Manchester Marathon 2013

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  • Thanks Slokey, I'll give that a try on my next LSR. I've got a step back week this week so only doing 13 miles tomorrow for LSR but I'll take it easy. I think one of my difficulties is that running slowly at much less than 11min/mile feels almost like walking and I just find it difficult to run that slowly. Talk about an awkward individual!!

    As far as the five runs equalling 100miles goes,that was a rule of thumb that was doing the rounds on the Liverpool marathon forum last year. My last long runs will total 96 miles. But as you can see from my previous posts I'm hardly an example anyone would want to follow!

     

  • Don't put yourself down Cybarev!  I followed you round Sefton Park during the 2011 Liverpool Marathon - not intentionally I must add, but I recognised the name on your back!  I know what you mean about hating running slowly though - my training partner is constantly shouting "training pace!" at me as I start off too quickly, and it's a good job she does - I'd be in pieces otherwise.

  • Hi Carterusm - if I can break 3 hrs I will be dead chuffed.

    Haven't been out since Sunday due to work but can't wait to get out tomorrow.  Mother in Law is also visiting on Sunday so I have a feeling that a really LSR is on the cards. 

    On the what to eat while training debate I tend to not eat anything but make sure that I take plenty of liquid to keep myself hydrated. I tend to find that if I 'collapse' on a run it is because I've gone out too fast.

     

  • Mark- A couple of us from our running club are going for sub 3 if you want to tag along, he's doing VLM the week before and I'm doing Boston 2 weeks before.

    Have you gone sub 3 before?

    Good session on the track last night 9 miles with 6 x800 sandwiched in the middle.

  • Good session for me this morninig. Did 13 miles whilst trying ot keep my heart rate as low as possible. Really chuffed as I finished with an average hr at 10% lower than last weeks LSR.

    Now sat in local coffee shop enjoying black coffee, Danish party and a good book.

    Have a great weekend everyone.
  • That should read Danish Pastry ........ Although I wouldn't say no to a Danish party either!
  • ha...What would a Danish party consist of?  Lots of Carlsberg for a start....then Lurpak....bacon and everything pork!  It would be full of strapping women and men like Peter Schmeichel and Brigitte Neilsonn!!  Ha ha....sounds a good party.imageimage

    Well done on your run....a lovely sunny day for it, or was it dark for you again?  Did you take a drink with you?

    I did 8 miles yesterday and for the first time in yonks I felt really comfortable, and I felt I was taking it easy, and though it wasn't fast compared to most of you, when I checked it was over 8 minutes faster than the first time I did 8 miles at the beginning of this plan...and I felt dreadful that time and really struggled, so I was chuffed. 

    That said, I will no doubt be back into struggle mode when I do another 15 tomorrow...but at least the weather is meant to be ok.

    Back off to see the folks with baby in tow tomorrow night and back on Wed am, so I will be mostly running around Durham for the next few days!  I do enjoy a change of scene as it can get quite repetitive seeing the same things all the time.

    I hope you all had a nice valentines night?  I certainly enjoyed my food, though we stopped in!

    Happy running folks

    Panda

  • RP, you are right it was a lovely day for a run, sunny but cool. Quite a few friends spotted me today and waved or honked! Always good for moral! I did take drink out with me. I'm using Zero tabs at the moment whch I really like, not as sickly sweet as sports drinks but contain electrolytes instead of just sugar. I had a couple of gels with me but only had one. Have been listening to Slokey!

    On another matter entirely, I got a reply from the Mayor of Liverpool today following my email complaint about the cancellation of the Liverpool Marathon. Looks to me like there are communication issues that need to be worked out on both sides of the arguement!

    Feel like having a sleep now and its only 5pm! Doubt the kids will let me!

  • I listened to an interview on IMTalk the other day with some American epidemiology professor and before that an interview with a sports scientist guy who used to work for Prof Tim Noakes who both insisted that all the electrolyte products were pretty much a waste of time and were driven by marketeers. He did say though that if you get a placebo effect from them you should just keep on believin' and crack on but there's no evidence for them working! Water is just fine and your body is incredibly efficient at maintaining a salt balance (unless you drink too much water). The American guy's message was basically, eat sensibly and eat good food, enjoy your running and take as much stress out of your life as poss and you are on the right track for a long and happy life and running career.
  • I guess that counts out my Danish Pastry from earlier then Slokey! image

     

  • Must admit Slokey I'd heard similar about the placebo effect etc. I think Panorama did an investigation last year into sports drinks.

  • Hi Jonah8, I did Chester last year in 3:04 so having the opportunity to join up with anybody with experience at going sub 3hr swill be great. thanks for the offer of your company so nearer to the date we can chat about meeting up on the day. 

