nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Off the Fence....and looking to go sub 3 hrs

FBOT01

New Year with new challenges ahead…..going to try this log thing out and share my experiences in the hope that the boys and girls of the “boards.ie” community might be able to help me on the road to a sub 3hr Marathon. Yep I said it and it is now out there. No more sitting on the fence..... sub 3hrs is the next big goal!

A little bit of background to put my goal and the challenge ahead in context.....

I’m a 44 yr old 5’ 6 “ late starter with no history or background in running. After hitting 40 and been given a choice between Statins or exercise I choose running. I kicked off my running “career” in January 2011 at the Raheny 5 with the Connemara Half in April 2011 as the target goal. After graduating to the DCM in October 2011 I caught the running bug and have been ticking along enjoying almost every step since.

Marathon History
DCM 2011 03:42:12 (‘FIRST’ training programme)
DCM 2012 03:28:12 ( ‘FIRST’ programme again with extra running days and 10 week pilates course)
DCM 2013 03:13:16 (P&D 18wk /55m – no pilates and it showed in the last 2 miles)

PB’s
5K - 18:19 Parkrun St Anne’s – Oct 2013
5m - 34:20 Raheny 5 – Jan 2013 (only 5 miles I have run is Raheny 5 and until this year I would have been coming off a Nov/Dec break and a heavy Christmas)
10k - 39:05 Docklands – Jun 2013
10m – 1:04:36 Frank Duffy – Aug 2013
½ marathon - 1:28:56 Kildare - May 2013
Marathon - 3:13:16 DCM – Oct 2013

Total Mileage for 2013 was 1,900 miles.

Diary for 2014 starts with Raheny 5 at end of Jan and will be followed by Ballycotton 10 in March and Connemara Marathon in April. Original plan was to work towards a crack at 3hrs in Berlin but didn't manage to get a slot in the lottery so I guess I will have to try it on home soil in DCM 2014 all going well.

I am currently on week 7 of the 18 week P&D 55 to 70 mile program and all is going OK at the moment touch wood........did my first +60 week 2 weeks ago and still motoring.

Last week runs were as follows:
Mon – 7m @ 8:02 avg pace
Tues – 12.39m @ 8:19 avg pace
Wed – 5.87m @ 8:34 avg pace (Recovery)
Thurs – 10m @ 8:09 avg pace
Fri – 5.22m @ 9:02 avg pace (Recovery)
Sat – 12.28m @ 7:58 avg pace followed by St Annes Parkrun 5k @ 6:20 avg pace
Sun - Rest

Week = 55.9m
MTD = 95.8m
YTD = 95.8M

Look forward to getting your views, thoughts and advices over the coming weeks, months, years............and for all they might be worth sharing mine!

Find more posts tagged with

sub 3hrs marathon

p&d

Quick Links

Comments

FBOT01

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

What plan are you following now M?

TbL

I am following an outline plan provided by your coach on The Continuity Training Thread. Based around 2 key sessions per week with the rest mainly easy running. Targeting 50-60 miles per week all in for the moment.

It's a pity you won't be joining us on Sunday. Always a good event.

FBOT01

Murph_D wrote: »

Nice parkrun there, boss. Best of luck on Sunday. Would love to be doing it myself but out of town for the weekend.

Cheers D.

FBOT01

22/01/2015 - 7.54m @ 08:16 avg pace (General Aerobic - Easy w/9x100m Strides)

Another slogfest around Kilkeel. I was surprised at how icy the path along the seafront was when I got there. As a result, I did the strides on the grass while still using the lamposts as my guide. I went 3on/3off for a mile and thoroughly enjoyed the strides. It was a nice way to finish after what had gone before.

FBOT01

23/01/2015 - 6.88m @ 09:25 avg pace (Recovery w/9x100m Strides)

I was joined by Ferris B for 4 of these. Good to have company for a change and to catch up a bit. Had no idea what the pace was and neither of us really cared. Two auldfellas on an NHS gabbing like auldwans:)

After Ferris jumped out I headed back down the the coast and did the same routine of strides as I did last night but on the path this time. Nothing to report really just keeping her lit until Sunday.

