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

Alex Popplewell

29/07/2003 at 13:51

just don't put 3.48 or 4.08 on your forms otherwise we'll have the same situation as this year with everyone in different pens and pandemonium trying to start together or wait at the gates of the park and so forth....put 4 and take it from there.3.59.59 will do me....nb, and i expect this will be a topic,the 4hr rw pacers run to a 4hr gun time (ie about 3.52 elapsed time to allow time to cross the line)not a 4 hr chip time.unless they change it this year.any takers?

andyp

29/07/2003 at 14:45

Alex
9 minute(ish) miling will be a good target for me. My best is 4:04, after going through 16 miles in 2:07 and then getting cramp (that was my last marathon in 1999).
I'm interested.

Andy

Minks

29/07/2003 at 15:47

Me too, assuming I ever manage to get hold of a copy of Marathon News so I can at least enter the darned thing!

Velociraptor

29/07/2003 at 15:55

Not sure after last year that I've got sub-4 in my old legs, Alex, and I definitely don't have 3:52. I think I'll put 4:15, which is realistic.

Alex Popplewell

29/07/2003 at 16:00

excellent,hopefully this thread will turn into a place to discuss how to get properly fit for it too...i'm slightly hamstrung in the autumn by the arrival of no 4 child,so i won't be doing new york or dublin.i did nyc last year as my first having started in july,then did flm hoping to go from 4.45 to 4 hrs.4.27 was the outcome in the heat.
but my half marathon best is 1.57 and should come down at windsor,i have done a 20 miler in 9 min miling in training for this years race,so i'm eager to get there,but with a bit further to go than you,andy.

meantime i am feeling 1/2 stone heavier than april 18th.i did manage,just,to get a 15 miler done last night,but off for more beer tonight...

i can highly recommend the imber 1/2 marathon on salisbury plain in march as a warm-up for london too-its beautiful scenery and a toughish course but a great day out...

Alex Popplewell

29/07/2003 at 16:03

hi vrap,don't do yourself down,yet...

fat buddha

29/07/2003 at 16:20

slap me into this group (assuming I get a place). I decided to push the boat out and put down for a 3:40 as I reckon if the training goes well I can do it but being pessimistic (and fat) sub 4 will do nicely. my best 1/2 is 1:45:08 and my FLM was 4:07:25 so I think 3:40 or 3:45 should be a possible. until 20 miles I was ahead of sub-4 at FLM but then the heat kicked in - was through the 1/2 in 1:55 and felt OK.

like you alex, I feel overweight so come 1st aug I'm doing something about it - had too much pigging out on recently.

Velociraptor

29/07/2003 at 16:22

I'm not, Alex. I'm doing myself UP by 26 minutes and 21 seconds, or almost a minute per mile.

I might see what I can manage at Windsor first. IF I can get under 1:55 (which will be a tall order with 8 weeks' training, the GNR the week before, and a current PB of 2:00:47) I shall be joining you.

Velociraptor

29/07/2003 at 16:23

I meant, OVER a minute per mile.

Legless

29/07/2003 at 16:34

Alex
Count me in M8, after FLM03 was very dissapointed in my 4.22 very much like Buddah i was on a Sub 4 till 21 miles then the heat and my illness took over.gonna do it this year tho

Tiger

29/07/2003 at 16:36

I'm definitely up for a sub 4 group, with the big proviso that I get in!

Will be making a strike at this time at Dublin too.

Alex Popplewell

29/07/2003 at 17:21

great sounds like a team-great to hear from you legless,after i saw your back disappearing over the horizon at mile 5 i didn't think you'd be home in over 4...how good was that first pitstop??
nothing like looking a few months ahead ,eh.
hope we all make it to the start line....
and don't forget that inevitably half will end up on red and half on blue etc etc...
anyone planning on following a serious programme? the RW looked reasonably do-able last year,4x per week,so i'm tempted to have a go at that one.will probably go in the bin with other new year resolutions though!!

andyp

29/07/2003 at 19:33

Hi guys

I'll go for 4 x per week that should be ok. I am aiming for the Marlow half in Nov (v hilly) so should be on course IF i get in!!

Legless

29/07/2003 at 22:45

Alex-yes the 1st pit stop was soooooooo good, I am following the hal Higdon 6day prog this year, working on a longer, harder, faster basis to make the magical Sub4

CU there M8

Running Like Daddy

30/07/2003 at 08:12

If I can do Burnham Beeches Half and Windsor Half in less than 2 hours, and I get a place, I'll join you. BEst Half so far is 2hrs 2mins but FLM was 5hr 21m - I was hoping for sub 4.30 heat and insufficient long run training did me.

cns

30/07/2003 at 08:32

yes I wanna go sub four. having a chip time would be a start after this year's disaster. Sent my form off yesterday and I think I put 4 hours on it. definately used the 3:45-4:00 category code

Mike.

30/07/2003 at 09:05

Assuming I get in, then I'm looking for sub 4 this year. Glad to see many of this years red start photo coming out of the woodwork so early.

Probably use the RW schedules this year. After all the problems of getting to the line last year, 4 times a week seems about right for an oldie like me.

What level are you guys going to be building up to prior to starting the schedule?

Minks

30/07/2003 at 10:12

I think I'd go for the RW 4x per week schedule too. I currently run four sessions a week and think I'd find it difficult to fit in any more without seriously compromising the rest of my life and upsetting a few people ... also I've stayed injury-free on this ever since I started running so if it ain't broke, why fix it?

I'd like to do FLM04 in under 4 hours but I'll be in a better position to see if that's feasible after the Windsor Half (my first) and the time I get for that. Based on 5K and 10K performance I should be able to do the half in 1:50-ish but I'm told the course is very hilly so we'll see ...

Alex Popplewell

30/07/2003 at 11:21

still focussing on trying to crack a 1.50 half at windsor,so will think harder about longer runs after that,but i reckon to get in about 3x20 3x16-18 and a couple of half marathon races in the jan-april period,if i can fit in the 4 days a week and do those long ones i'll feel confident about cracking the 4 hours i would think.i meant to use the jack daniels book to work on intervals and repeats and so on,but various things conspired to thwart that...

Legless

30/07/2003 at 11:21

Minkin
Yes windsor is a hilly course and produced an PW (personal worst) when I ran it last year but its good to get on the hills