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ASICS Super Six: Maria (Sub-3:15)
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Aargh - a troll!
How dare you verbalise what everyone else is too polite to say.
Try this: it's a fuckin' shambles. Good luck at London? If he doesn't want to do it / doesn't have time / doesn't know what marathon you are doing why are we continuing with the charade?
On one of the other threads one of the runners has only just realised which schedule she's on.
Really this is intolerabe.
Another concerned voice:
The last 2 years, the SSX met at a central London location after we were voted/selected. This happened about 3 weeks prior to our 16 week schedules starting. We physically met our mentors, met the competition sponsors (Adidas and Lucozade) and met each other.
Our threads then started so we had 2 weeks run-in until our schedules started for real.
From what I've seen, there has been an awful lack of communication from RW to the chosen 6 (The sub 3 guy didn't realise for a couple of days he had a thread!) with no back-up over Christmas even though the schedules started before Christmas.
Another worrying aspect is that UD said she was contacted by Asics to ask her which trainers she might like - how do you know what best suits you without trying stuff on? One of the advantages of meeting Adidas down in London was getting measured and analysed for shoes from the off and then posted out a couple of weeks later.
Worst of all is that Bud has not realised what this competition is about - posting on an online forum on a regular basis to encourage traffic to the site. In 2010 Liz Yelling and I kept everything on the forum so people could see the advice and mentorship she was offering. This has shades of Paul Evans all over again - great coach face to face but awful online. As for thinking you're doing London instead of Paris.... sheeesh!
Where's the nutritionists from Asics? Why aren't they posting on the threads? I found the help from Lucozade invaluable at times and for inexperienced marathon runners, nutrition during training and racing is a big part of the campaign
I have tons of questions reg training, nutrition etc which I have addressed in my email to Bud. For the last three weeks I have been waiting to hear from my mentor thinking I would be receiving plenty of advice and encouragement every step of the way and instead I got an email wishing me good luck in London... Rather disappointing and somewhat discouraging. I am just going to post an email that I received, you can see for yourself, maybe I am being melodramatic:
QuoteTake things step by step and above all stay calm.London is going to be fabulous for you and all will fall in to place. Running needs to make you feel good about yourself and not become a stressful burden and you are going to meet your targets,.How many times a week do you run and what is the running rhythm of your week?RE the shoes do you have access to Specialist running store where they can assess and recommend most appropriate shoes ?Nutrition would recommend you take common sense approach and as ever look for balance in diet with emphasis on good quality carbo hydrate and light protein , plenty of good fruit and veg and above all stay fully hydrated all the time.RW cAn PROVIIDE EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATIONS for BASIC READING MATERIAL BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE.Stay in regular touch take careUnquoteHave read through with interest. Shame no mentor yet...
On treadmills - I have used them for a number of years and while I much prefer to run outside I personally think they can have a place in most high mileage training. My reasons are:
a. When there is adverse weather it is better to run than not to run and this winter has made my purchase of one very much worthwhile!
b. They can help prevent injury when putting in lots of miles as the surface is the next best compared to trail and a flat grassy surface.
c. Good for running barefoot so strengthening the legs!
d. Great mental strengthening - try 15-20 miles looking at a wall and believe me any marathon will feel a doddle
Really I know people say they alter your style etc, but personally I really don't see them having any adverse effect on running even if you did all your running on one, not that I do! I would say when I broke 3 hours I ran at least a quarter of my miles on a treadmill.
Hope your mentor turns up soon, Maria!
"the shoes do you have access to Specialist running store where they can assess and recommend most appropriate shoes ?"
SERIOUSLY? I've just read the blurb about the training day and it says you had your gait measured by Asics. Did this happen or not?
Great that he's recommending you going to a running store but what if they recommend Saucony or Nike for example? This is coming from a man pictured on the front home page of RW wearing an Asics t-shirt.
Steve Marathon Coach - any chance you could take over here please?
Maria - I could say SO many many things about that email but I think that it speaks for itself to be honest...........
How many times a week and what is the rhythm of your running week? Isn't he supposed to know that, given you are following the schedule, as described in the competition?
I am stunned......
Hop over to the sub 3.15 thread or Middle Ground in training, there's lots of support and encouragement there.
I am so very sorry
Will it really all fall into place by itself? How many times a week do I run?? Isn't the prescribed schedule give an answer to this?? RW can provide excellent recommendations?! It's only been three weeks mind you... I am feeling rather disappointed - just eaten half a chocolate bar by myself. I agree with Sue C - I did not enter this competition for free gadgets and kit - I did it because I was hoping to get excellent mentoring which will help me improve my running.
The gait analysis did happen but they did not recommend any particular type of ASICS shoe I should go for.