FBOT01

24/01/2015
- 1.13m @ 08:10 avg pace (parkrun warm-up)
- 3.07m @ 08:00 avg pace (parkrun St Anne's 25min Pacing - 24:33)
- 1m (Cool down)

Headed up to St Anne's to slot in as 25min pacer. Allowed me to get a couple of miles in to keep things ticking over for tomorrow. Came in a little ahead of were I should have but didn't drop anyone in last km. The couple of people that were with me were moving well so I pushed them a little in the last 500m to ensure they got the best out of the run. 2 of them got nice shiny new PB well under their 25min target.

All set for tomorrow or as set as I am going to be. Christeb is targeting sub 30 and has signed up Tungaska to pace him so all going well I will be able to hang onto their coat tails all the way. Either way plans A, B and C all involve running like fock and seeing how far that gets me.

Good luck to all those running.........and as always, ENJOY!!!

tang1

Best of luck tomorrow, bring home the bacon.

annapr

hope Raheny went well today, M... looking forward to hearing about it!

FBOT01

annapr wrote: »

hope Raheny went well today, M... looking forward to hearing about it!

Cheers Anna. Watch said 30 flat but I am pretty "confident" that I was slower on stopping the watch than running so chip time will give me sub 30....if not I am going to go off and sulk for a while before writing a report:D

FYI Mrs FBOT definitely took minute plus off her PB.

PS....great event as always. Good weather and strong field pushed a lot of people to PB performances. Thanks to all involved!

ThebitterLemon

FBOT01 wrote: »

Cheers Anna. Watch said 30 flat but I am pretty "confident" that I was slower on stopping the watch than running so chip time will give me sub 30....if not I am going to go off and sulk for a while before writing a report:D

FYI Mrs FBOT definitely took minute plus off her PB.

PS....great event as always. Good weather and strong field pushed a lot of people to PB performances. Thanks to all involved!

That's great running M, well done.

TbL

annapr

FBOT01 wrote: »

Cheers Anna. Watch said 30 flat but I am pretty "confident" that I was slower on stopping the watch than running so chip time will give me sub 30....if not I am going to go off and sulk for a while before writing a report:D

FYI Mrs FBOT definitely took minute plus off her PB.

PS....great event as always. Good weather and strong field pushed a lot of people to PB performances. Thanks to all involved!

Well done to both of you!!! great time for you! Tell the Mrs congrats from me... won't be long before she'll be leaving me in the dust

menoscemo

Well done FBOT, you were pretty fresh coming up the hill as you were able to pick me out of the crowd and say hello :pac:

tang1

Well done M, super stuff.

FBOT01

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

That's great running M, well done.

TbL

Cheers, C. Happy enough with the way it went.

annapr wrote: »

Well done to both of you!!! great time for you! Tell the Mrs congrats from me... won't be long before she'll be leaving me in the dust

Thanks Anna.

menoscemo wrote: »

Well done FBOT, you were pretty fresh coming up the hill as you were able to pick me out of the crowd and say hello :pac:

Thanks Meno. You were easy to pick out:) ....When I passed you I was actually aerobically feeling as I looked but my legs were not happy. 500m up the road I was looking how my legs were feeling:D

FBOT01

tang1 wrote: »

Well done M, super stuff.

Thanks, B.

menoscemo

Just about FBOT!!

FBOT01

menoscemo wrote: »

Just about FBOT!!

Just about will do me for today;)

Murph_D

Nice going, M. Never a doubt.

. Congrats to A too.

FBOT01

Murph_D wrote: »

Nice going, M. Never a doubt. . Congrats to A too.

Cheers D. I hope you enjoyed your parkrun tourism at the weekend and the bit of hill training afterwards:)

yaboya1

Well done yesterday Mark.
I knew you'd do it and was really expecting you to pass me in the final stages. I was delighted when I looked around at the line and you were already there. Sub 3 this year for sure

FBOT01

yaboya1 wrote: »

Well done yesterday Mark.
I knew you'd do it and was really expecting you to pass me in the final stages. I was delighted when I looked around at the line and you were already there. Sub 3 this year for sure

Cheers, Peter. Actually thought coming down the far side of park that I might actually be in with a chance of catching you but I got slightly distracted when the two guys in front of me had a little go at each other at the second last corner. One obviously felt the other was cutting him off so he gave him a rugby style hand off. The guy on the receiving end broke his stride and I had to go wide to pass him. When I came into the final straight you were just a fraction too far ahead to catch (and moving too fast)....I did give it a go though:D

Good to see you start the year off with another PB.

