Shades Marathon Training

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  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Jelly - that's a lovely pic, you really look like you're enjoying yourself
  • Afternoon folks.  Well I have entered the realms of insanity and entered a 6hr event the day after my rememberance day marathon
  • Lost half my post.... Grrr
  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Jelly - What a great pic! :) You look like you're enjoying that!
    Louey - here's my normal elevation on one of my normal routes. It's pretty typical of my area.


    Iain - Great news!! It'll be great to finally meet you! I'll be in the hundred club vest with "Emmy" on the back probably. I'm most likely to be seen eating the Freddo's at the aid station ;-)

    Big G - You're absolutely right. The hills here are nothing compared to the UK. I ran around my parents when I was back and I was complaining about the hills there... there were no hills!
  • Nice pic Jelly!

    Louey, at least your race will be over quite soon on Sunday morning so you might miss the downpour that is forecast. I don't think Max will run the kids race as he has a football match in the morning and I'm not sure he'd get there in time. I think when my race starts at 3, the rain will be quite heavy :(

    Shades - will you make a decision re your race tomorrow?

    I didn't get to run yesterday as was at home all day with sick child and then it was too wet in the evening. But had a good track session tonight.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Iain - well at least with this 6 hour you won't go off too fast this time ;)  So that's the same event as Emmy, I'll add it to the November list :)

    Use the Save Draft option, it really does work.  Quite a few folk have lost posts and it seems to be only when using their phones.  I used my hopeless phone at the weekend and with the Save Draft at least I didn't manage to lose a post.

    Emmy - that's flat!  Does that mean that it's often windy?

    SK - that's a late start for a Sunday race.  


    Got up early for a short run to test my cut heel and once I put on my running shoes I knew it wasn't going to happen.  Tried my new Guides on and I could feel my heel and I hadn't set foot outside the door, tried a pair of Adrenalines too and that was the same so I won't be able to do Plym Trail tomorrow :'(

  • JellyJelly ✭✭✭
    That's a real shame Shades. 

    How are you feeling Big G, Think Saturday is the best day weather wise. 

    I did 5 miles last night, found pacer function on my Garmin so was testing it out. Kept me on my target MP but can see I might get annoyed if my pace does drop towards the end. Will use it for this weekends Half, but I'm running with a friend. She wants a sub two but her pace was dropping off last night. Hopefully it's just because she had done a couple 12 hour night shifts and will be less tired after few days rest. She tends to do more Trail so not much to compare with previous times. 
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    That's a shame Shades.  

    Jelly, I'm feeling much better this morning.  I'm not going to run today though, just to be safe, even though I feel I could run.  I'd say its 60/40 in favour of me doing the race tomorrow, but I'll decide in the morning.  When I say "race" - I won't be racing it at all in any case, so not interested in the time.  Also, if it is forecast really heavy rain, I won't do it as there will be a higher risk of me getting cold.

    Shades, I have been eating really well in terms of healthy food etc.  Apart from I did go for a short walk to buy a portion of chips from a favourite chippy :)  I'm not sure what they do with the batter, but the chips are really crispy, and almost a slight cheese flavour.  Om nom nom.

    Emmy, I can't remember if I posted this before, but I was doing a "loop" in NL (perfect rectangle, really), and the elevation was definitely no good for hill training!  I could have ran for miles around (not just around that square) and it would have been the same.  It did get windy some times though.


    This is that race I did with "the hill".

  • Ha ha, loving those elevations in The Netherlands, think I'll have to add Amsterdam or another marathon over there to my list as they should be flat and fast!

    Rest day today, but got a long run planned tomorrow, should be 18 miles, my last one before the marathon.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Jelly - I think using the pace function on my Garmin would drive me mad and I believe that sometimes you need to run as you feel, but it will be useful if you're pacing your friend to stop you going to fast.  I would suggest that if she starts to tire and needs to slow down you switch the alert off otherwise that will just make her feel worse.

    Big G - good to hear that you're feeling a bit better.  Jelly is right the forecast is a lot better for Saturday than Sunday.

    I've sent Davey a message so he can sell my place if necessary.

    I bought fish and chips a few months ago from the shop in Queen Street near KFC and they put something in the batter on the fish and on the chips with bits in and it was really awful, had a funny taste, would never go there again.   I think they called it their 'special coating', disgusting, very disappointing.

