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MBNA Chester Marathon 2014
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Damn predictive text!!!!
Nothing is going to deter me from completing 26.2 miles, even if I end up crawling over the finish line.
Liz the 2 nd 1/2 is not very hilly, but there is Sandy lane between mile 24&25 - just as we get back into Chester suburbs Huntingdon - the road goes down to the river and then back up. The down and up are probably each only 500mtrs or so - it's just most of us are a little tired by then, but hey it's only 500metres or so then it's a mile or so of flat or down to the finish and the support gets awesome when we go down to the Groves riverside in the last mile or so
Yes Hilly rest rest rest
Right circuit class now gently does it
Thanks wrexhamrob. Feel better now.
Hilly, I second and third everyone. Rest!!! You have done all the hard work. Running before you are properly better will not help at all. Think more about nutrition and hydration.
I've been doing these stretches which are good. http://www.kinetic-revolution.com/30daychallenge/ I'm doing the first week again. Very gentle but they do loosen you up.
Bit of a virus for me today, got sent home from work.
Dilemma for me and my friend as we're both going for our first marathon. Last half i did was 1:56. But, the both of us are shocking at pacing ourselves. Try and run at 10 mm and look down and its 9mm.
We both just want to finish so do you think we should follow the 4:30 or 4:45 pacers to enable us not to set out too fast? Worried we get carried away on the day and set off too fast.
I'm having the same dilemma, I always start off too fast. I'd been on target for 3.45 in training before I went on holiday and struggled on my last few long runs when I got back. I assume the pacers will be aiming for negative splits so thinking of following the 3:45 pacers to try and keep an even pace to start, then when I drop back hopefully won't lose 15 mins so still get under 4hrs. It's my first marathon so there's no pressure if I fail miserably!
Morning McT and Sarah,
McTamus hope your feeling better today seems a few of us have been going down with something or other. Seems to me if you've consistently been running 9mm u will be ok with 4.30 group. As for me still undecided ! ....May hang fire and start with 4.45 until halfway and see how I feel. On training runs have always ran faster the last few miles..... Will prob decide night before !
As first time marathoners I guess we should really just enjoy having nothing to beat ...it will be a pb whatever time we finish
McTamus and everyone else, don't sell yourselves short. If you consistently run 9mm, you are much faster than 4hr30 for a marathon. That pace would break 4 hours. If you want to be conservative, follow the 4hr15 pacer.
I had a target of 4hr22 in Barcelona, my first, but my heart said try for sub-4 and so I tried to be marginally ahead of the 4hr pacers. I stayed there for 17 miles before I couldn't hack it anymore and ended up with 4hr11. If I'd gone with my original plan I'd have done 4hr22 and known I had more in me. On that day, 4hr11was my best so I am happy with it.
Did my last spin before the race last night and my last kettlebells this morning. Have to say I am feeling marvellous after the kettlebells. The improvement in my core strength, whilst a long way from perfect yet, is why I believe I can get under 4 hours this time. Kettlebells to thank for that.
I've got a sports massage tonight - forgot it until a reminder email just arrived (thanks, Joints and Points). Looking forward to that and the carb-loading. Going to do a bit more reading up to make sure I get that right as I ran out of energy last time at 17 miles hence slowing up.
Good luck everyone.
Oh crikey - I'm joining the injury bench
. Got a familiar pain at the back of my knee. I've had it before and am hoping it does not get any worse - has got alot worse in the past. No more running this week I think. Training had gone so well too without a hiccup. Hoping it is one of those things just made worse by nerves.
Fingers crossed all our injuries behave themselves and get better by Sunday.
Hoping a good stretch at yoga has sorted my aching legs out ! Was up at 3am rubbing voltarol into them , my legs feel far worse now than when we were into heavy mileage ....hoping this is all in my head ....good run this morning though !
Liz and Lord B hope your niggles subside
Thanks Heather. Glad your run went well today.
Seasoned marathon bods are probably laughing at us right now!
Yep they probably are
!!!!.......and ditto !
ha not at all Lord Boz and Heather. This will be my 5th marathon and I am really nervous and currently sitting with my knee in a support bandage. I've been so miserable since my knee started playing up this morning.
I've been training with a friend who has done 10 marathons and is doing another one in a few weeks. Like us she is specualting about how well she will do and is also quite nervous - her PB is somewhere around 3:24!!!
I agree with Liz, I've now done over 10 marathons, but still excited and slightly nervous about Sunday, still undecided about if I should follow a pace group or do my own thing, how many gels I should take etc,. My previous experience is providing you done the training, and dont get too carried away at the start and go way faster than you've trained, it will be fine, you'll get around, and you'll enjoy it
Liz and McHilly have way more experience than my one marathon. What I am good at is numbers. Would either, or anyone else, agree with my theory that you can reasonably expect to be able to run an average of 30 seconds per mile faster than your normal training speed when under race conditions on closed roads?
