Lucozade Sport Super Six: Wotsit (sub-4:30)

1120121122123125

Comments

  • ooh did not get the silly error message when i posted
  • I even got a notification that you had! Hurrah!

    Tatty - have a wonderful time away image

    Abs- have fun camping?  Hope your weather is better than ours.

    We are watching Man vs Food.  Hysterical!

  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    afternoon ladies! - am a much happier gladrags today. I ran a very happy 12 miler - actually felt at the end of it that I could do it again without too many issues image - was fully dosed up this time and everything felt fine.

    Abs - I do think it's a double-edged thing, being an experienced marathoner? knowing the enormity of what you're trying to do means that self-doubt is far worse than when we were shiny novices? i have always spouted to people that long distance running is at least 50% mental, but had not realised quite how true that was until recently.

    I have had some bad runs recently. dwelling on them really impacted my self confidence. try looking back over your entire training diary - we have some serious miles banked here which cannot be eroded by a few dodgy runs. we. can. do. this. [determined emoticon]

    and happy easter! - hope everyone had a chocolate laden day! image

  • never truer words spoken Gladrags - we so can and we will.

    Glad you had a good run, that is a nice feeling when you know you could go on for so much more. I am going to just chill about it now. I will turn up, do my best and enjoy it. I cant let my anxieties ruin the week away for the children - that would be so unfair. Apart from this setback, my training has gone better than ever, so should hopefully carry me through on the day.

    Jacob is doing the mini mile as well on Sunday - i am a bit gutted that i wont see him do it. but glad he is taking part.

    So much chocolate in this house...loads of the stuff. I always think it will last months but it never does!!!!!
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    ooohhhh - getting excited Abs? Saw your number on facebook - all very real now? What's the weather forecast - bit cooler than last year hopefully? think chocolate is actually a required taper food? image

     sounds like a great idea to build a holiday around the marathon? lots of great things to do for kids in brighton - are you down there already? have lost track!!

    all good here - had big package arrive from the Royal Marsden yesterday- t-shirts and these cardboard clapper things for the kids to shake - everyone v excited (M less so about the t-shirt as it is enromous and he doesn't fancy copying his sister and wearing it as a dress with leggings!!)

  • Yes is very real now. I am down in Hastings at the moment - very very hilly!! We will drive down to Brighton Sunday morning. Niggles all ok apart from the new one (the right foot) think it is stiffness and will be ok - them hills probably. Why does something always start to hurt race week.

    ooh bet the kids will have a fab time supporting. Is ur link on FB, will def sponsor you. Also what is ur race number?
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    am rubbish with FB links!!! it's www.justgiving.com/sallyayling if you did want to sponsor me..... are you raising money this year if so will need your link thing too?

     think a  taper woudln't be a taper without some phatom aches and pains?! there's someone on the support group 1 thread who has sudden shin pain - realistically it is very unlikely to be something disastrous at this stage? Bit of TLC for your foot and hopefully it will recover? i always seem to go through lots of ibuprofen gel in the last few days - massaging it into all those twinges!

    hoping to run home tonight - 7 miles - and then it can be 3 or 4 milers from then on in image - are you running any more Abs or is that it? cannot believe that it is suddenly so close? think my new job has helped kill some of the dead time in the last month that normally has me all jittery....

  • Oooh - I am so excited for you both image  And not a tiny bit gutted that you're both getting such glorious cool weather.  It is SO unfair! (*stomps feet a bit*) It does undoubtedly mean that you both have to blow away last years' marathon times so I can entriely put my performance down to the high temps and ride on your coat tails, yes?

    Its the first Worcester marathon here on Sunday and a mate is running it.  He only discovered about gels and actually drinking when running after his longest 24m run.  Numpty.

  • Ooh, it is getting close now for you, Gladrags and Abs. I am very excited for you both image I have a good feeling about this year!

    Lots of chocolate available in my house but I am not eating it. The scales say I am not allowed!! On the positive side, I have been running twice this week and it hurts a bit less now image

    Bulgaria was fun. Lots of red wine, cheese and warm weather. Back to reality now though and work on Monday. Suppose that is ne good thing about not doing Brighton this year - I cannot imagine having to work the day after a marathon, not least because our place has loads of stairs...
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    glad you had a good break Tatty - sounds great!

    managed to run about 4.5 miles towards home last night when i got caught in heavy rain. decided to plough on as i'd have to on the 22nd.... but then these enormous hailstones came down so decided enough was enough! phoned d to come and get me - and he was about a hundred yards away! He'd seen the black sky and had jumped in the car with the kids. image - was a very grateful (if rather bedraggled) Gladrags!

    Where's Abs? Hopefully managing to keep her mind off it somewhere?

    am reeeeeeeally hoping that this cooler weather holds. and to be honest - if it rains, that is not a disaster for me - my second best marathon and half times were both achieved in heavy rain..... (wotsit - am completely happy for you to claim my time as yours - this forum has been a major parft in me carrying on with all this nonsense!!)

