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RW Forum SIx – 3.30 – 4.00
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Ricky - so you're comfortably aiming for sub 4 then, is that the plan? 3:54 pace?
Carl - I am really tempted by the whole challenge of 100k, I know it is a very big step up but my workload this summer should give me a lot of time to invest in to my training and it may be the ideal opportunity to take the plunge.
I'm never going to beat my marathon PB and have always been a good endurance athlete rather than particularly pacy so it is preoccupying my thoughts more and more. I think after Halstead I will be looking to go further rather than faster or shorter.
I have always been fascinated by the psychological aspect of running and whilst having the utmost respect for the Marathon and harbouring no illusions how hard it is and the importance of training and preparing correctly I honestly believe the majority of us are capable of more if we were to harness our mental strength.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes always says that when he is struggling he imagines that he is being chased by guards with dogs whilst escaping a gulag, similarly I have always said that all these people who say they "couldn't run a mile" would knock one out at a moderate pace if a gun was held to their head everytime.
I'm not advocating that as a training technique
but in certain circumstances we find the ability to go beyond what we feel we are capable of, mothers lifting cars off of babies, that kind of thing, so that ability is locked in there somewhere but it is how we access it that I have always been interested in.
As Henry Ford said: "If you think you can, or think you can't do a thing you are probably right"
As for my Marathon pacing strategy? Simple. See what time Ricky posts the week before and lob off 30 secs for my target time
Oirish - what is your marathon PB and when did you run it ? And what is your target for Halstead ? And how old are you now ?
May 5th Limerick marathon - Ricky
May 12th Halstead & Essex marathon - Oirish
May 27th Bupa London 10k - Carl
June 8th Larne Half - Ricky
June 19th Lisburn Half - Ricky
June 22nd Wales Trail marathon - Spoons
July 7th Lake Coniston Trail 'HALF' marathon - Carter
September 22nd Ladybower 20m - Carter (why not the 50miles ?) - originally down to run the 50 but missing Manchester means my A race is now an autumn marathon so LB50 would be too close
September 29th Robin Hood marathon - Spoons, possibly Carter (or Chester)
October 6th Chester marathon - possibly Carter (or RH)
October 6th Royal Parks HM - Carl
October 28th Dublin marathon - Ricky, Bruno, Oirish and Carl - Carter is on his jollies in the Algarve or would be here too
Spoons my pace was always 8.35 for goal time 3:45 ... With brief thoughts of 8.25 pace for a sub 3:40..... I am going out on my last 10 miler tomorrow evening with my running pal and going to run 8.35 pace. Fairly comfortable that this wil be my pace.
My marathon PB is 3:44 off a 1.41 HM and training has gone well this time with 6 LSRs over 20 mls... So I think 8.35 pace is a achievable and more importantly I feel comfortable wih it.
Guys sorry to disappoint on the taper madness/niggle front but I can honestly say I feel better than at any point during the last 16.5 weeks of the training! *touching all wood within sight*
Hi all. I'm still lurking regularly.
May 5th is North Dorset Village Marathon. As I type I'd say I'm 80% sure I'm going to do the race. I do feel a bit of an imposter on this thread though as sub-4 was only ever an outside chance for me for this marathon. I haven't had the best of run ins (who does!?) and I still have a knee niggle so if I do sub-4 Id be amazed. If I don't think I can do sub-4:30 due to the injury I'll pull out nearer the time.
I went off to see a sports physio on Monday night, as he was recommended by my club.
Before doing any treatments, he insisted on doing a pretty thorough examination of me and took notes relating to certain things about my stance, my spine, the length of my legs etc. I seem to have one leg slightly longer than the other one which could be causing some issues. Also, he confirmed that my hamstrings are very tight but concluded that the root cause of this is because I have tight hip flexors. After giving my legs a thorough massage using a massage machine etc, he gave me some specific stretches to help with the tight hip flexors and some advice of what to do whilst sitting at an office chair for 8 hours a day.
I also mentioned an achilles issue that I've had on and off for a while. He wasn't too concerned by that but told me to regularly pinch the tendon (it will hurt) and move my foot up and down to help the issue. I've been doing this and it already seems better.
All in all, I was in there for 1.5 hours so that was £15 well spent (that isn't a typo)!
