Sub 3Hr Marathon

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postieboy Oct 2016 9:54pm, 31 Oct 2016 3,889 posts	0 postieboy I've taken the trouble of setting out a provisional VLM schedule. This is a best case scenario plan where Mrs P's employers don't mess around with her shifts too much and Little P doesn't have any more after school activities than she already does. http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-plan-view.php?id=430
postieboy Oct 2016 9:58pm, 31 Oct 2016 3,890 posts	0 postieboy Some of the doubling up days don't appear, but you get the gist (sort it out Fetch!)
damo2000 Oct 2016 10:06pm, 31 Oct 2016 167 posts	0 damo2000 Postie: My Friday is recovery, Sat is Med Long run and Sun is Long run, with Mon recovery again. I'm going to give it a bash and see how it goes. Your plan looks pretty hard core itself. I think I need to map it out like that and see what it looks like.
jdarun Oct 2016 11:57pm, 31 Oct 2016 1,129 posts	0 jdarun Maybe you could try a treadmill - I didn't really expect to use mine much but it's surprisingly good for the odd hour when it's miserable out and you want to watch something on the telly.
postieboy Nov 2016 5:54am, 1 Nov 2016 3,891 posts	0 postieboy Once I'd finished mapping it out myself, it looked quite intimidating! The 7 day a week running I've never done before, but I never really have a day off because it's usually core/strength if no running. I have to try, I'll be doing myself a disservice if I didn't. I'll be treating it like this year's London campaign. If my body is struggling with the extra workload, I'm prepared to move back down a level. Luckily this was never the case, I'm confident I can cope again with the next move up.
FergusG Nov 2016 11:52am, 1 Nov 2016 688 posts	0 FergusG In an attempt to learn just a bit more from Abingdon, I've trawled back through my splits and attempted to recall what was actually going through my head at each stage of the race. I'd settled on 4:13 min/km pace to give me a 2 minute cushion for the extra distance that comes from weaving, Garmin inaccuracies and the true length of any given Marathon course. Km, Time 01, 04:25 A bit of congestion prevents me from haring off too fast (probably a good thing), but I'm already fretting needlessly that it'll be like this the whole way round the course! Km 2 to 4 04:01, 04:05, 04:07 Clearly over compensating for slow start, and running (albeit comfortably) a bit faster than intended. Km 5 to 26 04:13, 04:12, 04:05, 04:16, 04:09, 04:12, 04:23, 04:11, 04:10, 04:12, 04:16, 04:04, 04:12, 04:14, 04:18, 04:10, 04:15, 04:12, 04:17, 04:09, 04:22, 04:11 Settled into my stride now. A few individual kilometres dipped below pace by a few seconds, but these were offset by the odd faster kilometre to maintain target pace of 4:13 across this block. Km 27 to 29 04:18, 04:18, 04:18 A slight drop in pace over 3 kilometres, but there's still a big enough time cushion if the decline doesn't worsen! Km 30 to 32 04:09, 04:15, 04:15 A return to target pace (or near as damn it). Km 33 04:24 Slowed again, but a Sub-3 is still achievable from here. A return to target pace would net me a 2:58:06 from here, whilst maintaining this pace would take me dangerously close with a 2:59:47. Whilst I couldn't do this arithmetic out on the course, I did appreciate that everything was still OK if I returned to target pace. Km 34 to 35 04:10, 04:15 Pushed the pace back up again, and we're back on track. Km 36 04:25 Pace drifted downwards again, but a return to target pace would yield a 2:58:17 from here. Km 37 04:18 Pushed the pace back up again. Should be getting ready to dig in for the final 5K now, but starting to overheat and feel weary (I can feel my face 'flush' and my breathing is starting to get out of shape). Km 38 05:08 Stopped for water, and pace drops accordingly! It's little quarter-filled cups, rather than bottles, and I need to stop to get four of the little cups down my neck. A return to target pace would give me a cushion of just 43 seconds from here. Looking at the numbers after the event, I can see that it's perilously close at this stage. On the course however, I curse myself for stopping and tell myself that I've blown it! Km 39 05:09 Walked a bit, having convinced myself that Sub-3 was no longer achievable, then broke back into a run as I realised it might almost still be possible. Looking back, I can see that a return to target pace from here would actually get me 03:00:13 and an extra push might just have yielded a Sub-3. Km 40 to 41 05:56, 06:43 My pace didn’t get back to target however, and I promptly cramped up (probably as a result of having previously stopping at the water station) at the top of an unexpected steep underpass. At this point, I've stopped debating with myself and assured myself that a Sub-3 is now completely unobtainable as I walk off the cramp. Km 42 04:50 Cramp has gone, and I give a half hearted jog to the finish line, without even attempting a burst of speed as the finish line approaches. Chip Time : 3:04:13.
Bazoaxe Nov 2016 12:14pm, 1 Nov 2016 10,657 posts	0 Bazoaxe Interesting summary Fergus. Might be worth adding to a blog so you can easily find it and refer back. I do that with most of my races Postie, I dipped my toe in the 7 days a week running water last winter and it was fine. I did take rest days when required but found that as long as the easy runs were very easy, it was all manageable
Little Miss Happy Nov 2016 2:09pm, 1 Nov 2016 40 posts	0 Little Miss Happy Fergus - were you not well hydrated at the start? Was 38k the first time you took on any water?
FergusG Nov 2016 2:21pm, 1 Nov 2016 690 posts	0 FergusG I did take on water throughout, but only managed a few sips at each station. I'm really more used to bottles than cups on the move! The more I consider it, the more I reckon my over-the-top sun protection outfit played a part. I should probably have binned the tight fitting black cap before the 'flushed face' sensation came on!
UsedToRunaBit Nov 2016 2:27pm, 1 Nov 2016 300 posts	0 UsedToRunaBit Can you believe we're only 7 weeks away from an 18 week VLM plan!? I'm planning on going with JD this time around and going for 80mpw. I have a large stretch goal so I think I need the additional mileage this time around.