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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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I decided to do a proper marathon training session yesterday. Went to Gloucester for some flat running to better simulate Newport’s profile. Ran about 5M along the canal, round the lanes & then rejoined the canal with just under 3M to go: 11.8M@7:38 average with 5/4/3/2/1K tempo off 1K. Paces were 7:27/7:15/7:37/7:29/7:35 for the tempo sections & the recoveries averaged 8:21. The first half of the 4K effort was on a very uneven section of the towpath so probably overcompensated & paid for it later. The 3K section on the lanes included both of the hills en route hence being the slowest.
Key sessions this week involve plenty of rest & sleep. Going to avoid the bike commute too.
Drove in then walked the final mile & a half today.
I’ll run short Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday but nothing Friday then local parkrun only on Saturday - not the hilly course I’ve been favouring recently but my home run which is celebrating it’s 14th anniversary. Guaranteed to be plenty of opportunities for replenishing the carbs after 😂
Took me out of a 10m and HM, so the fear for a marathon with such a long build up must be real!!
I can't believe they still run this session. About 15 years after I joined them for a random session of it.
I made legendary status that day as monstered their best runner, as I ignored the steady part of the sesh and just stormed the whole lap
2 lap hero, then by lap 3 utterly monstered in the bushes
Instead I wanted to do last week's 4x1mile off 2mins sesh again.
Last week it was 6.09, 5.48, 5.58, 6.02
This week it was 6.04, 5.49, 5.55, 5.57.
Not 100% the exact same route, weather and circumstance, but clear improvement there either way. Funny the difference mile 1 and 2 are. Mile one has a slight climb and turn, the second mile is close to the reverse. Obviously mile 1 less warm as well down to my habit of finishing wu and cool down then taking ages at home to get out again
Threw in 4x30secs hard off 1min after this weeks on top.
So it's coming back a bit, need to push the paces and do some shorter stuff in the next few weeks.
Got to the usual pub, dragged someone from LBAC this time. Then walked back in to London.
Good training again, going well
Jools - seeing you getting sensible in your old age! Sensible training plan.
Likewise SG.
Ran 10 to the track at Bedford on Saturday, Ollie did 5.01 for 1500 in worse conditions than last week so he was happy enough.
Will do a 3/4 session tonight here as got the 5000m at Battersea on Friday.
Good sounding marathon specific run, Jools. Although miles/kms mash up always takes me a while to convert 😂. What is TANDA? Like the sound of your week. I too plan to have Friday off. Will try to pop back on here before the weekend, but if I don’t, good luck at Newport!
Good luck with the Battersea 5000, SC!
Race week session this afternoon. Possibly a bit more than I’d traditionally do, but I’ve enjoyed the programme so far so gave it a whirl (sort of at least). It called for 5 x 3 mins at tempo (2 min jogs) then 4 x 15s strides. 15 minutes at tempo seemed a bit much, so hit the 1200m industrial loop more with MP in mind. Got pretty fortunate with the wind, and to be fair felt pretty good on the run (in spite of feeling really flat more generally). 6:34 average for the ons - so closer to tempo than MP in the end, but really didn’t feel like I was working. 5:32s for the strides. Have never bothered programming these into the watch before so nothing to compare it to, but enjoyable to do these with the wind behind me. 7M at 7:18 average for the session.
Planning on easy 30-40 minutes tomorrow, then 30 mins including 2 x 3 mins at MP on Thursday wearing the race shoes. Token jog on Saturday, probably just chasing the lad on his bike.
Slowly getting up for it - just need more sleep!
I had a slightly below par day. I'd caught a cough and cold (I'm blaming the 7hrs on public transport for the expo weds). Had been coughing a lot in the nights before, but decided to run. Was borderline sub 3, and was hemmed in by all the masses anyway, 1.29.4X at 1/2 way but couldn't see it happening again, so decided to ease off and get round 3.10ish which gives me a 5 min buffer for GFA. Ended up a bit under 3.02 which was a surprise. Been coughing up a load of rubbish since. No rinsing myself on the embankment, no cramp and no puking, quite bizarre.......I'd be disappointed if id rinsed myself but ended up with 3.01.43 av 138, where as when i last ran London it was 2.54 av 150. So I still have the capability. Didn't feel terrible, just felt off......if it was a training day I'd have sacked off any sessions for an easy run.
Way too crowded, our start seemed to go off late, 90secs behind on race clock which pit a lot of people on the road ahead of me. I will go back but its more of a day out nowadays
SQ - I'm sure you've said and I've just forgotten, but which programme have you been following? On the Canova stuff, he has shared Cairess' London training since the start of the year on Letsrun. It's interesting!
