'07 Racers how did MFM work for you?

[RunningLilo]

What's up WISHers!?!

Congrats to all the Racers this weekend!!!

Since I know a lot of us train using the great Bingham's Marathoning for Mortals I was wondering if you guys would mind posting a little about how his training plans worked for you in real life.

Like noting:
-which plan you used to train
-what you actually ended up doing out on the course
-did you trust that the highest training day was still a couple of miles less than the race
-did you have time to stop along the course for potty breaks and pictures without stressing about the sweepers
-what would you modify for next time

and Congrats again!

Dena

 

[ohMom]

Like noting:
-which plan you used to train
-what you actually ended up doing out on the course
-did you trust that the highest training day was still a couple of miles less than the race
-did you have time to stop along the course for potty breaks and pictures without stressing about the sweepers
-what would you modify for next time

I followed MFM 1/2 marathon walk. this is the 4th time i have followed Jim Bingham's plan and i'll follow it everytime hereafter.

on the course i powerwalk

i always do 11 miles instead of 10, don't know why i just need to and i feel fine with it. i do 8 - 11 - 8 instead of his routine of 8 - 10 - 8. just makes me feel better. but for me, my humps are mile 2, 7 and 10. i just need on LW over that 10 marker

WDW 2007 i paced with my Mom, she walks a 15 min/mile on the TM religiously. it should've allowed for potty/water/picture stops. however we ended up with a final 16:02 pace putting us 2 mins over the official allowed time. we did get our medals, we did NOT get sweeped. we were far enough in the front of the Wave to be swept. sweeping times should go by the time of the LAST participant to cross the start line. the heat/humidity and blisters on our feet slowed us down this year. still have a FAB memory of the event never you mind those darn 2 minutes!

modify?? -- nothing at this point. I take 2-3 GUs with me b/c i've been on courses where they are gone by the time i reach the Gu station. i believe i'll put blister shield in my socks now on hotter/humid LWs or events.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I used MFM last year and it worked beautifully--I think my race/long run intervals were different from theirs, but I cannot remember.

For 2 years--my longest runs have always been less than the actual race. There is no need to EVER do the distance ahead of time. Typically--the elites do, but for the novice runner, or even for the serious but non-elite runner, it isn't necessary.

My longest for the full was a 20 and my longest last year for the half was a 10 and we did GREAT! (well--aside from that flue thing I had for the full).

We did the run/walk plan--I didn't have to stress about the sweepers--

You will have an idea of what your pace will be from all of your training--and have some idea of how to work in those potty breaks and learn to be a quick potty goer.

We plan on using MFM for 2008. It is a wonderful program IMHO.

 

[chimera]

Like noting:
-which plan you used to train
-what you actually ended up doing out on the course
-did you trust that the highest training day was still a couple of miles less than the race
-did you have time to stop along the course for potty breaks and pictures without stressing about the sweepers
-what would you modify for next time
Dena

I used w/r the half for the WDW half last year and the r/w the half for the Sarasota half. This year I did a modified version of run the half with r4/w1 intervals. I hit the wall last year in both races around 10 miles when my intervals fell apart.

For all 3 races, my final LR was 12 miles. I needed the mental edge.

No worries about time to stop. I originally had planned to train to walk the half and by upping to w/r, had plenty of cushion time.

Next time...better fueling and hydration during the race.

 

[AlreadyexcitedGrammy]

one thing I would add ~ especially for event day at WDW (1/2 marathon) is to remember the crowd factor. I do, as my DD said, use a TM for my walking, I live in inner city and exercise early morning before work, so won't walk outdoors that time of day by myself. Anyway, 2005 event was WAY CROWDED, felt like getting into a "pace" was difficult, this year still crowded but not as bad as 2005, so just remember that could be a "slowing" factor to you too.

I am NOT thinking about those 2 minutes - I am claiming the triumph of FINISHING and especially crossing the finish line with my DD and knowing that so many WISHers were cheering us on!

and back to your question - I like MFM training and do an 11 miler as my longest and always think to myself - "just go for 2.1 more and just be done- call it a 1/2 event and be done with it and the fuss would be all over..............." ah, always think that - but that would be the "easy" way out - and shoot you would miss the FUN of the real thing

WISHing you the best of success at whatever plan you choose to use - this is a great site to get helpful support while you train and answers to questions - and then the best of cheering support (mental picture for me) of all my WISH friends helping me along on event day!

