'Mature' runners.

Eastleigh as in bi-election

Did the 6 mile progression run yesterday, and the 6 mile tempo this morning at the crack of dawn because of going into the city at 8.30 with daughter no.1 - which was lovely, then pilates this evening. I have put a Spanish course on my i-pod so I can put my runs to good use!

JJ - I know what you are saying about the frustration of losing speed or strength with passing years. But it's people like you that keep people like me going!  Your experience and the example you set are more important than you can possibly imagine. So all power to your elbow.  And your legs!

Having done that 20 miles, what do you suggest I do on Saturday? And the next few weeks? Can I have a plan, please? And a taper?  I have made a note of all that you have advised me, about holding back on the first 6 miles for example. I would like to do another 20 miles .It is psychological.  Doing 18 makes me me wonder whether I have enough in me to do another 8 miles, whereas at the end of 20 I think I could probably pull another 6 out of the bag.

BI - That is a lovely photo of Nemo. I look forward to seeing some of Charly. And it seems as if your hip replacement has worked very well for you, so that is really great.

Loooong day at work tomorrow ( I swear it's more knackering than the 20 miles ) and then dance class in the evening 

00 50, yes, the very same Eastleigh that made the headlines and put it on the map.

No running today. Daughter arrived with her baby daughter so that tended to write off the day. Great fun though.

Matsmum
Buenos dias. Como esta?
Run 13 miles, preferably 13.2 miles. Do the first 10 miles at your target marathon pace then increase the pace for the final 3.2 miles. You must recover properly from your 20 miler.
Have you heard the saying that "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts". Training is a perfect example of that saying.
You don't have to run everywhere at 6 minute miling if you want to do a 36 minute 10k. You do some 10 milers and a lot of short work at much quicker than 6 minute miling.
Similarly with marathons. Clearly some long runs are needed of 4 or 5 hours but you also build leg strength and speed from, say, 6 and 10 mile runs at faster than marathon pace and short intervals at very fast pace.

If you need to do another 20 miler for psychological reasons then please go ahead but make sure it's at least 4 weeks before your marathon. I have never done a 20 mile training run. The most long runs I have done in marathon training is 2 x 18 miles. I have relied totally on a lot of fast 1/2 marathons, 6 mile tempo runs and sessions of long intervals. That bought me a 4:11 first marathon aged 60 and a 3:53 at age 65. Between now and your taper keep doing the sort of runs we have already discussed and if you can up the pace a bit it will be all to the good.
Every run you do causes microscopic tissue damage and uses energy stores. A taper is necessary because you have to start your marathon with all the damage repaired and all your energy reserves topped up. My usual advice for a 3 week taper is normal mileage for the first week but none of it hard/fast work. Just nice steady runs.
For the second taper week do half the normal distance on each run. No hard work though.
For the final week. Nothing Monday. Tuesday warm up, 4  x 400m fairly quick reps, warm down. Thursday an easy 3 miles. Nothing else until Sunday. 

If your normal diet is good don't change to anything different in the final week. Sudden changes in diet don't help.
JJ


 

OO 50
The match died a bit after the sending off. It was a daft tackle but probably a yellow card and a warning would have been enough.

Redhead
Wonder if the doodle would like a pootle.
JJ

Matsmum I tend to do more 20 milers than Johnny J but it does vary by individual. In my case marathon is my weakest distance and I regularly die at 20 miles in races. So getting to 20 in training and running sections of those runs at near marathon pace are important physically and psychologically. I got my best marathon time last year with 2 * 20 mile races and 2 additional 20 mile runs. It also depends what your target is, if you are trying to get round comfortably, or trying for a lifetime PB.

I had a lazy night off running but feeling guilty about it   

Morning all.

A miserable wet morning and forecast colder and wet for Sunday. Why does it always seem to rain on race days? Going for another easy pace run later, and then two rest days.

Bonnie Tyler is to represent the UK in the European Song Contest this year. I remember her big hit record "Nothing but a heartache." Many people thought she was singing "Nothing but a hard egg" She can't do any worse than Sir Tom Jones who sang last year.

