Paris marathon 2013 here we go! A.W's Sub 3 attempt!

Will monitor the calf carefully Steve, it doesn't seem too bad today, but if it becomes a problem will take a day or two off. 

Completed 7.5 miles fartlek today, just ran as I felt adding in a sprint here and there some strides a faster pace when I got to a hill, half mile at MP, half mile at HM pace etc. Didn't go at it too hard as I wanted to go easy on the calf. I'm never too sure what to do when I do a fartlek session, hope what I did was about right!?

With the 10k, will aim for another one on the 20th Jan.

What you did was fine. sometimes it's easier following a set pattern ie fast efforts of 5, 3, 1, 30 seconds interspersed with 30/60 secs easy and repeat but if you are able to do a good session like you did, then that's fine.

Good that the calf held up. what is the 10k you are targetting?

After a fairly lazy week, I had a busy morning to make up for it. I ran a parkrun at 9am at 90% , took the club hill session for hour at 10am, and found easier to join in, though held back to about 80% and then at noon  a club 7.5 mile cross-country race where stretched out a little and was first in age group well ahead of 3 runners who easily beat me in county race a few weeks ago, so looks like I need an excessive and seemingly rather over the top warm up these days!

Nice going Steve! Where was the Cross-country race?

Nice fartlek session Alex. Always my favourite type of session. Used to do lots of this for hockey training years ago and loved it ever since.

I'm really liking the loo kof your plan so far. I've been considering my options for my marathon which is on 12 May and beginning to think this will be the one to follow. Steve - I'll be looking to run 10-15 minutes slower than Alex. Would you suggest I just reduce the speeds down by the appropriate amount? I'm sure I'll be able to handle the mileage.

DS2 - race was at Joyden's Wood in Bexley. Did three hours on bike this morning and now contemplating if have energy to also run before the light goes.

yes suggest you just adjust Alex's given  paces by about 30 seconds a mile.

Nice one Steve! I've recently discovered that a 'not all out' parkrun in the morning before an XC race seems to work quite well as a warm up. 

Hows your training going DS2? Have you managed to get plenty done over Christmas?

Yesterday was a really busy day for you Steve! Thanks for the pointers for the fartlek, will try it out for the next session.

I've entered Maxifuel Dorney Lake 10k on the 20th of January, It looks to be pretty flat so with 3 more weeks training under my belt and a calm day hopefully be able to have a crack at a sub 38.

13 miles just done, at about 7.35 minute mile bringing me home in 1.38. Calf seems to be getting better every day so hopefully it will be 100% in a day or two. 47 miles for the week total.

Its been a good week all in all, got all the sessions done at the paces set and ran a fairly strong 10k. I've felt pretty good this week, plenty of energy most of the time, just the slight problem with the calf. On to week 3!!!

Another good week's training AW  and also a good run today at a fair pace. Good that the calf is easing but the faster sessions will be the one that put pressure on. Re Jan 20 - yes a flat course but is usually windy there so will factor that into your next part of the schedule.  

I eventually managed a hour but my fastest mile was about 30 seconds down on your average and my average page a lot slower but suppose ok after yesterday and bike ride. 

Steve - I know that area well - my office is in Bexley!  Thanks for the advice. I will aim to follow Alex but 5 weeks behind. Was the bike ride alone or with a group? Do you cross train in this way a lot? I am intending to ride from Lands End to John O'Groats in August (10 days) so need to keep doing something if I can on the bike. I have knocked it on the head whilst I've been building the running back up. Trying to decide if I could ride a couple of times (probably on the Turbo) as well as run 6 times per week????

A.W. - I've been doing pretty well and managing about 40 per week now (including Xmas week with 2 rest days!) and feeling very comfortable. I can handle a 10 miler inside 7:30 pace now without too much effort (working but controlled) so feel I'm in quite a good place to attack a sub 3:15 in 19 weeks time!  It has been many, many years since I have been able to run 5 times a week so it feels a bit like new teritory. I'm sure I will handle 6 or even 7 days a week ok now the base is there.

Excellent week for you there Alex! I'm looking forward to following your plan! I will be watching with great interest. Good news that the calf is mending itself. I'm sure it will be ok.

That's a good amount of training you've got done today Steve, do you do a lot on the bike? Does it help with the running side of things or is it just good x training?

Hi DS2. It looks like your in a good place at the minute with your training, its always a challenge over Christmas I find trying to fit training and family commitments in. If a 10 miler inside 7.30 pace feels good now in a couple of months time it should feel really easy hopefully.

