The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner

[byronkincaid]

i read this

Aerobic training benefits cardiovascular function and decreases body fat – all good.
Aerobic conditioning allows us to engage in low power extended efforts efficiently
(cardio/respiratory endurance and stamina). This is critical to many sports. Athletes
engaged in sports or training where a preponderance of the training load is spent in
aerobic efforts witness decreases in muscle mass, strength, speed, and power. It is
not uncommon to find marathoners with a vertical leap of only several inches! Furthermore,
aerobic activity has a pronounced tendency to decrease anaerobic capacity.
This does not bode well for most athletes...

and i thought of you

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf

[kinboshi]

i read this

Aerobic training benefits cardiovascular function and decreases body fat – all good.
Aerobic conditioning allows us to engage in low power extended efforts efficiently
(cardio/respiratory endurance and stamina). This is critical to many sports. Athletes
engaged in sports or training where a preponderance of the training load is spent in
aerobic efforts witness decreases in muscle mass, strength, speed, and power. It is
not uncommon to find marathoners with a vertical leap of only several inches! Furthermore,
aerobic activity has a pronounced tendency to decrease anaerobic capacity.
This does not bode well for most athletes...

and i thought of you

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf

That's why cross-training is so important.  Lots of runners don't focus on building their core strength, and without it you're more prone to injury, your 'form' will suffer when you get tired, and you can't train for as long or with the same intensity.

[boldie]

i read this

Aerobic training benefits cardiovascular function and decreases body fat – all good.
Aerobic conditioning allows us to engage in low power extended efforts efficiently
(cardio/respiratory endurance and stamina). This is critical to many sports. Athletes
engaged in sports or training where a preponderance of the training load is spent in
aerobic efforts witness decreases in muscle mass, strength, speed, and power. It is
not uncommon to find marathoners with a vertical leap of only several inches! Furthermore,
aerobic activity has a pronounced tendency to decrease anaerobic capacity.
This does not bode well for most athletes...

and i thought of you

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ-trial.pdf

That's why cross-training is so important.  Lots of runners don't focus on building their core strength, and without it you're more prone to injury, your 'form' will suffer when you get tired, and you can't train for as long or with the same intensity.

+1

This is why I focus on my core strength ATM and have been for years...I reckon in a few years; I too will be able to run an 8 minute mile....either that or a 16 minute half-mile...but it'll be something.

[kinboshi]

Was planning on doing a 15-mile run yesterday, but after a tough hockey match and two late nights on the trot at DTD, I didn't really feel like braving the wind and the rain.

So I chickened out, and decided to have a rest day instead.  Went to bed before 9 o'clock (no donkfests for me), and got up at 5am this morning and ran 16-miles.  Didn't feel too bad either (my legs do now though), and I ran it at a little over 8min/mile pace and it was very comfortable.  So this bodes well for London. 

Next test is the Silverstone half next Sunday.  13.1 miles starting and finishing on the F1 track.  It's a very flat and fast course, so I should be able to run a decent time.  I'm not going to be truly running it at top speed though, as it's still a training run for London.  But if I can get round in around 1h 40m, I'll be happy.

Just hope it's not as windy as yesterday.

[cia260895]

will you run the entire marathon distance prior to doing it for real?

[kinboshi]

will you run the entire marathon distance prior to doing it for real?

No.  Some people do, but the benefit is marginal.  My longest training run will be about 22 miles, and that will be 3-weeks before the race.  After that I'll be tapering down my long-runs and the total distance I cover in a week as the benefit you get from putting the miles into your legs takes 3 weeks to reap any reward (or so the scientists and experts say).

[cia260895]

so what is the normal recovery rate for your legs to feel ok after doing a mararthon? am seriously thinking about entering next year as long as i get the all clear from virus that i have...

[kinboshi]

so what is the normal recovery rate for your legs to feel ok after doing a mararthon? am seriously thinking about entering next year as long as i get the all clear from virus that i have...

Last time I ran London (back in 2004), I couldn't walk the following day.  That's because I didn't train properly and was carrying an injury.  The more training you do, the better your body is at recovering.  I know people who run a marathon, and then do 10 miles the following day to 'loosen off'.

I'll be loosening off at the bar.

[cia260895]

so what is the normal recovery rate for your legs to feel ok after doing a mararthon? am seriously thinking about entering next year as long as i get the all clear from virus that i have...

Last time I ran London (back in 2004), I couldn't walk the following day.  That's because I didn't train properly and was carrying an injury.  The more training you do, the better your body is at recovering.  I know people who run a marathon, and then do 10 miles the following day to 'loosen off'.

I'll be loosening off at the bar.

be careful i have heard ironside has done that a few times and got insta banned

[GreekStein]

I ran home from DTD this morning.

[Rooky9]

I'm 90% certain of doing Chicago rather than new york towards the end of the year. I'm expecting a week without being able to walk but fully support the bar tactic over a ten mile cool down!

[kinboshi]

Yesterday was a rest day after the 16-miles on Monday.  So today I got up and was planning on either running 8-miles (standard morning run), or going for a 4-mile run at a faster pace. 

I decided on the 4-miler, and managed it at 7:09/mile pace - which is the fastest I've done so far. 

Tomorrow will be another rest day (in preparation for the half on Sunday), and I'll probably do a gentle run on Friday.  I've got a hockey match on Saturday, but have told the captain that I'd rather not play, but will be available as a sub if necessary.  Ideally, I won't have to play.

Looking forward to Sunday, and it should be a good indicator as to how well the training's going.

[12barblues]

Are you intending to run the half absolutely flat out?  If so, it will give you a pretty accurate guide to your likely time at London. Double your time and add 8 minutes (10 if you want to be conservative).

Haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if this is old hat to you.

[kinboshi]

Are you intending to run the half absolutely flat out?  If so, it will give you a pretty accurate guide to your likely time at London. Double your time and add 8 minutes (10 if you want to be conservative).

Haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if this is old hat to you.

I use a calculator thingy like this one: http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=6765  which does a similar thing I guess.

Basically, if I want to do a sub-3:30 full marathon, it says I need to be looking at a 1:38 half marathon.

We'll see how close I am to my target on Sunday.

[kinboshi]

Looking at my 8-mile times, it seems to suggest a 3:35 marathon time.  Not too far off my best case target of 3:30, and far better than my expected 3:45.