London Marathon 2015

After a full 18 week build up following the P & D plan, London Marathon arrived. Following on from the results I had for Wokingham Half and Seville Marathon in February, and the Self Transcendance 10km in March, I was confident enough in my ability to give London a proper go. 

Sub 2:50 was the target, and while I thought this would be a challenge, the excellent performances of some of my training partners in Manchester the previous week gave me a lift. 

The pace required for breaking 2:50 was 6:29 per mile, and I decided to hit this at mile 2, allowing the first mile to warm into it. As it turned, the start made it difficult to get into that pace immediately, but after 1 km I soon found my rhythm. I set off with club mates Mike, Tal and Nathan, but all were targeting faster times, so left them to get on with their business.

The first 5km is a net downhill, so knew I might get a couple of faster miles in , though at the same time, I didn't want to get carried away. 

The first 5km came in at 20:02, 7 secs inside target split of 20:09. 

However, my garmin seemed to be clocking the miles early. I was a little concerned as I was averaging 6:25's at this point, but I was obviously running a slightly longer route and taking a wide line!

10km came in at 40:02, and I felt good, arriving at Cutty Sark to a wall of sound from the thousands of supporters out there. It's one of the highlights of the  race.

Crossing Tower Bridge sand onto the half way mark, I clocked 1:24:44, absolutely on the money, though not affording much leeway! From that point on I could look forward to huge support from my club mates who were gathering at Westferry. Knowing they were there en masse gave me a huge lift, and I think caused me to run my fastest 5km split of 19:52. 

Isle of Dogs is the hardest section for me, so I tried to really dig in between 15-18. At this point I overtook 'Marathon Man' Rob Young, an inspirational lad who has run 370+ marathons for the calendar year - I shared a handshake with him and expressed how in awe I was of him before pressing on. Quite frankly the fact that he was running at sub 2:50 pace 

Until then was incredible - I believe he went onto run 3:07, including a 10 min interview! He also had to be finished by 1:45 to get a flight back to the U.S. To continue with his race across America. Which he's leading!

18 miles in and I caught James Cracknell, who is worked with years before as his team massage therapist for a Lands End - John O Groats record attempt a few years ago. He looked awful though, really in pain. I guess he's used to putting himself in a dark place though!

Canary Wharf was causing my garmin to go all over the shop, with the tunnels and skyscrapers interfering with the signal. Splits were a little off, so I was trying to do the calculations in my head. I was extremely tired at this point, but knew I couldn't afford to slow down if I was to achieve my goal. 

My club mate supporters were out in force, and again I was able to share some high fives with them at mile 20. From there, the run in along Shadwell Highway is a slog, and I was trying to focus on getting to Tower Hill - there is a short downhill before hitting the embankment for the final 5km. 

I hit 24 miles at 2:34:34 and was trying to work out if I could manage it - at that point I ran my slowest 2 miles of 6:43 and 6:41, though seeing a bunch of friends gave me a real lift. Turning at Westminster onto Birdcage Walk I had 600 to go, but needed to do it on 2:00 - a stretch of I was doing it on the track as an interval, so at the end of a marathon, I had no chance.

As I entered the Mall, James Cracknell pulled alongside me and we had a bit of a spirited finish, and I finished just ahead, clocking 2:50:11. 

Not disappointed at all, a big 7 min 33 PB and over the moon with the race. 

Stats as follows:

Distance Covered - 26.44 miles

Ave Pace - 6:26 per mile / 4:03 per km

First Half 1:24:44

Second Half - 1:25:27

+ split of 43 secs

Race weight - 72.4 kg

HR Ave - battery went after one mile!!

Fastest 5km - 19:52 (20-25 km)

Slowest 5km - 20:37 (35-40 km)

Ave Cadence - 181 spm

Ave Stride Length 1.38 m

Seville Marathon 2015

Target - 2:59

10km at 7:15

10-32km at target London Race Pace of 6:30 min miling

10km at 7:15

So, having not run a flat marathon since November 2013, I decided to include Seville as part of my London preparations. While this may seem barmy to some, I've always performed better with longer 22+ mile runs as part of my training, and a couple of non running club  buddies (Matt and Rob) had entered - and what better way to get some winter sun in than by racing in one of the flattest marathons in Europe??

