Or people recovering from ankle injuries doing easy runs at 4:32? (/p) 
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Exactly. 
That wasn’t “easy” at all 
It was fun, though.
i have some very fond memories of only running 1:19…
it’s tough…but he’s in his 30s…and we have sacrificed the swim for bike and run…
Sacrebleu!
Excellent work, shame about missing your goal but a blistering run all the same.
Ta all, from where I started the time feels amazing.
Though as time ticks by that 25 seconds is grating more 
Anyway, it will happen.
Just a couple of points to answer above.
When I lived in London my marathon training was essentially a 90 minute run to/from work, I would then cycle the other way. I would do this 2-5 times a week so kinda am use to it and ummm, isn’t work the best place to feel tired? (no chance of getting a job through here now 
).
Also I usually run around 5s on my slow days, but this is the first time I had done back to back 180 weeks and 5:30 or even 5:40 in the evening was as fast as I could go at times, so thats what it was. Easy runs are always by feel. Like Poet alluded to, it amazes me how fast people run their slow runs. Most of my peers are running 4:30’s, I cant run with them, I just get dropped, until a race and then I smoke them 
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Some good insight here, and backed up by running some epic mara times. I need to heed this advice.
How many ‘fast’ sessions per week and what do the usually look like?
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Just went out and tried to be over 5:00/km.
failed at 4:58/km. But, in mitigation, I was wearing Alphas
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Is this the anecdote where the 15 hour a week runner can’t believe how fast the 5 hour a week runner runs their “slow” runs, and concludes the defining difference when they beat them is the pace of the slow run?
It’s a lot easier with other people. I can be with a slower mate and run at 5.30s, chatting away and not even notice.
But like you, if i’m on my own i really struggle to go much slower than 4.50s without having to really concentrate.
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Not quite sure what your alluding to? Its something I’ve always been quite aware of. I am just highlighting it. When I did my marathron 12 week training block I did manage to stick to +5:10km easy runs. But the pfitz training plan doesn’t have that many easy runs. I’m currently not following any specific training so just happy to be running with no pain afterwards at all so don’t really care what fast or slow pace I’m at.
Much like @Poet and @gingerbongo I find running slower than 5s on my own does take require some concentrated effort!
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It’s just the general call of “you’re doing your slow runs too fast” is done in comparison to high volume runners and ignores the contribution of that volume.
If you’re doing 5 hours a week, then your 2 hours at 4:50 is completely and utterly different to the person doing 15 hours a week with 11 hours at 5:30, there’s no reason to assume the pace of that slow run is what contributes to any performance or injury gains or losses compared to the other significant differences in the training.
The more training time you do, of necessity the lower the intensity a lot of that training is, that does not mean if you’re doing less volume you should do less intensity in any particular session.
Doesn’t mean you might not be doing something too fast of course, but the evidence of the high volume athlete doesn’t really inform you much when you’re a low volume athlete.
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You can go off people. 1st marathon! 
Right, time to take this seriously. No Ironman for me next year but got a few audax planned, but I need to do something racey. No mucking about, going for sub3. Spring marathon, quite like the look of the Milton Keynes Marathon which @GRamsay mentioned a few days ago. First big job is to do some daily S and C.
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If I dont get a London spot (I wont) I am doing this. I have done their half before, the course is changing this year, it used to start and end at the stadium but now its Campbell park (which has quite a big hill, well big for these parts, most of MK is flatter than a witches tit.
Well organised event though
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Can’t be bothered trying for the London ballot again. Would rather commit to something I know I can get in. My marathon pb was at the Luton Marathon so I quite like a more unfashionable event! Between now and Christmas, the plan is to run 3 times a week and just build up time on my feet and get park running again for some speed.
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Yes! Love this.
Be watching the build with great interest.
I was thinking about a spring mara as something to train for over rhe winter. I’m worried that my only event is next Sept and I’ll either burn out or get bored (more likely) before then without some intermediate goal.
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Thanks buddy. I need something with a lofty goal. I’ve never been particularly happy with my marathon time when I know I can go faster, but there’s no doubt old Father Time is knocking….
Just need to keep my crabby feet working. That’s the main challenge.
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Right, hope you’ll all indulge me on here. Thought I’d try and post regularly on this thread to keep me honest and on target for next year. Also, when things invariably turn to worms, I’ll post that too, to help me get back on track. That’s the idea anyway.
Current plan is to run 3 times a week, for the next 4 weeks. Nothing fancy. No real speed work. Just get a bit of time on my feet and build up some running muscular endurance. Three runs ticked off this week.
Tues - very steady 4 miles @9 min/miles. 30 min stretch and core afterwards.
Friday- steady 4 miles @8.40min miles
Saturday 6 miles as ParkRun 5k very steady going to tempo effort over last mile then steady 5k warm down. 8.10 min/miles overall. Stretch and core to follow this evening.
I’m using the park runs to move a bit faster and focus on my running form. Not worried about times or age group positions (yet!).
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