P&D Spring Marathon 2019

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Comments

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    NE, great result. The much sought after negative split. Impressive.

    Macca, congrats on smashing Sub 20, that’s an amazing result after the 2:45 & 2:44 in the last month. I don’t think I’ll be seeing much of you on the South Downs Way in the form you are in.

    I’ve had my easiest week for months, 26 miles of recovery (over 4 days) Only turned the legs over for the last 1/2 mile of parkrun as needed to outsprint a couple of club mates.
  • SteveMac - do your loyalties lie with our semi final opponents or one of our potential final opponents?

    TR - well done on the 24 miler, to be on your feet for that amount of time is mentally as well as physically tiring

    FBT - Sorry about the DNS

    Millsy - Fantastic result. I saw you at just before 23 miles, any slow down must have been minor as you looked to be motoring

    Joe - not had a chance to read your blog as I’ve been pretty busy before going away. I should get a spare few minutes by the pool in the next few days to take a look. I saw Katie had a playful dig on the Strava activity for London which I found funny. Probably also shows where your head was about the result.

    NE - you executed the exact race you planned to and smashed the PB, massive congratulations. I don’t think showing the emotions in the last mile is in anyway pathetic at all. We spend so much time and sacrifice so much in the build up to a marathon, let alone the effort on the day.

    Macca - it’s getting to the point now where no one doubts you’re going to absolutely smash a race. Congratulations and what a month it’s been. What’s the next goal?

    Hamo - how does it feel to now be an ultra runner?  :D

    I’ve now run twice in the last 3 days (5m and 8m) and not felt any pain in either of the calves. Today the plan was to run shorter than I did, but I was enjoying it on the seafront so continued until the path stopped. Now the major challenge will be to build back up sensibly.
  • HA77HA77 ✭✭✭
    NE - Great result. Trusted yourself and smashed it. Well deserved, hope you're enjoying the post race buzz.

    Macca - Unbelievable really. Just amazing to put in those 3 races so close to each other. Any one of them on there own would've been super impressive but all together is just phenomenal. Another this weekend?

    Good to hear from you John. Hope those shinsplints recover ok for your upcoming half. I've got a few mates running Gold Coast. Good luck with the prep.

    Joe - Nice PR effort. Enjoyed the blog as always. 

    Away camping for the weekend and didn't even bother packing the running gear. We'll see how the legs feel for a lunch run today.
  • Top performance NE - must feel great to see the plan come together on the day.. so what's next?
  • MaccatheknaccaMaccatheknacca ✭✭✭
    edited May 2019
    John - good to hear from you.

    HA - hope the camping wasn’t too cold.

    HPR - good to see you are running, as you say the challenge is to be sensible!

    Joe - really enjoyed the report.  Great to read how you can enjoy the crowds, the banter etc then dig in for the business end, a race to be proud of.

    TR - yes, all done off P&D almost to the letter, extras being a few LRs 35,27, 43 and 26 and 2 extra MP miles on all the the MP sessions as I had done a bit of mp prior to the plan.

    Thanks for the comments on TP100.  Absolutely thrilled with the time and despite feeling a bit creaky, pleased with how I’m feeling.  A few 10ks pencilled in but recovery is the main aim for the next few weeks.

    A straggler report from London to keep us going until NE checks in and a few lines on TP to be penned.
  • London 2019

