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P + D training for VLM 2013
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HeOw, cheer the fuck up and don't sell it yet - it's not till October and there are bound to be more people wanting to buy it nearer the time anyway.
Do you people not think missing this week and that other week, 3 weeks ago will make a HUGE difference? I am gutted about it, it makes all the other weeks seem worthless!
I missed 3 weeks last year for Chester Marathon, did not run a single mile in 3 weeks and managed a 3:34, I found it hard and my longest run in training was 1 18 mile run, I lined up on the day feeling massively under prepared but just tried my best, the last 4 miles were exceptionally hard.
It will make a difference, but not a HUGE difference. Means you still have had 16 weeks training, plus all your running from before - so you are still in much better shape than many. Just get better and stop worrying about it.
Wasn't Milton Keynes the same day as Manchester? The weather that day really was atrocious, made worse by the fact both days either side were nice and sunny.
I actually started training 2 weeks early, did few weeks of 55-70 plan, then restarted the sub 55 plan when found the 55-70 too hard, so I have done extra couple of weeks anyway, it is just the fact they are positioned near to the marathon that worries me a bit. Nerer mind, not much I can do.
Craig, had I only managed 1 18 miler, I wouldn't be doing the marathon! Fact you managed a 3:34 on that, is brilliant!
15W - think it was. Ahhh Manchester 2012. The day the World ended...
If I could turn the clock back, knowing what I know now, neither would I, but learnt the hard way and was literally put to the sword. I have nothing but respect for the distance now.
HeOw, I missed a week too! As you say, not ideal so close to the marathon, but at least you know you've got masses of endurance training done already.
Craig, literally put to the sword really? Or just figuratively?
Figuratively, I was totally unprepared for the marathon, as mentioned 3 weeks no ruuning 1 long run and went off at around 7:20 pace, learnt the hard way.
Oh yeah, forgot to say: went for a 15-mile MLR, partly with my club. Though not as much with my club as I was expecting, because I slowed down a bit to chat to a prospective new member, and the BASTARDS didn't wait for me at the dividing point between the longer route (that I was planning to do) and the shorter route (that she was planning to do).
So then I had to leg it up the road to try and catch the slowest one of them before the confusing bit where I don't know the way, and then after I'd caught up to him just in time to find the alleyway to turn down (this is a runner who knows all the routes but doesn't like us to wait for him so I wasn't being a bastard, not like ALL my other clubmates), I had to run like the clappers just to catch up with the others and tell them they were bastards. I did manage it though, and with some unscheduled MP miles. Grr.
Memories of MK 2012 are burned, sorry frozen into my soul,,,,
HeOw, I looked up a tooth abscess on wiki, looks nasty. I hope you are on anti biotics?
A guy at my club bust his ankle on a curb about three weeks before vlm last year. Really messed up his tnedons. He did nothing from then unitl the marathon.
In the marathon itself he reached the halfway point in 1.28 but then the pain became unbearable and he had to stop for a bit. Eventually finished in about 3.30. So even if you miss a bit of the training at the end as long as you have been consistant you should still have the fitness to get round in a reasonable time.
Sorry, that was just me being a twatty pedant, been marking undergraduate coursework again. If someone was literally after you with a sword that'd probably make you faster rather than slower though.
I'll be back to Chester this year, I have unfinished business there, I love the Chester course, also such well organised events.
14 miles done at 7.04 pace. Felt nice and easy for most of it, although I did ramp up the last few mile a bit because I was cold and bored (and wanted to get to the shop for my chocolate milkshake before it shut at 10!).
Just had a pleasant thought as well - that's my last mid week MLR done and dusted. I can't say I'll miss them. They have been the real ball ache run of dread for me. But I'm pretty sure they are also the one that will have boosted endurance the most. Still glad I don't have to do another one though!
Heow - I know it's a cliche, but just do what you can between now and the marathon. But listen to your body. I still think you can get to the line in good shape and have plenty of miles in the bank to fall back on. Just do what you need to do to get ready for the start line. If you feel tired jumping back in then back off a bit, but of its ok then just jump back into the mileage. Hope it starts getting easier for you.
Mennania, re the taper, their view was that P&D is too heavy on the miles particularly in the final week. They thought a 7 mile dress rehearsal excessive on the Wed! They recommended to me 90 min and 60 min runs on the last two Sundays before VLM, with 60 and 30 min MP respectively. But that won't necessarily apply to all of us. I do think the taper is a time to listen more to your body than to the schedule though. I've found this plan pretty tiring so think I will need to make the most of the chance to ease off.
Chris - funny how we're all different. I could do a MLR every day if I had the time - do you run somewhere pleasant? I think that's the key...I love it out on the trails. The sessions I won't miss are the intervals (which I have today).
Out of the door at 5am for my 10 mile VO2 session, just the 4 x 1200m in the under 55 programme, still felt bloody tough, but another one ticked off. Back now is fine, foot I think is a neural problem, strangely didn't feel it at all a couple of weeks ago when I ran the HM, perhaps my slower pace is affecting something?
I do cut the long runs a little short 2 weeks out, I will do 15 instead of 17 and 11 instead of 13, mainly as these will be done bang in the middle of night shifts so extra fatigue.
