DCM 2014: Mentored Novices Thread

MKDTH

Ososlo wrote: »

epic stuff alright! What really annoys me is that I haven't heard one mention of it in the media yet today...........

Talksport mentioned it in the news on the hour at lunchtime.

Tigerandahalf

@Dub13
You are well set. What time are you hoping for?

Dub13

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

@Dub13
You are well set. What time are you hoping for?

Cheers, I hope so. I am going to go out with the 3:50 pace group and look at things again around the 20/22 mile mark.

Tigerandahalf

Dub13 wrote: »

Cheers, I hope so. I am going to go out with the 3:50 pace group and look at things again around the 20/22 mile mark.

Good stuff. I think by the time we get to 20 miles we will be just looking to hang on. Those last 6 miles will be tough. Hoping there is no bad drags or hills. Not knowing the course is a bit of a disadvantage.
I was tempted to go for 7.20 pace which would bring me inside 3.15 but feel that 7.30 pace is more realistic. Would like to arrive at 20 miles some way decent and enjoy the finish.

smashiner

Ososlo wrote: »

yeah I was gonna pretend I didn't see that;)
Everyone's just got to be really careful from now on. It'd be a shame after all these months and months of really hard training to throw your race away for the sake of doing something that's too risky at this point. Eyes on the prize folks, eyes on the prize. You might get away with racing and doing speed sessions this close to DCM if you're very experienced but most of us are relatively new to running so the best thing to do is to just focus on the plan and stick to it rigidly from now on* and not do anything extra that might jeopardise things.
*Unless you feel niggles, in which case you'd be better off dropping the odd run.

100% agree with that.......my old footie ankle flared up a bit after my lsr on Friday, going to skip a short run I had planned and hopefully will be OK for Tuesday or Wednesday then another lsr next weekend. Don't want to risk missing that start line on the 27th. A friend of mine missed his first DCHM by pushing too hard when a knee niggle blew up into serious problem (too much hill running + concrete paths= injury).
Be careful Boardies and rest if u have a serious niggle :-)
This thread is addictive!!!

smashiner

Ososlo wrote: »

yeah I was gonna pretend I didn't see that;)
Everyone's just got to be really careful from now on. It'd be a shame after all these months and months of really hard training to throw your race away for the sake of doing something that's too risky at this point. Eyes on the prize folks, eyes on the prize. You might get away with racing and doing speed sessions this close to DCM if you're very experienced but most of us are relatively new to running so the best thing to do is to just focus on the plan and stick to it rigidly from now on* and not do anything extra that might jeopardise things.
*Unless you feel niggles, in which case you'd be better off dropping the odd run.

100% agree with that.......my old footie ankle flared up a bit after my lsr on Friday, going to skip a short run I had planned and hopefully will be OK for Tuesday or Wednesday then another lsr next weekend. Don't want to risk missing that start line on the 27th. A friend of mine missed his first DCHM by pushing too hard when a knee niggle blew up into serious problem (too much hill running + concrete paths= injury).
Be careful Boardies and rest if u have a serious niggle :-)
This thread is addictive!!!

Firedance

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Step back LSRs are deadly

12 done this morning, 5 easy, 6@MP and 1 @10k pace. Good confidence
booster after last week for me.

Question time though !

I've been having issues with my back - shoulder blades area in particular after long runs. Obviously I'm running too tensely up there. Is there any recommended excercise or stretch that can be done mid run to loosen these out ?

drop your arms on the downhills and sort of shake out your shoulders, it a chi running technique, works for me

Joleigh

SoundoftheSea wrote: »

LSR of 12 miles done but I am such a twat it was suppose to be 14.

Have all the clothes sorted picked up a pair of 3/4 length tights in heatons, Karrimor.
Large pocket, fits three large gels and very light material.
Going for a massage this week and then hoping to do 22 miles next week.
Then my sister arrives from Boston the following week so we will do are last few runs together.
She is the one that got me running so doing this one together. (We walked it in 2010, my fault so need to make it up too her)
She ran to mile 23 in the Boston marathon on that dreaded day. She then automatically qualified to compete last year.
It will be the best feeling ever to cross the finish line together.

