Sub 3h15

Hi
Dartmoor Vale? That goes into the never again category. It is a lovely part of the world, and the course that we ran started and finished at the racecourse (nice). There was some lovely countryside (nice), A mile drag up grade (fair enough). A soddingly steep hill at 1:8 average (memorable, but not in the nice category), and some up and down stuff through a housing estate. The best part of the race was that it finished, and KK had a party afterwards.

Me? I did do a 20 some 3 or 4 weeks ago, and I'm trying to do 20 milers every 2 weeks now. I've entered Gloucester marathon for 20th January. I guess that 3:30 pace is a realistic target. Some familiar faces here, I may be periodic.

always open, my post still stands in terms of performance AND price. Should add that I did understand Keirs post in the first place.

Never heard of that Andy Holgate or his book, but I can see why it might be a good read for Blisters.

Freemers  -yes 10m on Sunday and I think OO is doing it too? I've only raced a 10m once, back in 2006, and my pb is 76 mins so I should be guaranteed a shiny new one!

Indeed you should Minni, but it's a quality field so you'll have competition.

I can't believe anybody is willing to pay £130 for a head torch. I'd expect brain surgery for that.

Not being able to run any distance at present is a bit of a downer, so tonight in a bid to hang on to some cardio fitness, I took part in my first online indoor rowing race. It was two races of 5k, with about 5 mins in between each race.I managed a pain free 2mile warm up jog before starting which was good.

Was hoping for sub 20mins for each race. Managed 19:58 and 20:10. The second race was a killer, and it wasn't exactly cardio training as my heart rate went through the roof. Got incredibly competitive in the second race, killing off my closest rival by putting in 30s of manic rowing. Came low down in the field but it is a handicapped race and skinny old blokes get the benefit - will find out the outcome later. Could be quite addictive.

Dylan, You've no need to apologise. If anyone was to blame it was myself. I took some sub 3 aspirants there on the basis that it was reported as being flat the previous year. Maybe flat has a different meaning in Devonian. All I can say is that it was a good job that I drove around the course the evening prior. I came back as white as a sheet, and with a revised plan that still went ti.. pear shaped.

TR, I think that you're pulling my Johnson. Anyway, if Prince Seigfreid can waddle around the course, I can manage one.

Gloucester marathon. It's my local, as I live there. Let's take Dartmoor Vale as a starting point and iron it somewhat. There's a couple of Devon style rolly bits. The only hill of note is 400m long and maybe the height of a good mature tree. This is all part of a 7 mile loop that is run 3 times, with some extra roads added to make up distance. I think that it's 7 minutes slower than pancake flat London. It's all tarmac, but there's some cowshit on the road. It's well marshalled and 1st aided: only one person has died. My best performance was 3:06, being outsprinted for 8th place and not being named Gloucestershire champ.

Moof - nice canal side run.
Freemers - well done on the podium finish in Stowmarket. Which HM are you running?
AR - impressive rowing there.
Another slow 9 miles for me this morning. I had been including strides in this run previously, but decided to ditch them in favour of getting the maximum benefit from the low HR running. Should hear today when help with caring for my dad at home will be in place so he can be discharged - hopefully later this week.

Gul - it's the Norwich HM. Missed it last year through injury but was chief cheerleader for Team Minni as a bunch of us met up there for the first time (and found that we weren't mass murderers masquerading as RW forumites)...horrid weather so I'm hoping for better this time.

Freemers - of course, should have guessed that one. I'd like to do that one year but last Sunday in November is not usually suitable for me. I'm a bit nearer to Peterborough and being flat as a pancake is my first choice. Did you ever run the Broadland HM? Nice friendly small event; shame it finished. Here's hoping the weather is better this year in Norwich.

Gul - yes, did Broadland a couple of times, really liked that one. It is a shame, as there aren't many HMs in the spring that are close to me - probably won't do one at all before VLM.

Hi all,

Freemers - nice 7 miles debut!!!

Blisters/Dylan Man - you are doing a good job of putting me off running in Devon. My twin sister lives down there and I had looked at this as a possible for the future.

Gul - be good to get your Dad settled and the help in. I hope you are all taking care of yourselves. It's a tough time and thoughts are with you.

Did my 9.25 mile loop this morning with your various words of wisdom ringing in my ears. Hence, a nice gentle 8:15mm average. Probably still a bit faster than I should be running but ran to feel on Sunday for the same hilly course and came in 7:49 average (defo too fast!!!). Legs feel really good now though so I'm thinking this slower pace is much better for me and far less likely to get injured/overtrain.

DM - to be honest I could be interested next year. What month is it? I live on the North Downs and in a valley so cannot avoid hills in training. In truth I've always preferred hilly courses and never ran that well at the London Marathon (best of 2:53 when I was in much much better shape!). If I get my GFA next spring I'll be looking for an autumn marathon that would concentrate on increasing my strength so it might be an option.

DM - I'm expecting to be in sub 3;15 shape. So far I'm ahead of where I usually am at this stage by some distance but usually get injured doing something silly (playing hockey usually). I have completed 8 marathons averaging 3:21 but have only really trained hard once in 1994 when I ran two sub 3 hour ones. I have no idea what I'm capable of but I think there is a good chance VLM 2014 will fall on my 50th birthday (assuming it's 13 April. Easter is the following weekend and I don't think it's ever been the last weekend in April). The aim is bag a sub 3:15 so I know that I'm in and then work on getting stronger for another year and hope to go sub 3 on my 50th!

What could be interesting is that I'm riding Lands End to John O'Groats over 10 days in August 2013 so I'll have to learn to combine both disciplines.

I take it you will be looking to run well under 3 in April?

DM - that's impressive. What did you do before you started running?

Deciding what's possible is one of the hardest aspects of the planning. I was thinking about Abo for next Autumn. It seems to be a decent course and a fast time there would be good for confidence leading into pre-VLM training.

I'm hoping that running fitness will carry forward nicely to the bike. Luckily my commute to work is 35 mile round trip so I can get some good training in through the week in summer without it impacting too much on my life. Also, it's not a race so as long as I can get used to a few days in the saddle before hand of maybe 7-8 hours I should be fine.