Shades Marathon Training

SHADES

Rcouture - maybe when you're back to your usual weight it might be worth going somewhere that has a more sophisticated machine that could give you a more accurate fat and muscle % reading.  Then if you still think your fat % is too high you can work on that.

I agree with you and Cal re keto.   I'm not in favour of any diet that severely limits any food type or food group.

Have you found the Nova 3's a little more comfortable in the toe area?  

Rcouture

Shades - Yes I need to focus on upper body strength in particular with age. I’ve been pretty disciplined on core and leg strength work to support the running but not bothered doing anything else at all aside from joining OH’s yoga once a week at best. Finding the time for more stuff is another thing 😀.

Re the novas the toe area on the v2 was never actually uncomfortable, the upper just seemed to erode away pretty quickly. Fingers crossed the new ones are a bit more durable in that regard. 

Big_G

Very, very quiet at the vaccine centre today for my booster. I was literally in and out in two mins, no queues at any point, car park quiet, so quite different to last time which, although efficient, was quite busy. A brief chat with the nurse suggested uptake is low.

I did a Zwift team time trial today in an easy (for me) team just to ease my way back into it. 

SHADES

Rcouture - your lower body/legs must be fairly strong now so maybe alternating between upper and lower body sessions won't take up any more of your time.

Has your hamstring settled down?


Big G - when I went for my booster I walked straight in and straight out again, I had booked very promptly once my age group was up.   Think they had a busy spell a few weeks later as some folk got parking fines as not back at their cars in the allowed 40 minutes.   But I believe there is apathy this time round, some saying they've had 3 injections and don't think they need any more as they've been alright!

Just had a call from my dental surgery asking if I want to bring an appointment with the hygienist forward as they have a cancellation tomorrow.  New receptionist diplomatically asked if I'm capable of climbing the stairs, so we had a laugh when I said I ran a marathon a couple of weeks ago.  🤣

Big_G

Meant to add that the results of my blood test following my recent chest infection were ‘All normal, no action needed’. Or ‘boringly normal’, which I think my GP would have described it as. I’ve got an asthma review next week, but it’s on the phone, which I was surprised about - I’d presumed they’d have had me in, blowing into things. If that conversation all goes fine, I think the last chest infection was just one of those things again, but I wish I knew how to help prevent it happening!

Big_G

I think registrations are closed now for 2023, but what about this for a potential marathon-based holiday!

Kyoto, February 19.

Osaka, February 26.

Tokyo, March 5.

SHADES

Big G - good news on the blood test.

I suspect your asthma makes you more likely to get chest infections?

Considering Japan are marathon crazy, I'm sure you could find a marathon every day to do for the three weeks 😉. Are you planning to go in 2024?

I've never wanted to travel to Japan, just never appealed to me.  

Ian5

I'd never fancied Japan until I got in to Tokyo, mainly because it was so far and I've never really known anyone who's been there to big it up.
Got a niggle in my calf again,pretty sure it's the same as last time so just need to figure out how I solved it,not enough to stop me running though,just enough to make me think about it so 7 dome after work,hoping to hit 40 again this week then I'm good to go.

SHADES

Ian - one of your goals is to complete all the Majors so a good reason to go to Japan.   Not one of my goals.

Talking of Majors, I started watching my recording of the 2018 Boston, the year of the horrendous weather, cold/wind/rain.   I'm only up to 10k point, but even in the bad weather the course looks quite nice so far.

I remember you mentioning about the sore calf after Chicago, did you note in your training diary what you did to resolve it?  You'll have to tell us what you do to heal it, then if it happens again, we can remind you.  


In contrast I have woken up with 100% pain free tendon, completely gone, not a twinge.   Weird, but 4 days no running must have brought it on and 3 days running has healed it.    4 miles today, still no energy at all, so a definite DNS for Sunday.   Very mild today, strong headwind in places.

Cal Jones

Ian, I've been to Japan and I love it (part of the reason I wanted to go back for the marathon...though that won't happen now). I love the food, the culture, everything. 

As I've not run since Sunday, I braved a 3 mile plod today just to remind my legs they could run. Slight headache and a runny nose but otherwise not terrible. I'll be taking the train to Manchester today - hope it's an unstressful journey (three of the last four trips have been subject to delays and/or cancellations).

Rcouture

Cal - Good luck with the trains. They’ve been shocking lately especially the Avanti ones. 

Shades - Not a peep from the hamstring which isn’t unexpected as I’ve not run faster than MAF since Chicago. 

I’m keen to do all the majors but especially Berlin next really so fingers crossed for the ballot. 

6 miles earlier. There’s a lady on a mobility scooter who I see frequently on my daily loop on the way to the common. For almost 3 years since the beginning of the pandemic she’s had these two kind of flags sticking out the sides of the scooter telling people to keep their distance. Today she didn’t have it for the first time which I asked her about and she said she’d tripped a cyclist with it! No major damage luckily. Couldn’t help but laugh. 

SHADES

Cal - hope this time you have a pleasant journey and the weekend goes well.  

Survived the hygienist 😨😨, wasn't too bad.  Stopped off on the way home and bought my 2023 training diary.😊

Big_G

Cal, remind me how you got into Tokyo.  Was it via the ballot, or a different way?

Cal Jones

I had my teeth polished after I got the new crown - it's really not pleasant is it? I don't mind the buzzy round head but the skinny one that goes around the gum line, argh.

