sub 4 hour group,if anyone wants to get together - Page 13 - Spring Marathon

Welsh Alex

06/01/2004 at 20:06

Last two FLM's at about 4:40 and 4:50 (about 2 halfway - 16 Stone last year as I went overboard on the weights in autumn 02 / spring 03 plus over-ate that xmas. Back down to 14 now). Did more races before work intervened in about 1986. Have run regularly throughout however.

Christmas and weekends are usually out as I run a pub & nightclub. Bed time is about 4am on Sat and 6/7am on Sunday mornings with a double-back on Sundays starting again at 10:30 am. Seasonally my workload goes up to about 110 hours and rarley drops below 70 over several businesses I run.

Xmas Eve to NYD is bad because all the staff pull sickies and/or refuse to work. People buy me chocs and biscuits (the bastards) which I am forced to eat and I have to have an xmas lunch with each of the relatives.

Musn't grumble.

Blott's mate

06/01/2004 at 20:56

Blimey. And I thought my life was tough.Are you sure you want to run a marathon? Why? Your life IS a marathon

All that being sociable until 4am Sat & 6/7am would do my head in.

Still at least you can run in daylight.

Welsh Alex

06/01/2004 at 21:38

Just a matter of which treadmill I am on really !

Never mind :-) If I didn't work all the time I would only be at home getting it in the neck from the mussis. There is a bright side you see.

BTW The great thing about nightclubs is you do not have to me nice to the customers (unlike pubs). It's our rules or **** ***. Very releaving. Anyway, don't want to say too much as I have only just joined and am right off-topic.

Off home now for an hour or so run. Night is my favourite. Nice and private. Choose routes past 24hr garages and your drink stations are sorted.

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 11:35

Well guys how is training going????? there seems to be lots of chat but, where is the training...LOL

Come on not long for London...

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 11:36

Alex....you are not from wales per chance? seeing as you have done Swansea 10K!!

Higs

07/01/2004 at 12:15

Poppy

FLM Training going very nicely thank you.

On this day last year I hadn't run for 7 weeks and had a make or break physio appointment. One more week off running and I was out of FLM2003. As it was I got the OK, started a condensed training schedule and went on to do FLM in 4:14.

This year, by comparison, I am injury free, up to 40mpw, with a long run of 18.5 last week (it was Feb 8th last year before I got up to 18) and doing my speedwork. I am v. confident of sub4.

Higs

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 12:22

Higs

Well done your training is going really well, I am sure you will get under sub 4 hours.

Well done on long run I am up to 19 miles for long run,also doing speedwork,hillwork,intervals you name anything to get a good time.I was doing 56 miles per week but had to back off a bit so back up to 43 miles and most important really enjoying the training,according to my coach/training partner/bully more quality less quantity...I would love to get sub 3.45

Poppy

Percy Cheeser

07/01/2004 at 12:26

Hello Poppy,

I'm very impressed with your training/mileage from the daily thread. Are you sure you're not capable of something faster than sub 4?

You must be easily 50 mpw ?

How do you see your training/racing going from now up to April 18th?

Percy Cheeser

07/01/2004 at 12:27

oops, bit of a cross post there.

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 12:38

Percy

Thanks for the post I had to back off as ITB band was acting up, but slowly increasing mileage again,I really hope I can go faster but this is my first marathon and only been running 9 months so who knows....

Training I am increasing long runs every 2 weeks,more intervals,hillwork(longer times and less recovery) fast pace sessions over 10K...I do have a plan but running partner who is very experienced is in charge of sessions.
Lots of races planned we have a 10K this sunday so will be interesting to see how I have improved/also cross country and a 1/2 marathon plus 3 more 10K's so far.But I have been looking at more races!!!

How about you Percy how is your training going and how do you see your training/racing going??

Percy Cheeser

07/01/2004 at 12:59

Poppy,

I reckon you're doing all the right things and will definitely make 3:45 on the day (or better) - maybe I'll try and keep up!

Be careful re. any possible injuries and back off if you have doubts, and get advice.

I lost 17 days to flu in December and then did that NYD 10k in 50:41 off two days speed work and a couple of other runs. I'm now nearly back to where I was before I got sick which is around the 50mpw mark.

