ASICS Target 26.2 - 2013 - Page 118 - Spring Marathon

jenf

24/02/2013 at 21:47

Thanks Sarah, a good plan there. I find it so frustrating cos I want to be faster NOW!

Good racing Clive!

your dedication for such an early morning run is commendable Malcs! do you have breakfast before you go? how do you fuel such a long run otherwise?

I had a great day yesterday marshalling the Llanelli Ultra. I met some lovely people and even ran a few miles at one stage when I went looking for a lost runner! I have great respect for ultra runners now. I may even get tempted...

Malcs

24/02/2013 at 23:10

Jen - great to hear he ultra went well. Lost runner? How can you get lost on a cycle path?

If you're interested in getting a taste for running for longer there's this little event called the TR24 - I know a team with a spare place who would love to have you. Surely you could postpone that hastily arranged holiday you're using as your cover story

I didn't feel very dedicated at 5am when the alarm went off. Had to have breakfast and then sneaked back under the duvet for 40 mins while it went down. No way I could have done 20 miles on empty!

jenf

25/02/2013 at 21:52

Glad its not just me that needs 40mins after breakfast before I can run! Never thought about going back to bed though, what a brilliant idea!!

sarah osborne

25/02/2013 at 23:34

Congratulations Clive thats a fabulous time, with little training and with your working hours, you must be over the moon. I was thinking about coming out to watch but my friend who was going to do it was ill and I didnt fancy going on my own. Sounds like you really enjoyed it though, despite it being hillier than you thought.

Well spotted Clive, Osborne is my maiden name and my name at work and Attwood is my married name. I only had a look at where I came today and was quite surprised that I was the 11th lady as I didnt race it and enjoyed every minute of it, if the course hadnt been shorter than 15 miles I think I would have caught a few of the ladies up in front aswell as I was reigning them in!

Fabulous 20 miler Malcs, you must be happy with that? How do you manage to get back to sleep after having breakfast....once im up then thats it, I start thinking of all the things I need to do and cant get my head back down.

Last year I think I spent all the time pre VLM in a toilet q.....as soon as I went I then went back to the end of the line to start queuing again just incase...think I was nervous!

I did belvoir challenge, a 15 mile off road race. I didnt race it as I didnt want to risk having tired legs all this week like after Barcelona so I took it steady and still finished 11th lady and enjoyed every minute of it.

Your one brave lady marshalling on saturday jen...it was freezing!

Malcs

26/02/2013 at 23:45

11th Lady when not racing? Wow, well done!

Yes, very happy with my first 20 thanks. I didn't sleep after breakfast - just went back to bed to stop me from freezing. That said, I could have happily nodded off. I can easily eat before sleeping but eating just before running is a different matter!

I think you have a raw deal with the ladies toilets. The mens ones have a much faster turnover due to the amount they can pack in. Were you on red last year? I was on red 5 I think. Made a terrible mistake though. I was in the pen quite late to avoid standing around. Suddenly realised I'd left my freakin' gel belt in my bag!

Pegged it to the truck and had the immense embarrassment of asking one of the packing people if they could dig out my bag. As you can imagine, with all of them exactly the same and a load having arrived on top of mine in the time since they were not best pleased. I got lucky though - they found my number within a minute. I would have been dead without my gels and salt tabs.

Remember that Jen is hard as nails Sarah - she does power squats for fun after all

DS2

27/02/2013 at 09:54

Morning all,

Great going everyone! Malcs - brilliant getting the first 20 out of the way!

Clive - you are obviously a true racer. It seems to bring the best out of you!

Sarah - I reckon you should convince your hubby that another year of running before kids wouldn't hurt. I reckon you could go Sub 3 by next spring!

I got my first 20+ miler in on Sunday (actually 20.85 in 8:19mm). Didn't feel right from the off but never really struggled. By the afternoon I had gone down with a cold so no wonder I struggled for a few days at the end of last week. Haven't run since but hoping to be well enough tomorrow. Will not now race the Surrey Spitfire 20 on Sunday. Will run a progressive run but not sure at what pace yet. I have discomfort when I eat so hoping I don't have a virus. Hopefully, will see you there on Sunday, Malcs!

Malcs

27/02/2013 at 14:51

DS2 - Sorry to hear about the cold. They are pesky little buggers and I personally think they should be banned

Wow, as good as 21 miles at 8:19 and not even at full fitness - that's very good going. Good to hear you're positive about being well enough for Spitfire. I'm really looking forward to it.

