FLM 09 - 3.45ers!

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  • Hello all can I join in the fun?

    I am running London in aid of ChildLine. I took up running six months ago after having lost a lot of weight and it has been a bit of revelation for me. I have done a 10k in 48:53 and am up to 12 miles in 1:45 in training for the Bedford 1/2m.

    I almost fit the profile of this group as I am a 36 year old man who definitely likes a pint, although not as many as I used to!

    I am hopeful of dipping below 4 hours but I'm not really sure if this is realistic for a first marathon. Any advice would be gratefully recieved. I was thinking of following the RW sub 4 schedule, good idea?
  • TetleyTetley ✭✭✭
    Looks like you are up for it with those times Jaydubs

    Just get the endurance training in

  • Welcome, Jaydubs :o)

    Keep on doing what you're doing and gradually building up your long runs, and there's no reason why you shouldn't be capable of a sub-4hr marathon.
  • Cheers for your support. Anyone else here planning to do the Bedford 1/2?
  • Jaydubs,
    You are just a puppy born in '70, while us old timers from way back in the 60's ( Sept '69 ) struggle along with lumbago, gout, arthritis, shrapnel, flashbacks, and trenchfoot, not to mention incontinence, erectile disfunction, memory loss and....sorry ...what was I talking about ?

    Welcome
  • I'm not sure if I belong here with all this talk of birthdates in the 60's and 70's and also not sure if I can get sub-4. Haven't had a chance to read all of the thread but was anyone else here born in the 40's or am I the elder statesman??
  • Can you help us with our campaign? We are currently trying to put pressure on to the powers that be, to get a Marathon Event staged in Liverpool in 2008.

    We have an online petition and are asking as many runners as possible to support the cause.

    Thanks

    Sign the petition now





  • Ydrib, the irritating saturation of the forums with your spam has ensured that I would actively avoid participating in a marathon in Liverpool even if I hadn't already decided that life was too short to run long races in unappealing places.

    BW, I think you are definitely our senior contributor, and all the more valued for that :o) And there are several people of similar vintage on the forums who could leave me eating dust in a race.
  • Welcome Jay,

    I agree with the others, you are more than capable.

    I followed the sub 4 schedule for last year's FLM and just ducked under. The only thing was that I tinkered with the long runs. My mid week runs were from the sub 4 schedule but my long runs were from the sub 3.30 schedule. I got this thing in my head that my 5 longest runs should add up to 100.

    Up until the 1 st January, I am going to try and build up my mileage using very slow long runs. Not going to worry about speed work and tempo runs until the 1 st week of January. I am going to follow RW sub 3.45 schedule this time with my long runs again coming from the sub 3.30 schedule.

    Bells Wolf, did you go to the footy last night? I saw it on tv. Wolves should have won really. Then again, the Black Cats seem to have a good fighting spirit and never gave up. Hats off to Keano. Where is Mick? He must be pleased.

    Did four miles in glorious sunshine this morning. Feeling set up for the day now. Good luck to Wales this afternoon, hopefully I will have finished my essay in time for me to watch the game :0)

    Going to have a stab at a very slow 16 tomorrow morning, then off to Swansea to watch Trundle et al laud it over Bristol City ;0)

    LS, lots of my mates are Gasheads. My mate Jason plays rugby for Bristol so I often find myself sat in the Memorial ground. Is Little Stoke in that part of Bristol?

    Have good weekends eveyone, enjoy the running.
  • Bells Wolf, I'm a West Midlander too. Mail me if you're interested in some sub-4-specific training runs - you're not e-mail enabled, but I am.
  • BW-Did you catch the game against the lads last night? Good result for us-our keeper had a cracking game.By the way,i was born in the 60s!!

  • By the way comrades-keep an eye on your post from december 4th until the 9th.Thats when we,ll offically know if we are in or not for 07 FLM.
  • RD and Mick - saw game on Sky - don't get down to Molineux much these days. My son plays in semi-pro league on Saturdays and I tend to watch him - except today when game has been postponed. Disappointed with draw but I think most fans are pleased with what MM's done since he took over the Hoddle shambles.

    Nice easy 9 miles this morning. Canal towpath at bottom of road very handy. Use for nearly all my long runs. Really wet today - must have had loads of rain overnight.

    V-rap - might be interested but I'm an unsociable so-and-so and do nearly all of my running solo. That way people don't have to wait for me to catch up. Have always followed RW Schedules with small tweaks - seem to work quite well. Let's see what the first week in December brings.

  • Hey Little Stoker and sub 4 hour people.

    My background is I am a 13 stone, 36 year year old bloke who enjoys his beer and food and has too little time with three daughters. I have done 5 marathons and one half. I started in 2001 and ran NY in 5 hours. Since then I have got down to 4.05 - that being in NY 3 weeks ago.

    I have had injuries in the past and a nasty stress fracture in april that ruled me out of the FLM. This will be my third london marathon.

    I followed the RW schedules for 4.30 for NY and so was pleased with my time of 4.05, especiually after a fracture in april.

    Anyhow, determined to beat sub 4 this time. I did all the long runs last time, (many with hangovers) so have entered some 10k's and the fleet half mara as part of my schedule this time. I may do the watford half too.

