The Sub 3:15 Marathon Thread
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336 watchers
12 May
9:38am, 12 May 2025
27,297 posts
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larkim
Hot and lacking mojo day at the office on the 34 mile Sandstone Trail yesterday. Never raced in warmth before, at least not over a distance. Got to half way on track with what I thought was a cautious approach, but crossing exposed fields in the sun just drained my mojo. HR never really got elevated, but couldn't really get much over 8m30 per mile shuffling before the mojo evaporated and the demons in the head said "just walk". Finished 50th out of 150 which sounds OK, but my last checkpoint split was the 109th fastest, and the only reason I kept moving forward was the thought that my better half, who was on a schedule to finish an hour behind me, might catch me!! Don't really think I can diagnose it to anything more than a) a sunny 22-24deg heat day and b) I hadn't done anywhere near enough long runs (though I thought I'd factored that in with the moderate time target I'd set myself). On the flip side, speedy son ran a 2:28 in Copenhagen yesterday, and better half only missed her target by 30 minutes, so the household had a good day! |
12 May
9:41am, 12 May 2025
52,735 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Ultras are hard dude, simple as that. Speedy son indeed and well done to both the olds for completing the trail ultra.  G
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12 May
9:53am, 12 May 2025
27,298 posts
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larkim
Yep, agreed - but I've run that course nearly 2 hours faster in the past! I'm not licking my wounds too much, it was never an A race etc and I'd not prepped to my usual standards! I do wonder what things would have been like with a 7 or 8 deg reduction in temps though. I was ahead of schedule for the first few checkpoints, and I'm sure that's evidence of going off too fast too of course. Though as everyone will say, "it all felt fine at that point"! |
12 May
1:04pm, 12 May 2025
1,932 posts
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Akie
I found my easy 7 miler far too hot yesterday morning so can only imagine an ultra with long open stretches in the sun. I feel like the heat has a much more dramatic effect on performance when youre talking about longer races where youre out there for hours (similar at Manchester and London marathons) so I certainly wouldnt be too hard on yourself.
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12 May
1:09pm, 12 May 2025
27,299 posts
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larkim
I'm glad it wasn't an A race, it was just a bit of fun really, so I'm not too bothered. The learning though about how heat affects me is interesting. My previous experience of running in the heat was of a tempo run in the early evening on a hot summer's day when HR just climbed and climbed, and I had to call my wife to give me a lift home mid run!! This was different altogether in that it made easy running hard, as opposed to making hard running impossible!
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12 May
1:23pm, 12 May 2025
18,750 posts
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jda
Also an interesting demonstration of the effect of acclimatisation. I mean, it wasn’t *really* hot, just a bit more than we are used to after the winter/spring.
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12 May
1:57pm, 12 May 2025
27,300 posts
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larkim
Absolutely. Certainly made me more sympathetic to those worrying about 21-22deg temps on marathon race days. I can't put all the blame on the heat, but from the "non-ideal" things that impacted my run I'd be listing them as most important to least important as:- - temps - lack of consistently long long runs - maybe fuelling (uncertain) - slightly over-ambitious pacing plan - carrying 4kg more than I needed on my back (500ml electrolyte, 2.5l water, plus gels, snacks) - carrying 2kg more on my body more generally On the plus side, the ground conditions were great, apart from the odd tractor track or cow track which had hardened, and a few softer bits which demonstrated the "sand" in the "sandstone trail". A good learning experience! |
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24 May
6:07pm, 24 May 2025
27,399 posts
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larkim
8th fastest time around Delamere's parkrun this morning, just 25s off my all time PB on that course which I've been running since I was in my late 30s. Joint fastest time this decade too. I've generally given it full beans around there a few times a year when I've been at a good level of fitness, so pretty happy to be knocking out a decent time on a lot course. All time best age grade too. Nice little confidence boost, I've been resisting pushing with a little absence of confidence but got my head sorted this morning. |
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24 May
6:19pm, 24 May 2025
1,934 posts
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Akie
larkim wrote: 8th fastest time around Delamere's parkrun this morning, just 25s off my all time PB on that course which I've been running since I was in my late 30s. Joint fastest time this decade too. I've generally given it full beans around there a few times a year when I've been at a good level of fitness, so pretty happy to be knocking out a decent time on a lot course. All time best age grade too. Nice little confidence boost, I've been resisting pushing with a little absence of confidence but got my head sorted this morning. Have you ever done the Mid Cheshire 5K out that way for a mega fast 5k time? I was there last night for a go. |
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24 May
7:12pm, 24 May 2025
27,400 posts
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larkim
Yep, my pb course (18:14). It's only 3 miles from home so was up there last night on spectating duties to cheer on my club mates; wife and I were standing on the wall 400m from the finish line ringing cowbells; how did you get on? It's got quite big recently, there were a few grumbles that the back lane got pretty congested. It was partly watching that that got me fired up to give it a dig today. |
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