While I agree, I do think it's possible that Floberg could still see one more significant jump in his marathon time, if he can better optimize his pacing and training. Not that this means much coming from an internet stranger on letsrun, but I cut my marathon pb from 2:32 to 2:27 this year, with a similar training age. Which seemed like a decent chunk off.
The caveat is obviously if he can actually learn how to train for the marathon and understand what marathon pace feels like.
Sneer all you like but I think there’s been a serious thawing of people’s animosity towards Nick on this forum thread recently. Due to his professionalism, kindness towards Cole and recent marathon performances by others showing just how good Nicks Berlin time was. The way he interacts with slower runners at parkrun and stops to cheer them in is also ridiculously wholesome and feel good.
I used to be like you in my opinion towards him but I’m just going to say it, he’s won me over. Mr B you absolutely rock and you are one ridiculously talented runner. All this talk of elite? There’s your elite right there
He can be a little grating, but a lot of respect for the times he's run given his build and being in the mid-30s.
He does seem to have a lot of respects for runners of all abilities, and he's done a good job of building a business..
The real battle in Valencia will be between RanToJapan Jake and Dan Nash of the Physiology of Endurance Running podcast (which is absolute class by the way). He actually mentioned him in the latest episode - basically saying that he could never run as high a mileage. Dan does have the faster PB and is fitter than last year, but Jake is still massively improving,
A battle for the ages!
Agree, good podcast. Not the most exciting of characters but full of interesting discussion. Jake was actually on the podcast at some point.
Agree, good podcast. Not the most exciting of characters but full of interesting discussion. Jake was actually on the podcast at some point.
Dan is the one that paced Phily, I believe.
Following both Dan & Jake it's interesting their differences and where they overlap.
Dan is a train smarter not harder, whereas Jake we all know is train harder not smarter! What I find interesting is both focus (way more than I've heard or seen other runners talk about it) on durability. Where they see they can improve isn't stereotypical lactate threshold, vo2, critical speed or biomechanical speed, it's the durability. It's something you can't measure with lab apparatus but something they (and I buy into it) is the missing piece in some people's running knowledge.
Big fan of them both. I do think Jake has genetically more talent, this is no shade on Dan I'm a huge huge fan, just think Jake has more headroom, so a sub 2:08 marathon is attainable (in the future).
In the last few races I was increasingly in better and better shape to be in contention for top 15 in my local races. So I was able to at least hang with the lead group for some minutes before they were gone. I've actually never seen the fast guys from close and let me tell you: they're all real skinny or skinny AND short. You can't believe (well, letsrunners can believe, but that's the saying) how small of stature these men are compared to normal people.
All that preface was to say I can't believe how many of the prominent running influencers are giant men. Like 6'0 and above. Even if you're skinny that's a lot of bodyweight to lug around. You'll (probably) never compete with any semi-elite guys, unless they have an off day or something. With the elites, hard no. I watched Mid Cheshire 5K and even the top 10 finishers were big, and almost everyone after them was at the MINIMUM 5'10. Brits are giants, man! Of course some rail of a man 5'7 and 130 will beat you by a mile. Being light is so huge in distance running.
I know that's a tradition to laugh at influencers here for their bad training etc. But most of them have bodytypes that are very disadvantageous for distance running. Running sub 2:30 being 70kg or more is a feat in itself.
Following both Dan & Jake it's interesting their differences and where they overlap.
Dan is a train smarter not harder, whereas Jake we all know is train harder not smarter! What I find interesting is both focus (way more than I've heard or seen other runners talk about it) on durability. Where they see they can improve isn't stereotypical lactate threshold, vo2, critical speed or biomechanical speed, it's the durability. It's something you can't measure with lab apparatus but something they (and I buy into it) is the missing piece in some people's running knowledge.
Big fan of them both. I do think Jake has genetically more talent, this is no shade on Dan I'm a huge huge fan, just think Jake has more headroom, so a sub 2:08 marathon is attainable (in the future).
What’s also interesting is both struggle with the speed side of things. (I’m talking quick 200s and the like)
In the last few races I was increasingly in better and better shape to be in contention for top 15 in my local races. So I was able to at least hang with the lead group for some minutes before they were gone. I've actually never seen the fast guys from close and let me tell you: they're all real skinny or skinny AND short. You can't believe (well, letsrunners can believe, but that's the saying) how small of stature these men are compared to normal people.
All that preface was to say I can't believe how many of the prominent running influencers are giant men. Like 6'0 and above. Even if you're skinny that's a lot of bodyweight to lug around. You'll (probably) never compete with any semi-elite guys, unless they have an off day or something. With the elites, hard no. I watched Mid Cheshire 5K and even the top 10 finishers were big, and almost everyone after them was at the MINIMUM 5'10. Brits are giants, man! Of course some rail of a man 5'7 and 130 will beat you by a mile. Being light is so huge in distance running.
I know that's a tradition to laugh at influencers here for their bad training etc. But most of them have bodytypes that are very disadvantageous for distance running. Running sub 2:30 being 70kg or more is a feat in itself.
