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Gul - 15 miles IS a long run
Looks like you have adapted well Leslie to the family/running balance. I think I may have to go the early run route as well soon, but I usually have some freelance work to do in the evenings which keeps me up later than I'd like.
5 easy mile recovery run last night as my eldest did football training.
GM - of those events, I've enjoyed the White Horse the most. Fast & flat, without the crowds of the bigger town/city HMs, but also the county champs for Oxfordshire, so still attracts some good depth at the pointy end. Have a feeling it's April 9th. Good news re. the absence of doms for you and don't blame you at all for not going out in filthy weather if you don't have to!
Gul - yup, all booked in for career mara #2. Training plan starts in a couple of weeks once I've decided which one to follow! And as KR says, 15 miles is a long run, especially out of specific mara training.
Leslie - unscheduled rest day then! Hope your daughter's OK.
KR - making good use of those windows of opportunity!
7 at lunch for me.
Hi everyone, I haven’t been near the forum for months, as life has been hectic and I haven’t been doing any marathon training. It’s great to see all usual suspects still running and posted in this thread.
I’ve been concentrating on shorter distances and picked up a few (low quality field) 10k victories. My main goal was to qualify for N.Ireland, in the British and Irish Masters cross country. I managed to sneak onto the team but due to an unluckily timed dose of man flu, ran poorly in the International. I was still chuffed to represent my country though.
Although I’ve been working hard on improving my 5k to 10k pace, I’m still slower than last year when I was running a marathon every month. So either at 47 with over 7 years of running I’ve finally peaked, or I run faster on very high mileage, I don’t know. Time will tell now that I’m back to marathon training again. I managed my first long run in months of 22 miles at a brisk 7:16 average.
So now I’m racing a 10k on Saturday then attempting a sub-3 marathon on Sunday. Madbark is back!
Wey-Hey! Welcome back Madbark, you crazy fool!
Nice race and report GM.
Top bombing Leslie!!
A casual early 15 for Gul too.I don't know how you do it!?!
Work is mad for me at the mo but I have managed to get some evening miles in, thanks to the running club nights. Ran 3 miles there on Tuesday for the sprint session which comprised 200 x 4, 175 x 4 then 150, 125, 100 all x 4. I jogged around the track in-between efforts and totaled miles, then 3 miles at 7.10 pace home for 11 miles on the night.
Track again tonight but drove there. 1 mile w/up with strides which came out at 6.48 then the session which was 4 x 1 mile at 5.55 if I could hold it, 2 min recoveries.
Splits were 5.47, 5.50, 5.52 and 5.56. A bit of a fade but a pleasing session outside of campaign.
Going to attempt a long-ish run at the weekend to keep some endurance focus going, maybe a 17 miler, we'll see.
GD
Good form indeed Leslie.
Welcome back BB- we missed you indeed and wondered what you were up to. Congrats on the call up- that must have been a proud moment.
When I'm marathon training I usually find my 5 and 10k form improves. I popped out a 36:30 a few weeks before VLM this year. And some of your madness has rubbed off this year as I did 3 marathon instead of the usual 1. But not one of them anywhere near your pace.
XC this Saturday- my first this year and hoping to scrape 40 miles for the week.
Leslie - hope it's warmed up a bit over there today.
KR - I count 11 to 16 mile runs as MLRs and 17+ as long runs!
Abbers - which plans are you looking at?
Badbark - welcome back! Shame about the man flu. Looking forward to hearing about your crazy exploits again.
GD - good track work with some fast mile reps there!
OO - enjoy the XC.
6 mile recovery run this morning @ 8:48 HR 127. Also did a bit of shopping and had a haircut.
BB- welcome back! Good to see you're still as bonkers as ever!
GD - good track sessions there. Quantity & quality.
OO - good with the XC.