  • Sorry, was not easy to post on anything from a caravan and then my phone stopped working for Facebook as changing contracts -not ideal when away from home.

    Glad you had a good break Tatty - definitely what you needed.

    Wotsit - without a doubt you would have been quicker yesterday - last year the weather was horrific for marathon running. It was great yesterday aside from the windy miles but they didnt last long and were soon forgotten.

    Was definitely the dream race for me, ran the first mile in about 10.10 and then was running between 8.55 and 9.10 until about mile 20. I was aware i was going quicker than planned but whenever i pulled back my pace just picked up naturally. Panicked a little at halfway when i saw i had gone under 2hrs and thought i had overcooked it and was gonna suffer big time. Tried to slow a bit but didnt seem to be when looking at the mile splits. Mile 15-17 were hard as i had seen my family and thought i wouldnt again until mile 25ish. Found that demoralising but luckily they had hopped to mile 18. A few whoops from the kids put a spring in my step and gave me strength for a few more miles until about mile 21-22. Hit 20miles at about 9.05 ave pace and had a minute advantage on sub 4. At mile 22 pace had dropped to about 9.15-9.20 and could feel calf tightening quite a bit and panicked it might go. Eased off and took a couple of walk breaks over the final 4miles. Sub 4 was never a goal as did not even enter my head as a possibility so was happy to listen to body and finish in one piece. Also, this was the first marathon where i have not suffered sloshy belly and felt sick. I took a high five gel every 20mins with water - did not take sports drinks at all this time apart from 250ml 1hr before starting. Hubby is not even sulking that he has been chicked by 10mins, haha! AND THE ROAD TO HELL BETWEEN 20-23 IS STILL HELL!! The wall has come down and been replaced by a gantry saying 'The Road to Hell' - how apt!

    Am getting excited about standing on the other side of the fence on Sunday - have every belief you are going to have a great race Gladrags , fingers crossed for good weather.
  • Wonderful, awe inspiring stuff Abs - well done you image

  • Thank you - cant tell a whole story on FB and naturally you girls have to have the full storyimage
  • so much easier that the updates come through again!
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    absolutely amazing stuff Abs - inspirational! Am v impressed by the idea that you were telling yourself to slow down but kept reverting to 9m miling! brilliant.image - did you allow yourself a little blub at the line?

    are you enjoying a nice rest now? aches and pains and black toenails or still floating on air?

  • I did not blub..more went into shock. major chicken waddle but no black toenails. do have a sore toe though.

    6 more sleeps for you
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    starting to get nervous now - collecting my no tomorrow after work.....

    chicken waddle sounds good?! marathon recovery has definitely improvedf over the years here (famous last words!!) but walking seems to become this weird shuffle for a couple of days afterwards!!

    weather here is foul this morning - overcast, cold, windy and now raining quite heavily - am thinking i should invest in a cheap cagoule i can wear til the very last minute......

  • Mate of mine from work did Worcester marathon at the weekend and his post marathon walk was great comedy.  Didn't help that our Monday monring meeting is on the 4th floor... we have ramps to get up, but I'll admit to not telling him how much less fun it was going to be to get down again!

    Sorry for the brief post, which was from work yesterday.  Made my point though - you are fab!  

    Am delighted that we got the whole 9 yards - feel very special image  Agree with Gladrags that 'slipping' back to 9mi is brilliant stuff and really shows how far your running has come this year.  What is next then?

    Ooooh... Gladrags.... not long to go!  How is the madness?

  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    Yes Abs - what's next? Have you ever officially done a sub 2 half (apart from as the first part of your marathon!!) - maybe that's one to go for? Now that you is a champion and all!!

    madness in full flow here! strange dreams, inabilty to concentrate at work, obsession with weather forecast....... am going to collect my no tonight - not sure ifhaving it in my greasy little hands will make it better or worse!

    Number is 51518 - as usual they claim there will be some live tracking thing on the vlm website on the day - let's hope it works this time????

    (weather outlook is damp and about 12 degrees - could be worse....)

  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    weeelllll.... 4h38! not quite the sub 4h30 that this thread was aiming for, but spot on what I was aiming for for this race. Aim was to achieve a post kids PB and to beat the 4h40 barrier, and I did that. image

    saw loads of friends on the way around which really helped pass the time. Did look out for you near mile 13 and 22 Abs but no joy? Loads of people were shouting "Gladrags" at mile 21/22 - I kept on looking round hoping one of them was you but didn't spot you?

    Nothing too severe pain wise at the moment - some sore toes and a stiff back. Have managed to put normal boots on this morning though which is a post marathon first - am normally in birkenstocks for the first week or so!

    will post race report later!

  • Yay well done...brilliant result. how are the legs today? i was looking for you but must have missed you at 13. struggled to see anyone with the crowds...was gutted to miss you but glad you had a good race. seemed more crowded this year.
    look forward to the full race report xx
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    struggle to find our liuttle thread amongst all the usual post London noise! Personally think the course was spot on 26.2 miles and the finishers t-shirt and organisation generally were ok -but am in the minority image

    The race itself was bang on for me. All my miles were between 10 and 11 minutes and there was never a point when I needed to walk or felt ill. The temperature was perfect and my fuelling worked out to be spot on as well.

