Athlone ¾ Marathon, Sunday 6th Oct 2013 at 11am

bazman

ooter wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is a shuttle service from/to athlone (train station) on the day of the race?

Yes, free shuttle bus service to suit arrival times. Full detailed will be included in race briefing pack.

bazman

average_runner wrote: »

Can someone explain how the the pacing for this race works with the pacemakers.

Looking at the 3:30 marathon pace:
1st QTR 8:54 2nd QTR 8:26 3rd QTR 8:26

3:15
1st QTR 8:10 2nd QTR 7:50 3rd QTR 7:50


Would you not be better off running at 3:15 pace to replicate the 3:30 marathon pace?

The pacing system may be overly complex. I'll simplify and re-issue. The important thing here is that you go under your marathon pace. The purpose of this race is to run a little harder than normal long runs, practice your drinks/fuel strategy, and wear you marathon kit to ensure it suits long distance. It will also be a good gauge for you in terms of pacing main event. You should aim to finish strong. I'd recommend sicking with pace group for first half marathon and then increasing tempo over last 10km if you feel up to it - it's the approach I took last year and it worked well.

I believe most people taper for too long prior to marathon and lose fitness over last month, so I sincerely believe 3 weeks out is the ideal time for this race as your last long run. That said, if you're going to run this full tilt from the gun you could leave your marathon in Athlone - be cautious and finish strong - simple?

average_runner

bazman wrote: »

The pacing system may be overly complex. I'll simplify and re-issue. The important thing here is that you go under your marathon pace. The purpose of this race is to run a little harder than normal long runs, practice your drinks/fuel strategy, and wear you marathon kit to ensure it suits long distance. It will also be a good gauge for you in terms of pacing main event. You should aim to finish strong. I'd recommend sicking with pace group for first half marathon and then increasing tempo over last 10km if you feel up to it - it's the approach I took last year and it worked well.

I believe most people taper for too long prior to marathon and lose fitness over last month, so I sincerely believe 3 weeks out is the ideal time for this race as your last long run. That said, if you're going to run this full tilt from the gun you could leave your marathon in Athlone - be cautious and finish strong - simple?

Thanks for that. Its 4 weeks out from new York but will be my last 20 in the plan. Looking forward to this run. 3:30 pace group for me and this should answer my pacing questions before the big one.

28064212

bazman wrote: »

The important thing here is that you go under your marathon pace.

Over? Or to be more clear, slower?

pointer28

My understanding is slower.

I just checked the website now.

For example 3:30 MP is 8:01/mile

The "3:30" pace will run the 1st Qtr at 8:54/mile and the next 2 Qtrs at 8:26/mile pace. So, a steady 20 miler rather than slow or MP.

BTW, really looking forward to this as I really struggle with doing long runs on my own.

Peterx

28064212 wrote: »

Over? Or to be more clear, slower?

Yes that was unclear. I have paced for this event before it is definitely slower than your planned marathon pace in the first 13 miles. As Bazman said the last 6 miles are up to you but at 3 weeks out from dublin you run the risk of leaving your best performance in Athlone if you finish too fast.

jfh

anyone else doing this that is targeting around 2:50 in the marathon?
might pace together.

tunguska

bazman wrote: »

I believe most people taper for too long prior to marathon and lose fitness over last month, so I sincerely believe 3 weeks out is the ideal time for this race as your last long run.

What do you think is the ideal taper length bazman?

bazman

Apologies for my error on earlier post. Yes certainly better to go SLOWER than your planned marathon pace. The objective is to spend time on your feet in race conditions.

