RW Forum SIx – 3.30 – 4.00

Sportswatch was not cooperating with me very well tonight so I had to run blind. Funnily enough it did record all the data so I can share my stats.

My plan tonight was to run an 8 mile MLR and to do 2 miles at MP these being planned for mile 6 and 7. As I know thw route quite well I had a reasonable idea where I transitioned from mile 5 to mile 6.

The route gently rises through the first mile, rises steeply through mile 2, descends rapidly through mile 3, continues to descend (but more slowly) through miles 4 and 5 is flat through mile 6 and begins to rise from miles 7 until I get back home.

As I went out very late mentally I wanted to get back home so I guessed I was running quicker than I should have and my MP miles were relative to the pace I had been running.

Mile 1 - 8:40

Mille 2 - 9:05

Mile 3 - 8:04

Mile 4 - 8:45

Mile 5 - 8:29

Mile 6 (MP) - 8:17

Mile 7 (MP) - 8:19

Mile 8 - 8:48

Mile 9 (0.83m) - 7:25

Overall 8.83 miles at 8:36 min/mile avg.

What I am pleased about is that I ran the two MP miles at more or less the same pace even if a bit quicker than I should have.

What this also shows is that I do rely on my watch to get the pacing right so I am hoping that over the next few weeks I get to understand the feel of MP much better so that I can adjust up or down more easily.

What is good about this is that I was very comfortable running at this pace and had no difficulty adjusting to the quicker pace for the two MP miles.

Getting the feel of MP is essential and get's easier. On race day you should be able to hit it bang on without needing to look at your watch. Practice, practice, practice....

Carl - I've just looked out the window at work and there is this big orange thing in the sky above Nottingham.......

It got me to thinking about your Paris marathon. Is the temperature that different in Paris in April to that in England ? Do you have to do anything specific as part of your training for a potential change in temperature ? The last couple of weeks have been ideal training for my Manchester marathon in late April  

Ricky - get yourself better first. Missing 2 sessions isnt going to affect your preperation so as soon as you feel better just carry on. Maybe you could a bit of speedwork or hillwork in on your LSR to make up for it e.g. 3 miles @ MP ? Spoons will be along shortly, lets see what he says.

Carl - temperature is between 8 - 18 in Paris in April according to the website I've just looked at.Is it going to be a family trip ?

So then, when 8 X 800 was suggested as part of my training plan why didnt somebody tell me it would hurt !! Details to follow

Here we go then.

1.5 mile warm up @ 8:27

Split 1 - 6:41

Split 2 - 6:51

Split 3 - 6:50

Split 4 - 6:51 

Split 5 - 6:59

Split 6 - 6:55

Split 7 - 6:52

Split 8 - 6:57

Spoons set my 800m target at 7:00 so achieved that with a consistant set of splits; very happy with the results considering I thought my leg had dropped off during the 6th split. There was a 1 minute recovery between each split. Then I decided to do a mile at MP (8:45) and it ended up at 8:02 and again it felt really comfortable. I dont quite understand how, this week, that all of a sudden running at between 8:00 and 8:30 seems, dare I say, relatively comfortable. Obviously it's a good thing but I still dont understand it !! 

165 miles for the month

Really flying Carter! Congrats

Carter - that's fantastic we'll done. And yes they do hurt

re: your half, as I've said before, train as normal up until and including Tuesday. Wednesday do your easy pace run but shorten it a bit. Thursday do an easy run but chuck in a bit at HMP. Maybe a few 800s of a couple of 1000m. Friday and Saturday do nothing or if you prefer do 2-3 miles easy. On race day, I would do a warmup jog with a few strides to loosen you up. Aim to finish this 10-15 mins before the start. Last toilet stop and hit the start line. Aim for 7:50 - 7:55 pace for the first 10 miles. If you feel up to it, you can then speed up a bit. If not, just hang on at that pace. Easy really! Everything points to it being well within your grasp

Ricky - the most important thing is that you get well and quickly. The best way to do this is to go to bed, wrap up warm, drink Lemsip and eat loads of fruit. The best way to ruin your healing process is to drag yourself outside and go for a long run. You could end up with a chest infection or worse. Forget about the training until you feel better and you're not coughing up phlegm.

carterusm wrote (see)

. I dont quite understand how, this week, that all of a sudden running at between 8:00 and 8:30 seems, dare I say, relatively comfortable. Obviously it's a good thing but I still dont understand it !! 

It's magic

Carter - great running today. Really impressive splits for your intervals and then  a mile at just over 8 mins. Sounds like you could have carried on for ages.

Bodes well for the HM.

I did my intervals on the track after lights out tonight. Had planned to do 6 x 800 intervals but last nights late night run and another very long day at work with less sleep than normal this week meant that I knew I did not have enough in the tank to really push it.

I did 4 x 800 intervals followed by 1 mile at MP.

1.75 mile warm up at 9:28min/mile.

1st 800m - 6:50 min/mile

2nd 800m - 6:44min/mile

3rd 800m - 6:41min/mile

4th 800m - 6:51min/mile

Followed by 1 mile at 8:24min/mile.

I am pleased with this but a little tired but as I say this is more from burning the cande at both ends this week.

It was also very windy tonight and I had to work really hard around the top bend and down the finishing straight.

Overall 6.75miles tonight.

Carter - wait a couple more weeks. Nice and sloooooow......

Carl - marathon training is tough. You need your sleep. Otherwise it will catch up on you. I know it can be difficult. Have a think about ways round it.

Okie dokie. I have a nice long, flat route planned for tomorrow. As I'm running into Rotherham for a change I expect the weather will be dull and grey, pretty much like Rotherham. Rest day today and feeling pretty good after my 3 consecutive sessions. Maybe the 3.5 days rest over last weekend has done the trick.

Carl - on Febulous, you can enter a different length of long run for each week. Good running last night considering how tired you were. Are you planning to get some rest in over the next couple of days so you dont overdo things ?

Ricky - hope the man flu is better. I'm sure you will be out again in a couple of days fit and raring to go. 

Carl/Ricky - after my rest last weekend I have come back stronger. I'm beginning to come around to taking a sensible approach when tired/ill.

Spoons - bad news on the Spring marathon front. Is it still your shins giving you grief ?