Running

That looks like a classic example of "the cat walked across the keyboard" genre.

Ha! No, phone in the hands of a 2-yr-old for half a minute. I left her looking at photos!

Hah, @Arducius can attest to my 3 year old doing the same. She managed to share a random YouTube video with everyone in my Facebook contacts, twice! 🤦‍♂️

Kings Challenge fell race in Silsden tonight. First fell race since my bike crash 2 months ago.
I’ve been back on my bike and running a bit but felt like a total sack of shit. Absolutely nothing to give. Legs nowhere to be found. I partially blame 2 days of commuting on the trot (riding fixed, 11 miles, 1100ft each way) for leaving my legs feeling like lead. I know it’s not mega miles or anything but I’m finding it hard enough.
Tonight’s race was 6 miles and 1100ft, took me just over an hour and I felt shite for every minute of it.
Here’s to hoping the next one goes a bit better!

Anyone know which dot to watch for Ardicious?

#22

Danke.

Which running shoes are best for me? I run about 3/weeks, mostly on paved surface, up to 20k. I finished some kiprun light shoes I was happy with but the exact model doesn’t exist anymore and I might want some more cushioning. Went into decathlon today (I live close by) but advice wasn’t v convincing and they didn’t have my size in stock. How does one find the right shoes?

How much do you want to spend? Then work from there. The main brands have ripped off Adidas Boost for a while now and all offer some kind of foam cushioning line for around £50 and up. I had Reebok Floatride for the last year, very cushiony.

Yeah can’t go wrong with the Floatride. Amazing value.
If you’re just after a do it all trainer for all sorts, I swear by the ASICS Novablast (2 and 3) for marathon training blocks. I’ve done some quite long runs in the 3 and it’s great at slow mileage as well as some speedwork. The midsoles also seem to be happy at 600km.
They can often be found steeply discounted below £100.
Wouldn’t buy anything at retail price.

Any recommendations for a beginner marathon training plan, ideally 8 weeks* but I’d take any recommendations and just start it at 8 weeks out.

*I know I know 8 weeks to train for a marathon sounds bonkers, but I’m not starting from scratch. I’m 1 week out from an IM 70.3 that I’m fairly well prepared for, and have done a couple of 24km runs in training, so the base is solid. Might have an entry to Dublin City marathon which gives me 1 week off post IM, 1 low volume week to get the legs moving again, and then 8 weeks to focus on running.

Just focus on your long run & recovery, build the distance a bit but don't go crazy and don't try to inject new speed. Depending on your pace 32km ish or 2h30 ish might be a good upper limit. Taper down 2 weeks out so only gives you 6 wk of build which I'd do as 2x 3 week cycles, e.g 26, 28, 30 then 26, 28, 32. You want to arrive at the start reasonably fresh and not injured so take it easier if you feel wasted after race still.

@Arducius now up to 3rd

What rhb said. Sounds like you’re basically fit enough to just have a stab at it but building up a bit of easy mileage over those weeks will help.
Don’t get fancy and start doing intense speedwork or hill repeats.

Thanks both, I have been doing a 1hr run with threshold efforts and a long z2 run of 15-25km (and two short easy runs off the bike) per week.

Would it be reasonable to keep the threshold run, and keep the shorter easy runs as standalone runs? What’s an appropriate number of runs to do per week?

Yeah, if you’re doing threshold stuff already as part of your Ironman training, that works out nicely.

You’re probably fine with that number of runs. How short are the two off the bike? I’d personally make them 6-8k or 45min z2 with the other runs you’re doing.
Keep the long run easy and practice fuelling on the move.

I have been doing the following, loosely, since January:
Monday: sea swim
Tuesday: sea swim + 1hr threshold run
Wednesday: sea swim + 45 min bike into 15 min run
Thursday: pool swim + 1 hour threshold bike
Friday: sea swim
Saturday: 3-4 hour bike into 20 min run
Sunday: 30 min bike into 1.5-2 hour run

Was thinking of swapping to:
Monday: swim
Tuesday: 1 hour threshold run
Wednesday: 6-8km easy run
Thursday: pool swim and ?? (Should I keep an easy bike for cross training?)
Friday: off
Saturday: 6-8km easy run
Sunday: 2-2.5 hour run

Is it worth keeping bike for low impact cardio training or best to drop it? I’d like to keep swim as I quite enjoy it

I invented y own 8 week plan, but I was running a fair amount at that point.

It’s very simple but you need 9/10 weeks ideally.

I called it “8 big runs”
Each week you run a 5k a 10k and a big run the first week is a half marathon.

Each week you add a little bit to the big run until in the 8th week where you should be doing a little over 30km

Then you taper for two weeks just doing the 5k and 10k (if you really Feel the need)

It’s not scientific but it’s easy to remember and it works for me

I'd build some hills into that Sunday long run (if you're not running a hilly loop already) Dublin is a deceptively hilly course and it's good to have something in the legs by the time you get to Clonskeagh! Some strength work too, again if you're not already doing it.

Am also about 8 weeks out from Abingdon marathon. Keeping it pretty routine with a long run on Sundays, two interval sessions per week and an easy 12k midweek.

The intervals are just 5x 1km at 3:40/km with two mins rest between.

I'm doing similar mileage in Pegasus 39 at the moment. The better alternatives I'm looking to change to are supposed to be Asics Novablast 3 or Puma Velocity Nitro 2. Tried the Asics on a treadmill and they are bouncy but less stable than the Pegasus, hopefully the Puma are a bit more stable.

Thankfully my local loops are quite lumpy, and the local half/full first weekend in October goes up a wall of a hill that I sometimes incorporate into my loop. Strength work has been neglected admittedly but will definitely have more time to build that back in once I drop my swim and bike volume

just to add to Airhead ^^
I have Pegasus 39 and Novablast 3
They feel slightly different but I wouldn't say either feels objectively better. The Asics maybe a tad 'quicker', but nothing noticeable really. I've used both for anything from long run ~4:45/km to tempo ~3:40/km intervals. Even some track sessions when its a steady session. Don't think you'd go wrong with either, and both would be absolutely fine for a paved 20k run

Nice one. Here's the last 8 weeks of my current training plan which may or may not be of some use. It's a 16 week plan aiming at a sub 3.30

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Abingdon Marathon is a nice fast course, good luck!