Dublin Marathon 2011 Novices Mentored Thread

butlerjustine

Hi I'm hoping to do my 1st marathon in Oct and I'm doing the novice 2 plan which I started a few weeks ago which is early but I wanted to get started asap to account for any injuries and holidays.

I'm going travelling around Vietnam for 3 weeks in July and I'm concerned about my training. Should I try do some training while I'm there? Should I jump back into training when I'm back or ease into it? Will 3 weeks away have a huge impact? My friend is training as well but she has no holiday plans and I'm worried Ill fall back alot.

Thanks

RayCun

You should try to do some training while you are over there. you won't be able to stick to a plan, I'm sure, but whatever running you can do will slow down your loss of conditioning.

When you get back, don't just jump back in to where you were when you left. Take at least a week (maybe more depending on how much you did on holiday, and how that first week goes) to build back up.

The good thing is that if you've started your 18 week plan already, you'll be up to about 16 miles (?) before you go, and even if it takes up until mid-August to get back to that level you'll still have time to finish the programme.

Dsenna

RayCun wrote: »

So how is training going for everyone? What have you done in the last week?

I did a 10 mile(LSR for me ) run last Monday been having a slight pain from my right shin up to that but after the 10 mile i was very sore from the shin Tuesday morning so took the week off did no running ,went out last night and ran 5km which felt fine ,this morning have a little soreness fron the shin, should I give it another week ?, not sure where to go from here

RayCun

Can't and won't give medical advice

The generic treatments are Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. (rest means taking time off, but also taking it easy for a bit when you're coming back)

But there's really no way for me to know if that means that you should just run through the ache, or take another week off, or go to a physio...

butlerjustine

RayCun wrote: »

The good thing is that if you've started your 18 week plan already, you'll be up to about 16 miles (?) before you go.

Hopefully Ill be up to 16, thanks for your advice.

Dsenna

RayCun wrote: »

Can't and won't give medical advice

The generic treatments are Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. (rest means taking time off, but also taking it easy for a bit when you're coming back)

But there's really no way for me to know if that means that you should just run through the ache, or take another week off, or go to a physio...

No I understand totally (Can't and won't give medical advice )
Have done the rest ,ice, compression,elevation bit, just eager to get going again ,must be turning into a runner !!

tHE vAGGABOND

That's four tough runs in a week, it will wear you out

I'm thinking your right - need to be more sensible. thanks ray

kit3

Just 3 runs for me last week - Kildare half on Sunday, 5.2 miles on Thursday and 5.2 on Friday. Was dying to get out again on Friday evening but sense prevailed !:) Think I'll try start the plan early also to give some room for bad weeks later on. I'm definately just aiming to finish so will probably follow a mix between the HH Novice 1 & 2.

Mr Slow

kit3 wrote: »

Just 3 runs for me last week - Kildare half on Sunday, 5.2 miles on Thursday and 5.2 on Friday. Was dying to get out again on Friday evening but sense prevailed !:) Think I'll try start the plan early also to give some room for bad weeks later on. I'm definately just aiming to finish so will probably follow a mix between the HH Novice 1 & 2.

If you're chomping at the bit to get out, go and do a recovery run, slower than LSR pace, 3/4 miles just to get your fix.

kit3

mrslow wrote: »

If you're chomping at the bit to get out, go and do a recovery run, slower than LSR pace, 3/4 miles just to get your fix.

Might reach that sometime but I'm terrified of picking up an injury and not being able to get out at all. Anyway, I have only one pace at the moment - anything slower would probably be classed as a walk

Mr Slow

kit3 wrote: »

Might reach that sometime but I'm terrified of picking up an injury and not being able to get out at all. Anyway, I have only one pace at the moment - anything slower would probably be classed as a walk

Then go for a walk, also good for recovery

kit3

mrslow wrote: »

Then go for a walk, also good for recovery

OK no more excuses.....:cool:

papamike

Right, I'm going to hop in here and take the plunge - nearly have the approval of the other half!! Have been running on and off for the past 4 years. Did my first half in Kildare after an 18 week training plan and was very happy with my sub 1:45

