Runner's Forum: The Official: Training Summary Start Up Thread

Yep thats me 1.51.26 for the half. Sorry I missed you!

There were plenty of narrow straights filled by thousands - surprised people didnt end up in the river! Shocking course - didnt like it at all. All these small steep hills one after another. (after puff and billy these hills didnt seem too bad to me)

This was a really good run for me given I am carrying a terrible headcold and was up half the night not able to sleep. The time equals my only other attempt at the half which was a month ago on a totally flat course at Williamstown. So I figure thats a major improvement.

The best bit for me is I felt crap all the way until 9km mark where I just seemed to find a reasonable rhythm and before I knew it there was 2 km to go. I upped the pace up to Peter Mac Hospital and then sprinted the rest overtaking at least 30 people. I felt really strong and I was pumped!!! Although very wet!!

Cant wait for fartlek training on Tuesday morning!!

I think we had a few do the half today at Melbourne. It was certainly not the course to do a fast time. Unbeleivably hilly and so many tight corners. Very hard to maintain rhythym. I was amazed at the consistency of my km splits considering the changes in momentum all throughout.

Fricster - have you done the Melb mara before. That is slightly flatter than today!!!

Harro - Felt very releived to get to the back of parliament house. It was the start of my speed increase, and then a good kick right at the end. You did well considering an illness. Great stuff

thats awesome that so many of you ran the same race, its great to see you guys were all at least somewhat pleased with your efforts

I raced a 5k yesterday, I'm not going to put my time because its embarrassing for me. Lets just say I ran it at a pace slower than what I did tempo runs in this past season. I have no idea what happened, I just felt really flat. Bad day, so I'll be forgetting about that one soon :)

17 mile long run today, so that was good times...I'm starting to feel kind of lazy though, almost like I don't wanna go out and run as much. Maybe I'm getting overtrained, I dunno

gfinkelde, fricster, and harro, well done on your 1/2's. I have mine coming up this coming Saturday (I think I said earlier that it was this past Saturday), so I'm getting pretty excited. KDogg, I'm constantly amazed and inspired by your training! Unfortunately, I work 12 hour shifts and commute an hour every day, so my schedule will never allow that sort of training, even if I ever became masochistic enough to  force it on myself. I guess that's part of the reason you can run so fast and far!

 I've finally managed to break the 14-mile mark without walking. Ran about 14.2 miles late Thursday night/early Friday morning (it took me 2:47:00, though). I planned on running a slow, easy 8 miles, then decided, since I was feeling good, I would push past 14. The last two miles were pretty slow, though. At least I'm past it. I also put in a  5k recovery run late Saturday night (31:39). My runs for this week are going to all be pretty easy, as I have my half Saturday. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you all updated. Keep running.

Those of you from Melbourne - Nice work on the half - sounded like heavy going.

I did a 21km/13miler yesterday as my long run. Nice and slow (a bit under 6min/km - my planned "marathon pace" is 5min/km). The program I am following has a longish marathon pace run on the Saturday and long run on the sunday. I'll need to do some fartlek soon, if nothing else to feel the sensation of running fast for a change.

Finally found a hotel near the Berlin marathon course that wasn't booked out.... Makes it harder to find decent accom. when you are travelling with two one year olds..... (and a wife of course) But I'm glad they will be there to cheer me on :)....  

 aldiara88 You are just going from strength to strength. I'm impressed....you're like the new LexB of the forum..hehehe 

 Kdogg: I get burnt out just reading your posts. What are your goals for your marathon debut?

Hi all, Gfinkelde, Harro - we all sound well pleased with our efforts. This was just my second 1/2. although I have run a 20, and 24 training run so far this year.

 I didn't mind the hills on Sunday - after the 1st lap of the course - i mentally prepared for the final ascent on the second lap - and walked through the aid stops each time taking 30 seconds to drink, and regroup. It really helped at the end hill behind treasury buildings - and enabled me to pass a few runners.

 On the first lap - catching sight of naked running guy at the 13km mark was pretty funny - and kept my mind off the hill!!

like Harro - the first half was a shocker rythym wise; so at the endura aid station I stopped drank the full cup, had a Gu and headed off again - with a spring in my step!!

I will make my marathon debut at the Melbourne this year. I am pretty nervous/excited at the challenge ahead of me.

I have pulled up with quite sore achilles today, and will take another day off tomorrow as they feel really tender.

This is a great thread for the motivation and encouragement - I look forward to checking in with you in the buid up to october.

Look forward to sharing the challenge - and also to hearing from you all.

cheers

s

Great job to all who competed this weekend. Sounds like everyone did well for themselves. Burgalurg - your accoutn of your experience was great reading. Good job breaking your goal and keeping the contents of your stomach where they belong.

Got in a 3.4 mile run before going back to work this morning. Didn't get enough sleep last night and felt tired, but I ended up doing the run about a minute faster than on Friday. Go figure.

I ran my medium long run this morning because they were doing road construction on my loop and I got detoured for another couple miles, so I just went ahead and got the 15m in. Then I doubled back for another 5m tonight.

