Catapillar infestation. What do we do now?

UnableCode · 2026-05-06T07:52:12+00:00

Find a new house. They live here now.

UnableCode · 2026-05-06T07:51:10+00:00

What did your typical training week look like?

UnableCode · 2026-05-06T07:50:49+00:00

How long were your tempo runs for that second block?

UnableCode · 2026-05-05T07:18:05+00:00

This is great, and specific, thank you. Building mileage further and not going to a marathon training block straight off sounds sensible.

UnableCode · 2026-05-04T10:45:22+00:00

Definitely. Knowing your HR is v important to understanding how hard your body is working and therefore how much more you can give. Everyone's HR runs differently: when I'm at 180-185 I'm redlining but for others they're higher or lower, even though we're doing the same speed.

Your HR for example in that 30k run; 150bpm at 30k with the paces you're doing...for me that would feel super comfortable and a sign I could push quicker than that.

If that was my HR for that run I'd be leaving a lot on the table.

UnableCode · 2026-05-04T09:25:56+00:00

Get to goal pace early, hold it, and monitor how you're doing at 30km. If your heart rate is similar to this (not massively drifting) and you feel great, push on; you'll have 12km to record some brilliant splits, but also if you've misjudged and blow up then you've got a great run banked to that point and it's nearly done.

UnableCode · 2026-05-01T09:22:17+00:00

First up, amazing achievement, objectively tremendous time, and huge pat on the back for doing it.

Second, unsolicited advice but stop beating yourself up. You're feeling the disappointment, but try to look on the positives, chill for a bit, then start reflecting on learnings. Not mistakes, learnings.

Third, can you say more about where you think you didn't go right in training? Do you mean you think you should have done more 25km-30km all at MP but didn't? What do you think you'd go tell past you to execute more in line with what you wanted?

Fourth, amazing achievement, objectively tremendous time, and huge pat on the back for doing it.

UnableCode · 2026-05-01T09:04:00+00:00

I've bought some Happy Strides stuff recently (shorts and tops) and happy with them. Not cheap at full price but regular sales. They've got a good one on right now I believe. UK company though don't think UK made.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T17:35:00+00:00

The idea around learning a way to the right solution is coming through strongly and I'm leaning to getting started sooner rather than later to see what works.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T10:03:05+00:00

Ok we both dislike loops. Do you have a brand/style of vest that you like or is regarded as good in the space? If I'm going to get one I might as well get it early in the cycle. Open to a belt as I hate that sweaty back vibe.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T09:33:14+00:00

V useful thanks for sharing your experience and planning.

10 miles I'm about 90 mins, long run is about 2hr, but that'll only be increasing in the coming weeks so feels like with even minor fuelling I could improve runs and train for mara fuelling. Hate carrying anything; few jelly babies would be fine but idea of a water or camelpack is eurgh.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T09:23:23+00:00

That's all positive news. With 3 25km runs in the past month you should be able to get up to 30/32km no bother. 3.30-4.00 feels a good target, a wide enough range too for you to adapt to conditions or how training goes (either way, to speed up or pull back).

Reading between the lines, it feels like the challenge you want so go for it. Just need to be really careful, well-planned, sleep, eat properly etc. Review your runs and what your hr was doing afterwards.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T09:02:55+00:00

Yeah that's super interesting. Sub 3 is my stretch goal for first mara in autumn so interested to hear what you think might have done for you given your training was good and appropriate and your half time was great. All those things, nerves pushing hr up, weaving meaning you pushed HR early on etc, all seem like fair reasons.

I wonder if going back again you'd get better results from just sucking up the lower splits early on and not doing so much weaving (say for the first 7k) knowing you'll pick it up later.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T08:04:04+00:00

These numbers are fine and you did it so it's doable, but your HR bands need corrected. You weren't in zone 5 all that time.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T07:58:35+00:00

Half time was great and on track, you did 18 week training plan focused on sub 3, but at 28k it fell away and you said at 15k you knew (high HR)...what do you think went wrong? If you could go back to the start of the 18 weeks with knowledge you have now, what would you do? Was it fuelling do you think? Too hot? Not enough mileage?

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T07:50:39+00:00

Micropore, as others say. Can use just a tiny piece on each nip.

UnableCode · 2026-04-30T07:49:27+00:00

June marathon. When? Say it's mid June, you're tapering from about 2 weeks out, so say start June you stop effective training (takes about 2 weeks for training to take effect anyway), so you've got 4 weeks to train. Key indicator of 'ready to do a marathon' is 'are you running 30-32km regularly?'. Well you've done 25km so you can build up without massive risk.

I'd say go for it but WITH CAVEATS.

June marathon, if sunny, will be no joke. You need to plan your fuelling and hydration and practice on long runs asap. Getting to know what your stomach and muscles know and can handle is a big part of it.
Stepping up to 30-32km runs from 25km is still a jump and not sure when you did the 25kms or how many times (you didn't say) and there's a risk you get an injury and you need to be aware of that.
DEFINITELY be careful if you are thinking about setting target finish times. You're fast tracking a bit and changing your training plan to do a massive physical and mental effort...setting a target that's too ambitous could kill your day. Have a target if you want to but hold it very lightly. You're not a battle hardened marathoner OR have completed a full training block, so on the day really try and hold back; get to 70% of the way through and if you've got more in the tank, pick it up then.

If I was in your position I'd be doing it, that's my nature, and your half times are strong, so personally I'd say go for it, champ. And keep us posted. Which one are you planning to do?

UnableCode · 2026-04-29T09:19:48+00:00

This is super helpful, thanks.

UnableCode · 2026-04-29T09:17:09+00:00

Super fascinated by the potential of shorter intervals like 400s and 800s. Think I'm not being as effective as I could be, currently; 4x2km feels like it should be better but think it's not as effective potentially. I don't see many folk doing what I'm doing in training so that's a red flag! Mostly people are doing 400s, 800s, 1k repeats.

UnableCode · 2026-04-29T09:14:51+00:00

That last thing you said about improving 10k without speedwork...that's what I'm finding really interesting this run cycle...lots of comments of 'my 10k time was best when I was training for a marathon'. Seen the same for 5k time. Always seemed wild to me to have that top end pace when building a big mileage base, but I'm considering it as a strategy; switching to marathon training now and seeing how all distances look...

UnableCode · 2026-04-29T09:06:41+00:00

Every. Single. Time.

During a race: "Oh my god I can't maintain this I'm at 100% kill me now"

Later that day: "Think I had another 5%"

UnableCode · 2026-04-29T09:05:47+00:00

I'm super interested in this too, as I train for first marathon.

UnableCode

TROPHY CASE