My Turn ... Running Down A Dream
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Phew. Glad that's fucking over.
I’d been a bit ill (thanks Autumn, kids back to school) in the week leading up, so had taken it easy and missed out my last 10 days training. I woke up on Sunday though feeling not too bad, although I had pre-race anxiety as bad as I’d ever experienced. At the start-line I saw a few people going through worse (2 pukes, one trouser incident), so maybe I did ok …
I started off slow, aiming for a 4:15 (the 4 hours target was toast due to ill health) and my Garmin immediately decided to go and shit the bed. GPS was fine, but the health / hr stats were a mess (HR at 180 after 2 mins ... then down to 75. WTF?) , so I just played what was in front of me. Could feel I was not quite 100% through the first 5k so kept around a 5:45 p/km pace. No idea what happened but at the 20k mark I suddenly felt amazing! Not sure why, but the next hour was brilliant. But yeah, then along came “The Wall” at 34k & that was that. I was toast. Managed to “jalk” the last 8k though, and then my right calf finally gave up the ghost with about 1k to go. Ended up crossing the line at 4:23. Was I disappointed? Absolutely not. I gave it everything, absolutely everything, and that’s all I had that day. No regrets.
I actually think if I hadn't been ill, I wouldn't have broken 4 hours. I suspect around 4:05-4:10. I could have run the first 30 odd km at perhaps 15-20 secs faster then slowed down similar rate to 34k, but after that I could feel was fitness/weight related fail.
As for the day … What. A. Day. My relationship with London has been a bit fractious since we moved here in 2017, but yesterday it shone like only it can. 42km of utterly relentless cheering, support, celebrations, noise, music – across all cultures and all walks of life. It is indescribable what it feels like to run through this. Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and all the way down embankment was just a cacophony of noise. 100% of it positive. I must have run past 50 different musical events from all walks of life. Even the crowds outside the dodgy pubs on Isle of Dogs were full of unwavering support! Seriously unreal. I recorded a video message for friends / sponsors as I turned onto the the Mall, and properly choked up. Incredibly emotional moment.
Very stiff this morning, but also very satisfied. Cannot see me running another one unless I lose at least 10-15 pounds. Extra ballast you carry just kills you. I really enjoy the half distance, think that's more for me. And I cannot see how any other marathon, anywhere in the world, could get even close to what I experienced yesterday. I honestly feel emotional thinking about it right now.
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@majorrage said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
Phew. Glad that's fucking over.
I’d been a bit ill (thanks Autumn, kids back to school) in the week leading up, so had taken it easy and missed out my last 10 days training. I woke up on Sunday though feeling not too bad, although I had pre-race anxiety as bad as I’d ever experienced. At the start-line I saw a few people going through worse (2 pukes, one trouser incident), so maybe I did ok …
I started off slow, aiming for a 4:15 (the 4 hours target was toast due to ill health) and my Garmin immediately decided to go and shit the bed. GPS was fine, but the health / hr stats were a mess (HR at 180 after 2 mins ... then down to 75. WTF?) , so I just played what was in front of me. Could feel I was not quite 100% through the first 5k so kept around a 5:45 p/km pace. No idea what happened but at the 20k mark I suddenly felt amazing! Not sure why, but the next hour was brilliant. But yeah, then along came “The Wall” at 34k & that was that. I was toast. Managed to “jalk” the last 8k though, and then my right calf finally gave up the ghost with about 1k to go. Ended up crossing the line at 4:23. Was I disappointed? Absolutely not. I gave it everything, absolutely everything, and that’s all I had that day. No regrets.
I actually think if I hadn't been ill, I wouldn't have broken 4 hours. I suspect around 4:05-4:10. I could have run the first 30 odd km at perhaps 15-20 secs faster then slowed down similar rate to 34k, but after that I could feel was fitness/weight related fail.