I'm pacing myself for 8m40s miles having trained around 9m/mile.
Saintbarca, yes I do agree with you. In the past I've had dreadful training runs and then done much better than expected on the event itself. Occassions when I haven't done well (not just marathons) have been down to:
- Going out the night before and drinking too much;
- Going out the night before and eating too late;
- Taking immodium for fear I'd need the toilet (London marathon). Wasted so much time with stomach cramps- was walking at mile 9 - that it would have been quicker to have just gone to the loo if the need had arisen!
- Over training. Again for a marathon.
- starting too far back and getting stuck behind walkers etc.
I'm sure there are many more reasons but they are the ones I can think of when i've let myself down. Can anyone think of other things they have done that have caused things to go wrong?
Liz - attacking downhills far too hard, at Windermere. But then you'd tell I lacked experience when I say I barely touched any water and didn't bother with fuel but for a couple of bits of Kendal mint cake that were thrust in front of me at the time.
I'm not getting taper tantrums, taper psychosis or taper insanity. I'm just totally knackered. The thought of ANY run makes me want to put a screwdriver in my ear. Did 4 miles yesterday and it was a complete pain. It's probably normal...
Thanks Liz. I plan on being early so I can get in the pen I genuinely should be in.
Liz - as ive never did a marathon ive never fallen foul of those failures. Like the sound of....drinking too much the night before. Haha, you must have been confident
The fear of the unknown will probably stop me going off too fast.
Hi All
Apologies for jumping in at the last minute. I'm also running on Sunday: 10th marathon but first time at Chester. Really looking forward to it (although of course I'm also nervous!). Looks like it's an event with great organisation and a great course. Relieved to read Wrexhambob's description of the last hill at Sandy Lane not being too long or dramatic. Was just wondering if you (or anyone else who knows the course) could share any more info about what the last 6 miles are like (this is the bit I really want to prepare myself for as aiming for a big pb if all goes to plan).
Agree with what has already been said about expecting to run significantly faster on race day than during training runs but certainly think you need to have a planned pace and stick to it for the first 18 - 20 miles (I have crashed and burned way too many times due to feeling great during the first half and suddenly deciding I can run a marathon much quicker than any of my preparation suggested I could!).
Good luck to all with surviving the rest of the taper madness.
McTamus, the boozing and going out late wasn't before a marathon!!! I'm not that bad
I am really worried that my taper has been too long. I've never done it like this before. Did 22 on Sun 14 Sep; 15 on Sun 21 Sep and 10 on Sun 28 Sep. This is the longest taper I've done but have been advised it will be OK. Hs anyone else tapered for this long?
Good advice Caf and it has really made me think about not tearing off at the start.
St Barca, your thinking sounds good to me, I've always gone a bit faster in races than training runs, it feels as if closed roads, being part of a race, adrenaline etc mean you go faster in a race than you do in training for the same amount of effort. I think the key is to make sure you dont over do it, so to have a max pace is a good idea.... If you do that for 20 miles and still feel good, then speed up further!
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07503091139
thanks
Morning all ....just 3 more sleeps to go !
Yet again another night on the voltarol feet burning legs aching....actually beginning to wonder if I should apply for shares
.....yes I know other brands available !!!
Was so looking forwards to the taper after the last long run of 23 miles but really not enjoying it now feel I'm not doing enough and it's driving me nuts !! Have a strides session tomorrow then massage then that's it for me.
Have a good day all !
I'll find out if doing 24 miles three weeks prior to the run will stand me in good stead.
Lord Boz I keep telling myself same thing, all the preps been done
........just need to believe it 
!!!
Heather this is taper madness ie feeling we are not doing enough, just keep flexibility this week, enjoy the excitement , make a list for the morning, if it's your first marathon make sure you lap it all up it's a special time.
Liz poor you re knee, I've a bit of my old knee pain this week after a gentle 3 on Tuesday - convincing myself that once I get running Sunday the endorphins kick in. Looking forward to lots of 5hr pace group banter- that's where the fun chat will be. Even though Gary's 5:15 group will also be a fun bus.
Caf - welcome, the last 6 are flat to slightly undulating, apart from Sandy Lane of course,
Car - the only 2 real hills are very short - Farndon just after river going back into England, and Sandy Lane. With a bit of focus and the great support at Farndon you'll get through.
Agree what's been said re hold your steady pace early on - my mantra for us all 1st half ' don't be an idiot' ie Do Not go too fast and blow, 2nd half don't be a wuss - ie dig in , use that mental strength from the long runs. Oh and I've always found my half way - my challenge is from 20 miles !
Not long now , chill, gentle stretch, oh I must do my Pilates .