Sub 2:45 FLM 2006 - Spring Marathon

venom

17/08/2005 at 12:48

Ok, a new thread for a new year. 2:45 will be a bit of a reach for me, but training has been going well and it's a definite possibility.

A few stats from last years results:
318 people broke 2:45
Only 25 of those were women
The slowest time at halfway I can find for someone who broke 2:45 was 1:22:08, the next 1:21:30, and most are around the 1:20 mark.

So who else is in?

Chaos

17/08/2005 at 13:49

Just as long as I send off that GFA letter I'll be going for it.

With 318 people out of the roughly 35000 starters, any sub-2:45ers will be in the top 1%. Not that it means anything particularly but it's a nice sounding statistic! Shame there aren't more women though; perhaps Paula will have inspired a few more to go for it next year.

venom

17/08/2005 at 14:31

GFA letter - ah yes, I knew there was something I had to do...

Top 1% does have a nice ring to it. Just have to hope this knee niggle is nothing serious or I won't be one of them though!

Chaos

17/08/2005 at 16:27

Just been having a look at a couple of the RW online race time predictors which give markedly different results for what a suitale half-marathon time ought to be. The calculator says 1:19 will lead to a 2:44:42 whereas the table linked to further down that same page estimates a 1:16:30 would predict a 2:44:30.

With the Cardiff Half on the 9th October I'm wondering what a good target time would be. I had been thinking of gunning for a 1:18 bearing in mind that ) I am not really intending to try and peak for the event and b) FLM will be 6 months away.

MikeB

17/08/2005 at 19:14

No, it's only August! Can we wait until the championship entries open at least, don't want the marathon to dominate my life all year.

Oh, ok. 2:30:31 to beat, bring it on!

Imaginary Friend

18/08/2005 at 13:35

Hi peeps. I thought I'd pop in and share my thoughts. 8o)

I (unexpectedly) ran 2'58"49 for my first marathon in may, and I've been toying with the idea of London ever since. However, I don't really know what I'm capable of. I know that in may I ran a negative split of about 7 or 8 minutes having only done two or three runs of 20 miles plus in training, so I think that there's plenty more in the tank. I have two half marathons coming up, so I was wondering:
What sort of time do I need to be running for a half in the autumn if I want to go sub-2'45 in april (assuming a decent winter's training of course!)?

I think the chances are that I'll do London this year, but maybe I ought to go and join the sub-3' thread rather than butt in here!

Dave
8o)

Chaos

18/08/2005 at 15:47

hah, what are you thinking of Mike? You've had at least 3 months to forget since the last one ;-)

Dave - am in the same predicament. I would have said at least a sub-1:20 for now and then revise your targets with another early next year. Another option is a ten miler like the Cabbage Patch 10 in October and aiming for just under the hour. That way you know your LT pace is looking good.

What races are you doing?

nigel jackson

18/08/2005 at 16:06

2.53 London 2004. back in next year and hoping for sub 2.45. count me in!

MikeB

18/08/2005 at 22:32

Dave - I'd say double your HM, then add 10 is a fair approximation.

Chaos, what am I thinking of? Can I realistically get 1,000 miles in the last 10 weeks of 2005? If so 2:25 could be possible.......

Chaos

19/08/2005 at 10:42

God knows Mike. I've been trying, and pathetically failing dismally, to get over 50 miles per week for a while now. A mixture of sods law, work and windy weekends (see pic for why this affects me!) have conspired against it. Must try harder is probably the only answer...

Somewhat perversely I think it might actually become easier to get the miles in during the winter months when there are less warm weather distractions around.

Good luck on the quest though. With any luck this thread and some shared experiences will help keep us going.

Imaginary Friend

19/08/2005 at 11:05

Mike - I take it that your estimate should be applied in the run up to a marathon, rather than six months before?

My target for the Bristol half is to do sub-78 (I'd like 77"30, but we'll see). It seems from the couple of comments here that even if I don't manage this I still have half a shot at the time in London, so I'll hang round and see what tips I can pick up 8o)

Right now my weekly mileage has stabalised in the 70s and I'm starting to do some faster steady aerobic running and some longer intervals at half-marathon pace. I think I shall continue with this at least until the new year, when I'll assess if something shorter is needed.

