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Sep 2017
7:15pm, 25 Sep 2017
24,970 posts
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SPR
80 WAVA is hard for me as not a vet yet but never rule anything out.
I'm enjoying watching my RunBritain handicap dropping over my last month of racing, currently 1.6 with hopefully one more race to take it down a little further.
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Sep 2017
9:44pm, 25 Sep 2017
11,838 posts
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Bazoaxe
hhmm, just tried that calculator and at my current avge pace and mileage it says 3:11. Now thats close to what I did in VLM off similar, but its not right. I would need to avge 85 mpw for it to be sub 3. 85 mpw was ironically the level at which I had to take a break due to an overtraining injury
Being realistic, sub 3 is borderline for me again, but I am pretty sure if I decided to, I could get a safe sub 3:05
Anyhoo, plan is to go for sub 3, maybe sit just off the back of the sub 3 pace group and then see what I have if I am still there at 22
Rationale...I am in reasonable shape and for the first time in many years enter taper without any niggles to report.
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Sep 2017
10:39pm, 25 Sep 2017
5,071 posts
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Jovi Runner
Well, that didn't go to plan. Unfortunately the pulled calf went pop at about 20.5miles. The Red Cross strapped it up and I limped on to just before the 10 km mark but then had to admit defeat as it was getting ever more painful just to hobble. Still, a great weekend had in Berlin on my first visit to Germany. I've checked the 2018 race entry info (planning ahead) as I really enjoyed the bit of the route I did see and am delighted that GFA times can be used for 3 years so I'll be able to use my 2015 3:18 for a 2018 GFA place. Re race day, my thoughts are that The start was a bit of a shambles (I didnt see any nfo on how to get to the start from the bag drop - we seemed to walk a very long way round the houses to get there) and the pens not really being marshalled well and huge numbers jumping over the barriers and I got a bit panicked but once underway I felt I could run (well, I could have done if I'd not been injured) unhindered. The Expo was a bit of a bun fight and overcrowded compared to London on a Friday at the Expo but I liked how only runners aloowed in the number collection bit.
On race day when I stopped at the Red Cross to get strapped up it meant most of my wave (Wave 1) went past and as there was a gap still at that point to Wave 2 starters I almost felt like I had my own cheering squad as there weren't many of us on the road. I have to say the Red Cross were top notch escorting me to the nearest U Bhan stop down the road and giving me written instructions to show at each station stop on how to get back to the start (I didn't have my glasses so couldn't read the map!). They also gave me quite a snazzy blanket/wrap thing to keep to keep me warm which I've actually brought back with me as it will be ideal for pre/post race use in winter races.
As regards weather, I thought it was pretty much ideal. It was perhaps just a tad muggy but I felt the rain kept things cool enough for running and there was virtually no breeze. Maybe a bit chilly from those from sunnier climates (ie the Africans going for a world record) but ideal for northern Europeans IMO. Does anyone know who the elite guy was who collapsed? I saw on the big screen in the baggage collection area as the elites were just finishing as I was collecting my bag after DFing but without my specs I couldn't see in detail?
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Sep 2017
10:40pm, 25 Sep 2017
5,072 posts
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Jovi Runner
That should have said 2.5 miles - if only it had been at 20.5m I could probably have finished! 
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Sep 2017
10:44pm, 25 Sep 2017
2,833 posts
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larkim
Gutted for you Jovi. There but for the grace of God go the rest of us...
Don't know about the collapsed runner but did see something about a runner in the Warsaw marathon in great distress, with no one coming to her aid.
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Sep 2017
10:59pm, 25 Sep 2017
5,073 posts
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Jovi Runner
This was a guy who collapsed - it looked to be a spectator who stopped him from hitting the deck.
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Sep 2017
10:59pm, 25 Sep 2017
3,130 posts
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Curly45
Sorry about your calf Jovi! But better at 2.5 miles than 20.5 imo!
Larks - one thing in Happy's advice sticks out to me, its all good, but DONT do what I did and leave the seconds out on the course by sticking too closely to the watch.
You get brain fog at the end and I didnt even think to looks at the distance, and if I had I'm not sure I would have realised I was off target by being over distance...
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Sep 2017
11:03pm, 25 Sep 2017
5,074 posts
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Jovi Runner
I can highly recommend watching the inline skating marathon (especially along the finish straight). We arrived just as the top guys were finishing. It was completely bonkers - racing within inches of each other at speeds that looked to be as fast as cars would travel - it reminded me of the Tour de France peloton.
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Sep 2017
8:39am, 26 Sep 2017
27,444 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
The 3rd placed elite pulled out at 20 miles with gut problems, I believe. Was that who you were thinking of Jovi. He's fine. Tough to have to DNF but right thing to do. Well done for toeing the line.
Regarding the "miss your goal by seconds" thing - we've had a number of techniques to avoid that - from paul tb's very scientific manual lapping technique to my less scientific "assume it's 26.4" or "just go a bit faster than you need to" approach.
But, the other thing I've found in all my target marathons, is if you get to 15 well and 20 still moving and up on your target, then the last 6 is just will. You can't go any faster than you're going. If someone said, "you're 30s down on 3:15, you need to save 10s per mile for next 3 miles, just go a bit quicker", you shouldn't be able to. Because you are already assessing every 30s or every minute, "How am I doing, am I overcooking it, should I back off? Or am I feeling a wee bit better, comfortable? If so, I shouldn't be - need to push on!" Or that's how I do it anyway.
Plan and control and set up to 20/21/22 (e.g. last get usually 21/22). After that just believe! G
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Sep 2017
8:51am, 26 Sep 2017
2,834 posts
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larkim
I've set the "race screen" data field on my watch to be 26.4 miles (well, 42500m as that's what it works in) to avoid the potential for missing by a fraction issue. It doesn't seem much, but of course 0.1m at 7min/mile will take 42 seconds to cover, so its sound advice to try to factor that in if you can - and if that helps me in the end to get near enough a minute in my pocket I'd be very happy indeed with that.
Having said that, I've been very impressed with my watch in terms of tracking nice straight lines generally with relatively little "wobble", so recent races at 10km and 20m have come out more or less spot on the distance. But of course no guarantees that the GPS gods will line up in quite the same way on marathon day. Though given the nature of the course (very rural, not much tree cover, lots of straight lines) it shouldn't really give too much trouble.
And whilst I am inexperienced at the marathon, HG's observations about being on / up on pace with the home straight mentally in view fits with my mentality. If I was 30s down with 3 miles to go, I'd be giving up on the target. But if I'm 30s up I'll be telling myself I can make that 30s into 45s or 60s by the finish line. I hope...
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