SG - good progression on the mile reps. Which of your clubs were the 3 marathoners from? DD?
SC - tasty from your clubmate, and a good run from Ollie. Sounds like plenty more sub-5s on the way for him. Good luck for Battersea, and those were tasty 600s as well.
Not much to report here. Was down in London for the weekend mixing marathon watching with touristy stuff, and was a bit fried from work so binned my Friday morning run after a few minutes and didn't take any gear with me. Getting back to it slowly this week.
TR - Just bad luck with the cold then, frustrating knowing what you could have done. That's the danger with marathons, so much build up then you can always end up with a cold or a sniffle.
SQ - Good session. I quite like a plan to follow. I'm going to get one for the 1500 in Gothenburg in the summer. I like being told what to do LOL.
Last night did 20 x 200 off 20 secs over at the local track on the field. Felt ok, think squats are going to be the way to go to get my quads up to speed in the summer.
Did 4.2 miles round Islington this morning.
Good session SG. Got to be time for a marker race.
What’s the goal for Battersea SC?
Fetch has a calculator for it or this https://crplot.com/ pulls the data from your Strava training log.
Good luck in Boston. We’ll both be hoping for a miraculously still morning on Sunday 😂
There’s a tracker for Newport apparently: Run4Wales
I’m #647 & go off at 9am.
3.9M lunchtime yesterday, including the big hill behind work wasn’t the smartest move but better than tomorrow. Glorious day for it & the views were amazing.
10K today with 2M@7:36 so quite a bit quicker than planned MP. Definitely didn’t feel sustainable for another 3hrs+ either so if I’m anywhere near that at any point before 20M I deserve what’s coming 😆
Old lot had a 2.37 in there, a guy leading the race for a few seconds by sprinting off (!) before cruising to a 2.59, and 4 women between 3.04 and 3.13.
Also quite hilariously some random woman who lives in America for some reason runs as a Dasher so beat them all with a 2.59!
I don't think I realised at the time when I trained Lit fusing P&D with Moz's training of me, that her 2.52 was pretty damn good!
Need to get hold of the new club's vest for starters - don't want that to become another saga, I've not had one for a week or two
I see the Murder Mile / Llanthony double doesn't clash with footy season this Aug - usually I need to check the fixtures. Could be time for another go. Murder Mile I think might be some big number, 35th or 40th something like that.
The Machen Mountain race sounds and looks interesting too.
But I also want to somewhere get another Rose Inn 4 miler in.
I'll aim for one Welsh hoon this summer all being well!
Did 200s off 30s once but 20seconds, I think even in the tediously repetitive gub we have lavished over for a decade hasn't actually come up before, so kudos
Having lost Phil Minestrone Jones, Bus and Power Pete from being regulars, and our youngest and most handsome poster Joe currently battling a recovery, we probably need some new blood.
Good luck to those marathoning this weekend, I assume it's Jools and SQ both at Newport? I think you'll go well SQ. Funny that Jools, most people have to go and seek some hills but you're seeking out flat ground
Decent training in there SC and nice time from the boy. He's got a way to go to catch his dad though!
TR - Solid run out at London, sounds like the sub 3 was there if you really wanted it but probably best saving it for a day when you're at a 100%.
SG - Interesting fartlek session! I don't think running clubs are noted for changing much of anything are they!
I predicted my cough would be gone by yesterday but I was wrong. Whilst it's definitely improving the progress is glacial!
Went away Friday to Sunday to Leominster of all places for a cycling trip. Got two fairly big rides in but there were loads of coughing fits and even on one occasion dropping to the back of the group for a casual bit of vomiting
It meant I had a reasonable volume for once but only got one short run in on the Monday. Hyrox next week will likely just be a bit of fun as training hasn't been ideal. I then need to come up with some sort of goal and plan for the summer. Ideally I'll race shorter distances in both running, cycling and triathlon and it would be nice to get fit enough to run a 5k PB. Although my PB has been beaten several times in 10ks and HMs!
I was looking at the Takumi Sen 9s for the Hyrox race as they look like they might have good grip. Any wearers here that can vouch for them? I looked at the 10 but the grips looked a lot smoother in the picture and I want more ridges for the sled push.
Reg, these coughs are a menace, i've noticed the odd one creeping back in. But i'm hoping it's more dust/weather type normal occasionals, rather than the coughing myself to abs from weeks back
Have thrown a few planks in recently, only 1min, but please i can hit that.
