Tag Archives: Marathon

Why testing is important…

Leave a reply

Another Olympic post – this time on the genius (not) that is the London 2012 Olympic ticketing system.  This will be a vent of sorts, as I’ve spent too much time messing about trying to buy tickets as have millions of others.

The games themselves have been nothing short of amazing and what all the athletes have accomplished is incredible, but sport is also about people watching it.  And for an event of this scale you need a good mechanism in place to get people to see the sports they want to see.

Before we get started on the main theme of the post, Royal Mail have done it again.  We managed to get tickets for the Paralympics that start in a couple of weeks time.  An e-mail from LOCOG confirming we’d got them arrived (and we’d paid £6 for super delivery rather than picking them up at the event).  But no details on when they’d arrive, even roughly – so a black hole and left hoping they would arrive in time.  Then an e-mail from Royal Mail telling me the tickets were ready to be delivered…

Followed by another to tell me the tickets would be with me the next day.  And then one to confirm they’d been received by me, literally within seconds of me electronically signing for them with the local postie.  Now that is real service and great to see the Royal Mail – that great British institution – as a shining beacon in the whole Olympic ticketing fiasco.

The actual ticketing system went live around April 2011 – so over 16 months ago – and in that time it hasn’t changed one bit (as in problems fixed, updates done etc).  That’s a year with no new development.  How can that be right?  Was it perfect when first released?  Had all the testing that was done shown it to be perfect?  No and that’s one big no.

Rather than go into all the issues myself there is a great post on BuzzFeed Sports by Alex Rees that very nicely gives you all the juicy details – see below (it’s worth a read)…

It is very apparent from this that virtually no real testing on how the site or service works can possibly have been done.  User acceptance testing?  No – why do we need to do that, it’ll work.  Load testing?  Will many people be wanting to use the site at the same time?  Surely not.  Performance testing?  It’s just a web site.  Problems identified by the public (the users or customers), should we fix them within 16 months?  No, what’s fixing all about?

Any of these are part of computing for beginners 101, and to get onto building a web-site 101 you have to have got the first certificate already.

So why has this happened?  Good old outsourcing.  LOCOG clearly aren’t a software house and don’t build ticketing or e-commerce sites.  So they put together an RFI and get it out with all the big boys in the market place, including ticketmaster (who won it and built the site).  And it will have come down to money – ticketmaster will have bid and bid at a price they could win at and LOCOG will have picked the cheapest so they keep costs down.  Now I may be making some assumptions here, but I’ll bet they’re right!

The site will have been designed to some brief specs (or even an Agile type user story) – we need to sell tickets for the Olympic events for the public – it couldn’t be simpler.  They will have been paid to build it and maybe run it for a little bit but future development, fixes, upgrades etc?  Never – why would we need them, it’s only the Olympics and it’s only on for a short known period.  It’s not an Amazon type service that will keep running.

That’s the key here.  This has never been built to improve or do the job well, it’s been built to just (almost) do the job and no-one’s re-visited it (the design) since and has no intention to.

Testing before we go-live?  Why would we possibly need to do that?  Testing with our actual end users and listening to what they say?  Surely not, you only get…

  • Empty seats
  • Bad press
  • Frustrated British public

But like I said at the start it has been an absolutely awesome Olympic games, the best I’ve seen – and we did get some tickets (for the rowing) and saw some of the free events (road cycling) and today we’re off to see the men’s marathon in London.  And my favourite bits –  the men’s 100m, 200m, 4x100m and the men’s 10,000m and 5,000m.  Mo Farah – a local Teddington man who went to St. Mary’s University in Twickenham (where we do our karate now) and a Bushy Park Parkrun runner – is my hero of the games!  What an athlete.

The little Nobles doing the Mobot after his 5,000m win last night and the man himself with Mr. Bolt…

The 45 minute barrier has been cracked again!

Leave a reply

Back to the running theme.  Only 3.5 weeks until the British 10k.  Here’s a quick reminder of the route of the race…

It goes past some of London’s best known (and best) sites and we’ll be able to wave (quickly) at the Queen in Buckingham Palace on way past.  With all the roads closed running along routes like this, it’s special and reminds you what a cool city London is.

For more details on the route and history around the places see below…

It’s going to be a busy race – with some 25,000 runners expected but they’ll be a real buzz about.  The Olympics starts here only a few weeks after and part of the route is the same as planned Olympic Marathon route – very cool.

It starts at 9:35 I think – so not too early.  It’s always a joy commuting up to central London for that time on a Sunday morning though – and typically there’s a normal Sunday train schedule running (i.e. not very frequent).

