Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Any brand new runners out there?
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Martin - hope you got on okay today. I was in the crowds.... such a brilliant atmosphere, despite the rubbish weather!
First 5/6 miles were fine, didn't feel any discomfort, huge credit to the crowds, at times they got me through it all, shouting my name, chanting my name, then I was high fiving them, such a superb atmosphere, only had my ipod on a bit of the time and even then it was just in the 1 ear. Again, crowd handing out oranges/bananas/mars bars/malteasers/digestive biscuits/water.
The last 3 miles my feet were ready to fall off, managed to run the last mile and a "sprint" over the finish line.
Superb day, just my feet are reallly hurting and I have chafing issues.
Oh and entered the ballot for next year too
well done mart - only realised it was you when you left fetchpoint
Keith - didn't even realise you were there!! Think we were on the same tube to the pub (with Stumpy/john66/hanneke) but didn't find that out until later but by then you'd disappeared
Good to finally meet you EB, hope you're having a good break dahn sahf!!
Yep managed my first top 100 race finish over the weekend, as i was down in London to support a mate on hi first marathon i decided to head over to wimbledon common for the tme trial on sat moning.
Was a bit aprehensive about how fast i could do it being i've barely ran for 2 months due to shin splints which are hopefully gone. Before thew race i knew what my targets for a 5k were but also knew i'd be unlikely to reach them.
Two targets are
25:41 which is my predicted pace and 26:22 which is CanaryYellows PB time.
Personally i knew that zero proper running and no speed work meant it would be a slow run with little chance of reachng either of those targets. I was hoping for a non painful run and a time under 30 mins ieadlly. Then i thought 9 min miling is 28 mins so under that would be nice.
Anyway got the tube to wimbledon and walked upto the windmill and got there at 8:10 so ample time for a pee and a warm up. Quick look at a map and a 2 mile warm up run was undertaken. A little bit of discomfot felt in the shins during this run but nothing major.
Onto the race, never saw or was approached my any fetchies despite wearing my red fetch top but oh well. Set off at the back of the pack in an attempt to be sensibe regaring going off too fast which seemed to work. Settled into a steady 8:30sh min mile pace which i was comfortable with and managed the first mile in 8:20 which was surprisingy fast. On the latter third of this 2 lap course you go through a wooded area coplete with tree routes and large muddy patches to go round so the pace was slower around this bt. Managed to cover mile 2 in 8:47 which was still a decent pace plus i'd used the 2 lapness to figure out when to push for the line next time round.
Mile 3 was clocked up in 8:36 with me picking a different route through the wooded area (basically went down the right hand side which althouh being slighlty longer was easier to run on) then, gong by my garmin, the last 0.18 mles were covered at 8:04 pace.
Total time 27:13 by my watch one second slower off there time. Very pleased with this run.
Half mile splits (more sensible for a short race)
4:04
4:16
4:22 wooded area
4:26 scouting out were to push from plus the hairpin bend back round for lap 2
4:10
4:26 wooded area again
1:29 for the last 0.18 miles
Garmin says 3.18 miles in 27:13 @ 8:32 pace
Wasn't able to push that hard over the last half mile or so as when i tried the left quad was giving a dull ache but then i always knew i'd not bee too fast here. Give me several weeks worth of training and i'd hope to be able to do it faster.
Finish position was 81st out of 99 (yes ok there weren't over 100 runners but its still top 100
Jogged back dwon to Wimbedon station as a warm down with minimal aches or pains. Did forget that sitting on a tube for 30 mins or so straight after running a little under 7 miles in total whilst sweaty leads to a sore arse, espcially when i'd had thw wrong pants on and they'd rubbed a bit.
Back to the hotel to find my mate up so a quick shower and off to the Expo it was. Got to the RW/Fetch stand to disocver Hippo blogging on Fetch, what a surprise
Ambled round there for a while, collecting leaflets for various races including one for Comrades which due to my injury spell i think will revert to 2010 and 2011 for the back to back attempts. Laeflet says i can get a first timers medal for doing it both ways with te up rn frst which is 2010 on top of the normal finishing medals which sounds good to me. I might be faster by then too.
