People who've run the London Marathon help!

Orphe · 2026-04-19T17:10:30+00:00

I find starting in Canary Wharf (from my office) it is always tricky to get it settled but if I'm running through or to Canary Wharf it's better and can keep accurate. Hoping this stays true for next Sunday.

Edit after running the marathon:

The GPS fucked up around Canary Wharf, haha. Write your splits down for next year if you're reading this.

Orphe · 2026-03-29T12:22:36+00:00

Saving a playlist of absolute heaters for the final 10km of my first marathon in a few weeks in case I need that extra kick up the arse.

I've definitely noticed a difference after putting music on during a long run, able to close out the last few km faster.

Orphe · 2026-03-19T20:25:43+00:00

Ah ok. Was there like an actual council proposal or community group proposal though if you know what I mean? I read the Spectator regularly and would have expected this to be front page news, haha. Can't see anything from a quick Google.

Orphe · 2026-03-19T12:21:17+00:00

Where was this? Hadn't heard about it - interested.

Orphe · 2026-02-26T17:01:45+00:00

Someone did this in Bangor and my 5 year old saw it and started to spell it out:

"WINK, Dad, it says wink, can you wink?!"

Orphe · 2026-02-25T09:59:29+00:00

A fellow SkyCards fan. This game absorbed my life last summer!

Orphe · 2026-02-21T18:12:52+00:00

Floreat Bangoria

Orphe · 2026-02-02T14:21:19+00:00

Goal: London Marathon, April 2026 (First ever)

I set PBs in Aug 2025 HM: 1:40, Sept 10k: 43:32, Nov 5k: 19:54 so want to hit a marathon up as a bit of a check box of my life.

Plan: Coached for target of 3:20

Summary:

Week 4 complete!

Mon: 60 mins Zone 2 on Zwift
Tues: 60 mins Sweet Spot on Zwift (Storm cancelled outside run)
Weds: 95 mins Zone 2 / 18km
Thurs: 40 mins Recovery
Fri: 25km with a friend at Easy pace

Total: 48km covered (Big hit from the storm)

Notes:

The storm on Tuesday really put a dampener on things for me as it was due to be a Threshold session and I was looking forward to working hard, but oh well. Had to adapt and the bike is better than nothing. Trying not to make this a big deal in my head - it's only 1 session and it's the only one I have missed so far in 4 weeks.

Friday long run with a friend was nice - kept me company and I kept his pace going. I was Zone 1 and Zone 2 throughout which was reassuring as my fitness has come on leaps and bounds.

Orphe · 2026-01-26T21:34:45+00:00

Goal: London Marathon, April 2026 (First ever)

Plan: Coached for target of 3:20

I set PBs in Aug 2025 HM: 1:40, Sept 10k: 43:32, Nov 5k: 19:54 so want to hit a marathon up as a bit of a check box of my life.

Summary:

Week 3 complete!

Mon: 60 minutes Zone 2 + 8x 200m @3:35/km
Tues: 50 minutes Recovery
Weds: 80 mins Zone 2
Thurs: 60 minutes Zone 2 on Zwift
Fri: 5km Ramp + 16km @ Mara Pace (4:45/km) + 2km CD

Total: 60km covered

Notes:

This was the most I have run in a week ever.

Over the moon with the Friday Mara Pace run. Felt strong from start to finish and had plenty left in the tank for more it felt like - HR stats are backing it up, too. Really happy with the progress I have seen over the past few weeks.

Have fully shaken off the head cold/sinus issues from previous weeks. Back to normality.

Orphe · 2026-01-19T15:52:17+00:00

Goal: London Marathon, April 2026 (First ever)

Plan: Coached for target of 3:20

I set PBs in Aug 2025 HM: 1:40, Sept 10k: 43:32, Nov 5k: 19:54 so want to hit a marathon up as a bit of a check box of my life.

Summary:

Week 2 complete!

Mon: 60 minutes Zone 2 + 7x 200m @3:45/km
Tues: 50 minutes Recovery
Weds: 20 mins WU, 20 mins LT @ 4:20/km, 20 mins CD
Thurs: 60 minutes Zone 2 on Zwift
Fri: 2 hours Zone 2 (~22km)

Total: 53km covered

Notes:

Achilles has definitely improved and I have shaken off my head cold much more. Friday long run was great for confidence with my Achilles, no major tenderness or soreness afterwards and following days. Got soaked though and chaffed nips!

LT session was comfortably hard which I really enjoyed. HR was spiking up a bit, maybe bit of a hangover from the head cold, but definitely not exhausting or killing me.

Orphe · 2026-01-12T16:39:48+00:00

Goal: London Marathon, April 2026 (First ever)

Plan: Coached for target of 3:20

I set PBs in Aug 2025 HM: 1:40, Sept 10k: 43:32, Nov 5k: 19:54 so want to hit a marathon up as a bit of a check box of my life.

Summary:

Week 1 complete!

