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OO.. speaking of weather I hope your Sunday forecast is better than ours - heavy rain predicted on Sunday morning. Sounds like a busy weekend.
Al P.. sorry I managed to miss you out in my summary! Really pleased that you made the Championship cut, that was a very nicely paced run.
Easy double today, 5.5m + 4m. Cold & showery this morning but much improved this evening.
Good luck OO. A lot busier than my Saturday & you’ll still be home & showered by the time I finish 😆
So far I’ve stuck to my planned taper. I’ve walked a couple of miles every day + run 0,3.9,6.2,4.8 so far. Yesterday included a couple of faster miles to keep the legs turning over. Another zero on the cards tomorrow. Been off the bike all week too so I’m getting keener.
#647 if anyone’s bored Sunday morning.
Wardi - Nice double. The forecast has worsened but the heavy rain will stop an hour or so before the start, very cool 8C feels like 6C, light rain which I quite like. So, will use some old socks for gloves and discard when I've warmed-up on the run.
Jooligan - Thanks, good luck to you too. Excellent discipline - Q: Whats wrong with the bike in taper week? Hopefully see you there at the start or seeking warmth and shelter in Friars Walk Car Park!
Will do the 3m from yesterday today, and then that's it. Thankfully, though my Saturday is busy, it does involve a lot of sitting down. Looking forward to it.
Jooligan - as elsewhere. Feeling good for it?
Steve - I was in Iten years ago and had my eyes opened by how slowly some of them run at times. The famous Thursday fartlek was particularly eye-opening as it was 20 x 1' jog/2' fast. When the shout went to start the first 1' jog they were almost walking. I could have crawled quicker. When they went fast they flew though!
TR - reading Canova's write-up on the progression of Cairess' general running was quite interesting as one of the changes he has been making is to increase the pace of those. It will be interesting to see if Phil Sessemon follows suit as that will be an increase of ~40-50s per mile from last year to the expected next step.
Nice one on Abo; I'll get practicing running in wind and rain
Wardi - tasty 10km times there! Weather here has been similar.
Been a bit of a hit and miss week. Last push with work stuff, so I didn't get out from Wednesday morning until today. Dropped my wife off to work and ran home in fresh but nice weather before getting started for the day. Looks like the work side of things should calm down now so I can start getting back to training properly.
In terms of London qualification I noticed that the champs window for this year was all of 2023, whereas the GFA closed off earlier, so if it looks like I'm coming back into shape Abo can be a champs qualifier (unless they drastically change the window) without needing to find an earlier marathon.
TR - Should have mentioned Exeter Marathon, May 12th. https://www.letsdothis.com/gb/checkout/ticket?eventId=186965races=1776318171 Maybe spaces still available
Jools - hope you go well, you've done a long way health wise in recent weeks.
OO - hope you go well too. Exeter could be a possible, firstly I need to shift the rest of the evostik still in my system which is upsetting all entry and exit points at the mo.
2.59.21 baby! My 30th sub-3.
How not to run a marathon, 6.13/6.16 first 2 miles - far too fast for my fitness level followed by a gentle decline in pace until 7.19 mile 25-26, with the 0.6m bit on my garmin a 6.55 mm scamper to the line. Really pleased, had to work hard today and play mind games to keep at it. Weather, favourably spring-like, warm and sunny, no rain. Saw Jooligan & DT19 out on the course. Hope they did well.
The measurements of the course were odd. For most of the race I was passing the mile markers at 0.05-0.1 over distance then suddenly at 23m I went through at 23.3m. I thought they'd just placed the marker wrong and would correct it next mile. I recorded 26.57m which is consistent with most on my strava flybys.
I didn't get what I was after. I found it quite difficult into that 2nd loop having to navigate not only slower mara runners but a huge volume of 2 hour half runners. I also found myself working alone for lots of miles particularly 22 onwards. At 18m my left foot started hurting, think it's the AF3 as quite sore now. Then at 22m I got a stitch and just gave in as I watched my pb slide away. It became harder and harder to suffer knowing my day was done and have run about 1.21.30 first half I scored a 2.47.39. Not a total disaster by any means just disappointing as I know I'm better than that.
Perhaps the first half was a bit sharp. It took me until about 5m to lock into a consistent pace as well and there were a few faster miles than I'd normally do in there, which may have come back to haunt me.
Anyway, no point dwelling on it, I've a day off tomorrow so once I feel hydrated and clean I'll get out for some beers. Debrief then with the coach tomorrow.
DT - sounds like a tough day, but you hung tough well. You have made great progress in recent years, so much so that you'll probably be a bit disappointed by today. We'll see what your coach says, It'll be interesting to see how he sets up the summer for you too. Enjoy those beers.
I'm still struggling to get rid of the last dregs of the lurgy at the mo.
DT19.. sorry it wasn't what you wanted or deserved but you still managed to salvage a decent time out of it. A marathon is always worth a few beers whatever the result, enjoy!