Gul - constantly amazed by your parallel early morning world! In terms of plans, I'm trying to decide between the Runner's World 16 week 3:15 plan that I used for London in 2014 that got me pretty fit, or trying the P&D 18 week up to 55 mile plan. The RW one involves more speed work (intervals feature heavily) and more 20 mile LSRs, vs the P&D one that focuses more on mara paced work and backs up weekend long runs with more midweek MLRs. Either should get me in the right shape for a 3:20 attempt, just a matter of making a decision.
As regular listeners to Radio 4's Woman's Hour, I'm sure you all heard the John McAvoy interview the other day, talking about changing his old habits (illegal stuff) for new ones (triathlon stuff). If, through some temporary lapse of judgement, you missed the programme, then it may be worth your while reading one of the several online articles about his story.
Abbers - I used that RW plan several years ago and thought it was pretty good, but I can't find it now. Are you able to email it to me? I've selected Manchester as the next marathon which I'll miss through illness or injury and so the training starts soon(ish). Thank you.
TAR - good to see you popping in. Try this:
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/racing/rws-ultimate-marathon-schedule-sub-315/128.html
welcome back, Badbark, and great to hear from TAR
to those who kindly asked - no plans made yet for next year, but I definitely have a plan to make plans ! Remainder of this year I'm just going to aim for 1900 miles total - 40mpw will do it - will average out at approx 36mpw for the year.
Then - been thinking (it's hard, but I've made myself do so)
maybe instead of doing a bit less, and capping long run at 16 or 16, as a concession to the ageing VoGit legs; perhaps (and after reading plenty about the amazing AnGit Ed Whitlock) , and as I've plenty of time to spare, the Poacher ethos of "what if the opposite were true" should at least be given a try ? So, maybe more miles ???? if my legs really don't like it, then nowt lost, but, nothing ventured, etc . . . anyway, we'll see
(I really should be posting these musings on one of the VoGit threads , but I like it around here) . . . .
Badbark wondered how you were keeping , sounds like you are going well running for Northern Ireland
Gdawg good bit of speed there
Gul -5c this morn , wife's car door wouldn't open again as the lock froze its bloody cold ..nice recovery haircut combo.It's to warm up at the weekend
Tar you might even make the start line this time
Birch more miles sounds like a winner to me , and this is the old git thread
6m easy yesterday just before the sun went it as the temps drop quick after that ,think it was a max of 2c yesterday ,running on frost is no problem mostly but where it's thawed a bit is slippy ..
Nice hear from you Badbark and congrats on wearing the N. I. vest too. Marathon training definitely sets you up to run decent times in smaller distance races. I think it's a combination of the training and not sweating too much about the smaller distances?
Good speed sessions G-Dawg enjoy your 17 miler.
That's a lot to fit in before 7am Gul
Great to hear from you BB and well done on getting your vest. Look forward to hearing more from you soon.
Gul - I know your barber is in the same time zone as you but shopping as well all before 7am??
Abbers - Either of those should get you in good shape providing you stay fit. I've never followed any particular plan per se but perhaps I should given my poor marathon performances. Thanks for posting the link I'll have a look.
TAR - Nice to see you stopping by. Good luck with the training.
Birch - You seem to suit the higher mileage and by all accounts have become accustomed to it and in spite of your recent CNBA fairies trying to upset your routine I say why not. IIRC you ran a very decent marathon not so long ago, was that 2015? What were you doing then??
Leslie - Watch that ice when running, can be lethal even when walking.
G-Dawg - Very nice work there sir! What are your race plans??
A friend of mine who is a 44 year old lady has been running for about 10 years and has been the best endurance runner on the rock here for the past few years without being exceptional. I mean that her shorter distance times are good but not remarkable. Low 19 for 5k around 40 dead for 10k and 1:25-26 for a flat half. However she has been chipping away at the marathon for about 6 years now and about 2 years ago ran 3:03. I was well impressed but she obviously wasn't and ran 2;57 in London in 2015 and ran 2:53 in Valencia on Sunday. She broke 19 minutes (18:5x) for 5k a few weeks back and ran 1:24:02 in Manchester for the half recently but her conversion to a marathon is simply astounding. I get that a lot of women convert better when it comes to a half and a marathon but I doubt there are many blokes out there who have a 1:24 half pb and can run a 2:53 marathon. I find it very interesting and impressive.