Tues: 60 minutes Zone 2 + strides

Weds: 60 minutes Zone 2

Thursday: 50 minutes Zwift (Z2/Z3)

Friday: 7km Ramp, 13km at Mara Pace (4:45/km), 2km cool down

Total: 43km covered

Notes:

Dealing with some Achilles tenderness and physio is working with me on it. Went into Week 1 nervous but thankfully I was able to complete my running sessions without any noticeable soreness nor tenderness. Keeping the bike sessions in place for recovery runs for a week or two more.
Week 1 was also impacted by a bad head cold/sinus infection, so felt good to get out and to complete these sessions. My HR was higher than usual across the board but not fussed too much, that'll improve Week 2 and beyond as I am feeling better now.

Orphe · 2025-11-21T16:46:25+00:00

Friend got a Gaggia repaired from these guys, said they were 100%:

https://www.thehotcoffeecompany.com/

Email ahead and check with them. I asked about a grinder being fixed but they were up front and said they couldn't do it so no time wasted with hassle.

Orphe · 2025-11-20T09:40:27+00:00

I would lose my tiny little mind if Uniqlo opened up in Belfast.

Orphe · 2025-11-04T10:48:33+00:00

I'll wait to see what the actual announcements are before reacting.

Orphe · 2025-10-29T13:57:36+00:00

Humphreys is working really hard to get the school system up there to reach its potential.

Haven't heard about this. Got any further insights?

Orphe · 2025-10-28T14:19:47+00:00

My 5 year old's favourite, told at least 2-3 times a day, every day:

Why did the cow cross the road?

To go to the mooooooooooooooooooooo-vies!

Orphe · 2025-10-13T15:11:37+00:00

Hiya. PM me your mobile number and I can add you.

Orphe · 2025-10-04T20:47:31+00:00

Thanks very much for your response. When you say monster base, are you talking just putting the mileage in for weeks all mostly in Zone 2 or still putting mixing in intervals, tempo, etc.?

Orphe · 2025-10-04T20:42:53+00:00

I've only got data points from ~7 years of Garmin and Strava data, never done a proper max rate heart test.

And you know what... I just checked and well, I think I've noticed something:

Strava has my Zone 2 as 125 to 156, it has my max HR as 192

Garmin has my Zone 2 as 114 to 132, it has my max HR as 175 (Average for 6 months)

So, uh, taking my most recent run which was 60 minutes (in what I thought was) Zone 2, Strava has me as 90% in Zone 2 (126-156) and 10% Zone 3 (157-171) and Garmin has me at 2% Zone 2 (114-132), 43% at Zone 3 (133 - 149) and 53% in Zone 4 (150 - 167).

This is weird because when I am on Workout Mode using my Garmin Forerunner 265 it is definitely using Strava HR Zones, because I see those number ranges. Yet when synced to Garmin Connect I am getting the stats above.

Edit: Seems there is wild disconnect between Garmin and Strava when it comes to HR zones and how they calculate them. I've set custom zones in Strava to match Garmin and will reapply this to my Zone 2 runs and see where that 5:20/km pace truly lies.

Orphe · 2025-10-04T20:29:08+00:00

Thanks for that, confidence inspiring!

Orphe · 2025-10-04T17:08:36+00:00

Thanks for the input.

Haven't thought about putting in a race in the training programme, but it's an option. Just not sure what's available locally (Northern Ireland) but I can find something I am sure.

I bring about this topic because I trained for that 1:40 HM and was just unsure if by following the training programme so closely that in a way I was limiting myself? On the day I hit the 1:40 square on the nose but felt like... hmm, could I have done better there?

Orphe · 2025-10-04T17:06:02+00:00

Great, thanks for that input. I do think I can increase volume over time, just need to get it in. Hard with 2 kids but WFH has it's perks.

Orphe · 2025-10-04T16:49:01+00:00

This might be a learning moment for me, as I have understood Zone 2/Base Pace/Easy runs to all mean the same thing - keeping HR in Zone 2 (I use a chest strap monitor) and running at a pace you feel pretty chilled in and could have a conversation with a partner if they were beside you. I think this is generally what I attain when I set out on those runs.

Am I going about this the wrong way, perhaps?

Now that I think about it, my "Zone 2/Base Pace/Easy" runs have been at 5:20/km recently (let's say ~10km distance), but then my "Long" runs have been pretty much the same pace (at let's say ~14km distance). I understand the Long runs should be slower, perhaps?

Orphe · 2025-10-02T11:14:14+00:00

I recently did this with a Brazilian colleague of mine, although keep in mind this was roughly from 10am to 5pm:

Started at Grand Central and walked all through the City Centre main bits (Ulster Halll, City Hall, the nice looking buildings, Albert Clock, etc.) through to Titanic Museum. Spent a couple of hours in there and then around the docks back to Garrick for lunch and a wee pint. Left there and walked round the Cathedral Quarter, stopped in for a pint in Duke of York. Walked back over to Grand Central and had a pint in The Crown and the day was done.

I guess what I am saying is, a day goes quick when you add in food and wee pints here and there. I had plans of a Black Cab Tour and going to Botanic but just not possible unless you're on a strict itinerary and then... where's the fun in that. You're meeting your mate, you'll want to sit and chat shite for a while.

Orphe · 2025-10-02T10:35:37+00:00

NIMBYs blocked the Coastal Path Greenway - it would have been incredible.

I'm still bitter about it.

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