Sub 3h15

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  • DT- enjoy the MP run today. Yes, I'm sure I probably could customise the screen (although it's a Polar not a Garmin so maybe not!) but at this stage I don't want to start messing around with it and make a complete hash of it! To be honest, there's not a lot to be gained by switching auto-lap off. If I can see my cumulative time, current pace and the mile markers that is as good as it gets. Taking manual splits will only give me the same info as the mile markers in any case :) But yes, definitely need to remember not to fixate on the distance on my watch, OO! Dress rehearsal tomorrow for me - I've only tried loading my gel belt up with the full number of gels once before and I wasn't happy with the amount of bouncing around. Perhaps I can practise getting it better tomorrow.

  • In Chicago a large part of the first couple of miles is in a tunnel type system, it's like a massive basement car park under the city, it completely threw out my GPS and I had no idea on what pace I was running. That actually did me a favour as I just kept tabs on the the time I hit various mile markers and gave me some counting fun to have along the way.
    Since then I've always trusted the mile markers and used the elapsed time on the watch.

    I've been calculating my average pace for London this week based on 26.4 miles. Previous Londons have come out at 26.3 on my Garmins.

    5 miles easy planned at lunchtime...
  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2021
    The tricky thing in Berlin was no mile markers only km. I did a rough check at 5 & 10k but didn't compute the degree of error.
    Gul I also hate the bouncing belt. Couple of suggestions to try- I can tuck my belt inside my shorts for a bit of restraint when it's fully loaded if not too uncomfortable. The other option is to carry your first gel in your hand to reduce weight a bit which I sometimes do.

    Dawg same issue in NY with the bridge from Staten Island. This showed me running the 2nd mile in 6 mins which spooked me a bit 😆
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    I usually find with London that I'm pretty close to Mile markers and GPS until Canary Wharf. I then exit there quite a bit off. 
  • Thanks OO, I will take the first gel before the start so that's one less too. I must be wearing my belt too low or my shorts too high as I don't think I will be able to tuck the belt inside my shorts!
    My pacing plan is to hold back for the first mile or two (which I will help by heading towards the back of the wave at the start) and then settle down to somewhere just over 7:00/m. It should be dead simple to work out at each mile marker then how much I'm over that target pace (assuming I can remember my 7 times table) - I expect to be a few minutes down but then will try and hold that or not lose too much more until at least half way. Depending on how it's going, I'll then try and slowly chip away at the deficit, but don't expect to make it all up. 7:00/m is around 3:03:30, so that might get me close to 3:05 if all goes well.
  • This belt is excellent.
    https://www.wiggle.co.uk/compressport-free-belt-pro

    When I learned about the London arrangements I had a word with my ultra run pals and they were wearing this belt on our trail runs. I've tested it with 4 gels and a Samsung S20 mobile and my Inhaler. Can't feel a thing. It sits under my vest/t-shirt, you can't tell it's there.

    On training runs I've packed a 500ml soft flask and placed it at the back of the belt. There's minimal bounce, I would take a 500ml flask of Maurten for Sunday but don't want to carry the extra weight.

    I usually pin gels to the inside waistband of my shorts but won't need to on Sunday, it's a very good belt.
    I'm a 34 inch waist and got the size M/L.
  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭
    Pins and gels don't seem a good combo Dawg 🤭
  • SBD.SBD. ✭✭✭
    Adds find gel belt to the to do list ...
  • That second half looked fun, OO.  Glad you had a great race!

    Nice to hear from you, VtR, and congratulations on the tenured position, Professor VtR.

    A rest day yesterday and then 5 miles easy this morning.  Really frustratingly the calves are still getting very tight, so I'm in no position to ramp up the miles again.  Looks like I might need to keep the odd swim and cross-training session going for a bit to supplement the shorter runs!
  • Hello All,

    Thought i'd check back in again before London at the weekend. Nice to see that taper madness and weather watch haven't disappeared pre marathon!

    Long story short the combination of a huge increased workload at work and nothing to train for meant I didn't get a huge amount of miles in last year. Changed jobs now which has a much better work life balance so I have managed to string together some half decent training across the summer including some of my fastest ever sessions & tempos.

    Had a scare 3.5 weeks ago when I pulled something in my adductor so haven't done a huge amount of running since then. It feels ok now so I am hoping it will hold out for the weekend. I have followed a few of you on Strava and it looks like everyone is in decent shape for the weekend. I am in Red Wave 1 so hopefully see some of you there!
  • Good to see you back here Stevie. Hope the adductor is on the mend.