Sub 3 thoughts or plans are on hold until April/May but all going well I will be having another go in the Autumn.

ThebitterLemon

FBOT01 wrote: »

Cheers, Peter. Actually thought coming down the far side of park that I might actually be in with a chance of catching you but I got slightly distracted when the two guys in front of me had a little go at each other at the second last corner. One obviously felt the other was cutting him off so he gave him a rugby style hand off. The guy on the receiving end broke his stride and I had to go wide to pass him. When I came into the final straight you were just a fraction too far ahead to catch (and moving too fast)....I did give it a go though:D

Good to see you start the year off with another PB.

Sub 3 thoughts or plans are on hold until April/May but all going well I will be having another go in the Autumn.

I'll give the pot a little stir!!

Sounds like you're saying you would have taken P only for that bit of commotion

TbL

FBOT01

Absolutely, with yards to spare. Sure he was running backwards at that stage and we all know how easy he capitulates under presssure :P

......PS I wish!!

FBOT01

25/01/2015

Raheny 5
Gun Time - 30:11
Chip Time - 29:59
Overall Position - 149
Cat Position - 9

Prerace
While I have put in a few good weeks in the run up to this and the plan was to give it a good lash I probably could have planned my day a little better to give myself the best chance of a good run. "Daddy's" Taxi was on duty again on Saturday Night so no early night and with a late race start I had decided to stick with my normal Sunday routine of early morning golf rather than putting the feet up. So bed at 1am, up at 7am and 12 holes carrying my bag all before collecting mine and Mrs FBOT's numbers at 12:30.

Even when collecting the numbers there was a great buzz around the start/finish area. Came back up about 1:45 and dropped the bag and went for a couple of warm-up miles. After getting changed I headed over and caught the end of the junior 1 mile race. Some talented runners in action and some very good times being hit.

Met back up with Mrs FBOT wished her good luck and headed into the starting funnel early as it always gets quite tight at the start of this race. Met plenty of Boardies, parkrunner and others runners that I knew and everyone seemed in great form and ready to go. Lined up with Yaboya and withcheeseplease in a Berlin revisited moment. I had hoped to see christeb at this stage so that I could tag onto his coat tails in his sub 30 attempted (which turned out to be a smashing success for him) but he was front and centre and I was stuck some 15/20 rows back.

Mile 1 (05:59)

We were off pretty much on time and as usual there were a lot of runners in the early rows that had no business being there. Starting 5 or 6 rows from the front at a jog....I just don't get it. Yaboya passed me in the first half mile and I assumed that as with all other races we have lined up together in that that would be the last I would see of him until after the finish. It was in this section that I also encountered the guy mentioned by Yaboya with the massive headphone jogging along oblivious to anything going on around him. To add insult to injury he was about 6'6" and built like a brick sh*thouse so took up half the road. Anyway after the first half mile I began to find a rhythm and was actually moving quite well as we turned onto Watermill Road. Pace was 05:58 or thereabouts and finished out mile 1 in 05:59.

Mile 2 (05:55)

I lost a lot of time on this mile last year trying to get some shelter from the wind and letting other people dictate my pace. This year the wind was not a major issue and I had decided pre-race that I was going to hold pace irrespective of what was going on around me. Mile 2 under the belt in 05:55. A little quicker due to the downhill of Sybil Hill and the brief b*lloxking I got from Ferris to move my ar*e.

Mile 3 (06:02)

This mile was the toughest of the day. About half way down Mount Prospect I really started to feel the pain with twinges in my lower back and the start of a stitch which thankfully didn't come to anything. I got a couple of shout outs here including one from my eldest that helped me keep my mind on the job. I also caught a glimpse of Yaboya along this section. Sorry P but I took some heart from not being the only one suffering. Unfortunately, I knew that if he was still in my sight at that stage sub 29 would be a tough ask even for him. Turned onto the downhill section towards the coast and the watch beeped a 06:02 mile and Yaboya seemed to disappear. I was still in with a good shout for my sub 30 but needed to keep it motoring. I was actually aerobically very relaxed and breathing easy but my legs were struggling badly.

