Becoming a Real Runner

menoscemo

Monday
4.4 miles recovery (8:50 pace, HR 132). I appear to have got my HRM back giving normalish readings. A few squirts of contact lens solution on the starp before going out (though I still have 5 minutes of spikes after 25 minutes )

Tuesday
Decided the only way I am going to keep the mileage down this week is by having a rest day. Thus I ended a 23 day running streak, my longest ever. Felt almost dirty for not running :P

Wednesday
8.3 miles @ 7:54 pace HR 142. Just a nice easy jaunt around the block. Pains in hips seems to be gone over the last 4 or 5 runs. HR is about 10BPM lower at this pace than a year ago when i set my Marathon PB. I have at least another 10-15BPM to play with on sunday.

WTD 2 days running 12.7 miles

2011|No. of days Running|Miles|2012 |No. of days Running|Miles
January|28/31|256.3|January|28/31|290.1
February|24/28|236.9|February|27/29|283.2
March|23/31|221.9|March|6/7|66.7
April|22/30|176.4|||
May|25/31|198.5|||
June|24/30|180.6|||
July|28/31|269.4|||
August|23/31|244.6|||
September|22/30|200|||
October|26/31|187.5|||
November|28/30|210.1|||
December|24/31|194.3|||
Total|297/365|2576.5|Total|61/67|640

The_Boy_Wonder

Nice to see that kind of improvement showing in the HR
Will you be going for a best possible time in Blackpool, or just a quicker than normal training run, or somewhere in between?

menoscemo

The_Boy_Wonder wrote: »

Nice to see that kind of improvement showing in the HR
Will you be going for a best possible time in Blackpool, or just a quicker than normal training run, or somewhere in between?

I'll give it a bash :P. I guess I'd go quicker with a longer taper but I'll do what I can on the day assuming I don't get any niggles (in which case I'll be happy to drop out).

Edit to say I hope you are still not going for 4hrs in Barca after that half time. I ran 3:32 in Dublin off a 1:37 half and that was taking Dublin ultra cautiosly.

neilc

Good luck in Blackpool meno.

Marthastew

neilc wrote: »

Good luck in Blackpool meno.

+1:)

Aimman

Best of luck and enjoy.

outforarun

Looking forward to another gritty marathon report. Best of luck.

liamo123

Best of luck tomorrow Meno and Frank....Go easy on the beer tonight lads

belcarra

Best of luck meno! Flat out all the way...you will still have 3 weeks for the ultra, loads of time to recover and taper!! ;-)

RacoonQueen

3:10:40 for meno in blackpool marathon

menoscemo

yeah. Good race but a bit annoyed because i thought i was well outside 3:10 so allowed mysekf to slow down with a few folks as i passed then. Blasted the last 5k which was my fastest of the day finished like a train. I think if i had kicked earlier i would have eaaily went sub 3:10. Anyway really happy, enjoying the beers now :-)

Oisin11178

My coaching has finally pay off:-)
well done.

The_Boy_Wonder

Great time there Meno... Nothing like running a really good time and feeling there's better to come!

ronnie085

Another race another pb, your on fire at the moment, congrats

chinguetti

Well done to both you and Oisin, your coach;)

And will the people of Berlin see a sub 3 attempt so????

shels4ever

Well done nice pb, see what happens when you do a nice taper :eek:

Aimman

Well done today, fair play looking forward to the report

Marthastew

Congratulations from Mr Stew and I, fantastic PB. We'll buy you a pint in Galway:)

belcarra

Well done man! That's proof of the great training you've been doing and if you keep the ship steady we are sure to see a marathon time starting with 2 before the end of the year!
The little bit you eased off before 5km to go may have helped you rather than hindered you...it will be interesting to hear your mindset regarding those miles in the report.

neilc

Well deserved with the work you've put in meno. Enjoy the beers.

tHE vAGGABOND

well done, great running

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Sub 3 attempt in Berlin is the next logical step for you. If you can post that time and feel like you left some out on the course then think what you would be like with a proper taper and that Ultra nonsense out of your system:)

average_runner

Great running. Superb time.

menoscemo

Davis Big Limo wrote: »

think what you would be like with a proper taper and that Ultra nonsense out of your system:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC_F-Erxldg

menoscemo

Thursday.
7.3 miles home from work @ 7:52 pace. Threw a few PMP miles in (7:20, 7:10) felt good.

Friday
7.3 miles easy back to work. Didn't feel so good.

