sub or about 4h30 hopefully

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Comments

  • Paul - at the end of the day you've just to do your best. Do you have to race on Sunday? Maybe you have to prioritise what you're doing. Plenty of people have done marathons with just 3 runs - a long slow one, a mid-length slow one and a shorter faster one. I think it's more difficult but it is certainly possible. There is still a lot of time left yet to get stuck into schedules - good luck.
  • Thanks for the encouragement ; I did the FLM in 2001 but was disappointed when I had to walk quite a lot of the second half. Still finished in 5:08 but looking to do 4:30 this time - thus this thread which I started a long time ago ! I find that the races get me out of the house more easily - more motivating. Anyway I'm hoping for a good hour, if not more, this weekend
  • Hello sub 4:30 people. Can I join you?

    I've managed to get a club place for FLM. Previous marathon best is 4:55, but my training for that was pants as I had lots of injury problems, so I'm hoping to go under 4:30 this time. Managed 2:07 at the Brass Monkey Half on Sunday so according to the magic formula (double your half time and add 20 minutes) I'm almost there....

    (that's the theory anyway)
  • Sounds good to me Norma!

    I'm frustrated because I've had a long day and really wanted to go to the gym to do my threshold session before dinner but my tutor kept me for so long that I couldn't. Will have to go after dinner-bloated or not!

    Paul, if you run Thursday through to Sunday then that's 4 runs a week which is fine. You'll probably be in a wheelchair from Monday to Wednesday but they say no pain no gain! Seriously though, I agree with slowlegs that if you can put in 3 quality sessions (definitely a fast one somewhere) then you'll be fine.
  • Hi All,

    Keep reading this and the Sub 4hr thread so thought I'd join in. I've got a ballot place and this will be my first Marathon, I'm following the RW Ultimate Marathon Sub-4:30 schedule and all is going ok at the moment......

    Mark
  • Norma, I'm about on a par with you. half PB 2.05 and last marathon 4.56.

    Unlike you my training seems to be going downhill this year. Feeling a like demorilised at the moment.
  • Hi Dips

    Don't be demoralised - there's still heaps of time yet. How long ago was your 2:05 half compared to the 4:56 marathon?
  • Hi All - don't worry about not achieving your marathon time on the day or your training got going to schedule - that's just life! In my first London marathon, I wanted to do under 4hrs, blew up at mile 18, and came in at 5:03. I was so disappointed -I spent the whole time going back over my training and my mile lap times on the day and trying to work out where I went wrong. It took me about 3 weeks to actually cop myself on and realise what a great achievement I had actually made by finishing a marathon when most others could not even run to the end of the road.

    From then on I made a decision that in all future marathons, I'd just enjoy the atmosphere and keep reminding myself how incredibly lucky I am to be able to run at all.

    Apparently, if you can run an 11-minute mile, you are at the top 1% of the population. Therefore guys, we are all the cream of the crop in this forum, so (as John Bingham says) waddle on folks.
  • Sorry about your foot Undulating - be careful!

    I'm following HH Int 1 prog too - like the idea of the two weekend runs - be interesting to see if it pays off on the day!
  • so where can i find this hal higdon's schedule then folk?
  • Hi Norma...my half PB was last October and FLM time last year too.
  • That's extremely well-put Cait. I keep reminding myself that this is my first one and just finishing it will be great, but it's hard when you have a goal in mind. Must be even harder for people trying to beat a PB-sooo much pressure!
    Got 2 more donations today-thought I'd get an e-mail sent round the psychology department at uni telling people what I'm doing and bingo! £15 in one day.
    Got a recovery run tonight which will be nice.
    Hope you're feeling more optimistic Dips. You're so inspiring for the rest of us and always give good advice, it's a shame that you're having problems and feeling disillusioned about the whole thing. Hope things improve soon!
  • Happy Running
    Thanks for your concern - I really enjoyed our 5.8 mile club run tonight - first run pain free for months. Just hope its ok in the morning.

    I am really looking forward to London now - just 300 odds miles training to do !!!
  • Me too Bananna, I have a few things going on at the moment so maybe they are reflected in my training...Its good to have support on here though x

    What Uni are you at Bananna?

    New glass or six of wine tonight....yipppee its a rest day!
  • Opps meant nice glass of wine!!! Must have had too many.
  • Pansie - www.halhigdon.com - lots of schedules, think intermediate 1 is about right for 4:30ish

    U - YIKES! 300 miles?! Hope foots OK today
  • Dips, I'm at Wadham College, Oxford.
    Hope you enjoyed your night. Tonight will probably be a late one for me, it's my friend's 21st and he's bought two 40 pint barrels and put them behind the college bar! It's such bad timing that everyone has their 21st birthday in the final year, too much drinking, not enough working!
  • Wasn't sure whether to train last night. I had a really bad sore throat and was worried that I'd wake up this morning really ill. So I abandoned the killer circuits class and did 20mins on cross-trainer, 20 mins rowing and my own little circuits! Was fun, and today I'm feeling better and don't ache. Bodes well for being a personal trainer!
  • Running schedule goes to pot again ! Last night my wife cracked a bone in her arm which has menat time at A&E, fracture clinic - and therefore no running ! Maybe tomorrow and sunday ..and monday ?
  • Ouch! Well that obviously can't be helped. Two good sessions this weekend and no worries. Hope she heals soon!
  • Hello all,

    Doing first marathon this year, hope to get around in sub 4:30, but who knows? Anything could happen!

