The LONG LONG road to Rotterdam

Pisco Sour

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday. Something that surely has to be encouraging. My mate ran the Dublin Marathon a couple of years ago. He’s not a distance runner at all. At the time he was playing as a flanker in rugby. The longest he ran in training was 13 miles. Despite this he came home in 4:16. In fact he could have run faster but for the fact that he agreed to run with his mate the entire may rather than go off on his own.

I’d consider myself more of a runner than he is. My build is more suited to distance running. And with far superior training to him I see no reason to believe why I can’t go a good bit faster than him and knock on the door of 4 hours.

Pisco Sour

Ok so the immediate plan is 5 miles tomorrow evening and then 10 miles saturday afternoon. I dont want to look any further than that. Confidence has taken a knock this week so am hoping for a good confidence boosting run tomorrow.

After taking a few days to digest a lot of what was said here, I'm thinking that I'll use what advice I can and adapt my training a little. But the important thing is that I do what I feel comfortable with and not throw in miles for the sake of miles. In the end of the day I know what my expectations are. I'd like to run a sub 4, but I'm not expecting it. I know I'm capable of pulling it off if things go well but it is not a requirement for a successful marathon for me. What I want is to get through the marathon, and in a time that I myself think of as respectable. So whether I get through it in 3:49, 3:59, 4:09 or 4:19, I'll be pleased as I'll have achieved my goal (though to be honest I want to run faster than my mate's 4:16, considering I'll have trained MUCH more for this race than he did).

My training aint ideal I realise, but at the same time i'll still be better prepared than probably about 60-65% of people who took part in the Dublin Marathon last year (just an estimate). Not sure what that says about the surge in popularity of the marathon these days, but if they can do it, then I (with 300+ miles and 24 weeks of training in the bag) can do it!

Pisco Sour

5 miles in 42:02 this evening. Legs felt a little heavy but a decent run so happy enough with that.

Pisco Sour

10.25 miles at an easy pace this afternoon. 1 hr 31 mins 07 secs. Pleased with that. Thats the longest combination of back to back long runs I've ever done. 18 miles last weekend at PMP and now 10.25 miles a little faster than PMP. After my 16.25 miler I managed a quick 8.1 miles the following week, so happy with the improvement in mileage there.

In the last 7 days and 2 hours (cheating I know slightly over a week) I have ran 33.25 miles, so have to be happy with that.

Felt good throughout the run. From about 8-9 miles my left foot felt a tiny bit fatigued but nothing to worry about. Theres always going to be little aches here and there.

Pisco Sour

Had planned to do 6 miles tonight but had a horrendous day so my heart wasnt in it. I did go out for 3.55 miles though (in 29:22) as wanted to get a run in this evening as theres talk that snow will be arriving tomorrow. But the 3.55 miles were a bit of a chore. I'm sure everyone has had those type of days when they didnt feel in the mood for running.

Pisco Sour

14.05 Miles today at PMP, 2hrs 8mins 20secs. Happy with that. When I was first running that distance I found it quite tough, now it feels comfortable (well as comfortable as a 14 mile run can be anyway!).

October: 13.50 Miles (Started 24th October) - Longest LSR - 5.75 Miles
November: 60.70 Miles - Longest LSR - 10.05 Miles
December: 51.65 Miles - Longest LSR - 13.35 Miles
January: 48.25 Miles - Longest LSR - 16.25 Miles
February: 62.35 - Longest LSR - 18.00 Miles

Total: 236.45 Miles - Longest LSR - 18.00 Miles

On course for going over 300 miles in training which was a target of mine starting off!

Great Buzz watching that match afterwards! Brilliant stuff!

Krusty_Clown

Good running today. Well done. Did you feel like you could go on for another 12?

Pisco Sour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Good running today. Well done. Did you feel like you could go on for another 12?

Muscles ached a small bit but nothing major. Certainly was nothing that would stop me running. If I had to I could have run another 12 I feel. My 20.50 miler is in 2 weeks so that will be a big run for me. Get through that and then I know that I'm going into the marathon in a similar shape to all other beginners, i.e. with a 20 miler in the bag!

