My Forum

One way I found of locking in what a pace should feel like was to do plenty of track work - long reps at HM, Marathon and Marathon + pace.  Therefore when it came to the start of a race, I could envisage myself running on the track and know what it would feel like on that first lap when running the correct pace - ie easy.  So I ran that effort in the race and would eat up my opponents.  PRF may also like to recount a NYD parkrun at Glasgow...

Interesting posts re. pacing.  I have tried all methods - predetermined pace, running to the pace of my rivals, heart rate running and latterly just `knowing' what is the right effort level for the day.  I must say that the last stage has given me the most satisfaction.  The last two marathons I have done - a 2:45 VLM and 2:42 Hull (25.9 marathon) were run entirely to feel.  As PRF will testify I didn't even have the benefit of mile markers on the latter race.  Both were very well judged efforts.

But then I do have the benefit of racing consistently over the last 14 years.  My inner self can judge how far I have run, what pace I have run at and what effort level.  Cheaper than a Garmin too.

Yes Megabus works well (cheers LS21).  You can also mix and match train / megabus that way.

Curly - yes we have a book the size of a telephone directory, a centenary history of Holmfirth Harriers.  In the future I'd like to record the history of Barnsley Running. 

`Barnsley Running by a Barnsley Runner' has a nice ring to it.

To that end, the females in our midst might be interested to know that the Barnsley 6 was the first major road race in the UK to allow women to compete, back in 1975.  The Barnsley Road Runners fought to get the rules changes to allow this.  Always at the cutting edge of progress and enlightenment this end.

Calf not too bad.  Just a constant drain of energy, like post-viral fatigue.  Hey-ho,

Brian - hi!  At the moment I'd like to get back to being able to run a good game, rather than just talking it.  (for reference, see the results of the last Bradford parkrun).

Phil's session hits the nail on the head.  I have known runners over the years who can knock them out with little heart rate drift and have excellent marathons.  I have also known runners like myself who really are not suited to this.  Even after 18 months+ of very individual and specific advice from Hadd, I could only convert a 74 mins HM into a 2:42 marathon.  5:38 HM became 6:11 Marathon, and that was with running exactly to HR.  On paper, even given +20 secs per mile for double the distance this should have been sub 6m/m.  Ho hum.  In years to come I hope I'll be able to say `I converted a 2:42 marathon into some great HM and 10k times' rather than bemoan the lack of conversion upwards.

Well done on the race Keir.  Thanks for the picture of the dykes.  Hope they didnt mind...

2012 was all going swimmingly until I got sucked into track races and ridiculous multiple parkrun challenges!