So into week three!

Mon Dec 31st: rest or 5M easy

Jan 1st: 5 x 1600 in 6 mins with 2 mins rest: 8M in total

Jan 2nd: 8M easy in 8 min miles

Jan 3rd: 6M build up run - starting at 7 min miles up to 6:20s at finish

Jan 4th: 5M easy or rest

Jan 5th: Hills or parkrun - 6M in total

Jan 6th: 16M slow in1:50

week total: 49M

Steve I have a club cross country next Sunday I forgot about. Its 8k so 5 miles, shall I just swap weekend training days around or add 10 miles on after the race?

re club xc - up to you what you find easier. If you do 16 on saturday, then you will probably be tired on Sunday and not run particularly well but at least you will get the run out of the way which in terms of marathon is the more important of the two. Alternatively you could try doing extra miles after the cross-country but if you run hard, then I have found it almost impossible to do any meaningful miles post race. You could do an extra 10 in afternoon when you have recovered more. In terms of training effect not quite the same as doing 16 straight off but at this stage not quite so important.

I do quite like getting on bike, occasionally with group, but usually with friends and it's a way of getting extra endurance but I think 3 hours cycling is only worth a hour of running. However, in new year would get run out of way first and then do any cycling afterwards as the run will be the focus. At moment due to slight loss of running fitness over last 2 years, I have been better at cycling than running in duathlon terms.

Very good week for you AW.  Well done.  Impressive 10k in those conditions...

I managed 51 miles this week, mainly slowish, but it's been a bit of a slog. Just wanted to get some miles under my belt.  I ran Abo in mid October and then took it relatively easy for a couple of months (whilst still running a couple of times a week).  Amazing how much fitness I seem to have lost in that period.  Another slow parkrun yesterday; I tried running in spikes in view of the conditions but that wasn't ideal as part of our course is over stony paths.  Let's hope it stops raining soon... 

Steve - I'm not a cyclist but I did have a ride down to Box Hill with some friends a few weeks ago.  Have to say that cycling up Box Hill on a mountain bike was every bit as hard as running!   The ride back down was easier though!

Good week Alex, and a fun one ahead! Impressed at you getting in the miles especially at the moment.

Have a good New Year, and will check in when get back from a weeks holiday...

A.W. - I like the look of this weeks training. I'm quite excited at the prospect of being there in 5 weeks time, although 16 miles in 1:50 described as slow???? I guess 49 miles in the week is still less than you have been running. Do you feel fresher on the faster stuff?

Steve - I think that makes sense. I need to get my GFA bagged and I'll still have three months after that until the ride so my daily commutes of 35 mile round trips will get me up there pretty quickly once I start back on the bike!

golfer - reminds me of when I first started out on the bike about 4 or 5 years ago. Did you find riding back down scary? If you didn't you weren't trying hard enough!!!!

Hi Clive - nice to hear from you! How was Xmas? How's the training?

Good mileage this week golfer, its all good getting the miles in the bank!

Hi Clive, hope you had a great xmas, enjoy your holiday!

I like the look of this week too DS2, I really like mile reps, its one of my favorite interval sessions. The progressive run suits me quite well too. I did ask Steve about that 16 miles as it seemed a bit quick for a 'slow' run, but it was just a typo putting the slow in. I plan to aim for 7.30's a mile for that one, which will be around the 2 hour mark.

On that 16 miler, I will do it on the Saturday I think Steve and go a bit easier for the XC race on the Sunday. Like you say, the long run is more important for the marathon than the XC.

5 miles done this lunchtime before leaving for new year celebrations! 7.55 a mile for the run finishing in just over 39 minutes. Felt very comfortable, no lingering tiredness from yesterdays long run.

My mile reps tomorrow will be done on the sea front so lets hope its a calm day! It could be very hard one way and easy the other!

Happy new year everyone, wishing you all great success in your running challenges for 2013!

Happy new year Alex!! Sounds like your training is going really well!

Enjoy the celebrations and then the mile reps - when I do mile reps on track I like to mix it up a bit. ie first one pick the pace up each lap, second one 400m hard, 200m float, 400m hard, 200m flat, 400m hard third one fast straights and slower bends, fourth one 50m steady, 150m hard x 8, fifth one, 1200m at relaxed pace, then 400m hard etc but not really practical off the track.

did two parkruns today with some cycling between and just about managed sub-3 marathon pace in both on muddy courses but far harder than it should have been for such slowish times!