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FLM 2009
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Hi everyone. Excited or what??? Anyway, I was targeting a 3.30 until about 4 weeks ago, my training was going well and I think I could step it up to 3.15 if everything works perfectly. I don't want to risk blowing up though. All my times point to 3.22-3.25 as a very real possibility. Does this mean I go with the 3.15 group or the 3.30, or just run my own race? I run with a HRM, not allowing my HR to go over 162 for 20 miles, so I know I can pace myself, just don't want to miss out on the extra motivaiton the pacing group provides.
Nervous?!!! Hah....well just a tad......
Actually felt restless last night and didn't sleep much.....and that's with 7 days to go!!!
SIS gel pack is really lightweight and worth the pennies (7.99) I'm taking 5-6 gels with me...because not convinced about my ability to drink the lucozade by itself...I often find I end up trying to take a few sips and then get rid...
Nervous- me too. Not sure how I'm going to fit in all those extra hours of sleep if I can't get to sleep. Maybe work will tire the brain cells out as this taper isn't letting me get physically tired!
Carlo- I'll be carrying 5+1 (in case 1 falls out) gels on Sunday and probably slurping some Lucozade too. Actually Metcheck says its going to be very warm (20degs) on Sunday - the one thing we haven't trained for (except for Tony Hodge in Kabul), but then do we trust the weather men? Remember Michael Fish.
thats not good OS
I'll be taking 5 gels too, as well as one before the race which has done me proud recently.
Jonathan I cant decide whether to run with my HRM or not - probably because I'm not sure how to get the most out of it...
LOL London will be my 14th marathon, and 6th London, nervous OH YES!
Always the battle between getting target time / or maybe blowing up by going too fast
I carry gels and drink lucozade, all training runs done without gels or sports drinks........
If it is warm on previous years there has been run through showers dotted round route, they were very welcome.
I found the HRM works for me by preventing me from going too fast when I am feeling good. Generally helps when you have those brief flirtations with 'happiness' around the 10-20 mile marks. Instead of upping the pace I stick steadfastly to the 162 max. This always helps when I hit the low a minute or two later and wonder whether the 'feeling good happiness' was simply a dream. It's also very much a confidence booster, I know I have trained properly and a quick glance at HRm always settles me down if I am feeling bad but see that my body is still in the zone.
One thing I can't abide is the heat, so I am now very worred about all the gossip above. +20!!!! I'd rather run carrying an extra 5 kilos.....
First London, All was going great, until 3 weeks ago, pulled a hamstring on a 22.5 miler. was painful so really limited my training mileage since, has anyone got ant suggestions to help with recovery. Using tiger balm, deep heat, ice and rest. Good Luck to everyone
interesting jonathan....do you have a garmin? so you have the one of the data fields set to show your current HRM....I guess I should have worked out by now what my optimum HR should be?
I have been using the HRM during races, so I do have access to some backdata....I just need to work out the exact rate that my HR should be!
I have a Polar. It shows current rate at all times and I can set a 'zone' whereby I get an audible alarm if I go over or under certain rates. Generally I set my zone at 153-163. I'm nearing 40 (July) but fairly fit, and I've spent some time working out my max HR by running hard, also using a variety of the scientific calcs on teh web. Currently see my max around 178. On my long runs I figured I can manage a max of 160 over 3 hours, simply by trial and error, trying a max of 155 - where I felt OK at end - up to 165 - where I nearly passed out. It's a very fine line, but I seem to get some reassurance out of it.
What I am hoping is that it will help me adjust my pace for the weather conditions. Not having trained in the heat is going to be a real problem for all of us on Sunday. I'm poping out now for an easy 5 to see how warm it gets.
great thanks, let me know how you get on!
I wore my HRM for the bath half and I was knocking out 7m10 miles at a HR of about 180-182..the first 3 miles were hell and I went off way to fast...this is where the value of HRM would be for me. I ended the race with a sprint and reached 190, but this was very very hard... think 160-170 would be about right for me too, but I've read that race HRs are much higher than training HRs
JS, I would stick to your 3:30 target and see how you feel at half way or after 17 miles, if you feel strong you can push on then.
I am taking 6 gels, 5 to use and one for luck or just in case. Best to take full change of clothing as will get very wet under those showers if weather is hot ish. Remember the quicker we finish the less heat we have, it shouldn't be so hot at 13:15 as it will be at 14:30. That is just my opinion and I am telling that to myseft to feel better. Just because I am Spanish does not mean that I am used to running in the heat.
Yes, the forecasts are for quite some heat, up to 20 on one site! When I do gym treadmill I get a bit narked with the guys on the desk - the running area is always too hot, and the air con is always well on in the weights area. Wrong way round I think. Maybe I should be grateful to them now for a bit of heat acclimatisation. I get of the wheel dripping wet (but not so much as our Armed forces friend, I'll bet)
Do you get soaked under those on-course showers then RJ?
Mike - don't know what to say about a hamstring pull at this stage. If its pain free now, maybe some gentle stretching. If you can stand ibiuprofen buy "Deep Relief" (Boots - its a mix of a counter irritant (like the stuff you are using) and anti-inflammatory. That said, if it hurts to walk or stretch maybe this just is not your year. Hope you can make it.
Nervous - too right!
Here's what I found on the interweb thingy. You can all re-predict your times based on various temps
http://www.runworks.com/calculator.html
Unfortunately, my time would only predict a scraped 3.30. But Boston qualification the main goal, which may still be doable!
Boston.... I looked at this and it's predicting 3.16-3.18 depending on what recent race I plug in. Again, I am still in two minds as to whether to go 3.15 or 3.30. One thing for sure, I am NEVER doing this again.
