The Qwer Old Fella's Marathon Method

May 18, 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
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
14.000.000.000.0014.00

9:45 a.m. 6 miles. Intended to do 5x800m in 2:28-2:30 (3k pace) off 90 sec, but the wind destroyed the session. Went through 400m of the first effort in 67 sec and felt like I was jogging. Slowed it right down to do a 77 sec second 400m and finish the rep in 2:24. I knew the session was a waste of time: the wind did all the effort in that rep. 200m into the 2nd rep (into the wind) I stopped. The wind was savage and slowed me to a jog. Jogged home.

I need to get the heart and lungs and legs going today, so I might do a fartlek tonight (with the wind behind me).

JasonD asked for the Bam-bar recipe, so here it is along with the Bam Breakfast Booster:

1. 0.5 cup of raw organic oats.

2. Healthy scattering of milled flaxseed, brazil nuts, almonds and walnuts.

3. A good sprinkling of natural whole Chia Seed.

4. A scattering of milled sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds and goji berries.

5. Here's the daddy - A heaped tablespoon of powdered Peruvian Maca (don't be greedy, this is all you need; trust me).

6. A shuffle of shelled hemp.

7. Organic banana (fair trade would be nice too) - sliced.

8. A glutton's scoop of raisins.

9. Splodges of wholegrain peach (or any other flavour) Probiotic yogurt.

10. A few shakes of raw organic cocoa powder.

11. Drizzle Agave Syrup over everything and finally, pimp it up with a shaking of ground cinnamon.

Mix it all together and form it into a bar. You can eat it straight away or leave it for 5 mins. This will sort you out for the morning and you might not finish the bar. Save it for later and enjoy it when you're peckish. 'tis lovely with a cup of coffee, which leads me into Bam's Breakfaster Booster. The Booster is great if you're trying to quit coffee. Simple:

1. Cup of skimmed/low fat milk.

2. Add a tablespoon of raw organic cocoa powder and a tablespoon of magic MACA powder.

3. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top and stir or give it a quick fizz in the blender (this is the better option.)

4. Heat up in the microwave or on the hob.

Drink and enjoy.

The rewards of Maca are pretty quick.

6:30 p.m. 8 miles steady. Opted to go for an honest 8 rather than chase the speed. 

I was looking back over my diary and a week today (Fri 7th Sept) I'll have been running for 1 year exactly. It just so happens that there is a 5k road race on that night - 1km up the road from where I live. I'm tempted...

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 132.00
Comments
From Jake K on Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 09:53:56 from 155.100.226.191

Wind is the absolute worst on the track. Unless you are running 200s!

Sometimes I think it is better to just run w/ the tailwind - at least you get the neuromuscular benefits of turning your legs over faster, etc.

From Rachelle on Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 12:12:12 from 199.190.170.31

I'll take a tailwind any day! :)

The breakfast sound delicious but way to many steps to wrap my brain around in the early morning hours. Maybe you can just ship me some?

From Bret on Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 13:16:03 from 64.128.133.66

Congratulations - quite a progression in a year's time. Very impressive. Logging 100+ mile weeks and a year ago you could not have even thought of covering that distance in a week. I say you should definitely mark the occasion with the 5k race. Cheers!

From Russ on Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 16:54:50 from 74.114.3.253

Go for the 5K! Whatever the effort or results, it will be your old man PR. How can you turn that down?

From Jason D on Fri, Aug 31, 2012 at 19:31:40 from 24.1.80.94

Thanks for posting the recipe, Bamster. I have a good many of those ingredients. I'll be giving them a try soon (post-workout of course).

Must be something about September. It was about the same time for me two years ago. I put on a white Hanes t-shirt, some shorts I used for soccer, and some NorthFace trail shoes and off I went. If my running gear was only that simple now....

Cheers!

From Lulu Walls on Sat, Sep 01, 2012 at 11:45:20 from 81.253.17.149

Wowser, you have only been running for a year? Quite the inspiration :) I may have to make some BamBars, sounds like my kind of eats!

From Bam on Sat, Sep 01, 2012 at 11:57:48 from 89.204.237.174

Thanks Lulu. I ran middle distance in my late teens and stopped in my early twenties. When I turned 30, I ran for about 18 months and then jacked it for 16ish years. So I'm not quite a newbie. Although, I did smoke 40 a-day during the years that I didn't run.

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