The London Marathon - Looking back

[Firestorm]

Still just over 9 min miles, decent result. I agree with Massimos post, that if you take over 5 hrs then when people say they 'ran' it technically that's not true. Full credit to everyone who completes it, but to be a regular runner you'd expect to finish within 4 hrs?.
I've had a few nightmares, Southend Marathon 84, hottest day of the year, & i sweat walking up the stairs!. I'd planned for 3 1/4 hrs, lost 10lb in sweat that day, finished 3hr 43 min, my worse Marathon time ever.
That evening i drank 5 pints of water, 3 cups of tea & a pint of beer. I had 1 pee!!.
6 weeks later did 3hr 22min in Basildon Marathon on a cooler day!!.

I agree with the regular runner bit, I was putting in 80 miles a week at times so 4 hours felt like a disaster
I ran 2 10k pbs in the following month then two weeks later did the Chelmsford 10 aiming to at least break 65 minutes went through 5 miles in just under 40 minutes , went F this and stepped off the road, haven't raced since.
I went down the club, to tell my coach I was jacking it in and he said he wasn't surprised, we sat down over a coffee (he wasn't coaching at the time due to an operation) and we had a long chat. Basically, from all the training sessions , he said I wasn't cut out for distance, and said I should try the track, a couple of months later I was in the c team running Southern league 400M , I eventually ran in the World Veterans Champs at 100 & 200.

 

[Firestorm]

Lol. No chance. I clocked just under 1000 miles last year so am a regular runner. On a good day, I'll do a sub 2 hour 1/2 marathon, but that's pushing it and the conditions need to be right. There is absolutely no chance I could do a 4 hour marathon and I'd consider that an unreasonable target. If I were to ever do one, I'd be aiming to do it inside 4:45. (which is what my mate did London in in 2018).

Then again, I started running three and a bit years ago, and I am 52 next week. I have learned that is not about the time, its actually about getting out there and doing it - be that a parkrun or an ultra. Time doesn't really matter.

I think the Difference between BBBL , mine and the other posters is purely the age of starting, If you pick it up in your twenties , early thirties and give it a good go, 4 hours is easily achievable and a good time becomes a focus, Start running for the first time in your 4o's or later then the distance is the achievement much less than the time

 

[Blueronron]

Regardless of time and I know its a personal thing,my wife does not get it when I say I ran it in xxx time and disappointed,its a great stress release,someone who has suffered from MentalHealth for many year it clears the heads and keeps you focused

Run many times for Mind and Sane and its amazing how many fellow sufferers say the same thing,its not always about the time,its about getting out and enjoying the fresh air

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I agree with the regular runner bit, I was putting in 80 miles a week at times so 4 hours felt like a disaster
.

Between 83- 89 i averaged around 50 miles per week, & ran 13 Marathons, about 30 1/2's, & god knows how many 15, 10 & 5 milers, plus 10k's.
But i always did 2 hill sessions every week, usually 10 up & 10 down where the cliffs collapsed in between Westcliff Leisure & the pub that was burnt down.
IMO a 25-30min hill session so much more beneficial than a 2 hr run on a flat surface.
Even today i have a hill session once a week up & down the slopes & steps opp Leigh Station up to the top & back down etc.
Trouble is at my age, alas that's the only session i seem to get these days!. But on a serious note, albeit somewhat slower than years ago, all those years of doing them make it easier than someone who dosn't run hills regularly.

 

[Firestorm]

Between 83- 89 i averaged around 50 miles per week, & ran 13 Marathons, about 30 1/2's, & god knows how many 15, 10 & 5 milers, plus 10k's.
But i always did 2 hill sessions every week, usually 10 up & 10 down where the cliffs collapsed in between Westcliff Leisure & the pub that was burnt down.
IMO a 25-30min hill session so much more beneficial than a 2 hr run on a flat surface.
Even today i have a hill session once a week up & down the slopes & steps opp Leigh Station up to the top & back down etc.
Trouble is at my age, alas that's the only session i seem to get these days!. But on a serious note, albeit somewhat slower than years ago, all those years of doing them make it easier than someone who dosn't run hills regularly.