Booked hotel also.

Omg that must have been horrific for your sis. And you must have been up the walls!! What time did you walk the Dublin marathon in?

I did 20m lsr today. I was wrecked. Will post properly when not on phone.

SoundoftheSea

Joleigh wrote: »

Omg that must have been horrific for your sis. And you must have been up the walls!! What time did you walk the Dublin marathon in?

I did 20m lsr today. I was wrecked. Will post properly when not on phone.

Well done on the 20 miles Joleigh. I wont feel ready and able for DCM until I have one done so dreading and excited for next Sats LSR.

Yes it was a very long hour of not knowing but nothing in comparison.


Looking forward to your post to help me next week.

SoundoftheSea

Oh and it took 7 hours to walk and I lost two toe nails. Can't remember the course that well as it was 4 years ago and ended in a bit of a blur.

skittles11

[quote=
Everyone's just got to be really careful from now on. It'd be a shame after all these months and months of really hard training to throw your race away for the sake of doing something that's too risky at this point. Eyes on the prize folks, eyes on the prize. You might get away with racing and doing speed sessions this close to DCM if you're very experienced but most of us are relatively new to running so the best thing to do is to just focus on the plan and stick to it rigidly from now on* and not do anything extra that might jeopardise things.
*Unless you feel niggles, in which case you'd be better off dropping the odd run.[/quote]

[quote="Ososlo;
Everyone's just got to be really careful from now on. It'd be a shame after all these months and months of really hard training to throw your race away for the sake of doing something that's too risky at this point. Eyes on the prize folks, eyes on the prize. You might get away with racing and doing speed sessions this close to DCM if you're very experienced but most of us are relatively new to running so the best thing to do is to just focus on the plan and stick to it rigidly from now on* and not do anything extra that might jeopardise things.
*Unless you feel niggles, in which case you'd be better off dropping the odd run.[/quote]

Very good point, this time 2 years ago I was all trained up feeling fit and strong for the DCM and decided to replace one of my midweek runs with an after work mountain bike spin. Bad decision! Broke my shoulder! 6 weeks out of work sucked but missing the marathon really pissed me off.

Last year I pushed myself far too hard in the lead up to DCM which led to a stress fracture in my foot that only presented itself in the half and didn't recover in time. 2 years in a row I missed my opportunity to run my first marathon due to very avoidable injury.

This year I pretty much gave up mountain biking and really applied myself to running and training properly and safely and it's paid off no end, I've broken all my PB's in all my distances and by minutes not seconds!

So, ventured into unfamiliar territory today and did my first 20 mile LSR (longest run ever). Went really well, even threw some trail into it in the form of Bray Head Cliff walk. Felt pretty comfortable all the way and did it in 9:10/mile average.

Last weeks half marathon went really well for me and I finished in 1.38.47. Following your earlier advice I doubled this and added 12 mins which puts me under the 3.30 mark! To me that sounds crazy! What I mean is, the last 2 years I was hoping for sub 4 hours and not feeling too confidant about it. Maybe it's down to self belief (or lack of) but the idea of 3.30 sounds unachievable to me.havnt decided whether or not to go for it.

Sorry for ranting on but it's been a while since I posted and could do with some advice.

Tigerandahalf

@skittles
Just to give you some perspective.
Yaboya ran the Berlin marathon today. He has a half pb of 1.20. Double that and add 12 and you have 2.52 marathon. Yaboya has ran 3 or 4 marathons and has trained really well. He ran 2.59 today. So be careful with the add 12 minutes. For a first marathon I am thinking double and add 20 minutes. For me that gives 3.20 marathon which I hope is achievable.

Joleigh

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

@skittles
Just to give you some perspective.
Yaboya ran the Berlin marathon today. He has a half pb of 1.20. Double that and add 12 and you have 2.52 marathon. Yaboya has ran 3 or 4 marathons and has trained really well. He ran 2.59 today. So be careful with the add 12 minutes. For a first marathon I am thinking double and add 20 minutes. For me that gives 3.20 marathon which I hope is achievable.

Great running all the same, go on Yaboya!!