Pacing will be based on the following:
- 3:00 Marathon Pace Group: Planned 2:25 for 3/4 Marathon = 4:35/km = 7:20/mile
- 3:30 Marathon Pace Group: Planned 2:50 for 3/4 Marathon = 5:22/km = 8:35/mile
- 4:00 Marathon Pace Group: Planned 3:15 for 3/4 Marathon = 6:10/km = 9:51/mile

In terms of taper, gradual over 3 weeks is ideal for most people. Two weeks sufficient for those used to high mileage training. Important that it is a gradual taper. You want your body in recovery mode, but not rest mode. If you reduce mileage too much you're body will assume your taking a break. For me this is reducing mileage by approx. 10% per week for last 3 weeks. My advice would be keep up the same number of runs as normal but just reduce distance and effort over last few weeks to allow your body be fully recovered for marathon.

Fraggle00

After a very comfortable and successful Dublin Half Marathon, I've signed up for this race as my final prep race for my first ever marathon in Dublin.

I ran 2:54 in the half marathon. This was 2 min under my PB for a race although I've only entered 3 half marathons ever. For the marathon, my target is anything under 4:00.

Good preparation is the difference between being able to go out and enjoy a race and having a horrible time like so many on the last 3 miles on saturday. Running 30km alone sounds frankly dangerous for a novice like me compared to all the safety resources available in a race.

See you all there.

pointer28

I presume you meant 1:54?

thehookster

Anyone looking to get rid of there entry at early bird price i will take it :-)

Fraggle00

pointer28 wrote: »

I presume you meant 1:54?

Yeah. 1.54.

Running Fool

Anybody know how close this is to selling out?

Want to try and wait till my next long run at the weekend before I sign up.

pointer28

Hi Guys,

I'm doing this as well as preparation for DCM and I have a question that someone with more experience might answer for me.

I'm following JD's plan with a maximum weekly mileage of 55 miles. However, the two quality sessions each week are based around a mixture of Easy and Threshold and very few LSR's.

For example my longest runs to date have been:

29k with 2x12m and 1x15m at T Pace
27k done as HM at T Pace (1:37) with 3k Wu and CD
26.5k LSR


So, not so many LSR's. Reading through the threads here there seems to be loads of guys doing 20 mile LSR's, even at the slower end of the spectrum.

My question is this, will the added intensity of the T pace make up for the lack of long miles?

Also, my plan has 35k Easy the week of the Athlone 3/4 (3 weeks out) and a longish MP session 2 weeks out.

I was planning on swapping these and running Athlone 3/4 instead of the MP session and then doing the 35k 2 weeks out. Is this a good or bad idea? Is the 35 two weeks out too close to the race or is it a necessity to get this session done in terms of time on my feet.

TBH, I got bored of reading the book and skipped straight to the training plans and now I don't have it to look back on. I don't want to miss a vital session but at the same time I don't want to screw up my entire plan by running the 35k too close to race day.

Just for info, I have followed the plan to the letter and hit every number along the way, the only session I missed was one 4.5k Easy run in the last 13 weeks. Aiming for 3:30 in DCM.

tHE vAGGABOND

Looking forward to this now that I had to skip Kilomarathon at weekend and only got 15 miler done on Saturday. A jaunt around with the 4 hour pacers for me for time on feet/long run

bazman

@pointer28
- I would think 35k 2 weeks out for someone maxing at 55mpw is too much too late
- Training is definitely a balancing act between volume and intensity. One can compensate for the other. You're focusing on intensity rather than volume, a strategy I'm not going to argue against. Some people who use this strategy find the last few miles of marathon difficult, but there are always exceptions.
- Would recommend doing 2km warm-up and cool-down to Athlone 3/4 Marathon to bring you to over 35km for the day and your last long run in the bag.

bazman

We could do with a couple of extra pacers in the 3 and 4 hour marathon groups. Is anyone out there interested? It is one way to make sure you don't over exert yourself on the day ;-)

pointer28

Thanks bazman,

I think you could be dead right. I was training hard for a 3.30 but fell apart spectacularly last weekend. I'm forcing myself to do nothing for a few days and then do a few easy days before this race. Probably drop back to 3.40 or even 3.50 for DCM.