Not going to worry about time too much for the marathon. Sub 4 would be nice, but it really isnt all that important in the grand scheme of things. Run my best and whatever I get (provided I finish of course) and I'll be happy.

Pisco Sour

4.85 miles this evening in 40mins 32secs. Decent run. Really not a whole lot to say about it to be honest. Stuck for words

Pisco Sour

A comfortable 12.05 miles this afternoon at PMP in 1hr 48mins 39secs. That run takes me over 2 landmarks (these landmarks help me stay motivated). First the 400km mark was passed and then toward the end of the run the 250 mile mark for marathon training was passed.

My 20.5 miler will be next sunday.

Found another inspirational tune to add to my Marathon Day playlist. Its not a fast song, but in a 26.2 mile race they dont all have to be.

Its the official Winter Olympics song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QohH6Nz7GqM

Pisco Sour

6.45 miles in 54:02 this evening. Thats the longest nightime run I've done since starting my marathon training (hate running in the night!!).

My 20.5 miler is this Sunday. However I have a bit of a problem in the meantime. Ideally I'd like to throw in 3-4 comfortable miles on thursday just to keep things ticking over until sunday. However I have back to back work nights out for people leaving, tomorrow and thursday, both of which start straight from work. Theres a good chance I'll be absolutely hanging on friday so that could be a write-off. So that leaves just saturday morning, but I dont like running the day before a very long run.

Small problem I suppose.

theboyblunder

04072511 wrote: »

6.45 miles in 54:02 this evening. Thats the longest nightime run I've done since starting my marathon training (hate running in the night!!).

My 20.5 miler is this Sunday. However I have a bit of a problem in the meantime. Ideally I'd like to throw in 3-4 comfortable miles on thursday just to keep things ticking over until sunday. However I have back to back work nights out for people leaving, tomorrow and thursday, both of which start straight from work. Theres a good chance I'll be absolutely hanging on friday so that could be a write-off. So that leaves just saturday morning, but I dont like running the day before a very long run.

Small problem I suppose.

Im no puritan, but in my limited experience the inevitably messy 5pm trips to the pub are incompatible with late stage marathon training I would do the miles though, and 5-6 would be better IMO

Suggest either

1. not drinking the first night and getting up before work on friday (then get hammered on fri all you like).

2. run home from work on thursday - quick shower and grub and straight back in

3. suggest to your colleagues that its abit silly to have two nights one after the other (can you tell im 34 and not 24? ), just have one on the fri

4. best solution - dont get hammered at either do and do your run. It will be worth it later

ok. thats enough of that. I sound like someones da.......

best of luck with the long one!

Pisco Sour

theboyblunder wrote: »

Im no puritan, but in my limited experience the inevitably messy 5pm trips to the pub are incompatible with late stage marathon training I would do the miles though, and 5-6 would be better IMO

Suggest either

1. not drinking the first night and getting up before work on friday (then get hammered on fri all you like).

2. run home from work on thursday - quick shower and grub and straight back in

3. suggest to your colleagues that its abit silly to have two nights one after the other (can you tell im 34 and not 24? ), just have one on the fri

4. best solution - dont get hammered at either do and do your run. It will be worth it later

ok. thats enough of that. I sound like someones da.......

best of luck with the long one!

Haha, i've just seen this now. I can assure you I got absolutely hammered beyond belief the thursday night! Free drink all night!! :rolleyes: Silly me!

21.05 miles this afternoon in 3 hours 16 mins 39 secs. It was a tough run but very happy to get through it. I was a bit unprepared for the warm weather today (havent run in warm weather since that insanely hot day I did TriAthy). I only had 20 ounces of water with me as thats all my water belt holds, and it certainly wasnt enough. All my water was gone by 17.5 miles and I was struggling a little at that point. That was also the point when my legs started to hurt a good bit, but to my pleasent surprise it didnt get worse after that, and if anything I felt better at 20 and 21 miles than I did at 17.