Most of my PBs are from 2008 when I put together a decent stretch of training before kids, slight injury etc. Anyway for what it's worth: 5k (21:09 Aug '08), 4 mile (28:13 May '11), 5 mile (36:03 Jul 08), 10k (45:56 Aug '08), 10 mile (1:19:04 Aug '08), Half Marathon (1:44:48 May '11)

For October I may be mad but am thinking of aiming for 3:29:59:eek:. Based on Kildare I think this is attainable with proper training. For Kildare I enjoyed the tempo and interval work in Higdons Intermediate plan and I have been looking around at plans and was wondering what people thought of the sub 3:30 plan I found on the Athlone 3/4 Marathon website - believe it may be put together by someone from this neck of the woods http://athlone3quarter.com/schedule.php Seems like a good event too after the Race Series.

ger664

Papamike

Two areas where i would have a concern with that plan are

1. No long run in the 32K region
2. Strides after a long run

RayCun

I'd echo Ger's reservations, especially the absence of 20mile/32k runs, but other than that it seems to be a decent plan.

Sub 3.30 is probably pushing it - a good rule of thumb is to double your half-marathon time and add 10%, so 3.45 is probably a more realistic target. If you start the 3.30 training be very careful that you're not pushing yourself too hard, and be ready to reassess things over the summer.

pbuckland05

Im wanting to do the Dublin Marathon this year Im not new to running but I havnt run in about 6 months and have put some weight on (2 stone) Im wanting to know if its fesable I have run Cork last year and Dublin the year before that any advice would be welcome.

papamike

Thanks Ger664 and RayCun, you just confirmed my initial reservations about that plan, I was attracted by the interval and tempo elements as I really enjoyed those as part of the training for the half. I think the 3/4 marathon race is nearly the longest run in it - I work in miles, had to dig out the calculator when going through it:D

Currently reading the marathon chapter in Jack Daniels book although Plan A that he has may be a bit advanced for a novice? Daniels recommends deciding on peak milage and working back from there with weeks as a fraction of that. I've no idea what mileage a would be required for a 3:30 - 3:45, 50-60??? More research required. Currently running about 25 mpw so will up that over the next few weeks anyway.

On the 3:30 I probably am being a bit ambitious so I may reassess that as this is my first marathon I want to enjoy it and be well prepared. Before Kildare McMillan had me at around 1:40 based on recent races but I went out with 1:45 in my head so as to enjoy it which I did for 11.5 miles:D, A similar experience for Dublin would do just fine but will look at times from the Race Series and work from there.

Mr Slow

I'm aiming for 3:40 - 3:45 in Cork in a few weeks following a 55 mile schedule, I didn't reach 55 in a week but peaked at about 47. I'll let you know whether or not the schedule does what it says on the tin.

RayCun

pbuckland05 wrote: »

Im wanting to do the Dublin Marathon this year Im not new to running but I havnt run in about 6 months and have put some weight on (2 stone) Im wanting to know if its fesable I have run Cork last year and Dublin the year before that any advice would be welcome.

It would take a couple of months running to get back some fitness, and lose that weight, which would bring you into August and only 3 months to the marathon. I don't know how fit you were before you stopped running, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to get back to that before this year's marathon.

pistol_75

mrslow wrote: »

I'm aiming for 3:40 - 3:45 in Cork in a few weeks following a 55 mile schedule, I didn't reach 55 in a week but peaked at about 47. I'll let you know whether or not the schedule does what it says on the tin.

Be interested to know how you get on mrslow. Am starting the same plan next week for Dublin with a couple of extra weeks thrown in, and hoping for around your goal time.