    This was meant to be an easy, enjoy the day gentle run before my ultra season commenced.  Getting so close to sub 2:45 3 weeks prior threw those plans out the window.  The revised plan was to aim for a slight positive split and hang on for dear life in the last 6 miles.  From where I live, courtesy of a club coach, this is the most stress free marathon to get to, I appreciate I’m so lucky to have London on my doorstep.  As it was a little chilly, but perfect running temp, I stayed in the marquee a bit longer, joining the pen maybe 1/2 to 3/4 back.  This meant the first few miles were quite congested but most were moving at a reasonable pace so no dramas.  6:09, 6:17, 6:07, 6:06, 6:06 all on the manual lapping.  I exchanged greetings with SQ along the way but no other points of note until Cutty Sark.  Someone got a bit arsey when I tapped his arm as he cut across me trying to save himself a few cm’s on a turn.  Whilst trying to think of a clever retort, and failing, I missed the 7 mile marker.  Easy fix as a double click at 8 revealed 2x 6:15 ave.  Miles ticked off nicely from 8 to 12 between 6:07s and 6:15s.  Over tower bridge through a wall of noise, one of my favourite bits, I then missed 3 more mile markers but turns out they were 6:11 ave then a 6:18 mile 17.  In truth, I might as well have not had a watch during this point but I was happy with my progress against those around me. Effort was noticeably rising now with pace slowing to a few 6:25s but the pace band I had, showed I had around 40s in the bank.  I missed another mile marker at 18 but still on course at 19.   I was aware the blue line was a bit easier to follow than usual and I was still passing more than being passed by.  With the gps messed up around Canary Wharf and missing a few markers I wasn’t sure exactly what mile I was in.  I saw a km marker ahead starting with a 3 but as it seemed to be directly behind a lamp post I couldn’t tell what the 2nd digit was.  I was pleasantly surprised it was 35km so 7km to go, errmmm, somewhere between 3 and 6 miles ! The 2nd of 2 club cheering points was at Blackfriars so looking forward to it for a mile and the high for a mile or so afterwards took care of up to 25miles.  Effort was maxing out now and paced had slipped slightly but there was a decent buffer or so I thought.  2 track laps to go at 800m looked ok but at 600m not so.  I think I was working off 90sec laps (6 min mile pace) which in hindsight I clearly wasn’t running at.  It dawned on me that this could be another 2:45:xx.  I tried not to look at my watch too much just concentrating on getting to the line.  Over the line it read 2:44:57 - for a moment I worried I had started it too late and stopped it too early and 3 secs might be added on but I soon dismissed those fears and enjoyed the long walk back to the last baggage lorry like never before.  A few beers with some threadsters then a few more with the club and it was the reactions of others that finally made it sink in.  I like this stat, 1st half passed 2504 passed by 28, 2nd half 296 / 25 - it did feel that way.  It reads a bit numbers focussed, and it was meant to be but it was impossible not to take in everything else on the day.  No better place to go sub 2:45 imho.  No time to dwell too much, I had 5 days to recover for an ultra.

  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Macca - Incredible stuff, not sure how you do it!! Absolutely smashed the 20 hour target!!
    HPR - Loyalties are firmly with Villa, hoping to play you guys in the final!
    NE - Brilliant stuff, race plan executed perfectly. Superb PB.
    John - Sorry to hear about the injury, some good training banked though which will stand you in good stead for the marathon.
    Joe - As always a good read!
    18 miles for me on Saturday, 5 mile recovery on Sunday after 90 minutes on the bike, that finished off another 50+ mile week. Up early today (out the door at 4:20!) to do a 13 mile MLR.
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Macca: another great report - such a well executed race so soon after Manchester. Can't wait for the TP100 report!!
    5 weeks till the SDW100 so I have 3 high mileage weeks planned of 70+ miles with loads of hills, and then a couple of weeks taper. Starting tonight with a hilly commute home - going to add in a few additional hills at the end. Aiming to hit 4,000ft of climbing each week.
  • hamo44gfchamo44gfc ✭✭✭
    TR...nice long run. Fingers crossed the hills aren't too bad for you, they haven't given you much time to prepare for them.

    FBT...sorry to hear that, awful luck.

    Millsy...Congrats on an excellent London result.

    Joe...Brilliant parkrun time, esp for a tempo effort. Hope the tri went well? The blog is a very good read.

    Macca...I've nothing left to say, just awesome. Unbelievable in the 100miler, just wow. Brilliant London report too.

    John...bad luck with the shin splints,  fingers crossed you recover quickly. And best of luck for July.

