I will be writing a separate blog to review the Milton Keynes Marathon and my experience on the day. First though, I wanted to look back on how I prepared and trained for the race.
One of the reasons for choosing the Milton Keynes Marathon, was the timing. Because it is one of the later Spring marathons, I thought that starting my training at the end of January would make things a bit easier. Little did I know.....
Everyone in the UK knows what a long winter we've had and the combination of the cold and the snow/ice but primarily for me, the strong winds, have made it particularly tough going. I can honestly say that training for this marathon has been, by far, the toughest training block I have completed for any race.
One of the elements I wanted to build into this training block was the inclusion of more 'race paced' efforts, both as a part of my shorter runs and during my longer runs. I also wanted to add one more run per week (taking me from 4 to 5) with a view to adding more miles. I had trained on a '2 week hard, 1 week easy' cycle, which served me well for Brighton (in 2012), so I decided to stick to this.
I had already built a good base, largely thanks to the Strava #basemileblast challenge. I started well, adding a 4 mile recovery run on a Monday morning as my 5th session. I also built my long runs well from 12 to 18 miles, over the course of the first 5 weeks and was coping well with the marathon paced sections. During this phase, I also ran the Belvoir Challenge, which although not fast was good for endurance and provided some good hill training.
I had planned to run the MK Half Marathon but managed to get the date wrong, so had to drop a 20 miler which I had planned for the same day. I decided (at the last minute) to run the MK Half hard and despite strong winds and blizzards, managed to get a PB (1:35:56). Looking back, this was probably my best session of the whole 14 week training block.
Around this time, the wind really started picking up, making any faster sessions or long runs really quite unpleasant. One of my key sessions during training is a long tempo run of 2 x 6 miles (inc 5 min recovery). In the past, this has been a good barometer of my fitness. I remember running this session at the end of quite a tough training week and tired legs, combined by the wind, meant that I wasn't able to hold the pace in the second half. It was a big dent to my confidence. As my Sunday long runs increased in length, I was finding it increasingly difficult to get up on a Monday morning for my recovery run. I decided that the rest was of more benefit that a slow 4 miler, so I dropped the session.
About 4 weeks out from race day, I realised that I had made another mistake with dates (I really must learn to read a calendar!). Because the MK Marathon was on a Monday, I thought I had one more week of training than I did. If I stuck to the plan, it would mean me having to run a 24 mile run (inc last 5 at MP) just 2 weeks out from the race. I had no choice but to drop the session. My last long run would now be 3 weeks out, a 23 miler (with a planned last 5 at MP). Other than the tempo session I mentioned above, this was the other real low point of my training. Again the wind took its toll on me, so much so, I even had to walk parts of the last few miles. Again, I felt it was another key session that I hadn't 'nailed' and I was really beginning to feel that I hadn't done enough.
Having felt really sluggish during my last taper, I had already decided I would reduce the volume but try to keep a bit more intensity (through some MP efforts and some easier intervals). I also decided (at the last minute) to run my last long-ish run at race pace. This was no doubt a last ditch attempt to try and squeeze a bit more out of the last few weeks of training. I managed to hold the pace (8:00m/m) for those 12 miles but it felt tougher than it should have done. Although I felt better than during previous tapers, it was clear that, one week out from race day, my legs didn't feel a fresh as they should. The final nail in the coffin, was running a faster than tempo paced parkrun just 2 days before race day (I know!).
Setting the conditions aside for a moment, I think missing 2 long runs (of 20 and 24 miles), combined with a taper that was too intense meant that I was not set up as well as I could be for race day. I always tend to get to a stage in training where 'I just want to get the training done' but this seemed to happen much earlier in this training cycle. I became very frustrated, particularly with my longer runs and quite bored of some of the sessions and routes. This tells me, it is time to freshen things up.
Listening to Marathon Talk recently, Tom and Martin spoke about assessing your training and making a list of 5 things that went well and 5 things that you could improve upon. Here are mine:
5 things that went well:
1) I was able to up my training volume and stay injury free
2) I stuck to my stretching/physio exercises and improved my flexibility and strength
3) I got a half marathon PB
4) It got me through my 4th marathon (3rd under 4hrs)
5) I met some great people along the way
5 things to improve on:
1) I need to pay more attention to dates!