Oh and fun when not raining.
) a coupl of short runs during the week then Hawkshead trail race on saturday woohoo.
Didn't really do much after the expo just vegged out n the hotel watching telly and surfing the net. Made sure everything was packed the night before though so that when we got up in the morning there was nothing that needed doing. Well apart from me lugging two heavy bags to Euston so i can get to Watford to bring the car into london.
Straight down to Fetchpoint from Euston via jogging down from Liverpool st as the circle line was rammed. Managed to reach tower bridge before the elite women went throuh which was good. Fetchpoint itelf was loud, mad, and noisy
Been blogged by others so no need to add any more but the sheer volume of noise when Mick and Phil went pat both times was just awesome, tears in my eyes despite having run several races with them before. Heres hoping it'll be made a permanant thing. Perhaps getting Team Hoyt over too is a possibility.
Pretty much it for the weekend and back to work in a hour (getting out of bed might be an idea then
you've bored everyone now
martin
How are u
i was going to paste my Award and London blog on here - but i don't want to bore everyone
Hiya Mick, not too bad pal, legs now fine so can go for a moderate run tomorrow!
Get it posted! Was really happy to meet you on the day
Ok here goes
My dear Fellow Runners
Little could i have invisaged what was going to happen in our lives !!! ( created by all of you )
How do we ever THANK all of you ahh ??
It really is just an HONOUR to know all of you - ( whether in person or on the forums ), you have ALL in one way or another taken a Sick and disabled young man and his dad, from the depths of wanting to end life, to being at the TOP of our tree
What a few weeks it's been, In January, i had an E mail saying we'd been nominated for the Prestigious Jane Tomlinson ( Heroes of Running award ) - I thought it was just fabulas, but i knew life had to go on, and i thought, well, really, there's going to be hundreds, maybe thousands nominated - and quite rightly so, so what chance will we have ??, so, i just never gave it another thought did i !!
On, i went with our life - Gloucester Rural tough undulating to hilly marathon,3 laps of it ( our 26th FM it was ) we cruised it in real style in 4.41 - so i knew there was a bit left in the old dog yet
Then came Draycote marathon - all 5 laps of it, stupidly being complaceant, i thought we'd more than likely cruise it in abour 4.10 - 4.40 - WRONG - LMAO
It was to become a bloody nightmare - 11 miles my calf and thigh went - i was in desperate agony, desperate trouble - not only in this marathon, but i felt my world had fallen apart - i was dragging my leg, hopping, i had to find a comfortable way to walk or run
Then i kicked my self right up the arse as it where - i though, come on Mick, your gifted my son, there's not 10% of men in this country that could or would want to do what your doing - but it still hurt, i had 14 or so miles to go, i dug deep into all my mental reserves, all my pyhscological strategies as it where
So, we battled on as you know to a 5.25 PW that day - but we stood PROUD
Then , just a while later, not sure what day, my nerves and head and legs and stomach where to turn to jelly, I had been sent an e mail to look at the Jane Tomlinson Shortlist of 5 - oh my god, we were on it
my heart thumped, i had never felt like this i don't think in my life - i was in floods of tears, it was like we had already won - but nothing had changed with London -for the next few days, i became a bag of nerves, proud, but nervous, could'nt sleep right, could'nt focus on anything, food, drink, it was a struggle - and i became depressed as you all know -
My wife's care, her constant pain, My son Philip, his daily needs, got to me, i felt mentally ill - oh i had plenty of support off Fetch and Runners World - You where ALL just fantastic
i was on my way to 50 i thought on the 1st June, what a way to celeberate, IF we won-
i knew the JT awards where Thursday 10 April in London, - it approached, come Monday 7 April i suddenly come alive, win or lose, were 5th - i was ice cool, on top of things, i had my new suit, pink lining, pink waistcoat, pink tie