It was a bit of a revolving door of Trotters. As I went in another one came out, and as I came out another one was going in!
The knee definitely isn't right. I can plod along and manage the discomfort just fine, but if I try and do anything a bit quicker I struggle which is annoying me. I did one mile yesterday (as a part of a 6 mile run) at sub-8 min/mile as a tester and my knee immediately told me it wasn't happy.
Regarding after the marathon, I have an eye on a half on June 23rd (Torbay Half). Obviously, it could be hot which would influence the outcome but I'd love to get sub-1:40. I did 1:42 in March so I think it's within touching distance if I can get rid of this niggle. Other than that, I have a 10K on August 25th (Torbay 10K).
(Edited to add the dates of my events)
What kind of questions are these to ask a Gentlemen?
I did 3:12 the best part of 20 years ago when I was a mere waif of a boy in that annoying lithe, fit but unfocussed way of youth. Looking back if I'd applied myself I think a sub 3 hour might of been available. Ho hum.
For Halstead I am going to set off at 3:45 pace and adjust as nessacary as I go, in my optimistic moods I err towards nearer 3:35 on other days I think go sub 4 and the world is a happy place. So I am willing to push on if feeling comfortable
I am 42 in August (26th, get your diaries out) so I'm never going to get quicker but like Ricky I feel in good shape and I think I am a more mentally stronger runner than I have ever been at any time so we will see what the day brings.
Ricky - sounds good
Big_G - You certainly got value for money!
Oirish - people in glass houses !
Meaning that I'm not currently at my fighting weight so wouldn't call others fat
My running pal is 6'4" and weighs 16.5 stone. He ran Dublin last October in 3:17 ..... Work that one out! I reckon pound for pound he is quicker than the Kenyan & Ethiopian elites!
Hill session for me tonight ... 4 miles in total.
My longest run this week is only 10 miles and is scheduled in for Sunday - however Mrs Ricky W's cousin is having his testimonial dinner on Saturday night (he captain's an Irish Premier League side) so it will be a messy evening! Norman Whiteside is one of the guest speakers- who remembers him?! So all that said I am moving my 10 miler to tomorrow night instead
Correct - only goal of the match in extra time against Everton!
Mark Crossley ex Notts Forest? Just google image searched him - yes he is a bit of a lookey likey!
A little bit of alcohol a week out from marathon day won't hurt! will it??
I have been known to have the odd shandy a couple of nights before my halfs but I'm not sure everyone else will agree !
Hi Neil - 3:23 ?? I ran a 1:38 half recently and there is no way I could run a 3:23 at the moment. What marathon are you running ? I'm currently suffering with my ITB, how does this chi running work ?
Hi Nell, was the chi running class good then?
3:23 off a 1:37 half seems a bit tight, OTOH 3:40 is an easy target - it's a minute a mile slower for the marathon compared to the half. I would think that most of those targetting 3:30 would be doing 1:37 or so for a half. First marathon though, anything could happen!
Ricky, a beer or two a week before your race won't do you any harm. Waking up on the floor of the bathroom with vomit down your shirt and no recollection of where you are or how you got there, probably not a good idea.
Hi Neil welcome aboard. Those time predictor can scare the begubbins out of you can't they? The words "wildly" and "optimistic" spring to mind, although I'll confesss they weren't the two words I muttered when I first saw my predicted time.
Carter - Surely the easiest way to upset a Nottm Forest fan is to call them County lite or Notts Counties little brother, something like that?
As for the weight thing I remember watching the VLM a few years back and this guy was about the 100th male through and he was a short, fat, dumpy fella with a shocking running style yet was going like the clappers. I saw him at the 13 and 20 mile marks and he was going great guns but everything about him just looked "wrong" surrounded by all these skinny fellas. Goes to show it takes all sorts.
I use to play rugby with a guy who was a typical numpty, barrel of a prop with a beer belly and a dustbin stomach but smashed every fitness test we ever did and could wear out a bleep test, and they say life is fair?
Oh you had to mention Norman Whiteside. Norman Whiteside? Legend. As a Northern Ireland supporter, as a kid he and George Best were my idols. He basically lived every kids dream being the youngest player in a World Cup and all. I remember him scoring at Ipswich against us and not being able to not cheer, got a few looks but it was Norman bloody Whiteside. Somewhere in the attic I still have my white 82 World Cup top. Ahhhhh simpler days.
