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SB - make sure you're right for your 20; don't want to put a big illness-shaped spanner in the works.
GM - regular shorter races would definitely help my basic speed. Not sure it's going to happen though.
Lorenzo - Good sneaking in of regular runs among meetings. I would have thought a holiday in the scenery and vineyards of SA would be an easy sell?
Gul - good news about the long run, not so good about the car.
FINgers - I'm about 7 miles south of Salisbury. Need someone to set up a parkrun there, or in Ringwood really.
SJ - Mrs SJ is clearly showing an interest if she's asking questions like that!
Speedy/Jools - looks like you're better off racing on Saturday than Sunday this weekend weather-wise (the XC is on Saturday, right?).
Poacher - well done on getting a cold-sounding track session done.
Minni - miles at Gul o'clock! Excelpt Gul had already finished his run by then...
OO51 - nice poetry and miles. Very cultured.
Menn - Ah, Lions tours. Went to Oz in 2001... would love to do another, preferably to SA, although the next will have to be a family affair which makes it out of reach financially for a while!
Moof - difficult to avoid bugs at this time of year, especially when the little ones are so good at bringing them into the family home. Bio suit on...
Rest day for me today, and very welcome it is after 50 miles in the last 6 days. That's a lot for me.
11.2M this morning @ 7:38mm, on legs that felt quite tired from yesterday's 14-miler. This is the problem - I really haven't got time to do much on Wednesdays so am forced to switch the MLR and the recoveries around, but then I'm left with two consecutive days of comparatively big mileage. This week there were no major pace requirements but I really don't want to be doing 10 miles incl. 7 @ LT the day after a 14-miler, as may have to be the case next week. I'll have to sort something out here.
The tennis was a bit of a let-down...
Has anyone else looked at all those weeks to go till their A-race and sighed a little?
Well battled through with tired legs Ant. I looked at my plan yesterday and say a lot of blank weeks to get through, however when I get through next week I am 50% through the 20 weeks. A half marathon, and a bit of a taper before VLM, and possibly even some better weather to come? I''m sure it will fly by (slightly unsure looking smiley face).
So like many others on the P&D 18 week schedule, this is the first week of mesocycle 2 so it moves from endurance to lactate threshold + endurance. That means for me a 10 mile with 5 @ 15k to HMP and others have reported trouble with LT runs so I set out with some trepidation.
For me, LT pace is probably based on 61:36 for 10 miles so 6:10 pace but that seemed a bit fast so 6:15 was the plan. The 5 came out at 6:17 average (6:16, 6:19, 6:15, 6:19 and 6:15) so I'll take that considering a hard run yesterday and some significant jet-lag today.
Big shout out to Minni: I had "Did ... achieve the session or did he turn it into something else?" ringing in my ears and I was thinking dark thoughts after 1 and 2 miles and thinking about 5 @ MP instead of 5 LT, or cutting it down, or splitting it, but I got to 3 and could visualise the end so was able to dig in.
Both my race numbers arrivred in the post for Reading and Wokingham HM yesterday. The Reading number also has my name on it which is a first. I should have entered as moof.
Well done Ant. Presumably scope for swapping some days round?
No sighing here. I'll be needing every last bit of endurance to convert up to 26.2. In fact I'm a bit worried that there's only 11 weeks to go. Keep getting concerned looks from people I tell this is my first mara, and then they get concerned about what's going to happen at 20 miles. I won't lie; it's worrying me!
As AR says, the next few weeks will disappear pretty rapidly, espcially with family birthdays and other events thrown in to distract.
PMJ - excellent work, and good consistent pacing. I know you're aiming for a fast mara, but jeez, that's quick!
Moof, what is your A race? I'm sure it's on the list many pages back somewhere...
My A race is 9 days away, so gulp as opposed to sigh.
PMJ - Well done for sticking to it, it's a split second decision that can be regrettable.
Abbers - Satisfying 50! No winelands in Durban where the comrades takes place, it's a sub-tropical climate but a great excuse to travel 1,600km down to the mother city! I did that bus journey once and it was a truly horrible experience.
