Talkback: Win the ultimate spring marathon experience

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  • I'm interested to know where the thoughts were going on the thread thats now broken....

    Moraghan had stated that he felt it should have been a pre-requisite that all ss applicants be running 5+ times per week and 35 mpw+, there was both support and objections. If i'm honest this frightened the pants off of me when people started supporting the theory that it would be ludicrous to target a marathon in 18 weeks time without being at a base mileage of 35mpw.

    Whats the thoughts on here?.....

    I'm a new runner from nothing since Feb'10. I did a 10k in May in 59min 59, a half in sept in 2hrs 16mins, a half a month later in oct in 1hr 59. I run a regular 5 mile series monthly - in sept ran 43mins, Oct 41 mins and Nov 40mins and 6secs (that 39: .. illuded me!). In oct i ran a fell half in 2:20 and the seriously tough Exmoor stagger 15 miler in 03:08. In november my mileage dropped from 30-35 average to 20-25 average as i didn't have a long race booked up and i was focused on improving my speed having just discovered fartlek etc... The comments by moraghan about base mileage put the wind up me a bit and gave me added impetous for my long run today and i did 13.1 miles in 53 mins dead. I've reconvinced myself that i'm up to this challenge but am i being delusional?!

    Running Rox Sub 4:15

  • 13.1 miles in 53 minutes?! That would be a new world record... image
  • oh god i'm such a  ****wit!  that'd be 1hr 53 dead then!!
  • Kryptonite good meeting you on Saturday, and glad to see you posting on here.image Congrats on getting through to the 18, you gotta get that sub 3!

    Meldy think you raised  a very question.....some of the 18 are making an effort and posting and that's really nice to see. Can only hope that they all follow suit soon?!

  • One lady didn't post at all last year.
  • LN........Maybe thats why they had the selection meeting this year to make sure that you at least made some effort after applying........

    Running Rox...............of course a marathon can be done from scratch in 16 weeks training...............

    But the point is, the safest way to train for one is to get yourself up to a good base mileage slowly and over a period of time so that you minimise the chance of injury..........

    If you are young and mechanically perfect then the risk of injury should be reduced.............

    They are many ways to train for a marathon and hopefully you will all have access to a sports physio and a sport massage therapist to help keep you going through the tough training periodsimage

    But to jump from running 3 times a week to 5 times a week and then to get upt to 50 miles in a couple of months and introducing speed work for the first time can make injury a strong possibility

  • Interesting that the newbies seem to be divided into those who are joining in the conversation and posting pertinent comments and those who are just crashing in with vote for me me me stuff apropos of absolutely nothing anyone's said before

    AL can't believe you didn't make it - who chose the shortlist and had they had any previous dealings with the forum at all, or was that not, after all, a relevant consideration?  So much for "you'll be comfortable posting on our forums" or however they phrased it, CBA to look up their actual phrase, but you not making the final selection is just not right  Well done for being so sporting

    Welcome Janeimage 

  • I'm not at all surprised there's a lot of 'new' people as I wasn't expecting that to change.  I don't get the point of voting, though thanks for the further info Alice.
  • Thanks for replying to this SN, v helpful! I hope hope hope that my gut feelings are right that i've got the base fitness to work my bum off over the next 18 weeks, carefully and consistently so I start and finish a spring mara in sub 4:15 in one piece and keep on running after. I hugely want this opportunity to focus and train with pro-help as i feel such a loose cannon wildly flailing from one thing to another with no structure, i think the coaching will help me figure out what i'm capable of. That said, if i don't make the six, a spring mara is still the target and i'll be following the super and snubbed six for support and advice!!

    Running Rox Sub 4:15

  • I'm not voting - I've made my points on the other thread and I think that it's a shame that there are so few regulars in the final list.

    Agree with you entirely Hash, and it was very interesting to see the difference in approach amongst regular forumites last year and the newbies.

  • Rox.....  Good attitude...........

    The best bit of advice I would give...............though I am no expert........is to listen to your body so that you can learn to tell the difference between a niggle that you can run through and something a bit worse that needs a rest for a few days or so........

    The trouble with a schedule is that you feel that you have to do every session.................this is even more so when you have a whole thread following your progress..............

    This is not an excuse just to miss a session when you can't be arsed to go out in the dark and rain..........those sessions have to be done......but when something is hurting then you should assess it properely and not be frightened to say that you need to miss a sessionimage

  • As has been the case for the 4th year in a row the sub 3h15 thread has had one of it's regulars proposed for a place on the ssx. Knight Rider is a regular poster on that thread and also popped up on my thread from this year. I really hope he gets chosen as I know he'd be a great thread host and would put body and soul into the experience
  • I think I might base my vote on what was the best part of the lunch from the Boot camp?
  • Bright White Trainers wrote (see)
    I think I might base my vote on what was the best part of the lunch from the Boot camp?
    I'd go with the pine nut & pesto pasta image
  • Ohh I had forgotten that.... But then again I think I sampled everything   image It was tasty!