I always thought it was double and add 20. Plus possible nature break.

skittles11

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Just to give you some perspective.
Yaboya ran the Berlin marathon today. He has a half pb of 1.20. Double that and add 12 and you have 2.52 marathon. Yaboya has ran 3 or 4 marathons and has trained really well. He ran 2.59 today. So be careful with the add 12 minutes. For a first marathon I am thinking double and add 20 minutes. For me that gives 3.20 marathon which I hope is achievable.

Yeah, a 3.40 sounds better alright! It's just the idea of a 3.30 that's tempting me. Maybe I'll go out with 3.40 pacers and see how I feel around the half way point or even 20 miles in. Cheers and best of luck with the 3.20.

ciaranmac

30 km / 18.7 miles LSR done today in 3:42. I'd planned to do 36km nice and slow but I was late starting so knew I'd be cutting it short. Felt good though, exorcising the ghosts of last week's unintentional step back. For some reason every time I checked my pace I was going a smidgin faster than intended, I'd slow down and then the pace would creep up again. I had 3 hill climbs towards the end and they took a lot out of me but I still closed it out just a few minutes slower than PMP (aiming for 5:00 which looks doable). No chafing and no niggles really apart from general achiness. I should probably go a bit slower in Athlone though - eyes on the prize right Ososlo :rolleyes:

Ososlo

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

@skittles
Just to give you some perspective.
Yaboya ran the Berlin marathon today. He has a half pb of 1.20. Double that and add 12 and you have 2.52 marathon. Yaboya has ran 3 or 4 marathons and has trained really well. He ran 2.59 today. So be careful with the add 12 minutes. For a first marathon I am thinking double and add 20 minutes. For me that gives 3.20 marathon which I hope is achievable.

Joleigh wrote: »

Great running all the same, go on Yaboya!!

I always thought it was double and add 20. Plus possible nature break.

Yep plus 20 mins sounds much more sensible. We did have some novices last year who would have done double plus less than 20mins but to be on the safe side, on average 20 sounds right and anyone feeling good at 18/20 miles can push on for home at a faster pace at that point.

Ososlo

ciaranmac wrote: »

30 km / 18.7 miles LSR done today in 3:42. I'd planned to do 36km nice and slow but I was late starting so knew I'd be cutting it short. Felt good though, exorcising the ghosts of last week's unintentional step back. For some reason every time I checked my pace I was going a smidgin faster than intended, I'd slow down and then the pace would creep up again. I had 3 hill climbs towards the end and they took a lot out of me but I still closed it out just a few minutes slower than PMP (aiming for 5:00 which looks doable). No chafing and no niggles really apart from general achiness. I should probably go a bit slower in Athlone though - eyes on the prize right Ososlo :rolleyes:

Absolutely, ciaranmac . Nice training there. Good luck with Athlone! Will you run it (or some of it) at pmp or lsr pace?

AuldManKing

some fantastic running this weekend, great to read all the exploits.

Be careful in the coming 2 weeks.

Its at that stage where pre taper madness sets in, where some people feel that they haven't done enough and want to cram before the 'official' taper sets in. Cramming is useless.
Follow your plan - as I said very early on - its all about getting to the startline.

I'm meant to be pacing DCM, but here I sit injured, not really following my own advice - I'm confident I can make it, but that's just luck.

For you folk - be very careful, don't do anything stupid in the coming 2 weeks - stick to the plan you are on and DONT do that run you read about or seen someone do recently or try to catch up on the week you missed.

There'll be plenty of madness during your taper (you'll feel very tired, sluggish, google will be your best/worst friend, every pain will be a stress fracture) - so dont let the next week or so be a struggle for you. Follow the plan you are on and not someone else's plan.
Said it before and I'll say it again - I dont know how Ososlo keeps up with everything.....sainthood material!

Stazza

Dublin needs a Statue of St Ososlo - just near the start line so men can go pee on her without being seen by thousands of runners

Ososlo

Stazza wrote: »

Dublin needs a Statue of St Ososlo - just near the start line so men can go pee on her without being seen by thousands of runners

I think it should just be for the ladies :P

ciaranmac

Ososlo wrote: »

Absolutely, ciaranmac . Nice training there. Good luck with Athlone! Will you run it (or some of it) at pmp or lsr pace?