Love the way PMJ casually knocks out 5 miles of a 10 miler at a pace not far short of my fastest ever 5k
Jantastic 100% for me this week - 4 runs in 4 days. Ended up doing 7.4 last night at a very slow pace with a bunch of ladies new to the club, but it'll do. Looking to do 16-17 miles this weekend.
GM - yeah, nice to know the body's not rebelling too much against the mileage, as 50 mile weeks are the norm on the plan from now onwards. So many places to explore, so little time!
BotF - a new fan club in tow?
In case I don't get the chance again, good luck to the weekend racers (Jools & Speedy at the XC spring to mind, not sure about others?).
All relative: BOTF and I run for the same club and one of our fast guys is aiming sub 2:30 and that is 5:43 a mile or 5k in 17:47 and my 5000m best is 17:49. He in turn will be about 4.5 miles behind the leaders after they have gone round in say 2:04 at 14:42 per 5k.
I''ll going to enter Abingdon Marathon, although I said never again.
Nice session PMJ.
Moof - Never again what? Abingdon or marathons in general.
Speaking in relative terms, I saw Mutai and the others fly past at VLM last year and my word they moved like gazelles and their feet barely touched the ground.
Sounds like Reading have finally recognised moof's elite status what with the fancy running bib. Got to be worth an extra couple of seconds per mile. (Winky eye icon)
Speaking of elites, an unheralded Tsegaye Mekonnen Asefa, Ethiopan ,Just 18, pulls off a shocker and crushes everyone In Dubai In 2:04:32, Setting The World Junior Record for the marathon.
that's yesterdays 6 done 1 warm up and then 4 @ 6:53 average and then 1ish cool down. tired legs after the 10.5 on a cold Wednesday night.
Abbers- You'll be fine! just have faith in the schedule and all will prevail on an a nice sunny Aprils morning!
Back into it now with 9 with 4 at mp but ended up being a progressive from mp upto LT as it was bucketing down so I covered the old watch over. Was supposed to be 11 with 5 but being the taxi of dad interfered with that.
Nice running PMJ and Rich.
I will definitely run London next year as l found it such a great buzz and a fantastic atmosphere, you can feel the excitement build on here in the final few weeks.
If I want to build on my marathon experience to continue to lay some solid endurance then Abingdon is the best and nearest event for me.
And finally I think the slight fear of the distance when running at full pelt well help to keep my training keen and honest.
Hopefully the weather will be a little kinder this year.
9 miles with 5 at tempo. 2 wu, 5 giving it some, 2 wd. My mile splits on the watch were 6.13, 6.15, 6.14, 6.13 and 6.04. Which seemed about right as they felt fairly consistent and I did manage to push on for the last one.
Trouble is since my Garmin won't upload at the moment I took my phone out linked to the stava app. The paces on this were all over the shot. 6.08, 6.52, 6.26, 6.04, 6.39.
If I'd run like this I would have been disappointed. There is 0.2 difference between the length of run as well.
Just shows you can't trust those GPS gadgets.
Moof - You ran a sub 3 did you not? Bound to be tough, but I hear you re the lonely miles. When I ran Jsy in a poor time I ran from mile 15 to 20 and it was tough as there were few supporters on the course as it's on a trail path/road but it was a good challenge and I want to do it again and use the experience I took from that and nail it the next time round and I'm sure you will too. Conditions are a major factor esp in a marathon and it does make it significantly harder if you are struggling.
Abbers - Yes, I can juggle some days around, but there are a couple of weeks later on in the P&D when no amount of juggling will sabe you from two hard days back-to-back. Well, I s'pose they do say running on tired legs helps you ready yourself for The Day of Reckoning...
Very pacey LT sessions from Moof and PMF - really impressive stuff.
Has anyone ever run a marathon and not felt like that?
I intend to run 2 long runs back to back every week as they have to be scheduled offshift for me as anything over 9 miles after a 12hr shift is going to leave me exhausted..needs must and all that ......