    Suprised by the top 1% can only do an 11 minute mile, where's that stat from???

    Anyway, plan for 10.5 miles Sunday, done three other runs this week - is it OK to do mix of outside / treadmill (it's been cold this week for early morning running!)

    SK
  • Hi Steve. Welcome to the thread. I also do some running on treadmills when it's dark/rainy. I don't think it does any harm, although probably best to do long runs outside because you have to get used to it.

    I have 90 mins cycling today and 90 mins long run tomorrow, but also have a cold and wondering whether to skip today's session and do tomorrow's, in case I get any worse after today. Wait, who am I kidding? I've already put my sports top on 'while I think about whether to go or not'. Nothing's going to stop me from going out!
    But if I am worse tomorrow then I'm blaming you lot for not stopping me!
  • Hi everyone

    Did a speed trial today. Couldn't find a 10k near me today but measured out a course just over 5 miles (5.25M) to be exact managed it in 47m 20s at 86% of my HR.

    Pretty tiring, no way I could keep that up for a half-marathon let alone a marathon!!!!
  • Well, attempted 9.5 miles yesterday but had to walk three times, mainly up a couple of hills - but still got home ! Forgot to turn my stopwatch on as well although that doesn't really matter. Very tired when I got in but quite well recovered today so maybe tomorrow, another longish run ?
  • Dear Paul,

    I feel for you! I'm in the same position.

    I'm just back from a 9.2 mile run which I managed in 1.37.05, it's slower than I'd like, but it was faster than the combined best times I've managed for the two runs I added together to get the total (3.2 and 6.0 miles).

    The last six miles has some killer hills - 3 x 2 minute/steep climbs - and they just finish me. I find I have to stop and walk, then my legs tired, and it's a real psychological effort to get started again. Does anyone have a solution for this?! ;-)

    I don't know about everyone else, but for me - this time around - it's the psychology I'm struggling with. I've done the FLM before (admittedly in 1998), and I know I was capable of doing the long runs then, but this time around it's been a real struggle.

    Today I tried a lot of the psychology tips from the 'The Non-runner's Marathon Trainer' which has been helping me hugely (find out more here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570281823/falltpublishi-21
  • Last bit of my post got cut off...

    They talk in 'The Non-runner's Marathon Trainer' about creating 'mental videos' and playing them back in the mind when you hit a bad spot, and these worked to a point.

    The other thing they suggest is to repeat in your head "I am a marathon runner, I am a marathon runner..." when things get tough and, although it sounds a little mumbo-jombo'ish, it really worked for me. Anyway, I'm just glad I got up and out the door and did the run.

    I hope everyone else is on track!

    Best,

    Chris
  • Been away all week in London, so training went to pot. Ran around Hyde Park and beyond a couple of times.Took in the last mile of the marathon course. Couldn't help get excited at the prospect of whats to come.
    Good run today. 13 miles in exactly 2 hours, including running through the start/finish area of a local race. Runners everywhere warming up, getting in the way!
    Wasn't very well advertised as I may have been tempted to have a go!
  • StylishStylish ✭✭✭
    Hi Guys how is everyone. I went out and did the "Time on your feet" run this morning and did 100 mins.What I did find is that my thighs muscles were being used a lot more than when I've run a bit faster. I do find it harder to run slower as I prefer to start fast and then lower the pace to a comfortable level rather than the other way round. Also mentally if I know that I've done a certain distance already I can pysche myself when I'm going thru a bad phase.

    PA - I don't think a longish run is advisable. You'll probably still feel the effects of your long run so a sensible thing to do would be a short recovery run, may be 3/4 miles, nice n easy. Do you have training plan? I know that you're having difficulty finding time but whenever you can fit it in you need to be doing at least a recovery run, mediumish run and a long slow run.

    CM & PA - what you guys have to remember is that if your long runs include "killer hills" then you're training is harder than if the route was fairly level and therefore the times are better than they seem. This will strengthen both your legs and lungs and hold you in good sted for the big day. Just keep on congratulating yourself for getting out there and doing those distances.

    PA - Yes I think everyone has their own mantra and everyone will need one because over 26 odd miles there's bound to be a bad patch. Whatever works for you is good no matter what it sounds like to others.

    BH - Hi. If you could keep that pace up over the course of a marathon then you wouldn't be on this thread lol. Keep it up.

    Bananna, how's my guardian angel? I hope you are well and the cycling and running went well this weekend.Speak to you soon.
  • StylishStylish ✭✭✭
    Sorry Normski forgot you at the end there :0)That's a good run and good time. Bang on course for sub 4.30. Well done.
  • Hi Stylish, nice to hear from you. Glad to hear that you're keeping up your training.
    Both the cycling and running went quite well, although I made the mistake of doing the long run on the treadmill (despite what I said to Steve!) because it looked so grey and cold outside. I always find it harder to run on treadmills so I had to keep slowing the pace down to keep my heart rate steady. Did 15 mins at marathon pace. Thighs ache a bit now, and I'm a bit disappointed that at the end the distance was 13K, 8 miles, which doesn't seem very far. I have to keep telling myself that it's slow long run pace and I can't expect to be doing 10min/miles at 65% of WHR.

    Really well done Normski, I wish I was at that stage already. 2hrs for half-marathon is where I plan to be mid-march!

    Chris, doesn't sound like mumbo-jumbo to me. I've been picturing the last 400 metres of the marathon since before I had a confirmed place! Works wonders at the end of a hard run.

    Dips, hope your training has gone well this weekend.
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