As for races planned between now and London? I think that these halfs are enough to keep me going for now, but I'm sure I'll find myself doing some cross country races because I enjoy them.

Have fun
8o)

MikeB

19/08/2005 at 16:21

ATMF - the plan is to get 10 weeks of consistant 100+ mpw in mid oct - xmas, with very little fast work (but no run over 2 hours).
Take an easy week off in the new year, and then start a more conventional plan involving structured reps, tempo runs, the long run and a few target races. I've got no idea if it will work, but hope that by building a really solid base AND putting reps on top it may help me with another breakthrough. Previously i've done one or the other.

Imaginary Friend

19/08/2005 at 16:39

MikeB - You've been listening to Pants too much ;o)

Banana split

20/08/2005 at 09:19

Good luck guys.I am not running flm 06 but shall be tracking this thread with interest. Despite being within 90secs of 2:45 previously and under 2:50 4 times I know that I need to really show improvement at shorter distances before I can consider a serious attempt at 2:45- and that is far from forthcoming at the moment- as I seem to be getting slower!

nigel jackson

20/08/2005 at 15:13

sounds like some of you guys are obsessed with high mileage..this doesnt work for everyone and 50 miles quality is far more effective than 100 miles of plodding.at the age of 43 i have just added pbs in 5 miles.. 26.40 and 56 mins for 10 miles , and this on 50 miles max.

venom

21/08/2005 at 20:27

Evening all,

Bad week for me. Monday's easy 5 miler before swimming was cut short by a pain developing on the side of my knee - classic ITB syndrome symptoms. Took Tuesday off, and tries again on Wednesday, managed 2.5 miles before the pain made it obvious I should stop and walk home. Rested another few days, then tried running this morning - managed 1.7 miles before stopping and walking back. Not good at all.

Looks like I'm facing a couple of weeks off, will get it looked at tomorrow when I have my normal Monday massage, and might have to see a physio too. Not too happy!

Hope everyone else has had a better week!

Imaginary Friend

21/08/2005 at 21:03

Venom - I'd definitely see a physio or massage-er as soon as possible. Something muscular like ITBS can be eased a lot by being rubbed in the right way. I hope it clears up quickly though 8o(

Chaos

22/08/2005 at 11:38

Picked up a horrible knot in my calf during my long run on Thursday last week for no apparent reason. I haven't done any speed work recently and can't remember getting cramp, either of which are usually the trigger for that sort of thing. The previous long run had been a very hilly one in Somerset so perhaps all the steep uphill and downhill running did something but if so it took a few days to become noticeable.

Anyway having failed to ease it out with a bit of self-massage, I've booked a sports massage tonight. She's warned me that I could be in tears! Sounds a bit sadistic to me, but no pain no gain eh?

Nigel - I'm not sure that it's the mileage per se that I or others are aiming at, but it's more that I've found running every day has brought along significant improvements in the past & the high mileage is a consequence. Therefore a typical week that includes a long 2 hour run (16+ miles), a few runs to and from work (3x9 miles), one 90 minuter (~12 miles) and then a couple of recovery runs around the 4-5 mile mark ends up being well over 60mpw. But as I inevitably miss a couple of them it hovers around 50. I still expect to see some improvement on this level though but perhaps just not quite as much.

Certainly want to avoid junk miles though so any suggestions on re-jigging that weekly plan are welcome. What sort of runs do you include?

venom

22/08/2005 at 12:53

Being in tears at a massage sounds familiar - just had one on my ITB and I was very close to crying! Extraordinarily painful. Hopefully it will have helped, although right now I feel rather beaten up and can hardly walk.

Have also booked a physio session for tomorrow, he should be able to offer some constructive advice. Tonight I think I'll have to try a gentle swim, sounds like pretty much the only thing I can do right now that won't aggravate the ITB.

nigel jackson

22/08/2005 at 13:47

Chaos,
2 quality sessions , and a 90 minute run, and then 6 miles easy recovery for the rest of the week, with one day off.
Quality sessions include 6x1k with 2 mins recovery, 6x800m on the track with 90 secs off. 10 mile run with 3x10 mins at threshold pace and of course hill reps, 20 x reps of a steep 45 second hill, all good stuff!