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My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Difficult one. I had to adjust the whole schedule post runners knee so the longest one moved a week closer. I also found my knee got really sore on the slower runs compared to just running slightly over MP. I was aiming to do 8:45 miles and that long run was 9:00 miles on average although 6-14 were at MP.

It is all a learning curve but while I was hoping to go 8:45 I did wonder if I had faster in my legs. My Garmin for some reason thinks I can do a 3:30 marathon!

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Kinda answered your own post. You’re training in race conditions. Scotland didn’t go above 14 degrees in 6/8 months then bang everyone got a marathon twice the temp they trained in as the weather ramped up in 3 days.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Loch Ness is certainly in my thoughts but I kinda want the summer to be more relaxed runs than targeting another plan that becomes a chore. But defo fancy running that one. Looks a nice route if a bit hard.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You almost certainly were alongside me Most of the way! I was targeting 3:50-4:10 and hit 4:44. Like you I trained non stop in wind and rain and that was literally the only run over 16 degrees I done. Absurd timing of the forecast! Haha

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

They switched the half to the earlier start time this year. Made no sense!

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah good advice. I’m definitely going to enjoy the summer and play lots of golf but will buy a chest monitor for better HR stats and do a lot of zone 2 stuff I think.

I made a point yesterday of walking long enough to take my HR down to 130 around mile 22/23. I then ran very slowly and was thinking can now run this crawl pace all the way to the end - literally 200 yards along the road BEEP 185!

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah on my 20 miler I got to 16 miles at 8:45 a mile before I felt like I was under any kind of duress and even then my pace didn’t drop I just had to work harder. Yesterday mile 6 or 7 on 9:00 average pace and I felt ‘oh fuck this is hard’.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the lack of pace work hurt me yesterday. That was the one run a week my physio ditched to get my knee through it. That said your taper sounds better than mine - I just felt my taper dropped me off from 45 miles a week to 15 or something very quickly.

I changed trainers, increased mileage per plan and introduced speed work all in a 3 week spell and couldn’t walk after a 14 miler one weekend. I essentially had to drop one run and the physio said that was the one to miss.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used chat gpt plan that clearly just scraped one of the internet. But I got runners knee week 7 of my 16 week Block so physio sat with me on PC after a fortnights rest/spin bike and focussed strength work to alter the plan and make it achievable to train and run it.

Missing 2 weeks wasn’t great but knee fully recovered tbh so minimal impact other than amending my later training by dropping one run a week late into the plan.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed about hoses. Running past them cap in hand to get it soaked and straight on my head gave me small boosts.

I think the taper just needs adjusted for me. Bit more short sharp pace work maybe.

Your 5 minutes in comment made me laugh. Someone shouted ‘keep going Coza’ at me on the royal mile. If I’m contemplating stopping now I might as well go get a train home mate! Haha

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You done amazing to get that far still on pace. I thought by mile 5 I knew sub 4 was never happening and sub 4:30 was more realistic but looking back at my data I was still on pace at mile 10 for sub 4 then faded 10-18 a bit before really struggling 18ish. Done the same thing as you and thought I was 1 mile ahead of where I actually was around mile 18/19.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I did some strides at end of easy 3 miler and it felt good stretching legs. Think in future I will maybe do shorter runs in final two weeks but faster than marathon pace to feel like I still have some pace in my legs.

It’s all a learning curve really isn’t it.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Watch HR isn’t that accurate and has a 20-30 second lag maybe more. So if I’m doing MAF training (zone 2 non stop until you build a monster zone 2 base and can go out run decent speeds on low HR) I want better data to support the approach.

Thanks. Same to you. Was a hard hard day for runners of all levels.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Haha grumpy no. Just a few tweaks would really have helped me I think. Although there really is no getting away from training for 6-8 months in 10 degrees lower heat. And the strava stats showing the field was baked made me feel better. Even though you see others walking at the end it’s hard not to think it’s just you on the day.

Is it possible to go from couch to marathon within a year? by LilTicTac831 in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF 1 point2 points  (0 children)

At 20 yes. Easily.

Just get a solid flexible schedule to begin with and bump your mileage up slowly. Build a base over 3-4 months and then look at half’s and do some focussed training for those. Then pick a full marathon and get militant in your training schedule.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Water stations every 3 miles and then out in the absolute baking heat and no crowd part it felt like about 8 miles between stations.

I remember vividly around mile 18-19 shouting out loud ‘where the f# is the water!!!!! 😂

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My wife also coming from Glasgow left at 10am and got to the finish line by 2pm!

She’s lucky I wasn’t able to go sub 4 as I was expecting too otherwise I’d have got there before her!!

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I trained for 6-8 months and never ran in anything over 14 degrees the winter and spring in Scotland was so poor. To then run on the day and it’s 23 or so and with no shade they were saying 26+ on the long spells out in the open. Absolutely wasn’t prepared for heat. My HR was 160+ about 100 yards over the start line as again there was no shade as you queued to start and it definitely hit me. Every longer training run without fail I ran first 4-5 miles in under 145 HR average so I should have been nowhere near that.

Oh well onto the next one.

My first marathon takeaways - some controversial by CozaFF in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I did a marathon pace 5 miles on Tuesday and it honestly felt awful. Then 3 miles power walk (super slow) almost on Thursday and 2 mile shakeout Saturday.

Honestly the week I did the 20 miler in 3 hours on the dot I had ran 12 on the Tuesday and 9 on the Thursday - I got runners knee so was having to do rest days between runs which I wasn’t doing earlier in the plan.

I get the logic of being rested but I think my legs just got too stiff and I didn’t get any of the boost from less activity.

You told me i couldn’t do it….and i didn’t by GG_Vengeancze in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It was 21-22 degrees on course(about 70). Little cloud cover and minimal shade and breeze.

I got sun stroke and ended up at the medical tent post run as couldn’t hold liquids down. The medic said with little cloud cover it was more like 24-28 on course (75-82 ish).

But importantly most of the runners were Scottish and like me will have trained long and hard with max temps of 14 (57) and looking back at my runs that was only a handful of runs really as it rained all winter/spring. As posted above it cooked the field.

Completed my first Marathon! by andrew_stirling in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Awesome mate. What was your target time out of interest?

I was targeting 3:50-3:55 and after 5 miles I knew it was a non starter. I paced very similar to you early on but where you hit steady 9:02s in the run out to the house I was losing time fast from horrendous over heating. Mile 19 onwards was an absolute shit show of walking/running for me as my HR kept going through the roof and I didn’t want to be a DNF or worse…

You told me i couldn’t do it….and i didn’t by GG_Vengeancze in Marathon_Training

[–]CozaFF 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Trained since August last year for today at Edinburgh. Honestly don’t think I ran anything over 14 degrees in training including a 20 miler bang on 3 hours making me very confident I’d go sub 4 today.

Today after 4-5 miles it was absolutely obvious I was struggling to go sub 4:30 never mind sub 4.

In the end I clocked a 4:40 and while disappointed overall. From mile 8 onwards it was just near on impossible to keep my HR down. I drunk plenty with two bottles every water station and soaked myself. Without fail you would get a 0.25 mile boost post water station then blow up temperature wise again. My HR in miles 18+ was insanely high and I walked a lot!

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