    NE...absolutely top quality, really well done...huge congratulations, delighted for you. As Jools says, you've proven everyone in London were pacing wrong :D 

    HPR...yea, i'm an ultra runner now, only Belfast could f**k up the marathon distance   :p Glad the calves are holding up well.

    HA77..hope you had a nice time camping? Sensible leaving the running gear behind.


    So i ran the Belfast "Ultra" marathon on Sunday. They have said officially it was 0.3 mile long, but everyone i spoke to had it at least 0.5/6 mile over distance, including past mile markers, so much for their shiny new course, wouldn't be Belfast to mess it up. However, the distance was bad, but the bag drop/collection was the worst bit of organizing/the day for me, people who had ran 4-5 hour marathons had to stand in freezing cold temps in a queue for over an hour to get their bags and warm clothes. St Johns the Ambulance where busy looking after that queue of people i can tell you, was shocking to see people suffer like that. 

    I'm just glad i wasn't going for a time for gfa or anything, cause i'm not sure if London or anywhere else will accept the revised timings to make up for the extra distance (they haven't even released the formula they've used to recalculate peoples times, everyone's seems different). I don't know how they've calculated the timings per extra distance, but people are rightly very annoyed.

    Anyway, i was feeling good at the start, so set out at London pace, just to see how long i could hang on for more than anything else really, as i had no plan what way to run it, so seemed a good idea as any. I settled into a nice wee group of 5 and ticked over the miles nicely at just under 6.00 m/m pace until about half way, 1.17.59 for me 1.20.xx according to Belfast marathon  :* Not long after half way, during the first real climb of the route, the piano Jools had warned me about   (but as usual i didn't listen) was handed to me, and the effort began to increase quite rapidly. If i'm honest i could have hung on to the group and hurt more/for longer than i did (and if it was an 'a' race id like to think i would have) but my head just wasn't in race mode at all, so i let them go and settled into an easier pace, to see out the 2nd half of the new route. The pace kept dropping per mile but i wasn't annoyed and just let the effort judge what speed i was doing, so i could enjoy it rather than have to dig it out. I came round the last bend into the finishing straight  and seen the wife and kids, stopped lifted my 3 year old over the barrier so she could finish with me...wasn't expecting her to sprint finish and me struggling to keep up however  :D That was the best part of a good day for me.

    Official finish time (with or without the extra distance i'm not sure) was 02.52.10 to finish in 65th position. So cant be bad to 2 sub 3 marathons in a week.

    In hindsight, Belfast's decision to move to a Sunday is a good one, the new route was nice, however not exactly as flat and fast as they'd said it would be (as with the last course, there is a significant climb, followed by a sharp downhill 17 mile in, which is no good for the legs). But the extra distance and throwing marshalls under the bus as a way of defending it will leave a bad taste in peoples mouths. The organisation of the bag collection and way in which people where supposedly treated is criminal though, and shouldn't happen in any race, never mind a big city marathon.

    Still, was a good day out for me personally (i didn't use the bag drop, and extra distance didn't really matter to me in the grand scheme), and it was nice to run with no pressure and to finish with my wee woman...cant wait for the official photos to come out of her crossing the line.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited May 2019
    NE - cracking run, well executed. Great to see. Will be interested on your thoughts looking back and what you'll do next.

    Macca - maybe that P and D plus longer long runs set you up really well for the marathons too, as you did all the marathon strength work included.

    Hamo - great stuff, one for the family album, in more ways than one.

    15 today.
  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    Thanks all.  I'll catch up soon... but here's a very very long race report for anyone who has the endurance to get through it!  If not, I'll add a post which tells the whole story in two pictures!     So here's the long version - starting with an intro.

    Finally achieving ‘Good for age’, for me at least, took a twin-pronged attack. Training to get faster - as hard as I reasonably could - and, alongside that, a steadfast determination to get older. I achieved both, partly by following the 18wk P&D up to 55 programme more closely than I’ve done previously (about 650 of the ~784 miles ticked off...  including a decent proportion of the higher quality runs) – and partly by selecting Newport marathon which is genuinely beautiful, flat, fast, and crucially took place in May, a couple of weeks after my 55th birthday. The mileage was almost identical to my breakthrough Manchester campaign of 2016 (3:24) but exactly 100 miles more than Newport last year when I got a small pb of 3:22:56 off 550 miles – although this year, I really have to consider that I started from a very low base.