  • The sports drink thing on panorama was interesting in that it highlighted the push of carb drinks on to people who really didn't need them - like kids playing a game of football for 30 minutes! I see people drimking them at work who are sat on their arse all day at a computer snd wonder why they are overweight. All those high GI carbs just gives you big spikes in blood sugar, then a big dip and suddenly you are craving more. In the meantime your body wint have metabolised any of those lovely fat stores. Sports drinks have their place and the ingestion of carbs is proven to improve performance and prevent bonking but only needed if you are exercising for over 90mins to 2 hrs - and even then they are not needed right from the start. Multi billion pound industry is constantly looking to find something else to convince us to buy their product over a competitor's and so they keep coming up with new claims of improved hydration etc etc



    Take carbs if you have been out for a long time (gels or drinks or a jam sandwich) other than that a bit of water drunk to thirst is fine. Keep it simple.



    Yeesh I'm getting crotchety in my old age!
  • Mark- It would be a pleasure to pace you, 3.04 is about the right time to have a go at sub 3, I've paced a few over the years so keep your training up and you'll be fine

    20 miles this morning in 2.22 with the last 5 fast, legs are feeling it now.

  • Hi folks

    I basically agree with all of this about drinks and gels etc...with me, and probably many other people it is as much a psychological boost as physical, almost a security blanket if you like.  That said, I firmly believe that sooooo much of marathon running is in the head as well, so basically....why not!

    I don't tend to go overboard with drinks...I am fairly slow, so out a lot longer than some of you, but I never take anything to eat or drink on a run under 10 miles, even if it was very hot (fat chance).....I see beginners lining up at 10k's, clutching their bottles of Lucozade and bananas...and I think..."what are you doing?!".....I almost think the same for half marathons....but I suppose it makes people feel better in their heads.

    Another 15 today in glorious sunshine.  It felt a tad easier than last week, though it took a similar amount of time.....tired now though!  I took 300mls of glucose drink, 1 gel and a few fizzy sweets.  I could probably manage without the gel and sweets, but it helps break the run up a bit and I get a bit of a boost from it....don't forget, I am slow, so on my feet for almost 2 and 3/4 hours.

    Perfect running conditions here, hope everyone else enjoys their weekend runs

    Panda

  • Longest run of the year logged today... Wait for it......



    7.75 miles in 1 hr at a nice relaxed pace, ave HR 135 bpm. Felt lovely but foot is griping a bit now so back on the bike tomorrow and I'll push it a bit more next week.
  • 18 miles LSR successfully accomplished, my longest ever run.  I'm finding that by following the training plan, the jump up to the next longest distsance is so slight that you don't really feel like you're doing anything out of the ordinary.  Certainly nothing out of the comfort zone.  After a very long period of doing nothing but 5 or 10k runs, the idea of running 18 miles as a training run would have seemed ridiculous to me. Now it's surprisingly routine.

    20 miler due now in 2 weeks time and then the peak training distance will have been conquered.  Just the small matter of the Blackpool HM between then and now!

  • Did Wrexham Half today 1.34, ok better than last year can run a lot faster. have been building my base so no speed sessions...now is time to start speed work didn't help the food i ate yesterday as well.... 

  • SB - That's pretty much the same as me.

    Have to say, running in the sunshine today felt so good and it was a great day for a run out on country roads.  Hopefully it will be like this next weekend for the B'pool HM along the beach.

  • We can hope waffle but the weatherman is threatening that things will be a tad on the chilly side once more.

  • Thanks Jonah. 

    15 miles LSR in sunny Yorkshire.  Can't remember the last time I was able to see so far due to rain, snow, freezing wind or all of the above.  It was one of those runs where the miles were comfortable(ish) and the world was at peace.  Hope you are all also enjoying the better weather.

  • Ran 1:28:15 at Wrexham Half today after a 70 mile training week and a 20 mile run on Thursday. I was knackered at the end but think it bodes well for getting under 3:10 at Manchester.

     

    Keep up the good work everyone.image

  • Strangely Brown wrote (see)

    18 miles LSR successfully accomplished, my longest ever run.  I'm finding that by following the training plan, the jump up to the next longest distsance is so slight that you don't really feel like you're doing anything out of the ordinary.  Certainly nothing out of the comfort zone.  After a very long period of doing nothing but 5 or 10k runs, the idea of running 18 miles as a training run would have seemed ridiculous to me. Now it's surprisingly routine.

    20 miler due now in 2 weeks time and then the peak training distance will have been conquered.  Just the small matter of the Blackpool HM between then and now!

    Which plan are you following SB?

    Completely agree, did 16 last week and it was mad to be running the last 2-3 miles where that section was my whole run 2 years ago.

    Another 16 miler as this week's LSR tomorrow, then step up to 18 next week and then another couple of similar runs before Wilmslow Half

    I think the 20 miler on my plan falls at the start of April a week or so before the taper

  • I too enjoyed the weekend running.  Felt almost like Spring, and the morning/evening darkness certainly seems to be receding down here.  Chalked up another 20 miles or so (either side of parkrun) reasonably comfortably.