Mile 4 (05:58)

I now started to focus on the task of putting in another sub 6:00 mile to put myself in the right place for the finish. It was here that I joined or was joined by a female runner, Maria (I knew her name from the amount of shout outs she was getting). Right up along the coast road we were shoulder to shoulder pushing each others pace and we were passing a lot of runners. One poor lad sprinted back past us only to die a death 50m metres up the road....he'll learn I thought to myself. Got a shout out from a marshal I knew at end of Watermill Road and then when I turned to head up the hill. I got "encouragement" here from the ever present Mr Stew and Mr Motivator himself, Ferris B. Spotted Meno around here too and gave him a shout out. Mile 4 done in 05:58 just one to go!!!

Mile 5 (05:55)

I push on up the hill and I thought maybe I lost Maria here but no as we turned onto All Saints Road she was right there on my shoulder again. From this point on I have no recollection of anything but what was straight in front of me. Angelina Jolie could have been standing naked in a doorway here and she wouldn't have gotten a second glance. I could feel the pace increasing and I picked out a few targets ahead. The first being a guy I know from parkrun, Eamon, who would be a regular sub 18 finisher. As I approached him I caught a glimpse of Yaboya a little further up the road. Eamon was moving well and it took a while to catch up with him. He was busy chasing down the guy in front of him and we were both passing quite a few along this stage. BTW Maria was still just behind me as I could hear the continuing shouts for her. As we came up the far side of the park on the final lap I was closing on Eamon and his prey.......he actually got a little too close to his prey on the second last corner and got a good auld shove for his trouble as the guy obvious thought he was cutting him off on the corner. As we came around the final corner I swung wide and took both of them on the outside. I encouraged Eamon to come with me and was happy to see him beat the guy that shoved him as I thought it was a little uncalled for. Maria came in just behind Eamon.........while I could see Yaboya clearly just in front of me on the finishing straight I never really got close enough to catch him. Mile 5 sorted in 05:55.

Post-race
Stopped the watch at 30 flat but was confident/hopeful that chip time would put me on the right side of the 30 mark. Congratulated Yaboya on his PB even if it wasn't the sub 29 he would have liked. He is sure to nail the sub 29 in Terenure if not before. We headed around to pick up our goodies bags. Bumped into Killerz and christeb here both basking in the glory of smashing their targets and sharing a naked hug to celebrate. Also caught up with withcheeseplease, wubble wubble and a few others all pretty happy with their days work. Congratulated Maria on her performance and thanked her for the part she played in pushing me to what turned out to be 29:59:D

After this I returned to the finishing straight to try to catch a glimpse of Mrs FBOT's moment of glory but missed her. She too had a good day at the office with a 2min PB. Headed back to the GAA Club for a shower, a cuppa and a catch up. Loads of folks around here both boardies and parkrunners including the Stews and the whole Killerz clan. I made it clear to Mrs Killerz that there is no way Killerz should be smashing his PB like he did if he was pulling his weight with the twins...she assured me that it won't happen again:p

Mrs FBOT and I then strolled home through St Anne's before putting our feet up for the evening and eating like we had just done a marathon:eek:

Another great day out in Raheny. It has to be the best possible way to kick off the year's running. Thanks to all involved organisers, volunteers, supporters and fellow runners...........GOOD JOB!!!

FBOT01

26/01/2015 - 4.14m @ 09:28 avg pace (Recovery with Dog)

Nice easy recovery run to get the blood flowing after yesterday's efforts.

Murph_D

Great racing, Mark. Some pre-race routine too! Congrats.

FBOT01

Murph_D wrote: »

Great racing, Mark. Some pre-race routine too! Congrats.

Thanks Murph. I put all that in as a memo to self for next year. I read my last year's report last week to check for curiosity what I did on the day i.e. whether I rested or golfed, etc. and found that had included very little about pre-race so thought it would be useful for future reference.

tang1

FBOT01 wrote: »

Thanks Murph. I put all that in as a memo to self for next year. I read my last year's report last week to check for curiosity what I did on the day i.e. whether I rested or golfed, etc. and found that had included very little about pre-race so thought it would be useful for future reference.

Yeah, yeah, you were just showing off!!

FBOT01

tang1 wrote: »

Yeah, yeah, you were just showing off!!

Not at all, B. You have me all wrong. Showing off would have been telling you that I had two birdies and took the money while playing golf

yaboya1

FBOT01 wrote: »

and took the money while playing golf

Again.....

blockic

Well done lad. Nice to sneak under the 30!