  • Its got to be the copious amounts of jaffa cakes!
  • peter thompson 14 wrote (see)
    Its got to be the copious amounts of jaffa cakes!
    That was my second choice - not that food is a big part of my life or anything...
  • Arrrhhhhh which Jaffa Cakes?

    Does it read like I run so I can stuff my face or what?

  • Thanks SN, It makes sense that following a schedule can become obsessive and how that would put you at risk of pushing too hard and ignoring warning signs. Making mental note to myself in big letters & highlighter pen now.... image
  • I apologise first as I don't want to interrupt the flow of this thread, but just wanted to reply to some comments on my earlier post on here and couldn't see anywhere else to put it, so here goes

    Sue C wrote (see)l

    Sorry, I am not one to take issue with stuff, but I AM taking issue with this!! The VAST majority of people who contribute to these forums have kids, work and have busy lives in general. I know I certainly do!!! They still take the opportunity to support, encourage, sympathise and congratulate the various highs and lows of their fellow forumites. There is no package or 'reward' at stake for doing so. It's what makes the RW forums work.

    Wow! I feel awful Sue.image  I’m obviously still a Fail in explaining myself earlier.  It was never my intention to imply that anyone was a bad parent, in fact the only one whose ability I might question is my own. I’m very impressed with how much you and others manage to fit in and wish I had half your confidence in carrying out so many functions at the same time.  Multi-tasking has never been my strong point and unfortunately I am very easily distracted .  Over the last couple of years I had several knocks to my confidence and haven’t always been the best parent I could and am just a little wary of going down that route again. 

    You’re quite right when you say I might not have meant it to sound that way, my punctuation and grammar is obviously as bad as my parenting skills.  What I was trying to say in my obviously inept way, was that for those selected as Super Sixers,  this is a great opportunity to learn both for the supersixers but also to give back to the rest of the site. I for one will be following their stories and commenting, although whether anybody is interested in what I have to say with the wealth of experience on here is a different question.   After all if I was completely on the take, why am I still here and not yet disappeared. 

    Please direct me to the diplomacy and bad parents forum on here, I could obviously do with some input image

    On the good side, my son has joined the running fraternity in the last year, so hopefully I’m doing something right.

  • In response to some of the questions being asked of me I feel I should offer the following:

    Far from being new to racing, my first race was way back in 2002. A local 10K, followed by copious drinking in the pub. And so it remained for a number of years, with the addition of a few Half Marathons thrown in, the fastest time being 1:56:04 for the 2006 Bath Half.

    In 2007 I entered the London Marathon & was accepted. I didn't give the distance enough respect, went through Tower Bridge in 2 hrs then blew up big time at mile 17. The rest was just a walk & a stumble. That year I also entered 8 10Ks (45:32 being the best time) & 4 Half Marathons (1:49:11 being the best of those). In between it was back to the pub & following a bad diet.

    In 2008 I was ill. Really ill. Over 6 months of solid migraines saw me turn into a reclusive couch potato, but all I wanted to do was run. Once I was given the all clear, the rehabilitation started. I cut down on fags & beer and took up a healthy diet. And I shuffled/jogged/ran until I felt good enough to enter a couple of races. Nothing spectacular, but I got to run as fast as I could.

    The next year (2009) I joined a club & started to get serious about training. I entered 9 10Ks (SB: 44:06) & 5 Halfs (SB: 1:38:36). I entered the Brighton Marathon, gave up fags, beer, & eating rubbish, & followed a training schedule, achieving my target of a sub-3:30 marathon (and lost 50lbs along the way) 2010 has seen me run in 12 10K races (SB:39:51) 8 Halfs (1:27:40) as well as various cross country, team relays, and 8,9, & 10 mile races. I'm currently running 130-150 miles a month, building a stronger base for when I begin marathon training later on this month, be it for Paris or another race. Targets will be set along the way (such as posting a sub 1:21 half marathon time) & as long as I follow my set training schedule then I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to attain them.

    Hope that helps.

    Oh, & the best part of lunch on the boot camp has to be the Marks & Spencer Humous & carrot sandwich I found lurking unwanted behind all the Jaffa cakes...

  • Was I the only one who scoffed the sausage rolls at lunch then?  I went for the unhealthy option. image

    Question for Alice - could I ask why the lucky 40 of us longlisted had to stay so secret about it?  It wouldn't have spoiled the final announcement of the eventual shortlist I'm sure.  It sort of took some of the excitement away and I would have loved to have chatted online and swapped notes with some people before I got there. 

  • this thread is huge can someone tell me who to vote for please image
  • Please vote for Jane in the sub 3.15 category image
  • tell me Jane in 3 words or less why I should vote for you?
  • funny
    that was my one and only blatant plug but only as you asked image
    Hashette - thanks for the welcome
    And Matchstick man - fear not if i'm picked i wont let you down and will be a dutiful and regular poster on the sub 3.15 thread
    i see you done a rather good job of that in the past and i would not want to lower the standard image
  • funny ? that will do

    who's next ?

  • not that was hard goldbeetle!
    i am not one of few words image
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