TheRoadRunner ... you're in the well

shels4ever

Cheers for the help with the tempo run the other day ..But now its your turn to be in the well...

So Cross Country or Track which do like better and why?

Woddle

Whats your out loud target time for London ?

Peckham

- If you could go for dinner with one famous runner (current or retired), who would it be, and what would be the one question you would want to ask them?

- If you had to spend the rest of your days racing over one distance only, what would that distance be (considering length of recovery/training cycles needed for longer distance races)

- How fast do you think you could go (assuming perfect training) over the following: 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

So Cross Country or Track which do like better and why?

Track although I haven't trained for it in years. I just hate cross country always have and always will. I'm not good in mud

TheRoadRunner

Woddle wrote: »

Whats your out loud target time for London ?

I'm not going to commit to anything just yet have to see if I can stay injury free etc etc.

Goals are
1) quicker than my current pb of 2.49.
2) Sub 2.48 as that is the pb of a training partner of mine
3) If training keeps going as it has been then sub 2.40 will be my target pace

TheRoadRunner

Peckham wrote: »

- If you could go for dinner with one famous runner (current or retired), who would it be, and what would be the one question you would want to ask them?

Seb Coe. My all time hero. I would have to ask him was he on the juice in his hey day. My ex-all time hero was Carl Lewis but recently there have been some allegations about some of his drug tests so its a question I'd have to ask

Peckham wrote: »

- If you had to spend the rest of your days racing over one distance only, what would that distance be (considering length of recovery/training cycles needed for longer distance races)

5K. Technically you could race these frequently and I love the feeling of running as fast as one can.

Peckham wrote: »

- How fast do you think you could go (assuming perfect training) over the following: 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon

Well assuming I don't give up or lose my job based on my current lifestyle/training situation I would love to get close to the following

5k 15.15
10k 32-33 minutes. Not a big fan of 10k
Half marathon 71-72 minutes
Marathon 2.35ish

don't know how realistic some of these are though

Woddle

What session do you enjoy doing most ?
Which session do you feel benefits you most and gives you the best indicator of where your at in terms of fitness ?
Highest finish in a race and what race was it ?

I really like your pyramid that you do and will probably steal it on you.

TheRoadRunner

Woddle wrote: »

What session do you enjoy doing most ?

400s on the track on a warm day. Haven't done them in a while but will introduce them soon.

Woddle wrote: »

Which session do you feel benefits you most and gives you the best indicator of where your at in terms of fitness ?

Tempo runs are a good indicator I suppose. The tempos I've been doing lately feel easier every week so I guess that's a good sign. I have an 8 mile loop in the phoenix park that I run hard on. I'm going to introduce that soon. I've been running it for years and using that I can predict when I'm going to run well.

Woddle wrote: »

Highest finish in a race and what race was it ?

I've won a few races but they were in the last millenium
In the last couple of years I've finished second in a couple of BHAA races and also some races in the meath road league but in fairness the fields those days weren't as strong as they normally are

Woddle wrote: »

I really like your pyramid that you do and will probably steal it on you.

Yeah It's a great session. It's 25 minutes hard running at the moment. Going to throw an extra couple of minutes on over the coming weeks to build it up to 30 minutes.

shels4ever

Whats race do you take most pride in your performance in?

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

Whats race do you take most pride in your performance in?

Probably Boston marathon when I ran a pb.

The weather was absolutely shocking. Running into a constant headwind. When I watched the recorded race when I got home Steve Cram said anybody who managed to run a pb in conditions like that deserved the keys of the city. I was quite chuffed with myself

Stupid_Private

What have been your highest and lowest points in running?

Weirdest thing you've ever seen when running?

What advice would you give to a newbie?

Best/Worst advice you've received?

TheRoadRunner

Stupid_Private wrote: »

What have been your highest and lowest points in running?

Loads of highs, too many to mention. Some of my best highs come from training runs on nice days etc. If I was to pick one it was probably the first national medal I won as a juvenile (15 or 16). I skipped a family holiday to France to stay at home to run it so it was a great relief
Lowest point was probably Dublin marathon in 2006, slacked off on the training and was in a bad way early on, very frustrating and brought me close to tears.

Stupid_Private wrote: »

Weirdest thing you've ever seen when running?

I run through the Furry glen in the Phoenix park ! I've seen a lot of weird and wonderful things there, nuff said

Stupid_Private wrote: »

What advice would you give to a newbie?

Run on grass as much as possible, find someone to train with at a similar level to yourself. Don't start near the front of a race until you have ran a couple and know your level

Stupid_Private wrote: »

Best/Worst advice you've received?