While racing Wokingham 2 weeks previously had given me a lot of confidence, it had also taken a lot out of me. I had tapered for that, had to recover for a week, then taper for Seville, so not really ideally prep for a Marathon. But then this was a training run. I had to keep telling myself that!

So while I felt in great shape, I still felt a little under cooked for the marathon - training had been going well, but I hadn't reached the longer tempo runs as yet, so had to consider that in my race planning. London was still 9 weeks away, so I wanted to ensure racing here wouldn't completely spoil my preparation.

The longest marathon pace run I had done in training was 10 miles (done as a 6 mile easy, 10 mile race pace, 2 mile easy), so decided to step it up from that. 

The first 10km at a comfortable pace (7:15 min miling) then hit it hard for 14 miles (6:30's) before cruising in at 7:15 min miling for the rest of it. This would be enough to get me under 3, but without killing myself in the process.

The Race

Seville is known for being fast, and I positioned myself at the back of the 2:45-3:00 pen. As I was starting conservatively, runners went streaming past me, being overtaken by runners from the pen behind. I enjoyed holding back, though perhaps running at 7:00 instead of 7:15 was a shade quick. It did, however, feel extremely easy. 

The course was fantastic, starting just outside the Olympic Stadium,with the first 10km going out along the river, and back the other side. At this point the field was beginning to thin. 

At 10km (passed in 44 dead) I dropped the hammer immediately settling into 6:30 miling. It felt great. The hundreds of runners that went past me at the beginning were already slowing, and I was flying past them. I could see the sub 3 her pacer balloons - huge blue ones that you could spot from miles off! I eventually reeled them in at 10 miles, but struggled to actually get past them, such was the size of the group!

It slowed my pace a little (a 6:36 over the mile I was with them), but enjoyed picking up the pace again once I eventually manoeuvred myself through the group. 

I went through the half way stage in 1:28:30, and pressed on. By mile 16 I wasn't overtaking so many runners, and had my first battle - I was beginning to flag. I've been psychologically weak in the past, giving up at the first sign of pain, so at this point had to consider my options - my initial target was to get up to 20 miles at target pace, then cruise in - don't think about the 26, think about the 20. Then make a decision. So I secided to press on. 

Miles 18, 19 and 20 were a little slower (6:40), and to reach that point was a relief. I went through 20 at 2:14:30, 30 secs up faster than my Abingdon Marathon split. 

I decided to have a very easy mile, then consider my options. While I had achieved what I wanted, I still wanted to break 3 hours again!

At 21 I was really battling, but knew that if I could hold 7 min miling, I could still go well under 3, and even get close to a PB - though I didn't want to kill myself to achieve it!

The last 7km were actually the most stunning, running through a park and the old town, where the support was fantastic. I had a mild panic when I saw the 3 HR pacer on a switchback, but worked out. I had at least 2 mins on him!!

I managed to hold sub 7's over the last 5km, with the finish inside the Olympic Stadium. This was really fantastic, a chance to savour the finish and enjoy a job well done. 

I did put in a bit of a dig, and managed to get a new by 13 seconds!! Amazing after all that distance, that would have been about 50 m.

Final, official time of 2:57:44

The legs felt great for a period, but there is definitely some work to do for London. 14 miles at 6:30 pace was definitely my limit on the day, and I'm not sure I could have managed more. Hopefully I can recover well and enjoy a good block of training before London in 9 weeks!

Wokingham Half Marathon 08/02/2015

Target - Sub 80 (6:05 per mile)

Current PB - 80:39 (Maidenhead) (6:10 per mile)

I had raced Wokingham back in 2012, and had set a then PB (80:42) on the course. I loved the route, a very flat scenic course through the countryside, and a very fast field to pull you along. Phil Wickes (63 mins) and Liz Yelling (71 mins) got course records that year, so that gives you an idea of a) the sort of calibre competing, and b) the times it takes to win!

Conditions on this occasion were fine - very cold, but sunny, and very little wind. Just how I like it to be.

I had a strict race plan of sticking as close as possible to 6:05 min miling - I had blown up in a recent training session at 4 miles holding 5:55 pace, and wasn't confident that I could hold that pace over a half. I also had the disappointment of Cabbage  Patch at the back of my mind!!

I was fortunate enough to have two buddies from the club to run with - Shaun and Luke. Luke has a PB of 75, but had run a hard cross country league fixture the day before, and had also notched up a long 12 km warm up as part of a session, and wanted some marathon pace milage, so decided to run with me. Shaun was also looking for a sub 80, and while his previous best was slower than mine, he has been running exceptionally well of late.

