sub or about 4h30 hopefully - Page 674 - Spring Marathon

mcs

24/04/2012 at 16:22

Well done to junior Relaxed, my bro has stopped using his inhalers recently since running took him over. Wish her a speedy recovery...........good time for a first one and with an asthma attack.......

My OH has been training well for Edinburgh but last week had chest pains and had to go to docs for a check out, seems she has pleuresy and today went for an x ray......she is gutted as not sure she will be ready for May 27th now.

Iccle Jim

25/04/2012 at 12:17

Sorry if this upsets anyone - but I did run with the club last night - 5 steady miles! loved it, no pains, no tiredness. ish !!!

Tired and slightly fluey today, so not in the best form for work, so I think the rest period will start now!

Redhead

25/04/2012 at 20:28

Great big show-off IJ!

I've taken another rest day today but will be out tomorrow come rain or come rain ('cos that's the forecast!). Won't be doing anything speedy as it's the Three Forts Challenge next weekend. 27 very hilly miles

Mcs, sorry, I've just seen about your OH. Hope she's feeling a bit better now. Probably won't be well enough for the marathon though.

Edited: 25/04/2012 at 20:29

mcs

27/04/2012 at 14:53

Big run this afternoon at 4pm to do eeeekkkk.................sky is going black as usual!!!

Redhead

27/04/2012 at 20:25

We've had sunshine all day! Just did another off-road pootle; very pleasant

mcs

29/04/2012 at 07:03

21.22 miles on Friday treating myself to two rest days as ran bit quick, three hours and eight mins met a wall at 21.22 miles so went home for tea.......took me an hour to eat it as a gel made me feel bit icky!
Still raining here.where is summer!

Redhead

29/04/2012 at 09:23

Wowee mcs, that's a stonking time for 21 miles at race pace let alone a LSR. I cna't wait to see that you do at Edinburgh. How's your OH?

I'm just procrastinating going for my run as it's torrential rain at the moment. I'll just give it one more cup of coffee's worth...........

Iccle Jim

29/04/2012 at 10:26

Rain. No need to run. Lie in. Lazy day playing on the computer (and a bit of website work...).

Ho hum! Gym tomorrow then!

Helen Liz

29/04/2012 at 22:24

Hello 4:30 thread. I won't be staying, you're a tad too quick for me. But I hope you don't mind me nipping in with a question. I figured that at some time you've broken 5 hours, which with my debut marathon of 5:06 is my next target.

Roughly what was your half time when you went sub 5?

I'm not rushing back to the marathon, I'm going to concentrate on shorter distances, up to HM, for the time being. I want to see if I can't get faster off the back of the marathon, before going back to it. just wondered what sort of improvement I ought to be looking for before stepping back up again.

thanks (in advance) for your tolerance and answers

mcs

30/04/2012 at 07:45

Redhead, think it was race pace actually not good at lsrs........
HL I would work on speed work and turning over the legs quicker........do a 10 or 5 km programme. Reckon you need to get a 2.15 2.30 half to go sub five, the quicker the better. Jim will give you more tips I am sure......stick around we have not all gone sub 4.30 yet........

Redhead

30/04/2012 at 09:15

Morning all,

Hi Helen and well done on your first marathon. My marathon pb is 4:50 and I did that off a 2:06 1/2 marathon time. This year I ran a 2:00:59 1/2 and my time was 5:00:47 so it doesn't always work out as we plan! I am usually around the 4:55 mark so I reckon a good 1/2 target would be 2:10 or thereabouts.

Lots of people say that in order to run a good marathon you have to set good times at 10k and 1/2 but you also need the extra stamina for a marathon.

Good luck and please feel free to stick around as we're a friendly bunch - some speedy, but some like me who isn't and I have yet to get anywhere near 4:30

Iccle Jim

30/04/2012 at 09:51

Helen, well done for what you've done so far!

The biggest trick with a marathon is to run steadily. 5 hours relates to about 11:30 per mile, and on race day that would equate to half way in about 2:25 to 2:30. If you're doing 5 hours by running the first half in 2:00 to 2:10 (about 9 or 10 minute pace) and then hitting the wall, then you're more like us!

I don't know anyone who can "only" run at 11 to 11:30 pace. Even the age 60+ men and women I run with can still get faster than that when they're thinking about it, so it might be worth trying some longish runs at about 10 minute pace and see how you do. Build up the mileage very slowly at this pace, as well as shorter runs slightly faster during the week.

Much of any one's success in the marathon is running through (or just avoiding) the wall. By conditioning your body to run far, regularly, you're extending where that point is. Remember when you couldn't run more than 5 miles? All you did then was run a bit further each time, and now you're better.