2) I perhaps need to reassess my race day goals if training doesn't go to plan
3) I need to trust in the taper!
4) I need to freshen up my training
5) I need to take nutrition more seriously
Showing posts with label Milton Keynes Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Milton Keynes Marathon. Show all posts
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Monday, 11 March 2013
Race Review - Milton Keynes Half Marathon 2013
Pros: Relatively quick course, good organisation, plenty of toilets at start/finish, plenty of parking, the ability to shelter in the Xscape centre.
Cons: Not particularly scenic, some traffic on course, killer hill in the last mile, no goody-bag.
This was my first time running the Milton Half Marathon. It is part of the Milton Keynes Festival of running, which also includes a 5k and 10k race (which started slightly earlier).
We were able to get parked very close to the start/finish area at the Xscape centre and lucked upon a multi-storey which happened to be free. It was absolutely freezing when we arrived at 9:30am. The car was showing 1c but I reckon it was about -7c with the wind chill! We were able to shelter in the Xscape centre and even managed to get a seat in the Costa Coffee there. With about 20 mins to go, we headed out to use the loos and head to the start line. I think this was the first race I have attended, where there were no queues for the toilets (perhaps everyone was just sheltering inside and using the facilities inside!) The start was well signposted and we got away on time.
I read that they had introduced a wave start (splitting sub 2 hours and over 2 hours, I believe) and this seemed to work well. In fact the first 2 miles were very quick. This is where I need to apologise to #TeamColwick. I had planned to run this race as a pacing exercise for the Milton Keynes Marathon (on 6th May). I had put down 1:44:45 for my #Marchvellous prediction and was planning to tap out metronomic 8 minute miles throughout. A combination of those first couple of miles being downhill and the fact I was keen to keep warm and just get the race done, made me change my race plan and try for a PB. This did mean that my Marchvellous score was going to get blown out of the water though (sorry Helen et al!) My current PB was 1:37:04, gained at the Worksop Half last October. I didn't particularly feel in PB shape going into the race but felt pretty good on day and just wanted to get back into the warm!
The race is run on roads and cycleways. Following the first couple of miles, there were some small undulations as you passed under the many underpasses but otherwise it was pretty flat. We passed through some bland housing estates but also through some nice parks and around Willen Lake. Support was sparse, which is unsurprising, given the conditions. In fact, the only real surprise was that people were out to cheer us on at all! Thanks to all those supporting and to the marshalls on the day, who were in good voice and very supportive.
Asked afterwards what I thought of the route, I struggled to describe it and a day on, I am still struggling for words. Some bits were quite interesting but some were pretty uninspiring. I suspect it could look very different without the blizzards though!
The early parts of the route were shared with those runners (and walkers) doing the 5k and 10k races. There was some passing required, some of which was a bit tight on some of the cycleways but overall the integration of the 3 races worked well. The race was well signposted and there were plenty of water stations. The race did cover some side roads which were not closed to traffic. There were marshalls at some points controlling the traffic but not at others, where cars were idling and waiting for the runners to pass. I didn't see any problems as a result but I thought there was potential if a driver became frustrated at waiting.
I had felt good for the majority of the race but in the final couple of miles I started to tire and the cold started to get to me. I had been warned about the killer hill at the end and I really had to steel myself to try to stay on target for a PB. Looking at my mile splits today, I didn't actually slow as much as I thought. My actual mile pace for mile 13 was 7:37 but my GAP (Gradient Adjusted Pace) was 6:58, the quickest mile of the race. No wonder my glutes are hurting today!
Although I started out planning to run at 8 m/m my 'goal creep' had led me to believe that sub 1:35 might have been on the cards but that final hill put paid to that. Still, I finished in 1:35:56, which was an unexpected PB in tough conditions.
The organisation on finishing was good. The finish funnel worked well. I was passed a medal and grabbed a sports drink and a foil blanket, which was most welcome as I had finished 10 mins earlier than I told my wife and had to pace around shivering until she arrived with my change of clothes! The lack of a goody bag was slightly disappointing and I could have done with a Mars bar (or similar) at that point.
Reflecting on the race, I think the decision to run it hard was more beneficial than my original plan. I still had to watch my pace closely and holding it was a real challenge towards the end. It also showed me that I have built a good level of endurance on my longer runs and a bit more speed than I realised. I am also hoping that it will make the 8 minute miles feel a bit slower now!