So the three of us ran together at the start. 

The start is actually quite narrow, so we made sure we got a good position. 

The first mile came in at 5:57 - a little quick, but there was a slight downhill, so didn't panic. Mile 2 was previously the fastest mile for me in this race, and coming in at 6:01 was pleasing - I felt I had found a good rhythm and was totally controlled.

The three of us were running abreast, stride for stride, and it felt great. My legs felt good, and the next 3 miles came in around 6 flat. At 5, Luke was beginning to flag, but both Shaun and I felt strong, so continued to press. Whilst I was a little scared that at this point we were averaging 5:59 per mile, I felt I had committed and wanted to hold. Part of me thought maybe the reason that the pace felt comfortable was that there could have been a tail wind - would we get it back on the long run in?

At 10km Shaun and I went through at 36:56, at which point Shaun put in a 5:30 mile - he was obviously feeling superb, and wanted to latch onto a group up in front. I was now on my own, but felt it way too early to be making any sort of dig like that. I gradually picked people off, got to 8 miles and saw that my pace had picked up. I was now averaging 5:58 per mile, and at this point realised that I would break 60 minutes for 10 miles if I was able to keep up this pace. That had been a long term goal of mine, so to do it in a half would be a fantastic achievement  for me.

I went through 10 in 59:38, and new that barring disaster I could hold on for a sub 80.

As it was,the last 5km was actually my quickest (18:23), and though I couldn't quite catch Shaun (77:44) I managed 78:03, an average pace of 5:57. Absolutely delighted with 2 new pb's, and how I paced it. I didn't set off too hard, but at a pace that felt comfortable and sustainable on the day in those conditions. 

Luke struggled home in 1:21, but considering what he had done previously, still a strong effort. He'll be looking for a 2:44 at London, so all things considered that was a job well done for him, as painful as it may have been!

2015 Targets

After considering 2014 as being a bit of a disappointment, I decided to change my approach to my running. I've always followed the Chasers running schedule, and enjoy running with the group over the various track, tempo and long run sessions that are organised weekly. 

However, to achieve my goals I would need to focus on how I can squeeze in key sessions around my busy work schedule. 

The early races for me post the cross country season were Wokingham Half and London Marathon in April. 

I also decided to do Seville Marathon, as a sort of tune up tempo run, 2 weeks after Wokingham, and 9 weeks before London. I felt this would be a great opportunity to get some target pacing in for London in a race environment, whilst having a fun weekend away in a sunnier climate.

The Training Plan

A number of club mates followed the Pfizinger and Douglas (or P & D) training plan, to great success over the past year. While I've been strategic about my training in the past, this takes it to a whole new level, with the focus being on the addition of midweek longer runs, longer tempo sessions, and less of the shorter track sessions that I had previously included. Whilst there are track sessions included, they usually form part of a long run (for instance, 9 miles general aerobic followed b 6x600's at 5km pace, or 10 miles followed by 10x100 strides).

There are different options to choose from, and I went with the 75-85 miles per week plan, as I feel to achieve my goals I need to keep the volume high. The plan was 18 weeks to Lindon, but I had managed about 6 weeks of good aerobic base work before that.

My Race Goals for 2015

Really, they are to improve across all distances. I have no distractions in terms of triathlon, and can focus purely on developing my running. So, they are as follows;

Marathon - Sub 2:50

Half Marathon - Sub 80

10 Mile - Sub 60

10km - Sub 36

5km - 16:4X

3000m - 9:4X

1 Mile - 4:5X

1500 - 4:30

800 - 2:15

2014 Review

2014 was a funny year for me. My major goals at the beginning of the year were based around improving my half marathon time, and I gave myself three opportunities, with Wokingham, Hampton Court and Paddock Wood.

Wokinghham was cancelled due to the weather, Hampton Court was a disaster due to Marshall sending everyone the wrong way, and Paddock Wood I struggled and finished 16 seconds outside my PB, at 1:20:55.

So not the start to the season I was after.

What did I learn? Probably that training for a marathon is the best way to improve your half marathon running times (and your 10 mile, 10km and 5km for that matter!!) - I simply didn't have the speed endurance that you pick up from doing the long 20 mile plus runs with tempo efforts thrown in.

