Youād be dicing with hot weather much later in Rome. Still could hit 20. I donāt mind that tbh as long as youāre expecting it. Iāve done 3 marathons in over 30 degrees, one in 34. Cold wet sponge under the cap replaced at every aid station works.
Iām not a fan of marathons anytime tbh, but itād be a nice/different way to see Rome.
1 Like
Thereās a brutal hill at 25 miles, you run through a section of St Peters square which is cool
1 Like
Brilliant performance, well done old pal. 
1 Like
Congrats @Mac , brilliant time. Nearly an hour quicker than me!!
1 Like
Figured as much. It is the city of seven hills.
@Bandage @caulifloweredneanderthal any tips on Zone 2 running training?
Iād caution you to ask someone who knows what theyāre talking about but my ā¬0.02 worth.
It has its benefits, especially for someone whose fitness isnāt great because any movement is good.
But Iād be wary of absolutist āyou have to stay in zone 2ā advocates. I think thereās more nuance to it.
The principles Iāve robbed & which actually donāt work for me because Iām old, overweight & soft mentally areā¦
Do running training thatās:
- Mostly easy pace
- Occasionally moderate pace
- Sometimes hard pace
- Got a long run thrown in there on a regular basis.
Youāre giving the body different stimulus/stimulii & the long runs are building aerobic capacity.
4 Likes
My own like formula when starting from "scratch ", which i am quiet frequently as I dip in and out of running.
First 2 weeks / 6 runs
No concern with time, just get out and get moving at whatever distance in comfortable
Then
1 run a bit shorter and faster (but not too hard)
1 run at whatever my comfortable distance is
1 slow run at a longer distance.
Then move into more specific training but itās a still a combination of
1 run - fast / interval
1 run tempo
1 long slow run
2 Likes
Good for building up a base. Youāll notice after a month that youāre able to go faster at same HR.
I canāt run at the moment. My ankle is bothersome 
2 Likes
Thanks for the reply mate. I am only a novice at the running thing and Iāve no interest in competing yet but just doing it for general fitness, but Iāve been advised that some Zone 2 training would be a great day to raise my aerobic fitness.
I am also trying to correct my pelvic tilt to a more neutral stance as years of being an office drone have led to tight hip flexors. Anything to make the overall introduction to fun running that bit easier and pain free.
1 Like
Yeah as Cauli says, zone 2 will be very good for base building & then you can add in bits as you go along. One of my gurus Steve Magness had a tweet on this very topic earlier today which delved into more detail on what I posted yesterday. Some tips on how to mix things up & give your body a different stimulus to maintain & improve fitness.
1 Like
Get out and just run at an easy pace and see how you feel. Set a goal that you feel is out of your reach and slowly build towards it. If you can find a local parkrun then use that to measure your progress. But if you want to race that then do a few easy runs through the week for 30-45 mins to help.
If youāre worried about strength or form then something like Pilates will always help. But you might not need it. You could get an S&C plan but might not need it.
A generation of social media influencers and wannabe coaches have complicated the fuck out of something that is simple. Lace up, go out, and jog. Aim for XX mins and try not to stop. Then either for a slight bit longer or a slight bit faster. Rinse and repeat. The zone 2 thing makes logical sense but itās basically just easy slow running which means different things for different people.
Depending on your age, a bit of stretching and mobility work will never do any harm before and after. Just donāt go out cold.
6 Likes
This is a good idea. Head into the Templemore parkrun, lovely flat course.
2 Likes
There is a 4 miler in Castleconnell on the 15th of March so aiming for that one. Iāll probably do a few in Templemore in the run up to that
1 Like
John Treacy 10m in Dungarvan February 1st is open for entries if anyone is interested.
Donāt see a thread for 2026. As usual heading back for the Tom Walsh 10k in Caherconlish, the season opener in the build up to the Half marathon in Limerick the May weekend. Just after utilising the Conan OāBrien air pump here in Obama Plaza. Nice crowd around for 9 oāclock on a Sunday morning.
2 Likes
Good stuff, I only started back this week, will probably try to pick up an entry for Adare and then back to Limerick for the half.
Feel miles off it at the moment but will just plug away and build up the distance for the rest of the month before putting a bit of structure on the training from February onwards.
2 Likes
I had a look at that yesterday and itās sold out already?
Ah youād generally pick up an entry nearer the time.
Howād you go this morning