so we waited just slightly nervy, but patiently, as the awards were been presented one by one, i thought are we going home bridesmaids, or what- i noticed people kept looking at us and smiles of joy, Then came Mike Tomlinson, to present The Jane Tomlinson award for ( Heroes of Running ), i clutched myself, and Phil, i listened and just could'nt take it all in as i was simply on another planet- but then i heard something said which i thought, MY goodness - It's US
i screamed out - WE'VE Done it - WE've DONE it - i cried, and my heart thumped, i thought all the work was'nt for nothing after all
BUT NO London, - there where poeple there who where going to talk to David Bedford, but i made it clear, i'd written to a lot of people in London including mET police to say - were running FULL STOP
So, back to hotel we went, next morning, we thought, lets go to the marathon expo, so we did- we had about 3 hours there, it was good, some knew us, congratulated us etc - i spoke to Steve Seaton while i was there, He's been very supportive at /forum/smilies/confused_smiley.gif[/img]howGlossaryDefinition('RW');]RW
So, off home we went - took us 3 bloody hours from Docklands to M40, then 2 hours home, we just got home and my mobile went, - it was Steve Seaton, - " Mick, good running news for you" David bedford has given permission for you and Phil to run London - It's a H& S Trial run, experimental run, to see if it can be done safely, we must not be inside 6 hours, we must stay within the back -- THANKYOU Steve i said !!
OH MY GOD - OH MY GOD - OH MY GOD
We've done it, we've done it
No time to mess about, we had to get back to London the following morning-
So, we did, arriving in London at around 4 pm, i had my instructions, we prepared everything meticulously, we had a meal and went to bed
We arrived at Greenwich Park - i was totally relaxed, i was the master, i was in charge, i felt PROUD
We got ready, people stopped us and said So pleased for you, even offiicals did - THEN i put on my Famous Mick n Phil VEST - gosh i felt good and proud - NO nerves NO nothing, just could'nt afford to mess this up
We were going to party, and i mean PARTY - and party and wave , dance and scream we did -
i knocked off the early miles, i got our food down us, and our fluid- this was it, we were running London, not watching, i was just extacticly happy, i must have been grinning like cat cat licking milk , the party was on- all i could here was
GO Mick n phil, go on marathon lads - go Mick n phil
i responded with Easy, easy, easy - i heard go Mick n phil - Go mick n phil- 26 miles of it, i never got tired once, i was in top form, i celebrated where we could, i acknowledged people that i knew
it was great to see FLANKER, he was just fantastic, i was in tears nearly all day, i screamed and partied all day, singing, shouting dancing
BUT then, THE BIGGEST MOMENT of my life - MUDCHUTE, i saw it from 13 miles, before returning to it on 22 miles,- Oh my god, did they make me feal proud, human real - i can't describe it-
i put my hands to my ears to say " Louder, i Can't hear you " LMAO, we danced we jiggered around, no tired ness at all, FETCHES were in full vocal chorus, of EASY- EASY-- EASY , they made me feel SO PROUD, i creid when i went on, then i met people along route, they hugged me, they kissed me, they high 5'ved me,
Then i was heading for 22 miles, i was happy, i knew exactly what to expect, WE were there HEROES, gosh did we were feeling proud, then we arrived at FETCH 22, it was chaos, it was simply wonderful, i laughed, i shook hands, i had kissed, i partied, as we went along route, i felt even fresher, could have done it all again NO trouble, i was in TOP physical Form and Mentally bubbling - i meant hundreds of well wished on way to finish
I met georges dad and family at around 25 miles ? , that left me really feeling OH YES
We then rounded Big ben, from then on well, i waved my hat all most all the way in -the marathon was NO Problem , they roared us on to the finish line
H & S wise - from the back, ( There isn't one ) but i'll discuss that again
i have to thank everyone so much for making it ALL happen
you all turned our life around, out there running week after week, and at home on these forums, YOU have ALL done us so PROUD -
THANKYOU for making us your RUNNING HEROES and for getting us in London marathon - Thankyou for making my 50 th Birthday on the 1st June so , SO SPECIAL
