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MBNA Chester Marathon 2013
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Just reading through the forum for hints, tips and inspiration. Chester may well be my last Marathon (very dodgy knees), so going all out to get under 4 hours.
The last 2 attempts haven't really ended in glory
London 2011 - ended up in A& E for several hours as I got carried away with the excitement of my first marathon and forgot to drink enough (idiot)
Edinburgh 2012 - all went well to 19 miles, then my shin splints decided to kick in and hobbled for the last 7 miles
The cunning plan in Chester is to tie a rope around the wiast of the 3:45 pace runner, grab hold of the end of it and don't let go until the finish. Getting very excited
Good luck Chugger that sounds an interesting plan
, just as well im pacing the 4:45 group not 3:45 - I don't fancy that rope around me . Hope tapering is going well for folks , after putting in my last 19 miler on Friday I've been visiting daughter which has involved good food and drink, now at start of a weeks break in south west. An interesting 5.2 miles tonight, very slow on shingle beach, with a couple of faster road miles . I plan a couple of short runs , with odd fast (for me ) session, then possibly a last 9mile next weekend.
Hi everyone,
I'm keen to find out a bit more about carbo loading. This will be my first marathon. I have run a few halves before, and usually end up having pasta the night before. Probably more for psychology reasons then anything! I'm conscious that I need to take the carbo loading a bit more seriously for the marathon. Any advice would be great. When I should start, when I should stop ect.
Hope you're all looking forward to the race. I'm nervous but excited.
Thanks.
The key is washing down the race-eve meal with half a bottle of really good white wine. Calms the nerves lol.
Well that's unfortunate, I drink red.
Welcome EJ I hope you're first marathon experience is a great one and you come back for more, this is a great friendly race great support at fuel stations etc. re carb loading etc - I think the true theory is to carb deload the Wednesday - Thursday , or so and then the theory is your body is better at storing the carbs on Friday & Saturday
I keep forgetting the deload bit, maybe that's why my usual marathon time is circa 4:30 rather than 4
. But seriously I have found my feeling in a race better since I started to use gels every 4-5 miles
Thanks Wrexhamrob. I knew there was some sort of stop eating carbs then start, but wasn't too sure of the exact details! Thanks for helping out. I've been running for years and always threatened to run a marathon so really glad I've avtually got round to it. Chester seems like a great one to do too, all the feedback I've read has been positive.
You know, I'm sure I read recently that the benefits of carb deloading are very small... and any benefits are outweighed by negative factors. But I can't remember for sure... but might be worth googling (I'm not doing that now!)
For some basic information on carb loading, you can try this. Not in depth enough really, but a decent introduction.
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/nutrition/asics-target-262-podcast-ruth-mckean-on-marathon-nutrition/8049.html
Hi...getting excited! Never used a pacer.....I did south cheshire 20 miles hilly in 2:54.....should I go with 3:45 or 4:00 hour group? Don't want to crash n burn...only one other marathon Edinburgh 4:15 two years ago...advice re pacers please?
For carb loading don't go overboard...on the last few days before marathon cut all training down to a minimum, and increase the percent of carbs relative to protein/fat. So - more spuds/rice/pasta/bread , less meat. Also, have high carb snacks inbetween meals. On the saturday keep on snacking on high carb foods, drink sports drink maybe, careful don't have too much fibre...and don't eat too much too late on the saturday. Also, don't eat stuff you are not used to eating, last thing you want is an upset stomach on race day! Same goes for breakfast on the morning of the race, eat your usual breakfast a few hours before the start. Drink, but don't drink too much as you'll just need to keep having wee stops...do most of your hydration the day before.
Bev- that's a tricky one. I reckon for for 3.45...but others will probably disagree. That 2.54 time equates to a 3.51 marathon using calculator on this site...but it was a hilly 20 and Chester is fairly flat. The one worry is the 3.45 pace is too fast for you early on and you pay the price later in the race, so ideally you'd ran at a pace that keeps you just infront of the sub 4 group and then slowly and surely leave them behind and catch the 3.45 group in the 2nd half of the race!
Would a 3.45 get you a GFA for london?!
Thanks for the advice. I'll have a go at googling too Runny Knows. I'm sure it's one of those topics that has an agreed general principle but then differs here and there, like most things running related! 15West, sports drinks is a good idea, good way of getting extra carbs onboard.
bev hart, your times aren't too dissimilar to mine. I ran 21 miles in 2.49 but the route was extremely flat. I'm going for 3.45 (or just under), as 15West mentions that is (well anything sub 3.45) the good for age qualification time for my age group, so I'm hoping that that will proivde extra motivation on the day. Maybe you could use that as motivation too
As well you have the advantage of having run and completed a marathon. I suppose it depends on how confident you feel as well and how much training you've put in, and if you feel better than you did before Edinburgh. I know I'm not a pacer, but thought I'd reply to you as you seem to be in a similar dilemma!
Hi Bev ... Advice re pacers? Well to start they are suave sophisticated , can talk about any subject under the sun especially running for 26.2 miles, and best of all they're great fun . Ho ho , if only
Seriously Bev I'd go with the slow group and see how you feel after 15 + miles after the very short hill in Farndon and few slight rises in next miles. It's always a far better feeling if you have the energy to push on and pass people late in a race.
In my 26 marathons , in around 4 I've managed to really push on and pass people late on - a great feeling. Far better than having no energy left and feeling like the crowd is passing you. I won't be passing you - I'm pacing 4hr45 and getting nervous & excited now. Time for a South west coast walk in a short while .
26 marathons?! Good grief, that is impressive. Aren't you tired Wrexhamrob?
26 marathons? That's nothing.
There was a double amputee on the news this morning, who'd just completed 36 marathons in the last 40 days! Richard Whitehead. I took the unusual step of googling him and donating a pound to his cause.
Thanks for replies! Really useful and yes, confirms my instinct to start really comfortable and push later I am so excited and already celebrating in my head! Training to Yelling plan and feel better than before Edinburgh when I caught cold week before on plane back from amsterdam!! And yes.....3.45 I think is good for 60 yrs old female.....cheers all...
sub 4.30 is good for a 60 yrs old female...you'll be able to stop for a cup of tea if you want.
Yelling plan? Is this Martin Yelling?
Yes Martin Yelling...works for me!
Just found that schedule I think - under nspcc and it's Liz Yelling (Martin Yelling's wife)? Looks pretty good, always looking for new training plans cause I think I may have plateaued.
Is it too early to start discussing weather forecasts?
Yeah...we need cooler temps. Last year was pretty much perfect: sunny, calm, chilly.
Is it too early to start worrying that my race-pack hasn't arrived yet?
Email them Runny Knows. Also - go on the tracking part of their website see if your name comes up.
Cheers.
My name's there. I guess I'll wait another day or two before pressing the panic button.
Would be interesting to know if anyone else is still waiting.
Just looked at a long range forecast and it says 15 degrees and sunny on the day. I wouldn't complain if it was like that.
I did 7 miles last night and I felt dreadful, legs are really aching this morning as well, I'm trying not to panic. Might take an extra day off today and maybe go for a gentle spin on my bike instead.
Griffo - well done on the ultra! I hope it's not hot as well, the Toronto half was a bit hot for me this year & I've heard horror stories of 32 degree heat for Berlin in October so looks like we will be spared.
15W - that's what I like about the Furman First training plan I've been using, it's based on your 10k pace (plus or minus set amounts for different runs) so if I improve over 10k the training plan will get tougher by itself without switching to a different one - the three runs a week suits me very well with the amount of other training I do so I'd be glad to stick with it.