RHunce

I'm going for an 8 miler now at 8 minute miles (hopefully) it will be weird because I usually try to just take off. Will let ye all know how it goes and maybe this will be an indicator whether I should push for my 3.30 like I wanted a few posts back or slow down dramatically

RHunce

Just back from the run, I went out a little fast in the first mile which seems to always happen. Went out in 6 and a half minutes, but after that I seemed to get into a good stride and settled into a mile every eight minutes based on what I had mapped out. I felt really comfortable going all the way through even going against a fairly strong wind and having several steep steep hills to contend with. I was passing my home at the 8 mile mark and felt great. I had it done in 62 mins, two minutes less than I had accounted for. I decided to go for a further 5 miles bring it just under the half marathon distance. Got 13.05 miles out of it. Although I had two stops to take a stone out of my shoe, which in the end turned out to be a nagging blister which I discovered when I got home. I did the distance in 1hr 35mins 42secs which I was pleased with. I felt I had so much more to give though which means I could dramatically slash my half marathon time if I were to do one. But baby steps. So anyway I did it at a comfortable pace, one which hopefully I could maintain at marathon length and that should see me home hopefully in 3.10 to 3.20

syngindub

RHunce wrote: »

which hopefully I could maintain at marathon length and that should see me home hopefully in 3.10 to 3.20

Are you in the right thread? !! Novice my ar$£

RHunce

Novice in the fact that I have never run a distance before. Ever.

I'm lucky in the fact that I'm only 18 and have played sports all my life. I have youth on my side

curv

Hi All

Just wondering - i was sick for the past week with chest infection, so couldn't get out running.

when you have missed a week of training due to illness/injury - and you have been following a Hal Higdon plan - do you repeat your previous week of running or take up were you left off

TheRoadRunner

curv wrote: »

Hi All

Just wondering - i was sick for the past week with chest infection, so couldn't get out running.

when you have missed a week of training due to illness/injury - and you have been following a Hal Higdon plan - do you repeat your previous week of running or take up were you left off

What is normally recommended is to come back doing 10-20% less than what you did before getting ill. Don't know what program you are on but should probably repeat the last week before progressing. By the way you will feel super for the first few days after a week off so mind you don't push your pace too fast.

RayCun

I'm off for a couple of weeks holiday. When I get back, it'll be time to look at those training schedules, and start counting the weeks to Dublin!
In the meantime, keep posting your weekly training up here, and any questions you have - there'll be plenty of people around to answer them.

MarD

Hi ray, asking your advice if i should aim to do marathon this year. Aiming just to finish it, mostly jogging but may have to walk some. Im running over a year and have completed 3 half marathons - Kinvara, New York half both in March 2011 and the connemara in April 2011. Same times for all 2 hour 25mins - as you can see im not fast!! Since the last half, have gone bad, seem to have lost all my fitness. doing the Galway 5k series at moment 29mins average. Would hope to do the Hal H novice plan and have joined to do the 15miles in Killarney but need to up the practice and the 3/4 in Athlone in Oct. i may be away a week in mid-Oct but i should be tapering off then anyway. a friend has completed numerous marathons so she said shed talk to me re the mental aspect but would i be okay to plan for same based on the HH plan plus this thread but if i stay injury free could i manage to plan for same w/o hiring a personal trainer etc. Thanks.

RHunce

Going for a ten miler now, going for seven minute miles. Hope it is not pushing it. Will let you all know how I get on.

offaly odonohue

hey guys and girls,

I have decided to try and tackle a marathon.

My background is totally GAA but I enjoyed some long distance running when was at school (8 years ago). I had pretty bad knee injury last year, and made a pact with myself that if i got back playing fball i'd do a marathon... so here I am. I am back playing fball and knee is feeling great picked up couple of muscular niggles due to 12 month layoff but am feeling good

Have just read they first few posts and glanced through Higdon

I just took a notion on sat morn to begin my training and ran over 7 miles in round 50mins, some of joints bit sore this morn but rest of me is intact.
I am thinking that this kinda 'knee jerk' approach is frowned upon but this is my declaration and admission that i'm taking it seriously.

If any body has a recommened type of footwear (thinking asics gel cross trainers or something of that ilk) please drop a post, noticed a couple of blisters this morning

thanks in advance for all help and advice

N