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Thanks everyone for the advice on speed training - very helpful.... I'll come back to that in a mo !

Wanted to say peach - I too didn't say how pleased I am to hear of your scan. I was keeping up to date whilst away via my phone but found it difficult to post on the long thread. Remember, each day is a step nearer.

thetastigma - I too had the same panic a week before my last race about ipods. Someone here, I think paws, said you'd probably get away with it. So, I took mine in my pocket (I have a shuffle so easy to conceal) and thought I'd use it if I needed it. As it happened, I got to the start andloads of people had ipods. I don't think in reality there is much they can do, especially once you are out on the course. I think it is there to cover themselves if you get run over because you don't hear anything.

paws - am v. impressed by the 4 pints of milk (I assume it was in 1 bottle and not 4 . I would also add, so as not to be beaten, I was also carrying some new potatoes and a pasta salad, but they were less important .

It is the marathon ballot today in case anyone's forgotten (I had, but had texts from my bro and my friend to remind me so I frantically did it on my phone in the gym changing rooms).

So, back to my gym session - this is what I did today and wondered if those who are much wiser than me could critique it !! All my speeds are in KM per hour as that's what the treadmill measures.

warm up - 0.5K at 10 then 0.5K at 10.5

200m at 12
400m at 11
200m at 12.5
400m at 11
200m at 13
400m at 11
200m at 13.5
400m at 11
200m at 14
400m at 11
200m at 14.5
400m at 11
200m at 14
400m at 11
400m at 10.5
400m at 10

So 6K in total.

I think, if I've done my sums correctly, I need to be running 5K at 13 kph to do 23 mins.

I find running on the treadmill much harder, and generally slower, than outside so have actually never run faster than 12 KPH before so was pleased with myself.

Anything i should have done differently ?

Sleepwhenidie I'm not normally up at that hour, I work nights Thankfully my ds's are older now and tend to sleep in beyond 7am....except when camping but that's another story

Glad you had a good holiday cestlavie. You must have benefited from this amazing weather we have had! Not conducive to good running but good for the soul nonetheless. It's good to hear of others who struggled with the heat in London, it gives me hope for a better time in Brighton next year!

thetasigmamum tapering is horrid! It is normal to feel restless and out of sorts. Regarding the ipod, the Marathon was the first time I had run any distance without my ipod. I thought I would struggle but I didn't really miss it at all except possibly the last few miles when really, I was beyond help anyway I can't run on my own without my ipod, I would go mad with my own thoughts, but with nso much going on in a race, somehow it is easier....tht was my experience anyway

I'm really not liking this taper lark. :( I ran 10K on Sunday (it was HOT), did nothing yesterday, then did 7.9K this morning before work. I'm not sure what if anything I should be doing for the rest of the week but I would prefer to just run a little every day. But I don't know if I should.

My bigger worry is that the race instructions arrived while I was away and they are saying people can't run with ipods. I have never ever run without my ipod and I REALLY don't want to try it for the first time in a race. I NEED my carefully constructed playlist. Am very very concerned, and upset. There was nothing about this on the website when I registered, I would never have entered if I had known the race was being run by . Apparently last year an elite runner was bumped into by someone with an ipod so that's it, we all have to run with no music now. At one week's notice.

Morning all.

Wow, lot to catch up on having been away for the last week! Think everyone has moved on somewhat since the VLM but since I missed most of the chat around that, just to say another huge well done to everyone completing it in pretty brutal conditions!

Stayed a couple of nights last week with a (very fit, outdoorsy) friend who had run the VLM and was targeting 3.45 and who ended up finishing in 4.17, absolutly shattered. Said it was one of the toughest conditions heat wise he'd run a marathon in and he's run a few plus some fell races. Makes me think that my HM at the end of June should be an interesting experience especially as I'm looking for a PB... Anyways, well done!

Only managed one run whilst away - gorgeous 6 mile run with a friend on a a bike through the Scottish countryside which which was fantastic - fast and easy and flowing. Shows the benefits of not having run for about a week previously and having fresh legs! Back into normal training again tomorrow which is going to be much more depressing I know.

DrNo was also up near your way a bit whilst away. You've got lovely countryside for running for sure!

sleepwhenidie I think your urge to walk is probably a direct consequence of the fast pace you are running at. You need to build up distance, and to do that you need to cut down your pace a bit on some of your longer runs. According to this your long/easy runs should be closer to 9mm - having said that, if it works for you, it works for you - no point doing it if it's not fun (she says, having slogged around 15k this morning with sore legs the whole way. Fun? in my dreams)

do you what are you doing up and about at 5.04am? Did you steal my DC's for the night ? How do you find the energy to run?

I could do a 7 minute mile if I had an Axe-Wielding Murderer chasing me....probably I suspect even then I may struggle

Wheely I agree with what driving and peach said. Intervals over a short distance faster than target race pace with recovery in between, tempo run and long run....If you are prone to injury I would only do 1 speed session though.

LOL Sleepwhenidie. I foolishly invited my brother for a run once....never again! Apparently whilst not being a runner he can knock out 9mm for many miles Also being the competitive type I felt the need to keep pace and returned after 7 miles needing oxygen

I got up and ran the next morning though....my brother was too sore

at being called fast...the girl who was always last in any running race in PE at school! It was a bit of a one off though, usually i think i am more like 8.5mm, yesterday was just thanks to DH and my bloody minded competitive disposition. He also said "let's do 5k" and then, half a km from home, forked off to add 3 . Nearly killed me, definitely am not about to try it with a pint of milk, or anything else for that matter . Luckily DH and I don't get the chance to run together very often.