i will never ever forget what you have all done - i am still very much emotionally tearful, my heart is pounding and my head is heavy writing this post
Dear Fellow RUNNERS - Bless you all so very much - you made our day happen - you made us PROUD,
just go out there and when you have a bad day, think, well, we've made a disabled lad and his dad happy, - go and get fit, feel mentally strong, - feel like i feel - because i'm going to be a PROUD 50 year old VET in a few days, made prouder by all of you
Thankyou and bless you all
Mick xxxxx
Hi everyone
Tonight we ran for 1 hour on the track with Stratford on Avon AC
it was fun, people said on London and the award "well done the both of you , you deserve it "
we did'nt go mad, it was our first outing since London marathon - and plus we have to prepare for this Sunday's Shakespeare marathon
But we did feel most free, away from our troubled existence of a life that we lead- as i was running,it was'nt a race, it was there for us to just do our own thing - i thought about my " Bird of prey " , that hovers above us, wings at full span, hovering just so majestically and effortlessly
it felt good, so very good, that's how it was mean't to feel -
It was only 1 hour, but it give me some ME time and gave me the " FEEL GOOD " factor again
what more can you ask for, i will now seek to run Shakespeare FM in somewhere sub 5 - i won't get compleaceant, not in the marathon
Wow that's really impressive!!
I started about 4 weeks ago as well and I am only just running 2 mins and walking for 1 minute outside, a little faster on the treadmill and run/walk 3 times a week. So I am well impressed with your 1/2 mile!! Well done! I am doing the Race for Life at the end of June so just hoping to be ready to run it all by then
x
MnP - sounds like you had a fabulous time at Stratford on Avon AC
Good luck for sunday if I don't catch you before then
Sunday 27 April- we celebrated 6 years together on the road-
It was our 29 th Full marathon, - 280 th race in total
What a 6 years it's been - conqueing races all over the UK
what a month of April 2008 it's been- one to remember with much pride and joy -
April 10 - ( Winners of Runners World ) Jane Tomlinson Inspiration Awards ( UK Heroes of Running )
April 11 - phone call from Flora London Marathon - giving us just 36 hours notice to get there to compete, what a day it was - i shall remember it for the REST of my LIFE
Then of course
April 27- Shakespeare Marathon - in 5.01 - our day to remember proudly in style of 6 years together on the road, we conquered Britain proudly
The organisers gave us a send off to be proud of, though sadly we never lived up to our expectations- the road was hard and long, and it gone harder - we clocked an ok 5 hours 1 minute
i was in desperate trouble fluid wise, could'nt get the fluid fast enough, i'm sure my levels dropped
I really knew from 6 miles on wards that it was going to be a long haul - needing me to dig fairly deep in to my physcologial stamina box - though we survived - proudly suvived - it was our 4 th Full marathon this year
But the support from fellow runners and spectators was simply fantastic
Just goes to show, what i've always said, and i'll always maintain- there's no room for complecancy in the marathon
we are very happy, but i'm also extremely sore and tired - Phillip really did feel top heavy - there was and is no getting away from it
Even with all my vast experience and skill - it was a battle,
But having said that- Like Draycote it can do you good
I'll rest now with Half Marathons and 10k's for a while
wow well done MnP - you really are such an inspiration!! you've achieved things i cant even begin to imagine!!
big hi to everyone in thread - hope you all doing fab with ur running!!
Well, we ran our 163 rd HM at Exeter GWR in 2.14 -
we did'nt try to race it or push the pace, we just went nice and steady and really enjoyed it all
we chanted EASY EASY EASY a lot, we chatted, we waved, we had fun - it was most enjoyable to be running and not be concerned about what time you might finish
so, now to Silverstone 10k Tuesday night
and DK 10k Wednesday night
then Tewkesbury HM on Sunday
Lovely Jubbly
Keep on running Mick
Just got back from a 7 miler myself, rather warm out plus a pack of chavs drinking booze under the road bridge to pass, twice.
