New York Marathon 2009

• Champagne          3:30                           rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
• Chowster                3.59.59
• Dave101                 3:50
• Djwolf                      3:29
• Gary Jones             2:44
• Hudds Dave           3:50
• Kiwidave                 3:29
• Iain Harrison           
• L’ardvark                 3:05                           Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
• Legs in Pain           5.30
• NotCat                     3.10
• Over the Hill            3.45
• Paul Ward              2:59:59
• Steven S                 3:30
• Tiptree                     3:45
• Tony Hodge 6        3:30
• Tortie T                    3:30                       Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
• Tricia Hurst             3:59

Good Luck Champange that sounds a tough run and the weather is going to be HOT!

 I have a 10k at Wallingford. I plan to just take it easy as it's not a PB course and is supposed to be nice for the run by the river. There is even a stile on the course that you have to queue to get over. Lots of factor 12 slapped on my baldy head before I start.

 I have not booked flights or hotel yet. Must get onto it this week.

Thanks chowster for the information will pass it on to my mate.

Its a hot morning, just been out for a 10+ mile run. It was starting to get warm at 9:30, had planned to get out earlier. Looking forward training in the summer heat, wonder how hot its up in Edinburgh this weekend.

Hudds are you runnnig in the Wargrave 10K, hope your race has gone well today. Champagne sounds like a interesting race 3300ft descent.

 I have to book hotel and flight, just thinking best place to stay. Near finish or somewhere else, just figuring how to get to start on race morning 

 Probably a really stupid question, where do the buses go from. I imagine from various locations, I heard some buses go from Library.

I've been holding off booking a hotel until a few members of my family decided if they could get out there as well, but reading TortieT's post regarding the American residents lottery results and the sudden booking frenzy - I might just have to go for it now. Did anyone run today? I ran with some of my club runners out in Hainault Country Park - A beautiful haven in the hustle and bustle of London/Essex. Cool breeze through the trees and hot out in the open... but what running was made for. I'm planning to start concentrating on 1k reps at 6 min miling pace before upping my mileage in August. It's also 5k season at the moment - I'm not used to this fast stuff!

Hi Paul. That sounds like a lovely place to run. Thanks for telling us what running you are concentrating on at present, as it helped focus me on what I want to do. My running since Boston has been very erratic and non-focused. I had a nice run today, though: 19, with most along Brighton seafront (not all of it dodging tourists) and about 5 along the cliff-tops, which is always nice. However, that brings this week's mileage to 41 off 3 runs! Not at all what I want to be doing. So, from now, I shall be having 'base' weeks as follows (using Pfitz's terminology):

Mo: 8+ speed (Lactate threshold or VO2Max)

Tu: 5+ recovery

We: 10+ General aerobic

Th: Rest/XT

Fr: 5+ recovery

Sa: 15+ long (sometimes including some Marathon Pace miles)

Su: Rest/XT

This will give me 43+ per week, which I shall maintain (although adding a bit on minimum mileage as I go on) until I start preparing specifically for NY, probably about 12 weeks out. (merging into the 18/55 plan, but probably making it more like 18/61). I shall shift the runs above about on weeks I am doing or have done a 10k/13.1 race on the Sunday (or, like this week, I have delayed my long run to the Sunday).

Hey, look at me. I've got focus! 5k's though, Paul??? Too fast for the likes of me, I fear. I hope everyone else's running is going cool and dandy.

Has anyone any experience of the "First" training scheme (details here)? I'm thinking of giving it a 16-week whirl for NY.

Nearly everyone here in Sweden uses a training programme set up by one of our gurus (Szalkai, it's all published here, for those of you who can read Swedish), but I find his weekly totals too high for me: I find it very easy to become overtrained or experience other problems.

"First" is based on lower weekly totals, with higher proportion of quality running and less long, steady distance. Three runs a week, with two alternative sessions (swimming/cycling, etc.).

L'ardvark: your basic week resembles the structure of the First scheme, but instead of your 5+ recoveries they would have alternative training.

What are "18/55" and "18/61"?

10.5 mile, 2200 ft ascent race yesterday. It was advertised as being longer and steeper, but hey, never mind!
Most of it was on forest paths, and there were quite a few potentially ankle-breaking descents, but I managed to get round in one piece and finished 14th! My highest finish ever in any race. I've finally realised that to get a high placing, all you have to do is choose a really low-key race.......there were only 38 of us!

