London Marathon 2016

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bbandme
bbandme Posts: 90 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I joined here in January, have lost 2 stone to reach my target weight, and have maintained since June. I completed C25K but hurt my ankle in July and haven't run regularly since, I have done maybe once a week anywhere between 2.5-5km.
So, this week I found out I have got a place in the London Marathon :) I'm very excited, I did it about 9 years ago but walked most of it, this time I want to train and prepare properly. So, my training plan is downloaded and I start on tuesday. I'm aiming for between 4:45 - 5 hours. Very nervous but very excited, and pleased to have a new goal to aim for :)

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  • bbandme
    bbandme Posts: 90 Member
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  • charliejenny
    charliejenny Posts: 79 Member
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    How exciting for you, you better get your trainers on
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    bbandme wrote: »
    So, my training plan is downloaded and I start on tuesday.

    Which training plan are you using?



  • bbandme
    bbandme Posts: 90 Member
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    I have gone with MyAsics, which gives you a personalised plan. It seems to get some negative reviews but I like the fact its adjustable and doesn't stick to a rigid time plan, I can start from now :)
    I will still do kettlebells and will add in some cross training (cycling mainly) and will add in some speedwork later on as this plan doesn't have any, but as a base I like it.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited October 2015
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    bbandme wrote: »
    I have gone with MyAsics, which gives you a personalised plan.

    Give that you're starting from an average of less than three miles per week it might be worth spending the next six weeks focussing on getting yourself up to the start point for a more established plan like Hal Higdon or something like that.

    The snag with dynamic plans is that they can be a bit aggressive in terms of mileage increases, which increase your injury risk.

    I'd go as far as to say your best bet might be to Galloway it, as a method of reducing your injury risk.
    ...will add in some speedwork later on as this plan doesn't have any, but as a base I like it.

    Again, with a start point where you are you're more likely to injure yourself doing speedwork than to get any benefit from it. Your focus now needs to be on getting in long slow steady miles so that you can cross the start line.

    Nonetheless, it's an ambitious target, so all the best with it.
  • bbandme
    bbandme Posts: 90 Member
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    Thank you for your reply, I truly appreciate the feedback. I did plan on doing as you suggest and concentrating before Xmas on getting up to 8-10 miles before starting a standard 16 week plan in the new year. However the myasics plan does pretty much do this anyway I think, I have added a link below to show the plan, although it defaults to hard, I am following 3 runs a week on the average setting rather than hard :smile:

    https://my.asics.com/app_en/plan/preview?utf8=✓&plan[course_id]=1&for-event=1&plan[event_date]=24/04/2016&plan[goal_time_hms[hours]]=4&plan[goal_time_hms[minutes]]=45&plan[goal_time_hms[seconds]]=00&plan[goal]=finish_time&plan[experience]=perf_5000m&plan[performance_time_hms[hours]]=0&plan[performance_time_hms[minutes]]=30&plan[performance_time_hms[seconds]]=00&plan[gender]=W&plan[age]=42&plan[training_intensity]=promising&plan[distance_units]=mi&plan[source]=/gb/en-gb#homepage_2014:center&commit=Get+your+plan&plan_form_version=
  • bbandme
    bbandme Posts: 90 Member
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    Forgot to say I agree with the Galloway suggestion too, I am going to see how I get on with the plan but will switch to run/walk if its too tough.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    No matter what training plan approach you end up adopting, there's not a moment to waste. You are more or less starting from a base of zero; picking an approach that is tailored for that scenario (like Galloway) makes a lot of sense.

    You've got 28 weeks (a good long time) but are almost starting from scratch (not good == more challenging). Increasing your mileage quickly leads to increased risk of injury, and you have very little time in your overall schedule to deal with downtime from injury. This is the real issue you are facing.

    Taking the next 6, 8, 10 weeks to build up your base mileage as fast as you *safely* can should be your priority now. Using the run-walk-run approach makes a lot of sense as it will increase *safety* but you'll still get all the stress adaptation benefits of being out there on your feet running.
  • ecr73
    ecr73 Posts: 18 Member
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    Congrats on getting your London place! I'm doing Manchester on 10th April. Signed up for a 20 mile race (Ashby) in March also. I've done a couple of half marathons before (few years ago). Nor starting completrely from scratch as normal run a couple of times a week. Good luck withthe training and feel free to add me on here x
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    bbandme wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply, I truly appreciate the feedback. I did plan on doing as you suggest and concentrating before Xmas on getting up to 8-10 miles before starting a standard 16 week plan in the new year. However the myasics plan does pretty much do this anyway I think, I have added a link below to show the plan, although it defaults to hard, I am following 3 runs a week on the average setting rather than hard

    I've played a few permutations on that site, to see what it came up with, and I can understand why people would criticise the planner. I'd almost suggest that you start with a Galloway plan now, rather than injure yourself before moving onto one.

    Cycling can be complementary to running in terms of building aerobic endurance, but on only three runs per week you're veering quite far from the normal recommendations around progression. Whilst the paces are slow, not much faster than walking, the progressions are rapid.

    You'll be familiar with the principle of not increasing your pace or distance by more than 10% per week, you'd generally want to limit your long runs to no more than 30% of your total mileage for the week, ideally closer to 20%. In week one of that plan, in every permutation I tried, the model was breaching both of those principles.

    fwiw I'm in a rest period at the moment but will be starting for a trail marathon in March. Based on my own stats it gave me a plan that I wouldn't use as it's too aggressive in terms of mileage, as well as dropping my pace to the extent that the longer runs would start taking too long.
  • bbandme
    bbandme Posts: 90 Member
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    Thank you all for your comments, I have spent all evening re-reading various plans and have bought the Galloway book on running. I will still aim overall to complete in under 5 hours, but am realistic enough to know that that is just a ballpark figure in my head and what will be will be.

    The Galloway schedule seems low on miles during the week (30 mins both runs?) although maybe this will all become clearer when I read the book.

    Tonight I went to the gym and did 3 miles on the treadmill as it was torrential rain outside. I did only include two walking breaks, a minute each, and finished it in 34 minutes. The next couple of days are going to be late nights at work so my next scheduled run is on friday. I will keep updating with my thoughts and no doubt will have more questions for you too :smile:
  • amdavies
    amdavies Posts: 24 Member
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    Hi Bbandme

    How is your training going? I'm running the marathon too, will be my first time and aiming for 4.40-5.00 hours like you. Am up to half marathon distance now and just praying I don't hit any injuries.

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