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Last Ditch Attempt to get fit for London Marathon
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scottles - I think you have arrived at the point that irritates a lot of people on here where you have come on and asked for some advice, people have given you the advice based on all their experience which is what you asked for, then your posts seem to be saying, 'I don't like that advice because I think my way is better even though I have no experience and that is why I asked for some advice in the first place.'
I don't know how many marathons we've got round between us but there's a reason you're getting the advice you're getting. As SFF says, if you were never going to follow it why ask?
It's not like there are any inconsistencies - we have all said the same thing.
I'll say what I've said to others - it's your body and your pain. If you're determined to make it worse than it needs to be, it's entirely up to you.
I will take the advice, just need to get my head round it.
To summarise, I probably shouldn't bother doing the race at all, wait till I don't have a fractured rib, train better and do another one in the future.
If the above is not an option for whatever reason (good or bad) then I should adopt run/walk from the beginning, perhaps four on, 1 off.
The only problem I have with this, is that it is untried, and I don't know if I will be able to run 4 miles after 1 mile walking after say 15 miles............... I am then stuck with walking a long way. But I guess I am anyway!
It's untried for you, but what people are pretty much universally saying from experience is that this is your best bet.
I think if we're being honest, what's happening is that there is a stubborn part of you that still thinks/hopes that there's a possibility you can set out running and somehow keep it going, all the way to a Chariots of Fire-led sprint of glory over the last stretch for home. (I can understand this!) Maybe you think you'll be letting people down if you haven't "done" the marathon properly, but in reality if you come over the finish line before everyone packs up for the day, and have the medal to show for it, you'll get your sponsor money and people will be genuinely impressed that you got out there and did the best under the circumstances. No point killing yourself in the process.
Untried? What a shame there's no time left at all to go out and do a shorter run/walk practice.
Oh, hang on...
Yes, you are right Philpub. I guess I don't want to let go of that possibility right from the start, particularly if I shave off maybe 30 secs a mile. I am also not a sadist, so will take the opinion of others.
Just to clarify one last point. You think I shouldn't be running much more than say 10 miles this weekend?
You don't have to run/walk by mile, you can do it by time e.g. walk one minute at the end of every 10 minutes that you run.
Or walk for a minute each time you reach a mile marker.
Shorter but more frequent walking breaks are much better as your legs won't have time to stiffen up. I wouldn't recommend walking whole miles.
You need to try and keep up the momentum, even if you end up running a minute and walking a minute towards the end.
ok, thanks, that's what I am worried about, legs seizing up and not being able to start running again and sort of being stranded 12+ miles from the finish!
A few ultra runners I know run 15 mins walk 1 to prepare for the longer distances and it seems to work for them.
I presume that you'll have one last run before london this weekend? Why not try it out there
Ever see a clown with a flag with seized up legs? Sore fingers from holding a heavy bucket maybe.
The first time I adopted run/walk was day 2 of a 3-stage ultra. I walked for the first minute of each mile, having set my Garmin to autolap. (You will have the advantage of enormous arches constructed out of balloons at each mile to make sure you don't miss them.) But the really key point is this: as an experienced runner (at that stage I'd been running for 10 years and was used to covering 60-70 miles a week) who hadn't run/walked since I was a beginner, I ran/walked for 35 miles and was absolutely fine. So when people are telling you that run/walk works, they are telling you the truth. Please listen to them. There is a world of difference between being able to 'jog' 16 miles 5 weeks ago and being able to run 20 miles after very little training and then walk 6.2 miles.
Jog 20 v slowly, regroup, then walk 6 was the original plan. But I will try the regular walk break method instead.
If I employ this method on a training run on Saturday, does this mean I could then extend this training run a bit further, to perhaps 15 miles. Bearing in mind I have no cumulative fatigue from training, and I will have 8 days to recover?
I did Blackpool mara after inadequate training due to an ankle injury (it was my third marathon) running at least 1:30 min/miles slower than previous marathons, and walking every water station - I went very slowly indeed, and was not in a hurry to start walking after the water stations.
This actually meant that I had no pressure from any kind of time plan, had time and space to chat to folk along the way and surprisingly found me at mile 21 with quite a bit of energy left, and thus I overtook loads of people on the last few miles, and finished with running faster than my previous two marathons.
But absolutely no long runs between now and then, Scottles - none AT ALL!!
NO! !
As has been said before it will be of no benefit to you whatsoever. The furthest you should be running this Saturday is about 8 miles.
Good grief
It's like reprimanding a naughtyy child
If he was mine I'd lock him in his room and take his running shoes away!
ok thanks people, point taken, I will rein it in. Although I am still itching to run at least 12 miles at the w/e
If he were mine - he'd be getting a spanking for not listening
Nothing wrong with a good spanking
He might even enjoy it
Decided to listen to the comments from my peers who have posted, I will now be following a run/walk schedule, hopefully 10 min run 3 min walk, this should be about 5ish miles per hour, should be able to do in about 51/2 hours. Not great but achievable with little pain. Good luck to you all, have a great day, thanks
well, I kind of listened to the advice on here and tested I if could run/walk effectively. Jogged 9 first then walked the first 0.2 miles of the next 3 miles and called it a day there. Could have carried on like this pretty much indefinitely (it seemed) but my feet have softened up quite a bit with the break from running and my calves were beginning to grumble a little. So no doubt Sunday will be tough, but I think I should be able to get through it.
Thanks again, and see you on the other side.
4:36 if anyone's interested.I didn't adopt a run/walk, but shaved a minute a mile off my normal comfortable jogging pace, so was pretty conservative. Went through halfway in 2:08. This paid off really as only had a slight wobble between 19 and 22 miles where I had to walk because of looming cramp. Was really pleased with the outcome considering, and has given me the motivation to train properly next time to try and break 4 hrs.
Well done, glad it went well for you on the day.
Good work fella!