Pink11 wrote: » Little bit of advice needed... I have the medieval 3/4 marathon on Saturday and can't decide how much to run mid week this week. I want to be fresh. Ran 21 miles on Saturday. Strength class Sunday. Rested yesterday. Today & tomorrow... was planning on doing 4 miles easy plus a strength class today and tomorrow. Resting thurs and fri as I want to be fresh and get an idea if I can pace a sub 4 on Saturday.
Pink11 wrote: » Thank you both kindly. This looks great thanks ariana' 8m easy, 5m @ MP, 2m easy, 5m@ MP
kilns wrote: » On a similar note, most people have half marathons in their training plans, do most people race it to give them a good indication or use it as a training run as above, varying pace?
Murph_D wrote: » I would revise. Much better to be training off paces based on current fitness. The new M target will still be a big challenge, but a more appropriate one. Well done on the PB.
RayCun wrote: » My own experience is that in the race series leading up to my first marathon, I ran 81 minutes in the 10 mile and 1:47 in the half, then 3:58. I might have had another few minutes in me in the marathon, but not much.
eyrie wrote: » That's very interesting, thanks Ray - have just read your report of the marathon too. My recent 10 mile and half times are almost exactly the same as yours from that year, but I still haven't decided whether to attempt to go for a time goal for the marathon or just enjoy the day for the first one. Lots to think about.
ariana` wrote: » eyrie there's no reason you can't have an enjoyable run and sub 4!!! I think the problem occurs when someone pushes for a time that is either a small bit too ambitious for them or in some cases a lot too ambitious for them! They will most likely have a horrible experience but if the target is realistic and well within you then you can still have an enjoyable run. Based on your recent 10m & HM times and on your training i think 3:59:59 is very realistic for you. Ultimately you're going to have some sort of time goal even if you decide to just enjoy it, as i did last year, i still had a loose time just to give me a bit of focus and pace for starting off, i can't imagine anybody starting off with no idea of starting pace I think you could target 3:55 but that might be a risk of being a small bit too ambitious (though it won't surprise me in the least if you run 3:55!).
skyblue46 wrote: » +1 to all of the above. Another option which might work for you is to have a look at this site.http://findmymarathon.com/pacebandresult.php?race=Dublin%20Marathon It gives pace bands which take course elevation into account and also allows you to choose from even splits, negative or positive splits. It also lets you select how conservatively you start out. It's interesting to use to look at different pacing strategies. Possibly select 3:50 with a very conservative start and an aggressive negative split. That would take you nice and comfortably to 15 miles and then you could choose on the day whether to pick it up or not. I had more than one pace band with me last year! :pac:
Murph_D wrote: » I used that pace band in 2016 - I have to say it's not for me. I was grand with the first seven or eight miles but when the time came to speed up I found I was locked into the slower opening pace! I think using the official pacers and completely ignoring your watch and pace band is far more beneficial, if it's an option. Any mental work you can delegate during a marathon pays back in multiples!
RayCun wrote: » how do you fill them without slowing down?
Murph_D wrote: » I think using the official pacers and completely ignoring your watch and pace band is far more beneficial
Safiri wrote: » Sometimes, I think ignorance isn't always bliss. A few issues with this approach is that you don't run your own effort when it comes to uphills and downhills. Also as good as the pacers are in Dublin, they are not infallible and have been known to run some errant splits and be a bit slavish to the garmin, I'll get shot for this here but I one year I ran it with the pace group, they ran a 6:37 mile up the hill in chesterfield ave when goal pace was 6:51 and went through halfway in under 1:29. They aren't crazy splits by any means and it,s all my fault for going with them but if I could go back, I would've dropped back to a 7+ mile on that section and worked my way slowly back up to them in the second half on the downhills. If you're in shape to go sub-4, you should be able to reel back in the small gaps you give up running your own effort if done slowly. Do not depend on anyone else to do anything for you whether that comes to pacing orholding drinks or gels out on the course. The pacers are very useful and extremely helpful but they are a guide rather than the rule. be aware of what you are doing too.
RayCun wrote: » I always tell people to imagine they are connected to the pacers by a rubber band, not a rope. You don't have to stay a fixed distance behind them, and you should bear in mind that the pace is easier for them so they will take less notice of hills. So let them open a gap going uphill, then close that gap again on the downhill.
eyrie wrote: » Really useful advice being given here, thanks. I think there's probably a (quite personal, I imagine) balance to be found between using the pacers and listening to yourself. I've certainly found it useful sometimes in other races to have someone else do some of the mental work for a bit, but I also know very much that I need to follow what feels right for me in the moment, so I don't think I would want to slavishly follow someone else's pace. This sounds like a really good approach actually, and allows for a bit more flexibility. I do still have a concern about going anywhere near the pacers for DCM though, which is that I presume that means you'll be stuck in a giant crowd for most of the time (particularly in the 4 hour camp), and I hate that feeling of having no room around me when running. But maybe DCM is like that no matter what?