TR.. I'm still coughing up a bit of gunk but it does seem to be easing and doesn't seem to affect my breathing anymore.
Managed my best Parkrun time since last June yesterday, quite pleased with that as there was a bit of a stiff breeze similar to last week from 1-2k & 4-5k. 11m all told with miles before & after. Family duties today so only had time for a 5 miler in the rain.
wardi - cracking parkrun there. Well done!
I agree the mile markers were very odd in the latter stages. I went through 23 with 23.4 on my watch then 24 was back to 24.2 which gave me hope that it would only be slightly over however I ended up with 26.6 too.
I decided to shoot for 3:29. Started just in front of the 3:45 pacer 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 9min miles I decided that was too slow & pushed on. Ticking the miles off smoothly at 7:5x pace but since I was always 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.
Sorry that you had a tough race, DT19. It's may not feel like a huge consolation, but it's a sign of quite how far you've come that you were disappointed by being comfortably under 2.50. It sounds like quite a lot of the factors (course congestion, etc.) were beyond your control, and you'll still have the fitness banked for a decent summer.
Well done, Jooligan. It was always going to be hard to predict a finishing time after a disrupted build up, and it sounds like the lost training only caught up with you in the last few miles.
I hope you're still taking it easy, TR.
Nothing exciting this end: still gradually re-building after having had various lurgies late Feb to mid March, so 7 miles yesterday and 5 this morning.
Jooligan - top work also. You've been battered repeatedly health wise over the last while so just making the startline was an achievement in itself, and making the finish even more so!
DT19 - a good 'bad' day by the sounds of it. Your description of the second half sounds like Bath HM. A bit of a nightmare.
TR - I'd back you over me making a start line any day!
Wardi - well done on the parkrun!
Not much to report here. A very easy 90mins on Saturday was my longest run for 10 weeks. In hindsight a 4.4m walk in the morning before it, and not eating enough, was probably daft as I just felt out of sorts during it. Only a long dog walk and digging a trench for a wall yesterday. Back at it with something today.
Jools - Nice run considering the less than perfect build up.
DT19 - Still a good run.
Wardi - Congrats on the parkrun.
Did almost 16 miles on Saturday that felt tougher than it should, then 11 miles on Sunday which felt super easy!, for a 50 mile week.
Jooligan, yes that's exactly how the latter markers came in. Very odd and longer than you'd expect for a rural course with no obvious gps hindrance.
Sounds painful but a decent time off the limited training.
Thanks, jools. That's exactly how I've reflected on things and I think the good 'bad day' is bang on Tipptop.
Well done on the parkrun, Wardi.
Newport Marathon 2024 2.59.21
Prior to the race, I thought my chances of a sub-3 time were 50/50. I felt sharper than before Manchester, recovery had gone well, I'd lost a lb and felt I'd get a Manchester boost. A Saturday with family, friends and the football kinda took the sting out of the importance of the marathon race as did the 2 beers (Brains SA).
Race Day: Booked a hotel and went to bed around 10.30 and woke far too early at 4.20 am, had breakfast, a bath and left at 7 am arriving in Newport an hour later. Rather than rain and a 5C temperature feel, it was sunny, spring-like and warm. The plan was to get to h/w @1.28 and knock-out sub3 miles until say mile 18 with the expected fade less than the Manchester marathon 2 weeks prior. The course had changed from the big 1 lapper previously into one with a few miles in the city and then out to do 2*8 mile loops.
The Race: Streched my right achilles which is tight and slightly tight all race. Can of Monster 30 minutes before the race and off we went. I started far too keenly, with 10K coming up just over 40 minutes, so decided to rein it in as couldn't currently sustain that pace over a marathon. Settled into @ 6.40 pace and went through h/w in 1.27.10, felt fine, being overtaken by groups with a better sense of pacing. Started to feel it a bit, so did the Paula Radcliffe mental game, of making an effort whilst counting to 100 each time went past a mile marker which kept the pace up with mile 20 coming-up in 2.13, and a bit of rough maths suggesting a 2.57/2.58 time as long as kept going, as passing a few walking and limping now. Gels at mile 10, 15 and 20 SIS Beta @ mile 20.
Still sub 3 miling until mile 21 @ 7 mm, mile 22 7.09, mile 23 7.14. At this point the expected mile 24 marker was 300 metres further up the road from where it should have be, so all of a sudden my 3 minute buffer was slipping. Miles 24-26 all at 7.15 mm and overtaking a good few tiring runners now (couldn't see a 25 mile marker) with my watch beeping at 26 miles with the finish line not 400-500 metres away but far further in the city centre, so picked it up a bit, to see the finish getting closer, to finish in 2.59.21 the exact same time as my last sub-3 in Gran Canaria in November.