I did, however, manage some track pb's, knotchong up the following;

5000m - 16:52 at Highgate invitation meet

3000m - 9:55 at Chasers Track Day

1 mile - 5:01 (twice, at a club session, and at the self Transcendance relays)

I had targeted two triathlons over the summer - Outlaw Half Ironman in Nottingham in June, followed by Frankfurt Ironman in July. Both fantastic races, with the latter being a real test. Whilst they were fun to race, triathlon training, particularly ironman training really affects my running, and it took me months to get some basic speed back, and yo a level that I was happy with. Unfortunately, a Plantar Fasciitis issue set me back further in September, and kept me out of action for 6 weeks.

The result being that my comeback race at Cabbage Patch 10 was a complete disaster, when at 4 miles I could no longer hold 6 min miling and had to jog back with a friend. 

The Cross Country season started, and whilst I do really enjoy it, I always struggle in the muddier, technical courses, as I see myself as more of a rhythm runner - I like to find my pace and stick to it! 

So, all in all, I felt a little disappointed - I had put in some solid blocks of training, but without getting enough milage in I wasn't getting the results I felt I could be capable of. 2015 will be different.

Autumn Training & Racing

Cabbage Patch 10

The main goal for me this autumn was to break 60 mins for this iconic 10 mile road race in Twickenham. It's a fast, flat course, attracting a stellar field likely to pull me round in a good time. My previous PB for this was 60:29, at an ave pace of 6:03 per mile.

Training post Frankfurt IM had been going fantastically well - work for me is quiet over August, and gave me chance to put all my energies into running without having to swim or cycle. Relocating to Surbiton also have me the opportunity to train in a better environment - With Bushy Park, Richmond Park and the towpath literally on my doorstep. I had been building up to 70 miles p/w, including a track session, a tempo run and a long Sunday effort with some tempo thrown in. 

However, I perhaps was not quite as diligent with my recovery, avoiding the foam roller and not including massage as much as I should have been. 

On 9th September on the morning after a hard track session I got a bit of Plantar Fasciitis on my right foot. Cue 6 weeks of no / very little running. Gutting, as I had some superb training banked with absolutely no racing and nothing to show for it!

So I approached CP 10 with some base miles in the bank (all very slow, 9 mm with clients), but no tempo running, and 1 interval session (4x1mile at 5:55). I would usually do these around 5:30, so I knew that would be in no serious shape to run a competitive time. My plan was to run at target pace for as long as possible then just cruise in.

I lasted 4 miles! Had a bit of a meltdown, threw my toys out of the pram then just enjoyed the remaining 6 miles in.

Trying to be positive, and look at what I can take from it. I still managed 4 miles at 24 flat, so am just lacking the speed endurance I need to hold this pace. 

I will target the Self Transcendance 10km in November, targeting sub 37, still a little of my PB but sensible for this time of year. 

Going into this I was probably 3kg. overweight, so the target for November will be to drop to 72kg. This will mean cutting coffee, and reducing chocolate intake to 2 x pw. 

I also aim;

to stretch & release everyday

Drills and strides 3 x PW

Do as much of my running on the softer grounds of Richmond park and Wimbledon Common.

Run 2 x Park Runs, as a build up.

Avoid too many clients on Saturday morning so I can so a session myself

I will re-evaluate and update my next blog at the end of November.

Frankfurt Ironman

 5 years since my Ironman debut at Lanzarote (a 12:08, with splits of 1:09, 6:23 and 4:19) and 4 years since my last Ironman at Barcelona (10:58, splits of 1:08, 5:13, 4:24), I decided to have another pop at the long distance, with Frankfurt my chosen race.

It was a spur of the moment decision, having missed out on my preference of Copenhagen (much to Melissa's disappointment), I managed to get a last minute slot at Frankfurt, the European Championships and the biggest MDot race on the European calendar.

5 months later, and with some reasonable training behind me, I was confident of achieving my goal of a 9:45 finish. 

Whilst my cycling hasn't quite reached the level of 2010, my swim had improved marginally, and my run vastly.

With a group of buddies from Clapham Chasers to race with, I looked forward to a fun weekend away with Alan Scott, Nic Martin, Dan Powell, Sam McKee and George Banks . Unfortunately Ben Hall pulled out having suffered a bike accident a week previously. I was truly gutted for him, though he has since entered Tenby later in September, so at least he'll be able to put his training to good use after a full recovery.