9x400m with 50's slow job recovery between this morn after nightshift at 7am, I was aiming for 92's and apart from the first 2 which were a little slow despite some strides and a good warmup all were in spec this time, came to 8 miles in total.
If you get to the start line having followed most of the programmes you' 'll be in pretty decent shape.
Moof- the second long one would be anything over 10 miles , i'm not talking about 2 x 20 milers or anything .I don't find a 10 too taxing these days but might consider doubles if needed later on.
Running at least 10 miles before your long run was fairly common practice a few years back and going into your long run on fresh legs gives a false sense of security (imo)
Working shifts is a llittle harder to train around. I ran the mid week 15 and the Friday 12 ( P&D) after an 11 hour shift, but wouldn't fancy a 20+ run.
My last post still applies to you re. completing most of the programme.
I' m starting to sound like a life coach or TR! (Adds another winky face)
You've mostly been doing better than me, work/life got in the way this week so only limited morning training time resulting in no swims. no lunchtime training and just a short turbo or run in the morning, so no BAC session or anything else decent. Got another week or two the same in the next month or so too. Need to run tomorrow or Sunday to get 4 runs for the Jantastic week. Not ideal, but it is what it is.
Moof - you are nearly ready to take the pebble from my hand........
Ant - deathmarchs on tired legs are a chore, might have one this weekend as ai chose to do a 10k rather than a long run last weekend.
Anyone take note of Padams (sub3 thread) running a 10M race in 53:4X last weekend, when he had an A goal of 55:XX. Good job he didnt have a gadget on to limit his performance to 55:XX
...I remember trying to play catch up in 2010 after some unfortunate family circumstances limiting my training for a few weeks and I did something like a 14,16,20 Thurs/Friday/Saturday. I seem to remember the 16 was the worse as I had been running quickish in the Thursdays 14. the body is very good at adapting to teh load you place upon it (within reason)..............I ran my slowest VLM that year, but I think it was more due to only 2 or 3 runs/week that year at times (and no commutes) rather than the 14,16 and 20 combo.
Moof, oof. A sub 3 at Abo when you are feeling like crap? It's what truly makes a proper marathon runner. The ability to dig deep when it matters most. We are after all battling against exactly what? An abstract construct called time, and an even more abstract of distance that heralds back to a time when alcohol was deemed to be an acceptable drug of choice for the elites. You set your targets and rest on your laurels.
83:30 for 13.1 mile road race gets absolutely no recognition from anyone. 2:59 for 26.2 is recognised by anyone who has worn out a pair of running shoes.
(Thanks for asking, my form is shit at the moment, but so it should be. Miles make champions, lack of miles make couch potatoes. S'pose I'll be entering an IM later).
Blisters - nice one, which IM ? good to see you go back for another crack at it.
I hear an alarm bell ringing Ant. P&D doesn't seem the most injury friendly programme from personal experience and stacking hard days back to back is going to increase your risk of having a breakdown. Of course you might be robust enough to cope with it ( plenty of folks on here are - but I'm not). Personally, I'd try to spread them out and if not, ditch one or reduce it.
Abbers, you'll be fine - it'll hurt of course but you'll have a great time (in retrospect)
5miles easy followed by 10mins at HMP (6:30) followed by a progression to 10k pace (6:10) for 5 whole earth minutes. All felt nice and manageable - enjoying my tweaked hudson plan. Followed that straight after with a trip to the pool for a 300 warm up then sprint session of 13x30m off 10s, 1x400, 13x30m, 200cool down plus some drills. Best I've felt in the water for months. Itching for a race already.
Not yet entered TR, but the alternative antics have been progressing. My Tri club nicknamed me "the fish". Needless to say, I still swim like a runner (or paving slab). However, progress is measurable. I came off the bike in November, and have needed a couple of new teeth as a result. Bit of a chest infection since Christmas, so it's a low base line for entering 2014. No spring marathon for me.