Now, I've just got to apologise to my Team Colwick chums for screwing up my Marchvellous predictions!
Cons: Not particularly scenic, some traffic on course, killer hill in the last mile, no goody-bag.
This was my first time running the Milton Half Marathon. It is part of the Milton Keynes Festival of running, which also includes a 5k and 10k race (which started slightly earlier).
We were able to get parked very close to the start/finish area at the Xscape centre and lucked upon a multi-storey which happened to be free. It was absolutely freezing when we arrived at 9:30am. The car was showing 1c but I reckon it was about -7c with the wind chill! We were able to shelter in the Xscape centre and even managed to get a seat in the Costa Coffee there. With about 20 mins to go, we headed out to use the loos and head to the start line. I think this was the first race I have attended, where there were no queues for the toilets (perhaps everyone was just sheltering inside and using the facilities inside!) The start was well signposted and we got away on time.
.JPG) |
| Runners huddling in the Xscape Centre pre-race |
I read that they had introduced a wave start (splitting sub 2 hours and over 2 hours, I believe) and this seemed to work well. In fact the first 2 miles were very quick. This is where I need to apologise to #TeamColwick. I had planned to run this race as a pacing exercise for the Milton Keynes Marathon (on 6th May). I had put down 1:44:45 for my #Marchvellous prediction and was planning to tap out metronomic 8 minute miles throughout. A combination of those first couple of miles being downhill and the fact I was keen to keep warm and just get the race done, made me change my race plan and try for a PB. This did mean that my Marchvellous score was going to get blown out of the water though (sorry Helen et al!) My current PB was 1:37:04, gained at the Worksop Half last October. I didn't particularly feel in PB shape going into the race but felt pretty good on day and just wanted to get back into the warm!
The race is run on roads and cycleways. Following the first couple of miles, there were some small undulations as you passed under the many underpasses but otherwise it was pretty flat. We passed through some bland housing estates but also through some nice parks and around Willen Lake. Support was sparse, which is unsurprising, given the conditions. In fact, the only real surprise was that people were out to cheer us on at all! Thanks to all those supporting and to the marshalls on the day, who were in good voice and very supportive.
Asked afterwards what I thought of the route, I struggled to describe it and a day on, I am still struggling for words. Some bits were quite interesting but some were pretty uninspiring. I suspect it could look very different without the blizzards though!
The early parts of the route were shared with those runners (and walkers) doing the 5k and 10k races. There was some passing required, some of which was a bit tight on some of the cycleways but overall the integration of the 3 races worked well. The race was well signposted and there were plenty of water stations. The race did cover some side roads which were not closed to traffic. There were marshalls at some points controlling the traffic but not at others, where cars were idling and waiting for the runners to pass. I didn't see any problems as a result but I thought there was potential if a driver became frustrated at waiting.
I had felt good for the majority of the race but in the final couple of miles I started to tire and the cold started to get to me. I had been warned about the killer hill at the end and I really had to steel myself to try to stay on target for a PB. Looking at my mile splits today, I didn't actually slow as much as I thought. My actual mile pace for mile 13 was 7:37 but my GAP (Gradient Adjusted Pace) was 6:58, the quickest mile of the race. No wonder my glutes are hurting today!
Although I started out planning to run at 8 m/m my 'goal creep' had led me to believe that sub 1:35 might have been on the cards but that final hill put paid to that. Still, I finished in 1:35:56, which was an unexpected PB in tough conditions.
The organisation on finishing was good. The finish funnel worked well. I was passed a medal and grabbed a sports drink and a foil blanket, which was most welcome as I had finished 10 mins earlier than I told my wife and had to pace around shivering until she arrived with my change of clothes! The lack of a goody bag was slightly disappointing and I could have done with a Mars bar (or similar) at that point.
Reflecting on the race, I think the decision to run it hard was more beneficial than my original plan. I still had to watch my pace closely and holding it was a real challenge towards the end. It also showed me that I have built a good level of endurance on my longer runs and a bit more speed than I realised. I am also hoping that it will make the 8 minute miles feel a bit slower now!
Now, I've just got to apologise to my Team Colwick chums for screwing up my Marchvellous predictions!