Can't think of any bad advice.

Best advice was when I was a junior I was finding it hard to train and study. My coach at the time told me to put the running on the back burner and concentrate on school. He told me an employer wouldn't care how many running medals I had.

Racing Flat

4 minute mile or sub2.15 marathon - which would you take?

TheRoadRunner

Racing Flat wrote: »

4 minute mile or sub2.15 marathon - which would you take?

hmmmmmmmmmm, this is a really tough one. I would probably say the sub 4 minute mile. But the sub 2.15 is probably a major championship qualifying time (well ye can always dream ).

Seres

whats your greatest weakness and strenght as a runner ?
do you think having run as a juvenile has made a difference to your running ability now ?

MCOS

Favourite Carl Lewis moment?

TheRoadRunner

Seres wrote: »

whats your greatest weakness and strenght as a runner ?

weakness is inconsistency. After an event like a marathon say I go mad for a few weeks and it takes me a while to get back in the grove.
Strength is probably my love of running. Sounds a bit naff but it gets me out the door every day.

Seres wrote: »

do you think having run as a juvenile has made a difference to your running ability now ?

Without a doubt. It has given me a tremendous base to work from. I never over trained either and at the age of 30+:( I still think I can make improvements

TheRoadRunner

MCOS wrote: »

Favourite Carl Lewis moment?

The 1991 long jump world champs against Mike Powell. I much prefer the running events to field events but this was special. He lost but he put his best set of jumps together after Powell broke the world record. I just thought it was great to see a guy turn on the style when under pressure.

Seres

do you think as a juvenile you achieved your full potential ?

Racing Flat

What should I have for my lunch today - haddock, potatoes and carrots, or cauliflower soup with a brown bread sandwich*? I'm counting on you with this one Road Runner.


*If it helps, I'll be having either pasta and mackerel or sausage casserole tonight.

cfitz

Do you plan on winding down your running at a certain age? If so, what age, and how much?

TheRoadRunner

Seres wrote: »

do you think as a juvenile you achieved your full potential ?

I think so. I really enjoyed athletics when I was young and I picked up a few national medals and wouldn't change a thing. I probably could have gone faster or won more medals but that could have lead to burn out. Juvenile athletics should be about fun and I had lots of that (except for x-country man I hate x-country)

TheRoadRunner

Racing Flat wrote: »

What should I have for my lunch today - haddock, potatoes and carrots, or cauliflower soup with a brown bread sandwich*? I'm counting on you with this one Road Runner.


*If it helps, I'll be having either pasta and mackerel or sausage casserole tonight.

haddock all the way, if you do go with that, have the sausage casserole tonight, don't want you having fish overload

TheRoadRunner

cfitz wrote: »

Do you plan on winding down your running at a certain age? If so, what age, and how much?

No plans but I'll just listen to my body. I suppose if my family/work situation changes I will have to tailor my running to suit it.

In my last job I ran most days with a guy who was 63. He was amazing. I use to do 400s with him also, looking at him age really isn't a barrier to running as long as you look after yourself.

shels4ever

Will you have another Marathon this year after London?

--amadeus--

What separates a 2:40 marathon runner from a 3:40 marathon runner?

What's the single biggest mistake you see other runners making?

Weirdest / strangest thing you've ever tried to improve your running?

Woddle

I'll try put you on the spot
Who's quicker you or Stupid private ?
Is there anyone on boards (who you know that maybe we don't) that you want to beat ?

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

Will you have another Marathon this year after London?

I was just thinking about this while out running.

I don't think I will be able to put in the training that I am doing at the moment during the Summer. I have to go to South America for a couple of weeks with work (its tough ) and I also have holidays planned and wouldn't mind relaxing on the running and actually really enjoying a holiday for once.

So I don't think I will "race" another marathon this year but i might run Dublin. A couple of friends would like to go sub 3 so I might help pace them

Racing Flat

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

haddock all the way, if you do go with that, have the sausage casserole tonight, don't want you having fish overload

Phew,

Before seeing your reply, I'd already had the haddock - was getting too hungry waiting for the reply, but was worried then that I might have made the wrong choice. The added bonus is that I'd have to make the pasta and mackerel, but the missus wil make the suasage. Going to ring her now to tell her that the Road Runner said she's on cooking duty tonight. Cheers mate:D.

Racing Flat

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

I have to go to South America for a couple of weeks with work (its tough ) and I also have holidays planned and wouldn't mind relaxing on the running and actually really enjoying a holiday for once.

