FLM 09 - 3.45ers!

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  • Good luck with Snowdonia RD. I have a friend from another thread running there. One difference he's running the Dublin Marathon as well on Monday; two in two days!
  • VRaptor - Continuing the gym theme. For a few years now ALL I have done is run (okay - plod) so I guess I have decided to get back to the gym in the hope that developing a more rounded fitness may help my running. I have also just left my running club and so feel I need the structure of the gym visits to keep me going at a difficult motivational time. Although hopefully this thread and others like it will become a help in that as the race gets closer.

    My background is actually as a dancer - who got injured, turned to aerobics and then only recently started running because of the restriction that children bring to getting out of the house.
  • Mr Dap, when you do the Snowdonia run, if you listen carefully, you can hear my faint cries for Mummy, echoing from Mount Snowdon, from my harrowing 3rd of 3 peaks climb at 2am in October 2003. "The Wall" on that adventure hit going under the railway track on the way up, when I would've shaved off my eyebrows and stripped to my y-fronts to reduce the weight I was carrying !?

    How many full Marathons have you done now ?
    Best of luck with this one, and I hope neither of us see Ben Nevis next April !

    No running for me this week as I have a severe dose of Man Flu, NOT to be confused with the common cold.
    Glen Clova Half on the 11th, so I'll get back on track next week. What running should I do in the week before, if it is on Saturday lunchtime ? Would say an 8.6 on the Monday, and a gentle 5 or 6 on the Wednesday morning be OK ?
    And this carb loading thing...
    What is carb loading, and what is carb over-eating ?
  • Carb-loading for a half-marathon is, by definition, carb-overeating, LS ;o) Especially if you carb-load with a fried dumpling supper with curry sauce and a deep-fried Mars bar every night for the two weeks before the race.

    Hope your manflu takes itself off elsewhere quickly.

    GA, what sort of dance did you do?



  • Ballet and contemporary, never brilliant but I did it into my twenties - I was the oldest person in my dance school apart from the teacher. Obviously as an older and slightly more strapping lass these days I will not be doing that sort again. So, next Thursday I am hoping to start back at latin/ballroom. Should be a laugh and I am going to call it cross-training.
  • Sounds great fun, GA :o) I've got two left feet - can't even stay co-ordinated in an aerobics class.

    I do indoor climbing, but it's not really cross-training, it's just a fun sport that I can share with the kids.
  • That sounds cool too. I already dance with my daughter but as she is only 3, it isn't very technical. I am trying to find her a class asap as she is desperate to be Angelina Ballerina.
  • Paris, V-rap - but you'll have to make your decision quickly, it's filling up! Fast & flat too and it's always one or two weeks before London.

    Or you could come to Barcelona! That's what we're intending to do next - 4th March :)

    Good luck at Snowdonia RD! Hope the weather's kind to you :) I think I shall have plenty of layers on tomorrow supporting at Beachy Head and a sturdy umbrella too!
  • I love to watch dance, GA, and I tried so hard as a child ... interestingly, despite being more solidly built than the stereotypical ballerina and despite her parents having four left feet between them, one of my daughters is a very good instinctive dancer :o)

    Tiger, Barcelona's way too early for us, but last night we had a look on the internet and found Zurich on 1st April. It's flattish and fast. It's also just a fraction too early, but possibly our best prospect. Paris is a good alternative, of course, and definitely One To Do Sometime.

    Hope you enjoy supporting at Beachy Head, and hope Snoop runs a blinder :o)

    RD, have a great time at Snowdonia. I'm looking forward to your report.

    Who else is racing this weekend?
  • Hi all,

    went to see my physio yesterday, as to why I keep tearing/straining the calf muscle in my right leg. He now thinks it is my back causing it. I wonder if he has a Danney Le Rue what he is on about.

    Thanks for all the wishes of good luck. Off tomorrow morning to my training camp in Criccieth! Will be glad to get this 'charity' event out of the way so I can get down to some serious FLM/Lochaber training.

    This will be my sixth marathon LS. My times are as follows;

    Cardiff 2004 4hrs 42 mins
    London 2005 4hrs 23 mins
    Cardiff 2005 4hrs 43 mins
    London 2006 3hrs 58 mins
    Cardiff 2006 4hrs 51 mins
    Snowdonia 2006 Hopefully before Dusk

    London this year is what I believe my true potential to be. First marathon where I did consistent training plus speedwork. I always get injured (right calf) which leads to about two weeks loss of training. I truly believe I can get under 3.45

    My half pb is 1.40 and my 10K pb is 42 mins. What you reckon guys? Am I deluded or what?

    Gymaddict, I am very impressed indeed with your ballet background. You must be mega fit. Ms. Dap and I love the ballet; cant get over the fitness and strength of those guys and gals.

    LS, I will keep listening out for your crys. What with my howls could be quite interesting.

    I don't think a trip to Scotland would be such a bad thing. I tend to visit that wonderful land once every two years following the rugby. Been to Ayr, Dundee, Perth, Musslebrough. Loved every single trip (though don't tell the CSA!)
  • Top of the page!! Get in there ;)
  • Good luck with Snowdonia Ripped Dap. You're making me pine for my homeland - long since exiled in S.E. England!

