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Knee is not good - Was committed to at least go to the Pilgrim as I was also acting as taxi. My knee felt fine on Friday and Saturday morning so I took a chance and started the race. The first 10km were absolutely fine, we started a about 5 minutes late and by 10km we were working our way back through the field and sitting at a very comfortable 4:44/km average. At about 10km there was a small rise and my knee twinged, it twinged again on the descent and began aching on the ascents. I knew there was an aid station at 8miles so at 12k I passed my gps to my partner (my TP pacer) and stopped and walked into the aid station and withdrew.
Frustrating as my mate finished in about 4:32 (5:13/km average) in about 7th or 8th. It was a fast day out on the North Downs - the winner was obscenely quick in 4:04 which smashed the old course record by over half an hour! Only positive is that I (unusually for me) had the sense to stop before aggravating the problem further - thats the first race I've ever dnf'd despite having had plenty when I should have withdrawn.
better to save it for another day
whathappened to your mate on sunday?
http://www.xnrg.co.uk/events_pilgrimchallenge2012.htm -
This morning's run was a bit too slushy to really enjoy the snow, did a lot of running on the road instead of pavement to avoid slippage. Back to short sleeves, of course, now it's warm again.
ewanmac - sucks to DNF, but good that you quit at the right time - get yourself right to kick it at the TP100. Just got my TT50 result from Sat - 7.35, an hour inside what was expected at this stage, so happy as larry.
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Aye, I'm frustrated but also marginally proud that I stopped rather than hurting myself worse - in the past I wouldn't have quit until it was too late. I'm now on the hunt for a decent sports physio in or around Oxford that wants to do an act of charity for a poor phd student - I may have to sell off my Lo-pro frame to fund it as it is.
My mate was frustrated not to start on the Sunday. We couldn't/didn't get accommodation at the event and then his lift couldn't/wouldn't drive him to the start in the snow.
KL - 7:35 is pretty swift, what sort of a drop off in pace are you expecting over the 100?
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Really don't know - did 21.43 at Enduroman 100 last year when fit, on a very hilly course. Think 20 would be possible on this if I'd been properly trained, but have had very low volume/quality. Looking for inside of 24 as initial target, inside 21.43 as stretch target.
Much will depend on conditions - a freeze, a thaw and a wet February will turn that second half of the course into the Passchendaele.
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hmmmm very interesting to hear. Back in November I was thinking about 17hrs as my "absolute best case scenario" but that was based on feeling quick and easy over c. 40km but with very little idea about how much your pace falls off after 50miles. I'm now not quite as confident in my fitness levels as I was but I would still have hoped that sub 24hours would be eminently doable - But, the more I hear about other peoples expectations the more I think I'm underestimating the 2nd half of the race.
I was hoping to learn alot during the pilgrim but now it looks like the TP will be my first ultra unless I can recover in time for the Endurancelife CTS race in South Devon, but that is still "only" 34miles so not that useful for gauging how I'll feel late in the TP.
Abingdon to Oxford already has parts that are very sticky. Do you know much about the terrain during the 1st 50miles? I haven't recced anything between London and henley and am wondering wether to wear my "F-lite"s or my "X-talons". I'll definitely be in X-talons for the 2nd half.
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Last year was my first 100, and my pace was pretty consistent the whole way i.e. dropped off at a relatively consistent rate into the night and picked up again in the day (to a lesser extent). Nobody's going to negative split this race, but it's amazing how much you have left when you think you're finished - despite doing 14-15min miles in the middle of the night, I was able to close out with 10-11min miles.
Abingdon to Oxford was fine at the weekend, as it was frozen, but from what I hear, is likely to be the worst bit if it's wet - not what you want for the least bit of a hundy. I recce-ed London to Henley on NYE, and it was fine apart from a mile or so around Marlow. It's pretty firm track most of the the first half, so shouldn't get too bad. Don't expect to wear anything other than road shoes for that.
If it's nice and freezey, there'll be no issues with roadies all the way. Otherwise, I'm relying on updates from people who live nearby on which bag to put the trail shoes into. Whatever I find out, I'll let you know.
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Go running.
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yep, just do 4 of them back to back then run another 1.1 miles and you'll be there.
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OK, looks like I'm doing a half-marathon. What the hell do I do now?
The length of time it takes to run a half marathon means you need to be able to....
... take on carbs and fluid while running.
... run for a couple of hours without getting sore.
... be fit enough to cover the distance.I fail at number two each year, because I rarely run over 10km on the road anymore.
Get the right shoes
Get running
Get leg strength
increase distance,
and start finding what you need to consume to survive the distance. -
I was afraid you'd say that. A lot, right? I have until October. Will a couple of 3-mile runs a week be OK for now?
No.
Any fit person can run 3 miles. 13 miles, requires your body to be conditioned for it.
A couple of 3 mile runs and a long as possible sunday run please. -
in seriousness, yes six miles per week is probably a good way to get a base of fitness, just try and increase your weekly distance by no more than 10%....
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in seriousness, yes six miles per week is probably a good way to get a base of fitness, just try and increase your weekly distance by no more than 10%....
I was'nt thinking of fitness. I was thinking of conditioning the body for the abuse 2 hours of running of tarmac will bring.
My typical half marathon these days. is a sensory trip through the seasons rugby injuries as they flar up one by one, then get 'run-off'. for the first 10km. Followed by foot pains for the second 10km, that I'm not used to running.
I'm really selling this BTW.
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train hard, race easy.
only one of them will hurt, your choice though(t)!!
completely with SF on the three essentials of running a half marathon.
Running for at least your target time (pace doesn't matter so much)
taking on drink - energy drinks should be enough to get you through without messing around with gels.
knowing what your race pace is and feels like.I ran my first half, 2 years ago in March, started training from a similar base in January of that year, and slowly built up to running for 2 hours, and managed to get to 11 miles in this process, I then ran the half fairly comfortable in 1.54.
I was knackered afterwards but didn't suffer too much in the race, apart from when I didn't see the 10 mile marker and spent the next mile running as fast as i could to ensure i didn't go over 2 hours!
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I wouldn't worry about energy too much, I never bother over a half. Depending on your mass and speed you'll only burn 1000-1500 kcals. If you have a good carb load the night before and plenty of breakfast you'll be fine. Fluids however you will want.
As others have said, time on feet is key. If you can run 10miles comfortably during training, on the day you can probably HTFU for the last three (if the goal is to just get round). My first one I'd never run more than 11miles and didn't suffer worse than any other race.
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I've aways felt that time running builds both fitness (which can be lost) strength (also can be lost) and efficiency (which you are unlikely to loose)
The efficiency is so valuable, and i think often forgotten by more experienced runners!
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@hippy
Come out with the City Runners, dude. We do this (or a similar) run every Sunday.