Keep up the mileage, good luck!

(and stay here with us and we'll get you through that 4:30 barrier too!)

Helen Liz

30/04/2012 at 11:17

Thanks all.

I feel I didn't run as I should have done at Brighton, the 5:06 came off the first half in 2:26, and a plan to run low 11:xx the entire way. I didn't hit the wall but the wheels sort of drifted away from the wagon at 15/16 miles and I simply couldn't keep it going. My 20 mile race (ashby) in 3:41 shows I should have done it. The fact I ran what I feel to be a poor race annoys me almost more than the 06:29 over 5 hours does. Should you be interested, the splits can be found here, just to prove my point.

My half PB is 2:16, set this year in the middle of marathon training. I'm sure there's more there, it was that very hot day at Silverstone and I didn't have a lot left in the tank towards the end.

My plan is now to spend the summer getting my 5k below 30 minutes, my 10k towards an hour and the half PB just down! I'm not ready to commit to marathon training again, but am thinking a 2014 campaign. I mentioned to H last night that the London ballot opened today and the horror in his voice when he asked "You're not thinking of entering?" speaks volumes! Not sure I can put him through it again quite yet.

Iccle Jim

30/04/2012 at 14:37

3:41 at Ashby is a good steady effort! find a better half than Silverstone; it's good for the party atmosphere, but something closer to home and smaller would get you a better time and more suitable conditions!

Helen Liz

30/04/2012 at 17:03

oh, I like Silverstone, done it twice now. I run around pretending I'm a car, making vroom noises.

Takes my mind off the pain!

Flo Po

30/04/2012 at 17:31

Helen a sub 5 is definitely doable off your half time.

I just think it didn't go completely to plan on the day. My times are similar to yours. I have done 4.57 2010 then 4.46 2012 and my half pb is 2.10 although I ran 2.13 at Silverstone.

My friend ran a 4.56 of a half P.B of 2.22

For me the taper is part of the problem. I end up feeling lazy and lardy the week before and if I do another marathon I am going to give the taper and overeating a miss and hopefully feel sharper. Sorry folks for sneaking in. (they are a bit speedy for me also Helen)

Edited: 30/04/2012 at 17:33

Redhead

30/04/2012 at 20:46

Hi Flo Po, we're not all speedy so don't be afraid

It's interesting trying to predict marathon time based on 1/2 time isn't it. The experts say that the formulae don't actually hold true for times aver 4 hours. You did well to get 4:46 and you're faster than me!

Just been looking at the weather forecast for the weekend and it looks dire. Hey ho, 27 miles of hills and mud await me

relaxed!

01/05/2012 at 10:10

Hi JUst to agree predicting you marathon time from a half time is only a rough guide. I ran a 4.22 off a just about sub 2 half. My daughter ran this years in 4.41 off a 2.15 PB this year but ran a 2.09 PB during her marathon!!

I have found the only way I can run sub 2 half or a sub 4.30 Maria is to get my weight down. If that doesn't come down from my normal weight I have no chance no matter how fit I am. My daughter found the same, she lost a stone between her half PB and her marathon this year. Rubbish when you're naturally not skinny!!!!

Happy recovering everyone, its all sounding good

relaxed!

01/05/2012 at 10:16

Ooooh mcs only just read post re your OH. Hope she is ok and on the mend. Tell her her health is more important than the marathon and if she isn't recovered properly she is better not to do it. Pleurisy isn't to be sniffed at. Hugs to her and hope she's feeling better x

mcs

01/05/2012 at 10:53

Cheers Redhead, she was out running all be it slowly this morning at 6am much to my annoyance as she still has a cough and is awaiting results of the xray she had last week but hey she is a viking so what can I do.

Agree on the weight thing,,,,,,,listening to marathon talk this am on the run to work and the African elites all weigh about 60kgs and generally small in stature. The elite class amongst the GB athletes are much bigger and hence cant run as quick, along with altitude training all their lives...... so it goes for us rear of the pack runners too. Weight, weather, physical tiredness, injuries all play a part on marathon day. There is so much that can go wrong and right very unpredictable distance. We all have to work and live "normal lives" and need some weight on to keep going.........when you only do one or two marathons in a year the odds are fairly stacked against you so getting round is an achievement in my opinion so well done to all for trying I say.

I think my distance is half marathon, getting sick of long runs still got a 20, 18 and 12 to do before race day...........falling out of love with long running and my OH has said no more marathons!!!! I have just signed up for VLM but wont get in anyway so not worrying about that.............