    I was also blessed to have zero injuries - zero illnesses in this year’s campaign. The run up to it could hardly have been worse though. Jun-Sept... very very low mileage. Then only ran in one of the four weeks of November and only had my trainers on once in December.  But literally on January 1st, still with a couple of antibiotics to take and a stone heavier than Newport ‘18, I started my 18 week journey.  Half way through, in early March, I’d averaged 37mpw so was really disappointed to do Newport half in 1:39:57.  But within a week, I suddenly started to see real changes in my training performances and 9 weeks on I was ready to go, in the belief that I was in the same or marginally better shape as 2018. But without racing I wasn’t sure (I knew I was much better than the half suggested... but I’d missed doing my key Park Run 2 weeks before raceday because I overslept, so didn’t have that info to work with). A heavy investment in some very light Vaporfly shoes, sort of helped my confidence even though I’d not tried them in anger.

    So after much study of my detailed training and race records, I hatched a plan to go against P&D and go for a negative split – something I hadn’t done since my first two marathons in 2012 and 2013. Last year’s near 4 minute +ve split was typical of all my marathons since – tending to fade around the 18-20m mark. In fact, it was better than most (or all) of them.  Cutting the story down...  I created a pace chart with each of the first 7 miles slower than 7:37 target pace...  mile 8 was the transition mile (exact MP), then 7.34 pace all the way, passing half way at 1:40:31 with a negative split to get me home with 15 seconds to spare.  A really key part of the plan was to make sure that I arrived at mile 7 with a full load of fuel and water.

    Rarely has a plan gone so well!


  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭

    The race

    One final bit of preamble... in the last 2 weeks, especially the last week, I was ultra disciplined with my sleep.  Race day eve came, I was well prepared and although I was slightly late to bed, I was tucked up by 11.30...  alarm set for 6am.  I got up for a wee – three times and amazed it’s still dark. It’s 3am. Obviously I’d been overhydrated and over excited! This time my brain woke up and after a while I’m eating cornflakes watching TV...  random running videos – mostly rubbish – but one extolling the virtues of going out slow, one on Kipchoge’s running form... and one of some random yank spouting on about the importance of cadence - these all proved really beneficial later in the day.  It was definitely after 4.45 before I got back to sleep. Not ideal, but I knew I’d be ok.

    Out of bed for 5.50am, trainers on, wrapped up and straight out for a mile very light jog on a beautiful frosty morning.  I really like doing this on race day.  I buy into the people who say that the early natural light, the air, the exercise start the body’s waking process effectively so that you’re really ready to go by nine.  Back for porridge and drinks, bags packed and drive 30min to Newport and by 8.10am I’m with club mates.  All goes super smooth. The weather was perfect. Cool / clear / still. Squeeze through the pen about half way between the 3.15 and 3.30 pacers... and soon enough, we’re off.  20 seconds on the clock as I pass the start line.  Only 3 things visible on my Garmin – Lap pace (autolap 1 mile), Elapsed time and Heart Rate ( my eyesight isn’t reliable enough to see smaller numbers without glasses... so I decided against having 2 or 3 bits of data on any single screen.

    Miles 1-7

    7:56, 7:45. 7:45, 7:45, 7:39, 7:40, 7:39   Within a mile, we’re crossing the River Usk and soon into the country lanes, surrounded by budding trees and out into the Gwent Levels. I can’t say that it really felt like I was holding back much through most of this. Occasionally reined myself in very slightly but that was matched by a few times where I just needed to step on it a bit. Most of the time it felt comfortable without feeling I’d want to go any faster.  Having taken a gel and water 10 minutes before the start, I did the same at the 3 mile mark – taking on at least 300ml.  At mile 6, it was a Lucozade station and I made sure I drank it all, dropping the bottle at the bin at the 7-mile marker and, at that moment, I mentally switched on.  I felt good and knew I should be fairly topped up with sugar, salt and water...  With a few more supplies along the way, I could surely last nutritionally to the end of the race. All I have to do is stick at 7:34 pace all the way!