I’m aiming for a finish time of around 43 minutes on the day.  It may be difficult to start at the right pace depending on people traffic but the overall time is do-able.  I did a great 10k run (on the local roads) a week after the London Marathon and got just under 45 minutes.  A few others since then a bit slower but then a great great run yesterday (same route) and 30 seconds faster.  Sub-44 or even sub-43 is a possibility!

The winner last year came home in just over 29 minutes – that’s insane and awesome.  At the 4 minutes 35 seconds per mile pace again.  Which means they’re 2 miles ahead of me then – 30% of the race.  Amazing!

I’m really looking forward to this run and pushing myself.

The best training plan for 10k?

Leave a reply

A good question.  Having done a fair few 1/2 marathons and now 2 full marathons over the last few years, I know the sort of training you should do for those distances.  And yes how important the long runs are.  But 10k?  That’s just over 6 miles.  Do you need to train for that?  Obviously the answer is yes!  And more so if you want to push yourself and do as well as you can, PB’s and the rest.

8 weeks looks to be a standard training programme length for 10k, so not as long as for the longer distances but a good few months and with some intensive runs in – assuming you want to push yourself.

And all the normal types of training runs should be in there:

  • Long runs – up to say 90 minutes
  • Tempo and interval runs – for speed work
  • Hill runs – I didn’t do too much of this last time so one to add for me
  • Actual 10k runs – the real distance of the race
  • Speed work – just speed work

3-4 runs per week with some cross training thrown in – karate again for me (with a real focus on core work and stretching).  And I’ll get the Swiss Ball out as well to do some more core work at home (and try again to keep up the regular stretching – daily would be good).

Since the London Marathon – just over 2 weeks ago – I’ve done 5 runs:

  • Nice slow and easy one with Nic (Mrs. Noble) – about 4 miles 4 days after
  • 10k – and at a nice pace (managed just under 45 minutes)
  • 8 miles – also at a nice pace (just over 59 minutes)
  • 5.5 miles interval training
  • 5 miles – ok pace (today’s run – struggled for some reason)

Next week the official plan starts and will do 2 more runs this week around 10 miles each.

On a side note, for the interval training I did last week, I ran 1.5 miles warm up, then 6 sets of 1/4 mile fast and 1/4 slow and finished with a mile cool down.  On the 1/4 mile fast section – one of them – I managed a pace of 5 minutes 7 seconds per mile for short distance (just).  And that was hard.  The elite marathon runners – let’s call them supermen from now on – run 26.2 miles at a pace of 4 minutes 35 seconds per mile.  That’s nothing short of super human awesomeness.

I love having a training plan to follow and focus on.  Really does something for me and pushes me on.  For me it’s important to have the plan with the goal to run the race.  Need to get some goals outside of running in place now with Mrs. Noble.  Goals are good!

Do you set goals for yourself outside of any sport activities?  And if you do, how do you do it?  Any tips and tools you have to share?

 

Inspiration and motivation for Sunday’s #LondonMarathon

Leave a reply

A great article I found today on motivational tips for a marathon from The Sporting Edge.

At this stage in the training, when all the running is done, the eating has all gone according to plan and you’ve got your number and kit ready, motivational tips like these are superb.  For me, I love reading them and seeing how others get themselves mentally prepared – including the elite runners.  Even for us middle of pack runners, they help big time and give you tips for when it gets tough (and it will).

Tomorrow is the day before the run and for me it’s all about chilling out, listening to some relaxing music (maybe with a few tracks thrown in that I find inspirational).  And a short 2 mile jog – maybe with little Miss. Noble on her bike alongside.

Need some motivation still?

And finally even some inspiration from Dilbert and the gang…

Snow, rain, sun, hail or thunder? #LondonMarathon

Leave a reply

5 days away now and the weather forecasting guru’s are talking.  As a scientist (physics – real science) at heart, I don’t have much faith in long term weather forecasts – it’s all chaos theory and little butterflies flapping their wings in China could cause havoc.

But the bets are in and from a straw poll taken earlier today we have…

So about 10 degrees C and it might be cloudy with a bit of rain.  Lose the rain and I’m happy with that!

Runners’ nipples – the conclusion… I’ve cracked the problem

Leave a reply

Interestingly the last post on this painful and unsightly running injury continues to have the highest number of views.  So a follow-up is overdue and needed after 600+ more training miles and no nipple problems!