If i'm honest it's a comfy 30secs, then really stubbornly holding on the last 20seconds. Especially when I did a 2nd one about 90secs after the first one. That was a real hold on job!
My fitness is certainly 99.5% stacked aerobically, as even the pansiest set of weights leave me feeling it 2-3 days later and I can feel these planks a bit too!
SG - Off 20 secs? depends on how fast you run them mate
Reg - Tak's are pretty grippy, continental rubber on sole.
I've been to Leominster before. Are you sitting comfortably?
On a 6th form trip to Florence in Oct 1989, I got left behind in Siena by our coach, so asked this other party from Herefordshire if I could get a lift to the next village, and they allowed me, as we were going to the same place
One of the girls on the coach, Clare, used to live in Bournemouth - and WOULD YOU ADAM n EVE IT?? Next door to one of the girls on our trip!
Anyway, Claire was from Leominster and I stayed friends, then visited her the next Easter. Non romantic, but I did quite fancy her LOL.
I did go to her 18th the next Easter, but lost touch. I just know she went to Luton Uni.
Anyway. Hope that was entertaining
Hope the Hyrox goes well Reg
Dont let the lack of a club vest h9ld you back SG. I don't have one.
Hope Jools and SQ go well
I'd be disappointed if id rinsed myself for a 3.01 instead of the hoped for 2.55. But it's a target missed.........got a string of 10k and HM races planned through to Sept, which will hopefully do me good. Esp if i actually do some specific prep.
I might bottle it and just run in any old vest, but I quite like the idea of my first race for this lot being at the race they marshal!
Shouting "I've got the chairman's permission" to anyone chuntering about what I'm doing.
SC - i'm living vicariously through your 1980s youthful memories. Loves young dream!
Sounds like you’re about 98-99% then which isn’t too shoddy.😜
Can’t see myself racing a Rose Inn this year but could be tempted by a return to the Murder Mile SC. Although I’ve lost any climbing ability I had.
Shame your Hyrox hopes have been hindered Reg. You seemed to be adapting well to a totally different training environment. I’m sure you’ll be above average despite the setbacks.
Slight tickly sort of intermittent cough at the moment. Nothing like the chesty one that floored me, and more of a slightly irritating throat clear one, but hopefully that bores off.
12x400 off 60secs for me today.
Needed to get back to the track to see some faster stuff come off really.
While perhaps not peak pre-coughing bug, it'll do for another step up.
Range 1.18xx to 1.20xx, mostly a 1.19xx average. As that'd probably be about 5.21 pace which I didn't hold in my 5k pb, let alone know, it'll do, but with the disclaimer that I "probably" could be averaging a second or so quicker. But a first solo track session in memory as i'd been doing any track stuff with the Friday evening gang since last Autumn, and had favoured from the door stuff before that.
But I think it's without doubt that if you're trying to do the 200-400 or even 600m you probably need a track
Pretty tasty 400s off 60s, SG. Even if that is treble SC's rest
Thoroughly enjoyed that, SC. It was a Mallet's mallet of reminiscence.
Thanks for the link, Jools. I will look into it. I enjoy digging to the excellent FetchEveryone calculators and analysis as well, even basing the odd stats lesson around some of the graphs it throws up.
4M yesterday including 2 x 3 minutes at MP. Came in a 6:52 but felt shit. Lingering cold not ideal but never mind. First day off since December today. Feels miles worse for it
Got to be closer than Garmin which is suggesting 2:56:32 😆
Also had a day off
Got a little bit of a cold here. Got a 13 of but at a more leisurely 7.50 sort of mixer rather than 25-30secs quicker like other weeks. Cold, wet and windy too.
Compared to that proper coughing bug a few weeks ago this isn't much - hence 5 days total rest back then and hoping to run through this, but will do what feels right as usual.
Boston UK Marathon race report:
Training:
Off the back of a lengthy hamstring injury, I had lost of a lot of fitness by early December. Sessions were gradually reintroduced, but averaging only just under 7 min/miling for two or three minute reps. The best thing about this block has been successfully building things up again and being able to hit 6:40s for over an hour in some sessions, as well as descender style sessions getting down to near 6 minute pace.
Travel:
Had an AirBnB about 25 minutes from Boston but my goodness is that realm of the country a long way away! Incredibly, there were signs on the M69 warning of a cyclist in the road. By the time I caught him up, he was stood alongside his motorbike and a police van and car. Dangerous stuff.
Pre-ace:
Feeling fit and healthy in the lead in, it was frustrating to pick up a cold a week or so out. It seemed to peak on the Friday and Saturday before the event which certainly took some of the mental appetite away. Feeling a bit better by the evening, it was clear I would probably be fine to toe the line.
