Competitions Health and fitness

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Dumb dumb me joined in team conditioning last night and now my hammies are cooked and I failed my recovery run. Got 5 mins in and my left hammy was way too sore to continue
 
Makeshift Park said:
On that note... I have a question for those of you who run marathons.

I'm very committed to trying to go sub3 in my first marathon.

I'm not in the middle of a specific training plan atm and the earliest the next mara I want to do would be Canberra in April.

I've basically just been trying to keep up the kms over the past few weeks - around 60km, give or take.

There's usually 5-6 days of running that consists of:
  • a 25-30km long run,
  • usually an interval run (which I intend to keep making more challenging)
  • often a threshold run
  • easy runs of whatever length I have time to do

Should I be starting a training plan with incrementally increasing kms now?

Or should I just hang around the 60km weekly mark until I'm a few months out?

Is there a sweet spot for keeping my weekly kms up at the right distance that my fitness is perfect for entering a training cycle when the time comes, but I won't burn myself out?

I ask this because balancing my sub3 fixation against life, work and family is an issue. While WFH means I can get more kms in than I used to, and I think my family could tolerate me running like a maniac for a month or so in the leadup to a big event, I'm not sure how sustainable it would be for me to crack say 100+km on an ongoing basis.
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I don't think it's ideal or necessary to be in marathon training on a full time basis, though I wouldn't know as I've never done it. One of the coaches whose plans I've had a look at (Hal Higdon, I think) says that he has his athletes take a couple of weeks break after races / between blocks to recover properly and put on a couple of kg.

Most marathon plans I've read are 12 to 18 weeks long (broken into four week blocks of three weeks of increasing load followed by a lighter week), and have the long runs build from around 15k and only arrive at 34k by the last peak. I don't think you need to keep your long runs at 25 to 30k or run 5 to 6 days per week religiously until you are in an actual mara training block. If you keep your cardio fitness up you'll be able to build those distances again.

My events are mostly trail runs of 20 - 30k at the moment (though I'm planning to do a mara around the middle of next year). If I'm not in a training block for one, my long runs for the week will be about 15k. When I get into training for an event I build the distances up. It feels good to drop down to 15k from longer. Much fresher for the rest of the day.

Though theoretically I'm training for the 28k at Two Bays in Jan, I'm more aiming at getting my 10k time down before getting into marathon training next year. I reckon that to run a sub 3hr marathon your 5k time needs to be sub 19 and 10k sub 39. Makes 4:17/k an easy pace to hold. Might be better physically / mentally / timewise to do more speed / less volume until you actually start your marathon block. It's just not true that you need to be doing 100k a week to do sub 3. Never run that far in a week in my life.
 
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Last week I didnt do my long run due to soreness, I highly doubt ill feel good enough to do mine tomorrow as well, will it effect me? my race is next week :oops:
 
just for clarity my hamstring tightness came about from repeat sprints, I felt no pop just immense tightness pain during the session.
 
Ligma said:
Last week I didnt do my long run due to soreness, I highly doubt ill feel good enough to do mine tomorrow as well, will it effect me? my race is next week :oops:
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im no expert but honestly if i was in your position i would be resting for 3-4 days at least with maybe some cycling or something on one or two of the days, and then i'd try to get a couple of runs next week before your race to see how you feel
 
Makeshift Park said:
On that note... I have a question for those of you who run marathons.

I'm very committed to trying to go sub3 in my first marathon.

I'm not in the middle of a specific training plan atm and the earliest the next mara I want to do would be Canberra in April.

I've basically just been trying to keep up the kms over the past few weeks - around 60km, give or take.

There's usually 5-6 days of running that consists of:
  • a 25-30km long run,
  • usually an interval run (which I intend to keep making more challenging)
  • often a threshold run
  • easy runs of whatever length I have time to do

Should I be starting a training plan with incrementally increasing kms now?

Or should I just hang around the 60km weekly mark until I'm a few months out?

Is there a sweet spot for keeping my weekly kms up at the right distance that my fitness is perfect for entering a training cycle when the time comes, but I won't burn myself out?

I ask this because balancing my sub3 fixation against life, work and family is an issue. While WFH means I can get more kms in than I used to, and I think my family could tolerate me running like a maniac for a month or so in the leadup to a big event, I'm not sure how sustainable it would be for me to crack say 100+km on an ongoing basis.
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If you’re at 60k a week you’re building a very good base. Consistency is key at this stage. You really don’t need to start marathon specific stuff until maybe 10-12 weeks out (and 2 of those weeks are taper anyway).
I have found for me the long runs are key and I wouldn’t start ramping those up until maybe 8-10 weeks out. This is about the sweet spot imo, but obvs can be different for diff folks. And ramp up the distance slowly.
9/10s of marathon training is getting to the start line in shape but also uninjured.
And yes life pressures are a big part of getting the marathon training balance right and what works for you.
And of course on race day, there are some things you can’t control, like weather etc. I’ve run some warm and windy Melb Maras, and any hope of PBs goes out the window before you even start.
I’ve gone sub 3 just the 3 times, so no expert either, however getting the first one is a huge confidence booster that you can actually do it.
 