Big G, ballot. Wish I'd never bloody entered that thing.

SHADES

Cal - no, it's not a pleasant experience.   But he is the nicest hygienist I've ever had and I don't have to see him for another 6 months.


Big G - there are guaranteed places using a sports tour company, expensive though.

Ian5

Big G-I had registered with Sports tours and it was very dear,think the cheapest Inc hotel for 4 nights was just under 3k.I could send you the email so you can see the packages if it interests you for a future year.

Big_G

Ian, thanks. I’ll message you my email address. Not sure I’d want to pay that, but it’s good to know the details. Abbott have very recently got a new system where if you’re on 5 stars needing Tokyo for the 6th, there’s a separate ballot where you try and get a place, but I’d imagine the odds still aren’t great. 

https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/content-hub/abbottwmm-to-help-thousands-reach-their-six-star-goal

Ian5

Shades-I don't think it's actually been resolved fully.I had it before Chicago but decided if I didn't say it out loud then its not there,it's a really weird feeling,it'd like somethings pulling a bit,causing irritation rather than pain.
Anyway another 7 after work boxed off,back to short sleeve tshirt again today,temp was 16°.

SHADES

Ian - I think I recognise that feeling.   I've had that, not really a pain, something deep in the calf, sometimes think my calf might go pop.   I usually tape up in that situation and that stops me thinking about it. 

We've had that balmy weather down here too.  


Up early this morning, roasting a turkey.   My rest day today but I have decided to go to the gym for a short session this morning, once the turkey is cooked.

Big_G

That was early for your turkey, Shades!

Ian, the majors were never really ‘a thing’ for me, but they became one when I qualified for two of the US ones. And Japan as a destination is a place I’d really love to go, so it would be great to combine it with Tokyo marathon. But we shall see. 

I was wiped out most of yesterday, but in the evening felt normal so went out and did parkrun today, including running there and back. It was nice to be out but it was painfully slow, but the foot was good. I am going to try and run a bit more regularly (not set in stone, but mon/weds/fri/sat) and see how I get on, interspersed with some zwifting. 

SHADES

Big G - good to hear you're back into your Saturday routine of running to parkrun etc.

I went to the gym at 7am, nice and quiet at that time.   Did an hour which I found quite challenging as it's been a month since my last gym session, what with races , head cold, then that virus.  I've lost a lot of fitness.   

I'm really tired now, up before 4am, my electricity is cheap (relatively) at that time.  Think its the gym rather than the early morning that's tired me out.

Rcouture

6 miles this morning in between drop off and pick up for the girls’ music. Will try and go for 10 tomorrow which should give me 40 for the week which would be the first real week of training since Chicago. 

Cal Jones

Up in Manchester. My friend is working today (well, on a Zoom training course) so I was left to fend for myself. I managed to get myself to Burnage parkrun on the tram without getting lost, which is a plus. It's a nice course with an out and back then two laps of hard path and firm trail. It's not quite flat, with one incline of note, a couple of humps and then a flight of steps, all of which need to be taken twice. I was happy enough to get around in 28:35 given the cold and the race tomorrow, though Garmin did measure my HR as being rather high. I blame the virus for that. Hopefully I'll be a bit more recovered tomorrow.

SHADES

Rcouture - it hasn't taken you long to get back up to 40 mpw.  

Cal - good luck for tomorrow, hope it goes well and you have the good weather that we're enjoying down here.

SHADES

5 miles this morning, still lacking in energy so obviously still in that post viral stage.   I feel fine though, I was hoping to do 6 miles, but just not ready yet.   

Touch of DOMS after gym session yesterday, I did 30 mins upper body and 30 mins lower body but more DOMS in upper body than lower.

Ian5

Shades-I am feeling the same,thought I was OK but went to the club league race today and it went pretty poorly.Very hilly course but just felt like I had no energy,lots of people who I'm normally around or ahead of finished way ahead of me.37 miles for the week so slightly behind target bit ok as I was rough at the start of the week.

Big_G

Sorry to hear you guys are still struggling with lack of energy etc.  

I hope Cal has done okay at her race

I have been casually looking around at European marathons and saw Nicosia in December. They encourage charity donations but it seems it’s only €10 to enter and it appears on the AIMS site so is presumably an official event. 

Edited to add it may be the first running of the full marathon this year, as last year the results only show the half. 

Rcouture

Cal - Hope you had a good day and are enjoying the rides

Ian - Shame about the race but am sure it’s just your bug. 

10 miles earlier. Chilly with a breeze along the river and was underdressed so froze a bit. That’s the downside of all this slow running is that you don’t warm up much, or I don’t at least. 40 for the week. Rest tomorrow planned though may move it to Tuesday when there’s heavy rain forecast. 

SHADES

Ian - we'll bounce back in a week or so.   You had a nasty virus too.  I'm feeling the same as you, fine but when I run there's nothing there after the first couple of miles.

Big G - I expect Cal is having fun on the rides at Alton Towers.

Ha, ha at the casually looking around at European marathons 😉

10 euro entry fee is all very well but flight, hotel, buses, airport parking, petrol still to pay for.  😮. 

Rcouture - well done on back to double figures for your run.   I have to dress warmly too when base training.  It's not so warm here as originally forecast today.

Big_G

Shades, probably still cheaper than a weekend in Brighton