    Going running for first time since NY tomorrow - time to get back on track.

    oh, and one more thing - until last week I used to smoke twnty a day (for the last 18 years). I am no Serge Blanco, so i expect that giving up has got to be worth a few extra minutes.

    Looking forward to hearing your stories over the coming months and helping each other to that finish line and sub 4 heaven!

    All the best, El C

  • First rest day for over 2 weeks for me today :o) Thought it was about time for one. So I've been domestic-goddessing and trying out my very tight and very brightly-coloured new shoes on the climbing wall.

    Tempo run tomorrow - 8 miles, with 4 miles at aspirational 10-mile race pace :o)
  • I need to phone the FLM people within a few days of getting the rejection mag to let them know I didn't get a ballot place and claim my five-rejections entry. When I do that, I'm going to ask if they'll let me revise my estimated time from 3.59 to 3.29 and start a little further forward. It's worth a try!
  • V-rap - I got a place in 2005 after 5 consecutive rejections and I have a feeling the FLM people wrote to me shortly after my entry was received to confirm my place. They should know from their records and be able to tell you immediately.
  • I had some fuffle over a change of address and had to "appeal", BW. But I have a letter saying that if I'm unsuccessful in the ballot I should phone them and they'll give me a place. My cheque hasn't been cashed.
  • Sorry - did start to read through the thread today - lots of interesting things but there's loads to get through. Had to interrupt it to power wash the front drive. Exciting stuff.
  • Sorry - started to read through thread - lot's of interesting stuff but got interrupted by having to power wash front drive this afternoon. My cheque's been cashed but I can't remember if I bequeathed or not. Wasn't originally intending to, I've got a wardrobe full of FLM fleeces, but may have changed mind at last minute.
  • 14 miles again today, third time in four weeks. Went well so I'll be cranking my long run up to 16 miles before Christmas.
  • HRR,

    I get a wee strain in my 'soleus', and so you pick your moment to kick on and leave me choking on your cloud of dust, as you become Yifta the Shifta !?

    I feel like a helpless Wile E Coyote holding an overlarge Acme Magnet trying to pull you back !!!

    Bells,

    Is Molineux still the only square stadium in the world, where the subs warming up can play 5 a sides on the spare grass ?
  • ROFL, LS :o)

    I had a rather laborious run this morning. My hamstrings were so floppy that running was like trying to get a tune out of a guitar without tightening the strings. And I got to the end of it and realised that I'm doing my bad training runs faster than I used to race.
  • Blood donation dealt with :o) Maybe the reduced oxygen-carrying capacity will work as altitude-training in disguise.
  • LS,

    It's not as bad as it was since they widened the pitch and moved it across a bit towards the Steve Bull stand. Still plenty of room for a 5-a-side.
  • Saw the Brechin City physio last night.
    Turns out that my new super soft and light Saucony's are allowing me too much flexibility in my foot, which has stretched my slightly fallen arches, which links to the slight discomfort I felt in my Achilles, not my soleus. He's gonna get me some heel inserts to help cushion the blow when I run, and when I buy a new pair I'll get shoes with more structure to the sole.
    Other than that he says to carry on running.
    I blamed the wife.
    She bought them....!
  • Good news LS that you can keep running.
  • Well the rain subsided and off I went for my 5 miler. Set Garmin for 7.40 pace which was a bit fast but I wanted to push myself as I have felt my speedwork was slipping a bit with the extra mileage I've been doing. Got a little behind the pace and felt quite breathy over the first two miles but kept pushing and found myself catching up with my virtual partner. This inspired me to keep going and I eventually finished ahead of my set pace. I looked at the actual finishing time and couldn't believe it. This is a route I've run hundreds of times over the last 5 years and today was a new PB! Beat my previous best by 14s and for the first time went under 38 mins. And all this only two days after my 14 miler on Sunday. To say that I'm pleased would be an understatement.
  • HRR, it sounds like you feel like I felt when I ran my 13.1 route a month or so ago in the new sneakers, and lopped 4 n a half mins off the PB down to 1:39. i.e. gazelle like, and eager to go again and get even lower !

    Is the garmin thing new, coz it sounds like the virtual running mate is focusing the mind to make every run count, rather than just go out for another plod and only maintain fitness, whereas now its improving.

    Hope there are hundreds more of these entries between now and April. Make a note to run it again in March.... I wonder how low can you go ?

    Bells, is the pitch so wide now that a corner is a par 4 ?!!
  • The Garmin thing is a replacement for one that was stolen a few months ago. In total I've had one for about 18 months. It does three things for me. Firstly it is great for measuring the distance of new runs. Secondly it does what it did yesterday and helps keep my pace up. I don't think that PB would have happened without the Garmin. And thirdly it does the opposite, it helps keep my pace down! After TNTWR (the nightmare that was Rotterdam) I decided to negative split all my long training runs leading up to the next marathon. To do that I need to run the first half of each run slower than my predicted average pace - Garmin can help me do that.

    Garmin is only part of it though. You got it right LS with the comment about making every run count. I changed my approach to training runs some time ago. Now each run I do has a specific purpose either speed, endurance or running at marathon tempo training. The enemy is "Junk miles".
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