My line of attack is going to be even more mileage I think for at least another month or so including hill work but no speed work and no racing. I might do a half and a twenty miler at the end of March.

It'll be my first marathon effort too and I'm keen to give it my very best. I've got the time and the motivation to put in the training miles but also conscious that I would like to enjoy the day and time is not the only consideration.

Like Higs, I'm confident of sub 4 - if the training goes well and I stay injury free.
Anything more is a bonus...

Good luck. P.

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 13:13

Percy,

17 days is a long time off from training you did very very well in your 10K thats a good time .(in fact that was around my pb for my September 10K)

Good luck with your first marathon I am sure you will do better than sub 4 hours, we seem to be up to the same level of training,will be interesting to compare training and results!!

You sound so determind and committed with training,I am sure you will enjoy the day!!Do you know I have not even thought about enjoying it !!just about getting a good time.

Lets hope we all stay injury free and the training goes how we wish it.

Best of Luck

Poppy

Welsh Alex

07/01/2004 at 14:12

Welsh Poppy, in answer to your question not only from Wales, but Swansea. An Ugly Lovley Town or Pretty Shitty City depending on which poet you choose.

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 14:28

Alex,snap it is an ugly town but it has pockets of outstanding beauty and we are so lucky especially Gower and the beaches we have lovely places to run!!!!

I did Swansea 10K as well!!

Minks

07/01/2004 at 14:31

Can I join in? 10K PB 51:34 (although I wasn't very pleased with that!), HM PB 1:51 in September (my first and only half). Aiming for sub-4, but 3:45 if I'm absolutely honest.

Interesting that although we have the same end goal (i.e. sub-4 FLM) our approach to training varies massively. Welsh Poppy and Higs are really racking up the mileage, whereas in my training schedule the long run doesn't even reach 18 miles until mid-February. I'm using the Hal Higdon Intermediate 1 programme (www.halhigdon.com) and am basically concentrating on slowly increasing mileage, especially on the long runs - but taking it steady as I don't want to get injured. I'm not doing any scheduled speedwork but I seem to be running long runs at about 8:40 pace at present. I think this is probably a bit too fast for a LSD but can't seem to slow it down.

WP, don't forget to enjoy the day. FLM is supposed to be one of the greatest experiences you'll ever have, and it would be a shame to miss out because you're focusing too much on getting a good time.

Welsh Poppy

07/01/2004 at 14:41

Minkin

Welcome the more the merrier my 1/2 marathon was 1.50 which was in September ...was it Cardiff?? looks like a lot of us are hoping for 3.45 which would mean us ladies could get a GFA place next year!!!!!

I will try to enjoy the day as well as get a good time ...I really can't wait

How long is your long run at the moment??

Good luck with your training

Welsh Alex

07/01/2004 at 15:08

W.P. Have started a thread Running in Swansea as I will go right off subject with a reply here.

Percy Cheeser

07/01/2004 at 15:31

Hello Minkin, you are most welcome.

Yup, 3:45's the target I think. My only other recorded form was Windsor half in '99 with a time of 1:53:30.Reckon I'd go faster now.

Poppy is the form horse I believe for the long run so far.....done a 20 miler already.

Personally, I've not done more than 15 miles for a single run yet though my weekly mileage this week will top 60 for the first time (pace circa 9:30 min miles or slower with ave. HR 150 ish)

Think I need some longer runs ;-)

No Swansea connection to admit too though I can confess to being married to a Cardiff lass once.......(don't ask ;-))

Llama Man

07/01/2004 at 17:36

Hi all,

I've not contributed to this thread for a while, but just wanted to let you know that I won't be doing a Spring marathon this year due to on-going injury niggles. I've given my club flm place to a club mate, his first time so he's over the moon.

Wish you all the best in going for your targets. I'll be giving it another crack in Autumn and will hopefully be back at FLM next year. Until then i'll be taking it a bit easier and running some fun long cross country stuff.

Train well, run well - and don't start too fast

Percy Cheeser

07/01/2004 at 19:35

Thanks LM, best of luck with your niggles.