    Miles 8 -  halfway  

    7:35, 7:50, 7:31, 7:35, 7.34, 7.34  (half-way 1:40:28) Clicking up to my new race pace was easy enough. Newport Gwent Levels is super flat... except for mile 9 which just has a tallish railway bridge and another little hill to deal with... but I took it easy and regained most in the next slightly downhill mile.  Through the village of Magor – the only place outside the start/finish where there is any real atmosphere generated by the support (the rest is in isolate pockets). Once or twice in these miles, I was a bit surprised to find my watch reading 7.45 lap pace and had to work a little to get back on track.  The word cadence frequently on my mind. Somewhere around 12 miles in, I saw the tall, hairy, smiley figure of Jooligan running towards me. A cheery wave and he turned to run alongside and chatted for a couple of minutes which was nice. I was feeling good at the time but was doing a pace that was only just enough...  but with so far to go, really didn’t expect to be holding it. I told him I’d end up in the 3:20/3:22 range. A few minutes later, I crossed the half-way mat 3 seconds ahead of schedule!

     

    Miles 14 - 20

    7.34, 7.34, 7.35, 7.37, 7.35, 7.40 7.27

    14-16 go well – again a full bottle of Lucozade consumed.  - I’m running with a group of three who were at my pace... sometimes I’m getting a bit of drafting from the gentle light cool breeze that’s arisen. But half way through mile 17 my watch unexpectedly shows 7.45 lap pace and trying to respond to pull it back isn’t working. Doubts start to fill my head for a minute – here we go again.  But a young lad and girl go past me looking strong and I decided I wasn’t going to let them go and I recovered for a 7.37 mile. From here, it was a lonely race. There are zero spectators for large swathes, and now I was running a different pace to everyone.  I was passing plenty...  and occasionally getting passed....  (but for almost the entirety of the rest of the race, I’d be able to see the young lad and girl up ahead).   I was, however, a bit concerned that I’m now definitely working a bit harder but I glanced at my watch, expecting to be a bit on the limit again.. and it reads 7.23 nearly half way through the 18th... and I have the luxury of backing off slightly – and this is where I first started to really believe that with maximum effort, I might actually do this.  I start to visualise the sprint to get a few seconds under the 3.20. Miles 19 & 20 are a bit of a repeat where I lost a bit of pace... worried that it was “here we go again” again... but concentrating hard on cadence and upping the effort level again had me going unexpectedly quick in mile 20.  As I approached the 20m marker, I checked my pace chart which stipulated 2:32:40...  and as I passed it, my elapsed time read 2:32:38... and a surge of confidence went through me. I need to average that 7.34... but now I’m calculating that my pace band has a 3:19:44 finish... so 15 seconds to play with.  And banking on my usual fast finish, there’s another 15... if I divide those 30 seconds up, I can slip to 7:40 for the next 5 miles and still pull this off.

  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭

    Miles 21-End    7:34, 7.37, 7.35, 7.37, 7.35, 7:08, (5:54 pace for remainder)

    The confidence lifts me for a mile but the 22nd is hard work.  I’m full of self-talk now. Not suffering as such, but the effort is increasing. The occasional devil on my shoulder telling me I can slow down a bit and still get a nice PB.  I’m instructing myself that I simply HAVE to make this happen. That London is my prize.  That I’d mouthed off about my negative split plan... and that it would be so disappointing to not deliver. I saw one of those cliché signs “Pain is temporary, pride is permanent” and I take strength from it.  The 23m marker is a real target for me as it’s located at the end of a long industrial road on why my work situated. Everything now is very familiar running territory. I’m passing more and more now, zoned in – virtually ignoring people whilst trying to acknowledge support with a flickered eyelash or something. Suffering but in manageable way. I manage another 7.37 and pass the 24 mile marker, right by my factory gate, 5 seconds ahead of my pace chart requirement...  So I’ve got that 5s, plus the 15s buffer, plus my expected sprint in hand and whilst effort is high, I’m suppressing excitement.