    First 5 miles were done at 10mm which I knew was too fast - but reckon that my self control was working ok - everyone around was flying past me in those first few miles.... the Cutty Sark at mile 6 seemed to slow me down properly and I started churning out the 10m30 miles that I was aiming for.

    I took Abs' tip and stuck to gels and water. Gels at miles 5,9,13,17 and 21 and a few sips of water at every station (with the rest of the bottle being used to wash face  and douse sweatband)

    I went through half way in 2h16 which again I knew was slightly fast - knew I wasn't on for a 4h32 - but it gave me the very best chance of bashing through the 4h40 that has been my sticking point for 2 years.

    The RW 17 mile guys were fabulous - handed me my opened bag as I rocked up at mile 17 and gave me some hugs and cheers!

    I just felt fine the whole way round - definitely had a spring in my step at mile 22 and again in the Mall. I ran a very different race from normal though - previously I have been quite chatty whereas this one was all inside me - no chatting to other runners at all. That seemed right for me this time - just focusing on my own needs and ignoring everyone else.

    For all the speed running by everyone else at the start, there was an awful lot of walking around me from about mile 20! Parts of the course are so narrow - it got very irritating towards the end - along the Embankment it felt like I was the only person still trying to run!

    I feel very very lucky. While I had some solid preparation work behind me (months of 12 milers) - the real marathon training itself did not go to plan and Sunday was really anyone's guess what would happen. That it should turn out to be the smoothest, easiest marathon (and so far smoothest, easiest recovery) of my career is amazing.

    SOme pics are coming up now - some of me waving and looking very happy - exactly as I remember the day.

  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    oh no - it's happening..... am starting to wonder if I couldn't have gone a little bit faster...... have promised no more London marathons so the 2013 ballot is out.

    the one I did last year is mid May and accepts on the day entries.......

    is that enough time to recover and do myself justice? image

  • Dangerous talk!  You could well do brilliantly there - I know a lot of people who did Stratford marathon after London relative misery and have been much more successful.  It all depends on your recovery.  What about playing it by ear, to some extent and heading for a 13m run 2 weeks out and seeing how you feel?  If that goes well then sign up.  If it feels hard then don't.

    Lovely marathon story by the way.  I'm loving the idea of it all being so easy!  I aspire to a marathon without the need to walk.  To be honest, it all feels a long time ago now.  But tomorrow I shall have a go at 7m, then build back to 10-12m slowly.  Next spring, you never know image  I'm hoping that next year will be calmer and I might get to do another marathon...

  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    dangerous talk indeed! the whole marathon experience was so other worldy it was very strange. for the first time ever, i felt completely separate from everything going on around me. i was in my own little  bubble apart from brief interactions with spectators. When I crossed the finish line it was very...... flat. no one was chatty. no one seemed happy. everyone was on auto pilot. i dunno. am delighted to have achieved everything i have done. i just feel there is more?

    may try a run this weekend. see how i go.

    spring marathon next year? applying monday??

  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭
    just checked my dates. 2 weeks out is this weekend. going to aim for a 12 miler on sunday and see how i feel..........
  • Bummer. appears my last post didnt post.
    sounds like u had an amazing race, respect for wanting to go again. my legs have only just agreed to running again, had a very slow recovery. go for the 12 and see how you go, agree you probably have more in you.
    my friend did london and is itching to do another. she did not run her race as helped a stranger who struggled from 3miles. although elated to finish first marathon, think she needs to run her own race to feel content.
    Will def be entering ballot but will also look for an alternative. will be interested to hear milton keynes feedback on sunday. dont really have any immediate race plans w
    keep at it wotsit, hope things are calming down for you.

    having caps lock issue as u prob noticed lol.
  • Which is the may one...my friend is thinking if another.
  • GladragsGladrags ✭✭✭

    it's so tricky this marathon lark, isn't it? i honestly felt ok on sunday with the concept that this was my last marathon. i ran the race pretty much as planned, and yet now i want to do it all again but BETTER!

    the may one is halstead - near braintree in essex. v well organised club run with lots of water stations and you can get your own drinks delivered round the course. does have a few hills but is not crowded at all. mostly running by yourselves on beautiful country roads, but well supported near the pubs en route. 4h40 meant that i was coming in in the last 20% of runners but that was ok -just meant the showers were all empty by the time i got back to the leisure centre!!

    there is a london ultra in october/november - 50km from central london out to richmond......

    milton keynes? not sure about that one - ran a half in stevenage once and the scenery is all so grey?

  • How did it go Gladrags?

     I coordinated rain and timings badly on Friday and only did 5, thinking I was going to be late for lunch with my Mum... who then got caught up and was an hour late for me!  Could have bloomin well done my 7 after all image However, the 5 was dead comfortable, so I should take it away as a total positive.  

    Wickett ran in the howling gales today, but I'm waiting for tomorrow's sunshine.  What a wimp!

Sign In or Register to comment.