Shades Marathon Training

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  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - I know, you feel responsible for his happiness, but this is not within your capabilities to be able to change the situation.  It's hard.
    Hopefully the physiotherapy will also help him mentally to accept the changes to his life.   
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    For his happiness, but also his safety at home Shades.  If he refuses the help that I think is going to be required from carers etc, we're going to have problems :(  At the moment, he is adamant he doesn't want anyone else in the house.  However, as a starter, I've sorted out a fall alarm system and also I've fitted a key box.  He's not happy about either of these things, but they're there and it will mean that if he falls, the services will know where the key is and can get in the house if needed.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Big G - I don't think they'd let him go home if the help he needed wasn't in place.   I know when my Mum was at Totnes recovering from a hip replacement op she wasn't allowed home until the occupational therapist has done a risk assessment, such things as making my Mum walk to the kitchen, make a cup of tea and do other various tasks.

    A few years before that my Mum broke her ankle, she was in D & E as she fell out walking at Chagford.   After an op and a few days recovery they sent her home, but she lied to them and told them she lived with me so would be looked after, the hospital never checked with me.   She actually lived alone in sheltered housing.   However that's a completely different situation as she would recover from the fracture.

    You just have to hope that the staff at Totnes get through to him that he will need some care, they must see similar situations like this all the time.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Ian/Big G - more race photos here.

    GALLERY: Pictures from the Dartmoor Discovery ultra marathon | (plymouthsportsgazette.com)

    Ian - there's 2 good pics of you and you're even smiling in one of them  :)   I think you can save these photos for your own use.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Shades-Not sure if that's a smile or grimace 😬
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    Is DD all on roads then? I’d assumed it was a trail race for some reason
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Rcouture-Yes it is all road,just 1 loop so you don't need to worry about 5k loops.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Ian - looks like a happy smile to me  :)

    Rcouture - there are very few road ultras in the UK.   There are some multi lap challenge events on road surface.

    I don't run off road but like running ultras, there are quite a few in Ireland but not able to travel there yet although they are back racing now.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    RCouture, yes, all road :)  I can almost sense you getting the pencil out to tentatively mark your diary... ;)  

    I just asked Chairman how he was after the weekend and he basically said "feels like I've been hit like a bus" but also mentioned that the event will "continue to grow", so I wonder what may be in the pipeline.  I think it's been 11 years (10 editions) that he's been RD so it must be a bit odd for him as this was his last year as RD, but he said he will still be heavily involved.  Even last year when the race didn't happen, a lot of the prep work had already started, and of course then there was stuff to sort out after it was cancelled.

    I decided to cancel my Trotters session.  I'm tired and legs are still sore, so I'm giving it a miss.  I did 30mins very, very easy on the bike (didn't even break into a sweat) and although it did help the legs, it still wasn't enough to feel that I want to do 7-miles of running.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - that sounds promising comments from Chair.

    I don't blame you for cancelling the Trotter's session tonight.

    Once, might have been twice I'd have to check, I ran DD on the Saturday, flew to Ireland on the Sunday and ran Cork marathon on the Monday.  My legs were wrecked even on the start line at Cork, made for a very tough day.

    I'm hoping if DD is a week later next year I can do Cork the weekend before DD.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Shades, you may remember I did Yeovil 8 days after DD, which as you know is flat, and I actually thought my legs were okay on the start line.  I got to half marathon still feeling good at quite a conservative pace for me (1hr50-ish), and then the wheels fell off and I shuffled home in 4:18.  The nature of the course was that I was very tempted just to walk the couple of miles back to the finish for a DNF, but I did finish the thing.   Oooph.  When out on the course on Saturday, it did briefly cross my mind that I was glad I didn't have a marathon the following weekend!
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Big G-My club has arranged a 5k track race for next Monday,I was tempted but I don't think speed would be great for me for now.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - I've done Yeovil (badly) a couple of times the following weekend after DD, tough.   DD is the only race that really trashes my legs.

    One year one of my marathon junkie friends said 'we could do a great triple, DD, Wales (Tenby) and Cork'.   Having run DD a few times I wasn't keen.  Luckily it was impossible logistically as we couldn't get to Cork on time for the race on the Monday.