 

[RunningLilo]

Molli, Mel, Lisa, & Grammy so much for your insight. Bumping up the thread to see if anyone else wants to add anything.

Molli- so let me get this right. We have a little cushion of time over the 16 minute mile before the sweepers get us depending on how long it takes the last person to cross the start line. The results just won't be official, but we'll still get a medal. Right? Do you have any idea how much extra time that is? Also, how fast is your walking training pace? I'm terrified of the sweepers can you tell???

 

[Debbie]

Dena,

My 3 sisters and I did the half in 2005. Two of them were faster, and went on ahead. My sister, Susan, and I were better matched, and went a bit slower (okay a lot slower! ) Our goal was to do our best, and beat the sweeper if we could, and if we couldn't to enjoy the bus ride to the finish.

I saw the security cars pull up courseside at one point, and hustled Susan along with "Let's get out of here.", and she wouldn't let me potty break because "We have to be IN the Magic Kingdom by 9:00) It turns out that we missed the sweeper by minutes, if not seconds both times.

We finished the course 21 minutes after the starting gun, and 3:41 chip time (11 minutes over). I glow when I see the picture of my (green shirted) sister heading to the finish line ahead of me....she deserved that moment to herself,

I smile as I look at my finishline picture (actually I grimace, since I looked terrible ), and I LOVE my Donald medal-with the dangling year...that proves that I finished!!

Do I consider myself a "Half marathoner". Darn tooting! I don't need that piece of paper to tell me that I finished. I have pictures, a plaque, and the MEDAL!!!!

Good luck!

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Dena,

I am a Penguin! MfM plan truly works. I am proof!

You can do this. The thing is that you must begin putting in steps now. Do some building of a base to the best of your ability. Get out take steps, do some cross training--whatever you can do to move and get some strength and have fun doing it.

As you feel you are able, start to work a little more, not necessarily length of time of your workouts, just in what you are asking yourself to do. The trick is to push yourself, but not hurt yourself.

-which plan you used to train
I started in 2005 using the walk trying to see how fast I could push that. Then I started to throw in a Wog (I call it a Wog=not walk, not jog style). The WISH Walkers thought to try to shoot for a 15 minute per mile pace. That would allow for some extra time to stop for pics or potty. Just those couple years ago I couldn't run from one mailbox to the next in the development. Now I find that I am able to push and am going a bit faster.

-what you actually ended up doing out on the course
I pretty much walked all the water stations. I din't follow the walk/run or run/walk to an exact minute on the course or in training. I do what I am able and pay attention to the pace so I guess that I'm not following the program exactly. I'm still on the slow side, but for me I'm faster than I started. The back of the pack gets the medals same as the front of the pack.

-did you trust that the highest training day was still a couple of miles less than the race
Oh that is always the worry. I didn't feel I needed to do the entire distance before, I wanted my first time to be at the event in WDW. Be comfortable that you will be able to do this if you build a base now and continue with the training weeks as you follow the schedule. My first year I followed the program mileage and it did work for the half. The second year, my first marathon, I added extra mileage for the long run 22 instead of 20 and it was something I mentally needed. This last training I did 20 as the program required and I made it fine.

-did you have time to stop along the course for potty breaks and pictures without stressing about the sweepers
Yes, that first year I took pics. I stressed most of the time and still do, just keep watching the time. I only took pics where I thought I could get through quickly. My first marathon, I didn't take any pics and took one potty stop. I was worried the entire time of the sweepers. My pace turned out better than I would have imagined, good weather and excitement kept me steady. This last weekend weather was a factor as well as injury so I took the entire time. (less 2 minutes) No potty stops and only couple of pics

-what would you modify for next time
I've done Goofy 2 years in a row now and had less time to cross train this last time. Let me suggest that cross training is important. That is what I would do differently. I would go back and add in more cross training during the time of building the base.

Good luck with your journey. Stop by the weekly walkers/runners thread. It is truly helpful. Everyone loves to give advice and support. We enjoy the time as we are training for events and share the excitement of upcoming events.