    That's definitely a Strava route for those with OCD!   Would be great for interval training though.  I had to look carefully for the hill in your race!

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Shades: yes, it's normally quite windy here. It's either OK wind or "Jesus christ,  I can't move forward wind". 

    Sorry to hear that your heel is still bad :-( 

    Big G: I remember that! Good luck tomorrow! 

    1Steve: I've done Amsterdam a few times and it can be a pb course if it's not windy.  The problem with being so flat in a city is getting wind tunnels through the buildings and streets. It's rather annoying 
  • Shades - hope your heel gets better soon.

    Steve - I agree on the difficulty of getting to the B'ham Marathon. The organisers should have made the start times for the 2 marathon waves and hour or two later to allow people to use trains or trams. I am still planning to drive there, the other option is getting a taxi to the stadium. I'm just concerned I may not be in a fit state to drive after the race. My family will drive to Wednesbury Parkway tram sop and get the tram into B'ham town centre later on so they can be there to see me at the finish.

    I will run my 5 mile Tempo run later today, and the 14 miler on Sunday. I keep thinking about how many gels to take during the marathon. On last 20 miler I had one at 5, 10, and 15 miles, but by the 17 mile point I was getting very hungry. I know I will have eaten more on the marathon morning and the days before but currently thinking of taking a gel every 4 miles during the race. Also taking some Percy Pigs and jelly beans.

  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Emmy - I've heard that Amsterdam can be a very fast course, but I've been told it's not a pleasant route at all?

    John - if your family are coming to see you finish then in the unlikely occurrence that you can't drive can't one of them pick up your car?    Or could you collect it the following day?   I can't see why you won't be able to drive, as long as you take time after the race, have something to drink and some food then you'll be fine.   Most people do drive to marathons and home again afterwards and on much longer journeys than yours.  I expect next year they will have sorted out the transport to the start.

    If you take too many gels in your stomach will rebel and you could end up feeling sick, I think every 4 miles might be too much.  Take a cereal bar, one that's easy to eat when running, so a softish consistency, and if you do get hungry you can eat that.    You will be running faster than training pace so it would be unusual to feel hunger during the race unless you had not eaten enough before the race.  

  • JellyJelly ✭✭✭
    Big G the Chips are Middletons Chips, lots in the Midlands and will be my mission to find one after the Marathon. Never found the one in Paignton and didn't know there was in Queen Street. 
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Jelly - I don't think Big G went to the place that I went to in Queen Street, Newton Abbot.
  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Shades: yes, you're completely right. I hate it. It follows the same route as the half but at around 10k it goes on a 20k out and back along the canal. This stretch is boring as hell.  They've tried to make it fun with bands on the water etc but it's soul draining as you can see everyone on the other side. 

    Then coming back from 30-36k it's all industrial estate that tends to get very windy.  There's a few underpasses at 34-36k which annoy me still! (very steep hill ;-)). The start and end around the park are nice but my memory is that it just drags a lot. I remember seeing friends there one year unexpectedly and that was the highlight of the route for me. 

    It doesn't actually do any of Amsterdam really (the inner town) so you have the first 5k of the rijksmuseum and nice bit of Amsterdam then it's out to the suburbs.

    I've considered going back but it's 70€ entry and I can get a race the same day for 15€ so would prefer that as I've never done it.

    If anyone wants to do any Dutch races, I'm happy to help wherever I can. 