Throwing caution to the wind here in a literal sense this week. We got battered by another storm on Monday and it's been super windy all week. 3 runs so far, 5.5 miles Tuesday night, 10k last night and 5 miles tonight. Temps have dropped to about 9c in the evenings and it's hat and gloves for me as that North easterly wind is not pleasant. Will probably do another couple of easy runs to round off a decent 30 mile recovery week. Leslie - I've had DOMS before but luckily I felt incredibly fresh after Sunday. Not sure how really considering the hills and lack of decent mileage in my legs and a raced half at a reasonable pace. I'm not complaining though.
Abbers - P&D is certainly well tried and tested on here.
Have a good weekend of running folks.
TAR - great to hear from you! Who's John McAvoy?
Birch - worth a try.
Leslie - I hear the sub-zero temperatures are on their way over here for next week. Cheers.
KR - home for 6:20, I think.
GM - impressive lack of recovery required. Shopping was just a quick 5 mins in Tescos.
18 miles d&d at silly o'clock (9 @ 8:27 and 9 @ 7:46). GPS died at 9 miles, so turned round and reversed the route for the second half. Just about to put the kettle on for second breakfast
Nice going Gul. Good idea to do an out and back when the GPS carked it.
Yep, some sub-zero action heading our way next week, Brrr.
It was cold enough this morning. just a long sleeved base layer, t-shirt, shorts and gloves for me. Was OK once I got going but fingers were frozen for the first part of the run.
Despite two tough track sessions this week I felt surprisingly strong.
17 miles dispatched without mercy at 7.37 pace.
I found two decent hills that are very similar in profile and distance to Heartbreak Hill at 20 miles in Boston. These hills are at the back-end of my route, so ideal for specific race challenge prep. KNOW YOUR ENEMY!!
Campaign starts in 3 weeks, so just ticking over for now. The base is good and I'm looking forward to where my next marathon adventure takes me.
Have a great running weekend, Gang!
GD
Well done on the vest BB.
5 mile race tomorrow (Hatfield) so gentle parkrun today in 21 minutes. Feeling very old and slow especially as I found a piece of folded, lined paper with a few scribbles on it which turned out to the results of a club champs from many years ago. Over 1 weekend we did every track and field event so 100m up to 10,000m, all the hurdles, all the jumps, all the throws. In one weekend I did 34.00.4 for 10,000m, 16:33 for 5,000m, 4:47 for 1,500m as well as all the others.
Gerard- your lady friend is very quick for 44 and sub 3 in your 40's as a girl is proper elite
Make sure you are taking notes when she is talking running 
99% of ice gne this morn though as I passed one runner he managed to find just about the only piece about and had a bit of a skid !
Gul nice early 18 so 2nd breakfast well earned
Gdawg good hard 17 you are ready for a campaign
PMJ you were a bit fast
,time for a comeback again maybe ?
17,5m this morn 3c and foggy but hardly any ice .14m steady and 3 hard hills to finish.
last 3m 6:56, 6:52, 6:56 .
17.5m at 7:35 m/mile average.
Gerard - (2 x 1/2M) + 5 min is an excellent conversion by your female friend - I've found (2 x 1/2M) +10/12 mins more common for 2:45 - 3:00 marathoners.
Yes, Gerard - 2015 VLM was 3:18, which was reasonable for age 60, as I was then - in the 13 weeks prior to taper I did 740 miles, so average 57mpw, but 11 runs of 20.5 - 23 miles ( 2 x 22, 1 x 23), 1 x 16.5 miler, and 1 x half marathon race. The final 2 weeks of the 13 were each 70 miles.
