Abingdon Marathon

Meep - best of luck with the 10k on Sunday, what time does it have to be for a PB.

Recovery is going good. After some advice from the club coach, did 7 x 400m down the club last night, tagging along with 2 others. Not too fast, around 100sec for each. 10 miles easy planned for Sunday.

Aim was 38:15, wasnt ever really near it. On to a trail HM this weekend in IOW.

A quick turnaround to a track session AC! 

How's everyone else's training going?

17 slow hilly miles for me on Sunday - one more long one this weekend and I'll have managed the grand total of four proper training runs (and a couple of long bike rides) in prep for the South Downs Way Marathon in 3 weeks time.

No pressure on time for this one though, I'm not worried if I bimble round in 4½ hours.

Good early prep for Abingdon that sounds like Chillies....A super base for when you start for the real thing

AGF - here's hoping!

Meep - bad luck on Sunday. Don't worry, there is plenty of time between now and Abo to bag some PBs.

CFB - after the hills on the South Downs, Abo is going to feel like a stroll in the park.

10 miles easy for me Sunday, it is nice to be in the swing of things again. Hopefully after this week, training should be back to normal.

Gone a bit quiet  on here, has everyone set  their training plans and start dates yet?  I know I might get some frowns/abuse from the traditionalists but I think I'm going to give Furman a go and I've found an 18 week  schedule that includes some more longer runs than the RW version. So that will start in a couple of weeks time. Current training to get me ready is one speedwork(today's was 8x600m with 200m rec) one tempo and one longer run up to 12 miles(so far) per week with some core/stretching/ drills on a couple of the none running days. 

Hi BB - and AC - I just ran  the South Downs Marathon today and somehow got in at 3:57:58 - wow that was hard work, but no injuries! You're right, AC, Abo is going to feel like a stroll in the park, at least when the gun goes off at the start! Psychological advantage is in the bag.

I don't think I'm going to chase much more than 3:30 at Abo. A GFA 3:15 is beyond my lifestyle!

AGF - a monster PB if that was your previous best

I'm now going to enjoy a few weeks of short trail running and some longer mountain biking treks, as I'm preparing for the London to Brighton Off-road event in September as well as Abo

CFB – great time on the South Downs Marathon, and a lot better than you were expecting.You are certainly going to make it hard for yourself in September.

AGF– well done on the PB – Wow!, good way to start.

BB –building in longer runs sounds sensible to me.How does the new schedule incorporate marathon paced miles in the longer runs, or does it recommend you do more of the longer runs at easy/steady pace. My training is similar to yours at the mo, without the tempo run. All my running is either steady or easy at the moment accept for an effort session on Thursday. Longest run so far is just under 15 miles.

I'm signed up for this one. It is a lovely race with great PB potential. Anyone who hasn't done it before is in for a treat.

I just need my legs to recover from Comrades and then it will be time to knuckle down and focus on the 2:39 target. Still more than 18 weeks to go so plenty of time to get lots of training in over the summer.

Chillies -  Well done on the South Downs. Looks like a tough day out.

Talking of hills welcome Warren, congrats on Comrades, that's a quick target for Abo.

AGF - Congrats on the PB. No x training at the mo, couple of sessions a week of core/stretching/drills.

Welcome Warren, and best of luck with the target. I will be happy to be within 35 minutes of you at Abo. My target is still undecided, probably will only know for certain after a half marathon race I have in September.

Some good runs going on, CFB, nice run on a tough course, congrats AGF on the pb, Warren, nice target for Abo, hope you keep posting as it would be good to see how you go about training for it.

Im in the same boat as you AC in that Septembers HM will go along way in deciding a target time.

What we all need now is this rain to bugger off, sick of getting drenched!

Thanks folks. For now I am only running half an hour very slowly every other day. I'll only start training properly towards the end of the month. My basic recipe for last year's 2:45 at Leicester was a fair bit of track work, quite a few 10 mile runs at MP or better and finishing a few of my 23/24 mile long runs with 5 or 6 miles at MP. I'm not talented enough to do it without lots of mileage as well so I needed about 65 mile a week average over 15 weeks last year. This year that'll probably be closer to 75 mile a week average.  

Yes, Warren, please keep posting, as I am interested to see how you incorporate the 10 mile tempo runs at MP and better with recovery days. I usually do tempo runs of around 6 miles, anything longer seems to get put into a race, although I do put in MP miles at the end of some my long runs.  As with you, I only seem to achieve good results when I can stay injury free and can put in high mileage

AC -  The plan has 4 x 20 milers, one at MP + 45-60secs, one at MP + 30-45secs and two at MP+ 30secs, but I might change one of those 20's for 3 slow,3 MP(or just below), 3 slow, 3MP etc. I miscalculated and my start date is this Monday, so I've had a few days off after running  last Wednesday's 12 miles at 7:37 avg in the afternoon sun.

Barry - sounds like a good plan and nice brisk 12 miles there. I seem to only get two or three 20+ milers in, and they all tend to be around MP +60secs, which I expect is not quite fast enought. This time around I am going to try and speed up some of the longer runs, so it will be interesting to see if this makes much difference, other than tiring me out a bit more.

My club coach emailed me over the weekend my training plan for the next 4 weeks, so I suppose I am starting my plan today aswell! 

First day of 18 week plan completed, just another 17 weeks & 6 days to go.