    Ian - you might be alright for a 5km but a week later would be better.
    Is your injury alright after DD?
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    I’ve signed myself up for an intro run to Clapham chasers club (same as Cal’s). I think I’d enjoy doing some sessions with others from time to time so might as well see what it’s like. Not till 8th of July as they are apparently very popular I guess due to the influx of new covid runners but that’s fine. 
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Shades-No I'm not willing to take a chance, I'll wait a bit.
    Rcouture-That should be good,from what I gather Cal's club is pretty big and have a massive range from elites to back of packers so you would definitely find people of a similar speed.
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Ian - Yes I think they’ve got about 1000 members so there should hopefully be some as slow as I am. Think the sessions are split into 6-7 different pace groups. Can’t see myself doing my easy MAF stuff there, more weekly tempos, track, hills. 
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Ian - hopefully you'll not be short of races to do once you've recovered.


    Rcouture - that's great news you're planning to join a club, you'll enjoy it.    Definitely won't be MAF training sessions but you should get a variety of speed and group sessions which can be fun and challenging.   You're certainly not slow, could never say that about your running.   :)



    5 miles undulating today, fresh this morning but good running conditions.

    Pilates this morning.   :)
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Oh that's brilliant, Rcouture! You'll definitely be welcome. I do the results round-up every week so I look forward to including you in that. Hopefully we'll get to meet at some point too. :grin:

    Big G, sorry about what you're going through with your dad. My dad was in a similar situation once my mum went into the nursing home as he was living on his own and semi-disabled from his stroke. He had carers though, and had to wear one of those emergency button necklace things in case he fell down, which he did (though he wasn't wearing it when he broke his hip and it wasn't until the cleaner found him the next day that he got help, so there's that). It's definitely not easy for someone who has been strong and independent to accept help but there you have it.

    Like Shades, I did 5 miles today, just around the common. Already warm at 6:30 when I went out. HR is moving in the right direction, especially as I was a little quicker today (still slow but most of my miles were under 11 this time). Still a way to go - unfortunately I am nowhere near fit enough to do the evening race before my birthday next week (well I could, but it'd be a jog around) but I'm hopeful I can do the half marathon mid-July. Wouldn't be a fast one anyway at that time of year so I'm not too concerned with time at this point though I would like to be under 2 hours.

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    RCouture, you're not slow!  But I know what you mean; when you see the really quick people at the shape end of races, it's like they're at a different level.  But you're not slow at all.

    After really not feeling like I wanted to run yesterday, I got up this morning and felt better, so I went out for 7 this morning.  Nice and easy at a low HR, although I did have to walk some slopes I usually run up at MAF in order to keep the HR down on those bits.  Slight downhills caused the most discomfort really, but I had a nice run out and enjoyed it.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Cal, I've got one of those fall systems for Dad and it was installed a couple of weeks ago.  There's a pendant for around his neck, and also a bracelet which detects a fall, and he has previously promised me that he'll wear it so I hope he does.  Good run from you today :) 
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Cal - Yes I also looked into Wimbledon windmillers but what swung it was your recommendation+windmillers session times weren’t ideal+the better vests at Chasers 😬. Would be great to meet indeed. 

    Just under 6 miles this morning. Still very slow but HR low for me which is nice to see and hopefully suggests some of this marathon fitness has rolled over. 
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Cal - your fitness is coming back quickly, I'm sure you'll be ready to race when your half marathon comes around.   

    Big G - swift recovery if you're running 7 miles already, it is those downhills at DD that trash the legs, ouch.


    Rcouture - the club vest is important   :)  I have a friend that was considering joining a running club, closer to her home than her current club, but when she found the club vests were red and black like Dennis the Menace, she stayed with her existing club.

    You won't have lost all that marathon fitness, it's still there.    :)