I now feel, in PMJ's words "old and slow " . . . . .
still, 17 this morn with my daughter (longest she's ever run) is a start . . .
good runs Gul, GD & Leslie noted . . . .
PMJ - That's a very impressive medley of races and times there. You're neither old or slow, Ed Whitlock is a bit old but he's certainly not slow. Good luck tomorrow. Any target for the 5 miles?
Birch - Indeed and her hubby ran 2:31 after struggling to run 75 at Manchester a few weeks back. He ran 2:29 last year off a 72:40 half pb, so the two of them have a successful marathon formula. Your 3;18 puts me to shame. Why not try something similar again and see what it yields? I'm Impressed you can just knock out a 17 miler after months of not really feeling like running as much as you usually would.I struggle running for more than 15 miles even when running a bit more than I usually do. I need to address that. Lovely that your daughter ran it with you. How did she feel running that far?
G-Dawg - Nice pace for your 17 and good early Boston prep.
Leslie - 17.5 miles at 7:35 is very good going. Glad the ice is almost gone. It's meant to get down to about 4c here next week but sunny and no wind, which is ok. Will just have to dress for it.
Gul - Two breakfasts!! That's two more than I had today. I was fueled by coffee, not ideal. Ah Tesco's, there are no shops open here before 8am that I am aware of, or barbers for that matter.
Nice 18!
Didn't run today, too busy with work and xmas shopping. Will have to try get out tomorrow and do a hour or so.
Good luck to anyone else racing tomorrow.
Hi GM! I am just popping in to say that I enjoyed your HM report and it sounded like a great race for you so well done! Also, I am a girl (though 10 years younger than your friend) and I normally would aim for 2x HM + 6 minutes if fit and well-trained, which I have managed 3 out of 5 times. I think the magic formula is basically just running lots of easy miles and being good at pacing. I did the same as your friend this autumn (1:24 half, 2:53 mara), though am hoping to get back to PB fitness for VLM.
GD - speedy 17 miler and good specificity!
Hope it goes well in Hatfield today.
Good start to the new training philosophy.
PMJ - very impressive weekend of racing even if it was a few years ago
Leslie - good long run and a strong finish.
Birch - you're not old, just experienced and mature
GM - both breakfasts were after the run! Hope you feel suitably rested after the Christmas shopping and ready for a run today.
Literatin - good to hear from you. I can only dream of 2xHM + 6mins. Come to think of it, 2xHM + 36 would be a good start!
5 recovery miles this morning to finish on 74 for the week.
6:30 pace is doable so that is a soft target of 32:30 and I'd like 31.xx.
Literatin welcome back ,excellent conversion rate
Gul cracking week there !
PMJ 30:XX would be more like it for a man of your running cv
Good Luck and dbs .
12m this morn on very tired legs to give me a nice round 70m for the week, nightshift tonight so enforced but needed rest day tomorrow,I'm whacked
.
thanks , Gerard - my daughter's legs were tired last 3 or four miles, but was a good easy paced run for her, and a decent one to get under her belt 6 days after setting a new PB at half marathon. Main thing she noticed was getting bored towards the end - don't know if that was caused by the length of time we were out, or the length of time in my company !
DOMS in quads for me - unusual after long slow one . . .
excellent effort to round off a very satisfying week for you, Leslie . . .
fine total for you also, Gul . . .
Not been around for a bit, proper read back at the moment impossible to due c*ap IT but hope it's all going well for everyone.
Not a good month here - spent a couple of weeks in Iran which on paper should have been good for hot weather altitude training, but turned out to be one of the very few places I've been where running just seemed impossible. Cultural reasons, not wanting to be too conspicuous, plus hideously bad pollution in Tehran so I didn't even try. Back to UK for a week, then last Thurs was hit by a large car while on the bike. Entirely the fault of the driver who pulled out at at speed without looking. A bit bloody but got away quite lightly under the circs, the most painful thing was the 5 anaesthetic injections before the bit between my nose & top lip could be sewn back together. The new bike is smashed up (although repairable) and I am not going to win any beauty contests in the near future. Next morning at 0400 it was off the airport to go back to Africa. Need to get the swelling down I think before trying to exercise in the gym from hell, plus the soluble stitches can't get wet for a week. I hope all of you are having better luck than this!! Take care out there. Then take even more care.