    I've got my Barns Green half mara on Sunday. Though at the moment have been sneezing constantly for about 2 hours. Hope it's not woman-flu! Actually I'm claiming it's an allergic reaction to peeling potatoes, which is when it started. How handy would that be for escaping kitchen duties in future?
  • Ripped Dan - the ballet was a LONG time ago I'm afraid. I look more like a competitive weight lifter these days than a dancer. Still wish I could do it though. After I got injured I kept my pointe shoes under my bed for years, every now and again I would try them on and be amazed all over again at how painful it was.

    ANd i totally agree - dancers are the most supreme atheletes.

    Also back on running. WIth a half PB of 1 40 and 10k of 42 - goodness you should 'easily' get 3.45. (I know there is no such thing as an easy marathon - but you know what I am getting at).
  • RD, for you to compare:

    FLM 2002: 4:54 - injured before start
    Dublin 2003: 4:01 - best result to date
    FLM 2004: 4:50 (fancy dress)
    Cardiff 2004: 4:20 - attempt at sub 4 (got cramp, wet autumn weather)
    Paris 2005: 4:04 - attempt at sub 4
    Beachy Head 2005: 6:30 (day out not trained for, walked hills)
    Paris 2006: 4:50 (ran with mate after sub 4 not achieveable at half way assessment)
    London 2006: 5:03 (fancy dress)
    Abingdon 2006: 4:15 - attempt at sub 4 (got cramp, wet autumn weather)

    My half PB is 1:49 (hope to crack that at Gosport on 19th Nov) and my 10k Pb is 45 mins. I think you are in a better position than me!

    I've done England, Wales, Ireland and France. Need to do Scotland to get my five nations!

  • FLM 2005 4.06.21
    Rotterdam 2006 4.06.35 !!
    FLM 2007 3.59.59 !!!!
  • FLM 2002 5.57 (Injured; hadn't trained for almost 3 months and only started running 7 months before; did everything wrong but raised lots of money for the National Autistic Society; said "never again".)

    FLM 2003 4.41.21 (Consistent training from the beginning of January but too much walking and gymming.)

    FLM 2004 5.33 (Ignored sore shin for ages and developed tibial stress fracture after the Reading half in early March; rested till marathon then pottered round.)

    Loch Ness 2005 DNF at 17 miles with Very Sore Knee. Hadn't trained at all.

    So I wasn't even close before last weekend!

    My half PB is 1.42.24 and my 10k PB is 47.49. My predicted marathon time is a little over 3.30 :o)
  • B*!!er ... sneezing fit last night turns out not to be allergy to peeling potatoes, but the common cold. That's me ruled out of Barns Green tomorrow unless I wake up miraculously feeling like the bionic woman. And even then I probably shouldn't run given sore throat and temperature all day today.

    Can't tell you how cross I am. Am off to the race finder to see if I can find a substitute half marathon or 10k that I can fit in before Christmas.

    Am so impressed at all your marathon experience.

    I'm on a 10k PB of 46.30 (my second go!) and a half PB of 1.47.40 (my one and only go). But I still can't quite imagine RUNNING for 26 miles. What kind of madness is that? Gulp.

  • Oh bad luck Pidge :(
    I'm doing Gosport half marathon down near Portsmouth on 19th November. It's supposed to be a fast course.

    I've been watching the runners up at Beachy Head marathon today, and running about 12 miles in the course of it. Am quite flaked out! Managed to get nice lunch out of it though ;o)

  • Pidge,
    I've only done 1 half too, in Dundee in June, taking 1.53, but realise now I started way too fast and was empty after 8/9 miles.
    I now do a 13.1 route of my own, and can do 1.43.30 for this, with a couple of runs at 1.47, but I'm always conscious of staying at a steady pace, and I haven't yet gotten around to hiding sports drinks on my route to perk me up.
    There's also a 6.2 mile run I can do in 1.42.56, but is normally 1.45.
    Anyway, we're both about the same in terms of times and experience, AND, I havent run all week coz of the man flu. I'm hoping that with the Glen Clova half in 2 weeks, I'll be back to normal on Monday. I can understand how "peeved" you are, as we build up these events as the next huge step in our status as a runner. I look at all the experience above and feel a bit of a fraud, but we all start at different times, and in a year or 2's time, we'll both have a good few races under our belts, with hopefully one of them being FLM 2007 !

    As regards the thought of running for 26.2 miles, a month ago to me a half was HUGE, but now, at a steady pace, I try to do one every week, thereby demolishing it as a huge hurdle. If I drop the pace to say 8.45 or 9 min miles, and also take gels and hide sports drinks on the route, then I like to think I could fairly comfortably add another 3 or 4 miles to that without crying for Mummy ! And I'm sure you would be the same, as we are much of a muchness. ( Is that a universally understood saying ?!) Thats us then at 16/17 miles with 6 months to go before FLM day !
    Add a mile a week, set a new benchmark.
    Blink and we'll both be floating up hills without a sweat.