I have a little niggle at the back of my knee which cropped up doing a tempo run yesterday. feels like where the hamstrings insert onto the lower leg but it's hard to pinpoint. I ran through it and by the end it felt fine but it's tightened a bit over night - just doesn't feel quite right. I'm icing so hopefully it'll clear up quickly. Not overly worried but as you all know any little thing at this stage sends you paranoid

I agree with your suggestion for Sarah. You're on a really great improvement curve. It would be a shame to step away now when much quicker times look very much within your capabilities.

Clive Kelty

27/02/2013 at 15:26

Good to see you feeling better DS, hope it doesn't set you back too much. Mind you, looking at what you've been doing on the 3:15 thread don't think you have too much to worry about. Are you feeling confident for sub 3:15 at Halstead?

Sarah- don't rush to have children, especially if the running is going so well. Certainly a year won't make any difference and whilst I love mine to bits and can't imagine life without them, I feel we had a lot of great experiences before that I cherish and certainly wouldn't have been able to do with kids...

Malcs- great first 20 miler. I run early in the morning too, but that's why training for an autumn marathon is easier- don't have to go back to bed to say warm

I don't bother with breakfast either

Jen- marshalling at the Llanelli ultra- how many talents can a woman have!? Hope you aren't totally mad and want to run it too?

Had a lovely day off with my wife while kids at school today- 7 1/2 easy run in the peaks then a visit to the spa including deep tissue massage! Forgot how tight my shoulders get when I have done lots of operating

Clive Kelty

27/02/2013 at 15:28

Found out I was 30th at weekend, 5th in age group (grey old men)

Anyone else got a place in GNR?? Have you sorted out accommodation?

jenf

27/02/2013 at 20:03

Evening everyone! some great running... I'm going to have to get my act together this weekend for my half marathon to keep up with you all!!

Clive - I have to admit to having a sneaky stalk on the ulta threads

The belvoir challenge looked really good Sarah, well done on your placing.

Malcs/DS2 good luck for weekend. hope the niggles/virus come to nothing.

sarah osborne

27/02/2013 at 21:01

Haha Malcs...bet the poor bag people wanted to kill you....once they realised that you wasnt joking! I dont know how you coped with it yourself either, I would have been in a right panic. Was the red start the general one? If it was I was there in the 5th pen too.

What are power squats? they sound evil...im probably better pf not asking as then ive no excuse for not doing them!

I really dont know how sarah (RRR) eats her tea just before running...I would vom!

Hope your niggle is just a niggle and has settled by tomorrow. Im paranoid about injuries and illness....even told a child off for breathing in my face on monday....he was 13 with flu and when I said take deep breaths (whilst I was listening to his chest) he blew out in my face...I think he should have known better and all I could think of was my training!

Hi DS2...you cant say that...sub 3...wow that would be amazing....whats another 6 months when weve already waited 32 years !!!!!

Sorry to hear that youve come down with something. There really is loads of nasty viruses going around at the moment, im so paranoid about catching something...think im over dosing on vit C just incase. Hope your feeling a 100% better for sunday.

sarah osborne

27/02/2013 at 21:06

Hi Clive, thanks....thats how I see it too, but chris feels differently.....although he was on about going back to kenya next year and surely that wouldnt work with children or pregnancy!!!

Sounds like you had a lovely day today, and managed to get a good distance in running wise. Think I want another massage again...who do you see in sheffield?

Congratulations with being 5th in your category on sunday...just think were you could have come if you hadnt worked so late and trained, you must be over the mon.

Ive a place in GNR too, as has chris...will be another biggy ticked of the list. Decided to enter shef haf too as ive never done it before, 3 weeks after london though so not sure how much I will have recovered!

Thanks jen. Wheres your race this weekend?

Malcs

01/03/2013 at 11:16

Thanks Clive and congrats on your 5th placing - very impressive!

Jen - many thanks indeed and best of luck for the Llanelli half. Don't get carried away at Parc Y Scarlets and swallow dive over the try line

Sarah - maybe that incident with the coughing kid will persuade you to do another year's running?

Yes, red was the general one (not the charity one). Did you notice anyone shoot off out the pen in the wrong direction just before the start? If so that was me. And yes, the bag lady (not sure that's the appropriate term) was livid. I only felt slightly less of an idiot when another person rolled up with exactly the same problem.

