2012 Marathon thread - Page 12 - Training

Spoons.

12/12/2011 at 21:56

Ian - nothing too fast, hard or long in the last week.

However, I always think a few bursts of speed can help keep the legs loose. The main thing is to keep the mileage low. Basically drop your mileage in the taper by around 20% in week 1, the another 20% in week 2, then another 20% in race week. So if you run 6 miles on a Monday, then do 5 in week 1, 4 in week 2 and 3 in race week. If you usually do intervals then carry on doing them, just do less of them.

Gobi

13/12/2011 at 08:04

Spoons, loving your posts, some of the content sounds very familiar :¬) Oh and I'm a split Christmas parent as well and can recommend Pizza as a Christmas lunch and mention there are parkruns on Christmas day and a number of boxing day races.

Ok so I'm not coming in really until January but....

Relax people, most of you are racing in April or May, a marathon schedule is designed to have you ready to race but it also means there is no rush. If you are racing in May then you have no need to be at 13 miles in December, hell I just had a go at a 1.20 half runner in my club for proudly announcing he did 16 at the weekend.

Speedwork, crucial in all parts of the program. Not just talking a little tempo work. Do some raw speed, if you want to make MP feel easy then running much faster than MP is useful.

Pacing the long runs, if your long run feels hard then a few things are worth looking at:

1. are you running too fast?
2. are you fueling well enough?
3. is it too much too soon

Most people especially novice runners are guilty of No.1., number 2 is something you have to learn as you go along so is a bit hit and miss in training. No.3 is usually in line with No.1, it would not be too much too soon if you were not running too fast.

So my first straight tip for 2012

Don't do your long runs anywhere near race pace.

Have a nice day

Gobi

rachael leach

13/12/2011 at 08:18

Jennie it was really scary! I saw the man yesterday on my way back from town, hes obviously a tramp and Im hoping that hes moving along, but like you say it makes you realise. When I have done a few miles I am not entirely sure I could outrun an attacker! I dont run with music or anything but still feel abit worried. Might invest in a panic alarm, suppose it cant harm! Well done on your run yesterday. I am no where near that.

Teknik - thanks for asking about the foot its still abit sore especially when Im on my feet all day at work, but not too much of a pain when running? Think I'll get it looked at by the doctor see what he says, if nothing to worry about I'll have to fit in a gait analysis.

Gobi thanks for the info there, Ive got to admit I have had mini heart attacks reading some of the mileage on here especially as im up to 8 miles at the very most!

Yesterday I had a rest day, tonight it will be a 4 mile fartlek run then out for a meal with my cycling group - cant wait for that! Tomorrows club session is speed training so it'll be my first go at proper speed work, Wish me luck lol

Rach

Gobi

13/12/2011 at 08:26

Rach - no worries I guess at some point I should introduce myself properly but a lot of the old guard know who I am and my coaching/running background.

I am the voice of calm and reasoning

OR as other will say

The person who tells most people to slow down :¬)

Minni

13/12/2011 at 08:30

Gobi wrote (see)

If you are racing in May then you have no need to be at 13 miles in December, hell I just had a go at a 1.20 half runner in my club for proudly announcing he did 16 at the weekend.

I did 18.5m then added on another 3 for good measure on Sunday.

Spoons.

13/12/2011 at 09:15

Probably too quickly too

Jennie McColl

13/12/2011 at 09:21

Hi Gobi, I'm running the Edinburgh Marathon in on the 27th May and completed 13.1 in 2.19 on Sunday!! Yay, on target!! Going to be useless at speed sessions but I will attempt some. Not been running long and speed just kills me, a slow plod I can do..

Rachael - not quite sure how I managed it, especially so soon after my wee muscle injury... sheer determination I think. I am amazing myself, I only really started running at the beginning of September to aid my weight loss, but I've lost my weight now and really enjoying watching my progress!! My next goal is 15miles.... mabe not this weekend, but certainly before the 25th if my wee legs can cope!!

Tonight I will try for a wee bit faster run, with hopefully my last physio session tomorrow morning...

Keep the advice coming folks, this forum is so encouraging and very helpful!!

Jen

Gobi

13/12/2011 at 09:34

Oh I can see it will be fun in here :¬)

David B 1223

13/12/2011 at 10:13

Morning,

Another 'new' joiner here. New poster, but long-time lurker.