I've kept my trap shut until now but I was quite vocal in my criticism of some of last year's threads. I started a thread discussing the lessons RW might like to learn from the problems.
It seems from this that the organisation has been slapdash and half-hearted. Top marks to Steve S for posting detailed and helpful advice across six threads but UD must be feeling so let down by RW.
I bet there will be a lot of spin in the magazine article about this one. It'll be interesting to read UD's comments in the piece.
Hi folks,
(Maria, you've got mail from me). Just to clear up a couple of things - Bud was away over Christmas and New Year which was unfortunate but out of our control. I spoke to him earlier this week to make sure he would be in touch with his three runners and I believe he has.
With regard to his presence of the forum, he is completely new to this kind of thing so
a) I have set him up on the forum and talked him through how to post and
b) I completely understand your frustration but I hope you'll take into account how new he is to the forum!
Bud is now away until Monday but I will speak to him then and make sure we set some time slots for him to come on and give you all the benefit of his advice.
I apologise that this aspect of the Super Six has got off to a rocky start. I can assure you that we worked long and hard to improve the scheme for the coming year, and we have taken all of the feedback from last year's scheme into account. This fed into the refreshed selection process, for example, where we had expert advice from the coaches and team physio to help us choose the contenders we thought were best set for the challenge ahead.
Alice
Bud was away over the holidays, presumably without any access to the internet - did you not know about this in advance? If so surely you could have arranged for cover over that time.
Whilst the selection process has been improved the planning and logistics around the training/mentoring itself seem missing in this case.
With regards the shoes, what did the gait analysis reveal? Do you overpronate or underpronate, or are you blessed with a neutral gait? I work in a running shop and I'm familiar with the Asics range. I can't stand Asics myself, but that's just because they don't suit my feet.
As a guide :-
Neutral/Underpronator - the Nimbus is a quality workhorse of a shoe. Good cushioning. There is also the Kinsei, which is the top of the range shoe, but most find it a little clumpy for running as it is a bit heavier and really just an excuse for Asics to show off every possible expensive feature they can cram into it.
Overpronator - the most popular stability shoe I sell in the Asics range is the 2150 (now the 2160). It's a pretty safe bet. There is also the Kayano, which is their top of the range stability shoe. That is also popular despite the higher price tag.
What do you run in currently and have you had any problems with them?
(When I did SSX they sent us Nike Structure Triax without asking if we overpronated or not, and we didn't meet Steve until about week 10 of our 12 week schedule, although we had spoken to him before the schedule started and had contact on our threads all the way through. We were the guinea pig year though, I did think they'd learnt some lessons since then....)
Hi Maria
Just popping over from Running Mums thread to say hello and well done!! Your training seems to be going great guns at the moment, and you're getting some really useful advice from other forumites and Steve on here.
I hope the mentoring issues are cleared up super-fast, so that you can get all your questions answered.
I'm also marathon training with a baby (almost 9 months), just looked around a nursery today and the plans I have for my ongoing training with 2 full days of daylight freedom are so exciting!! Did you have a look near you for a nursery?
Take care
It wasn't so long ago where Bud answered questions on this forum under his own name as part of an ASICS ask the experts thread. Amazingly he managed to log on, use his username and post all on his own.
I think a simple…
Hi Maria, congratulations of getting picked to run the PARIS marathon. Check out the RW sub 3.15 guide in the tabs above and make sure you try and ease yourself into the training. Keep the momentum up over the Xmas period. I am away for the next 3 weeks (or so) with absolutely no internet access at all. I hope you have a good start to your training - speak to you soon. Bud.
…would have been a good start!
Well done to Steve for dipping into the other threads to keep things going for a mentor point of view.
I entered this competition, and was unlcuky at the last stage, with the same outlook that I wasn't bothered about the free trainers/shoes. It was the money can't buy personal mentoring and coaching from a top coach that sold it to me. Last year Liz did a sterling job on this thread for Matchstick Man and likewise as Steve did too. From what MM was saying earlier it was more organised last time with the pre online thread meeting people etc.
I know you are getting stuck into the training Maria and it's sounds like you have got the determination to see it through, but I feel disappointed for you at the lack of online official support, not just from having your Mentor on here but also the fact that RW knew he wasn't going to show and they didn't have a back up come on to offer intermmediate advice.
Don't get me started on RW - not happy with them either at the moment, but that's another story…
Hello all, very frustrating and disappointing afternoon. I know it's pointless complaining about it now, we all know it is just poor organisation and bad communication on the part of RW. I am sorry Alice. Thank you for eventually stepping in and trying to sort it out.