    Five miles at 7.21 pace felt pedestrian at lunchtime, had to make sure I held back. Very boring. Hamstrings still getting tight but only when running. I'll just have to ignore it on Sunday.

    Kit bag almost packed and Covid test passed. All set for expo tomorrow...
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Still no kit bag! Did another lat flow today, all good so far!

    Hi Stevie, look forward to hopefully catching up on sunday. Incidentally I saw on Strava that Nicko, who hasn't posted here in a while, ran Berlin on Sunday.

    4 x 1m at mara pace off 1 min easy. My heightened senses of taper madness led to me feeling a few aches and pains. The lower temps do make  HR numbers much more pleasing and at the end garmin said I was productive and upped my vo2 from 62 to 64 which is where it was for Dorney.

    Sports massage at 5pm.

  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Dont worry re kit bags, there will be spares there, just use the carrier bag trick.

    Im collecting a race pack for someone else tomorrow (their kit bag never came in time), they have had to give me an authorisation letter, their race day email, ID and.......... a LFT result for something they're not attending...........im sure vlm have made s hash of the bag drop posting in order to silence the "why couldnt they include the number too" brigade like me.

    6m inc 2m mp, felt reassuringly rubbish, hip still stiff, tight hammy as ever. Im wave 1 yellow goimg off 6.4X ish with a couple of others if anyone wants a free ride (black shorts, dark blue T shirt, white cap, built like a rugby player).

    Got stung by a wasp when running, got a popeye sized angry red forearm now.
  • SBD.SBD. ✭✭✭
    No kit bag here either - hopefully tomorrow so I can pack before hitting the Expo.

    No last minute physio to iron out those niggles TR?

    Good to see you dropping in Stevie.  Is Red Wave 1 a GFA start?

    Good work on the MP miles DT.  My Garmin just downgraded my V02max to 61!

    11K general aerobic this morning followed by the sports massage.
  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2021
    Sounds like your having a rough time TR. I'll look out for you in yellow- I'll be in my club vest as per avatar.
    Having come back from Berlin which was very well organised, especially regarding Covid, I must say VLM are making a complete hash of this. I just got home and no kit bag here either. They have introduce an illogical, unpopular system and then screwd up the implementation of it. And I usually praise their organisational skills.

    Easy recovery swim this PM. Energy levels very low in spite of the 2 kgs of body fat I've added post race.

    Hope the calves improve soon Jools- glad to hear you are a swim convert 🧐
  • No kitbag here either, heading to the expo on Thursday so I am hoping it arrives tomorrow. No worries if not.

    SBD - I think it may be, I qualified with a 2.53 and I put 2.43 as my predicted time. 

    As long as todays 3 x 1m goes ok I will be giving sub 2.45 another crack. Not entirely sure I am going to have the endurance as I missed the last couple of long runs with injury but only one way to find out!
  • SBD.SBD. ✭✭✭
    Sub 2:45 is a good target Stevie.  So what time does the Red Wave 1 start (9:34?).  I guess that means there are c. 700 fast 18-39 year olds chasing the V50+ oldies going off on the yellow start!  All very interesting ...
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Good for you Stevie, i remember you being super chuffed after Abo 2018. Are you still coached  by Lewis too?

    SBD - i had some phys last week, was real sore after, so im not after any more before Sunday. Might get a massage at expo if its quiet, ideally i spend minimal time at the expo.
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    I'm loving that you have to carry a lateral flow test of someone not there, TR. That just sounds like idiocy! Hope the sting eases, wasps are angry at this stage. 

    Sharp plans, Stevie. Aiming for about 6.15mm then? 

    The app is now live, so I'm adding people to my tracking so I can see what's happened when I've finished. Please let me know your race numbers so I can add you in. Apparently when we get our individual login info, promised by 9am tomorrow, if we go in and enable GPS (or similar) then those tracking us will have a far more accurate experience.  