MrsWeds especially if there was a viennetta waiting at the bottom of the hill!

I could run a 7 minute mile carrying a grape pip if there was a fair wind behind me and I was running down hill.

PS Peach, forgot to say congrats on your recent scan, slowly but surely you are ticking off the weeks

I might be able to manage something close to a 7 minute mile carrying a grape...

Ha ha, true enough paws! although have been reading that this whole other person is about the size of a grape right now!

Now if anyone can run a 7 minute mile with 4 pints of milk and/or a Vienetta, I will be impressed!

I don't think I've ever run a 7 minute mile!!

I can't beat the 4 pints of milk, but hey, it's a thread challenge

Peach you've got a baby on board - that pretty much tops it. A whole other person!

I ran one once, just one mile...once....

Ok, who can beat 4 pints of milk?

the last time I ran a 7 minute mile was in my other life :o

I did one of my runs last week holding a 4 pint pack of milk for the last half mile - I must have looked completely mad as it was surprisingly heavy and cold so I had to keep shifting hands! Maybe people thought it was some kind of weird strength training exercise.

The last time I ran a 7 minute mile let alone 5 of them was in 2007 .

Wheely, assuming you can only rely on the first 3 runs I wonder iif you should be running the second 5-6 mile run as a tempo run, including a couple of miles at your hoped for 5k race pace and then when you do your speed session do some superfast bursts, so say 200m as fast as you can go followed by 400m recovery. As you will then have two tough sessions, you'll need to make sure your long run is nice and sloooooow! If you mange a fourth run then see that as a bonus. I agree with Driving that the speed session needs to be loads faster than race pace and faster than you really think you can go but as long as you start with short bursts you will be ok.

Welcome Sleepwhen, gosh you are fast lady!

Can't remember if I said welcome to Pavlov so welcome, your enthusiasm is infectious!!!

I think the only way I could run with a Vienetta without eating it would be to throw it ling, like an American football, and then run after it

wheely I'm no expert, but I'd probably use that 5k as a rising interval run, but you really need to push yourself on speed - so under 4 min/km (your kingston time about 4:36min/km) at the peak of the run. The whole point (I think) of intervals is that you go faster than you are planning for short periods. The macmillan calculator is useful to give you an idea of rough pace for speed workouts. More mileage always helps...(allegedly, although I seem to run more miles than most on this thread and am way slower - but I am waiting for the effects to make themselves felt!)

mrsW and doyou - funnily enough, looking at my splits, the last KM (whilst carrying vienetta) was one of my fastest of the run ! I think it was incentive !!!

Welcome sleepwhenidie - that's not running, that's almost Moshi-pace !!

Can someone in the know, give me some advice on how to structure my training going forward ?

My 2 goals are to run my 5K RFL as fast as poss in July, but I need to maintain (and increase) distance for the GSR. I also have the added problem (like all of us) of not being able to rely on decent running over the summer hols.

I will have 2x gym sessions and 1-2 x outside runs (the second not reliable).

My thoughts were -

1x speed gym session
1x 5-6 mile gym run (most I can do in the time)
1x long run outside increasing mileage to 10miles hopefully before the summer hols
if able 1 x 5K to practice.

So really I need tips on the speed session in the gym - I currently can run 5K in about 24 mins (managed the first 5K of the kingston run in 23.5 mins) so I reckon I can aim for 23 mins.

Normally in the gym I do a sort of pyramid run, increasing my speed every 0.5 km but I don't get that fast. Should I stick to 5K in these runs and do shorter, faster bursts ??? HELP !!

Hello sleepwhenidie, this is a lovely, friendly thread. You run fast!! I can keep going for a long time but not very fast.

MrsWed 3 weeks out from London I did my last 20. I had a cut back week of 15 between my 20's though, it may be too much to do 20 miles 2 weeks on the trot

That's a hell of a talent there Wheely running whilst holding and not eating a viennetta

We had a lovely weekend camping. The best weather we could have wished for. I did a slow 3 miles on Friday and then went out for an hours run on Sunday. Apparently we were camping in the highest town in Sussex and every way out was down My legs don't like hills at the moment!

With my quads still a bit sore and stiff, Sunday's run ending up being laps of the park next door. It was horrid, I hate laps and it still had a hill which did me in every time! Definitely feeling looser in the legs now though so planning for 4 runs this week.

I don't think I could ever run at 7.2 per mile pace! That is very impressive!

My back is slowly on the mend thankfully..can bend down now without going "ouch!" Did a lovely 8 mile plod this morning on a new route through a local village..makes a big difference running somewhere new..I love nosing at all the houses and it takes my mind off the distance. The gorgeous weather made it most enjoyable :)

Eek, that is seriously fast! You're not a runner, you're a sprinter

Driving, some impressive mileage completed recently.

Gizmo, thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated as it's all new to me. Glad you are able to relax and enjoy just running again, will be looking forward to doing the same.

Not sure what I should do for my last big run before I start tapering. Am away on a hen do this weekend (will be taking it v easy on the alcohol front). I'll be in Derbyshire and need to map out a run - marathoners, how far should I be doing with 3 weeks to go until the big day? Will 18 be enough or should I be aiming for another 20+? Help!!!

I am loving my fit flops, may never take them off as my legs and feet are happy again Dr No, hope your ankle is ok now. Futurity, how is your back?

Wheely, you must have been running fast to complete a km without the Vienetta melting!