Bit of background -
Have run a couple of marathons previously. 3:13:02 and 3:02:20.
Have run numerous 10Ks; PB = 39:44
Again, have run a number of 5Ks (>5);PB = 19:30
Plus have run loads of fell races, distances from 4 miles up to 13 miles.

Aims for 2012 -
Dip under 3 hours
Take 60-90 seconds of 10K and 5K PB times.

I'm looking at either Straford-upon-Avon or Manchester marathons in the spring (20 weeks away). Plus assorted club races up to that point.

Training plan - have followed P&D in the past, now crafting a plan based on Fitzgerald & Hudson. With hindsight, think the P&D plan worked for me in terms of raw endurance, but left me a little light in terms of tempo and pace/zip.

Hello All!!!

Gobi

13/12/2011 at 10:33

David - Shakespeare is a good course, can get a little lonely on the 2nd lap. Just one climb to be aware of and you do it both laps

3.02 sounds pretty good, you must have a half PB around 1.27 looking at your 10km ? A bit more speed would be useful for sure.

Jennie - what is the target?

Teknik

13/12/2011 at 10:36

Well done Jennie!

Hi David. Impressive times...I'll swap the tempo and zip for anything that stops me breaking up after mile 20!

Tempo run this morning...2 x 5k with a 5 minute rest. Managed both under 23'00" so happy boy today.

David B 1223

13/12/2011 at 10:47

Cheers Gobi.

In terms of 1/2 PB - wracking my brains - can only think of one proper 1/2 mara I've ever done. And that was on a hilly course (Liversedge) so came in about 1:32 (ish). I certainly think 1:27 is do-able on a favourable course. Possibly even 1:25 on a good day.

In terms of marathons - I just think last time around, I ground all the zip out of my legs with those steady midweek 13-15 mile runs. I know they were there for a reason - but I just felt I was running by 'rote' for most of them.

Still, all good experience though.

This time:
Monday = hill sprints - certainly during the early 'base' phase. But look to keep them once a week throughout (more for variety than anything).
Speed/Reps = Tuesday
Tempo = Thursday
Long runs = Sunday
Rest of the week to be filled with easy runs (and I mean easy). And maybe the odd long hill/threshold session depending upon what phase of the plan I'm in.

Minni

13/12/2011 at 10:47

Xmas is cancelled in Spoons's house wrote (see)

Probably too quickly too

All easy pace.

jason d

13/12/2011 at 11:22

Gobi- I was planning on startting to do 3 runs per week at 15m + Slowly though....

Next year I want to up my mileage and see where I get

Gobi

13/12/2011 at 12:39

David - would not do hill followed by intervals the next day
Consider doing the midweek 10-15 miler at MP + 60 - 75 seconds

Jason - why hold back ? 3 x 20 milers all at MP is surely the way to go :¬) (seriously though I do 4 runs a week at 10 miles + all at easy/steady pace)

I'm off to Pilates

Jeepers

13/12/2011 at 13:23

Might be a bit premature, my posting on here, after a year out (illness). But I'm hoping to be able to do North Dorset (May) if not, New Forest in September. Unless I find something (local) early summer.

I was tapering for Luton (December 2010) when I became ill (November 2010). I started back again in August, was given some bum advice on a training programme in September and tweaked the achilles (weak legs after 10 months off). I've been doing physio and have been given the OK to start running again, so I've started building back up recently, now up to 40 / 50 mins x 3 a week.

I use HR training - suits my age and will probably follow one of the HH plans, I'm just looking to see which one would suit best.

The plan is to rebuild the base during the rest of December and see if I'm fit enough to start in January. If so, then I shall, if not, then more base-building.

Any and all advice gratefully received and acted upon.

Spoons.

13/12/2011 at 14:52

Hi Jeepers, sounds like more base building would be a good idea and maybe do a half in the spring and New Forest in the autumn. Depends on how quick you are to recover I guess

. Personally I think a really strong base is key.

Jeepers

13/12/2011 at 15:06

Hello Spoons, thanks for the welcome.

Well I was comfortable doing around 40 - 50 mpwk, last year - I've been building up slowly over the last few years, so the base is there, it's just been "put on hold" while I've been stuck at home, waiting. However, I'm old enough and ugly enough to know that it pays to be sensible!

Spoons.

13/12/2011 at 16:39

If you were comfortable doing 40-50 miles per week I would keep building and see how it goes. You'll know by the end of January whether you are on track or not.

Minni

13/12/2011 at 16:53

Gosh Spoons you almost sound like a mentor!