Niggle is lingering a bit. All I can do is look after it and hope it's ok by Sunday. If it isn't then I'll just do one lap with Ady as a pace maker

DS2

01/03/2013 at 11:40

No wimping out now Malcs!

i did 9.26miles at 7:57mm this morning but within about 400m I got a spasm in my back and it's a bit sore now. I get these fairly regularly (too many years playing hockey) but it should be fine for Sunday.

Sarah - you must be thinking a sub 3 is within your grasp over the next 18 months? have you asked Minni what she thinks?

Jen - enjoy the race!

Malcs

01/03/2013 at 12:02

Don't worry, I'll be there. Just a question of how long I last .

I think deep down I know that this isn't anything too serious but marathon paranoia is a difficult thing to overcome. Hopefully it'll ease off as the run goes on but if it goes the other way and tightens then I might have to make a call at the 10 mile mark. We shall see.

That spasm sounds nasty but if you say you're used to them then hopefully you'll recover in time.

sarah osborne

01/03/2013 at 14:49

The coughing kid and the kids I see in supermarkets puts me off for another 5 years, let alone 1!

I saw someone run in to a bollard in the first mile and fall over it head first, I felt quite sorry for him as he laid out on the floor with hundreds of people jumping over him and running round him....looked like it smarted!

Least you wasnt the only one with the bag!

I didnt realise that the spitfire was two laps. I hope your little niggle is gone by then. Whats were your plans if well and fit?

DS2 Im over the mood that you think it is but at the moment im just aiming fo a sub 3:25 in April.....walk before you can run and all that. Everything seems to be going so well at the moment, its too good to be true, im sort of waiting for something to go wrong. If VLM and York go to plan, then you never know . Minni was thinking sub 3:15 for York.

Another speedy run by you today. Sorry to hear about the back but fingers crossed it will settle as quickly as it occured especially if its a recurrent problem. What are you hoping for on sunday?

sarah osborne

01/03/2013 at 14:51

I did my LSR today 20 miles @ 8:33 min/mls on average. Have a 9 mile race on sunday so I decided to take today more steady. Adding in MP miles next week all being well

DS2

01/03/2013 at 15:10

Hi Sarah - I'm thinking of running Sunday in four 5 mile blocks @ 7:45mm, 7:30, 7:15 and (possibly) 7mm. Although running at 7mm at the end of a 20 miler is rather daunting.

I think the idea of you running sub 3:15 at York makes every sense! Don't constrain yourself by what common wisdom says. I think you are exactly the right age and enough experience and miles in the legs to be peaking over the next 18 months. Also, many good club marathoners are good because they work very hard not because they are genetically gifted. You may be one of those that is gifted and if you are their rules don't exist in your world. You'll only find out by trying..........

Malcs - I agree. Better safe than sorry but i'm sure you will be fine for the 20!

The back spasm seems to be subsiding. I asked my secretary to walk on it (etc, etc) but she refused. I told her that her contract says she will do anything asked of her by the Directors. Luckily all that political correctness nonsense doesn't exist in our little company. Don't ask me to repeat that when she takes us to a tribunal!!!!

sarah osborne

01/03/2013 at 15:17

DS2...will that be you racing on sunday or using it as a training run?? im guessing it the latter with the paces you normally do and your race times? Running 7mm at the end of a half was tough enough....but hay its only another 7 miles.....you have my respect!

I hope I am gifted....although it wouldnt stop me from working hard aswell to reach my potential. Im quite competitive (think most medics are) with myself as well as others.

In theory both my parents were good runners so I should have the right genes!!

Glad to hear that the back is on the mend....You just cant get the staff these days!

Clive Kelty

01/03/2013 at 15:30

Afternoon everyone!
DS, Malcs- sorry to hear about the niggles, but hope that is all they are an settle quickly. Sounds like Spitfire will be fun irrespective.

Sarah- looking at what you have been doing I am sure sub 3:25 is almost a given, and that sub3:20 more a target. Again 3:15 in York would be great- surely you just be a Boston qualifier with that??
What race you doing this weekend?

Best of luck everyone for races this weekend! I'll be sneaking in a round the block 7-8 miler (I know it's not really hardcore like you lot

) before the kids wake up....