The RW Forum Six

Oh..forgot to mention my strengths:

• ridiculous level of committment given the fact I have SUCH a busy life
• Annoyingly cheerful (I'm a scouser!)

and my weaknesses:

• a bit too competitive
• impatient- I want to run sub 4 RIGHT NOW!!

PICK ME

 

Getting exciting now......

Hi Jason!

Spoons, my man, where've ya been???

In hiding

If I don't make the 5 then I will certainly be entering this, although there already seems to be tough competition, it will be like starting boot camp again!

All that stress and nerves all over again 

More of a splurge than a pitch coming up, but.....

Once upon a time,I was a schoolboy county 400 mtr runnerIn the summer and a regional tight head prop in the winter- muscly, large but fairly fast! Then I discovered booze and fags and drifted away from all activity for the best part of 25 years! I started running again shortly after the birth of my son in 2009, aged 41, when tryng to take my mind off giving up my 20-30 a day fag habit- only running short distances - about the time it would take to smoke a fag! I still remember the sense of accomplishment from running 3 laps of the footie pitch behind our house! Truth was I had no idea of the road-running scene, until ( it sounds like an ad) I picked up a copy of RW in Tesco one day. A quick read of 5k and 10k races had me wondering how far I could run. No GPS watch in those days of course, so just set off on an out and back run on a cycle track- no real running shoes either, just enough sense to know that I should turn back when I thought I had gone just under half as far as I could go.... I still remember the cramps in that last mile- lol! But also the surprise and pride when I went to mapmyrun to find that I had run 13 miles!
The rest is history... I ran my first 10k a month later in 44 mins, a week after joining TROTs running club ( Hurrah!) . Someone talked me into entering my first half a week afterwards ( I know, I know- now!) which I ran in 1:44. I then entered Snowdonia marathon in October of the same year, completing it in 3.36 off the RW Smartcoach programme.
At the after race party, T Rex ( Snod legend) told me about the possibility of getting a GFA entry for London. That started me off on the journey to VLM. Entered my local Llanelli marathon, following the P&D 70m programme. Just made it in 3.14- Phew!
Since then, I started to focus on marathon running. All my PBs over the shorter distances have been down purely to marathon training, so wondering if I could do better over the shorter stuff, but more interested in going long....Suffice to say, I found that I seem to be good at volume - but was surprised to find I was running what was considered high volume. Over the last couple of years, I have tended to follow the P&D 80 + plan, with a few tweaks- mostly cutting the mileage in the last 3 weeks, but peaking at around 105-120 m in the summer, less in the winter cos of work pressures, then around 90-100
Anyway, performances for half in brackets and full mara are as below. Since last year, I have also used my love of mileage to run a couple of ultras- actually winning my second, a 37 miler
2009: (1.41) 3.37 (Snowdonia though, so a bit bumpy!)
2010: (1.29) 3.14
2011: (1.23) 2.56
2012: (1.19) 2.49 ( and Welsh Athletics Masters Silver medal )
Got to be happy with progress to date- although the 2.49 was run with tight hammies and glutes from 12.5m, so quite frustrating and think I could have run 2.46 otherwise....
Anyway, about. 2 stone lighter than I was - but still the wrong side of 12 stone, but fat % of around 10.5, and much healthier and fitter than I've ever been as I approach 45, targeting at least a 2.44.59 marathon. Hopefully, will achieve this in VLM, but plan B is for an autumn marathon
Always open to advice and open to new ideas

Well Minni thats a challenge!

I started running in 2006 to get my legs working after a spinal accident and joined a running club the following year .  I got a club place for London in 2009 with a target time of 4hrs but after thr training started, I reduced this to 3:30.  On the day I ran it  in 3:22:32 and was over the moon with the time. 

Over the next few years I raced shorter distances ( a lot) before entering the local marathon In Abingdon in 2011 with a target time of 3:15.  Having followed the RW schedule, I ran it in 03:09:35 and so earned a GFA place at London 2013.

I ran PBs at 10k (39:28) and half marathon (01:28:18) this year as well as at our local parkrun and am looking forward to stepping up my training distances ready for the VLM in the next few weeks.

I'd like to go faster than 03:09 next year but I know the crowds at London, even from the good for age start, will slow me down so I'm aiming to improve on my 2009 time.  I prefer a spring marathon as I like running in the cold more than the warm.  I just so enjoyed the London marathon last time- the massive roar from the crowds across across Tower Bridge, the kids high 5ing in the initial miles and the final mile along Birdcage Walk and The Mall- that I can't wait to do it again (although the 500+miles of training over the next few months are slightly daunting).  Bring it on!!