Come marathon day I wont suffer from the same minor dehydration problems that I did today as there will be unlimited water available!

I didnt hit any wall today. Definetely encountered many fences, shrubs, hedges, but nothing made out of concrete . I'm in no doubt that I could have gone on for 5 more miles and probably come home in 4.05-4.10.

I've decided I'm not going to worry about time. I'm not going to wear a pace band as that will just add to the pressure. I'm just going to run! As Tunney rather grumpily said to me on one of my silly threads asking people to predict my triathlon time last year - "Why does it matter, the time you can do is the time that you do". Decent advice to be fair!

Pisco Sour

Forgot to add an update to my mileage now that I've completed my longest run:

Total Miles: 280.85
Total Kilometres: 451.90
Longest Run (Miles): 21.05

Today's run takes me over the 450 Km mark in marathon training. I probably should start thinking in Km's at this stage with the Marathon being in the Netherlands so I can only presume it will be measured in Km's!

misty floyd

Great post. Great attitude and a great run.

don't mean to sound patronising

Krusty_Clown

Well done. A crackin run. Hope everything stacks up for a good run in Rotterdam.

Pisco Sour

5 miles this evening in 39:49. Happy with that run only 4 days after my 21 miler. Will do a 10.25 miler on saturday before I head to Croker!

Pisco Sour

10.25 miles today at PMP in 1 hour 34 mins 27 secs. Was a good run considering its just 6 days since my 21 mile run. In the last 7 days I have run 36.3 miles which is certainly a personal best.

Today's run takes me up to 296.1 miles of training. My next run will take me over the 300 mile barrier which was a target of mine starting off.

Pisco Sour

4.6 miles today in 37mins 05secs. Slightly over 8 minute a mile pace.

That takes me over the 300 mile mark now.

Pisco Sour

3.25 miles today in 25mins 40. Slightly under 8 minute a mile pace. For these shorter runs I want to run them a minute or so faster than PMP. That way when I run at PMP it feels comfortable and easy.

Pisco Sour

8.9 miles today in 1 hour 19 minutes and 35 seconds. That run takes me over the 500km mark now!

Only 15 days to go now :eek::D

Pisco Sour

4.15 miles today at 8 minutes per mile pace in 33mins 07secs.

October: 13.50 Miles (Started 24th October) - Longest LSR - 5.75 Miles
November: 60.70 Miles - Longest LSR - 10.05 Miles
December: 51.65 Miles - Longest LSR - 13.35 Miles
January: 48.25 Miles - Longest LSR - 16.25 Miles
February: 62.35 Miles - Longest LSR - 18.00 Miles
March: 80.55 Miles - Longest LSR - 21.05 Miles

Total: 317.00 Miles - Longest LSR - 21.05 Miles

Pisco Sour

3.25 miles today at 8 mins per mile pace in 25mins 56secs. Saturday will be my last LSR run. I did 8.9 miles last weekend so about 7.25-7.50 miles will do the trick for this weekend.

Pisco Sour

7.3 miles this afternoon in 1 hour 4 mins 3 secs. The intention was to do it at PMP but I guess the horrible heavy rain caused me to run a bit faster so I could finish quicker.

So just 2 more short runs next week and then its time for the Marathon :eek:

Pisco Sour

4.55 miles in 36 mins 46 secs. Thursday will be my final run before the race on Sunday.

Krusty_Clown

Best of luck in Rotterdam. Remember, you'll only ever have one first marathon, so make sure the experience is enjoyable and memorable!

Pisco Sour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Best of luck in Rotterdam. Remember, you'll only ever have one first marathon, so make sure the experience is enjoyable and memorable!

Thanks. Hopefully it will go well. The nerves are starting to kick in now.

tisnotover

all the best at wknd, give it socks, but more importantly....enjoy it!

misty floyd

yeah enjoy the trip. Go easy dude. It can really bite you in the ass if you bite off more than you can chew. You know this. See ya in the pub!

Oisin11178

Good luck the weekend bud. Sub 4 no probs:-)