SimmoT - I dunno for sure what my actual time goals for my debut are. I know for sure I want to break 2:30 (~5:45 pace). So for right now, anything faster than 2:30 will be considered a victory. Anything slower will have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, haha...we'll see how that changes as my training comes along

Burgalurg - terrific report of a terrific run. As inspiring as Kdogg, who runs 2 of these a day!!! And breakfast was only enjoyed once which is alwaysa good thing. Thanks for everybodys "pats on the backs". Us Melbourne boys have reason to be happy with our efforts. Now roll on the Full in october.

Good luck for the weekend Dan - the extra week will do wonders

Today was a very, very slow run. That is all to report. If I ran that fast up some of the hills on Sunday I would have gone backwards. Ride home was my PB though. I love gale force North westerlys!!!

10m/7m double today...I'm supposed to do a tempo tomorrow, but I'm up way later than normal so I think I am gonna delay my LT work until next week (or at least only do one tempo this week rather than two)

After tomorrow I'm done with doubles for the week...yay  

2 great runs in a row. i realized over the weekend that i was not oushing myself enough.  My last 2 days have proved it.  on sunday i ran my 8 mile at a 9 min pace,  and then realized that i was running my 5 miler's at a 100 min pace. so,  i realized i was taking it too easy on my shorter runs,  so i have pushed the pace a little. yesterday ran 910, today 850. i have a goal to break 2 hours in the half marathon next month,  my first,  so i have to keep at it. stay healthy everyone

d 

Awesome run tonight, 7.6miler loved it. Was a bit worried about doing my long run the day after a hard track work out with the run club but I have had to pick up an extra shift tomorrow which screwed up all my work out plans.

As it happened, it rocked, 1hr09mins (9 min/mile pace) which is probably a bit too fast for my 'easy' long run... but at least I know I can do it! Plus I really enjoyed it, had a lovely run.

My running coach is actually a triathlon coach, and I take the running sessions. As we are out of season here, it is usually just me or another guy doing the session. Rocked up a couple of minutes late for my session tonight to see my coach unning off in the distance with her telling me to catch up. I thought she was p*ssed off with me for being there late, but I caught up and then she dropped me going up Anderson St, for those who know it. When we finished hammering around at a way too fast a pace given Sundays run she told me how much I ve improved, and how well I am running and I now have the ability to run fast even though I am buggered. Couldnt she have just sent that in an email!!!

My legs were a bit shattered after that so we did a nice easy 4kms and just chatted about what we have to do coming up. Really psyched that I can now do a fast marathon in October. Real work for the marathon starts Tuesday. Bring it on!!!

Today's a rest day!!!! I miss the running, but glad for the break.

Rememberly: Hills are just speed training in disguise. I forget who said that. All my runs have long hills, and short steep hills as well. If you look at Higdons advanced training, there's speed work of sorts there (intervals/hill repeats). I don't think it's a good idea to make the run after the long run a speed run...but other than that you should be able to work a speed day in. I had to modify the plan as well. I don't like the rest day to be the day after the long run. I like a short recovery run after my long run.

So I ran this track meet today, it was kind of sweet. I decided to pull off the "high school meet".

I ran the 1600, 400, 800, and 3200

I just wanted to sit and kick for the win in the 1600, because the whole goal of today was to work on my closing speed. Well it turned out some dude who qualified for state in the mile showed up and he has a nasty kick. So I sat for the first 2.5 laps and decided it'd be best to put him away. Splits: 71, 72, 70, 64...I was kind of impressed, I wasn't really trying to run that fast on the last lap, it just happened. Mark up a W in the mile for me!!

Eight minutes later I ran the 400. These high school kids were looking at me taking off my trainers and put on my spikes and they were all like "oh no he is taking off his shoes, he must be racing" (they actually said that). We started things up and some dude passed me on the first turn (it was a staggered race) and I was like oh crap, I am about to get rolled up. Well, he died a little bit and I kicked him down for the win. My time was a blazing fast 58, lol. None of the studs showed up tonight so that was kinda good, but kinda bad in terms of competition and having people to chase

Less than a minute after the 400, I ran the 800. I sat on the leader for the first 1.5 laps and then got passed by some dude and realized it was gonna come down to a big kick for the win, so I shut it down (my achilles is kinda messed up). I ran probably 2:40, lol

Right after that, I ran the 3200 with my friend. She was trying to go pretty fast (11:30 or so). We didn't quite get that, but we did negative split by about 10 seconds on the 2nd mile (6:08, 6:00), which was what we were shooting for. I think that we can do better soon

Ran 7 miles today. Training schedule calls for me to run at my marathon pace so I can get that speed locked in to my psyche. I pretty much nailed my 9 min/mile pace and felt good.

Tomorrow I run 14 miles. One mile longer than my long run last week, but more importantly, the longest I have ever run in my life. I am supposed to run it about 60-90 sec slower than my goal marathon pace, so my plan is to try for 10 min/mile. That's a 2 hour 20 minute run.