    My favourite winter race has just opened entries (Spijkenisse spark marathon). It's 10th December,  fast and furious and they serve hot tea around the route. I loved it!
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Jelly, I went to a place called Scoffs in Paignton.  It's not exactly an establishment where you'd go for a romantic meal but they do decent chips, it has to be said :)  
  • Hi there, I wondered if anyone had any advice on carb loading and if it is necessary? My marathon is on Sunday 8th. I would normally eat pasta meals on Friday and Saturday before a marathon. Otherwise do I just eat normally? I am 3.75 stone lighter than a year ago and still endeavour to maintain my weight using slimming world. On the day I will eat my usual breakfast of cereal, berries and yoghurt and take a banana with me. I am taking millionaires shortbread bars and fudge with me during the race. Any advice appreciated, thanks!
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Just a quickie,Big G- I had to come here via the front page and your article is on there now.
    A 4 mile slightly getting lost run with OH today,nice but not ideal terrain for me.550 ft of climb should be shades happy though.
    Good luck if anyone is racing this weekend ,and hope the injured get better soon.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Thanks Ian - I hadn't realised RW were going to do that.  I'll let WAY know too.  It's odd seeing it in print really, but I'm still glad I did it.  :)  I was marshalling at the Ladies 10K the other day, about 200m or so from the finish.  A lady who I didn't know ran past me, stopped, and turned back to me and said "Were you in Runner's World recently?".  I replied, "Urrrm, yeah....", and she said "Thought so.  Good article", before carrying on to the finish.
  • JellyJelly ✭✭✭
    Lily of the valley. I lost 4 stone on SW.  I make sure I have my 3 free meals a day on run up to race and have day off counting race day and back on it next day. It's not easy as I'm naturally always hungry as I have no off button. If you feel hungry eat, I make sure I have lots of fruit to pick at. 
  • Big G just read your article (()) beautiful, prayers x
  • Thanks Jelly that's really helpful :)
  • Shades - now that it's sunk in that I've entered an ultra the day after a marathon I'm beginning to think I'm off my head. Lol I aim to run the first one in 3:30ish and the marathon point on the second in about the same then just rely on guts and brawn. Still following a low carb diet so the weekend will be interesting. Training will have to change and I'll drop the speed and focus on back to back long runs.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    I've decided not to do Plym Trail tomorrow, and have emailed the RD so I can't be tempted in the morning.  I'm still not right and feeling light headed on occasion.  RHR is fine and probably I could get around it, but as has been said Munich is a priority due to costs etc, so don't want to make myself worse.
  • JellyJelly ✭✭✭
    If your not well best decision Big G, not worth prolonging it with Munich 
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Emmy - It's a shame about the route at Amsterdam as it's such an easy place to get to and race is held at a good time of year.   But every time I talk to someone that's done it they say that the route is a huge disappointment, they changed it a few years ago.   €70 is quite expensive for mainland Europe.

    Lily - re your carbo loading, you don't have to eat pasta!   From Thursday onwards you don't need to eat more but up the % of carbs and reduce the protein and fat and do that for every meal.  So opt for higher carb food, more potatoes, less meat/fish and if you're eating pasta, more pasta and less sauce or more rice, less sauce.  You'll need to drink more water when you up the carbs, as water is needed to store the extra glycogen.  Friday and Saturday have a top up with a mid morning and mid afternoon snacks too, again carbs.  By race morning you will probably have gained about 2 pounds in weight and that's fine.   I always suggest that on the Saturday night you eat exactly what you fancy, that way you'll enjoy the meal more, you'll digest it more easily and sleep better as it's the meal of your choice.   On race morning eat your usual breakfast that you know suits you before you run, taking extra food to the race is a good idea too.

    Iain - but did your OH enjoy the hilly run?

    On day 2 of your double, fuel well during the event and often, food and sports drinks/gels.   When you start to tire take walk breaks, eat then run a bit, walk/eat etc to get you to the finish.   You'll be fine, it's a matter of getting the brain in the right mode.


    Big G - that's great that RW have put your article on the front page.   

    I think that's the right decision re Plym Trail, if you don't feel right then you're not and save yourself for Munich.

    Yet another rest day for me, I haven't run since last Sunday's race. :'(   Changed dressing on my foot yesterday, it's healing well and not infected but the cut is quite deep and it's on the part of the heel with not much flesh so it will take a while.   I might try a short run tomorrow, maybe in a different shoe such as my Hokas.

  • Shades - I was going to ask you about carb loading so I'm glad Lily asked. I've copied and pasted the above advice for me to use the week before Bham. I was some popcorn last night and enjoying it so much. It's full of carbs so I'll be having some more as my snacks when carb loading. I was also thinking how much water to drink the day before the marathon ? Would 2 to 3 litres be about right ?
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    John - everyone has different requirements re fluids.  So just sip water regularly for the couple of days before the race, keep a bottle with you all the time so if you're out shopping/working etc you don't allow yourself to become thirsty.  No point in drinking too much you'll only be running to the loo!

    Popcorn is lovely, and easy to nibble on.  I ate a bag the night before my last marathon :)

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Shades, is it worth posting that document you wrote again about what to do in the lead up to a marathon?  I know it's based on London Marathon, but I have it mind a lot when prepping for a marathon.
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