Tiptree - 18/55 will be an 18-week schedule peaking at 55 miles per week.

Tiptree. There has been recent discussion on the US forum where I hang out about the FIRST regime. The general sense I get is that it is good but requires a very high level of initial fitness without which injuries are common. Those who feel vulnerable to injuries but who want increased quality/demands without either too much mileage or high injury potential tend to go for the "Daniels" programme.  I would say the majority go with Pfitzinger & Douglas. Good luck with your training, however it ends up looking.

Champagne. Many congratulations on your race. It sounds terrifying! Good luck finding a race with a maximum of 3 people in your class.

Tortie T - Thanks for the advice, I am going to look at hotels today. I have agreed with the other half that we will stay down town as she needs to be by the shops at all times! The good news is she is going to pay for the hotel.

Champange - Well done on the race, it must have been tough as it was warm all over the UK yesterday. I would be happy to finish 14th with 15 runners.

Steven- yes I am doing Wargrave, I do it most years, are you running it?

I ran at Wallingford and I must recommend it to anybody else for next year, I knew it was not a PB course because of the stile (3 mins queue to get over) and 4 kissing gates, and so I just ran it for fun and get a top up on the sun tan. Lovely course by the river and across open fields and a very well organised start/ finish with losts to do the families.

Well I  will be having a week off running. Off to South Africa  tomorrow to compete for GB in a Nations Cup Endurance Horse race over 75 miles through a game reserve - have to make sure I don't fall off as there are plenty of black rhinos in the area!!  

      Goal                          Hotel (Dates)

• Champagne          3:30                           rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
• Chowster                3.59.59
• Dave101                 3:50
• Djwolf                      3:29
• Gary Jones             2:44
• Hudds Dave           3:50
• Kiwidave                 3:29
• Iain Harrison           
• L’ardvark                 3:05                           Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
• Legs in Pain           5.30
• NotCat                     3.10
• Over the Hill            3.45
• Paul Ward              2:59:59
• Steven S                 3:30
• Tiptree                     3:45
• Tony Hodge 6        3:30
• Tortie T                    3:30                       Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
• Tricia Hirst             3:59                       Crowne Plaza (28-3)

• Champagne          3:30                           rented accommodation Brooklyn (25-1)
• Chowster                3.59.59
• Dave101                 3:50                          Novotel Times Square, Midtown (29-4)
• Djwolf                      3:29
• Gary Jones             2:44
• Hudds Dave           3:50
• Kiwidave                 3:29
• Iain Harrison           
• L’ardvark                 3:05                           Ramada, NJ (29 - 2)
• Legs in Pain           5.30
• NotCat                     3.10
• Over the Hill            3.45
• Paul Ward              2:59:59
• Steven S                 3:30
• Tiptree                     3:45
• Tony Hodge 6        3:30
• Tortie T                    3:30                       Ramada, NJ (30 - 2)
• Tricia Hurst             3:59                      Crowne Plaza (28-3)

Hudds Dave - I live in France, but it was warm here too!

Tricia - Wow! Enjoy it! If you do fall off, you could end up running and it being an excellent speed session!

Hi Champagne,

 Thats a good idea - but does anyone know how fast rhinos can run?? Don't know that I am that fast!!! But adrenaline might help!

Morning all, morning L'ardvark

I,ve not been ignoring you, have just got back from Edindurgh (a very hot 3:30).

For honeymoon we flew to Buffalo then onto Niagra Falls, also spent time in Boston and Washington DC.

Hudds Dave. That sounds like a good deal to me.

Tricia. IMPRESSIVE! Have a wonderful time and here's wishing you the best of luck. My understanding is that rhinos are VERY fast, so best to stay in the saddle if you can.

Champagne. Gosh, what with Tiptree in Sweden and you in France, this is turning into quite the cosmopolitan forum (and that's without mentioning trips to S. Africa, honeymoon's, etc.). Speaking of which...

Many CONGRATULATIONS djwolf. I hope the big day was all you hoped for it and that you had a fabulous honeymoon. Here's wishing you all the best in your married life. Congrats also on Edinburgh time, although I am not quite clear how that fit into the wedding and honeymoon timetable???

Hi L'ardvark,

I think we are are a little muddled here ( maybe Ihave not been clear enough in previous message, I married 5 years ago in NYC!)