This is getting addictive

HigginsJ

26th of March

17.83 miles in 3 hours 19 minutes 55 seconds (11:13 average)

This was an awful run, hard to pin-point what went wrong but let me go through it. I know I haven't had a great weekend of eating so that was a factor, a day out Saturday with the family and Sunday morning at the beach meant I was probably already a bit tired when I headed out at 3:45 pm on Sunday for the run. So that is a few contributing factors there.

The 1st 9 miles went pretty much to plan -

Mile 1: 10:23
Mile 2: 9:49
Mile 3: 10:15
Mile 4: 10:41
Mile 5: 10:42
Mile 6: 10:27
Mile 7: 10:13
Mile 8: 10:27
Mile 9: 10:51

After this it feels like someone flicked a switch and I was struggling to do anything more than a jog & ended up walking a good bit in the 2nd half of the run.

I took a different gel at 6 miles that was a caffeine gel and after about a minute if felt like my heart was pounding out of my chest and then my stomach felt like a led weight any time I tried to run after that 9 mile marker.

It was meant to have been a 20 mile run yesterday but I was just wanting to get home, I could have cut it short and ended up about 15 mile but thought I might pick up.

Really hard run, less than 6 weeks now to the marathon so less than ideal.

1st time ever over 100 miles in a month though so there's that I suppose!!

MTD: 109.99 miles
YTD: 284.48 miles

HigginsJ

pac_man wrote: »

How do you react to heat when you are running?

By the time I got out if was down to low teens so it was fine to be honest, ran from 3:45pm to about 7pm so I missed the most of it so I don't strictly think that was a contributing factor.

Kennyg71

Don't under estimate lack of sleep as per previous post, you really need to be well rested. Some big weeks a head.

HigginsJ

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Don't under estimate lack of sleep as per previous post, you really need to be well rested. Some big weeks a head.

Yea there is a few big weeks coming up and sleep has been tough this week as well to be fair, "this too shall pass" is only a reassuring phrase for a limited amount of time!!

ariana`

You've gone quiet. All ok, i hope!?

HigginsJ

ariana` wrote: »

You've gone quiet. All ok, i hope!?

Yea all fine, I will throw up an update in a bit, been lazy with the updates the last week!!

HigginsJ

30th of March

5.04 miles in 44 minutes (8:44 average)

Last week was a poor week, alot of life got in the way so only had the chance to get out once. Far from ideal I know but it is what it is.

2nd of April

19.45 miles in 3 hours 31 minutes 14 seconds (10:52 average)

I got some advice from someone through DM last week, it was good advise and was advising to look at targeting 11 minute mile average. The below are the 5 mile averages

Miles 1 - 5 - 11:23 average
Miles 6 - 10 - 9:31 average
Miles 11 - 15 - 10:44 average
Miles 16 - 19.45 - 11:59 average

At the end of mile 5 there is a down hill section and it naturally picks up the pace, instead of settling back in to the target pace I kinda just moved along at the new pace

I don't know about anyone else but I find myself getting bored during these long runs, when I am running over 2 hours my mindset sort of becomes (surely this is enough!!). I do the majority of the running on my own so it is easy for the mind to wander. The last 4 miles are slightly skewed by a couple of pee breaks.

Overall it was a huge improvement from the previous Sunday, aided by some carb loading Saturday, a proper breakfast and getting out early Sunday.

4th of April

4.48 miles in 47 minutes 24 seconds (10:35 average)

Got out last night as work is rather busy at present with a something else I am working on taking up a bit of time in the last 2 weeks, aside from the usual lack of sleep Legs felt heavy after Sunday so just took it handy.

Less than 4 weeks to go, happy enough with where I am, looking to repeat Sundays run this weekend again with 2 runs on Thursday and Friday this week.

MTD: 23.93 miles
YTD: 313.45 miles (Over 500KM in just over 3 months :eek:!!)

The Muppet

HigginsJ wrote: »

I don't know about anyone else but I find myself getting bored during these long runs, when I am running over 2 hours my mindset sort of becomes (surely this is enough!!). I do the majority of the running on my own so it is easy for the mind to wander. breaks.

Like you I did all my long runs solo, to avoid boredom I used to vary the route every long run, and then i'd see it as a challenge/adventure, It took a little planning on the google pedometer site and being in Dublin i have plenty of options for safe runs.

HigginsJ

The Muppet wrote: »

Like you I did all my long runs solo, to avoid boredom I used to vary the route every long run, and then i'd see it as a challenge/adventure, It took a little planning on the google pedometer site and being in Dublin i have plenty of options for safe runs.

I want to avoid the main road as much as possible so there are a few routes but they are well worn at this point.

