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Shades Marathon Training
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TR/Shades: I have a pair of Reebok Forever Energy. I would order half a size smaller next time, as some of the reviews also suggest. I have also on order a pair of New Balance Fuelcell Propel (version 2) that come highly recommended as a long run shoe: can get these for between £40 and £50 (Sportsdirect or Sportspursuit). At that price I was willing to take the risk.
Cal: hoping for a speedy recovery for you!
mamafox: re orthoses. Mine were made to fit in one specific Asics shoe. The podiatrist was at great pains to point out that other shoes would require different measurements. From a slightly different angle, I have two friends who are/were GB athletics team doctors: they are not great fans of orthoses in running shoes. They argue that they should be fitted in one's ordinary day shoes that you might wear for 12 to 15 hours a day and therefore be of greater benefit, with recovery in particular. Might be worth getting a view on this.
Good to see you back running, Big-g. Don't rush things!
No running here: vertigo. And wish it would go.
Do you like the Reeboks? I remember you asking me about them a while ago.
Let us know how you get on with the NB Fuelcell Propel when you've had a chance to test them out. There seems to be quite a few of the less expensive NB shoes worth a bit of research.
Ian - 3 hours isn't so bad, that's about my preferred limit for a race morning drive. And it makes little or no difference to how your race will go. But you do need to factor in time for a stop for breakfast.
It does make for a long day by the time you get home, more traffic on the return drive adds extra time too.
I used to drive to Wolverhampton on the day, that's a 3 hour drive for me and I did get a 10 minute PB there one year.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963491/COVID-19_Response_-_Spring_2021.pdf
Under 29th March, point 102 includes: "Formally organised outdoor sports – for adults and under 18s - can also restart and will not be subject to the gatherings limits, but should be compliant with guidance issued by national governing bodies". So as Ian said, we will need to wait for EA to confirm, but it does look like races in a Covid secure environment should be allowed from 29th March.
I had a message from my gym last night 12th April
Ian - if MK and Boston go ahead you'll have to drive on the day unless you get a holiday let, which is a bit too much faff for one night although not impossible.
We'll have to wait now for Sport England/EA to detail the rules for competition, let's hope they don't make it unnecessarily complicated for road races.
Rcouture - a half 3 weeks before your marathon is perfect timing. Your last long run (14-16ish) is usually 2 weeks pre marathon, then the week before your marathon a 10 miler. No need to take it easy on your half, race it. But this time don't take days and days rest after the half marathon, out the next day for a gentle recovery run and back into training on the Tuesday or Wednesday.
My 8 mile hilly town route today, nice bright morning with a sharp wind. I went out a bit later than I should have which meant I had to deal with more traffic than I would have liked on my hilly lap, there are places with no or very narrow pavement so I like to run freely on the road. But I was treated to a beautiful sunrise and the sun was out for the last 15 minutes on my run, I could have done with my shades.
Rcouture- Were you not doing MK on the 5th?
I race a half either 3 or 4 weeks out and agree with Shades,no rest no taper just race through
Shades-If they say anything about travel I'm pretty sure it will only be guidance not law,and I've pretty much stuck to it all the way so 1 breach of guidance will be fine.
I did an FTP test yesterday on Zwift, and I'm hoping to do a 6-week FTP builder programme to see if I can improve my FTP. It has gone up in the recent weeks, but I'm wondering if a structured training programme will help it. We'll see. I did the first session yesterday anyway, with the second one planned later today.
Also in terms of tests, I did a MAF test today, which was my first one since September (well I did a flat 11-mile test in January, which I was very pleased with at that time as there was very little cardiac drift). It really wasn't ideal conditions today as it was very windy (more details below that clearly show that), but I was pleased really as it's broadly in line with what I was doing towards the end of last summer.
This was on 0.5-mile out and back, and the outward 0.5 mile was into a strong headwind, with the return 0.5 mile with a tail wind, but as always I never feel I make up what I've lost when I've got the tail wind. Average of each mile was 142bpm, although it did spike to 146 when I turned around each time and through the "wind tunnel" along the sea wall as I got used to running more slowly into the headwind. So not perfect but I'm happy enough as the averages for each mile were at my target. Mile and half mile splits below which show the return leg was much more favourable, as they were about 20-secs quicker!
1. 8:26. 4:24/4:02
2. 8:22. 4:19/4:03
3. 8:29. 4:23/4:06
4. 8:49. 4:34/4:15 (the wind was very strong the last 2 miles)
5. 8:47. 4:36/4:12
Miles 4 and 5 don't look great I suppose but the wind was getting worse at that point, not better, and I wouldn't usually do a test in those conditions but I wanted a baseline. This was an average of 8:35min/mile, which like I say is in line with what I was doing last summer. If I can get some consistency in over the coming weeks, it'll be interesting to see if I can make some improvements, so we'll see what happens. 1 mile there and 1 mile back for 7 miles for the day.
If you think you have severe overpronation then perhaps you should be using motion control shoes.
If you're having doubts about spending that much on a neutral shoe, then buy a cheaper pair of well cushioned neutral trainers and see how you get on with them.
Or if you want a well cushioned NB shoe, the suffix numbering on NB shoes is as follows:-
80 = neutral
40 = control
60 = stability
70 = light stability
90 = speed
I ran in my 1080's this morning and because I find the heel and arch a snug fit they actually feel very stable to me. In fact I'm thinking of doing a couple of long run's in the 1080's to see how I get on. I tend to overpronate on longer runs as I tire.
I've done lots of reading and gripping the heel tight seems to be a common want in shoes to help with PF.
Big G-Really good if you feel you are back in that type of shape,just in time to increase ready for racing.
As I've said many times I use elastic laces in most of my shoes as I want that snug fit, heel included. I haven't put elastic laces in the 1080's because I already feel I have that snug fit. I particularly notice the snug heel fit when I'm doing my tougher hills, I don't feel any movement at all on the steep downhills even when I feel I'm running quite fast. Not sure if Big G feels the same about the heel fit.
I have other NB shoes but don't get the same fit in the heel with those.
Also had a text from my hairdresser too.
Feels like we might have some normality coming back into our lives.
I have a meeting this afternoon so went for an earlier run than usual,felt good to be out,bit windy but tried to keep the effort even.I've noticed a couple of times my HRM seems to drop out for a couple of mins,I wet it before I go,position in the right place, is there any cause of this?
10 miles for me at lunchtime along the river. Beautiful and sunny. Surprisingly quiet too given the weather.
I've booked my jabs at one of the big vaccination centres, rather than wait for my GP's practice to contact me and get vaccinated just down the road.. That means I can at the same time take my car on an essential journey of 30 miles round trip and recharge the battery.
Great news, Shades. Hopeful some normality will start to return, as you say. The test for me personally is being able to (and feeling I can safely do so) book flights which is some way off still.
I did an hour on the bike today for session 2 of the plan, which included 10x10-sec sprints at max power. Well, it should have been 10 but I only did 9 due to, errrm, a "user error".
2 years ago at around this time I was sitting in a restaurant in Malta with a load of other runners, who turned out to be a Running Crazy group. It was blowing a gale outside and we were all nervously awaiting news, and sure enough the marathon got cancelled on the eve of the race. Two years ago, crikey! I've still got the medal though and I'm glad I picked it up. I was in two minds whether to bother at the time, but there is a story attached to it.
Funny you mention Malta,I was only looking before and today was Seville last year,there is no way I'd have guessed that was going to be my last marathon for over a year.