Monday, 25 February 2013
Race review: Belvoir Challenge 23rd February 2013
Do you like running? Do you like cake? Then read on.........
The Belvoir Challenge is unlike any race I have participated in. If you are looking to try and get a new PB, this is probably not the race for you but if you are looking for a well organised, fun and friendly race, which offers a challenging an picturesque route and lot's of yummy home-made cake, the Belvoir Challenge is well worth a look.
The Belvoir Challenge starts and finishes in the village of Harby, in the Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire. It offers two routes of 15 and 26 miles, both of which are mainly off-road and involve a fair bit of elevation. Hence why it's not really a PB course.
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I opted for the 15 mile race, as I was using it as one of my training runs for the Milton Keynes Marathon. I had also planned to 'race' at a fairly easy pace and hopefully in a group including +Mike Wells (@mike30), @ainsia and @Beastipuss, among others and I was looking forward to a social run, which I was told, would feature home-made cake at the 2 check points.
On arrival to the village hall in Harby, I knew this was going to be a special race. They had a full BBQ on the go and this was at 8am! Everyone was very friendly and sign in was easy as they had plenty of volunteers and separate queues for different groups of surnames. There was no chip timing or race number to pin on, just a small laminated tag (which I tied on to my gel belt) and a map of the route. There were the inevitable queues for the loo but I can't really see how they could have crammed more portaloos in to the start area.
The race got off on time but (having queued for the loo) I don't think I have been so cold before the start of a race. The start of the race was slow but this was down to the tight nature of the village streets and, to be fair, we were toward the back with those walking the course. The first 4 miles were uphill and we settled into a good group, having fun negotiating the styles (well, apart from Mike and Kieron who decided to leap over one of the iron fences into a load of mud!). I had been promised that this race would deliver plenty of mud, plenty of hills and plenty of cake and it did not disappoint!
At about 5 miles we came across a sheep that was lying on it's side and appeared to be heavily pregnant. Despite one member of our group suggesting he could go "all creatures great and small", we decided that alerting a marshall was probably the best course of action.
At about 6.5 miles we came into the pretty village of Eaton, and our first checkpoint. They had set up the village hall and there were loads of volunteers on-hand to serve hot tea and coffee, as well as fruit cordials, Mars bars and all manner of home-made cake! We spent about 10 mins at the rest stop and allowed some of the other member of our group to catch up. Well it was an excuse to eat a bit more cake!
.JPG)
Is there such a thing as too much cake?!
Getting going and leaving the relative warmth of the village hall was quite tough but once we were moving again it was fine. The section between 8 and 10 miles involved another ascent to the highest point on the course (about 560ft) but thankfully there was another checkpoint on about 10 miles. Although this one was outside, it offered even more cake than the one before! If I had a rucksack with me, I think the temptation to stuff it full of cake and chocolate might have been too much!
The final section involved a really enjoyable descent and took in some more pretty villages, including Stathern. Although, in my view, taking the route so close to the Red Lion was a mistake. I was extremely tempted to pop in and have a quick half by the fire!
.JPG)
By this stage, I was in a small group with Ains and James and we were able to pick up our pace in the final few miles. James was having to dig deep and given he is not yet 16, did really well to keep the pace. Ains seemed to have got stronger following our rapid descent (maybe it was the pigeon feet?!) . We were passing a lot of other runners at this point and only really had to slow down to negotiate a huge muddy puddle in a farmers field. Well, when I say negotiate, we actually just ran straight through the middle of it! In fact, given all the mud we encountered, it was a miracle I got to about 13 miles before my feet got wet.
We were all feeling the miles by the end and we had helped to get each other through to this point but hey, this was still a race. We all managed to find some extra energy and had a good sprint for the line. I think on another day, James would have definitely taken me down.
Now, that's just showing off!
At the end of the race you get to retire to the warmth of the village hall, where there are more volunteers on hand to serve you hot food and, yes you guessed it, even more cake! There was also a rather nice personalised certificate.
So, if you want a fun, friendly and well organised off road race, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Belvoir challenge. Oh, did I mention they had cake?
The Belvoir Challenge is unlike any race I have participated in. If you are looking to try and get a new PB, this is probably not the race for you but if you are looking for a well organised, fun and friendly race, which offers a challenging an picturesque route and lot's of yummy home-made cake, the Belvoir Challenge is well worth a look.
