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P & D Autumn Marathon 2023
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Well my training has been getting back into a rhythm recently.
Since the end of the silly season I’ve had 35, 43, 29, 34 & 45 mile weeks.
Last week I managed to tip over 50M with a 16.4M LR Sunday. It was very hilly & a mix of road & trail so pace was glacial but it’s progress.
Half term holiday in Tenerife (but as runners we all know its really warm weather training) as back next month for the Gran Canaria marathon. Jet skied today, pleased to survive and still be in one peice. Lots of easy morning runs which I am hoping will help? Not very P&D though.
I'm building again, after having to ease off for a while. Hope to be able to manage things as i build up and hope the s and c helps.
Anyway… hi everyone. I’m still alive. A crap summer with not much running since my ultra on 1st July. But with a significant “change of age category” looming in April, I am trying to motivate myself to train properly for a fast marathon the first time in 4 years. Is a PB still achievable for me? Unless I train consistently, I won’t find out.
no runs this weekend, which is disappointing. But 31 done Mon-Fri so still ok.
I ran 55M last week over 5 days including my fastest parkrun of 2023 (an unspectacular 20:19) & The Twmbarlwm Terror.
Headlines, halfway in 1:28:34 and finished in 2:59:15
Really pleased with the sub 3 and an auto qualifier for next year should I decide to go back.
I thought I might be in something closer to 2:55 shape but to squeeze that out I would probably have had to cut back on pre race "entertainment" and sightseeing, not worth it, imho.
On further reflection, with minimal recovery from Spartathlon and a pulled back 3 weeks out where I couldn't bend over to tie my shoe laces, I'll take the result very happily. From the get go with a canon start and Frank Sinatra being played, the iconic views, the enthusiastic crowds almost all the way round it's a fantastic event capped off with a Central Park finish. I set off around 6:40 pace but could feel the pounding through my right knee (pre existing niggle maybe linked to the back). Around halfway I got a momentary shooting pain in my knee which concerned me enough to back off a little, happily coinciding with the climb of Queensborough bridge, a natural slow down anyway. From there it was a case of not pushing too hard to aggravate it. I was consistently sub 6:52 ing bar the climbs which were only just over 7:00 so I never felt I had to chase the sub 3. The knee held out although is grumbling a bit now and when I tried to push on for the last 4 miles or so I couldn't so probably a slightly enforced "well paced" race. All in all, a great trip with a bonus marathon thrown in. Just need to sort this knee niggle out now.
Macca - another sub3, top stuff, I was watching the tracker and saw you were set for sub3. I'm with you on the knee issue.
Good target then NE. Hopefully I’ll be in similar shape by the Spring. Tanda’s consistently had me at 3:20:xx for the past week having been c.4:30 at the end of August 🤣
Day off Monday, easy 20K on the trails Tuesday & a steady 6M tonight.
NE/ Jooligan - See you at Newport. Forget the Boston-London double, I am doing the Lonort (o the glamour!) .
But first the Gran Canaria marathon on Nov.19 and hopefully my 24th consecutive sub3 road marathon.
Jools/NE/OO - I did see Newport have a HM option now too, and have changed the course slightly?
Anyway, trying to build back up some mileage, but come down with a cold/cough, so no running today, will see how it goes before deciding what to do the weekend.
Got Windermere in May and a 50 miler in June booked. Looking to get a half in April.
Looks like interesting plans Steve, a half would be a good build up goal imho.
Well, the knee niggle didn't respond well to "running through it" although a phantom calf strain is more of an issue atm, I don't exactly remember doing it but I remember drinking lots of whiskey 😣. Can't complain having got through the year to this point. A dot week this week, Valencia might turn into a beach/cerveza weekend.
OO - good luck today (I expect you're already running as I type this).
I'll join the Spring thread when it appears - I've Brighton in April and I've also booked Amsterdam for October. I'm unlikely to do an ultra next year as I want to focus on getting my speed back, or as much as I can. I had a terrible race at Alton Towers half last weekend - it wasn't that it felt awful or I suffered unduly but I just couldn't seem to do much better than 10 minute miles. I was 5 minutes slower than the previous year when I had a cold. No explanation for it. So I've a lot of work to do.
Cal - Hope you bounce back to form for those 2 attractive looking marathons.
Back from Gran Canaria, ran 2.59 & 30th so the sub3 streak continues. Ran OK to mile 18 and 2.55 on the cards, then (due to the heat, fatigue and relative lack of training) felt light headed and started to slow. Still overtook a good number of even faster slowing runners to the grateful sight of the finishing line and then turning around to see the sub 3 pacer in a full out sprint (on his own) to finish in 3.00.05!! Marathons in the sun, followed by a swim and cold beer in a frosted glass the way to go.
OO - that's some streak, I'm on 4 and can't imagine presenting myself in the right shape 30 times consecutively never mind pulling it off on the day.
I'm pretty convinced it's a patellar tendon issue. I had it 4 years ago and remember the physio saying it could come back. It's slowly improving but I don't want to set it back chasing a mediocre performance next weekend so with flights booked I'll probably make a decision out there. I can't grumble with all the races I've done this year but funnily enough I'm really missing just getting outside/ the country lanes etc, happy to admit I took that side of things for granted.
Macca - I guess that even your body has limits. I've been hitting the heavier weights for my knees (and to try to keep me running in my old age).
Thats probably 2023 put to bed ?
I went to the old faithful Goodwood last Sunday with an improved knee and kinder winds than normal. Although torrential rain made it a splashy affair on a flooded track. Built into it, felt ok, pushed on and ran a progressive 1.22.12, there's a 1.21 or quicker to be had with a bit of quality work and a faster start. Havnt been there in a while.
Few of us on the SG thread &/or the Sub-3 thread.
I’ve been injured & ill so less motivated this winter though I have a place for Newport marathon end of next month.
Are you doing a Spring marathon?