Build up to Virgin London Marathon 2010

firstborn

firstborn

firstborn

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
3,604
Location
Nottingham
I'm in my 2nd week of prep for the VLM and hoping to go under 3 hrs. I've gained an entry via a good for age time after trying for the last 5 years to get in.

If there's any interest in my plan/progress I'll keep a log here, summarising targets and achievments on a week by week basis.

If there is any interest let me know what info you'd like me to include. :)
 
Good luck with your training. I'd be interested in reading about your training, if it's not too much trouble just a bit about your training regime, rough number of miles per week and how you build it up sort of thing.
 
I'm currently in week two of a 16 week program. It's a 6 day a week schedule (adapted from a runnersworld program). The first 4 weeks will ensure the base is solid. Pace is a little slow to start as I've had too much time away from running the last couple of months.

As week go by the distances will increase and more speed work will come into the equation. I've also a half marathon Feb 28th, and a 16.2 miler (kilomathon) mid march to check things are on track. I'11 be looking for Sub 1:26hrs in the half and then around 1:45hrs for the kilomathon to be on track

Week One - total miles 34:

Mon 4M easy @ 8:11 min/mile
Tue 4M slow @ 8:20 min/mile
Wed 5M slow @ 8:20 min/mil
Thu 4M steady @ 7:07 min/mile
Fri Rest
Sat 5M easy @ 8:23 min/mile
Sun 12M slow @ 8:25 min/mile

Week Two (this week) - total miles 41.5

Mon 4M easy @ 8:15 min/mil
Tue 1M jog, then 3 x 2M fast @ 6:50 min/mile , with 800m recoveries, 1M jog
Wed 6M slow @ 8:26 min/mil
Thu 1M jog, 2M @ 7:16 min/mil , then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 5M easy 8:16 min/mile
Sun 13M slow 8:07 min/mile
 
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This mornings long run was a little faster than planned, but ran with a mate chatting all the way and average heart rate suggest very little effort. So pleased with that.

At least the weather is more agreeable to running now :) Pacing will be similar to previous weeks.

Weeks 3 & 4 plans:

Week Three - total miles 43

Mon 4M easy @ 8:12 min/mile
Tue 1M jog, then 4 x 1M fast @ 6:50 min/mile, 0.25mile jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 7M slow @ 8:07 min/mile
Thu 5M steady @ 7:17 min/mile
Fri Rest
Sat 5M easy @ 8:02 min/mile
Sun 15M slow @ 8:26 min/mile

Week Four - total miles 34.5

Mon 4M easy
Tue 1M jog, then 7 x 800m fast @ 6:28 min/mile, with 200m (1-min) jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed 8M slow @ 8:07 min/mile
Thu 1M jog, then 3M brisk @ 6.30 min/mile, then 1M jog
Fri Rest
Sat 5M easy @ 8:10 min mile (hilly route)
Sun 1M jog, then race 10K, then 1M jog. 42 min for 10k ??
 
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Thanks for the details, it's interesting seeing how a marathon is built up to. I'm in no rush to do one but it's one of those things I think I might do at some point in the future.
 
Good work on the training and good to see you are following a schedule. I would only maybe suggest switching the rest day from the Friday to the Monday. This way your body can recover from your long run (which I presume will always be on a Sunday) - just a suggestion.
I'm toying with the idea of doing a Marathon in April, but think I'll just do the half - as this is just training in the end for my Ironman in August and it's not been recommended (for recovery purposes).
 
It had crossed my mind. The rest day on Friday though gives me a chance to recover from the Tues & Thurs quicker paced sessions, before the long run. The Monday session will always be a gentle recovery pace, but if I was still feeling the long run I'd probably drop it.

This will be my 12th full marathon btw, but first time on a 6 day a week program. As I'd really like to get under 3hrs it seems to be the way forward. But it will be ammended as my body dictates.
 
