 winner but holding off the V40 winner. Hopefully his means we’ll all get quicker as we get older?! A fun evening, so can’t complain about being slower, especially given a big few weeks in the bank. Also won the team prize, shocked to get some cold hard cash. More importantly, had a T Bone steak when I got home - £12 down to £5 in Tesco. Mmmm mmmm.
5M slow recovery (8:40s) this morn. Quite stiff and tired.
Have secured a place for Abingdon Marathon. Woohoo! Anyone else joining this year?
Also stopped fannying about and sent off a GFA application. This closes today in case anyone is dithering. Very end of April this time. Goodness knows how hot it’ll be then!