Thank you my new forum friends
for your support and encouragement in the moment of despair. So far it's been a pleasure learning from all of you. Let's hope Bud finds his way to this thread on Monday so we can all benefit from his professional guidance 
CC2SG - At the boot camp ASICS guy told me I am a neutral runner however I have always been a mild overpronator - currently running in Adidas. I like Adidas shoes as they are narrower than other brands - cannot stand wide shoes, just do not feel comfortable wearing them. I went out to the running shop recently to get a new pair where I had my gait analysis done again and it showed that I still overpronate a little bit so I got my usual type of shoe - Adidas Supernova. I did try GT2160 by ASICS - wasn't taken away by them but perhaps would not hurt giving them a go.
Reg today's training - ran a total of 6 miles (1M jog, then 4M at half-marathon pace then 1M jog). Felt quite strong and definitely more comfortable running a little faster. Took me 46 minutes in total including two big hills on the way. A big improvement from 3 weeks ago I think.
Hill session tomorrow. Any advice on how to run a hill session? I ran up hills before but is there anything special I should be doing like running fast or slow, should there be a series of hills or one hill would do? Meant to be 5 miles in total.
JohBo - two days of freedom sounds amazing! I do not know what I would do with myself!!
Not looked at nurseries yet - really should though. Read an article in Scottish Herald today - will make me think twice before putting my son into one: http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/herald-view/a-need-for-continued-vigilance-on-nurseries-1.1078139
Moraghan - your post made me roll on the floor with laughter
Knight Rider - thank you for your support, very much appreciated.
Upsy Daisy - sorry it hasn't worked out well at the start . There is still plenty of time to run a good marathon and Bud is a fantastic coach and I can see an improvement in your running judging by recent runs so keep up the good work.
I posted some details about suggestions on hils on the Alison thread.
Ideally you just need a reasonably steep hill - I think 200m is about right at this stage - much longer and if you run up and jog/walk back there can be a long recovery. The effort should therefore be 45 seconds to a minute, You don't sprint and just work slightly harder than if you were going up in a hill in a race, maybe driving slightly harder with your arms. The descent should be reasonably easy.
I find it even better to do a circuit where you keep going for longer as that is more akin to what happens in a race though you work the hills harder than if you were racing - again don't try and run hard if the descent is steep as this puts a lot of pressure on the knees.
Basically with a lot of the speedwork or faster runs, the actual paces you achieve are not as important as the effort you put in.
That said, you are entitled to a free pair, you won them after all. So, I'd say you have the following options:
1. Get some Nimbus - for a neutral shoe they're quite supportive and you could wear them in the gym or round the house.
2. Get some lightweights or racers, such as the DS trainer, to wear in short races. (However I think you'd prefer Adidas Tempo or Brooks ST4 given your narrow feet and slight pronation)
3. If any of your friends wear Asics get a pair for them instead, they might even wish to give you a small cash donation in return.
4. Get some expensive ones (Nimbus, Kayano, Kinsei)and flog 'em on Ebay!
I may go for option 4 depending on how they feel
UD - you have mail
Edit: No you haven't as you haven't got messaging enabled. You need to go to your profile and tick a box!
I would be tempted to go outside and try first but logically probably best going on treadmill and setting to highest hill setting
I'm still on the build up before starting the schedule end of Jan for a May marathon so not worrying about hill work just yet. Can't wait!
Regarding nursery for your son. There are plenty of great nurseries out there and your son will benefit from spending some time in the right one. You will know it's the right one when you see it. My older 2 went to nursery until I had my 3rd and I found it helps with their confidence in being with other adults as well as other children. Don't let the media covering the odd nursery which isn't up to scratch put you off. A wee bit of time away from your child is good for you too as it gives you the energy to get the most out of the time you spend with them.
Have finally replied UD - that thing called 'life' has been keeping me busy.
I watched the cross country from Edinburgh and saw all the snow. Just rain here though.
Both my children went to childminders and in fact the youngest went straight on to school from there without any pre-school or nursery with no problems at all. It is really just a case of finding the person/setting that feels right for you and yours. You'll know it when you find it even if you can't explain why it is right
Mummycat and USB - thank you for advice on nurseries, I am now on a quest to find the one place that feels right!
A lot of snow has fallen this evening and it's been raining for the last 4 hours or so - I am afraid tomorrow morning may be a little icy for my long run but I am optimistic it will all melt away by the time the sun comes out in the morning. Roads were quite unpleasant to run on this afternoon - very sleety and icy but hill reps worked out mainly because I was running on the quiet road leading up to University bldng (up the hill) and gritters have been clearing snow/ice just a few minutes before I arrived.
Just looked up the forecast for the next week - sunny tomorrow with heavy rain on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday