Sub 3

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  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    TR - I remember speaking to an even older codger who has run all over the world, more recently ultras/ adventure races in some fantastic places, and he stunned me by saying he would swap them all to have run a sub 3 marathon.  So to run one is a massive achievement. 
  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭
    well pleased for you, TR - did you have a couple of beers last evening ? 
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    OO - agreed, hopefully i can bag a few more yet.

    Birch - cheers, i was aware of all the folks watching me yday ! Had a couple of Proper Jobs !
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    So after the 3.04 at Brighton, it was on to Yeovil for another pop at sub3. I guessed that the wind/life stress would have cost me up to 10mins at Brighton, but it would be a gamble trying to run sub 255 on the new undulating route, so i borrowed team crab/ode's plan of no faster than 6.40, 6.45s would give 2.57.

    Off we went and LMH pointed out after about 10mins that i was going too fast, so i sat up and eased off.

    I had a 257 pace band, and dont remember at any time being ahead of it, but was never far behind, i knew the markers would be erratic and the course would be bumpy, and i went by feel a lot.

    Was ticking along comfortably, although the outside of my quads were both aching. But i stuck with the plan of gels, luco, keeping it easy and after 8m a saw a few runners ahead. I slowly wound them in after around 13m,  and whilst my legs werent happy i was comfy and ticking along nicely. But kept thinking that if my legs dont improve, then im stuffed in the later stages. "Oh well, keep doing the right things and get as far as you can before the legs give up".

    I was still not far behind the 2.57 pace and getting further round the course. Very aware that theres quite a bit of uphill from 20 ish to 24, i saw at 21m that i had around 38mins to do the last 5.2, so sub3 was still on. I felt ok and felt like i was running strongly, the effort was getting harder but i wasnt slowing (in my mind).

    I had a bit of a worrying hammy twinge but it eased and i kept going. 2 runners went past around 23m going well and i thought that if i attach my elastic to them theyd drag me to a sub3,  but i got a hammy twinge and had to ease up. But this eased too and i then remember thinking i had 10mins to get home when i got to 25m. So if i didnt cramp it was on like donkey kong. No more cramps and through the line in 2.58.13. Not far behind the estimated 2.57. So happy days. I chased LMH from 8m until i cramped a bit at 24ish, so thanks for that LMH.
    Happy to go sub3, happy to right last years Yeovil DNF, and confident of going quicker at Abo. Got a bit of a reminder in staying in the game, and not focussing on the finish until the later stages.
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Bravo TR, sorry I wasn't around to give you a verbal slap on the back y'day but I was socialising at a big do all weekend.  Really made up to see you go sub 3 once again after those days when all your ducks wouldn't stand in a row.  I assume the popadoms, pickles, madras and a Cobra or two were lined up post race?  Great stuff and hopefully another good day at Abo now you have the sub 3 monkey off your back.
    LMH.. similarly dead chuffed for you after that off colour day at London.  Just a matter of staying uninjured leading up to York now!
    Padams.. great racing on a tough course and congrats on top of the podium.
    Stevie WH.. that's a fantastic effort to come so close to a PB, nice one!  
    Charlie/Tick Tock.. fine long runs banked fellas.
  • saintjasonsaintjason ✭✭✭
    Loved the reports LMH and TR. 

    Well executed races by looks of it and nicely managed. 

    Has got me right in the mood to get cracking again. Only 6 weeks until 12 weeks to York/Abo/Amsterdam (and more I'm sure) 
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Wardi - no, i had such a crap journey home (3hrs) that i wasnt really up for it by then. Ill have the works this weekend.

    SJ - agreed, 18 weeks. I have lordshill 10k in 3 weeks and NF 10 in 4 weeks. So ill get to it with Abo training starting mid July.
  • Couldnt Run A BathCouldnt Run A Bath ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    TR Good job. Only thing missing was passing Pretty Boy after 24miles doing his best Michael Watson impression.

    BTW OO your ultra guy is doing something seriously wrong. Sub3 is not really that hard. When you consider a lot of not particularly talented, not particualrly young people on here (self included) have managed it by 10+minutes it's just a matter of desire. It's a blue collar sport at the end of the Mervyn. If you're prepared to do the work you'll get there in the vast majority of cases. Of all the people ever to frequent these parts I'd only put the Floppy Labrador in the went all in and failed category.

    As you were.
  • CharlieWCharlieW ✭✭✭
    TR -- nah, I'll get some races out of my current pair of VFs before needing to line up a fresh pair I hope (scuttles off to check the soles when he gets home though...)

    On a crazy whim, I just volunteered to turn out for a 5000m for the club on Sat -- haven't done one of those for years. I'll be rubbish, but it will be an adventure. Stevenage Southern Athletics League, if anyone else will be there.
  • PadamsPadams ✭✭✭
    CW - I'll be doing the 5000m in the same league but at a different fixture (I think we've already competed against your lot).

    TR - sounds like you couldn't have got a lot out of yourself on the day which is all you can hope for. I'm guessing that would be worth a sub-2:55 on a fast course? Hope you enjoy the curry/beers this weekend! We celebrated with dinner at the Harvester on Sunday evening, mini-P's favourite! Just one shandy for me.

    A short report on the race from Sunday. We had a group of 3 at the front pretty quickly, one of whom I knew (generally beat him but he is good at XC and has beaten me before) and one young guy I didn't know. There are a couple of substantial hills in the first 3M and the young guy was flying up them, but we pegged him back down the other side and on the flat. He got quite a big gap (maybe 10s or so) up the next hill and I was running with the other guy - for a while we weren't closing the gap, so I worked fairly hard from 3M-5M to bridge across to the leader and didn't see the other guy again.

    As we got further in the race, he would still be pulling away up the hills, but not as much as earlier in the race. By 8M or so I was working pretty hard but up the next hill he didn't really pull away at all. I knew there was one more hill just before 10M and then a long flat/gradual downhill, so decided to try to stay with him up the hill and make my move over the top. That seemed to work well and I got a bit of a gap. The next mile or so was very painful but I felt fairly strong and opened up enough of a gap to know it was in the bag. There's a short out-and-back at 12.5M and I saw I had at least 20 seconds in hand, so kept working for the next couple of minutes and was then able to enjoy the last few hundred metres.

    Pretty pleased with that - 6 seconds slower than last year and about 20 seconds slower than my best on that course (6 weeks after my marathon PB).

    Another 10k race tomorrow evening (next league fixture), then athletics on Saturday, so just a couple of easy runs in the meantime.
  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭

    TR/LMH - Sounds like you both had excellently controlled marathons. Congratulations again

    Padams - Congratulations on the win!

    Thanks for all the congratulations. Wrote a report on the Sub 3.15/Stevie G threads if anyone is interested. Not disappointed at all about missing out on a PB as I had a really good day out. Racing 10000m on the track next Thursday so big opportunity to go quick there. Also got Telford 10k booked in for December

  • CharlieWCharlieW ✭✭✭
    Great report Padams, welll played tactically. Did you get a winning tape? I never, ever have (but I've only ever won very low key races due to lack of talent of course). Major life disappointment! (And only the 3 races this week then...)


  • PadamsPadams ✭✭✭
    CW - no, there wasn't any tape. I don't think I ever have, possibly as nowadays they're worried about someone tripping and injuring themselves?! Also seemingly no prize for a race with >6,000 runners, unless it will comes via email sometime in the future.

    Easy run at lunchtime - got a bit of a tight achilles/calf but legs seem OK otherwise.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    CW - those VFs only have a certain life span, so you can train in the old ones hut the magic may have gone. If you intend getting a new pair someday, if get a pair now so you can do some comparisons.

    Padams - cracking stuff,  well controlled racing. Would be outrageous if theres no prize (i thought it was bad when i got nothing for first V50 at worthing and thats a £30+ entry). Hopefully sub 255 at Abo, which will be a much quicker course (260 ft ascent compared to 830).

    Stevie - i read your report, you will have much quicker days over 10k.
  • Congratulations on the sub-3's TR and LMH. Likewise congratulations on the win Padams.
  • CharlieWCharlieW ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Padams -- outrageous to have no prize in a race of that size! Hope they surprise you in the post. Edit: on the finishing tape trip hazard, in case you've not seen it already:

    TR -- you're right, I should do some scientific comparisons of my modified VF versus stock ones, and against my other best race shoes. For example, I was thinking of doing a set of park loops with alternate shoes and fixed HR (not displaying pace on the watch), or vice versa.

  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    CW - yes, i think you need to know how your older shoes compare to a new pair. Following my return to sub3, i would now sllow myself to get some VFs but i need to see how the flynits wear first, i have a 10k in 2 weeks so I'll wear them then.

    Back to it today with 5m easy peasy pace.
  • PadamsPadams ✭✭✭
    TR - good to hear you're back into it already, how do the legs feel?

    10k league fixture last night - slightly happier with this one than the first one, 3rd place in 33:32. It was interesting because we still had a big lead pack until about 4k (>10 people, including the female triathlete I mentioned last time who ended up with 34:20), despite being close to 33 minute pace at that point. They gradually dropped off after that until there was 4 of us left. At 8k I put in a bit of a surge and got rid of one guy, but then the other two pushed on and I had nothing left.

    I might try to squeeze in a short easy run later just to get the legs moving, otherwise I'll probably feel worse for the 5000m race tomorrow.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Padams - nice one, youve had a busy week. Good idea on a run today to freshen yr legs up. My legs are ok, the bigger miles mean i recover quicker. Easy few weeks planned though.

    I found a course accuracy certificatr for Yeovil 2019 and my result has made it on to Pof10, so its official now.
  • There was never a reason to doubt it TR.

    It’s a lot of races in a short time Padams - hope you recover well.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    LMH - i know you saud it measured far enough, but i needed to see it submitted to Pof10 (my Brighton entry is linked to Pof10). New Forest never submitted last yrs mara and 1/2, so i couldnt claim that result.
  • Also a well done from me to TR & LMH for last weekend and getting under the 3. Great stuff! 
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Cheers

    8m easy, feels strange to be running with no Brighton or yeovil thoughts.
  • saintjasonsaintjason ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    Some great racing going on, enjoyed the report Padams and hope you get a nice surprise in your inbox soon!

    Nicely back into the groove TR.

    Dodgy week so far at this end with some illness so previous week's cutback now extends into this week. Not much else to report. 
  • OuchOuchOuchOuch ✭✭✭
    Exmoor Trail Marathon, done & dusted this morning.  Glorious, loved it, so much so ran an extra mile or two when got lost at mile 20 but at least was able to see a stag on the wrong path we choose.  The Coastal Path part, running along towering cliffs was magic, the trails in wooded valleys equally so.  Lucky with decent conditions.  Really helped running with a guy from London, so we just chit chatted and the miles flew by.  5 hrs.04 maybe 15th place.  So enjoyable, running at an easy pace and not having to push it and having a beer thrust into your hand within seconds of the finish.  Great atmosphere with these races. Importantly, now have enough points to apply for the UTMB for 2020.   
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    That sounds like a grand morning out OO, nice bonus having a decent weather window after this week's downpours.  Congrats on the UTMB points too.
    SJ.. hope you are back fighting fit soon.
    TR.. good to see you back to it without niggles etc.  Are you tempted to enter VLM next time?
    Padams.. nice racing again with another podium spot. hope the 5k goes well.
    I've done a few doubles this week as the mojo has gradually come back.  Charity 5k up & down the riverside in York tomorrow, nice route with the last 150m in the middle of a street festival.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    SJ - hope you feel better soon.

    OO - soumds like a great day out. Great choice to enter late then. Good work on the points tally too.

    Wardi - sounds like you have a good day planned for tomorrow too. I took up the Brighton early bird entry as i apparently copped the worse day theyve had so far in 10 Brightons, so next yr will hopefully be better. The logistics work well and the SPO can come over on the train later to see me finish. I might take up my vlm gfa just in case Brighton cops bad weather though and run vlm instead.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    10m in the rain this morning.
  • PadamsPadams ✭✭✭
    edited June 2019
    OO - that sounds like a fun way to do a marathon.

    I managed to squeeze in an easy 3.5M on Friday evening and the legs actually felt OK. 5000m on Saturday was interesting - only 6 in the race and I was the B runner for our club, so was really just hoping to wget maximum points for the B string. 4 of the 6 went off really fast so I let them go and was hoping the Bedford B runner who had gone with them had started too fast. He had about 10s on me at 1k (about 3:10 for me), but over the next 7 laps I slowly reeled him in and passed him with 3 laps to go. I put in a bit of a surge as I went past and pulled away quite easily after that.

    Result was 16:11 so not fast but my legs had no zip, which was not surprising. Annoyingly my clubmate lapped me on the line! I think he did about 14:53, having done 1:50 for the 800 and 49.x for the 400 shortly beforehand, and was doing the 1500 soon afterwards (and I'd be surprised if he didn't do well under 4 mins for that).

    Just over 13M yesterday and the legs felt pretty good actually, so averaged just under 7s without too much trouble.
  • CharlieWCharlieW ✭✭✭
    A grand day out indeed, OO!

    Like Padams I did a 5000m on Sat, first time in years, but 2 mins slower I fear -- 18:11 unofficial. (PB was 16:16 back as a sprightly 40-year-old -- I'd expect to be slower, but even in WAVA terms this was significantly worse.) It was a bit windy but not a huge thing, and to be fair it's not like I've been doing any speed training of late, other than a few other races. It fits though with having gone off a bit of a performance cliff since earlier last year (I did the Brass Monkey half at a better pace than this 5K in Jan 2018, though that was exceptionally good.) Might be telling me I'm better suited only for the longest stuff these days if I want to be remotely competitive.

    With bits to and from stations it was about 12M for the day, and another 10M (feeling surprisingly beaten up by the race) yesterday.
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