Saturday
working, packing travelling to Blackppol. No running

Sunday
Blackpool Marathon.
26.2 miles in 3:10:42 (7:17 pace, 159 HR) 33rd place/ 427. 14 minute PB. Only chicked by the female winner
I decided to run this one on Oisin 1178's reccomendation about 6 months back. With the bulk of the ultra training done I figured I could get a fast marathon in and recover in time for Conn. Previous PB (3:24) was woeful and needed recitfying. I wanted to post a time to qualify me for 3:45 pacing in DCM this year. Training had gone well and I had 3:10 in the back of my mind as this would get a good for age for london 2013. But I decided to run this by feel, post a solid PB and see what happened.

The course was a 2 lapper with the first lap running in conjunction with the half. Mainly flat just a few hills from 10-13 and 24-26 on the second lap. Not much wind, condtions were good.

Got into a nice comfortable pace from the off. the dopes went off flying as usual, many marathon runners were breathing like a mile race. By 5 or 6 miles I was into a good rythm and feeling good. Fell in with a marthon runner called paul who seemed to be going my pace around mile 6, had a nice chat. He was going for 3:10ish too. I sent him on his way at mile 10 as we headed into the few hills. He stayed about 50 yards ahead. I told him if he saw me again he was in trouble First half:

7:11.6 7:23.4 7:17.7 7:14.4 7:18.0 7:14.5 7:16.0 7:12.2 7:17.1 7:18.9 7:26.8 7:24.4 7:13.7 13.1 miles in 1:35:40

At half way most of the runners headed to the finish and we were left with a sparse course. I could see paul about 100m-200m ahead and he was cutting through the field of runner who had gone off too fast and clearing a path for me. I wasn't sure if I was feeling ok or not here so played it safe. By about 19 I felt I was ok and sped up to join paul again at 20 miles. I uncoscioulsy slowed here as he said he was glad of the company and had been getting it tough. I took my last gel with 4 miles to go and got a burst so ploughed on. Paul tried to come with me but I dropped him after half a mile and he lost 3 minutes on me in the end. The last 3 miles were uphill and into the wind so the speed was not as fast as the effort. I literally was reeling them in over th last bit. At one point I had passed 5 runners and saw a group of 3 with about a mile to go. They were about 400m ahead and I felt out of sight but I smelled weakness as they were slowing and went like the clappers to pass them all in the finishing straight

7:20.3 7:15.8 7:27.7 7:23.0 7:17.2 7:24.9 7:17.5 7:09.8 7:22.2 7:14.5 7:12.1 7:18.4 7:00.5 +0.2@ 6:11 pace 2nd 13.1 = 1:35:02


Av HR 159 which is about 5 bpm higher than my previous marathons, yet it felt easier.. Happy with the result, a bit gutted about those 42 seconds though.

Weekly total 5 days running 53.5 miles

2011|No. of days Running|Miles|2012 |No. of days Running|Miles
January|28/31|256.3|January|28/31|290.1
February|24/28|236.9|February|27/29|283.2
March|23/31|221.9|March|9/12|107.5
April|22/30|176.4|||
May|25/31|198.5|||
June|24/30|180.6|||
July|28/31|269.4|||
August|23/31|244.6|||
September|22/30|200|||
October|26/31|187.5|||
November|28/30|210.1|||
December|24/31|194.3|||
Total|297/365|2576.5|Total|64/72|680.7

claralara

Well done again!! Savage stuff. And don't rule out the bribery just yet, I'm sure something can be arranged... :cool:

BobMac104

Amazing running meno fairplay

liamo123

Good running Meno...Dont worry about those 42 secs..ul get them back and more in Berlin.... Whats ur feelings on Blackpool.. Would u recommend it ??

menoscemo

liamo123 wrote: »

Good running Meno...Dont worry about those 42 secs..ul get them back and more in Berlin.... Whats ur feelings on Blackpool.. Would u recommend it ??

It's definitely good for a fast time if that's what you're after.

It wouldn't rate very highly in terms of a big event though!!, not one for a first timer. Water stations were meh at best, no goody bag worth mentioning or t-shirt (just a pair of €1 gloves), course was a two lapper of the main streeets of blackpool which you were sharing with everybody out for their sunday morning stroll with their dogs and a load of drunks rolling in for the nights boozing. I got the feeling the runners weer mostly a nuiscance for the general public.

But hey, for £30 you can't really complain about the no frills aspect, as long as you know that is what you are going to get.

cwgatling

Good man Meno that is solid running, well done. You know what's next