As for the day … What. A. Day. My relationship with London has been a bit fractious since we moved here in 2017, but yesterday it shone like only it can. 42km of utterly relentless cheering, support, celebrations, noise, music – across all cultures and all walks of life. It is indescribable what it feels like to run through this. Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and all the way down embankment was just a cacophony of noise. 100% of it positive. I must have run past 50 different musical events from all walks of life. Even the crowds outside the dodgy pubs on Isle of Dogs were full of unwavering support! Seriously unreal. I recorded a video message for friends / sponsors as I turned onto the the Mall, and properly choked up. Incredibly emotional moment.
Very stiff this morning, but also very satisfied. Cannot see me running another one unless I lose at least 10-15 pounds. Extra ballast you carry just kills you. I really enjoy the half distance, think that's more for me. And I cannot see how any other marathon, anywhere in the world, could get even close to what I experienced yesterday. I honestly feel emotional thinking about it right now.
That's awesome Mate, especially with the illness and the Garmin conking out (that must have sucked).
Marathons are a strange beast. There are times that you feel great and totally comfortable and then completely hit the wall. The quads and hammies just "locking up" is not something to recommend.
Bask in the glory and I'll bet you go at it next year as well 😉
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Through 2000k running for the year yesterday! Beat my target by 2 months.
Body has really welcomed the break since the marathon though - 2 full weeks off, then only light runs since. Just the one 10k (which oddly, was my best run by a mile) since.
Not sure what revised target will be. 2,500 is certainly out of reach as is 2,400 I think. Will just plod a long and see how we go.
Commence the 4 hour body diet today too, so lack of carbs will likely deplete running energy somewhat too. Time will tell.
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@majorrage Well done mate , keep up the good work!
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We're back. Not 100% confirmed yet, but I think 2023 New York Marathon is a go.
I'm aiming to be at 85 kg when I START the training for that. The last few marathons I've been too heavy for a good time, basically have started training around 92-95kg. Have run them between sort of 85-88, so I'm hoping to start train at 85, and run at 80-81 which gives me a much better chance of smashing the 4 hour barrier.
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@voodoo said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
In case you need further inspiration, check out this dude, he's due to finish a 3,800 trot on Day 46 this evening at Bondi
23 ? He looks about 63 !
Long distance running is not good for you. Makes one look too old and gaunt.
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@MajorRage said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
New York marathon confirmed.
93.4 kg currently. 4 months out need to be 85. So that gives me 5 months to lose 8.5 kg.
Time for some serious graft. Will be 46 by then, so will be tough to improve times.
That's great news, mate. Hope it all goes well.
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@MajorRage said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
New York marathon confirmed.
93.4 kg currently. 4 months out need to be 85. So that gives me 5 months to lose 8.5 kg.
Time for some serious graft. Will be 46 by then, so will be tough to improve times.
Damn I wish I was 93.4kg…
I might start one of these threads of my own - I have entered the Port Mac Ironman this May - just over 3 months to get into some sort of shape to get through it
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@voodoo said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
@MajorRage said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
New York marathon confirmed.
93.4 kg currently. 4 months out need to be 85. So that gives me 5 months to lose 8.5 kg.
Time for some serious graft. Will be 46 by then, so will be tough to improve times.
Damn I wish I was 93.4kg…
I might start one of these threads of my own - I have entered the Port Mac Ironman this May - just over 3 months to get into some sort of shape to get through it
I look a bit emaciated at 93kg, 100kg suits me ok these days.
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@MN5 said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
@voodoo said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
@MajorRage said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
New York marathon confirmed.
93.4 kg currently. 4 months out need to be 85. So that gives me 5 months to lose 8.5 kg.
Time for some serious graft. Will be 46 by then, so will be tough to improve times.
Damn I wish I was 93.4kg…
I might start one of these threads of my own - I have entered the Port Mac Ironman this May - just over 3 months to get into some sort of shape to get through it
I look a bit emaciated at 93kg, 100kg suits me ok these days.
I do too, but it’s going to be a necessary evil
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Yeah, well Im 177cm 5"9.5'. Put that in perspective.
Reading the thread, it's a bit of a rotation. Get fat. Try and lose weight to train for a fast marathon. Fail to lose what I want. Not get my time.
Will this time be any different? Hard to tell, but I hope not ....
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@MajorRage said in My Turn ... Running Down A Dream:
Yeah, well Im 177cm 5"9.5'. Put that in perspective.