The Belvoir Challenge starts and finishes in the village of Harby, in the Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire. It offers two routes of 15 and 26 miles, both of which are mainly off-road and involve a fair bit of elevation. Hence why it's not really a PB course.
A great day out
On arrival to the village hall in Harby, I knew this was going to be a special race. They had a full BBQ on the go and this was at 8am! Everyone was very friendly and sign in was easy as they had plenty of volunteers and separate queues for different groups of surnames. There was no chip timing or race number to pin on, just a small laminated tag (which I tied on to my gel belt) and a map of the route. There were the inevitable queues for the loo but I can't really see how they could have crammed more portaloos in to the start area.
The race got off on time but (having queued for the loo) I don't think I have been so cold before the start of a race. The start of the race was slow but this was down to the tight nature of the village streets and, to be fair, we were toward the back with those walking the course. The first 4 miles were uphill and we settled into a good group, having fun negotiating the styles (well, apart from Mike and Kieron who decided to leap over one of the iron fences into a load of mud!). I had been promised that this race would deliver plenty of mud, plenty of hills and plenty of cake and it did not disappoint!
At about 5 miles we came across a sheep that was lying on it's side and appeared to be heavily pregnant. Despite one member of our group suggesting he could go "all creatures great and small", we decided that alerting a marshall was probably the best course of action.
At about 6.5 miles we came into the pretty village of Eaton, and our first checkpoint. They had set up the village hall and there were loads of volunteers on-hand to serve hot tea and coffee, as well as fruit cordials, Mars bars and all manner of home-made cake! We spent about 10 mins at the rest stop and allowed some of the other member of our group to catch up. Well it was an excuse to eat a bit more cake!
Getting going and leaving the relative warmth of the village hall was quite tough but once we were moving again it was fine. The section between 8 and 10 miles involved another ascent to the highest point on the course (about 560ft) but thankfully there was another checkpoint on about 10 miles. Although this one was outside, it offered even more cake than the one before! If I had a rucksack with me, I think the temptation to stuff it full of cake and chocolate might have been too much!
The final section involved a really enjoyable descent and took in some more pretty villages, including Stathern. Although, in my view, taking the route so close to the Red Lion was a mistake. I was extremely tempted to pop in and have a quick half by the fire!
By this stage, I was in a small group with Ains and James and we were able to pick up our pace in the final few miles. James was having to dig deep and given he is not yet 16, did really well to keep the pace. Ains seemed to have got stronger following our rapid descent (maybe it was the pigeon feet?!) . We were passing a lot of other runners at this point and only really had to slow down to negotiate a huge muddy puddle in a farmers field. Well, when I say negotiate, we actually just ran straight through the middle of it! In fact, given all the mud we encountered, it was a miracle I got to about 13 miles before my feet got wet.We were all feeling the miles by the end and we had helped to get each other through to this point but hey, this was still a race. We all managed to find some extra energy and had a good sprint for the line. I think on another day, James would have definitely taken me down.
Now, that's just showing off!
At the end of the race you get to retire to the warmth of the village hall, where there are more volunteers on hand to serve you hot food and, yes you guessed it, even more cake! There was also a rather nice personalised certificate.
So, if you want a fun, friendly and well organised off road race, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Belvoir challenge. Oh, did I mention they had cake?
Friday, 15 February 2013
Training talk: Putting Yasso 800's to the test
I am using Yasso 800's as one of my key speed sessions as I train for the Milton Keynes Marathon.
For those not familiar with this session, you run 800 metre reps and use the same amount of time it takes you to run the sprint rep for your recovery (e.g 3:30 mins / 3:30 mins). You start (as I did this morning) by running 4 times 800m and build up to running 10 times 800m. The key to this session (as with all intervals) is to try to hit the same times for all of your 10 reps, although by the time you reach 8, 9 and 10 they are going to be pretty tough!
This session was developed the the legendary runner Bart Yasso. The reason this session is popular with marathon runners is that Bart claims that the time that you can hold for 10 x 800m reps, should indicate what you are capable of running for the marathon. This is a theory that has been put in to practice for many years, with many accomplished marathon runners.