    The 25th mile isn’t picturesque but it’s familiar. It’s hard and my watch worries me for a minute but I up the intensity yet again and, even though it finishes uphill (bridge that crosses the River Usk again), I only use 1 second of my buffer. Coming down the other side, the slope takes my pace to a new level... I pass the “1m to go” marker and I gave out a massive bellow – probably frightening the few spectators out there! I know I’ve done it but I just accelerated and accelerated out of sheer joy (but also aware that a GFA is no longer guaranteed if you’re too close to the qualification time). At the 26m mark, I can see that even sub-3.19 should be achievable with a sprint finish and I powered down the finishing straight with a massive smile on my face all the way to the line for 3:18:51.  Elation just turned to this weird happy emotion that meant I had to keep one or both palms covering my face for much of the next ten minutes!

    Other stats / comments

    In miles 14-26, when it really mattered, my cadence didn’t once dip below 180, averaging 182.

    I ended up with a 2min 5s negative split of  (1:40:28 – 1:38:23).

    In retrospect, that probably means I was capable of slightly faster with optimum pacing... but I bet not much... and I would not swap races!! 

    I also have another sort of “negative split”...  the famed HM to Marathon time equation doesn’t work for me.   If you double by HM time, you’ve got to subtract a minute to find my marathon time!

    So, now, I love the idea of reaching mile 7 or 8, fully fueled, comfortable, and ready to start the race!  I’ll do it again. All I’ll need to decide is how much slower to go in those first few miles.

    As always, thanks to everyone on the thread (and at my club) for the support. We learn so much from each other.

  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    Phew.  Feel free to ignore all that, and just look at this graph, and a photo taken 200yds from the end.  They say it all.



  • HA77HA77 ✭✭✭
    Great report NE and perfectly executed plan. I do a similar thing with the fuel, taking on a fair bit by mile 8 (although I don't drink much), knowing it doesn't go down so well in the second half. It is interesting to wonder if you could've gone faster with even pacing but I think you're right in thinking it wouldn't have been much faster. I like your 1 mile to go bellow scaring spectators.

    Just another easy half hour for me today.
  • Great effort there NE - truly great - you have inspired me to aim for a GFA once again.

    Loved the full report (but you wont convince me that a negative split is the fastest way to run a marathon)

    Great photo as well...

  • hamo44gfchamo44gfc ✭✭✭
    Absolutely class report and race NE...brilliant, delighted for you.
  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    Glad to be an inspiration FBT!  I'm not claiming neg split is definitely the fastest way from a pure sports science viewpoint.  But I am open to the possibility that it is the best way for me... and perhaps very many non-elite runners.  And indeed, it was good enough for Kipchoge when setting the marathon world record!!

    Two factors make it good for me.  One is the issue that I take on food and water much better when not running at the limit, so maybe my hydration and glycogen was better than last year.  Also, the psychological benefit of not slowing... and passing people.  

    For some people (many people?) maybe those outweigh the drawbacks.   If I could re-run the race, I'd experiment by going slightly quicker in the first half, because a 2 minute negative split is maybe creating marginally too much slack. 
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    NE - Great report and photo! I think a neg split is definately better from a mental point of view, like you say, better to be passing people and feeling strong, rather than hanging on.
    10 miles with strides in the rain this morning....absolutely soaked!
  • Great result and report NE, fantastic race execution.  The turnaround from the disappointment with the half is fascinating.  I’m as guilty as anyone but a lesson for us all in not getting hung up on one bad session or race, trust in the process !  

