P + D training for VLM 2013

Super running going on today either on road or the dreaded treadmill..fiona that is insane...  I am gobsmacked

Impressive paces too, 

I didnt have to do any mp miles today "just" the regular 20 LSR so after 4.5 hours sleep following my 3rd night shift (just to make it sound dramatic   ) a freezing cold 3 hours 6 mins managed to run a neg split of 2 mins with AVE HR 72.2% MAX which I am dead chuffed with..as hr was low 80s for that pace last time I trained for a marathon..

YP yes take it easy before diving back into it.good luck

I am just so bloody cold now ..time for horlicks to warm me up....

YP, I would definitely not even touch the book this week and just do some very easy shorter runs and see how you are at the end of the week.  Fingers crossed you are fine. 

Fiona - 16 MILES on a treadmill?!!    That is hardcore!  Well done.

Literatin, great run, you are bloody fast! 

NN, your heart run for that pace is very low, you will ace this marathon.  You will do a better time than me,my HR wouldn't be that low over that distance at that pace. Brilliant.

15W, what type of dog? 

Everyone else, great running and yep, the snow is a bastard but I try to utilise bad weather to my advantage.  My plan has been scuppered this week by tapering for a non-existence race so today, myself and my running friend, did under 2 hours on the hilly Sandstone trails and Helsby Hill in brutal conditions underfoot, took me around 25 mins longer than usual to do the same run as I always do.  1500ft of climb in 10 miles with ankle deep mud or snow, not one part of it was easy.  Loved it though!  Feel as tired as what I would after doing a 20 miler.  My mileage for past 2 weeks have dropped a lot to the mid thirties -  what with being ill and tapering so will get on it this week but two of my runs this week been very tough on trails and have climbed over 3000ft this week in 34 miles. I always said I would maybe only manage 75% of the plan sometimes so hey ho.  Not going to beat myself up.  

Impressive running all round from the P&D'rs today. It is a real motivation reading back.

I managed 8 outdoors @ 8.15 average followed by 10 on the treadmill @ 7.12, not minding the treadmill as much now but not a patch on being outside but needs must with ice/snow on pavements still. 

Have entered GreatNW half at Blackpool next month to replace the York one cancelled today.

HeOw wrote (see)

15W, what type of dog? 

Border Terrier.

NN, HeOw, markf - well done on your sessions, all sound tough for different reasons. Totally knackered tonight but don't want to go to bed cause monday tomorrow.

15W what dog might you be getting then? Am also stalling on going to bed for the same reason. Even though have been in school today unpaid doing revision classes for their exams this week  I still have that Sunday night feeling!

Sorry 15W, read back and seen you just said, a good running companion?

Well - we'll see. If train to run with me then I'm sure it can accompany me on my shorter steady runs, up to maybe 10 miles. Longer ones probably not,  but who knows, might be an ultra dog. Met puppy and mum yesterday, nice dogs. I'm not a dog person but the missus is, and obviously daughter wants one, but I was won over. The mum was a cool dog, so hopefully with the right training and socialisation etc ours will be too.

Looking forward to apologising to runners as it chases after their heels!

Rest day today. Light covering of snow. I was looking at schedule and I may add a few miles to the longer runs on the weekend.

Some great running over the weekend but the medal for sheer determination must go to Fiona on that treadmill session, NP you were close with the blizzard almost doing it

I did get out for my 16 with 10 at MP yesterday, but like 15W the pace was a bit erratic because of the conditions, switching from nice soft snow on trails to icy roads, snowy roads and clear roads!  But the week finished and all runs completed. Recovery week starting so could probably manage most of it on the treadmill if needed, we had another 4 inches of snow yesterday so the roads and pavements are back to where they were.

I think everyone deserves a medal for doing any running this last week.  I have really only resorted to the treadmill so that I can keep my mileage up and also the pace.  I have only recently started consistently running 40+ miles a week and worry that if I stop now I won't be able to keep up with the plan later.  I really want to do better in VLM and I need to keep up the miles.  I also think that I probably haven't been doing the correct sorts of pace in my LSR according to my heart rates now and that might partly explain why I am so far away from the times I am predicted from my HM time.