Don`t worry too much about the heat, I ran The Halstead and Essex last year, it was almost 30c, the tarmac was melting, We just need to make sure we take on extra fluid to compensate. last year my hydration regime was 1 gel and fluid every 30 mins and I hugged the shade as much as possible, really helped to break the race down. The run through showers are great, but get wet feet and potentially blisters could become a problem,
I can walk and stretch ok now, I am gonna give it my best shot may have to re- consider my pace. Getting nervous and excited now, Achieved my fundraising target on Saturday!
Thanks Michael, that sounds like some race!
A few people have mentioned Lucozade might begin to pall after the first litre! I'm going to take some of those nuun tablets round so I can drop them into water and get electrolytes that way. Pretty bland and non-fizzy drink results.
mine just died on my lunchtime 4 miler...the screen completely blank!!! aarrggh!!
but will def be using it jamesie, if I can get the damn thing working again!
Michael- definitely keep doing stretches and heat. Ice the hamstring after exercise if its sore.
Will be using my Garmin 305 (but without HRM) on the day, set in km - i've always run in kilometres and they go by more quickly (even if there are 42 of them!). By a brilliant conincidence a 3:30 marathon is a 5min/k pace so the maths is very easy. I'll wear a mile pace band with Lucozade/ toilet/ water stops on it.
Re the showers- one of my running clubmates reckons she got blisters from the run through showers (and it was slippery around them). The biggest blister I got in training was after a very wet run. So I'm undecided about using them.
has everyone tried out their race laces? They didn't make me any faster.
Good stuff jonathan, a jump from 3h30m to 3h15m is quite a large leap, I'm much the same I was targetting 3h30m didn't think I was in that shape but a good 20m race a couple of weeks back gives me the potential of a time in the 3h22m to 3h25m bracket (which will just dip me under my PB).
I would suggest running your own race, especially if you've been doing these times based on hr, don't worry about staying with the pacers as the 6miles at the end is the challenge (what distance have your races been?). I am going to go off conservatively for the first 16 miles (about 7m50s pace) and see how much I can push the pace from there if I feel ok, ultimately if I can manage a sub 3h30m I'll be pleased, if I go off too quick to try and achieve a 3h20m time, blow up and hit a 3h40m I'll be disappointed.
A few people have mentioned where they are starting a few pages back but if you are starting from blue start and want to set off at this sort of pace I'm more than happy to join you for some company.
Re the temperature issue, I had the pleasure of running FLM 2007 when it was very warm (hotter than it's likely to be on Sunday).
Key things for me were ensuring that I was hydrated enough beforehand during the week (I always do this) and balancing water with electrolyte consumption during the race, I started to cramp badly from about 23 miles but I think this was in part due to a minor hamstring injury that I was carrying into the race and partly due to lack of sodium etc.
What helped was running in a cap for the first time ever, not only can you move it round your head to protect your neck / ears depending upon where the sun is relative to your position on the course BUT with the bottles of water that I had picked up from the drinks stations I would pour the excess into my cap and put it back on which kept me cool for a while (it's also less wasteful than taking 2 bottles of water just to tip one over your head, think of those behind you as well!)
Otherwise find as much shade as you can before the start and also on the course.
Heat arrggghhh!!! After the coldest winter for 15 years .....whoddaveguessed!!!
Oh well..ice down the pants it is then.....
Seriously am slightly worried about this, mind you have been paranoid about this when I saw the date for the FLM this year.....oh well if Michael Fish comes on and reads it as hot and 20deg then its guaranteed to be a cold one...happy days!
(can we get rid of the sunny face for a cloud lexicon anyone?)
Two good tips I'll be taking up
Pace bands with Luc/water stops
Cap
Thanks chaps!
My trainers for the race (Mizumo Wave Elixir) are nice and light but have a very open mesh upper. I'll have to miss the showers until near the end. BTW, does anyone know if the points for showers have been fixed so we can add to the race band?
I'd practised running in Nike GTX (Gortex) waterproof trainers and Sealskinz socks in case it was like last year - LOL
Boston...good suggestion about the open mesh...my previous experience of running two races last autumn were monsoon type conditions where I felt I was carrying an extra 2 lbs on each foot by the end!!
Red laces don't make us go faster....should have yellow stripes on them!!
Jaffa_, not sure of my start colour. Will take a look tonight.
Just finishing my race band. Got Lucozade at 5, 10, 15, 19, 23 and gel with half bottle of water (160ml) at 7, 13, 17. How do people prepare these, paper, paper covered in tape or laminate? WOnder whether I may just use indelible ink on my forearm.
JG, I believe that you can get a waterproof race band at the excel when you pick up your number so no need to make one up.
OS you are right about the showers, I also get a blister when my feet get wet so might have to give it a miss until the end.
Hi guys,
Getting nervous now. Really can't wait!! Looks like it's going to be a hot one.
I think my plan of action will be the Lucozade stops with around 4 gels at 6,12,17,21 miles or something along those lines.
A short 3-4 miler tonight then maybe a very light jog Thursday then that's me done.
Travelling down Saturday morning, leaving around 7.00am, straight to the excel centre to register then on to our hotel in Mayfair. Is it worth hanging round the excel centre for a while? Is there much going on?
niihty - The exhibition is always interesting, but Saturday is the day you really want to be off your feet. I'd try and get in and out quickly then head off to a park and enjoy the sun a little. Fully intend to sit in front of the TV all day, once I have had my pre-race haircut!!!
Going out for a bit of speed trainng at lunch and then 3m Friday morning and I am done.
Rioja, I will look out for those bands. I am going to Excel on Wednesday, it's a bit out of the way isn't it??