    Hamo - I really liked your attitude to the race. Sounds like you enjoyed yourself, especially the end which is what it’s all about.  I kind of accept things go wrong from time to time but course length shouldn’t be one of them, not by that much,

    TR - my head wants to join you on some 15m MLRs but the legs aren’t willing yet.  Based on my own experience I think P&D can get you around an ultra in decent fashion, maybe not optimum training but as I enjoy the schedules I’m happy to compromise and I do think there is a lot of crossover benefit.

    4 or 5 on easy street for me later.
  • runspoonrunrunspoonrun ✭✭✭

    Really sorry to hear you’re still struggling with injury FBT

    Perfect days like that are what we put all this work in for I suppose Millsy, congrats again.

    Incredible parkrun so soon after the marathon Joe. Great report as ever.

    Talking of incredible, amazing work again Macca. Absolutely amazing. What a month.

    Good to hear from you John. Hope the shin splits are sorted.

    Glad the negative split plan worked out NE, congrats on the GFA. That photo is great, not many people look that happy at that point in a marathon! 

    Pleased to hear you are back running HPR.

    Quality weekend Steve, you’re really building up that consistency.

    Bad luck on the long course Hamo, those going for PBs must have been furious. Fantastic time given London a week ago. I’m slightly in awe of all of you smashing out great runs so soon after a marathon - when I did London two weeks after Manchester last year I found it incredibly tough towards the end, my legs were just destroyed.

    I’m trying to slowly build back up while introducing some quality. 17 miles on Sunday felt fine, although my HR is still measuring higher than the effort feels. I suspect it’s cadence lock as the HR often settles around 170 which was also my average cadence. Legs felt good, and didn't have any soreness the following morning as I have had with longer runs recently, so that's pleasing.

    Today the weather was miserable, and I was very tempted to ditch the planned tempo session, but I’m glad I made the effort now. 3 x 10 mins which came out at 6:33/mi, 6:33/mi and 6:32/mi. I was pleased with the consistency, if not the pace, but it’s around where I know I am at the moment. Just got to keep showing up, as Desi Linden puts it.

  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Macca that truly is amazing – and all done in such a quiet yet confident style. Superb. Enjoyed the London report too – spot on pacing. Great confidence in your ability. Very impressed.

    Good to hear you’re on the comeback trail, HPR.

    Fantastic, NE! Such a well-executed race. Really well deserved. It looks a good race and one for me to consider in the future. Super photo – come ooonnnnn!

    Sounds a very sensible DNS, Joe. Only a few days from a huge effort in London don’t forget.

    Looking forward to the duathlon debut, Steve!

    Blimey, Hamo. If ever there was a time for a race not to be massively over-distance it sounds like a second marathon in a week when you go off hard! When done on finishing and having such a good time.

    Great to see a tempo session in there, spoons. Things are slowly aligning. I’d be up for track perhaps next Wednesday if that fitted with you. And a colleague keen as well.

     

    Lots of short recovery runs last week, all at an exceptionally easy effort level. On Sunday I ventured on road, and even managed a sub 8m/m! Off the bandwagon with diet last week and felt appalling for it – much better now. Tried a few strides on the grass track session yesterday, and whilst they didn’t feel fast, they seemed to have helped liven up the legs a little by this morning. Returned for a classic canal ten, with a pleasing pace of 7:16 for an easy effort. I’d forgotten that I’d entered the Berkeley 10k this coming Monday evening. It looks a fast course, but no idea what kind of shape I will be in. It also clashes with a work do, so a few decisions to be made.


  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Macca - I think the P&D schedules (with your tweaks) work well for your ultra training. I think it's more down to the total weekly mileage rather than those extra long runs, although I know you chucked in a few over 22/24. Camille Herron didn't run over 20 miles for her 100 mile world record, but runs over 100 miles a week! I think when I visit the ultra world again, I'll try to up the weekly miles, but not hit silly long runs (I did 35 miles before my 100k!, but that was for confidence).
    SQ - Sticking to the running for now :D
  • chickstachicksta ✭✭✭
    Stellar performance, stellar report, NE. So happy for you. And love the pic :+1:

    You sort of give me hope with 3:24 as my PB ... Can I do under? I'm only 50 to your 55 but I'm a girl :#
    3:18 in Berlin would be sweet.

