Starting again from the beginning!

Welcome NBFS! hopefully you will receive similar support that we all do - Theres nothing like a Marathon to focus the mind - so I guess you already know, build up GRADUALLY over the next 5 months or so!!!

Funnily enough B2B I wasn't buzzin after my first marathon but I still remember every step of my second one and am still buzzing XX number of years later even though I went off and ran faster times - that second one remains the pinnacle of what I wanted to achieve.

First morning this week that I haven't run in gale force winds and pouring rain so I celebrated by hammering out a 5 mile - still slightly off the pace as I am still trying to remember to let gravity take a full effect - and I start to find that I am 'power' running rather than Chi!!!!  (it is not that easy either to see a lot of the puddles etc on the sea wall).

I am confidently expecting to run faster now as I have just taken delivery of my new Garmin 110 to replace my old 205 - which as good as it is,  is like running with Hattie Jaques on my wrist.

Happy days

ha ha ha @ Hattie Jaques!

Ive got the 110, its really simple but works!

Finishing the marathon was unexpectedly really emotional but it kind of faded over the last week I guess as I have moved my focus now onto May...I wonder if I will feel the same way when I go over a marathon in training?

My next goal is a 30 so lets wait and see what happens!

Well done on the Chi running by the way, how are you finding it? Im finding it alot easier to almost forget about now as its become the way I move now, still have my moments when I have to focus again but its now alot easier!

I will set the Garmin up to beep every mile then that should bring me back to focus.

AM doing a set of 10 times 2 minutes off 1.5 recovery tomorrow morning so I find that is quite a good way of focusing during the entire run. - as for a 30 rather you than me - I once did 27 and that was enough (although it was at sub 3 hour pace so probably a lot harder than it needed to be but that was down to a training partner wh was going to do an ultra of some sort.

wow thats quick! Im happy to stay around a 10.30/11 minute mile and just keep going! 

I felt even though I was aching alot and was quite glad to see the finish, I think I could have gone a little further at the marathon...27/28 maybe?

Ill try in a training run when time is less of a constraint

Good idea - what is the farthest you are looking to go in training B2B?

Did my 10 times 2 minutes this morning off 90 seconds recovery. Felt ok concnetrating on running form, don't know what the averages are yet but still pretty pleased to have got through quite comfortably!!!

Im looking at 30 being my max but trying to make 20 comfy, much like I did with making 13 a comfy run.

My plan is to make every run I had before slightly longer for example - 

keep some 5k as recovery runs at lunch

6 mile to become 8 or 10

13 mile to become 15 or 17

longer runs will start at 20 and work up slowly

This of coarse, as always, is a loose plan of action depended on how I feel

Well done Grendel, thats probably a good way to focus as its in 2 minute bursts

Cheers - I have to say rather you than me B2B - what is your brother in law doiing now? has he got any more plans to go long.

5 miles run - very cold this morning - could have done with turning alarm clock off at going back to sleep - none the less up I got and out I went -  drifted off the Chi a few times this morning - and after yesterdays speed work kept it nice and easy - I think that is why I had lost concentration - just drifting along watching the sea - gently lap againts the beach seeing the Moon followed by Mercury drift across the endless cycle of time - turning to gaze on Venus, still the brightest object in the sky by far. 

Happy days

He is concentrating on cycling alot now as well as running, he has the TP100 in march I think, so I mabe doing a long section with him, then he also has another 2 booked I think? One maybe the SWD100 and the other is a 6 day run in scotland.

That one is more of a "sight seeing" event where you run 155 miles spread over 6 days, a max of around 25 miles in one day and smaller amounts on the others.

I think in my own running its just a case of changing my mindset, so my "short" runs already are 5/6 miles,  if I can get into making my "short" run 8/10 without actually thinking about how far that really is then I think im on track  

Got it all planned out B2B!!! 

The 155 mile site seeing tour of Scotland sounds good - I can't imagine short runs of 8/10 miles these days - but from experience it does just become part of your day - I used to run part of the way home from work and it was just part of my journey!!!!

I'm just ticking over at the moment and will do until Christmas - then wll start to focus on a faster 5 mile race later in 2013 - BUT I really do have to shift some weight.

Well it is just a "plan", there is a long way to go yet and of coarse as ever it is subject to change!

Yeah im just ticking over as well at the moment as its naffin cold and im sort of resting my achillies.

Might pop out tonight in my Merrells and see what its like to have shoes on!

I think with the other stuff you have on B2B - the band etc, it can only ever be a plan - but it does sound that you have the basis of something good there.

5 miles run this morning very hard as the temperature actually dropped - 2 - Mexican spicy bean burgers last night for tea did cause a few problems this morning though - (have two more in the pack so there could be a repeat later in the week).

Not far off the truth with that picture!!!!!!

I seem to be having an unintentional break from running at the moment, oh well it will hopefully give my achilles a bit of a rest.

Im on holiday next week for my birthday, my wonderful fiancee is taking me to Spain for the week!!!

Not sure how much resting will be done as we are checking out wedding venues and generally exploring, but im really looking forward to it!

It will probably do me some good to have a bit of time off and then start properly again next year, refreshed and chomping at the bit to get my ass outside!

Its about that time again peeps when we start on our targets for next year!!

My goals of coarse start with finishing the NDW 50 mile, I also would like to try the London to Brighton Ultra and complete it in sandals.

Apart from that im not really sure, I cant really think too far ahead at the moment as everything is gearing up towards the NDW50.

Hmm maybe we should review last years goals and see how we all did?

Ok been doing a little bit of hunting....

Grendel - your goal for this year was a sub 35 minute 5k, did you do it?

My goal was to hit 30 miles and get into Ultra`s! Well haven't quite hit the 30 but I still have a few weeks! 

Just Run - I think yours was to run 20 minutes 3 times a week? How did you do?

Not sure anyone else is still around from last year!!

Enjoy your break B2B and hope you have a happy birthday too.

Ran sub 30 5K (25:13)  also was looking to break 37:30 for 5 miles - missed that one by 2 minutes the sub 30 minute 5 miles for next year is looking unlikley - say what you like I will try and try bl**dy hard - trouble is age is against me too!!!

The other target was 1000 miles - now looking at 1500 by the 31st December 2012.

Slipped and slided through a set of 20 times a minute this morning the snow then hit around 7 am - took me 2.5 hours to drive less than 20 miles and faced with more delays on the A12 estimated at another hour or so gave up and went home. Essex County Council are apologising for their cock up!!!

Thanks Grendel, wow you smashed pretty much everything you set out to do!

Hi all, apologies for my extended absence. The last two weekends were filled with doing the FA youth module award for the kids football. In between i have found it difficult to get motivated with one of my main routes shut off due to the Great Western canal bursting its bank! Early morning runs have been knocked on the head with the snooze button! However, i have been cycling to work everyday and even managed to lose a few more pounds (now down to 84kg from 89 during the last 6 weeks or so). The christmas shopping is all done, Chelsea have finally won a game of football, and i knocked an easy 10k on the head this morning!

My target of running 3 times a week for 20 minutes hasn't been properly achieved as I have had too many breaks, although my current total of 392 miles equates to an average of 8 miles a week, and at my pace that's around 40 minutes a week so i'm going to give myself a pass.

Now to hit 400 miles for the year and have a proper think about next year.

December 6.2

2012 - 392.28