The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method

May 04, 2024

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Location:

Tralee,Ireland

Member Since:

Oct 01, 2011

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I've never worn compression socks.

Short-Term Running Goals:

To do a race.

Long-Term Running Goals:

1. Break the world record for the marathon in the 50+ age group, when I'm 50 in 2015.

2. Never wear compression socks.

Personal:

Married with two girls (6 and 10).

The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method is a four year experiment.

The first year (2012) was about getting back into running, staying off the smokes and booze, while sticking to a healthy eating plan and shedding mountains of lard. All boxes ticked.

Year two (2013 - age: 48) Injured Jan through March. Build back up and work on my 5k speed. Goal 15:45.

Year three (2014) will be about doing my first marathon in the spring. (Just for the experience and on a tough course - maybe Tralee; goal time, 2:30ish.) Then begins the prep work for Berlin 2015

Year four (2015) is all about breaking the world record for the marathon in the 50+ age group - it's only 2:19 :).

The above might sound nuts; it is, but then I'm nuts. Please do not copy any of the training I do: if you do, you are likely to end up running like me - not a good idea.

The idea is to have a laugh along the way. If I fail, I don't know what I'll do - my whole belief system will crumble and I suspect that this little rock might just stop spinning for a couple of seconds. Jakers, I better not fail for all our sakes. That's some burden, even for SuperBam.

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00

Tue, Jun 19, 2012

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
14.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	14.00

5:30 a.m. - 8 miles easy (7:30 ish pace). What a glorious morning in The Kingdom (County Kerry). The sun gave it root-toot this morning: shafts of light seared through the morning mountain mist and glinted off the placid Atlantic. Blebs of dew on blades of grass bubbled and blistered and burst. In the early morning heat, the soft lap of the shore sighed and simpered as it swished over pebbles and shells and stones that lay insouciant to the water's frotting affections. The whispers of distant mountain streams sluicing silted beds carried through the still air. Like a mother's hushed shushes in a once upon a time lullaby. Beasts ferretted in gorse and thicket for vittles. A crystal pool fringed with silver birch saplings and weeping willows shimmered in the sunlight. The ends of a willow's branches tickled the pool’s surface. About the water’s edge, canopied by a willow's far reaching branches, a fuss of gnats skirred. Birdsong trilled. Bam jogged. What a load of waffle. Basically, I had a nice run this morning and I'm looking forward to an easy 6 miles tonight.

5:30 p.m. - 6 miles relaxed (started at about 7:45ish and ended up around 6ish). Legs wanted to go much faster but the sight of the mountains looming across the river made it easy to hold back: tomorrow I hit the hills for my first 'speed' workout - 10x300m hill reps. I'm a tad nervous. I'm hoping I don't go off too fast and wreck the session. I keep thinking about Jake's bank deposit analogy. I need to deposit this workout and not go overdrawn. I need to lay down a marker to build the confidence. I feel like a teenager waiting to go out on a date with a girl he's had his eye on for 9 months. Hopefully I will not mess up tomorrow: no injuries; no wasted session. That said, I've gradually built up to 100 miles a week and coped with it without too many problems. I feel strong. I have, in the last three weeks, been doing 8x8 sec hill sprints - more for form and strength than anything else. They've gone well but tomorrow's another cliche...

Night Sleep Time: 0.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 0.00	Weight: 134.00

Comments

From allie on Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 13:04:47 from 161.38.218.168

you're back! everyday's a cliche around here. you are putting in some excellent mileage right now. glad to see you are healthy and running well.

From Bam on Tue, Jun 19, 2012 at 13:26:15 from 89.204.185.154

allie, thanks for the welcome back; good to be back. I've found clocking the miles a lot easier than I did in my younger days. I think the most I ever ran was 75 miles in a week. I suspect it might have something to do with goji berries etc:) The real test is ahead: how I cope with workouts and miles without breaking down...

From Bret on Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 07:35:22 from 64.128.133.66

Loved the early morning run description - far more interesting than perhaps the standard "just the facts."

Looks like you perhaps have done an aerobic base build-up and are on to some hill training per Lydiard. Nearing that second phase myself. Look forward to reading your blog in the coming weeks.

From Bam on Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 08:37:29 from 95.83.215.7

Bret, Thanks - they're just some of the zany thoughts I have when I'm out on my easy runs.

On the training front, I'll post a rough outline of my plan tomorrow (comments/suggestions/criticism welcome). But it's based loosely around Mark Hadley's ideas with some aspects of Canova and Steve Magness thrown together with some barmy Bam the Bamboozler gems...

From Andrea on Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 09:10:17 from 72.37.171.52

Glad to have you back! :)

From Bam on Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 13:16:19 from 95.83.216.110

Andrea, Thank you; it's nice to back. I've posted about why I left on today's blog (Wednesday).

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