    Mine is 26736. 
  • DT - have loaded you into my tracker. Expect a big cheer when you come through!!
  • GD - nice easy pace. Hope Expo is stress free. I had a trial run with my flipbelt, gels and phone this morning. I think it's actually my phone bouncing up and down inside the belt that's the issue. So I took my bandana off and stuffed it in to hold the phone in place. Seems a lot better.
    Jools - hope the calves play ball soon.
    Stevie - good to hear from. Things seem to be going well - great target for Sunday.
    DT - yes, much cooler here after torrential rain last night.  Thanks for the heads up on the app.
    TR - oh dear, sounds like you're having a right week of it. Think I will pass up the offer of your train - a bit too speedy for me.
    SBD - enjoy the massage ;)
    5 miles with 2 @ MP - came out at 6:52, 6:42. That was blind. I now have 2 rain ponchos. My number is 25777, yellow start wave 1.

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭
    That's my start too Gul. No idea what you look like. Maybe you can post a picture? Personally I never plan to run with anybody although I often have a chat if I see them on route. Pace varies so much during a long race that inevitably one person always wants to go faster/slower.

    Glad to hear you are on such good form Stevie 👍

  • TR - Abo is still one of my favourite marathons, haven't finished one as strongly since! Yes still trained by Lewis, had a couple of months off at the start of the pandemic when I didnt know what was going to happen with my job but back to it now. Have to say hes been very patient with me!

    SBD - It is interesting that they have made yellow in effect the age group champs start. I guess its the same on blue though as Wave 1 will be chasing down the 3-3.15 ladies

    3 x mile went well last night with no pain at all and the cold seems to have cleared. Struggled a bit to settle at the right pace but I always do in MP reps, all there or there abouts anyway with 6.07/6.14/6.19. Just need to string 26.2 of them together on Sunday!

    3m tomorrow before the expo and 2m shakeout on Saturday and thats me done. I have basically had a 4 week taper because of the injury so this is the freshest i've ever felt pre marathon! 

    My number is 25604, I will give you all a wave from the red start! I'll be in a bright orange vest and black shorts
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Gul, after my good planning, annoyingly my poncho order hasn't arrived. If it doesn't come in todays post I will be ordering via Amazon prime so it arrives tomorrow. I'll probably end up with both arriving then.

    Though the weather has shifted slightly on the BBC app to very little prospect of rain, but a bit cooler and brighter, albeit the wind speed seems to have risen a few mph.

    Stevie, the blue start is similar as you have champs at 9.30, v40s in wave 1 at 9.33 and v45s in wave 2 at 9.36. God knows what i'll merge with at mile 3 from red and green starts!

    Easy 5m today, legs a bit stiff from the massage. Rest tomorrow and another lighter massage then just a 3m shakeout Friday morning.

  • OO - yes, you will be faster than me, even though you've only just run a sub 3 :)   I think there are a few photos of me on this thread somewhere, but I will try and post one later (apologies in advance). Basically, I am 6'3", skinny, with short hair (mostly grey!), wearing glasses, black singlet and shorts :)  I am sure I will recognise you after your famous V55 UK win in Berlin.
    Stevie - nice final session. Good to feel fresh ready for Sunday!
    Looking back at my training for London, I have amassed the following long runs and medium long runs:
    15 Long runs (2 x 17M, 6 x 18M, 3 x 20M, 22 x 3M)
    37 MLRS (10 x 11M, 9 x 12M, 6 x 13M, 4 x 14M, 6 x 15M, 2 x 16M)
    Just a short recovery run tomorrow and then 2 days rest to go :)
  • DT (x-post) I got mine from Mountain Warehouse - 2 for £3.99 - handy if you have a local store. Then you can have 3 lots :)
  • DT - Its frustrating as I was hoping to run with Gem (Lewis wife) but as she is on champs I will be 3-4 mins behind so very unlikely to see her on course! I hadn't thought about a poncho for the start but I think I still have my Berlin marathon one so I will use that.


  • OO - This is me finishing the GEAR 10k (should be putting in more effort judging from that!)

  • OO54OO54 ✭✭✭
    Stevie I was thinking about the Berlin poncho too. But its a bit too precious to throw away...❤
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Yes, I wouldn't want to take that to start, not need it then have to dump it when you can get one for a couple of pound. 

    Yes, Lewis mentioned similar to me re Gemma but even though we are both essentially on blue she will be a mile down the road by time I start. You have a reasonable chance though of merging at similar times. 

    I think as oo says  trying to arrange to run with someone in London is just an extra stress. Plus, having had a club mate tag on to my plan in first half of 2019 there is chatting and questions about are we going fast enough etc and I'm very much 'I am for my plan'. It's just easier to go solo. 
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