Hi all, haven't posted for a while, I started running last August and 3 weeks before Ed mara I have had a motorbike crash and ended up with injured leg, cartlidge damge to knee. Looks like I could be out for a wee while. Things were going so good I was thinking about aiming for a 3 30, I had to pull out of GER and was aiming for a 40 minute. Road to recovery starts when I see knee surgeon later this week aand he tells me what is wrong and what can be done to sort it.
Well done mick your story is heart warming
On a simply wonderful Tuesday evening in May - the sun and breeze just so perfect, to perfect to believe to be honest - we ran the annual Silverstone 10k - 2 laps race
it was scintillating, relaxing, made you feel good, a feeling of - so sorry it's over
we met many friends and new ones as well, so many people congratulated us on our award and London marathon
so off went the race, we were thinking do we go for it , or just have fun, we passed hundreds of runners, a bit at a time, we chanted EASY - EASY - EASY on route
we chatted , we laughed, we passed the 5 k mark - i knew it was going to be the last part of it, i was sad, dissapointed - so we played , and had fun, we talked people through the pace barrier, we started to slow down and stop and watch the runners, just did'nt want to finish really - then at about 8.5 k - i decided to have a real party and fun, and turn around and doubled back and meet friends that we'd passed - we watched the self propelled chairs storm by
that really did make the evening fun and interesting, not just racing all the time, BUT helping and encouraging others
we finished in around 57 mins - though it would have been around 48 mins had we have pushed it
It was an evening ot remember, to go out there with others to run your own run and have fun and enjoy - just what running is all about
Tomorrow night we have DK10k
Today we ran Tewkesbury HM in 2.12 - i can only describe it as hot, humid and sapping- sapping both physically and mentally - there was NO escape from it, and i cannot be in denial of it
But hell, this builds stamina, this is what is needed, a challenge in life - we did'nt get to wear we are in life without challenges beyond the limitiations
Having said that, ( Before ) i go putting myself down too much, we've had a busy week, last Sunday we had a long drive to run the warm and hilly GWR HM at Exeter- then Tuesday night we ran Silverstone 10k in 57 mins quietly, then Wednesday night we ran Hilly DK 10k in 57 mins, so perhaps my legs were heavy
Ok, we prepared for Tewkesbury - an interesting start and finish, ( but you cannot have it always ) we set off, the slow start i think was ideal to stop anyone going off to quick
we had NO problems getting fluid at all on route, and i was drinking lots, and spraying myself in water, but it was HOT and HUMID, both physically and mentally sapping, i really had to think deeply into my physcological and mental deep, as to what to do and how , and just settle best i could, but by then we were at 8 or 9 miles, we were on the way home,
We'd done it ALL before, today was nothing special or different
But, i knew from early on that any fast times were completely out - so it was - revert to fun and jog pace, but then i found people in trouble, so stopped several times to offer words of comfort and water from my bottles
then i was on the pavements more than once - which hurt my back like hell - all of which started to sap me even,
I freely admit, it was a hot hard run, - with ALL my experience and fitness and skill and strength , i had to OR decided bodly to revert to get there when we get there
i was just short of 12 miles, when my wife rang my mobile to say a ambulance was emergency on route - was we ok ?? YES, i said were fine
I found the finish tough, but satisfying, indeed it's made me think ( Mick you can still do it ) actually thinking back about things - i found the whole event satisfying, it really was the least of my problems with what every day life has thrown at me over 20 years
so, we move onwards in life to next weeks HM , maybe we'll go on the track tomorrow night - i'm not sure yet, it depends on what my wife might think
i do hope you all had a good day, and i'm really SORRY if things were NOT what you'd expect
regards to all of you and take real good care - NEVER say NEVER again and or give up hope, WE could have EASILY have given up today - NOT a chance !!
regards
Mick
Halstead Marathon.
