LONDON 2013

What a brilliant effort from all my sponsers. You have done it we have acheived the £2000 Target.  This week i got my reward which is entry to next years London Marathon by qualification as "Good for Age"

Im in.

Thank you

Best Regards Malcolm

 

 

 

Many Thanks to all who sponsored me to do the New York Marathon the year before last. Between us we raised over £5000 for Cancer Research. What an achievement.

The race was something special. Hard on foot as we were running on concrete roads. Very hilly as we were going up and down suspension bridges. in the race it felt like a coming together of nations. The marathon shows no boundaries . Runners were there from all over the world. I was one of 50,000 entrants.

I'm gratefull to be supported by my team: My wife Cath, My three sons Joshua, James and Oliver, My sisters Rachel and Louise and her husband Gary and My dad Des. Again they all going to help to fundraise and give their moral support making my marathon dream a vehicle to raise money for Cancer Research in memory of my mum Delia.

In  America, we were lucky to be supported and sponsored by Louise's friend Maggie. Should anyone wish to support at London you are most welcome.

I'm hoping to motivate many of you to acheiving your personal fitness goals and, may be, raise money for your charity with my running Blog. see below.

Running Blog:

Previous Marathon Results

1981 Chesterfield Marathon  3hrs 38min

2008 Nottingham Marathon  4hrs 15min

2010 London Marathon         3hrs 33min

2011 New York Marathon      3hrs 29min

2012 Dublin                  pulled out injured

 

2013 London                ......... I am aiming to go sub 3hrs 15mins this time. My ultimate goal being a sub 3hr marathon next year when i am 50

 Training diary: Count down to London 2013

17 Weeks   New year week

 5 mile hills  5 x days (same run)  weeks miles = 25

 

16 Weeks Comencing sun 6th Jan 13 miles (Long run)

 mon 3.5miles

Tues Intervals 4x 800 in 3mins 10secs ave  5.5 total

Weds  5miles easy

Thur Rest

Fri 9miles steady  1hr 10min

Sat 5 miles easy

15weeks to go

Sun 13 Miles long run

Mon 5miles easy

Tues Intervals 5x 1000 in 4mins 10secs ave 6.5miles total

Weds 5miles easy

Thur 9miles steady

Fri  Phisio (service) 

6 weeks to go  

Sunday 10th March

Today i have just completed MK Half marathon. Over the moon with my first sub 1hr 30Mins  Official time 1 : 28 : 28 Training over the past weeeks has been very consistant with a lactate threshold session each tuesday on the track. The last 2 being 3x20mins at 6.40 per mile pace with 90 sec between them. Very hard to complete these. The second main run being a tempo run extended to 10 miles now on a friday( these have been run at about 7. 20 pace and finally a long run on sundays (last weeks was 20 miles built up from the last one shown above at 13 miles by one to two miles per week). In between each run there has been a easy run (about 5 miles) at about 8min 20sec pace or a recovery run. Clocked my highest mileage week ever the week before last at 64 miles. Tomorrows run will be a recovery run.

 Mon 11th March  5 Miles recovery run

Tues 12th March  rest day

Weds 13th Am 5miles Steady Pm 5miles Easy

Thur 14th Keith Newtons Lactate buffering session 1mile warm

3x 20mins with 3mins recovery @ 6.45 per mile pace 1m cool

Fri rest day

Sat 16th 5mile easy

Sun 17th March   longest long run yet 22miles 3hrs 2mins

Mon 18th 5mile easy

tues 19th Keith Newtons Lactate buffering session 1mile warm

3x 20mins with 3mins recovery @ 6.45 per mile pace 1m cool

Weds 20th 5mile easy

Thurs oh no Head cold (rest day)

Fri still got cold now snow every where too 5 miles treadmill 37mins

Sat 23rd still snow 5miles treadmill 7. 15 per mile (51mile week)

 Sunday Big day today not for me , for cancer research spent all day emailing doing letters still more to go at 9pm.  rest day?

Into last 4 weeks now the main aim is to keep fitness level i am at not strive for the little bit more i could acheive at this point.

mon 25th Still heavy cold and snow everwhere drifting, no excuses treadmill half mile warm up 5 miles 6m 50s pace, half mile cool down. Not too much. Not too little?.  

tues 26th treadmill half mile warm then 6miles at6mins 50 pace then half cool

weds am treadmill 5mile hills pm 5miles easy

thur 28th 1mile warm 3x 10 mins at 7min mile pace then 1mile cool

fri 29th am 5 mile easy pm 9.5 mile staedy

sat 30th 1 mile warm 8x 2mins with 2min recovery then cool

sun long run 17.5miles (65miles last 7 days)

mon 5 mile easy

tues 1 and half warm up 3x 15mins at 6min 50 pace 1mile cool

weds 5miles easy

thurs 5mile easy

fri  5th rest day ready for 5k race tomorrow.

Sat 6th "No Walk in the Park 5K" was hoping to beat course p.b. of 19min 57sec but managed a disapointing 20:07

lesson to be learnt ; went off too quick 3:40 1st K had "rest day" day before , should have been 2 days before and only 10 mins warm up, as i was late. Excuses, excuses! 15days to go.......,

Sun  16miles easy

mon 8th  5 miles easy

tues  9th  3x 2000 meters@ 6.50 pace 90sec recovery plus 1 mile warm & 1 mile cool

weds 27mins easy (3 mile)

Thur rest day

Fri   5 mile incl 2x 1 mile brisk

Sat 13th April   rest Day

Sunday lst long run    9 miles at 8mins 20sec per mile with half a mile at 6; 50 pace

mon 15th another rest day  feels wrong, but got to rest ready for one big effort on sunday 6 days to London 2013

tues 16th  last meaningfull session  1m warm up 2x 1 mile @ 6.50 then 1 mile cool

A quick add up gives 728 miles since new years eve without any alcholic fueling. 

weds 17th another rest day  4days to go!

The Race .....Forgot how hard the marathon is . The heat was my enemy. Set off with 7 min mileing in my mind. After being held at the start needed a pit stop at mile 2  held my pace very consistantly right through to half way. Its almost as if you know its going to get harder but you dont know when. At mile 15ish i started to ease, i felt it was the only way i was going to finish. Dont know what exactly keeps you going, not wanting to fail, the sponsors, my mum, the crowds, obviously together this is what gives you the determination to hang on. at about 20 miles and further all i was doing in my mind was calculating how long i had left and the pace i was running. i new i hadn't got much lea way . some how i manage 8 min miles to mile 25 when my right thigh muscle locked / spasmed . new i couldn't stop , i composed my self and finished the job. I hope i inspire others to accomplish their goals in fitness and life  Cheers for you support  Malc Stapleton

 

Key       "Easy" pace means 1min 30sec above predicted             race                  pace