Brighton Marathon 2012

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Mammoth race.
Mammoth race report.

Though with rather less hair.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

In all seriousness Sweder, you might find this link interesting: how an otherwise average-looking 71 year-old keeps breaking his own marathon PBs (now down to 3:20!)

The secret seems to be a lot of long runs!

[Sweder]

That's a fabulous story mate, really enjoyed it, thanks. Gives me hope. The key is weight for me. I can crank up the long runs but can I give up beer full-time? No. So it's a juggle, as ever. It also supports my theory that less is more so far as overall distance goes. The long runs matter most, mid-week sessions need to be focused (tempo, Fartlek, hill reps) but I don't need monster mileage to improve. If I'm going to carry on with road races I HAVE to include tarmac/ pavement sessions. I knew this before Brighton of course but it's non-negotiable before the next one.

[The Beast of Bevendean]

A great race report. Sweder, thank you.

Let me have runners about me that are fat;
Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o' nights;
Yond' Sweder has a lean and hungry look;
He thinks too much: such men are dangerous.

My fastest times coincide with periods when I have been carrying the least avoirdupois. I think I shall fall in unrequited love, and refuse all nourishment. That'll make the pounds fall off and the PBs arrive.

While we're bandying quotations, Hunter S was, of course, quoting another, Ben Jonson, I think.

[El Gordo]

Marvellous.

[El Gordo]

While we're bandying quotations, Hunter S was, of course, quoting another, Ben Jonson, I think.

The end of the quotation was hobbled some years ago by the legal profession as a warning for anyone stupid enough to feel reluctant to pay vast sums to a QC: "The man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client."

[El Gordo]

Back to the main course.

I don't have much more to add in the way of congratulation. It's a self-evidently brilliant report. Actually stating so seems impertinent.

You might think I'm the least qualified bloke on the planet to offer advice but for the future, one thing I would suggest is some sort of purposeful strength training. I appreciate that gym activity is anathema to you, and I'm not talking about trying to out-grunt the weight-lifting obsessives. But going on from MLCM's interesting link to the improving marathon runner in his 70s, it's time to think of training smarter rather than just training harder.

You know where your weak points are. From what I've learnt about my own troubles, it's not just an age-related natural weakening of the muscles that increases these problems, but crucially, a reduction in joint flexibility. Without the old level of flexibility there to absorb the stress that the run is creating, it gets redirected through other, less well-used channels, leading to pain and injury. So think about focused exercises and a bit of strength training to improve joint flexibility and toughen up your hamstrings and calves.

It's as if the body knows that you've just celebrated your half century. Or maybe there's an element of auto-suggestion, but for some reason, so many of us start to get injured more and suffer more once that milestone has been reached and passed.

[marathondan]

A grippingly told tale as always, Sweder. I hesitate to use the phrase "giving 110%", but it may just be merited here. As you observed, quite similar to my own run, although I think I began to slip earlier than you. The key phrase for me is "My lungs felt good, I had plenty of energy; it was simply my legs". I felt just the same. The stamina was there, the aerobic fitness, the glycogen depletion management, the speed in the muscles. What is lacking is simply the ability to absorb that fourth hour of repetitive strain in the legs. So how does one train for that? By taking the long runs ever longer? By hammering out a hard session straight after a long one? Or something radical like two 10 milers in one day? It sounds like we really need to aim to hurt our legs in training until it becomes easier.

Or, is it time to revisit the run / walk strategy? Could judicious short walks in the second half rest the legs enough to make that last hour bearable? Or maybe leave enough time to run / walk the last 6, while still running at enough of a clip to finish in the target time.

One thing is for sure - a year of consistent training would help.

Anyway, I'm hugely impressed with your resolved to go back for another go at 3:45. I feel I'm a 4 hour man now. Or a 5 hour chicken.

Another Sweder classic in the bank. I'm sure there will be a few more adventures before BM2013.

[El Gordo]

Or, is it time to revisit the run / walk strategy? Could judicious short walks in the second half rest the legs enough to make that last hour bearable? Or maybe leave enough time to run / walk the last 6, while still running at enough of a clip to finish in the target time.

Most run-walkers emphasise that in order for it to be effective you have to be pretty methodical, and do it from the start of the race.

[Sweder]

Yes, Suzie Q always says run/walk has to be a whole race deal. It's not for me, even though it got me to the finish in the end. I don't have the discipline to walk when I feel full of bounce. I was going to do it in Connemara (where it was all mapped & planned and, according to my own forecasts, essential). I chucked my gameplan out in the first 500 metres. Hopeless.

Actually Tom, neither quote source is the original. These just happen to be the people whom I associate with (the quotes) the most. Weight loss is one of my biggest challenges, thereafter, as Dan points out, mechanical sustainability. I enjoyed your raid on the Bard, too. I'm not sure Caesar would have worried too much about me, however. The only envy I nurse these days (or, indeed, sleepless nights) is for those who display such admirable self-discipline. I'm far to easily distracted - ooh, squirrel!