Each year I wonder if we will get enough interest and each year more and more people get on board
Lovely to see some old names back here and some new ones as well

I am glad I am not an adjudicator 

I started running about 4 years ago, and couldn’t believe I was good at it! Had a disastrous if entertaining first marathon at the Eden project in Cornwall where I had completed perfect training, including lots of hills, but took off too fast and my hlps fell off about half way through. Suffice to say, I was one of the last to get my (very cold) pastie at the end!

Anyway, after annoyingly not getting a London marathon place the following year (2010), I decided to run my own ‘Un-marathon’ around where I live and completed it in a respectable 4 hours and ten minutes. This even included popping home, going to the loo and chatting to my housemate, so in normal circumstances, I think definitely a sub 4 hour marathon on the cards.  

However, after a successful half marathon PB of 1:47:34 that survives to this day, I developed ITB issues in various knees (well, ok, more specifically right and left knees.) and this put paid to decent marathon PB projections. The last marathon I completed was the Virgin London Marathon in 2011 in 5:18:55 and I attempted the Edinburgh marathon last year, but did not finish and had to pull out at mile 14 owing to said knees. I am now tenaciously completing strength work and attempting to address my form to sort out this problem in time for my Brighton marathon (place confirmed) in April 2013. I would love to get sub 4 hour. Or even sub 3:50 Good For Age, since I’m now so old. (41 at last count.)

PBs for other races include 47:08 for a 10K (achieved a LONG time ago, pre knee issues) and more recently a hard-fought 23:59 for a 5K at Parkrun.

Strengths include oodles of motivation for runs in the dark, runs in the rain and runs at the expense of lie-ins, as well as a tenacity that has seen me keep going with suggestions and strategies from various professionals in how to deal with said knees.  Weaknesses include the knees and a general over-business due to life; Limitations: I don’t believe I have any. Except mortality. And cats that sit on my typing arm when I’m trying to write.

That is why I think you should pick me. PICK ME! (I nicked that highlight from someone else’s pitch, as I think it expresses the sentiment just right.)

we need some slower people pitching as well.........come on down and join the merrygo round.

 Now i have the song.....Roll up and ride on Rosie.going theough my head

I'm definately a slower person so here goes:

I'm 45 years old and just got into running this year. I'm quite fit and before falling in love with running was a walker/trekker. This year trekked to Everest Base Camp, completed 12 of the Welsh 3000s and walked London to Brighton to raise money for the local hospice.

I'm a mum of 3 working 30 hours a week as a Teaching Assistant in foundation (4&5 year olds) so my job is quite active.

I am happy to run in any weather (although ice scares me due to injury potential) and am very determined once I set myself a goal.

I've got confirmed entry to MK Half next March and Milton Keynes Marathon next May (again supporting the hospice) and I want to give it my best shot. I'm just back to running after 2 weeks off after slipping while running and twisting my knee so I need to up my game again.

My PBs are:

5K 28:09 and 10K 1:01:17

My hope is to complete the Marathon in under 5 hours.

My usual training is Mon - Body Pump, Tues - run 30 mins, Weds- run 30 mins, Thurs - Body pump, Friday - run 30 mins, Sat - LSR (longest 8.5 m before my knee injusry so I may need to build back up), Sun - rest.

Cheers

Vanessa

Great pitches everyone. There's some proper speed merchants too! Be interesting to see if walking up Everest built Vanessa a massive endurance base

Spoons. wrote (see)

Great pitches everyone. There's some proper speed merchants too! Be interesting to see if walking up Everest built Vanessa a massive endurance base

I'd love to say I did walk all the way up Everest but in reality only went to base camp . I'm to much of a chicken to do the whole thing. Just the thought of the Death Zone scares me.

Interesting pitches, keep them coming folks. As an ex Mentor ( I can assure you that I'm not playing this year) its great watching folks listen and learn and for the two I've been involved with go on to greater things. Sometime its good to get someone elses view on your running, it can make a real difference , doesn't matter how slow or fast young or old you are. 

vanessa..i think all that walking endurance will be a major help with running.........when its icy or snowy.i put on trail shoes and go off road.much safer than pavements or roads......and i slow down so its a mixture of run/ walk

A great mix of pitches already. Glad I'm on the marketing side and not the judging side!

Vanessa, your pitch is great. A really interesting read! What a lot you are juggling. Glad the knee is getting better. I'm Assistant Head teacher at a Primary School so Massive Respect to ya! And hooray it's nearly the holidays.

Great to read pitches for this. I love the forum 6 process. Keep them coming everyone, its a great opportunity so don't be shy. It really is for everyone at every level.