    Pilates was good, back, hamstrings and quads given a good stretching workout.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    RCouture/Shades, when I joined Trotters I was mainly swung by their website.  It was just much better organised and easy to find relevant info about training sessions compared to another local club.  It had info about who to contact and I remember being nervous the first time I went, so the fact there was a named person who would be on the look out for me when I first arrived really helped at the time.  The other club also seemed to cater for quicker runners and that was off-putting at the time, but I've long since found out they are just as friendly, but they just happen to attract quicker runners.  Back then I had no idea that the club (and running) would become quite a big part of my life!
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Big G-7 miles? You've recovered a lot better than I have, legs still tender at the back.
    Shades-The injury was good,or maybe the pain in the quads overrode it
    Rcouture-Youre certainly not slow,it would be good doing the faster stuff at the club,I wouldn't do your slower runs there as it is so easy to get dragged to a faster pace with others.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - I can't judge a running club by its website as too slick then I'd think too much of membership fees being spent.   A lot of very good clubs have crap websites, but of course you need to be able to find out about a club.  When I joined Trotters it was pre internet days, I was aware of the Trotters and I went along to one of their races, think it was the 10 miler they used to organise before dropping it for DD.   I then was able to talk to lots of Trotters that were marshalling and timekeeping and get the info I needed.    I had run the Templer Ten before then as my very first race but don't think it was a Trotters race at the time, think it was organised by the Police.
    They didn't have a buddying process for newbies when I went along to Trotter the first time, just as well, that would have put me right off.

    I don't think any of us knew how important running would become for us.   :)

    Ian - Big G did a a recovery run  ;).   Plus I expect the long drive home didn't help and might have caused the muscles to stiffen up at the back of the knees.   Good that your injury survived DD well.


    5 miles today, legs heavy, I suspect after that Pilates session yesterday.
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    I am very much looking forward to running in a group now. I’m almost tempted to just sign up as a member now and start rather than waiting for a month as not sure what I could possibly discover in a short newbie intro run. It is 40 quid though. 

    Just under 6 miles this morning. Not sure yet if I prefer these early morning runs. For one thing my body isn’t used to running fasted so feel a bit sick at the end for 20 mins. I also need to at least be checking emails/news for work by 6:45 which means being out the door at 5:30ish. That’s around when I got up when I used to commute but I’ve gotten used to the extra lie-in 😬.  On the other hand it’s a nice start to the day especially with this weather. Might be quite grim in the winter I guess. 
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Yeah at the time Shades I knew nothing about running clubs etc.  I just saw a couple of club vests at a local race and investigated/Googled shortly afterwards.  As I didn't know what I was doing, it was mainly the named person on the site who would welcome me and the fact that the sessions were outlined that swung it.  Now, if I moved towns, I wouldn't be so bothered about that stuff and would just turn up I'd imagine.

    I went up to pick OH up from work and walked down to the beach for a meal at a pub there, sitting outside with Tigg.  Afterwards, we walked back into town to home and Torbay Tri were out in a few groups so I had a chat with a couple of them.  They were asking when I was going to go back, and I will try to at some point.  The few weeks before DD I wasn't doing any harder sessions at all, but I may do the occasional one now I suppose.

    45mins on Zwift this morning, which I enjoyed.  Hoping to go Trotters tonight.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Rcouture, is there any news on if you may have to get back to commuting, or is your work going let you work from home, even if only part time?
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    Big G - In theory we have complete flexibility with a small amount of folks starting to do a few days in the office here and there. I suspect I will end up doing 2-3 days at the office per week from late summer but depends on what everyone else does really. Commutes are actually good for running in that I work on the other side of London from me in Canary Wharf which means there are lots of route options/distances depending on which train I take. I should also be able to do double days eventually which I’ve never done before. 
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Big G, I had the choice of Chasers or the nearer Herne Hill Harriers (they also have Dennis the Menace kit, Shades, though I actually like black and red) I went with Chasers as I thought HHH were more of a serious athletics club. Which they are (since they cover track and field) but of course Chasers has some really fast people including Steph and Carla Molinaro. 
    What convinced me, though, was running into a whole load of Chasers at the River Thames Half back in 2015 (the year I really got into racing and did eight halves and a bunch of shorter stuff too - I think there was a 9 week period where I did 7 races). Had a good chat with some at the finish and signed up the next day.

    Rcouture - I think you get used to it. I have no problem running on empty, though I do have a coffee first to help, uh, speed things a long. I won't go out with a full colon, that never ends well.  :D
    That sounds like a nice river run in the morning if you run commute.

    Quite pleased with my run today. I did 8 miles and overall pace was quicker. Ran some new roads (well not quite new - I'd covered them on walks while I was injured) so got some new Strava segments. HR was still quite high but then I was averaging below 10:30s which is 30 secs per mile faster than I was doing last week. 
    Hammy had a bit of a moan too but it'll get a day off tomorrow. I need to get on top of my rehab as I neglected it while I was ill as I had no energy.

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