This is why Bester is such an unbelievable talent/athlete. The guy is enormous and goes sub 2:20 let alone sub 2:30. Couple that with being humble, encouraging and a great coach and it makes for a fantastic youtuber
Bester been getting very close with Best Athletics and Adidas jogging club groupies is the latest rumour sweeping the toilets in Battersea Park. standby for breaking news, Sky Sports News are dashing to the scene with flashing blue lights
In the last few races I was increasingly in better and better shape to be in contention for top 15 in my local races. So I was able to at least hang with the lead group for some minutes before they were gone. I've actually never seen the fast guys from close and let me tell you: they're all real skinny or skinny AND short. You can't believe (well, letsrunners can believe, but that's the saying) how small of stature these men are compared to normal people.
All that preface was to say I can't believe how many of the prominent running influencers are giant men. Like 6'0 and above. Even if you're skinny that's a lot of bodyweight to lug around. You'll (probably) never compete with any semi-elite guys, unless they have an off day or something. With the elites, hard no. I watched Mid Cheshire 5K and even the top 10 finishers were big, and almost everyone after them was at the MINIMUM 5'10. Brits are giants, man! Of course some rail of a man 5'7 and 130 will beat you by a mile. Being light is so huge in distance running.
I know that's a tradition to laugh at influencers here for their bad training etc. But most of them have bodytypes that are very disadvantageous for distance running. Running sub 2:30 being 70kg or more is a feat in itself.
This is why Bester is such an unbelievable talent/athlete. The guy is enormous and goes sub 2:20 let alone sub 2:30. Couple that with being humble, encouraging and a great coach and it makes for a fantastic youtuber
Has always impressed me how both Bester and FOD consistently knock out great times across shorter distances like 5k right up to the marathon considering how tall and broad they are.
NB does kop some flak but he’s knocked out a 2:19 marathon which the likes of Floberg, BenIsRun, Welsh etc can’t achieve despite all being fantastic runners
In the last few races I was increasingly in better and better shape to be in contention for top 15 in my local races. So I was able to at least hang with the lead group for some minutes before they were gone. I've actually never seen the fast guys from close and let me tell you: they're all real skinny or skinny AND short. You can't believe (well, letsrunners can believe, but that's the saying) how small of stature these men are compared to normal people.
All that preface was to say I can't believe how many of the prominent running influencers are giant men. Like 6'0 and above. Even if you're skinny that's a lot of bodyweight to lug around. You'll (probably) never compete with any semi-elite guys, unless they have an off day or something. With the elites, hard no. I watched Mid Cheshire 5K and even the top 10 finishers were big, and almost everyone after them was at the MINIMUM 5'10. Brits are giants, man! Of course some rail of a man 5'7 and 130 will beat you by a mile. Being light is so huge in distance running.
I know that's a tradition to laugh at influencers here for their bad training etc. But most of them have bodytypes that are very disadvantageous for distance running. Running sub 2:30 being 70kg or more is a feat in itself.
This is why Bester is such an unbelievable talent/athlete. The guy is enormous and goes sub 2:20 let alone sub 2:30. Couple that with being humble, encouraging and a great coach and it makes for a fantastic youtuber
Bester been getting very close with Best Athletics and Adidas jogging club groupies is the latest rumour sweeping the toilets in Battersea Park. standby for breaking news, Sky Sports News are dashing to the scene with flashing blue lights
I can't help but laugh every time he says "unbroken"
I guess it's good he's improving on the extra rests inserted willy nilly but doing the workouts as written feels like entry-level stuff.
I was getting cautiously optimistic or at least genuinely curious whether he's on the verge of a breakthrough. But then I remembered something from when he ran his half, which had the eerily flat HR with a positive split. When I saw that, I pulled up the same race from the year before to compare HR. His workout today rang a bell.
He started that race slower and sped up, finishing the last 3 miles in 5:28, 5:25, and 5:18. But with favorable GAPs of 5:23, 5:20, and 5:15. His HR for those 3 miles: 164, 165, 167.
Compare to the workout today, looking at where his HR levels off for the 2k's and then for the 1k's, I see it's around 164-165 for 5:25 pace and 167 for 5:15 pace.
Basically the same from the last 3mi of his HM from a year ago.
Of course HR isn't an exact science. But as far as any definitive sign that he's made a leap in fitness, I'm not seeing it.
All his hope rides on the taper unlocking another level. But that leaves him in a tough spot of not knowing what pace he should run on race day. If I were him, I'd go out no faster than PR pace (5:50/mi) and hope to negative split for a PR. But we all know that NO:TIME is 2:30 and he's going to be looking for splits in the low 5:40's.
go back and look at some of his easy runs from last year, the pace and HR is very similar.
I honestly think he is basing his fitness from easy runs on an uncalibrated treadmill
From Floberg's Strava
"23 mile workout early tomorrow [Saturday 27th Sept]".
For context Chicago is on Sunday 12th Oct., so for most people it is already the start of the taper.
Either his coach has given him this session, in which case WTF?
Or Floberg has decided tapers are for mere mortals and he can keep smashing himself into the ground right up until race day. In which case WTF?
Bester been getting very close with Best Athletics and Adidas jogging club groupies is the latest rumour sweeping the toilets in Battersea Park. standby for breaking news, Sky Sports News are dashing to the scene with flashing blue lights
Find yourself a woman who loves you as much as Nick Bester loves Battersea Park.
I see Hugo Fry (who I quite like) has jacked in his job with 30k insta fans and I don’t know if he does any other platforms. There must be more money in the game than some of the more negative souls in this thread think
I see Hugo Fry (who I quite like) has jacked in his job with 30k insta fans and I don’t know if he does any other platforms. There must be more money in the game than some of the more negative souls in this thread think