The route from Sunday is the toughest, it contains a few climbs. From mile 4 to mile 5 you climb 156ft, from mile 7 to mile 10 you climb 140ft and from mile 14.5 to finish you climb just over 100ft.

Now I know there are downhill parts to go along with the climbs but it is tough going at points.

HigginsJ

pac_man wrote: »

Would you not listen to a few podcasts? It's a good way of killing the boredom.

Listen to some "Off the Ball" & "PFT Live", I just think it is a very long time and can get boring, I might be in the minority!!

Kennyg71

Anything over 3 hrs is probably not that benificial if you intend doing a 4 hr Marathon, long run is about simulating running on tired legs, you really need
to get the mid weeks runs done, as LR should not be more than 50% of weekly
total ideally. Your LR pace would be fine somewhere 10-10.30 pace, and if you
ran a moderate pace parkrun day before it would better simulate running on tired legs. I would think more about time on your feet than miles covered, on the day fully fit and well tapered that extra half hour should be well within you. I wouldn't get overly stressed at this stage, just finish program as much as is possible and enjoy the occasion.

ariana`

HigginsJ wrote: »

Yea all fine, I will throw up an update in a bit, been lazy with the updates the last week!!

Oh that's ok, glad all going good. That was some long run you did. I do some of my shorter runs with company but anything over 5 miles i'm on my own. I haven't been doing very long runs recently but when I was HM training i found them tough/boring over an hour , it's something that puts me off marathon training. But look on the day you will have plenty of company which will be a novelty and possibly a distraction if you need it but you also will have the mental reserve that you're building now by doing all those LSRs on your own. Not long to go

HigginsJ

ariana` wrote: »

Oh that's ok, glad all going good. That was some long run you did. I do some of my shorter runs with company but anything over 5 miles i'm on my own. I haven't been doing very long runs recently but when I was HM training i found them tough/boring over an hour , it's something that puts me off marathon training. But look on the day you will have plenty of company which will be a novelty and possibly a distraction if you need it but you also will have the mental reserve that you're building now by doing all those LSRs on your own. Not long to go

Thanks, looking forward to it at this stage & looking forward to getting back focusing on some shorter races, been a long time training now with no races (since December 3rd) so will be a bit of a release.

HigginsJ

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Anything over 3 hrs is probably not that beneficial if you intend doing a 4 hr Marathon

Can you give me a bit more clarity on this?

Kennyg71

HigginsJ wrote: »

Can you give me a bit more clarity on this?

Your LR serves to build your aerobic capacity, helps body to deal with using fat
for fuel, and with accumulated mileage build up helps deal with mental side of
continuing to run on tired legs. After 3 hrs or a little more running you gain no more Aerobic benifits, and extra fatigue can potentially lead to injury. If you intend running under 4 hrs, as you will have tapered and be well rested and well
stocked up with glycogen reserves, the first 10 miles or so will seem quite easy
and the second half is where you will gain with mental side of running while body
is saying stop as you know you have experienced it during LR, and you can push trough. So after 3 hrs there is little gains in adaptation terms, maybe mentally
for an individual there are gains, but it tends to be outweighed by injury risk,
Over 3.30hrs running is big run especially if you are not balancing it against rest
of your weeks running. I think by pushing yourself to 3.30hrs and above it could have more negitive effects physically and is best saved for the day.

You could increase you pace slightly if you can, 45-90 sec below Marathon pace
Should be slow enough, even at 90 sec end it would be 10.30 per mile. Which should serve need to hit mileage and not spend as long on your feet.

HigginsJ

Thanks for that, I find it interesting that depending on who you speak to you will hear completely different things. A neighbour was at our son's bday party a couple of weeks ago and she was saying that having only done 20 miles at once in training was way too little, would need to get getting up to 22-23 miles.

I have only been loosely following the plan I received, I have found it tough with the lack of sleep etc. Did 6 mile this morning and have 6 planned for tomorrow morning as well, thinking I might throw in a 3-4 mile run on relatively high effort on Saturday and then maybe do 3 hours Sunday.

I can tell you now my legs are tired from last Sunday still.

It has been a real eye opener this training. I'm not saying I thought it would be easy and I don't want to go to excuses etc. but running 3-midweek runs and a long run Sunday has been a lot tougher than I imagined. Looking back, in 6 months from June to December last year I ran 315 miles, I pretty much topped that in the 1st 3 months of this year.

Kennyg71

There are defiantly lots of fast Marathoers doing upto Marathon distance and above, but they spend less time on their feet. If you are left wipped and can't run during week you are over doing LR, it's more important to get to start line fit,
I did 2 x 20 mile runs on first Marathon cycle and exceeded my expectations, I did 3 x 22 on second and got injured, and had a disaster and didn't finish. We are all built to withstand different stresses, but just reading your log over last couple of weeks with life stresses etc, and missing runs injury risk gets higher. Marathon training really is an eye opener, mind the body.