Woke up at 0445 to have breakfast early enough before the 0800 gun.
The race:
If a race can be both horrific and atrocious, this was it. Incessant rain, brutal winds, endlessly flooded or muddy roads. With the wind chill, undoubtedly ‘feel-like’ minus temperatures. Absolutely soaked well before the start, it was clear I had made an error in not bringing running gloves (later would reveal the need for some kind of base layer/arm warmers etc – something I would never consider in a marathon unless the forecast said sub-zero temperatures).
Through half in 1:29:50 but faded from there. Can’t win them all. Hell of an effort just to finish. You know it’s going to be a tough day when you’re counting to ten and back from mile 18. The wind forecast for the town centre was 18mph, but on the Fens, it was brutal. Fields straight into roads, without a hedge or tree in sight.
It was like a scene from a horror movie at times, with shivering vest-clad runners stopping to just sit by a field. If someone had pulled up in their car or even just opened the front door of the odd farmhouse we passed, I would have undoubtedly got in. It was though a classic case of how do I get to the finish as quickly as possible, and pulling out at an uncovered aid station wasn’t going to help. Kudos though to the numerous marshals – it can’t have been a pleasant few hours for them. And credit where it is right – to have small sports top water bottles available every two miles was impressive.
Definitely hypothermic and in full shivering, teeth chattering mode crossing the line. Delighted to then find the bag collection point uncovered and my coat, shoes and spare clothes absolutely sodden. Nowhere to get changed or even take cover. Several taken to hospital with hypothermia. Won’t be rushing back 😆
I followed my friend to a pub where I attempted to get change. The only dry things left in the car were my pyjamas and slippers. Needs must!
Reflections:
It was a shame not to see some return on investment after a really solid 16-week block, especially as Newport, the alternative my friend and I considered, had pretty good conditions. But never mind. With the odd disaster comes greater appetite in the long run.
Sore today, and quite a bit in the neck and hips – mostly when twisting. I suspect this is from fighting the wind so much. No running today – hold me to it! No upcoming races booked, but would like to try to stay in shape to run some shorter (warmer!) stuff this summer.
What was your TANDA prediction btw?
Newport Marathon
Breakfast: 2.5 bagels with marmalade & peanut butter washed down with coffee then chilled for an hour before a brisk walk to the start.
Dropped my kit off on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park they always use. Empty this year thanks to the favourable weather but rammed last time I did it when it was damp & cold. Great place to do dynamic stretches & get changed after too.
I decided to shoot for 3:29 so slotted myself in just before the 3:45 pace group with the idea that I’d remain between them & the 3:30 pack. Passed a couple I know after a mile & slowed to chat with them. Considered sticking with them but as they were planning to jog round at 9 min/miles I decided that was too slow & pushed on. Ticking the miles off smoothly at 7:5x pace but since I had distance in K & was clocking slightly ahead of the mile markers figured it was closer to 8 flat. Halfway in about 1:44 feeling good enough to chat away still. I’d had a multi-pack snickers after 40 minutes, then had a gel at 10M, another at 14, 18 & then again at 21. I carried a bottle of diluted Lucozade sport & drank water at every other station. Also began pouring it on my head after halfway. I was going well til 20M before slowing slightly to 22M then cracked & it was a painful jog/walk/shuffle to the end for 3:43:30. I’ve done almost no proper training with injury & Covid interference so not that surprising my legs buckled after almost 3 hours of pounding tarmac. I should’ve stuck with my friends for longer as they only finished 2 minutes behind me in the end.
Clocked 26.6M for the course but seemed to gain 0.3M or (500m) from 20M on. At the 23 mile marker my watch read 23.4 but then at 24 it read just under 24.2. Bit odd given the wide open spaces & smooth turns.
Excellent finish funnel meant I chatted to my friends once over the line as I walked down it collecting water, medal, banana, electrolyte tab & cereal bar before joining them right before the phalanx of portaloos.
Popped in to get my clothes & was hailed by a smiling volunteer proffering my bag before I'd even got to the table. Got changed in the sun in whilst struggling not to go into full on cramp, availed myself of the aforementioned facilities which were still clean & well stocked then hobbled back up the hill to their house for a light cooked brunch.
A decent weekend all in all & I'm definitely considering it again for next year.
Sounds an excellent race experience, Jools, even with the slowing. Well done for the running but mostly using the word phalanx. I will be tempted to join you next year!
I can certainly recommend Newport as a low key, local alternative to London. Logistics are so simple.