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Jonnoo said:
If you’re at 60k a week you’re building a very good base. Consistency is key at this stage. You really don’t need to start marathon specific stuff until maybe 10-12 weeks out (and 2 of those weeks are taper anyway).
I have found for me the long runs are key and I wouldn’t start ramping those up until maybe 8-10 weeks out. This is about the sweet spot imo, but obvs can be different for diff folks. And ramp up the distance slowly.
9/10s of marathon training is getting to the start line in shape but also uninjured.
And yes life pressures are a big part of getting the marathon training balance right and what works for you.
And of course on race day, there are some things you can’t control, like weather etc. I’ve run some warm and windy Melb Maras, and any hope of PBs goes out the window before you even start.
I’ve gone sub 3 just the 3 times, so no expert either, however getting the first one is a huge confidence booster that you can actually do it.
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Thanks mate. So what kind of long run lengths are you doing outside of the 12 week cycle?
 
Guess who got an invitation to train with the VFLW as part of their extended squad hehehe
 
Makeshift Park said:
Thanks mate. So what kind of long run lengths are you doing outside of the 12 week cycle
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15-25km. If you're already at 25-30km, you're ahead of the curve.
Probably best to have the long run around 30-40% of your weekly total rather than 50%
 
Ligma said:
Guess who got an invitation to train with the VFLW as part of their extended squad hehehe
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Congrats - that's fantastic news.
 
Well done Ligs.
 

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hit just over 10km again today at a similar pace to last week, but this time i was absolutely ******* gassed by the end. not sure if it's the increased heat today or what, but the body is struggling real bad rn

Flawed Genius I totally get what you mean now about getting the hill out of the way in one go. i went the other direction just to see what it's like and gradual slope is much harder than just getting it out of the way along that one stretch.

For those who have been through this before, how quickly should improvement come? In the back of my mind I was thinking that i wanted to get to 12 today but instead it was a bit of a struggle to push through to 10km. Obviously i don't expect huge improvements in one week, but do you think i should be aiming for either a slightly longer distance or slightly better splits each week?
 
blackshadow said:
4 weeks into my weight loss program.

Weight down from 114.6 to 107.2kgs - loss of 7.4kg
Gut down from 127cms to 114cms - loss of 13cms

That includes a week where I spent most of the time at Monash Childrens Hospital with a sick child thankfully she’s fine but there was no way I could stick to my diet regimen.

I’m starting to feel the benefits and clothes are fitting much better or I’m able to wear clothes I haven’t fitted into for ages.

First goal 100kgs before Christmas.
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You may just have inspired me Mr Shadow.
My next 4 days are a write off, but after that I need to start doing exactly what you're doing.
Need to reduce/ quit the ciggies at the same time so it won't be easy, but I'm feeling like I'm ready to start taking my health seriously again.
Please keep us updated with your progress!
 
Ligma said:
I’ve got 5 sessions to prove myself!
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I swear Ligma, if you get drafted for the North AFLw side, this board might well and truly go into meltdown.

Though the commentators might be confused at all the 'Ligma' related signs in the crowd when there's no one running around with that surname
 
The Lone Latic said:
I swear Ligma, if you get drafted for the North AFLw side, this board might well and truly go into meltdown.

Though the commentators might be confused at all the 'Ligma' related signs in the crowd when there's no one running around with that surname
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I reckon I'd be tZ's whipping girl lol
 
AnEmptyChair said:
hit just over 10km again today at a similar pace to last week, but this time i was absolutely ******* gassed by the end. not sure if it's the increased heat today or what, but the body is struggling real bad rn

Flawed Genius I totally get what you mean now about getting the hill out of the way in one go. i went the other direction just to see what it's like and gradual slope is much harder than just getting it out of the way along that one stretch.

For those who have been through this before, how quickly should improvement come? In the back of my mind I was thinking that i wanted to get to 12 today but instead it was a bit of a struggle to push through to 10km. Obviously i don't expect huge improvements in one week, but do you think i should be aiming for either a slightly longer distance or slightly better splits each week?
Click to expand...
I think the rule of thumb is 10% of the distance every week as an increase. So if you're settled and easily doing 10km, your increase is 1km next run. I would personally think if you're not training for a race that it's more about the distance at any speed rather than faster
 
AnEmptyChair said:
hit just over 10km again today at a similar pace to last week, but this time i was absolutely ******* gassed by the end. not sure if it's the increased heat today or what, but the body is struggling real bad rn

Flawed Genius I totally get what you mean now about getting the hill out of the way in one go. i went the other direction just to see what it's like and gradual slope is much harder than just getting it out of the way along that one stretch.

For those who have been through this before, how quickly should improvement come? In the back of my mind I was thinking that i wanted to get to 12 today but instead it was a bit of a struggle to push through to 10km. Obviously i don't expect huge improvements in one week, but do you think i should be aiming for either a slightly longer distance or slightly better splits each week?
Click to expand...
Disclaimer: I can only speak from my own limited experience as an amateur mate.

Until this year or so, my fitness progress has been all over the place. Work stress, interrupted sleep patterns due to kids, mental health s**t, and drinking a bit too much beer sometimes to deal with all the above… all these things have made runs that felt like they should be easy rather difficult at times.

It’s obvious I have no idea what’s going on in your life (and what kind of fitness base you’ve got) so say none of that applies to you…

When you say your body is struggling real bad, is a muscular thing, or do you just feel buggered?

If heats an issue, are you able to hydrate yourself over the course of the run?

As Flawed Genius said, I think 10% increases to km loads are pretty standard.

And the other way of thinking about it is that the easiest way you’re going to progress in the short term is for you to enjoy what you’re doing rather than pushing yourself until you feel shithouse. Maybe that means dialling back the intensity by 10% so you’ll feel more inclined to get out there? I dunno.
 
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