I've been grappling with this dilemma but I think I'll play it safe. It's tempting but there's nothing to gain and everything to lose by going too fast. I'll treat it like a LSR in a race environment.

Alan30

I was planning on following the 4hr marathon paces in Athlone next week but I see on their website that these will be running at 9:40 min/miles. The pacers running at LSR pace. Probably sensible at this stage of the training not to be running at 9:00 min/miles.

Ososlo

ciaranmac wrote: »

I've been grappling with this dilemma but I think I'll play it safe. It's tempting but there's nothing to gain and everything to lose by going too fast. I'll treat it like a LSR in a race environment.

I don't really know anything about the race or how people normally run it but there's a thread on it here if you haven't seen it already.
If you do it as a lsr, you could run a few pmp miles (4?) towards the end perhaps.

menoscemo

Ososlo wrote: »

I don't really know anything about the race or how people normally run it but there's a thread on it here if you haven't seen it already.
If you do it as a lsr, you could run a few pmp miles (4?) towards the end perhaps.

don't even try it on the last 2 miles!! it's like alp d'huez

Ososlo

menoscemo wrote: »

don't even try it on the last 2 miles!! it's like alp d'huez

ha ha fair enough! Are you pacing for it?

menoscemo

Ososlo wrote: »

ha ha fair enough! Are you pacing for it?

Yeah myself and AMK are doing a dry run for DCM and pacing the '3:30' group at 8.25 pace ( which is almost exactly our 3:40 pace for Dublin).

laura_ac3

Thanks AMK for a well timed post. Feel like I'm having a weekend of madness myself. Considered trying to cram in that run I missed from last week into this week - an inner voice of reason convinced me not to and to stick with my plan. As I read somewhere around these parts recently - little to gain, alot to lose at this stage.

Last week didn't go as well as I would have liked. But I had a spare week all along that I hadn't used yet so will chalk it down as that. I've only missed about 3 runs all along so it wasn't a bad week for an extra week I suppose. Just a bit disappointed that I struggled so much at the end of the lsr and worried about these hip niggles. Bit of a confidence knocker just at this stage. Hopefully this week will go ok and then trust in the training and the benefits of taper!

Ososlo

Has everyone entered at this stage? Only a few days to go! Don't forget!!

adrian522

Dub13 wrote: »

After the half last week the plan was to take it easy this week and not do any tempo/speed work till Thursday or Friday. As I was in Liverpool yesterday I moved my rest day to yesterday as it suited plus I am back over in Liverpool next week so need to have 2 rest days on Saturday's.

Slow runs up till Thursday and while out on that run I just did not feel like the next day the legs would have speed work in them, so I decided to listen to my body and bin my planned speed session on Friday. Then the more I taught about it I was thinking its a few months since I had 2 rest days in a row and I think this would be better for me than a run of the mill 6/8 extra slow miles on Friday.

I think this shows I have 'matured' a bit plan wise, as even at the start of this plan I would have been a slave to the plan and done it to the letter. With the last run been lunchtime on Thursday and todays run at lunchtime today it actually worked out as 72 hours rest, with next week been peek mileage week for me this will hopefully help big time. I still managed a 53 mile week with 2 rest days so not so bad.

So just in a while from my 6th 20 mile LSR, next week is 22 mile LSR then the taper...:):):)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/601043734

I wouldn't be too sure on doing another 22 miles this weekend. We're following the same plan and that has a 16 mile run for this week I believe. I'm going to push it to 18 but leave it at that.

In terms of long runs I think you are well set but I'd be heeding the advice of AMK above at this stage.

Reesy

Ososlo wrote: »

Did you decide to race that half or take it easy and treat it more like a long slow run (it being so close to the main event?)

Hi, I'm going to take it fairly easy, but if I feel good near the end & it looks like I have a PB in sight I might go for it.

Given that I set my half marathon PB on the hilly Wicklow Jail Break course, it might be possible - but if not, I can save my half marathon efforts for Clontarf. TBH the big challenge will be to not get caught up in the moment with all the runners & crowds...