I am going to put the Yasso 800s to the test during my marathon training. At the moment, I am running about 3 mins 30 secs for my 800m reps. My splits this morning were: 3:30 (6:57/m), 3:26(6:55/m), 3:27(6:52/m), 3:28(6:48/m).
Now, given that I am hoping to run sub 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes. I am hoping to put Bart's session to the test and see if it can help me beg a 15 min marathon PB.
If you are interested in learning more about Bart Yasso and the Yasso 800s, you can read about them here.
I will keep you updated as my training plan unfolds but in the meantime, I would be interested in your experience of the Yasso 800s. Are you doing/have you done this session? Have you found it to be a good indicator of your marathon time?
UPDATE:
Bart took the time to read my blog entry and sent me a reply on Twitter!:
For those not familiar with this session, you run 800 metre reps and use the same amount of time it takes you to run the sprint rep for your recovery (e.g 3:30 mins / 3:30 mins). You start (as I did this morning) by running 4 times 800m and build up to running 10 times 800m. The key to this session (as with all intervals) is to try to hit the same times for all of your 10 reps, although by the time you reach 8, 9 and 10 they are going to be pretty tough!
This session was developed the the legendary runner Bart Yasso. The reason this session is popular with marathon runners is that Bart claims that the time that you can hold for 10 x 800m reps, should indicate what you are capable of running for the marathon. This is a theory that has been put in to practice for many years, with many accomplished marathon runners.
I am going to put the Yasso 800s to the test during my marathon training. At the moment, I am running about 3 mins 30 secs for my 800m reps. My splits this morning were: 3:30 (6:57/m), 3:26(6:55/m), 3:27(6:52/m), 3:28(6:48/m).
Now, given that I am hoping to run sub 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes. I am hoping to put Bart's session to the test and see if it can help me beg a 15 min marathon PB.
 |
| Wow! I feel like Bart Yasso....Wait, that is Bart Yasso! |
If you are interested in learning more about Bart Yasso and the Yasso 800s, you can read about them here.
I will keep you updated as my training plan unfolds but in the meantime, I would be interested in your experience of the Yasso 800s. Are you doing/have you done this session? Have you found it to be a good indicator of your marathon time?
UPDATE:
Bart took the time to read my blog entry and sent me a reply on Twitter!:
@runrforlife Congrats , love the pic.The reward is living the lifestyle and embracing the journey.
1:01pm · 15 Feb 13 · web
UPDATE (19/4/2013):
I have now completed my full session of Yasso 800s and built up to running 10 reps, all of which I completed in under 3 mins 30 secs. In fact my average pace for the 10 reps today was 6:54m/m, which I was really please with.
So, if Bart's theory is correct, I should be in good shape to hit my target time of sub 3 hrs 30 mins at the Milton Keynes marathon. I will report back after race day on 6th May!
UPDATE (19/4/2013):
I have now completed my full session of Yasso 800s and built up to running 10 reps, all of which I completed in under 3 mins 30 secs. In fact my average pace for the 10 reps today was 6:54m/m, which I was really please with.
So, if Bart's theory is correct, I should be in good shape to hit my target time of sub 3 hrs 30 mins at the Milton Keynes marathon. I will report back after race day on 6th May!
Monday, 11 February 2013
Is this harder than I remember?
I am now into the 3rd week of my 14 week training schedule for the Milton Keynes marathon and do you know what? I feel absolutely knackered!
The last time I trained for a marathon was a year ago, when I was in training for the Brighton Marathon and I really don't remember it feeling this hard. Particularly this early on in my training. Now, I'm not sure if I just remember it as being easier or if the fact I am pushing for a quicker time (sub 3:30) just means that I am having to push myself to go that much harder?
Thinking about it logically, my first three marathons were run at a pace closer to what I would deem to be a much more comfortable pace. VLM and The Robin Hood Marathon were both run at 9:00 m/m and Brighton at 8:30 m/m. I would say that my 'natural' easy pace is around 8:30 to 8:45 m/m. In order to go under 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes, I will need to be running at 8:00 m/m for 26.2 miles. Something which still scares me!