Reading the thread, it's a bit of a rotation. Get fat. Try and lose weight to train for a fast marathon. Fail to lose what I want. Not get my time.
Will this time be any different? Hard to tell, but I hope not ....
Yeah, OK - I'm 6'2 so I guess that evens us out!
OK, I'm starting a thread of my own so I don't hijack yours anymore
Looking forward to everyone keeping each other honest around here and knocking off some 2023 goals
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@MajorRage Awesome. Good luck!
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Something internally does genuinely feel a bit different this time. I've been dry for January, and after the first weekend, I've not struggled and quite enjoyed it. I currently see shit food and have absolutely no desire to eat it. I know there will be weak spots / weak days, but perhaps if I succumb on these days and discover just how shit shit food is then it'll kill the desire permanently.
I've always been pretty good at following a plan. Thus, I've written one out already to get me through to 16 weeks out which is around mid July. I'll have no problems following this at all. It's loosely based around previous ones with 100 press-ups / 3-400 ab exercises every day, 20-25 mins resistance bands 6 days a week, and then cardio of 2 days run / 1 day skip continuously. Running around 30-35k a week at the moment (one long one of 10+) and around 2500-3k skips. Itensity will build up a bit then back, but if I stick to this, I should be in a good state 16 weeks out (where you need to find running a 10k / 6 miles very easy).
The motivation feels like it did for the first one, which is excitement as well as genuinely trying to make a change for good. I've spent too much of my life floating between 90-95 kg, where as it would be much much healthier to be floating between 80-85kg. Yes, that is a long way to go from here, but I'm not aiming to do it in 2 months. I'm aiming to do it in 9. Very different.
Beers and wine have always been my weakness, and will continue to be so. Although I'm very very partial to Guiness 0.0. At 75 cal for a 440ml, I can have 2-3 occasionally for little calorie penalty, and zero penalty on the next days workout. Do love a glass of wine though, and as the weather warms up, it will be difficult to avoid the Sav Blanc.
Wish me luck, I'll need it!
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Interesting few months since 27th Jan!
The internal feeling of difference felt good til July. Despite May/June having multiple road bumps (GP, US trip) I managed to stay pretty healthy and keep the fat off. But I've had a shocker of a July, which has co-incided with the start of the training plan. I also have a bit of plantar fasciitis on my right foot which is causing issues. Not so much with the foot, or during the running, but I think it's slightly altering my technique which is causing recovery pain with my heel & knee. At this point though, it doesn't feel like any more than a niggle so I continue on.
Stats so far are 7.5kg lost for this year & have run around 1200km. I maintain doing 100 press ups and 10 sets of 35 diff ab exercises every single day as well as some looser / non impact workouts on the non running days.
I'm still aiming for 4 hours in NY, so to give me a bit of wiggle room, I've been doing the 3:45 program on runners world. So far, I've not struggled with it and, gasp, actually enjoyed it. It's based around mainly slow running (5:55-6:00 p/km) with one fast run (internal / fartlek) and one marathon pace per week (total of 5). At the moment, I'm really enjoying them all. The slow running I find very peaceful and easy to recover from. Something satisfying about the garmin telling me at the end of a 10 mile / 16k / 1 hr 35 run that my avg heart rate was 139 with not even going close to zone 5.
Tomorrow is a real test though, as I've got a simple 10k, but told to aim for under 46 mins. I know I'm not capable of that, so I'll see how we go. IT's around 4:37 p/km. I did a mini "Yasso" earlier this week where I could do the 800 splits at around 4:25 pace so I'm thinking I might put a full Yasso workout in the garmin (10x 800 sprint / 200 recover) and just see how I go. Something about the watch telling me I can walk a little bit which helps with the mental part. My fastest every 10k is around 48:50 so my main goal is to beat that.
Then next week I have 20k slow. So it'll be interesting to see if I can do that slow with the ease I've been doing the others.
Might start reporting a bit more as the miles roll on ... I have 2 more things to get through which I'll struggle health wise before the race (camping trip & RWC trip) - both are short though so hopefully won't disrupt me too much ....