I arrived on the Wednesday, allowing for enough time to sort any bike issues , and to do a bit of the route on the Thursday.

Alan had secured a perfectly located hotel ( the Neue Krame) just yards from the race expo and finish line. While it was pretty basic, being that close was a real bonus - plenty of restaurants and shops nearby, though it was a little noisy. 

The organisers laid on a bike recce of the course on the Wednesday and Thursday, and while I perhaps wouldn't have gone as far as that 3 days before (82km), it was certainly useful to see the route, and get familiar with what we would encounter on the Sunday. it was a lot hillier than I expected, with 3 challenging hills on each of the 2 laps on the course. It was also extremely hot, and with some heavily exposed countryside, quite a strong wind. Still, it was a fast course, and I looked forward to this immensely. Whilst I hadn't put in as much training as I would have liked, I was still confident of a 5 hour split.

The area of the old town we stayed in was fantastic, and a short tram ride away from a stunning Lido, out near Eintract Frankfurt's football stadium. It was great to loosen up there and get some lengths in on the Friday. 

The athlete village had everything I needed in terms of nutrition, equipment, and engineers happy to help out with any technical issues. I was able to register quickly, and with the minimum of fuss due to Ironmans superb organisation. Of course, there was an enormous amount of bike porn on display,  I could have spent hundreds, thousands on the latest helmets, wheels, wetsuits etc. 

Saturday was spent registering at the lake, approx 20 mins drive away (a bus was laid on). The swim was at Lake Waldsee, about 20km away from the finish, so there were 2 separate transition zones. Ironman however handle this very well, with all belongings ferried to the finish, making it simple to pick up at the end. 

Having registered, the rest of the day was spent relaxing, watching the Tour start in Yorkshire on the TV. After an early dinner at an Italian restaurant, Alan and I retired to the hotel to catch a bit of the World Cup and get an early night. 

Race Day

The alarm went at 4am, and our hotel laid on a good breakfast especially for the athletes. Alan was super relaxed as always, and we met the boys at 4:30 to catch the bus to the lake. 

On arrival, we all went our separate ways to sort our bikes, queue for the toilet and do out own warm up routine. There was a phenomenal amount of people there - my previous IM races were both against 1300 people, with Barcelona being a wave start. This was a mass start. And there were to be 3000 of us. 

Scary stuff.

Swim

The swim was a 2 loop course, with an Australian exit after lap 1. Though I hadn't put as much swim training in as I'd hoped, I was confident of getting close to 64 mins, having swum 31 at Outlaw Half just 5 weeks before.  However, my worry was the sheer volume of people that might affect me getting into my natural race pace. 

It was an incredibly bright and sunny morning, and while I purchased some new googles that limited glare from the sun, they didn't do much good. I could barely sight, and had to follow the athletes in front of me, hoping I was following a direct route.

The swim was a rather unpleasant experience, with more biff than I've ever encouraged. It was too slow for my liking, and maybe I should have started nearer the front, but I had nowhere to overtake, I was being smashed left right and centre. It wasn't until midway through the second lap that I felt I had clear water, and on leaving my watch said 1:08. A little down on what I hoped, but I felt that perhaps I hadn't  swum the most direct route. Many of the other athletes mentioned their garmins had clocked 4km - I guess they might be right. Still, it wasn't a disaster. 

T1

The transition zone was pretty long - a bit of a slog up a sandy beach from the lake shore. My plan was to be in and out super quick, though my ingestion of so much energy drink before hand meant I needed another toilet break. I felt better to go then rather than stop on the bike. 

I left T1 after 6 mins, way longer than hoped, more time lost. I was a little angry with myself, though felt confident with my stronger legs to come.

Bike

I had recently started training on a Garmin Vector power meter, and having performed a recent FTP test, knew exactly where I needed my effort level to be. I raced Outlaw at 242 (85%) watts and felt that racing at 75% would be a suitable target to work around. I was trying to hold a range of 205-210 watts , and wanted to dial in to this immediately. This seemed sensible, and whilst I was being overtaken by German uber bikers, a lovely tailwind took me out towards Frankfurt with the first 20km covered in 32 mins at 23 mph. Woosh!

