Marathon

Well done Peadar and good luck Harpsbear. Keep us updated.

I did Windsor tri a few weeks ago but I can't benchmark my time against the prediction / goal I set above because the Thames swim was cancelled due to the weather. A short run was introduced in its place. It was really windy which made the bike leg tough but I still did the 41k in 1:13 (a course PB for me - this was my 6th time doing this race I think) but I think going hard in the blustery conditions took a bit too much out of me because I did a slow run, doing the 10k in 46:15, a good 2 mins slower than I was hoping for. I think a day on the lash in Gdansk 3 days earlier might also have been a factor!

In general a good season though. I'm taking it easy now but next challenge is to try for a 40 min 10k this autumn and I'm also going to start doing some serious bike miles on Sunday mornings with my triathlon club. I've never cycled particularly seriously before so I'm hoping to make a step improvement in this dept over the autumn / winter.

Up to you guys now...

Tralee's holding its first marathon on the 16th of March, so signed up for the novice training programme, starting in August. I'm of more-or-less average fitness (5' 2", 9 stone), so hopefully once I stick to the routine, I should finish - will have to read back through the thread for all the advice.

Thought ye guys might be interested in this - if you haven't seen it already, was a great watch - with Eamonn Coq and the irish priests in kenya
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...yan_Athletics/

I had Munich in mind and lined up but a last minute change of heart and booked my place for Lucerne Marathon 2012. Going to incorporate it into a trip around Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Unlike my first marathon heat shouldn't be a factor but it should be quite scenic.

Doing a half-marathon for the first time on Sunday week. Training has gone well enough, did a hilly 20km last Sunday in 1:48, which I was happy enough with. Aim from the start was to do it in under two hours, so I'm well on track. Any suggestions on the type of training I should be doing for the ten days or so pre-race? I'm assuming I shouldn't be doing any more 'race-distance' runs.

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Originally Posted by Supreme feet

Doing a half-marathon for the first time on Sunday week. Training has gone well enough, did a hilly 20km last Sunday in 1:48, which I was happy enough with. Aim from the start was to do it in under two hours, so I'm well on track. Any suggestions on the type of training I should be doing for the ten days or so pre-race? I'm assuming I shouldn't be doing any more 'race-distance' runs.

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Well done. Not sure when you posted this but if you still have time to go its the day or two before you want to ease up and relax and feel good and ready to go for the race. Doing a hilly 20km is a great test. Your time at that is quiet good. I haven't gotten a sub 1.50 for a half yet and I've done 3 of them.

Just ease out from a comfortable starting position and pass people rather than the other way round. That way you grow with conficence as opposed to set yourself up to making it harder on yourself.

Just want to promote my next Marathon event. Again I'm doing it for charity. The choice of charity relates to a friend who suffers from excruciating pain all the time. She is permanently on morphine and it really doesn't touvh her. I have seen this confident, intelligent and wonderful young lady destroyed and reduced to contemplating ending it all. So I cannot help but note the irony in the fact I'm doing something Sarah could ever contemplate. Hopefully I can raise some money and give her some hope. Please read my blog here and don't be afraid to share it with anybody you know.

http://mylifebeyondrunning.blogspot....o-lucerne.html

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Originally Posted by Supreme feet

Doing a half-marathon for the first time on Sunday week. Training has gone well enough, did a hilly 20km last Sunday in 1:48, which I was happy enough with. Aim from the start was to do it in under two hours, so I'm well on track. Any suggestions on the type of training I should be doing for the ten days or so pre-race? I'm assuming I shouldn't be doing any more 'race-distance' runs.

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Sorry, missed this while I was away. How'd it go?

wrt your taper, common sense ought to be your guide. You're not going to get any fitter in the last ten days but you need a few shorter sharper sessions to keep your body from starting to regress. For a half-marathon I might run a slowish 10k 4 or 5 days before the race and then a moderate paced 3 miles 2 days beforehand and then that's it. Some people like a short run the day before but I don't bother usually.