As for lengthening the last 17 to a 20 that really is pointless, it takes at least 3 weeks for a training session to have a positive effect , the endurance engine (as it has been explained to me ) was built during the first and second Mesocycle, you cant improve on that just 2 weeks, anyone running further than the 17 is going to pay for it come marathon day.
Heow, when you started this plan what was your target time ? wasn't it 3.45 ? what is your marathon pb ? you seem to have done alot of long runs, what sessions have you missed ? sorry for the questions, but basically if you are in real doubt about achieving a reasonable time you would be happy with I would think hard, don't put pressure on yourself to do it you wont enjoy it.Sometimes once a decision to pull out has been made it feels like a cloud has lifted and you can move on, you are young and have loads of time to get that PB
x x
15W I am with you , I love the 14 /15 milers, I did my 14 yesterday after a short sleep following a night shift, it was chilly and windy but not quite as cold as it has been, almost spring like
Off to twatty pilates now then 8 miles with strides
It's a shame really as I live v close to some amazing coastal trails, but can't use them as its too dark when I go running. I cant wait for the summer to be able to get out there again. Maybe next time I should do an autumn marathon?!
Oops! I made a mistake and convinced myself that it was 4x1600m, so last week I ran 4 x 1 mile at 5k pace
Coughing up some green gunk this morning
I've had this bloody cough for four weeks now. I suppose if it's going to develop, it had better do it now while I have time to get anti-biotics. For the time being, it isn't bad and doesn't seem to be a chest problem.
Arg..... see how the taper is affecting me already!
Thanks NN, you're really cheering me up now. That's when I did my 18/14 MPR.
Right.... I want this over with now, so my next marathon is a year away again
Too much pressure at this stage.
sounds like a few of us are having the usual wobbles as all this training comes to a head.
HeOw, hold off selling your snowdonia ticket until the memory of the pain and fatigue of training has been soothed by the warm glow of completion of your marathon.
I did 5x1k @7:30 min/miles last night on the tready. I'd planned on doing it Tuesday night, but life happened so i missed it. Have a 12mi MLR tonight, then a 4-5mi recovery tomorrow. Planning on going for a swim with Mrs AG on Saturday, then 18mi w 14@MP on Sunday morning. Then it's only one more week of hard training before taper. Woohoo.
The reports seem to suggest the weather will remain cold for the next month, so i'm not expecting Manchester to be swelteringly hot, I just hope it's not wet and windy.
NN - I think I will be fine, I have just totalled up my mileage since I started my training third week in Dec - I have ran 580 miles and the plan so far, has 618 in it, so I am only 38 miles behind and that is including me missing nearly 3 weeks due to illness/injury in Jan/Feb/March. So, if I can get back out there at the weekend and maybe slot a MLR run in and then restart training plan next week, I am very hopeful. I have missed a couple of V02 sessions and a couple of MLR runs but I have more than made up for them with my extra mileage on longer runs and did a lot of 15 milers in December too. A plan is a guideline as they say!
Going to get tooth out at 12:15, lets have fingers crossed this will put an end to the infection and abcsess!
Good running everyone, you are all amazing to manage all this.
HeOw - glad to hear your feeling happier about things. Hope the extraction goes well.
Ten - I had been wondering about those mile intervals.
Well I did the 7 mile recovery with strides from Tuesday this morning except that it was 5 miles without the strides. My legs were feeling very heavy and it was still freezing and very windy which made it a struggle. Plus I had slept in so would have been really late for work instead of just a bit late. I know that is my marathon totally doomed now
but I didn't think there was much point in slogging on with a recovery run especially since doing LSR tomorrow.
AG - I think we are all hoping the same thing about the weather.
Caz - the last week of the taper seems ridiculously heavy to me, when I've done a marathon before I've probably only run about 10 miles max.
Ten, you mean you didn't have the book close to heart
Fiona, I think it's doubtful how much 'recovery' benefit you get from running into a headwind anyway.
Re. tapering, this being my first marathon, I was going to just blindy trust the book, so it's helpful to have the benefit of all you lot's experience to back me up if it turns out I can't be arsed.
the best case scenario, a cloudless day, very light breeze, about 10 degrees. PB city.
Worst case, grey sullen skies, driving rain and wind, and freezing cold.
I'd settle for overcast and a slight drizzle, just no monsoon or gale force winds please.
Crikey, Ita a right Fret fest on here. Can I join in?
I was planning to do 18 with 14 tomorrow and 20 on Monday. Too much? Should I just do 20 with 14 and a mlr on Monday. I am all out of sink with the programme due to snow and stomach but am concerned that I havent got enough LSrs in. Got 1x22 2x21x1x20, 1x18 and 3x16-17.
Thoughts please gang..
HeOw- good luck with the tooth today..
another one that likes her MLRs
. Couldn't convince my legs to do 5k pace so did them at 10k pace instead. HR was somewhere at the lower end of the LT zone. So yeah, I didn't work hard enough and it probably means my marathon is fckd now 
Did my VO2max today too. Mine was 11 miles with 6x1k. And I was shit
Interestingly I screwed up the exact same sesh last year in the autumn. Legs weren't playing ball then either. But last year it didn't snow when I did this workout
xpost Men I'd say it's ok provided you have 2 easy days inbetween. I will do 22 tomorrow (same reason as youz really) and race a half on Monday...