The first sections of each lap were by far the quickest, with a generous tailwind, and I was feeling strong. With the sheer volume of people racing, it was impossible for small gruppettos not to form, though the draft busters were out in force , with many athletes getting popped and stung with a 6 min penalty. Fortunately I was ok, and mindful of being too close. Some athletes will try and gain an obvious advantage by flaunting the drafting rule, and in an event with so many athletes competing, it's hard not to. 

I went through the halfway stage at 2:31, holding 207 watts and with an average Hr of 147. However, with the rising temperatures and concern about going too hard, I eased considerably on the second lap. 

I dropped down to an effort level of 200 watts, with my HR averaging 144. I eased right back on the hills, but really focused on pushing hard on the descents and sections with a tailwind. 

Whilst the bike course was stunning , I was finding much harder than I expected to.

I came in with a 5:16 split, not what I'd hoped for, but not a complete disaster. My power had dropped to a 206 average, and a total average speed of 34.23 km/hr. 

T2

Conscious of my appalling T1, I tried to be a little quicker through t2. However, the sun at this point was beating down, and I had to spend time refuelling, putting sun cream on and mentally psyching myself up for the marathon.

I was out in 4 mins, with 6:34 on the clock. I was behind schedule by 25 mins, hopes of achieving a 9:45 were disappearing, but I felt my run was strong enough to get me round in 3:25, and get close to sub 10.

Run

The benefit of cycling in heat is that you always feel some kind of breeze. However, on leaving T2, it was incredibly hot. Temperatures were reaching 33 degrees, and it meant I had to adjust my running goal - 7:30 min miling wasn't  going to happen, and in order for me to complete the run without completely folding, I would have to run at a pace I was confortable with. I felt good at 8:10's, so stuck with that over the first of the 4 laps. I was taking on water, Ice and gels at every opportunity, but again had to alter my speed so that I wasn't over cooking. Laps 2 and 3 we're pretty steady, and the 4th I slowed a little, but not a total capitulation. Alan lapped me on my 3rd lap - he was having a stormer, with a 57 min swim and a 5:02 bike leg (including a puncture), and on course for a fast marathon. I was a little down at that point - Alan has always been a superb athlete, but felt I could at least match him on the bike . He had obviously got himself in fantastic shape over the spring! He would go onto run a 3:15 run, coming in at 9:24, for 14th in his age group and heartbreakingly missing a Kona slot by 1! Next time Alan !

I laboured round the last lap, clicking a 3:48, and 10:24 in around 500th place. Disappointing on the face of it, as I was way off what I  hoped for , but pleased that I got a PB, and didn't completely fold in conditions not favourable to me.

Review

The race itself was fantastic, superb organisation, beautiful course and well supported. However, with it being July in Southern Germany, it was extremely hot. I was relieved it was a wetsuit swim, but the temperatures were borderline. 

The finish in the old town was fantastic, with medical tents , massage, recovery drinks, great food and beer laid on. Whilst the €500 entry fee was hefty , you do get well looked after.

What would I do differently?

I believe I have the ability to mix it with the top age groupers, but think that mentally I'm not the strongest. This has affected me before in many marathons I've raced, and whilst I've improved, it is an area I need to work on.

My race day weight was 74.9kg. My target weight was 71kg, though I struggled with my diet. I would really need to knuckle down, cut out certain foods (chocolate, cakes etc) and come up with a strategy that would allow me to drop weight without losing power. / strength. While I'm by no means over weight, I'm 7-8kg heavier than the pros / an awful lot of weight to drag around 140.6 miles in soaring temperatures!

While technically my swim has improved, it simply isn't good enough and I would need to get some one on one coaching to improve it. I would also need to be more strict with fitting in 3 sessions a week for 16 weeks.

My bike was certainly heading in the right direction, and I wouldn't fault the quality of the sessions I did. Perhaps some longer rides were required, as I felt I didn't really step up from the half ironman to the full distance as well as I should have. 

My run could have been better, I didn't get enough distance in post Outlaw (only 1 20 mile run), though I've always struggled running in extreme heat. Though the time wasn't great, my position improved, moving from 142nd to 109th in my age group. 

I do have an ambition of getting (well) under 10 hours, though get concerned that my running form dips after a bout of Ironman training. I will now turn my focus back to running, with an autumn goal of breaking the hour for a 10 mile race. Following that I 'll be gearing up do another bash at London Marathon in April 2015. A sub 2:50 there would be lovely!