Massively pleased and relieved to finish under 3 hrs. Had hoped for a little quicker at mile 20 but measured the course long at 26.6 (my 2 previous Newport's measured 26.35) so this made it a bit more exciting for me, and disappointing for the sub-3 pacer & pacing group who finished the other side of 3.02. Preferred the previous course.
Feel very tired after this race so having a break from marathon running for a while, give my achilles a chance to heal and will target something in October.
DT19 - I which I could be that disappointed with a 2.47 on a congested course thats too long. But as Joolska says its a testament to where you are, that you are disappointed with such a fine time.
Steve - Good comeback week after your half.
Wardi - Excellent PR, well done.
TT - Hope you had a good one today.
TR - You back at it?
OO - I was concerned when you went hard at it, but you obviously fancied your sub 3 chances. Great going so soon after manchester which was a brave run in itself off the build up you'd had.
Joolska - yes, still taking it easy. Done a few weights sessions and a couple of easy runs.
OO - not sure I'm back at it but I've done a couple of short easy runs which to be fair opened up the sinuses a bit. I'm still coughing at night and a little after running. That part took a while to go when i had a chest infection in 2022.
The Newport tracker’s a bit rubbish for comparing paces on different sections as despite running an even pace from 2-20M it has me ranging between 4:32 & 5:17! Clearly the mat distances weren’t correct. At least the mats were at all the crucial points to prevent cheats.
I spotted someone cutting the out & back to the Transporter Bridge on the inaugural event. There were a couple of portaloos on the corner as you’d completed the out & back. He dived in a portaloo then re-emerged moments later but carried on as if he’d run the 2M stretch. No mat at the turnaround but there was a photographer!? Reported him to the organisers & he was removed from the results.
Jooligan.. you did well to salvage a sub 3:45 with the training interruptions you've had. Hope you supped a few cold beers afterwards. Re. Parkrun.. my low point was 24.02 in Jan, I've got that down to 22.48 now - progress is slow at my age! Target is 22 mins.
SteveMac.. 16m + 11m is a decent weekend of miles banked, nicely done. Strange that the Sunday run felt easier.
Temps up today but pretty windy out there, 9m done.
I recall seeing the sub 3 pacer on the second out and back and he had a significant number with him. Looking at the results there's 45 runners listed between 3.00- 3.01.45 who must genuinely have thought sub 3 was on. It's a completely disproportionately high number over such a minor time period, compared to rest of results which clearly shows they were all firmly fixed on sub 3.
I'm usually firmly in the camp of 'it's been officially measured, your gps is wrong'. However, if we are shifting that stance here, then I'd have run a 2.45 and probably would have been much happier.
Jools, yes the mat placement was more functional to stop cheats than to provide clear splits to those tracking you. Mine appear all over the place as well.
I notice that the first female on the 'mass' results ran 2.41 but missed a load of timing mats and when she did hit them she was running 8-9mm. Not sure if she maybe pulled out and walked it in or ran the half even.
Still feeling rather beaten up today!
Similar too, feeling very fatigued, so had to look myself in the mirror this morning, and summon my inner marathon runner (he's a good looking guy, with a full head of hair in his 30's) to enter my first marathon to be run as a 60 year old (gulp).
So just entered the Arc of Attrition here in Cornwall, a very famous ultra race along the South West Coastal Path of 100 and 50 miles which is adding a 50 KM this year. The Attrition bit is appropriate and not just a gimmick, as it is run in late January in the unpredictable weather that can throw up, but also in the shorter days that also brings. Importantly, and not without some controversy it is for the first time part of the UTMB structure so a finish is worth 2 running stones for the lottery for the main UTMB Finals races in Chamonix which was my main reason for entering.
OO - nice write-up. Strange with the distance. Any chance of a cone in slightly the wrong place or something like that? The Arc of Attrition sounds aptly named just for the time of year!!
Jooligan - that's interesting with the nasal breathing as I'm already having hayfever issues so I will give the link a watch. Ta.
Just ticking over here. Not feeling 100% but nothing I can put a finger on definitively either. Started with an osteopath today who has highlighted a host of issues that need addressing (it's somebody I know, and everything he said fits with what I feel, so no concerns that I'm being 'sold'), so hopefully that will help, but sometimes it feels like I'm not getting a full breath in, so possibly two things at play here.
I know there are links between long covid and oxygen not binding properly to red blood cells like it should, so after a few infections, combined with my RHR still being elevated, that is a possibility (though thankfully at least, if that is a factor, it's nowhere near what my wife has to deal with).
DT - you'd expect to run further at London due to all the weaving about, but not by so much in smaller races.
OO - that race sounds horrific. I was expecting you to announce a warm overseas mara.
I'm with TR, that sounds horrific!
TT, good the osteopath has helped. I see a chiro regularly and not 100% clear on the distinction between the two.?
I thought I'd enjoy a week of nothing but as always 2 days in I'm feeling twitchy. I've got 5 races between now and 09th June so think I'll tentiveley tackle a short shake out tomorrow.