I am going to enter the ballot for the VLM although it isn't quite the Holy grail for me as it is for a lot of runners.
The Race Director of the Colchester Parkrun which I am a Run Director for did a 3:51 on Sunday which is respectable enough until I tell you that he was in the Veteran Male 70-74 category.
I have yet to decide if I admire or hate him
Hi Spoons, Yes the Chi running class was good. I took it in Edinburgh. Nick Constantine (soulinmotion website) is the guys that runs it based in the North East of England. It is a day course and Nick videos you first thing and last thing on the day. In between you are taught. Later in the week Nick uploads the video along with comments with a youtube link for you (not public). I am probably the same as a lot of people who have just gone out and ran and picked up a lot of bad habits on the way! The principles taught are basically in line with good running form. The big thing for me though was bringing up the cadence which has stopped the heel striking and as I touch wood, the ITB problems. I suppose that along with strengthening exercises and stretching.
Yes Oirisheyes I think my two words were probably similar to yours...lol!
Hi Cheerful Dave, yes as it is my first Marathon I will stick with the plan of just enjoying it, that is how I ran the half, so I think I will stay with that theory... Seeing as back in January I thought I had no chance of even running a marathon this year, everything is a bonus!
Welcome aboard Nell. Loads of good advice and friendly banter going on here and I can honestly say that we have all improved since we started listening to the advice of the seasoned veterans of marathon running, Spoons and Dave.
What marathon are you doing and when is it ? how has the training being going since recovering from the ITB.
First marathons are always challenging as it is a new experience. As CD says, enjoy it. I have now run 3 and none has been perefect for different reasons. But I have got the bug and have got my eye on a target time. It might take me 4 - 6 more marathons to get down to this. Better not tell my OH. She will want to section me.
This has been a real shit week workwise. Got home at 11pm yesterday after a late night the night before and had another mentally exhausting day today.
But I did get home tonight in time for a run.
I decided against doing the intervals on the track and opted for the tempo run as being tired and feeling sluggish thought this would be the best way to loosen up and get the legs moving without risking injury.
6.65 miles completed in total.
2 miles warm up - 8:48 and 8:06
3 miles pace - 7:14, 7:10 and 7:15 (incline)
1.65 miles cool down - 8:21 and 8:17pace
This was really tough. I thought I was dying. I dont know if it was the tiredness, the fact that I have not done this type of thing for a good few weeks or the fact that I did not take on enough water today (it was warm compared to when I was doing tempo runs in the dark pre marathon day).
So there was me working really hard to get air into the lungs and thinking how the hell am I going to go even faster than this for the whole 6 miles. I have got to get under 7 min/mile.
But I guess this was going to be hard and was probably the right call in terms of workout.
I have got to keep reminding myself that I got my PB of 49:46 at the same 10k race last year after not running for about 6 weeks whilst recovering from the injury I picked up after 9miles of the VLM. I also got caught out as they brought the Bupa 10k forward by a week to abide by restrictions being put in place before the Olympics. So I had almost no training other than a few easy runs.
So any training this year must really help. Or at least that is the theory.
Ricky - how did the last 10miler go today ?
On the basis that you have got this far without any mishaps, I am backing you for a great result in stab city. Sub 3:35 ?
Oirish - Norman has put on a fair bit of timber since is playing days... he's a big old unit nowadays! The national treasure & silky smooth commentator that is Jackie Fullerton will be running the show on Saturday night - quite a funny guy, so looking forward to that
Welcome Nell - we're mostly fairly inexperienced on here and have learnt a lot from tis thread so stick around!
Carl - Rome wasn't built in a day... good session considering your recent weeks. You will increase the speed & distance at that speed and start to feel stronger over the next few weeks I'm sure.
London Ballot - hmmm that's interesting, might just put my name in the pot. Does anyone know what the statistical chances of getting a place actually are?
Ricky - I think they close the ballot when they receive about 120,000 applications. It usually closes within the day.The field is about 35,000 with quite a few of these being charity places. No idea exactly how many but I am guessing that about 25,000 places are actually available.