I know it's really early days and I even blogged recently about it getting harder before it gets easier but my I found my 14 mile long run this weekend really tough. I switched my LR day to Saturday (as I was due to be going to a party Saturday night and wanted to avoid a #hangoverrun). This meant I wasn't as well recovered, from having run 8 x 400m at 5k pace on Friday. The conditions were quite tough and wearing shorts probably wasn't the best move. I ended up getting really cold and it took me ages to warm up afterwards. I also didn't deal with my post-run fuelling very well, so ended up feeling pretty grotty afterwards! The session itself went well though. I did just under 15 miles with the last 5 at marathon pace and took in the sights of Nottingham Uni and Wollaton Hall as part of the 'old' Robin Hood Half course. It is quite a challenging/hilly route but one I enjoy for the sights.
I ended up falling asleep on Saturday afternoon (something I rarely do) and rested completely yesterday, apart from some stretching and foam rolling. This morning I went for a 4.5 mile recovery run but my legs still feel pretty battered and I feel like I could sleep for a day!
I have stepped up to running 5 times a week (from 4 times) and this is the only thing I can really point to as being different from how I have trained in the past. I would be really interested in hearing from people who have been/or or are currently at a similar stage in their marathon training. Is this something I should expect as part of the extra training load and increased pace of the MP efforts?
Thanks!
The last time I trained for a marathon was a year ago, when I was in training for the Brighton Marathon and I really don't remember it feeling this hard. Particularly this early on in my training. Now, I'm not sure if I just remember it as being easier or if the fact I am pushing for a quicker time (sub 3:30) just means that I am having to push myself to go that much harder?
Thinking about it logically, my first three marathons were run at a pace closer to what I would deem to be a much more comfortable pace. VLM and The Robin Hood Marathon were both run at 9:00 m/m and Brighton at 8:30 m/m. I would say that my 'natural' easy pace is around 8:30 to 8:45 m/m. In order to go under 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes, I will need to be running at 8:00 m/m for 26.2 miles. Something which still scares me!
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| The University of Nottingham |
I know it's really early days and I even blogged recently about it getting harder before it gets easier but my I found my 14 mile long run this weekend really tough. I switched my LR day to Saturday (as I was due to be going to a party Saturday night and wanted to avoid a #hangoverrun). This meant I wasn't as well recovered, from having run 8 x 400m at 5k pace on Friday. The conditions were quite tough and wearing shorts probably wasn't the best move. I ended up getting really cold and it took me ages to warm up afterwards. I also didn't deal with my post-run fuelling very well, so ended up feeling pretty grotty afterwards! The session itself went well though. I did just under 15 miles with the last 5 at marathon pace and took in the sights of Nottingham Uni and Wollaton Hall as part of the 'old' Robin Hood Half course. It is quite a challenging/hilly route but one I enjoy for the sights.
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| Bruce Wayne Manor. Also known at Wollaton Hall |
I ended up falling asleep on Saturday afternoon (something I rarely do) and rested completely yesterday, apart from some stretching and foam rolling. This morning I went for a 4.5 mile recovery run but my legs still feel pretty battered and I feel like I could sleep for a day!
I have stepped up to running 5 times a week (from 4 times) and this is the only thing I can really point to as being different from how I have trained in the past. I would be really interested in hearing from people who have been/or or are currently at a similar stage in their marathon training. Is this something I should expect as part of the extra training load and increased pace of the MP efforts?
Thanks!
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Milton Keynes Marathon - Training plan reveal
Those of you that follow me on Twitter may have already caught a glimpse of my training plan for the Milton Keynes Marathon (on 6th May). I am hoping to go under 3 hrs 30 mins, which will be a significant PB, given my current best is 3:44 (at Brighton in 2012).
This will be my 3rd marathon and although I have learnt a great deal from training for and running those 3 races, I am far from being an expert. I thought it would be useful to post the details here, so that others running a Spring marathon can compare it with what they are doing, so those considering a marathon can see what training is involved and hopefully, so I can receive some useful feedback.
My training plan has evolved from taking a simple training plan from Runners World and adding to it sessions that I have read or heard about and by learning what has worked (or not!) for me in the past. The only real change that I have made from my Brighton Marathon training is the introduction of more 'race paced' running and I have stepped up from running 4 days per week to running 5 days per week, just because conventional wisdom suggests I should be doing more miles. Although it is not detailed on the plan, I also do one day of simple strength/core work and some stretching.