    Can I join the 3hrs-or-there-abouts party?  In preparation for Comrades in early June, I've booked London and Milton Keynes either side of Manchester and it would be great to manage '3 in sub3'.  I'd consider that a huge achievement for me but it is just as likely that I'll be in agony by the time I get to the Manchester weekend as I've never tried marathons on consecutive weekends before.  I should learn something about myself either way, but would like to line up intending to do 2.59.59.  Gaz, with that sort of 1:28 hm form, can you be tempted as well?

    On drinks, gels and electrolytes, I'm out to Seville for this weekend's marathon and this is what I'll be doing.  From Weds, I'll be starting to drink some diluted Torq (electrolyte drink with carbs) to get a bit more carbs without having to eat lots whilst abroad travelling/sightseeing.  I'll have a gel at the start on Sunday and then three during (something like 9m, 16m, 21m).  I'm not convinced about this placebo argument.  I think it makes a difference to me, at the very least in terms of my time.  I've lowered my pb since establishing my routine.  Would I race better without it?  I don't know.  Would I enjoy the feeling of regret if I stopped this routine and then raced a lot worse? Absolutely not.  I guess the best thing is for people to experiment - carefully - and learn what works for them.  Everyone tells me I need a huge bowl of porridge before a race but this always makes be feel sluggish and heavy.  I'll be having a cheese and ham baguette on Sunday, if I can find one.  And I wouldn't touch Lucozade at London ever again, but can handle other, thinner, drinks.  The panorama thing was as SlokeyJoe described about the idiocy of inactive people or kids drinking it.  Fair play to the chap who runs a marathon on a jam sandwich and water, although it's not something I'd be able to do.

    Good luck to everyone else racing this coming weekend.

  • I have thought about it Ally but I think I'll be just short and 3:05 would be the best I could hope for without risking making a compete hash of the race. I've got a 20 mile race on March 10th that I'm going to run as hard as I can, if I get over the line in 2:17-ish then I might be tempted to look at sub 3 for Manchester again.

    Good luck with the 3 in sub 3 quest, that will be some achievement  if you pull it off.  

  • Ally I ran London and Manchester last year both sub 3 but 3 on the trot would be some achievement



    I finished my 3rd marathon for the year with Berlin



    8 mile recovery for me later
  • See how the training goes and how bullish you feel Gaz. 

    Thanks for a bit of perspective, Jonah. 

    In the Autumn, Berlin, Abo and Nice were 5 weeks apart and all of the order of 2.56.30 and I felt knackered at Abo (drafting mostly of 5 great world record holding lads tied together) but then ok in Nice.  I think trying to moderate myself in London will be challenge number 1 as I've never not made a hash of it in 3 attempts and have a best of 3.12 from last year.  After this Sunday, I think I'll not look any further beyond Paris.

    Happy training everyone.

  • rockinrocky_robin wrote (see)
    Strangely Brown wrote (see)

    18 miles LSR successfully accomplished, my longest ever run.  I'm finding that by following the training plan, the jump up to the next longest distsance is so slight that you don't really feel like you're doing anything out of the ordinary.  Certainly nothing out of the comfort zone.  After a very long period of doing nothing but 5 or 10k runs, the idea of running 18 miles as a training run would have seemed ridiculous to me. Now it's surprisingly routine.

    20 miler due now in 2 weeks time and then the peak training distance will have been conquered.  Just the small matter of the Blackpool HM between then and now!

    Which plan are you following SB?

    Completely agree, did 16 last week and it was mad to be running the last 2-3 miles where that section was my whole run 2 years ago.

    Another 16 miler as this week's LSR tomorrow, then step up to 18 next week and then another couple of similar runs before Wilmslow Half

    I think the 20 miler on my plan falls at the start of April a week or so before the taper

    I nearly did Wilmslow but opted for a brisk seaside run instead.  I'll probably regret that when i'm being blown sideways down the seafrontimage

    I'm following Pfitzinger and Douglas up to 55mpw plan.  Seems to be serving me well although i'm having to swap next week for this one because of the HM but that shouldn't screw things up too much I wouldn't think.

    How about you?

  • Good running everyone. I was due a 20 miler on Saturday but managed 17. I ran a HM last weekend so the legs got tired on Saturday. I was taking on gels for the first time too so even though I didn't push for 20 I was still happy with the 17 considering I PBd in my half. Even happier after a very hilly 9 miles yesterday that I really pushed. I'm feeling stronger and will be focussing on my LSRs for the next 3 weeks
  • S3200HS3200H ✭✭✭
    Hi all, I have changed from Blackpool to Manchester after OH wanted to go to Cornwall on holiday instead. Quite glad really as I think Manchester will be a better race and much nearer for me



    I entered Blackpool as the timing was perfect for Ladybower 35 and gave me a bit more time to get ready for my local Sheffield Half.



    Happy running
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