Sub 3

Wardi · April 3

TR.. the way London have been tightening the GFA & Champs times in recent years I guess they are simply managing excessive numbers. Sub 3 for a V40! It was 3.15 when I was qualifying back in the early 2000's.
Congrats on that impressive weather beaten double, narrowly avoided a soaking here.

RJR.. great average pace for a long run, and kudos for adding the 2m on, glad the weather held out for you. Sounds like you got the carbs right too. In my younger day I usually had a light breakfast and survived 20m+ runs on water & lucozade that I had dumped in hedge bottoms the day before!

7.5m + 4.3m double today. Managed to avoid an afternoon deluge by good luck more than anything! The 2nd run felt slightly odd after a session of the exercises I have been instructed to do. Still, miles in the bank.

Jooligan · April 3

On holiday down in Cornwall so only just caught up the last week’s posts.
Well done at parkrun Wardi. Your aerobic engine is strong thanks to your consistent mileage.
More good marathon mileage there TR.
Going great guns SJ: 22 miles of hills at 8 pace after a tough session Saturday is admirable.
Despite a few schedule hiccups you got that key run in RJR: 19@7:0x is flying without a number on.
50 mile week is encouraging progress TT.
Sorry to read of your woes LS21.

Last week was zero, 5K on the TM, 11.8 lumpy miles, 6.3, 7.3, 8.4 inc Penryn Parkrun in 23:21, 18.5 of SW coast path & Cornish lanes. The parkrun was 3 laps each with over 100’ of descent then ascent! I also walked 10 miles around Loe Pool, along the coast to Porthleven then back via Penrose on Saturday.

Unsurprisingly my legs were toast Sunday & I could only average 11 minute miles on my LR 😂 Much of the coast path was unrunnable to be fair since even my trail shoes couldn’t get any traction. I was averaging 9’s for the tarmac despite the undulations.
Started this week with zero running but went to a Health Club for swim, sauna & yoga/stretching then walked 5 miles round Pendennis Head back to Penryn.
Tuesday was another coastal escapade from Bude: 10 miles N along the SWCP then 9 back on the tarmac lanes. 4,000’ of climbing, wind & rain after the first hour. Legs weren’t happy from the start & they only got grumpier 😆
Had hoped the CP here would be firmer but if anything it was worse which put paid to my plan to complete the N.Devon stretch this week. It’s only a 15 mile route with half on the CP but I can’t face another battle like that just now.
Instead I drove South & borrowed OO’s favourite route whilst he’s sunning himself. Got 12M@8:27 done along the Camel Trail. I was a bit ambitious & only turned after 7.2. Got to a road crossing in Wadebridge on 12 & decided to walk the remainder as my HR was climbing rapidly even though pace was more or less constant & I now had the wind at my back.
Hopefully do a few more in the other direction during tomorrow’s dry weather window.

TippTop · April 4

sj - I've got an ankle like that from playing football. Another nice week bagged by you, with some good sensibility on the extra rest days; well done!
One of Lydiard's most famous quotes was 'Hills are the shortcut to success'; he's not wrong.

TR - I saw re: the GFA. Cut-off appears to be the end of September though, so if I want to try making the startline again next year I'll need to find one in August (Bedford Autodrome) or September (Richmond) to post a qualifying time on a training run. Either that or get back near pb shape for the HM to get a championship place!

LS - that's rubbish; sorry to hear that

If you make it to around 23m-ish - not sure exactly but my club are marshalling, my apartment is on the course, and there's a Brewdog nearby, I'll have a great big man hug for you (and will grab you a beer if it's going badly

). Chin up and keep rehabbing!

rjr - I neglected to comment on your solid MLR' previously, but you've extended the effort to 19m, so double well done! Canova stuff will be interesting for me as I don't usually do a lot of MP runs - I've tended to go further a touch slower, and shorter a touch quicker (though a lot of Canova is also over/under). P&D is basically Lydiardism. It definitely works, but there are alternatives that will suit some people more.
Is Cork a go again now?

Wardi - odd in a good way on that 2nd run?

Jooligan - sounds like you're bouncing back well. Nice one on the Cornish walking and running. Porthleven brewery do some nice ales.

Didn't run Monday as spent the day moving more slabs and working on getting rid of the remnants of last year's tree felling. Tuesday was a 4m jog / 4m easy double (too tired for more after a crazy work day - the next few weeks could be messy). Yesterday I took off, but got out this morning for a 6m jog. For the first time in yonks my average HR came in at the right range for a run, there were only 2 random spikes (though less than 10bpm this time, rather than the 25-30bpm jump I had been getting when things were at their worst), and it was only in the last 15mins or so that my HR began to drift upwards.
Basically my body is telling me, between that, and the fact that my sleep has massively improved, that things are improving and it's almost ready to begin building back up. I'm going to carry on as is for at least the rest of this week though and just let things continue to settle/improve.

TR · April 4

Wardi - agreed, London have just saved themselves from sitting through loads of gfa applications that wont be fast enough.

Jools - sounds like Some great adventures. A bit risky being on a wet coastal path.

TT - you might find that someone sets up some September GFA qualifier races like Goodwood did last year in late September.

9m (inc 10x3mins) and 4m today, reps were real slow, but it was another wet and windy day on the coast. I made he right decision to swerve Brighton as there's 40 plus mph winds forecast. Shame as it will ruin the race.

Wardi · April 4

Jooligan.. good to see you getting back in the groove, plenty of assorted terrain in there.

TR.. nice double again though the strong wind & rain sounds like a nuisance. Yes a shame for the Brighton runners, a rough weekend everywhere by the look of it.

TT.. good to hear you sounding more positive. Yes the London cut off is unfortunate given that most of the available marathons here & overseas are in October. I had intended running Warsaw in Sept last year but was injury affected again.

6.3m today, very calm up here before the onslaught arrives at the weekend. I'm off to mid Wales Friday to Monday for a gathering of old chums from various parts of the country. Looks very wild there too.

TippTop · April 5

TR - that's a good shout with Goodwood. Realistically I just need a reasonable one far enough into training that I can do as an uptempo training run (hopefully). Well done on bagging the reps in the wind, and that is a shame with Brighton as one of my mate's daughter is running it as her first.

Wardi - it makes it more unfortunate that I'm not in shape to go around London at a decent clip to bag the time. Enjoy Wales.

Crazy busy work day yesterday left me fried, but got 6m easy in. After several good nights of sleep in succession I got less than 3 hours last night, which sucked, but surprisingly felt ok running this morning (only 4m, but easy to brisk, rather than my usual am jog).

TR · April 5

Enjoy yourself Wardi

TT - Goodwood is mid Oct, Dorney is early Oct, so they'd have to move date.......I've an eye on Dorney.

TR · April 5

Green start, wave 1, 10.01 start. Not sure if that's GFA or not.

LS21 · April 5

Same as me TR. njord as well. And my mate Rich (who ran 2’47 to get in). So not fast GFA per se cos they’ve split it now (got another mate who ran 2’45 who’s on Blue 1). But you’ll be away immediately and into 6’30 pace if that’s your aim.

Will read back properly tomorrow and post then.

TR · April 5

That's too fast for me. Crab is same start and time too. Could be a few of us then. Hopefully SJ too?

LS21 · April 5

Well yes (re the 6’30s). But whatever pace you want to run at you’ll be away. The start worked really well last year. No hold ups whatsoever.

TR · April 5

Nice. Are there still loads of portaloos?

LS21 · April 5

The queues last year were huge. I genuinely thought I might miss the start. I ballsed up though. It advises you to get the overland train to Maze Hill for the Green start. I didn’t. (I travelled with njord). That was a major error. We got the DLR to Greenwich, then walked up the hill to Red (and what was Fast GFA). Then right round the blue start, and we then had to cross the road in front of the Blue start to get to Green. Only they wouldn’t let us cross. Held us there for almost 20 mins until the wheelchair race had gone. It was a balls up on our part.

But once there the start area at Green was small. And in my view way too few toilets.

That aside it was fine. The initial 1k off Green is a bit twisty and there are quite a few speed bumps to negotiate. But it’s ok if you keep your wits about you.

LS21 · April 5

You then merge with Blue after 1k so it suddenly gets very busy. But just be savvy and stay out of bother. Also the bonus of that start is the first 5k is net downhill. Mile 3 in particular. It’s a quicker first 5k than off Red

TR · April 5

I was hoping to travel from Waterloo East to Blackheath which is direct. Not sure maze hill is direct from Waterloo East? But maybe I won't be able to walk from Blackheath to green ?

LS21 · April 5

You you will but you’ll have to cross that same road. They will let you across, but try and time it so you’re avoiding either the elite women start or the wheelchair. Otherwise they’ll hold you there like they did us.

LS21 · April 5

Just had a look. Direct trains from London Bridge to Maze Hill. So I’d be tempted to go Waterloo East to London Bridge, (less than 5 mins), then London Bridge to Maze Hill. The trains to Maze Hill will be a lot quieter than Blackheath too. Entire journey less than half an hour.

LS21 · April 5

Maze Hill to Green is then a piece of piss.

LS21 · April 5

Here’s the route me and Kelvin took last year. I’d had 4 gels before I even reached the correct start line.

TR · April 5

Funny. Probably safer to swap trains at London bridge then.....cheers. never ceases to amaze me how much the logistics can harm your race......that's a 90min drive, 2 trains and a walk all before 9am.

TR · April 6

20m as 8.5 easy, 10m effort (av 7.20), 1.5m easy. Effort was up hill and upwind for 5m then I managed to find a more sheltered and flat section for some 6.5Xs............that's me done. Havnt done as much as I'd have liked, but done plenty of 20 and 21 milers and lots of 60 and 70m weeks with the last 3 wks being 88, 80 and 73m........Sensible to 1/2 way and then see what I've got.

Wardi · April 6

I've started on Green before TR, apart from working your way round a few celebrities it's a decent getaway. Must feel good to get the last long run done, I reckon you've got plenty of miles & long runs banked, a nice wind down to marathon day now.

TT.. hope I you manage to catch up that sleep deficit.

4m done before setting off yesterday. The journey down here took 5hrs 30 rather than the estimated 4hrs. Train strikes and end of school hols probably didn't help.
10m walk today, weather not as bad as forecast - windy but only a couple of light showers to contend with.

LS21 · April 6

Good work TR! That’s a cracking campaign really. Fingers crossed you reap the rewards from it.

Enjoy Wales, wardi. Absolutely wild here at the mo!!

No celebs off the Green start now (at least there wasn’t last year). If you get in the pen early enough you’re on Row 1. No dodging of slower runners at all.

TR · April 6

Wardi - sounds a painful trip.

LS - sounds like the old GFA start then, where you could lead the race if you wanted to.

Jooligan · April 7

Logistics certainly favour Brighton over London as far as I’m concerned.
Helps I’ve mates who live just 15-20 mins walk from the Beach Village (finish/Expo) & not much more to the start in Preston Park.
Newport & Manchester are even easier: number arrives in the post then drive in on race day & park within walking/Metro distance of start.
21:44 on a lumpy parkrun in Central Plymouth followed by another 11.5M including the Plymouth section of the SWCP yesterday. Legs had had enough after 8.8 today so listened to them for once. Brings up a 68M week which is the most in almost a year!
Newport is 3 weeks away so good timing.

TR · April 7

Well done Jools, good to see you on the up again

No running today, took the doggy to the beach this morning and the wind was howling like Gosport HM day. Felt sorry for the Brighton folks, shame if that was there A race.

OuchOuch · April 7

LS - Really sorry to hear of your hamstring problem, hope it clears up. My Strava feed seems to be either people smashing their last long runs or struggling through compromised training. Lets hope for the power of muscle memory.
TR - Another good couple of weeks, looks like your ready to roll. It reads to me, you've ticked off all the right boxes. Like your race strategy, was it 2021 when you had a similar plan and picked off loads of runners in a strong second half? Tough run for the Brighton marathoners, my mate Steve was 10 down @ 3.09 as in possible sub 3 shape
Jools - 68m - well done and sounds like a really good week of training and running in a good range of hopefully enjoyable and picturesque environments. A big week is great for Newport, hopefully see you there.
TT - A thumbs-up for Dorney, one of the most chilled, fast and enjoyable marathons I've run, and very easy for you logistically.
Wardi - That's a lot of travelling to get to Wales! A nice double earlier in the week.
Joe - Nice one on the 19m.

Got home from Tenerife @ 3 am today so bushed most of it. Had a great few last runs and sea swims in 25C. The piriformis and achilles issues are thankfully easing and had a good 5m tempo run earlier @ 6.25 mm, though felt it but gave 38m for the week, the highest for 2 months. Musing over what run would give the best benefit for the Newport marathon from next weeks Manchester marathon, maybe a first few easy miles and then a sub-3 HM/15 miles until around miles 17/18 when will slow and run in from there, to target a 3.05-3.10 finish and within the tighter GFA for London! Any other thoughts?

I see Manchester is being run on the same day as London in 2025, so the UK's #1 and 2 marathons on the same day?