    There, I've said it 😱

  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    NE - great report, very pleased for you that you nailed it. Whichever method you decide to use to pace your next mara, you can rest assured that you have more improvement to be made.

    Macca - wait a couple of weeks before you join in the mlr's, i have 2 more and will then stop for a while until later in julyy.

    Spoons - i feel your tough tempo, i had a slow and rubbish 6m tempo in the wind and rain this morning. But  reminded myself its the effort that counts and to shut up and get it done.

    Chick - good for you, that will get you out the door.
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    edited May 2019
    Good effort on the tempo, TR I’d definitely keep it to feel between the two marathons. 

    Wow chicksta - I was already very impressed with your time, but even more so in that age category. I hope that doesn’t sound rude at all, it really isn’t meant to. Just very very impressed  :)
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    https://www.facebook.com/463963427273897/posts/889037738099795?s=501331637&v=e&sfns=mo

    I’m sure you’ll have seen the 1:59 announcement. Very exciting. Could have chosen a classier pub though  :#
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    SQ - i couldn't have gone quicker, the effort resulted in a slow time. But a little bit of quality work should do me good. Im 1/2 way through a 3 week block, with a 3 week taper to follow (to hopefully ensure im fresh enough).
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Epic report of a perfectly planned & executed race NE.
    Itching to run but trying to let my body recover by sticking to swimming & cycling for a couple more days. I'd normally do the County Champs 5,000m on Saturday but not sure I can face a PW. Managed my PB there this time a year ago. 
    I'm at Berkely SQ though I certainly won't be quick there either.
    My 10K race still has 25 spaces if any localish forumites fancy joining SQ on July 16th for an evening of racing + a BBQ & refreshing ale: NE, SpoonsMuddy Only £6.50. Entries here
  • Hamo - when you said you were going to take it easy, I assumed you’d be running something beginning with a 3 and not 2:52! Good you had an enjoyable day, but a shame for others. Manchester had both course distance problems and bag pickup problems previously and it runs pretty smoothly now. Hopefully Belfast will figure it out.

    Macca - I don’t think I can say anything more about your VLM. A very factual report, maybe at that pace it’s tough to take in everything else?!

    NE - love the picture of you enjoying it in the last 200 yards, but those in the background obviously struggling a lot. My thoughts on the pacing are that going for a negative split on any day isn’t going to allow you to quite reach your complete potential. But it will significantly lower the chance of a blow up and therefore going for negative splits will lead to a lower ‘expected’ time. Also, the enjoyment factor of feeling strong to the end is definitely important.

    SteveMac - it’s written in the stars that Derby will beat us and Lampard will do the binoculars celebration. Hopefully a different team turns up than the one which played the last 4 matches, or we don’t stand a chance.

    Spoons - the most important thing is your body is holding up to do those sessions. It’s a good benchmark and I don’t doubt in a few weeks you’ll be running them much quicker.

    SQ - Good that the legs seem to be returning. I find that when I’m running less my diet goes completely to crap and therefore a double negative effect on the fitness. I think you’re allowed a week post VLM though, the now 5 weeks I’ve been off the wagon is maybe taking it a bit too far.

    AWC - good luck with the big training weeks and climbing. I’d like to be able to add more climbing myself to my running, but living centralish London means I’d need to get public transport to somewhere which I don’t see the sense in.

    Joe - enjoyed the blog as usual. A couple of things I noticed from the pictures. 1. The one of you in the pain cave adds about 10 years. Something I’ve seen in my race pictures a few times, but nice to see it happens to the super humans as well! 2. Gutting for the guy whose face you cover with your flat cap going over tower bridge  :D

    I’ve ran every day so far this week, although my legs were very tired today. I’m hoping some of that is to do with the walk up to Parc Guell and the 52 flights climbed according to the garmin. Much tapas and many cervezas have been consumed so far and I don’t think that is going to change for the rest of the week. A problem to deal with when I step on the scales Monday morning.
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