The Middle Ground

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Comments

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    What's aggressive tapering?  :D

    No running for me but my first 100k+ bike ride.  Absolutely shattered for the rest of the day and pretty achy this morning.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    By week 2, beating the crap out of anyone that comes near me. A more substantial drop in one hit than doing 3 weeks. 

    My weekly average mileage over last 5 weeks is just over 57 mpw. Last week was 67. This week will be 35-40. 
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    67 miles - I would break on that mileage.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    A few years ago I would have as well. 40 mpw used to be my max. Of last weeks mileage, I did one session which was just over 8m in total, everything else was slower than 8mm so that does make it more achievable.
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭

    Haha, 25 mpw seems to be enough to break me!

    Great week's mileage DT, to round off a great training block by the sounds of it. Enjoy (!) the taper!

    No running for me since last week. I was feeling so drained during my short runs last week that I just though I might benefit from a few days off.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Ticking over here, legs coming back nicely and sports massage tonight.

    Decent session yesterday, just an 8m mlr today. Looks like a mini heatwave is coming in. Just as well Easter falls late this year as this weekend is the usual London weekend and I would be furious if it were hot again!

  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Funnily enough I had a sports massage tonight - first one I’ve ever had. Confirmed to me that my right leg is full of tightness compared to my left. Makes sense given all my niggles tend to be in that leg.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019

    Yes they are very useful for noting dominant sides. I have the same feedback but on my left side. Did you 'enjoy' it? I've been seeing my chap since 2014 and he said it's the best condition he has seen my legs in which is good as he usually see's me a week later into tapering but he is on holiday next week.

    mlr ticked along. I was stopped halfway by a bloke wanting to know if I had a light on me!! Rest day today so will spend some time in the spa on my way home stretching.

    Last long one tomorrow at 14m.


  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    DT - yes, enjoyed it thanks. Might make it a regular thing (although not as regular as the physio suggested - once every 4/6 weeks sounds expensive!).

    How is the taper going?

    4 miles today. First run for a week, and it felt significantly better than the last few runs last week. Hopefully I can now get a good 6 week block in before targeting a parkrun pb
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    4 more miles this morning - felt decent again.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Yes they can get expensive.

    Tapering going well.  14 friday then 5 saturday morning. Been away in Liverpool since Saturday morning for my sons birthday. Got us tickets for the everton game which went well and had a couple of days there. Back in time for 4m treadmill run then spin. 

    Dare i say forecast, if a little breezy, is looking like something I'd snatch someones hand off for right now. 
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Better that than weather like the last couple of days DT!


  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Ticking along nicely. Had lots of sleep this week and just about managed a 70k weigh in this morning. 

    Little 3 miler in morning then im done. 
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Great stuff DT. Weather looks good for Sunday - only 13-15c?

    5 milesfor me this afternoon at a steady clip - about 8:28m/m.

  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Well, today’s run can be filed under ‘f*** up’! Just over a mile in, bumbling along at 9m/m pace along the river path and I trip over a rock and end up face first on my path - cuts, grazes and bruises all over both legs and my left arm but (I think) nothing broken. And no one was around to see, so at least no real embarrassment, just a bit of pain!
  • alehousealehouse ✭✭✭
    Sorry to hear about your fall, AD! Hope there is no significant damage today! At least when I went flying over one of those stupid dog leads during the week I somehow managed to stay on my feet! 

    parkrun today, 23:15 ish without pushing too hard. Happy with that as it was hardly a day for running fast. 

    And go well tomorrow, DT!
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • alehousealehouse ✭✭✭
    Well executed, DT! Nice reward for a great training block! Consistent consistency pays off!
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Yes, I saw your time on the tracker too DT. Great stuff!
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Thanks both. Plan was 1.29.30 first hslf then neg split. Went through in 1.29.24 feeling like i was struggling then i woke up. So chuffed. 
  • WJHWJH ✭✭✭
    Great work DT and big congratulations and a hugely impressive PB! I tried to look out for you but must have missed you somehow. Look forward to reading your race report. 

    I was up up there yesterday and it was a success seeing RJH hit a big PB of his own going sub 2:30. There is a great moment on the iPlayer with him sprinting in with some chap from Belgium with the elation after being shown having his his target! (He needs to do short track races IMO as he would absolutely smash that). Should think he will go even faster over the next few years too. 