There are specialist (expensive) creams and roll-on things, special plastic covers (yes really) and even special (small) plasters.  There are also compression tops, running tops made from special materials and even running with no top on!  But what I’ve found that works 100% of the time for me, is good old fashioned Vaseline.  A plain old big tub of the stuff – that costs less than £2.50 – sitting with my running kit ready.  Just a good rub on either side about 5 minutes before a run – from 30 minutes ones up to 3 hour 30 minute ones – and no bleeding or soreness.  Result.  Don’t put it on and after the longer runs you know it.  One possible side effect – that I’ve not seen much of – is it can stain your running top.

What is this amazing product?  It dates back to the 1850’s and actually started as the residue that had to be remove from oil rig pumps.  Some bright sparks had been rubbing on them to heal cuts and burns.  Exactly what made them do is, is a whole other question.  But 150+ years on and it’s a runners’ dream product – with a  fair bit of refinement to give us what it is today (medicinal petroleum jelly).

And amazingly it’s good for other things – that you may not know about – like hayfever.  One I need to test again as it’s that time of the year…

Don’t forget your tub for the big day.  9 sleeps time for me for the London Marathon.

It’s all for Whizz-Kidz

Leave a reply

Running the London Marathon really is a privilege and being able to do it for a charity like Whizz-Kidz makes it all the more special.  The atmosphere on the day is something else, running with almost 40,000 other runners of every ability there is and being cheered on when you’re struggling at about mile 16 (and every other mile) and when it hurts, is a welcome boost.

Knowing that when cross that line (however much it hurts) all the money raised from my friends and family, far and wide, goes to benefit the children Whizz-Kidz help is fantastic, so please please donate through my Just Giving Page… even if it’s only £1 you can donate, please help out – it makes a huge difference.

Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement over the last few months.  Only 11 days to go and a nice slow-ish 8 miles planned tomorrow.

How fast can they run these marathon things?

Leave a reply

2 hours 3 minutes and 38 seconds is the current world record set last year in the Berlin Marathon by Patrick Makau Musyoki.  That’s an incredible time.  Average pace around 4 minutes 43 seconds per mile – for 26.2 of them.  And Roger did just one in just under 4 minutes a few years back (see last post).  That’s a long long sprint that Patrick did.  Nothing short of awesome running.  And in the morning of that world record run, he said his body wasn’t feeling good.  It’s clearly a perception thing…

Not only can he do the marathon in just over 2 hours but he can run a 1/2 marathon in 58 minutes and 52 seconds (but that’s only the 6th fastest 1/2 marathon time ever).  And about 5 miles ahead of me!

Can we (and I use “we” in the very wide human sense) ever break 2 hours?  Or is there some physiological limit built in to us?  Current consensus is that yes we can do it and we will – it might take another 20 years or so but it will be broken.  Which makes sense – we’re so close now and have come down by nearly 50 minutes in the last 100 years.  It will just require someone with the genes all right and perfect race conditions (and a little bit of hard training).

Here’s a great article on from the BBC on this – written in April 2011 before Patrick broke the record.

How many recovery days over Easter?

Leave a reply

Last run was last Thursday – 4 days off over Easter and then back tomorrow.  That’s a whole 4 days with no running (or any other exercise).  Too many recovery days this close to the marathon?  Don’t know.  Feels good but not quite right – part of the taper feeling.  Feet working nicely and not sore, and blister that I’d had on one big toe has gone, so all good.

Recovery days are definitely a must and I normally have one day of no exercise, between runs when training.  Got to let the body get back to it’s best and get ready.

First image that showed up with Google search for “recovery” was Eminem’s album cover – never heard of it before (a quick listen on iTunes and not for me).  Never mind it being the first image on the search – it’s like the first page of them.  The power of page ranking!

No running today but will do some stretching and strength training later.  And get the foam roller out for some torture training.  Nice site here with some good hip stretches in – worth a look if you’re not sure how to stretch or need some new ones.  Still not got into the habit of daily stretching – rubbish really.  Can’t get my head around why it’s so difficult to do.

Do you stretch every day?  If yes, how did you get yourself started?

Tapering isn’t easy

Leave a reply

Never thought I’d say this but the tapering part of the training – even week 1 of it – isn’t easy.  Having been increasing weekly distances for the last few months now and getting new PB’s for different distances, pulling back and not pushing yourself is hard.

The 10 miler I did on Thursday – with 4 x 1 mile intervals – was a whole 4 minutes slower than the last time.  Very frustrating but it was meant to be that slow – and I had to keep telling myself that.

A reminder of why tapering is so important…

Even harder this coming week – only 24 miles planned.  And less than 2 weeks until the big day tomorrow – London Marathon 2012 on April 22nd.