    P.S. get well soon !
  • Hi All and Well Done on those races last weekend. Vrap you've only gone and done it already !! Definately squeeze down your target time for FLM.(but stay here!)

    Also impressed with everyones' marathon repertoires. This is my first (and only) shot and I will definately be relying on your "tips from the top" over the next few months. My half P.B is 1:49 so hopefully the sub4 thing is possible., though I do struggle to make/find time to run more than about 3 times a week at the moment.

    Sorry about the cold Pidge .. I'm also sneezing at the mo' That said, we had a great week in Yorkshire on hols so I can't complain.

    Hope your training in the Fatherland goes well R.D.Will you have internet there ? (Not being funny my parents live on Anglesey!) If not, good luck for Snowdonia!



  • QQ, had a wedding in Bangor in the Summer and spent 2 wonderful days in the hotel opposite Beaumaris pier, before a day in Portmeiron, and 4 days with the kids in Pwllheli ?

    WALES..... "Everywhere you go is a bad hand at Scrabble ?!"

    The Welsh Tourist Board needn't thank me for creating their latest slogan.
  • HaHa L.S. I know exactly what you mean !
  • ((((((((Pidge))))))))

    Hope you feel a lot better tomorrow. If you'd like a crack at 10 miles, my next race is the Sneyd Striders Christmas Pudding Run on 10th December.

    QQ, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to do a sub-4 marathon off a half-marathon time of 1.49 and some long runs. You've got the speed, you just need to make sure you've got the endurance.

    One of the most interesting discussions I had last weekend was with Sodahead, who came 5th in the race, and 1st vet, and is a national coach (though I didn't know that at the time). He agreed that I needed to increase mileage, and advised me not to plod my long runs but to do them at marathon pace + 10%, which is a fair bit faster than marathon pace + 2 minutes per mile - ultimately 8.48mm rather than 10mm if I'm aiming for sub-3.30.

    Been to Cadbury World with a squillion sprogs today. I had rather a good run afterwards because my legs were full of sugar. Still can't believe how little I've suffered after the marathon.

    RD, have a great race tomorrow :o)
  • Very impressed with everyones marathon pedigree.

    New York OCT 2005 4.41
    London APRIL 2006 4.11
    Edinburgh JUNE 2006 5.30 (Got injured walked 13 miles)

    My half pb is 1.55 which is 2 years old which freaks me out totally as with all the marathon training I was sure i would be close to or under 1.50 but it just doesn't happen. (10K PB is 48) I have been unable to do any real speedwork for a long time though due to recurrent shin splints and IT band problems and the need for mileage in doing those marathons too close together. SO, this time the speedwork starts NOW and hopefully that will make the difference.

    (I have massively changed my running form so that will hopefully mean no more shin splints of IT band problems - fingers and toes crossed).

    Cadbury World - mmm YUM
  • QQ so you think you will only run one marathon eh! Watch out they're addictive.
  • Am pretty gutted about missing my half marathon. In the end it was a very easy decision as, although I don't feel terrible, I am streaming and have a temperature and very sore throat. So, a non-starter today.

    The worst thing about it (apart from the fact that all my club mates were running, so I am JEALOUS!!!) is that I haven't yet found anything else to replace it before Christmas. Part of the problem is we're so busy, we're booked up nearly every weekend. Your 10 miler would be a bit far from me in S London I think Vrap. Am still working on finding a consolation race though!

    Hope you got on grand today Ripped Dap and any other runners.
  • 11.25 miles again for me today. Garmin says 11.6 but I don't believe it! It says I ran the sixth mile in in under 7 minutes; in my dreams. These bleepy things do that now and again, they seem to give you extra distance when they are struggling with satelite lock. You would have thought the opposite was more likely. A lot of trees on Wimbledon common, certainly on the route I take; trees the mortal enemy of satelite based systems.
  • Vrap, where is this Sneyd Striders 10 mile run?
  • HRR - I believe the Sneyd Striders run is in Walsall.

    I'm currently plying my other half with wine in the hope that he will then be convinced to let me enter something else before Christmas!
  • Yes, it's just north of Walsall :o) Cavern accommodation available on Saturday night for anyone making the journey.

    No running for me today. I've been fairly busy and unaccountably tired. But I promised myself that ANY running during the week after Abingdon would be a bonus, and I've done 20 miles this week without difficulty and not had a post-marathon low.

    Training for a spring marathon starts tomorrow. I'm putting off drawing up a mileage-building schedule on the pretext that I want to read the Pfitzinger and Douglas books that eL Bee has ordered from Amazon to see what their advice is first. But it really IS just a pretext. The truth is that I can design beautiful, logical schedules but I'm rubbish at following them. Given my history of life getting in the way of running, I'm always tempted to do a little bit extra, bank a few miles, or do tomorrow's session today so that if something happens tomorrow it can't derail my training. And that's a good way to get injured.

    I think I'll start with just this week :o)

    Looking forward to RD checking in!
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