RW Forum SIx – 3.30 – 4.00

Carter and Carl - i hope you both fee better soon. I had the lurgy a couple of weeks back and had to take the best part of a week off, which is why I'm a bit behind schedule, so hope you don't get too badly affected. I did 6.2 miles earlier, trying to just enjoy it, but it was damn, damn cold and windy and something else must have been in the air as I got chased and barked at my about 15 dogs - sometimes it really frustrates me when their owners take no notice of others using the paths. Rant over. Looking for a tempo session tomorrow on the treadmill ahead of Sunday's HM. Anyone got any suggestions (and sorry that it has to be on the treadmill!)

Hannah - you must have gone out smelling if dogs were chasing you !! 

Not sure where you are up to with your tempo runs but I started off at 20 minutes @ 7:45mm. Each week I have added on 5 minutes to the actual tempo run and aim to build up to 60 mins. Obviously there will be a warm up and cool down, maybe 15 minutes each.

Carl and I dont just have the lurgy, it's manflu which is very serious indeed.........!!!

oh you poor poppets, I hope someone is nursing you and catering to your every need!! I did a run last Thursday on the treadmill which was a 6 mile build-up, so did 9mins, then 8.40, then 8.15, then 7.50, 7.40 and 7.35 per mile. But before that I was doing 20-25 min tempos. Just hard to fathom what pace that should be at esp on TM. Shall I aim for 3 miles at 7.30ish miling (I should manage that)

I am battling on like the brave little soldier I am !

Your plan sounds good to me. If it was me, I would add on 5 mins to each weekly tempo run and you should hit 55 minutes with 3 weeks before VLM just in time for your taper.

Spoons will be along shortly (he normally comes online at lunch) and will confirm or tweak what I am suggesting.

Thanks! I'd better get back to work. Catch you later

Carl - nice tempo run

Carter - the quicker recovery shows an improvement in fitness

Hope the manflu isn't serious and it's just a quick blip....

Hannah - keep it relatively light tomorrow if you have a half on Sunday. Haybe a couple of mile reps at goal half marathon pace with a minute jog between them. Normally though, Carter is right so start that next week.

And yes, I come online whilst eating my lunch and again before bed after training

Thanks Spoons!! Given I haven't raced for six months and don't want to ruin next week's training, what would you suggest as HM pace? I was thinking of trying to run between 1.45 and 1.49, so I guess between 8 and 8.15 miling, but not sure I'll be able to sustain that. Would be gutted however if I am slower than 1.50, since my HM PB is 1.38 and post child (ie in last 6 years - actually 2 years ago) is 1.40 and that was just a training run!

Hannah - not sure - 8:00 pace is 1:45 and 8:23 pace is 1:50. But if you don't think you can sustain that pace them there's no point in starting at that pace. Maybe forget about goal times and focus on what pace you can run at for 13 miles......

6 miles in the lovely snow....

Mile 1 - 8:14

Mile 2 - 8:21

Mile 3 - 8:17

Mile 4 - 8:42

Mile 5 - 8:30

Mile 6 - 8:37

The first 3 miles were into a chilly, strong headwind and it was pretty much a case of head down and go.

Miles 4 - 6 I felt I was running too fast so slowed it down a bit but still much too fast.

One good thing though is the fairly consistent pace I ran for each half. 

Although it was too fast it didnt feel hard at all and I felt quite comfortable

Carter & Carl - aaaaargh the dreaded manflu- was only a matter time really. I hope I've had my bout and dont get it again! Now on 1000mg vit C (was taking 3 a day last week to fight it off) and a daily multivitamin supplemnt. Eating plenty of fruit daily also.

Rest is the only way - i missed 3 sessions including an LSR but was able to juggle things around i.e. scrap the recovery week after the illness and fit in the missed LSR.

Hannah great HM PB- the problem is we are never REALLY satisfied unless we are chasing/achieving PBs. It is hard to accept we aren't back in that shape yet sometimes - my HM PB is 1.41 and secretly I would love to get close/beat it in my HM at end of March - but I know realistically 1.45 is what I should be aiming at. We will get there though!

you have snow Carter?! Lots of rain just here.

Good run - is that your intended MP or was it just an easier run given the tight calfs?

No running for me tonight. More or less lost my voice after a heavy day of meetings. Going home to bed. Hoping that a night of rest does the trick.

Carter - you must be superhuman to run 6 miles whilst having manflu !!

Hi Carter - the real issue is that I have a place in London, but having been dogged by injuries, I've been umming and ahhing about it. I know it probably sounds odd, but I don't want to just do another marathon just for the sake of doing one as this will be number 4, so I want to do it if I am fairly sure I will break 4 hours. I had to defer London last year with a slipped disc and the back is still a bit of a problem, hence building up slowly. My PB (berlin 2009) is 3.54 and I've had my confidence knocked after a disaster in Paris 2 years ago where I was on for sub-3.45 and then got severe dehydration and crawled the last 7 miles.

So, that doesn't really answer your question, does it?!!

I guess marathon is A, but in order to get to A, I need to do a good B (ie. HM)!!

You're right, thanks Carter for being so sensible!! I'll see how I get on. Will start nice and easy and see how it develops. No need to get a HM PB in marathon training (at least not yet!!)