Both Dan & are EG right. I need to figure out sessions to build joint and muscle strength & endurance. Gym work is best as it's measurable, can be adjusted to suit. Honestly I'm no gym monkey. I have to set goals I can and will achieve. Everything else is pissing in the wind.

One thing I must do is road work. Not 'more', just 'some'.
That would be a start. The really positive news is there's so much room for improvement, so many things I can do. No campaign will ever be perfect for the likes of us hard working folk, yet we can all aspire to do better. First, that massage. Avoiding injury is something I have done well so far this year. This is no time to get complacent.

On, on!

[marathondan]

At times like this, I reach for a spreadsheet...

(a) 5 mins run 8mm + 30 sec walk 15mm - aggregate pace = 8:21
(b) 5 mins run 9mm + 30 sec walk 15mm - aggregate pace = 9:20

(a) for 20 miles + (b) for 6.2 miles = 3h45 finish

20 miles of 8 minute miling...? Maybe not.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

At times like this, I reach for a spreadsheet...

(a) 5 mins run 8mm + 30 sec walk 15mm - aggregate pace = 8:21
(b) 5 mins run 9mm + 30 sec walk 15mm - aggregate pace = 9:20

(a) for 20 miles + (b) for 6.2 miles = 3h45 finish

20 miles of 8 minute miling...? Maybe not.

Or look at it another way: with a target time of 3h40m, you're looking at an average pace of 5:13/km (8:20/mi) ... seems to me for Sweder on a flattish course that should be very do-able with no need to resort to run/walk.

Of course it will require some disciplined training.

[marathondan]

I received this link to my own virtual race from the Race Organisers today. It's quite cool. It shows an overhead race map. Click on start to see my race progress against that of the eventual male and female winners and the last placed runner. For a few sovs more I can add other runners (by number). Nice app.

Very cool! A couple of points I noticed:

- the animation has your gait down to a tee!
- the "Follow Cam" option is selected - most appropriate!

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

- the "Follow Cam" option is selected - most appropriate!

Hyuk hyuk.

[El Gordo]

I need to figure out sessions to build join and muscle strength & endurance. Gym work is best as it's measurable, can be adjusted to suit. Honestly I'm no gym monkey. I have to set goals I can and will achieve. Everything else is pissing in the wind.

One thing I must do is road work. Not 'more', just 'some'.
That would be a start.

We all know that oldest of old running clichés -- "listen to your body". Well, it seems like during the last few miles of the the Brighton race, your body was having a right old nag. You did amazingly well, but your doggedness in trying to hit the time (and pretty much succeeding) obviously gave you a lot of pain. Much more than you experienced in the longer race just a couple of years ago in Connemara. Reading the report, I think you were lucky to escape without lasting injury, so a good time to get creative about just how you might best proceed from here.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

We all know that oldest of old running clichés -- "listen to your body". Well, it seems like during the last few miles of the the Brighton race, your body was having a right old nag. You did amazingly well, but your doggedness in trying to hit the time (and pretty much succeeding) obviously gave you a lot of pain. Much more than you experienced in the longer race just a couple of years ago in Connemara. Reading the report, I think you were lucky to escape without lasting injury, so a good time to get creative about just how you might best proceed from here.

Yes, you did look pretty shattered at the end there, Sweder. Ibuprofen can't re-build crumbled knees mate. That's a job for Guinness... no, wait. Apparently that's not true.

Gad.

[Sweder]

Shattered is the right word. Spent. Bereft of life I seized up in pain. If I 'adn't nailed myself to the perch I'd've been pushing' up the daisies. I was an ex-runner. I felt like that for 2 or 3 miles. The clips & photos are a grim reminder for me as I assess my next event.

I felt far worse than at the end of Connemara, or for that matter the P2P. EG's alluded to the cause of this fatigue - doggedness. I wasn't prepared to let my body get away with a lack of training, so I punished it. That's fine for a one-off but my last three big challenges have all ended this way.

There's a saying in track racing that you don't run to the line, you run through it.
I need to prepare to run beyond the distance AND on the surface. The Steyning Stinger was a much tougher race than any other at 26.2 in all things except the surface we ran on. I was right as rain at the end of that.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

...I need to prepare to run beyond the distance AND on the surface. The Steyning Stinger was a much tougher race than any other at 26.2 in all things except the surface we ran on. I was right as rain at the end of that.

So do the same training as for the Stinger but with some of it transposed to tarmac and you should be OK - is that what you're thinking?

[Antonio247]

Congratulations on both the race and the report, S.! I´m sure that you will reach your aim next year if you´re lucky with injuries.

[Sweder]

So do the same training as for the Stinger but with some of it transposed to tarmac and you should be OK - is that what you're thinking?

Pretty much, yes. A tweak here and there - less midweek mileage, more long runs and at least one dedicated tarmac/ pavement run per week. That has to help, though it's a balance; road fitness v training injuries. Interesting time ahead.