Morning all,

I'm taking a rest day today as my ITB is a bit niggly.  I need a sports massage!

TE, LOL at Bonnie Tyler!  Didn't Englebert Humperdink do Eurovision as well?

Used to love that gravelley voice. When I lived in France I was surprised to disciver she wasa big hit over there- still getting airplay on the radio.

Matsmum - this is Charly at 8 months old, think the others may already have seen this one. He will be 10 months on the 15th.

Morning all,

It's all dreary and wet here but I went out for a plod to test my legs, just 4.5 hilly miles.  Felt OK but didn't push much.  I gave my IT band a good pummelling with The Stick last night (stop it JJ!) and I think it's been frightened into submission; hope so anyway 

IW, has he grown into his ears yet?  He is so gorgeous 

TE, the forecast for Sunday keeps changing and there were some snowflakes on the map today!  Better cold than wet at any rate.

It's wet here.

Went swimming yesterday, - a lesson, aiming to learn front crawl. Still working on The Legs. For a few seconds at a time, I can feel I'm getting it right, then I flounder again. But even those few seconds are progress.

Well done Columba

well sone Columba- i can't swim for toffee

What a disgusting day weather-wise.
Bonnie Tyler can't be any worse than most of the other British entries. Just hope she gets a song that suits her voice.

Columba
Good progress with the swimming.

Redhead
I really think you should get someone else to administer the stick treatment.

OO 50
The number of 20 milers also has to depend on experience and the sort of training that has been done in the past. You have to build up to the level where you can run 20 milers with regularity.
JJ

Red, it was Englebert and not Tom Jones. That was my deliberate mistake to see if anyone would spot it!

I've been unable to log into the RW web for a couple of days, but no one else seems to have had this problem. I've had RW saved in my favourites for years and it's always worked. I've been getting a message that the site is down for engineering repairs. I managed to log in this morning and entered the address manually and got in. Very strange. The type is smaller, and I've got "Path p" in a box at the bottom of the message box. Has anyone else had any problems?

It is forecast a max of 4 degrees tomorrow with a biting easterly wind making it feel much colder. Must get some thermals to wear under the shorts

Since writing the above post, I've logged out and then tried again clicking on favourites and it worked!! The type is still smaller, but ok when posted. Some funny things going on in RW Towers.

Why has the print gone tiny?  I need binoculars.

13.2 miles in absolute torrential rain.  Everywhere is under water.  I was soaked to the skin and chilled to the marrow by mile 6.  It tested my resolve. i couldn't stop shaking for ages when I got home, or move my hands. But other than that.... I felt strong!

JJ-  Hablas Espanol?  Me gusta escuchar a las lecciones en mi i-pod, yo he apprendido mucho  ( I think!!!)  Battling with the elements and paddling through water slowed my time down to 12.5 per mile for 10 miles, then I ran just kept running back and forth along a pavement at 10.5 until I clocked up another 3 miles.  The residents must have thought I was completely mad. I really appreciate your advice, it is a big help to me.

BI - Charly is a lovely boy. I miss having a dog very much. Perhaps after the marathon....

Columba - well done with the swimming. I just couldn't keep my legs up while attempting the crawl.  Even the swimming coach was flummoxed. Trying to co-ordinate everything was so difficult.

Red - is that stick good? Does it help?

Talking about mis-hearing lyrics ... For ages I thought that when Salt'n Pepper were singing "Push it!" that they were saying Bullshit. It sounds exactly like it!

Matsmum, how about the Jimmy Hendrix song where he sings "excuse me whilst I kiss the sky." Many people thought he was singing "excuse me whilst I kiss this guy." I don't know why the print has gone tiny, but it is normal size once posted. Well done on your run in torrential rain, it takes a lot of resolve to keep going in those conditions. You will have an advantage in races over fair weather runners, in similar conditions.

Columba, well done persevering with the crawl. I've never mastered it, but can swim long distances using the breast stroke.