Hmm i think this'll be a annual event being its convientant for visiting the relations too. Very handy having somewhere 15 mins drive away on a day as hot as this, espcially when i knew there was a paddling pool in the garden for the kids.
Had agreed to collect Little nemo off of RW from the train station on the way over and got there a little late but i had little kid problems (namely they were wanting to show me things like the wordsearch they'd done) then got to the mara HQ just before 9 with the car temperature gauge having risen from 18 to 21 in the 15 mins it took to get there. Not a good omen really.
Parked up and gathered stuff from the car and made our way over to the leisure centre where on going inside it was pretty easy to spot Mr Yellow and Mrs Yellow. Handily having the fetch top on i became the fetch beacon so to speak.
Outside a little before the start to gather with the peeps from RW and get in the photo as well as attaching camelbak and ipod. Mr Yellow was somewhat late on arrival and was then boasting about his low HR for the start of the race. I dunno i bet it wasn't that low later on eh
.
Off we went at the start at a fairly steady and decently slow pace (this is a first for me) could tell it was gonna be a warm day even now and when i stopped for a pee in the corner of a field a little after 2 miles it was a case of a quick decision of run walking it as it was getting hotter by the minute.
It was getting hotter and hotter as the day progressed and i was soon down to run wal;king 11-12 min miles but still managed 1:50ish for 10 miles and 2:30 for halfway some how. Was going along with one of the 100 marathon clubbers that Shades probably knows (Pauline).
Got to about 15-16 miles in and reverted to walking only with the very occasionaly 'run' to loosen the legs up as it was just simply to hot by now. It was hotter than London 2007 as far as i'm concerned. Was also suffering from sweating out lots of salts i think as the quads were aching a fair bit, could just be lack of training too though.
At some point aaround 21-22 miles i'd recaught up with the Little nemo again ad we walkedc the rest off the way back apart from running in from the 26 mile marker. Didn't hang around long at the end as i was hot as hell, got my for goodness shakes milkshake (chocolate naturally
) got my goodie bag and t-shirt then back to the car and to my Uncles to dive into the pool.
Car was saying 28 degrees on the drive back which sounds about right as the tarmac was melting and going very springy in places. Had a shower fairly soon after getting back and damn near blinded myself with the salt on my forehead stinging my eyes.
Vegged around until later in ther afternoon and had a BBQ. Then once the little kids had buggered off went for a short walk with my cousin and his girlfriend before having a early night. I was blooming knackered by then. Was up early and set off at 6 to get back here to be in work on time at 2. Sat here sneakily blogging right now
Time for the splits, not that they are good, then a little summary of the run.
Splits
9:46
9:58
10:45
11:01
10:47
11:13
11:30
12:04
12:26
11:54
11:40
12:20
13:58
11:33
11:44
13:57
13:57
13:39
14:03
13:51
14:21
14:24
14:00
15:53
15:29
15:57
5:27 for last 0.41 mile @ 13:12
Total 26.41 miles in 5:37:49
Summary
Positives
Completed it despite the heat.
Drank loads during and after and was pleased to be peeing and probably rehydrated properly inside 3 hours of the race finishing. Carried on drinking heavily for several hours afterwards.
Can still walk fast even in the heat.
Had some good heat and long distance experience.
Negatives
Quads were aching early on, whether it was cramping or lack of training i have no idea. Still hurt somewhat now but at least if i move around they ease off and aren't as bad.
Suffered from the heat quiet a bit.
Seemed to have a achey stomache around 18-22 miles no idea why but increasing the drinking from my lucazade filled camelbak seemed to sort it out.
All in all so far i seem to have minimal aches and pains (a little early for DOMS to appear for me) and feel reasonably fine and awake. Have a slight case of sun burn but if i'm stupid enough to go out in that heat with no sun cream on its my own fault tbh.
hopefully it'll be somewhat cooler for this weekends district double.