Spring marathon club

[Runningonempty84]

Anyone want to join?
There must be lots of us getting into the high mileage now, in prep for London/Manchester/Edinburgh...or any of the other spring marathons.

How's it going? Are you aiming for a time? And are you finding the long runs so tiring?!

Aaaaaaaaargh!!! Really, really hope Manchester isn't cancelled. But I suspect it will be

Rome is cancelled cancelled, Paris 'postponed' which I think it's a kind way of saying cancelled because no one knows when a good date will be to reschedule?

Fingers crossed for London and Manchester but it's not looking good. I'm half seriously considering booking a marathon with the smallest number of participants as a fall back. I'm assuming one with only a few hundred would go ahead maybe.

In theory I'm running London. I swing between thinking it will be cancelled and not! I can talk myself into either scenario!! I've picked up a slight injury so have had to cut back on the training in the last 2 weeks I've only done 26 miles.

If they do cancel and give us places for next year I dont think I'll do it. I can't go through the training again. This is my second marathon and I had forgotten how bloody hard it is!

Honestly I would just rather know either way!! I realise that isn't going to happen but it's not helping my maranoia!!!

I've already done that, @SexIsAProtectedCharacteristic - I've booked another marathon 2 weeks later which is big enough to be "official" for GFA purposes but - hopefully - small enough to go ahead. Aaargh!!

Well if you've done it, then it's obviously a good idea!

Ha ha! Do it, do it, before everyone gets the same idea and the little races sell out..

I am now signed up to the Tissington trail marathon on 26th April Fingers crossed I won't need it!

Ooooh, nice choice, @SexIsAProtectedCharacteristic!! But I also hope you won't need it... unless you love Manchester so much that you want to do another 26.2 three weeks later?!

I've just found this thread. I'm training for London, I've got up to 18.5m last weekend but had glute/knee issues afterwards so only run once since then. I deferred my place from last year through injury so feel like I need to do it this year.
Paris I thought had been rescheduled for the autumn (sep/oct). I think they have given a date.

So I totally bossed my 20 miles today. It should have been a race but for various reasons that didn't happen so I went out alone. And did it faster than I thought possible so now 4:20 is on!

Although I am increasingly concerned there may not be a Manchester marathon, but until we know either way I'm just going to carry on with my plan.

How's everyone else's running going?

Which smaller marathon have you booked into op if you don’t mind me saying? Friend of mine also aiming for Manchester but I worried on their behalf that it might not happen

Massive well done, @SexIsAProtectedCharacteristic! Did you manage to pace yourself ok, and not crash at the end? I always find the super-long runs very tough when I get past mile 17/18.

And @thethings - I've booked onto one in Lincolnshire but it sold out a couple of days ago; clearly with fellow Manchester and London runners having the same idea. If Manchester does go ahead, though, a lot of places will become free...!

20 miles for me today. 18 to 20 was really hard, if I hadn't been with my friend I think I might have stopped and walked. I'm not sure where I'll find the extra for the last 6 miles. I've got another 20 next week and then I'm tapering.
Well done everyone else.

Running tbh everything hurt so much by mile 17 that I sped up to get it over quicker. The ball of my left foot feels bruised though, it's definitely swollen. Ugh! My feet definitely get the worst of it when running, I don't know why.

Reckon it should be ok for Manchester though, the intensity definitely dials down a notch now and I can award myself a couple of days off running.

Just found this thread. I'm planning on running London as I got a good for age place. I think it's unlikely that it will go ahead and I wish I knew now. Belfast is the following week and I'll do that if VLM is cancelled and Belfast is still on . I'm in NI and was booked on Flybe flights to London. Haven't rebooked yet.
I'm doing the Hanson method of training this time as there have been some in my local club that did it for a number of marathons with success. It's based on the concept of running on tired legs. You never do more then 16 miles in one go but you have built up miles over previous days with lots of easy runs. So your 16 miles is meant to reflect the second part of a marathon in that you are more tired than if running on fresh legs . It's quite time consuming as overall it's got high mileage . I worry that I'm not going 20/22 miles but giving it a go anyway and everyone that does it says it works .
I hope everyone's races go ahead but looking quite unlikely at the moment .

Oh well done SexIsaProtectedCharacteristic. I've only done a couple of short runs this week, through lack of time and achey ankle after last weekends 21 miler.

I only do long, long runs every couple of weeks anyway, as I just can't fit them in and at 50 I definitely need more than a weeks recovery time.

I've also got a GFA place for London Teawaster but I live here, so it being cancelled won't have the same impact on me as people who have booked flights, hotels etc. Really gutting for some people if it doesn't go ahead. I did receive a chirpy circular email from them on Friday saying that mass events are still going ahead on government advice, but that could change quickly.

Happy running week to all!

@Teawaster that sounds interesting, 20+ miles is really hard on your body. Finding a way to replicate it with cumulative fatigue without battering yourself sounds like a good approach to me. I hear you on the time it all takes though, this is the first time I've done a 5+ days a week plan and it feels like I don't do anything except run.

@Teawaster my physio is doing something similar. shes doing a shorter long run around 15 miles but doing a tempo 5/6 miles the day before, so her legs are tired for the long run. She said it's less time consuming.

i don't do anything except run. I hear you. Its a constant cycle of running, recovering, running again. When I'm not running I'm doing strength and core work. and eating! I've put 5 pounds on since I started.

Fingers crossed everyone's races go ahead.

Hansons is quite time consuming . Like others I feel like I never do anything else other than running . Although there is no 20 /22 miler, overall the mileage is high .
And moving things about is difficult in that if you move your long run, you have to move previous days runs too , otherwise its defeating the purpose . People take quite a bit of time off their Pb's using it though . If I take anything off I will be pleased, although at the moment I will be pleased if I get to run a marathon

And yes, not doing 20 miles is easier on the knees, especially when one is not a spring chicken

This is making me feel a bit nervous...

I feel like I'm hardly running at the moment - did short runs Friday and Sunday and have cycled since then and will tomorrow, but just cannot find the time at the moment to clock up the miles.

Am going to go for 20+ on Friday though...

Last time I did a marathon I didn't do anything above 16 miles in training. I ran a good time, but mentally it didn't work for me, as I felt quite anxious on the day that I didn't know what was coming in the last part if the race.
As a result, I've gone for a different approach this time. So far I've done two 18 milers, two 20s and a 22 miler; and I've got one more 20 miler to go.
It's paying off so far as I've got a new half PB during the training, but I hope I get the chance to see if it works on the day...!

Well my long run went pear shaped last weekend as my companion had a problem after first hour) so we curtailed a bit after that

But there should still be time to do my 18/20 and maybe 22 milers and taper in time for London, but I think there’s a distinct chance it’ll be called off this afternoon afterPM’s post-COBRA ststrment

I think London is the bellwether tbh. I think if any of them get called off it'll be London first and then maybe others will follow.

@SexIsAProtectedCharacteristic yes, I agree. If London postpone, then loads of races will fall in line.

But looks like we’re still on for Manchester for the time being anyway. So the training continues. Off to do some intervals in the rain.