Paris Marathon 2020

Orbutt

Preferentials 
Buzz2

Red Pen  3:00 - 3:15

Jimbob

Yellow Pen 3:15 - 3:30
Dirty Leeds Rob
Dom Norrish
chamolk

Blue Pen 3:30 - 3:45
Eggyh73

Purple Pen 3:45 - 4:00
Yer Maj
Nells
wheatism
Pistol101
KeyserSuze
phronesis
PT_71

Green Pen 4:00 - 4:15
Radar Sal
Kirsten B
Robbo1983
Running Rodent

Grey Pen 4:15 - 4:30
Orbutt

Pink Pen 4:30 and over
maccazz

Orbutt

Ohahlovecake post your pen and we'll add you to our growing list.
I'll need to know where to send the cake 😁

PT_71

I've not ran due to a herniated disc in my lower back L5 S1, the same disc that i had surgery on 6 years ago but on the opposite side, I had 6 injections in my spine and a week in hospital mid September.

Orbutt

PT 71 - ouch. MrsO had back issues and had to have a partial discectomy a few months ago. It's worked wonders and shes now back to normal but it was a slow road back.
What have the professionals said about how long your recovery will take?

Orbutt

  I emailed the organisers, as my medical certificate was still showing as 'Pending' on the TimeTo site.

They have replied - very quickly - to say that validation of medical certificates will begin in January.

I can stop panicking until January then

Eggyh73

PT_71 - That's sounds horrific. Hope you are well on your way to recovery.

PT_71

> @Orbutt said:
> PT 71 - ouch. MrsO had back issues and had to have a partial discectomy a few months ago. It's worked wonders and shes now back to normal but it was a slow road back.
> What have the professionals said about how long your recovery will take?

Hi, I had a discectomy in Sept 2013 and was out of action for 12 weeks, this time around I have had the injections as the disc isnt bulging as bad, the consultant said minimum 6 weeks from date of injections so i am biding my time currently

Orbutt

PT 71 don't be tempted to push yourself too early, which is the typical runners trick.
Theres plenty of time to start your training but only when your back is ready.
Rest up buddy.

Ohahlovethecake

So I finally got back into my Active account, to find out what pen I’m in 
and I’m in the grey pen beside my old mucker Orbutt 

Orbutt

October 22

Preferentials 
Buzz2

Red Pen  3:00 - 3:15

Jimbob

Yellow Pen 3:15 - 3:30
Dirty Leeds Rob
Dom Norrish
chamolk

Blue Pen 3:30 - 3:45
Eggyh73

Purple Pen 3:45 - 4:00
Yer Maj
Nells
wheatism
Pistol101
KeyserSuze
phronesis
PT_71

Green Pen 4:00 - 4:15
Radar Sal
Kirsten B
Robbo1983
Running Rodent

Grey Pen 4:15 - 4:30
Orbutt
Ohahlovethecake

Pink Pen 4:30 and over
maccazz

Orbutt

Ohahlovethecake - yay. I was starting to feel a bit lonely in there.
You'll need to wear a carnation so that I can recognise you 😊

Ohahlovethecake

Flights to Paris now booked 
Friday Edinburgh to Orly
 Monday CDG to Edinburgh
 
now just need to sort accommodation and training 

Orbutt

I still haven't got my flights but I do have accommodation.
Between us we have a weekend in Paris.
😁

chamolk

Same here Orbutt. Booked the hotel as soon as I got my place confirmed. Every time I look at flights they've gone up in price, so I leave it, hoping it'll drop next time


But it never does

Orbutt

chamolk - sounds like what's happening with me.
Apparently the best time to book a flight is about 120 days before.
This would be late December. 
I think I'm too much of a coward to wait that long 😳

Eggyh73

I’ve already got the flights and hotel sorted. I’m flying from the righteousness city of Glasgow. No point in risking unnecessary salt and sauce exposure!

Running Rodent

Eggy - as a staunch ex-Edinburgher - that’s fighting talk!

chamolk

Yeah, I'd heard that before too Orbutt, but theres only one flight a day with easyjet from Belfast, so I doubt it'll come down. 

Ran a big pb today at the Dublin marathon, got 3:34:56 (and an issue at the start cost me at least 4 minutes), so I'm taking a few easy weeks, then starting the Paris training. Thinking of having a bash at sub 3:20 or even 3:15, but I'll see how training goes

Orbutt

Wow chamolk that's a great result. 3:34 is absolutely superb.
Well done.
What was the issue at the start?

chamolk

Thanks Orbutt. 
I'd written a bit of a report on it last night in this thread

https://forums.runnersworld.co.uk/discussion/348937/sunday-27th-october-2019-i-feel-good-i-walk-alone#latest

Orbutt

Nothing worse than starting a race without the last minute pee.
The pens in Paris do not have a great many loos on offer. Gents are catered for better than ladies too.
Am I right to assume that you are a lady?

You may need to trial some 'peeing in public' techniques.
I know that a lot of our parisienne lady runners will find a side street by one of the posh stores for a pre pen pee.
The great ATM once said "if you close your eyes, no one can see you'.
Rain capes or foil blankets are  also very useful at offering cover.

chamolk

Lol, I'm a guy. Would have just found a quiet corner somewhere, but the start was in a residential area, so I didn't really want to go at someone's front door. Plus, they were warning people would be kicked out of the race for public urination, and there were marshals near by, so I didn't want to risk it. If I'd known the queue was going to take to long, I'd have just taken the chance. Think they really need to add some urinals next year. Sounds like I won't have the same issue in Paris though

Orbutt

Oh, in that case you need to learn the bottle trick - as taught to me by Tricky Dicky.
An empty sports drink bottle - the wider the neck the better to avoid blow back.
Shove it up the leg of your shorts but support the base of the bottle.
Insert appendage and let nature take its course. 
Once finished, either empty down a drain or put the cap back on and place it somewhere safe.
I've done this at quite a few races and never felt exposed.
A side note. Never feel tempted to pick up a bottle of sports drink from the floor,  just before a race. Especially if it feels warm

chamolk

😂

Don't drink the warm lucozade sport you find on the ground - a good general rule for life

Eggyh73

Running Rodent said:

Eggy - as a staunch ex-Edinburgher - that’s fighting talk!

Chip fight in Paris is on!

chalk - Great result in Dublin. 

Guys certainly have it easier in the pens in Paris due the alfresco urinals. I have to admit I'm well versed in peeing into an empty lucozade bottle.

Running Rodent

For the shy - there are also a few cafes in the streets around the Arc where you can pee in privacy for the price of an espresso. 

chamolk

I assume they have bathrooms, rather than just using your lucozade bottle whilst drinking your coffee

Orbutt

chamolk that would be quite amusing watching runners trying to buy coffee, single handed 

Robbo1983

Got charged £17 from my Doctors to sign the medical certificate. Didn't feel like I had much of a choice!.

Orbutt

Robbo1983. It stings a bit being charged but I know of people who have paid their doctors a lot more - or some who have refused to sign.
Just to check. Did they sign the form from the website without altering it?
Did they stamp the form?
Sounds petty  but the French are a bit picky.