I'm hoping to get back outside this week as I've discovered somewhere to run that was pretty much snow free - although running back and forth on the same mile of road may be just as bad as the treadmill.

managed a slow 15miles yesterday in the snow. i'm chalking it down as a victory that I managed to get out and back without straining or breaking anything, so still on target with the training plan. week #4 down. 14 to go until Manchester

My schedule is lagging by one day so did my 17M w 10 at MP today...what a BEAST of a session! Wasn't able to hit my pace (average 7.02 aiming for 6.50) with HRR between 81 to 85%. Hoping I can put that performance drop down to the snow. My legs feel absolutely destroyed from slipping around out there...

Good running everyone, whether treadmill or ice and slush.

I'm a day delayed by the weather too. But managed last week's 14-miler (23K) long run on the treadmill today. That's was in 1hr 55min. Still just about on-plan .

Gotta love the treadmills!

Nice running all - this thread has got a lot of commited people chipping in quite nicely.

13 or so miles with 4 at MP so not what the bible says but sod it - its close enough given the weather. Calfs are tight today though.

Recovery week is well and truly over! I'm now beginning the lactate threshold plus endurance mesocycle.

I decided to run today's LT session on the treadmill, and it was tough work! Three miles warm-up, and two miles cool-down were run at 10:31 pace. My stats for the middle threshold miles were:

Pace: 8:13 / 8:13 / 8:13 / 8:34 / 8:34 (target: 8:16)

HR avg: 162 / 165 / 168 / 167 / 167 (target: 158 – 174 bpm)

HRR: 80% / 82% / 84% / 83% / 83% (target: 77% - 88%)

The temperature in my garage rose from 41F to 48F during the workout .

I felt I had to slow down for the final two miles of the threshold run. Probably more psychological than physical, but I was unable to resist the urge (damn! ). I would have liked to have pushed nearer the top of the heart rate range, but of course it's easier said than done. The Central Governor won this battle hands down.

I still have some pain at the top of my calf from the weekend run in the snow. It is not severe enough to affect the running, and I'm taking extra time to stretch it (ouch) and use the roller (ouch again).

The next LT session is next week and includes six miles at threshold . I seriously hope that I'll be able to run that outdoors!

JF50 lol at the awards, I would have won in the past four years due to working weekends, I have done more than I care to remember 18's, 20's and even a couple of 22's on the dreadmil. Its ok once you get past the half way point.Well done on yesterdays run.

Fiona you can always do mile intervals on that stretch of road

AG Well done on your 14 yesterday.

Al runs well done on your long run, you going for sub 3 hrs? I would put it down to running in the snow.

Lunchtime runner well done on your treadmill run.

Mennania nice run with MP we are all still a long way from the start line.

Well rain has melted the snow so 6 mile recovery run done and dusted most of it faster paced than yesterdays 20.

Shifted my Tuesday to Monday again so last night was 8 miles with 10x100m strides.  The extra 4 inches of snow we had on Sunday made the decision on location easy, just too dodgy running in the dark so out to my treadmill, guessing a similar temperature as yours tenjiso.  Very easy to control on the treadie. This is a recovery week for me so all fairly light running for the rest of the week, recovery, GA and long pace only with no more speed stuff required. Rest day today, aaah.

NP that sounds like a quick recovery, or a slow long one!

AR agree the snow is like running on sand in terms of effort, so guess we shouldn't shoot ourselves for dropping the pace a bit to stay upright.

Good long runs LR & Mennania, you're right the thread seems to be running strong.

Tenjiso hope the calf stays clear, will help with those tempo miles

No Pain: Yeah I'm hoping to go sub 3 (ran 3.10 in Barcelona last year so hoping I can get there). Looking back I see your target is sub 2.55. What kind of pace are you doing your LT runs at for that? Did you use P&D for your VLM sub 3?

Glad people seem to agree that running in the snow is a much higher level of effort. All kinds of new aches in my legs today...rest day appreciated!