Running

I'm doing intervals at Ladywell track every Wednesday if you want to join, it's only about £1.50 a session.

should I dial it back

Probably, but depends on how hard you found it & if it affects quality of other sessions that follow.

Cheers! Kent AC, although you'll probably see about 10 of my club mates before me, we'll have a strong team out I reckon.

@Sainsburys_Ed - I think it depends how the runs feel. You don't want to be doing an 8 mile time-trial and kidding yourself it's marathon pace if it's tiring you out too much for the rest of your training, but if it's manageable then it's a good sign that your target is realistic. I like to mix up my approach to race pace sessions; either keeping an eye on pace as you go along, or going by feel and practising trying to keep an even pace going. I think HH goes up to 10 miles for race pace runs, doesn't he? If you can manage that running tidy with a bit to spare you're definitely in the right ball-park for target pace.

Oh there's one in crystal palace. Tomorrow. at 9. How fortunate....

dont forget your barcode ☺

With no particular goal race in mind and the likely disruption in two weeks, theres probably not much point in following a plan thats geared to you peaking ready for a certain date. Just keep it fun and keep at it consistently. 400m efforts would be proper speed work and its highly likely that you will be slacking without a coach/rival to keep you going.

2,3,4,5,5,4,3,2 minute efforts with 90 second slow walk recoveries
3mins with 90sec recoveries (×8)
3min out, 3min back faster, 3min rest (×5)
1km efforts (x8) consistently at 10-12sec quicker than 10k pace
1mile efforts (x5) consistently at 8-10sec quicker than 10k pace
http://www.graemestewart.com/running-pace-and-speed-conversion-table/

Im sure theres plenty of bus and train options for you, so try getting a train or bus outbound and explore your way back for a different long run

That is tempting.
What time?

1km efforts (x8) consistently at 10-12sec quicker than 10k pace

what's the rest between those efforts?

Used to race against you guys in the Kent XC League - on the 4-lap courses my main aim was not to get lapped by your fastest guy and Dean Lacey from Cambridge Harriers...

That's going back a bit! 2007/8 was our last year in the Kent League, I managed to run a single race at Capstone not long after joining the club. I see Dean won that day.

Im sure theres plenty of bus and train options for you, so try getting a train or bus outbound and explore your way back for a different long run

I don't know why I've never done this.

what's the rest between those efforts?

About 6 months, if you go by my recent history.

That's about what I hoped for.

1km efforts (x8) consistently at 10-12sec quicker than 10k pace
what's the rest between those efforts?

About 2min and 3min but you can be a bit flexible to keep a good pace and form for the efforts. If you have a HRM, you can also go when your HR drops back to a certain point

Righto. So about 6 months is right then....
(I joke)

I've looked at my stravstistics and I'm currently at 5.30 - 6 mins per km. I think. I think I used to be able to run 5k in 25 mins. I'll find out tomorrow.

About 19:00, whenever I'm relinquished by my enslavers.

Didn't find it hard and so far the only session I've struggled with was Sunday's 10 miles at race pace but that was more a function of an over exuberant weights session and spending 4 hours on the bike the day before.

My concern is that rather than dialling in a steady race pace I'm getting good at running at the wrong speed!

I don't know why I've never done this.

One of the ladies from our usual group couldnt make our Sunday long run. So she was destined for a 15 mile trot round town for her long run on Monday.
So I took her on a station to station run instead. We had riverside paths, woodland tracks and some minor back roads she had never been down and a few bits that were new to me.

Are your enslavers the same as mine?

Edited because I hadn't read the whole thread. I predict there will be a maximum of 8 Kent vests before Phil.

I've been dreading tomorrow all week. Feeling woefully unprepared for the hills.

@Chalfie yes, get yourself on the track. I've heard they are trying to get more people using it again.

If comfortable at 6s per km faster than target race pace (4 mins over 42km) do you have the option to reset your target?

I.e. as it looks you're training at pace to hit 2h58m30s then you might be able to adjust to a 2.55 schedule and plan as that may be comfortably achievable and also bank a few more mins of leeway.

To relate, when i reflect on my only sub 3 attempt it's that I trained to 6.49/mile (4.15/16/km) which meant I had no wriggle room at all. If i was to have another go i'd aim to hit a 2.55 mara pace on those key sessions and race day so that if I had a perfect day sub 3 would be easily done, else it'd still be within reach if not quite a perfect day.

Risk to that is could overstretch and end up hitting 3.00.01 or slower on the day but personally I'd be happier with that approach and level of risk.

Might be too risky, but food for thought.

hmm, its an good point, my first target is wokingham in two weeks after which i might reconsider my target, the main thing holding me back is that in my mind following behind a pacer for 26 miles means i can just switch off and only have to concentrate on mile 18 onwards when it start to hurt.

will check back in 2 weeks post wokingham and canvas opinion again if ive either had my confidence trashed or i've run something approaching a 1:24!

Parly Hill today. Waaah.

I will be somewhere in the field quite a long way behind both @juanito and @PhilPub.

Enjoy all.

Been practicing getting lost here. 6 Nav errors cost 20 mins over 10 miles.

The signing on the Rochdale Way is patchy, and the OS surveyors may have been to the pub that day. #alltheexcuses

One landowner has barbed wired across the marked path, with a threatening sign against trespass. Duly ignored, no damage caused.

23 mins for a 5. I feel like a hero.

Just walked Parly Hill, it's bad news - barely any mud at all. Got to go out now, so will miss the men's race - have fun everybody!

will check back in 2 weeks

Cool, hope Wokingham goes well.