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good luck for the VLM i am doing the Edinburgh marathon this year. The training plan i am doing this year you only have to run 3 times a week plus a gym session.
(long runs on saturdays) just done a 10 miles at the weekend it felt really good.:p
 
fadetoblack said:
good luck for the VLM i am doing the Edinburgh marathon this year. The training plan i am doing this year you only have to run 3 times a week plus a gym session.
(long runs on saturdays) just done a 10 miles at the weekend it felt really good.:p
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Good luck with Edinburgh; fast course , well organised and an excellent atmosphere at the start - well it was in 2008.

janesssssy said:
Im doing the Bath half this year. although my running is a bit lax in the last month. I better start at it again.
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Too much christmas pud :p
 
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Hope everything goes well for you. Man it makes me realise how slow I am when your slow runs are @ 8.25 a mile when I can only run a 5km in 28.23
 
Bear said:
Hope everything goes well for you. Man it makes me realise how slow I am when your slow runs are @ 8.25 a mile when I can only run a 5km in 28.23
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But that's how it starts.. then you get the bug and all you do is run. 9 min miles are nothing to be sniffed at.
 
Keep the updates coming Mr FB.

Did you say on another thread you use a Garmin Forerunner? I presume that's how you can pace yourself so precisely.
 
good luck with this fb sub 3 hours is good going! ive just started training for the notts to derby kilomathon in 7 weeks.
 
#Chri5# said:
Keep the updates coming Mr FB.

Did you say on another thread you use a Garmin Forerunner? I presume that's how you can pace yourself so precisely.
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Cheers, yepp have a 310xt at the mo after using a 305 for a few years. I won't go out unless it's charged :p

emetic said:
good luck with this fb sub 3 hours is good going! ive just started training for the notts to derby kilomathon in 7 weeks.
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Me too, haven't looked at the course yet though so no idea what to expect on that one.
 
Long run was a little slower this afternoon. Lesson learnt - don't drink two beers followed by two bottles of red wine the night before!
 
Interested to read this as I'm doing the Kilomathon as well this year and really need to start running again after the christmas break. My running career is still in its infancy having only run a half marathon (first race :O) and then a 10k in Novemeber.
 
Delboy said:
Interested to read this as I'm doing the Kilomathon as well this year and really need to start running again after the christmas break. My running career is still in its infancy having only run a half marathon (first race :O) and then a 10k in Novemeber.
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If you've done a half the kilomathon shouldn't pose a problem. I personally find 10k the hardest distance as I know it'll be all out and I'll want to vomit at the end :D
 
Another update: I finished last week a little fatigued and so my Sunday run suffered. Only managed a 42 min 10k, but felt it. Didn't go all out and looking at my heart rate data afterwards it was quite low, about 20bpm lower than it should have been,which points to fatigue as far as I'm concerned.

I probably put too much into the Thursday run (6:30 min/miles when target was 7:20min/mile) also my recovery run on sat was up and down the hills of North Yorkshire so not really recovery.

Adjusted this weeks routine to account; rested Monday and recovery run on Tues instead of speed work then back to normal. Week 5 & 6 routines are:

Week 5:

Mon Rest
Tue 5M easy @ & 7:56 min/mile easy
Wed 9M slow @ 8:20 min/mile
Thu 6M steady @ 7:22 min/mile
Fri Rest
Sat 5M easy @ 8:16 min/mile
Sun 16M slow @ 7:58 min/mile (felt extremely easy)

Week 6:

Mon 4M easy @ 8:09 min/miles
Tue 1M jog, then 10 x 2 mins up hill, jog back. Then 1M jog at end of session
Wed 10M slow - 8M @ 7:05min/mile instead
Thu 1M jog, then 4M (approx 29 mins) brisk, then 1M jog - Rest
Fri 5M slow @ 8:29 min/mile
Sat 5M easy @7:57 min/mile
Sun 18M slow @ 8:10 min/mile
 
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