    Maybe all of your impressive times and PBs will one day inspire me to make a comeback but for now my biggest achievement running wise may actually be introducing my (not much younger) brother to running seven years ago...even back then, it was obvious to me that he had a lot of potential so it’s great to see him hit the heights he finally achieved yesterday. 

    Otherwise, I think I’ll continue to semi-lurk for the medium term at least. 
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    You should be chuffed - you got that sub3 monkey done and now made it a habit.


  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    jgav, yes often reaching a target can be achieveable as a peak once off and consolidating there can prove tricky. 

    WJH, i saw the pics you were tagged in on FB re your brother. Turning into quite the athlete for sure! You've got those genes as well.....

    Very sore quads today. Has massage this morning and day off work but suspect I'll feel worse again tomorrow. 
  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    No running for me since my tumble on Friday (as I couldn’t fully bend my knee or walk properly until yesterday) but I’m hoping to get out for something tomorrow.

    Hope the quads are better today DT? Look forward to reading your race report!


  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Sadly not, they are even sorer!!

    Just posted a report on overdone it thread.

  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    Just read it - great report and a fantastically executed race. When you mentioned the gels causing stomach issues I thought we were in for some toilet related sections later in the report, but I’m glad to hear that wasn’t needed!

    Like others on that thread have said, you kept the coach thing very quiet. Sounds like it worked though!
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭


    Andrew, I think people can be very judgmental and I would have been under pressure more to perform in earlier races as people looking in would start to question my judgment if I had been open about it.

    The mara more than any other distance benefits from race experience as so many other non fitness related aspects can blow it up. I was careful to manage my intake as I saw the signs but also knew I needed some fuel.

  • WJHWJH ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Great race report DT having just read through. And as others have said, no wonder I didn’t spot you as your club vest is quite easy to notice! Made me laugh how you approached the chap from your club and in many ways it sounds like it was the hardest decision you had to make all race with everything else clicking into place nicely! That overpass / flyover by the way where you looked back at the sub 3 pacer is where my left knee ruined a PB attempt in what was my last marathon back in 2016.

    As for the coach thing, that’s why it’s good not to get too hung up on too much advice from those on forums (particularly those who won’t know you in person). Not that it’s bad advice though of course not and I have benefited from some of that over the years. Just sometimes you need to go with your gut feeling too. The key to success as with anything is simple - hard work, listening to your body and structuring your training and shaking it up where needed to push on that bit more. Hence the coaches schedule doing that! I’m also with you / and your coach on the HRM....just another dataset which can be useful, but also another distraction. I get that it works for many though. Each to their own and all that of course.

    As for RJH yes pretty much, only a few seconds off a sub 32 10k as well as other very fast times now but again, it’s all come from hard work (I won’t bet against a low 2:20 marathon eventually). I know pretty much what he has done to get to this level and the type of training he does and I doubt anyone will argue he is one of the few runners to maximise his potential. It’s good to get his advice as I slowly get back into things although unfortunately it’s a long way off but have myself to blame even if family life, change of jobs again last year and manic times in the new one and a house move last year have been a distraction from structured running. Whilst things have mostly settled down, I’ve been waiting for the lighter nights to run more frequently. 

    My steady runs are currently about 9:20 minute miles and recently did the Eastleigh 10k in 53:37 (8:59 pace) at probably 95% effort. To put into context, I was still running sub 40 10ks three plus years ago. Weight is for sure the killer! Moral of the story is keep it going and stay disciplined and enjoy the PBs and progress with the faster times when you can. DT - you have certainly done that and your patience over the last few years to keep grinding away is very inspirational. 

    Hopefully I can drop the weight down and get more miles in over the course of this year. I’m currently nearing 20 a week which would be the most in a few years (all slow and steady) so who knows what is around the corner eventually. I’m enjoying getting slightly fitter than I was in any case so even if that’s all it is to be then so be it. 🙂
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Basically, I didn't want the process judged by results in races during the process. I wanted it judged on the outcome that we were targeting and working towards.

    I saw your brothers post/pictures that he put on the sub 3 fb group. His transformation is quite amazing!

    I'd love to go for a little run today, however I think my legs are still 48 hours off it.

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Interesting on the coach front.  I've got a friend M 40-44 who has battling against the Sub3 barrier, he's progressed from 3.31 to 3.04 in the last 6 or so years and I wonder if your coach could help him.  Could you PM some more details?  How it works/their name/cost etc.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
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