Poacher - Jesus man! That was a bad one, glad you are ok of sorts anyway. Look after yourself and I hope you heal up well.
Birch - What did your daughter run for the half? I recall you saying she was aiming for 3:45 for the marathon?? Well done to her. The boredom factor when running.... I do hear that a lot from runners who are kinda new to running and who run short distances but I can honestly say I have never felt bored when running even when I was relatively new to it or even when I have run further than I usually do.
Hi Lit! Lovely to hear from you and well done on a fine return to form for you. Sounds like you are well on the way to rediscovering your pb form. I did think of you, Speedy and Jools when I mentioned my friend. The only real differentiating factor between you gals and her is that you are all quite a bit quicker over the short stuff but I agree with what you say and in essence they are probably the two key factors. I'd rank weight control up there as well. Thanks btw, I was just delighted to be racing again after a less than good year and to run reasonably well was a bonus. From what I have read elsewhere I must say you have excellent taste in post race food and your choice of colour of wine is also very good.
P.s. Lit - If you're ever stuck for ideas/options for an autumn marathon, why not try Jersey one year? It's not a pb course but an athlete of your ability would podium on any given year or even better. I'd love that and if you are ever tempted then please do let me know.
Leslie - I think 70 miles entitles you to a rest!
Poacher - eek, that sounds really nasty. Hope you have a totally uneventful time in Africa. Take care of yourself.
12 mile MLR this morning. 6 @ 8:23 and 6 @ 7:34.
Poacher, sounds awful. Hope you are mentally OK, the physical side is the obvious immediate concern but I can imagine that it must play on you dreams for a while.
5 mile race yesterday, Hatfield 5. Said to myself 6:30 has to be the minimum "worst case" scenario and was hoping for 31.xx. Left home at 8, picked up a carload of running friends and got to the venue at 9 for a 10 start. Numbers picked up and warm up done, off to the starting line. The start was on a path in the university campus, wide by path standards but not wide by road race standards, and no starting pens nor indication of estimate finish times, so just found a place and hoped it was OK.
First mile felt easy and the Garmin said 6:06 so that was 24 seconds of the 30 seconds I needed inside 6:30 pace for 31.xx so I told myself 4 mile all inside 6:30 and it was a job done. Mile 2 6:19 so now all time bagged, steady home. I was now in a long string of runners and there was a young lady (St Albans Striders) a few places ahead who seemed to be making sensible pace so I decided to keep my distance relative to her. Mile 3 went by in 6:29 so no worries, mile 4 felt hard and I was passed by a group of 3 men and another group of 3 ladies but the watch said 6:31 so no panic. Last mile was then just a steady push all the way, trying to hold onto the group of 3 ladies who passed St Albans lady. Coming into sight of the finish clock, it was saying 31.4x and I knew 31.xx chip was in the bag but thought it may also be possible gun time so pushed hard and passed St Albans lady and got 32.00 gun, 31.51 chip.
Turns out St Albans lady was first W40 so I may need my glasses checking and the 3 lady posse who passed were 2nd, 3rd and 4th with first lady not too far ahead.
Overall quite pleased, first M50 and first lady were both outside 30 minutes so less than a couple of minutes down on those targets.
she ran 1:34 , Gerard. She's not new to running, though , but although she's done a few 15's , this was her first venture into "proper" long run territory (my own definition is anything over 16) . . .
Poacher - - blimey, a narrow escape, notwithstanding the facial damage . . .
Philip - good racing - nicely executed. . . .