TR · April 7

OO - I'd run easy to at least 1/2 way, then maybe 10m mp and a wd? Your legs are going to be shocked by the distance.........I felt for yoir mate Steve as i was leaning into the wind walking along the beach today..........London looked set for 20th but they must have moved it for Easter.........yes last time I ran London I ran it progressively, 1.28.0X and 1.26.3X fastest running was in the last 2k. Not sure I have that in the locker, but I'd like to hit 1/2 way in a similar time......if I can't push on then I shouldn't have gone any quicker anyway........I still have the Brighton memories of a struggle when my dad was in hospital and stopping at 1/2 way with CV, next yr its 3 weeks before London so I'll do it as y last long run and finish without the struggle.

saintjason · April 7

OO - Great news the niggle seems to be settling down. The warm weather and cross training with the swimming surely helped.

SteveMac - Solid weekly total last week and 23 miles followed by another 8 a day later bodes very well.

RJR - Don't fret (easier said than done) about some missed or compromised running re visiting friends/parents. One thing I've got much better at is being far more sanguine about a schedule. Always look ahead. Speaking of which, very nice 19 miles at a fair old clip too. Great stuff.

LS21 - Sorry to read you've continued to be plagued by the hammy. It sounds like you are approaching it as best you can. Difficult things to manage though. Fingers well and truly crossed for you at this end.

Wardi - The odd sensation after doing some exercises is probably a good thing. You probably activated something that will help in the long run ho-ho. Hope you're having a good time in Wales. Average journey times seem to be increasing all over the country. One of the reasons I get up in the middle of the night to drive to see my folks. Its the only time I will drive to make the best use of my time.

Jooligan - I was tired just reading about your running exploits whilst on holiday. You certainly give your legs a darn good thrashing that's for sure. Nice parkrun and an excellent week which will indeed have benefits for Newport I'm sure.

TT - Love that Lydiard quote re hills. I'll be using that in the future. Good to read you feel like you are in a decent place to start building back. Next few weeks messy because of work?

TR - The right call indeed re Brighton. It will have been massively affected with this storm we've been having over the weekend. Your reps session whilst wind affected will still have been worthwhile for the effort alone. Well done on another decent long run with the 10 miles at steady effort. Nice.

Firstly, got my start details for London and same as others here, Green start, Wave 1, 10:01 B of the Bang!

Secondly, my dad mentioned rail strikes planned for the 20th so double checked that report and then promptly booked a return coach ticket as a back-up. 5.5hrs versus 2 on the train but if its the only option I'll have to take it.

Decent week here otherwise. 2 rest days and the usual mix of easy running, a steady out and back and 16x 90secs / 60secs on my treadmill yesterday as it was way too windy to head to the track. I actually felt really comfortable on the treadmill running fast which isn't usually the case. I had plenty of pop in my legs and was running controlled rather than trying to stay upright when the belt gets moving at sub 6min/mile pace.

I capped my week off with a 12 miler today with 5 at marathon effort. Felt really good and thankfully the easier week seems to have benefited my ankle too. 37.6 miles for the week which is standard 75% cutback from peak mileage. Similar this week before easing things further in race week.

Thanks for all the London logistics info too. It forced me to check where I am staying again and various options for getting to Maze Hill. I'm just around the U bend of the river to the west of Greenwich in my YHA and actually is only 18 mins away from the park via electric scooter. How trendy haha. I will have back-up plans of possibly going back to London Bridge and following the crowd as anxiety will no doubt be a factor thinking I won't be able to find one of these scooter things. I'm sure there will be an abundance outside a YHA.

LS21 · April 8

Just browsing before work but will do a proper reply when I get there. But…

saintjason - one option is to jump on the DLR to Cutty Sark (free travel). Out of the station and head away from Greenwich down Romney Road (the main road). That then becomes Trafalgar Road (it’s the same road). You don’t have to walk too far down there and Maze Hill is in your right (the actual road to the right is called Maze Hill). The Green start is just up there. Not sure if Cutty Sark is your nearest station though, in which case the above isn’t overly helpful!!

One other general tip. Travel light. At the expo they give you a drawstring duffle type bag. It’s not that big. Everything has to go in there. They won’t accept any other bags or additional items.

Hopefully see you at the start. Me, you, TR, CRAB and Jock Itch thus far!! Should be a good do. Rich is on Blue 1, Charlie is Yellow, Lord Dids red.

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