This plan is an an evolved version (albeit a significant one) of the training plan I used for my first half marathon in 2007, so I am conscious that I could be reaching a plateau. If I don't hit sub 3:30 at Milton Keynes, I will be looking for ideas to make some significant changes to my training for the Berlin Marathon in September.
Thanks for looking and I welcome any comments!
This will be my 3rd marathon and although I have learnt a great deal from training for and running those 3 races, I am far from being an expert. I thought it would be useful to post the details here, so that others running a Spring marathon can compare it with what they are doing, so those considering a marathon can see what training is involved and hopefully, so I can receive some useful feedback.
My training plan has evolved from taking a simple training plan from Runners World and adding to it sessions that I have read or heard about and by learning what has worked (or not!) for me in the past. The only real change that I have made from my Brighton Marathon training is the introduction of more 'race paced' running and I have stepped up from running 4 days per week to running 5 days per week, just because conventional wisdom suggests I should be doing more miles. Although it is not detailed on the plan, I also do one day of simple strength/core work and some stretching.
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| Milton Keynes Marathon training plan |
This plan is an an evolved version (albeit a significant one) of the training plan I used for my first half marathon in 2007, so I am conscious that I could be reaching a plateau. If I don't hit sub 3:30 at Milton Keynes, I will be looking for ideas to make some significant changes to my training for the Berlin Marathon in September.
Thanks for looking and I welcome any comments!
Monday, 4 February 2013
It's darkest before the light.....
I am just one week into my 14 week training program for the Milton Keynes Marathon and I am at that horrible stage in your training where you are doing more mileage and tougher sessions than you have for some time and it feels really hard!
Despite running more over the Christmas period than I have in previous years and having just come off of a good month of base building thanks to #Jantastic and #basemileblast (see my previous post), I am really feeling the miles and sessions of the previous week.
The thing is, the week that I have just logged wasn't even that tough. Not in the grand scheme of things and not when compared to the weeks to come. I did a 4 mile recovery run on Monday. A 6 mile run (with 2 miles at tempo) on Tuesday morning, followed my an impromptu 3.8 mile tempo run with Mike and Nick in the evening (actually that was quite a tough day!). I rested on Wednesday, just doing some strength/core work and stretching. Thursday was an easy 10k. Friday was 5.5 miles including 6 x 400m @ 6:45m/m. I rested completely on Saturday and my Sunday long run was just over 12 miles which included 2 x 2 miles at target marathon pace (8:00m/m). That's only 37 miles for the week. My longest week will be almost double that!
I actually felt stronger towards the end of my long run yesterday but to think I will be running twice that distance as my longest training run is a terrifying thought at this stage! At the moment it really does feel like that period just before dawn, when things really are at their darkest.
Thankfully I have been here before, so I know that things are going to feel harder before they feel easier. So, if you are staring at your training program and are wondering how you are going to be able to complete those longer training runs or tougher sessions, just trust your training and know that as sure as the sun will rise, you will get stronger!
Despite running more over the Christmas period than I have in previous years and having just come off of a good month of base building thanks to #Jantastic and #basemileblast (see my previous post), I am really feeling the miles and sessions of the previous week.
The thing is, the week that I have just logged wasn't even that tough. Not in the grand scheme of things and not when compared to the weeks to come. I did a 4 mile recovery run on Monday. A 6 mile run (with 2 miles at tempo) on Tuesday morning, followed my an impromptu 3.8 mile tempo run with Mike and Nick in the evening (actually that was quite a tough day!). I rested on Wednesday, just doing some strength/core work and stretching. Thursday was an easy 10k. Friday was 5.5 miles including 6 x 400m @ 6:45m/m. I rested completely on Saturday and my Sunday long run was just over 12 miles which included 2 x 2 miles at target marathon pace (8:00m/m). That's only 37 miles for the week. My longest week will be almost double that!
I actually felt stronger towards the end of my long run yesterday but to think I will be running twice that distance as my longest training run is a terrifying thought at this stage! At the moment it really does feel like that period just before dawn, when things really are at their darkest.
Thankfully I have been here before, so I know that things are going to feel harder before they feel easier. So, if you are staring at your training program and are wondering how you are going to be able to complete those longer training runs or tougher sessions, just trust your training and know that as sure as the sun will rise, you will get stronger!
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