Lessons learned -

Read the whole f'ing book, not just the training plans.
Take a day off after a PB half marathon
Reduce weekly volume after a PB half marathon
3 hours cycling in the mountains is NOT a rest day
Forget about chasing a time for your first mara

jfh

hi bazman appreciate your prob mad busy, whats the consenus on this?

run 15 miles @ MP

or going by the table that was previously up on the website;

split it up by quarters ,

1st quarter MP + 40 sec
2nd quarter MP + 20 sec
3rd quarter MP + 20 sec.

bazman

jfh wrote: »

hi bazman appreciate your prob mad busy, whats the consenus on this?

run 15 miles @ MP

or going by the table that was previously up on the website;

split it up by quarters ,

1st quarter MP + 40 sec
2nd quarter MP + 20 sec
3rd quarter MP + 20 sec.

For me I would definitely start the race easy. As if your our on the routine long run. You can do so much damage by starting at an unsustainable pace. Relax into race and pick up the pace when it feels right.

I know not that the previous table was overly complex. Your approach above is appropriate, but I assume you mean:
1st quarter MP + 40 sec
2nd quarter MP + 30 sec
3rd quarter MP + 20 sec

jfh

bazman wrote: »

For me I would definitely start the race easy. As if your our on the routine long run. You can do so much damage by starting at an unsustainable pace. Relax into race and pick up the pace when it feels right.

I know not that the previous table was overly complex. Your approach above is appropriate, but I assume you mean:
1st quarter MP + 40 sec
2nd quarter MP + 30 sec
3rd quarter MP + 20 sec

really appreciate the advice, understand you'll be busy.
that's the plan so.

looking forward to race

Peterx

bazman wrote: »

For me I would definitely start the race easy. As if your our on the routine long run. You can do so much damage by starting at an unsustainable pace. Relax into race and pick up the pace when it feels right.

I know not that the previous table was overly complex. Your approach above is appropriate, but I assume you mean:
1st quarter MP + 40 sec
2nd quarter MP + 30 sec
3rd quarter MP + 20 sec

per mile or kilometre?

tunguska

bazman wrote: »

We could do with a couple of extra pacers in the 3 and 4 hour marathon groups. Is anyone out there interested? It is one way to make sure you don't over exert yourself on the day ;-)

I might be able to help out with the 3 hour group as I dont wanna kill myself on sunday and was planning on running about that pace(6:50s?) anyway.

bazman

tunguska wrote: »

I might be able to help out with the 3 hour group as I dont wanna kill myself on sunday and was planning on running about that pace(6:50s?) anyway.

You're welcome to join peterx for the 3hr group, particularly as he's currently our only pacer in this group. However, we're planning 7:20s for this group so slower than your planned pace.

tunguska

bazman wrote: »

You're welcome to join peterx for the 3hr group, particularly as he's currently our only pacer in this group. However, we're planning 7:20s for this group so slower than your planned pace.

Oh we got our wires crossed so, I thought you meant you needed help pacing a group at 3hour, full marathon, pace i.e. 2:59. No worries, I've decided to do it as a progression run anyway so I'll be no use to that group.

PaulieC

Good luck to everyone doing this tomorrow. Looks like it's going to be another hot one to remember to hydrate well and don't forget the the sunscreen. I got burnt today, albeit running along the sea for three hours

quinlivan

Best of luck to everyone! See ye at the start line

DublinDilbert

Best of luck to everyone heading for glasson tomorrow, it's always a great event. I ran it the last two years, but unfortunately won't be lining out tomorrow.

Remember DCM is only 3 weeks away, so don't push too hard and enjoy the view...

martyboy48

PaulieC wrote: »

Good luck to everyone doing this tomorrow. Looks like it's going to be another hot one to remember to hydrate well and don't forget the the sunscreen. I got burnt today, albeit running along the sea for three hours

LOL..... The rain is lashing down here in Galway :) Total cloud coverage, moderate wind and no sign of it easing today at all .... Just the way I like it :D

See ye all there