If you do wish to run and you are in Sao Paolo or Rio I'll give you some great places to train. There's an Irish fellow on boards currently living in Sao Paolo state I think who is hoping to run a very fast marathon (30min 10 k man IIRC) keen to run with fellow Irish fellows over there IIRC

TheRoadRunner

--amadeus-- wrote: »

What separates a 2:40 marathon runner from a 3:40 marathon runner?

This is going to sound obvious but miles in the leg. I ran my first marathon with little training in 3.37 and ran 3.05 5 months later with roughly 40 miles a week for 3-4 months. Every time I increase my mileage my times come through. May not hold through for all runners but for marathon runners I think it works to a point

--amadeus-- wrote: »

What's the single biggest mistake you see other runners making?

Overtraining or running when they have an injury. Have done it myself in the past but there is no need leaving your race in training.

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Weirdest / strangest thing you've ever tried to improve your running?

I read a few years ago that running with leg weights simulates running through mud so I tried this, was a bit of a disaster and I looked like a complete tool

TheRoadRunner

Woddle wrote: »

Who's quicker you or Stupid private ?

I don't know. I think we have only raced each other twice and as far as I know it's 1-1. He has a quicker marathon time than me anyway. I'd say we are in or around each others times for most distances.

Woddle wrote: »

Is there anyone on boards (who you know that maybe we don't) that you want to beat ?

Eh ......... how about everybody Only joking, no not really. I'm more concerned with racing against myself and achieving times etc

Stupid_Private

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

I don't know. I think we have only raced each other twice and as far as I know it's 1-1. He has a quicker marathon time than me anyway. I'd say we are in or around each others times for most distances.

I'd have no idea for that one. Your PBs across the board are still quicker than mine, except the marathon. I imagine that come the beginning of May, after London and Dusseldorf, our two marathon times should be a lot closer.

shels4ever

How hard to you find it not to race the top women once the marathon starts?

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

How hard to you find it not to race the top women once the marathon starts?

I always do my best to stay ahead of the first lady so very hard

ChickenTikka

Having run at a high level as both a juvenile and a senior, interested in your view on the ideal amount of training to help a young athlete progress to their potential and still be running as a senior, i.e. hit their potential as a young senior and not burn out as a juvenile.

So what do you regard as ideal amount of training and miles for a juvenile distance runner at different ages?

11 yr old boy/girl

13 yr old boy/girl

15 yr old boy/girl

17 yr old boy/girl

Specifically interested in what you did as a juvenile since it sounds like you achieved alot but kept it balanced.

TheRoadRunner

ChickenTikka wrote: »

Having run at a high level as both a juvenile and a senior, interested in your view on the ideal amount of training to help a young athlete progress to their potential and still be running as a senior, i.e. hit their potential as a young senior and not burn out as a juvenile.

So what do you regard as ideal amount of training and miles for a juvenile distance runner at different ages?

11 yr old boy/girl

13 yr old boy/girl

15 yr old boy/girl

17 yr old boy/girl

Specifically interested in what you did as a juvenile since it sounds like you achieved alot but kept it balanced.

Thanks but you are giving me a little too much credit. I haven't won all that much and to be honest I don't think it should be all about winning for juveniles. I don't think I know enough to answer your question so I'll kind of pass and tell you what I did. It seemed to work for me and my friends seen as most of us from our club still run, weren't burnt out and won a few races along the way.

Up to the age of 15 most of our training was speed based. I ran middle distance. Loads of interval type stuff all on grass. Mileage was low. Training was fun, at the end we would have a game of basketball or football. The idea of the coaches was to entice people into running and not to flog them. To their credit (and one lady in particular) I think it worked.

age 16+, I specialised a bit more. Training would typically be
Monday 4 miles + circuit
Tuesday 8 miles
Thursday 8 miles
Saturday mile reps.
Odd race here and there
during the summer I use to be stuck to the track and mileage went out the window !

Hope that is of some use !

Peckham

Follow on to my earlier question.....

....assuming that money no issue, you could quit 9-5 work, have access to good coaches etc., do you think you could make the qualifying standard for the Olympic marathon?

If the answer, is "no, because I'm too old", then do you think you could have done it when younger?

TheRoadRunner

Peckham wrote: »

Follow on to my earlier question.....

....assuming that money no issue, you could quit 9-5 work, have access to good coaches etc., do you think you could make the qualifying standard for the Olympic marathon?

If the answer, is "no, because I'm too old", then do you think you could have done it when younger?

No I don't think so. Even if I could physically do it (which I doubt) there is no way I have the discipline required to be an international athlete.

I suppose somewhere in the 2.25 range with full time training.