Training in a group always helped, I was luck I could run at lunchtimes too.
used to do 5-7mile every lunchtime, club session Tuesday and Thursday (once a month run home from Benfleet station , 13 mile) , cross country race or a 10 on a Saturday and a long one, 15-22 early Sunday.
generally much bigger weeks in the winter , summer , shorter and faster.
loved it, but just wasn,t very good at it.

the track trading was a different ballgame, 4 different programmes depending on the time of year

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Some track sessions can be real killers, especially pyramids or 300mt relays with short recovery.
Simple sessions like Lifstans Way hill can be tough too, or bus stops on Southchurch Blvd on a wet and windy evening.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

We used to meet at Asda's Shoebury, 8 am sunday mornings ( dear god! ), in our group were 2 guys who could run marathons in 2hrs 35mins, & 2 hrs 50 mins, so it was beneficial to me.
We met another couple of guys at The White Horse, & when we went for a 'normal' run, we turned off at The Elms, down to The Old Town & back along the seafront to Shoebury.
When there was a Marathon in focus, we ran up to Vic House Corner & then back to the Old Town etc via Tattersall Gardens to The Old Town.
And after getting home & having a shower, my late wife wondered why i didn't have the energy for anything else on the Sunday!

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

.
Simple sessions like Lifstans Way hill can be tough too, or bus stops on Southchurch Blvd on a wet and windy evening.

For an easy hill session mid 80's. used to run from Shoebury along Woodgrange Rd to bottom of Lifstan Way. 6 runs up to White Horse, back down to railway bridge, then repeat & run back to Shoebury ( St. Andrews rd ).

 

[Firestorm]

Some track sessions can be real killers, especially pyramids or 300mt relays with short recovery.
Simple sessions like Lifstans Way hill can be tough too, or bus stops on Southchurch Blvd on a wet and windy evening.

For winter training my favourite was 500M hard 500 Jog , 400 hard 400 Jog, then 300,200,100
3 sets.
Being in a rather quick and younger Sprint squad, but having a better stamina base , I was the hare for the hard efforts

 

[Firestorm]

For an easy hill session mid 80's. used to run from Shoebury along Woodgrange Rd to bottom of Lifstan Way. 6 runs up to White Horse, back down to railway bridge, then repeat & run back to Shoebury ( St. Andrews rd ).

Hills were either Belton way (Distance sqaud) , when I changed we used to sprint efforts either at the cliffs opposite the casino , or the road opposite Rayleigh station.

Downhill sessions on a steady gradient were a summer leg speed session , until they put a road in by lifstans boys club and disrupted the stride patterns with kerbs.....

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I read that news reader Sophie Raworth has been selected to run for England Over 50, and checking her run times she has made good speed gains last few years. Just over 94 minutes for recent half marathon.
Well done her.
Older I get slower I seem to get.

 

[united we stand]

ran the London marathon twice 18 and 19 years ago ( (51 now).
I’m not a runner and to me it’s all in the mind.
I did most of my training including 20 mile runs with a work mate.
On the day at 13 miles his leg went, no idea why, never happened before.
Ran rest on my own, the last few miles I was crying with the pain but I was running for Macmillan for my late dad and in my mind if I stopped / walked I was letting him down.Target was four hours and did it in 3.57 and was chuffed.
Next year we did more training and were of course starting from a higher base.
Hoped to do 3.40 and at 12 miles we passed the 3.30 runners world guy. ??
At 13 miles andys leg went again. Same place within 200 yards, again had never had issues in training. I finished but I lost focus and walked for a few mins and did it in 4.05.
The next day at work (marathon tradition)we all meet to walk down stairs. The first year I was close to going down in my arse as I was scared my legs would give way. Second time I RAN up down 4 flights of stairs.
Just goes to show I had loads left in the tank, but no mental strength to run thru the pain