Well I'm 6 days off my second marathon in Lucerne. I'm banking on a relatively flat run despite been in the Alps and haven't checked it because I'd rather not think about the prospect it may be so tough I can't complete. I'm in the best shape I've been with a lot more long distance training runs under my belt and so I've done two 22 mile runs which was Stone where I live to Uttoxeter and back on two sundays. Did a light 11.5 miles yesterday and I'll do light stuff for the next coming days and have a couple of days rest in Berlin before I travel to Lucerne.

A nice personal achievement to be able to hold but more importantly I'm doing it for charity. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BrendanGrufferty .
http://mylifebeyondrunning.blogspot....o-lucerne.html.

I suppose on completing two I'll decide I need to do a third one. I always said one would be enough.

Well in the most difficult of conditions of driving snow I took on Luzern and the Alps and eased home in 3:52:51. A bit disappointed that I didn't put a little more in as I didn't really struggle and went on sprint finish. I don't use a pacemeaker and go as I feel but a very encouraging run not to stop and not to feel I needed to stop. The race took its toll on my face and completely stripped my skin and I'm just recovering from a very painful few days.

I took a couple of pictures at the start and in the second race lap so I'll upload them to give some perspective on the conditions.

Good work, well done.

Looking through the thread and some great tips. Thanks lads and lassies!

Ran my first ever half marathon in 2011 in 2:13:49. Not great but was happy to get it out of the way. Doing the same one in Liverpool again in March so going to try and run a better time. Started training last night for the aware 10k next month. Anyone know if you can listen to the ipod when running in these races? Apologies if it’s a stupid question.

Please and thanks.

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Originally Posted by KK77

Looking through the thread and some great tips. Thanks lads and lassies!

Ran my first ever half marathon in 2011 in 2:13:49. Not great but was happy to get it out of the way. Doing the same one in Liverpool again in March so going to try and run a better time. Started training last night for the aware 10k next month. Anyone know if you can listen to the ipod when running in these races? Apologies if it’s a stupid question.

Please and thanks.

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It depends on the event. When I did Edinburgh they were officially banned, but it didn't seem to be in any way enforced, especially towards the back.

Why would they be banned?

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Why would they be banned?

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People loudly singing along to Justin Bieber?

I'll re-phrase so. :)

Why should they be banned for marathons specifically? Obviously, that sort of behaviour should be banned at all times.

Edit - sod the lot of ye; ye can be replaced by google. iPods were banned by the USATF in 2007 "to ensure safety and to prevent runners from having a competitive edge." The fear is that those with earphones may not hear important race safety announcements (though you'd have to be away off in your own world not to see other people reacting and realise something was up surely). The rule was repealed in 2009, though people have been disqualified since on occasion.

All sounds a bit daft to me.

I believe it was because of the danger of people doing Gangnam Style for 26 miles.

Again, anything that exposes these people and leads to their arrest should be encouraged, not banned.

Don't know if I'll get to marathon distance but really getting the running bug now. Running the Great Ireland Run 10k on the 14th April and I've done three IMRA mountain runs this year. Set my 5k PB in the Marlay Park parkrun this morning, 21.17. Have broken 50 minutes for 10k in training so hoping to run around 48-49 in the Great Ireland run. Very tempted to enter the race series building up to the marathon and at least going as far as the half marathon this year. Furthest I've run to date was 11k and felt pretty good. As long as I don't start too fast and get my heart rate too high I'm generally OK, made that mistake last week in the Marlay run and barely broke 23 minutes. Probably enjoying running more than playing football at the moment and I didn't think that would ever happen.

You're obviously getting old. That's what happens. A 21 min 5k is very decent, you should be smashing 48 mins.

Look up the Macmillan running calculator online to convert, for example, your current 5k time into the 10k time you should be able to achieve.