The Muppet

HigginsJ wrote: »

It has been a real eye opener this training. I'm not saying I thought it would be easy and I don't want to go to excuses etc. but running 3-midweek runs and a long run Sunday has been a lot tougher than I imagined. Looking back, in 6 months from June to December last year I ran 315 miles, I pretty much topped that in the 1st 3 months of this year.

I found The training the hardest part of running a marathon. The long
runs on tired legs in particular but they will stand to you on the day when it's gets tough as it will and you will have the mental strength to deal with any issue and keep going. 20 mile long
Runs are fine for your first marathon . When you get to 20 miles on the day the adrenalin and atmosphere will get you over the 10 k left

The Muppet

You will only run one first Marathon . Keep you goal realistic to your ability and training and make sure you enjoy the day .

HigginsJ

Thanks all

HigginsJ

6th of April

6.01 miles in 57 minutes 38 seconds (9:48 average)

7th of April

6.09 miles in 52 minutes 16 seconds (8:34 average)

8th of April

4.76 miles in 47 minutes 7 seconds (9:53 average)

9th of April

19.03 miles in 3 hours 2 minutes 54 seconds (9:35 average)

Had a kids b'day party that we had to attend in the afternoon so was out at about 7.30am, the run went really well. Have been focusing a little on carb loading the day before the long runs for the last 2 weeks and it has been a positive. Took the 1st 5 miles fairly handy to warm up and upped the effort a bit then. The last 4.03 miles have some serious climbs so the effort was good there too.

Miles 1 - 5: 10:48 average
Miles 6 - 10: 8:41 average
Miles 11 - 15: 9:04 average
Miles 16 - 19.03: 9:56 average.

MTD: 59.82 miles
YTD: 349.34 miles

gramar

That looks a very good weeks work J. Well done.

HigginsJ

gramar wrote: »

That looks a very good weeks work J. Well done.

Thanks G, really pleased with it, considering I had run Thursday, Friday and Saturday, yesterday was great.

Also the slightly higher paced alleviated the boredom I have been feeling a bit on these longer runs.

Kennyg71

Nice LR, how did MP miles feel, getting 10 done is good going, and should really fill you with confidence.

HigginsJ

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Nice LR, how did MP miles feel, getting 10 done is good going, and should really fill you with confidence.

They were pretty comfortable to be honest, it was about 11.5 miles at MP (worked out slighty under MP I think but either way). The increased pace in the last couple of miles was to do with a couple of tough climbs and not wanting to do anything stupid.

I actually feel that the run Saturday evening helped a bit as I felt good heading out, I thought I would feel it more in the legs with 17 mile the 3 days previous but it seemed good.

Hindsight is great but if I do a marathon again (Dublin 2018) then I think a shorter run the evening before the long run might form part of the plan.

HigginsJ

12th of April

4.65 miles in 45 minutes 12 seconds (9:42 average)

14th of April

6.40 miles in 1 hour 4 minutes 16 seconds (10:02 average)

16th of April

11.70 miles in 2 hours 1 minute 13 seconds (10:21 average)

17th of April

6.40 miles in 1 hour 4 minutes 31 seconds (10:04 average)

Tired running this week, think the previous week took it out of me. Have a slight tightness on the inside of my right upper leg (abductor muscle I think) but it seems to go away once I warm up and start running. Would hate to pick up any strain/injury at this stage so focusing a bit extra on foam rolling the last couple of evenings.

Less than 2 weeks to go, yeh

MTD: 88.97 miles
YTD: 378.49 miles

Kennyg71

How's tapper going, very quiet hope all well.

HigginsJ

Kennyg71 wrote: »

How's tapper going, very quiet hope all well.

Just coming on to post, last week was not good. Not sure why but got a bit of a bug on Tuesday, was not feeling great, sick Wednesday night and off from work with it Thursday. Not 100% on Friday and still wasn't great the weekend but had to get out. The only blessing is that I got it last week and not this week!!

22nd of April

4.10 miles in 39 minutes 35 seconds (9:39 average)

23rd of April

9.32 miles in 1 hour 31 minutes 7 seconds (9:47 average)

Was a bit tough going for the 1st few miles, felt drained but to be expected with the week. Will get out twice this week and need to spend a bit of time foam rolling.

MTD: 102.39 miles
YTD: 391.91 miles

Kennyg71

All the work is done, so take easy rest and recover this week, plenty of carbs and water.

adrian522

Best of luck on Sunday, stick to your race plan.

Don't go off too fast...and most of all get to bed early the next few nights :rolleyes: