Shades Marathon Training

SHADES

Rest day for me today.   

Have been out food shopping and it's wild and windy and very wet out there.   I might even drive to the gym.

SHADES

Robert is first and last on the 2022 list 

SHADES

xpost Cal - that's awful no trains from Manchester.   Colin is a gem of a friend.

Warm here too, double figures 

Big_G

Cal, glad the journey was ok. It was a nightmare again on the roads yesterday, really not enjoyable at all We had the radio on for a lot of it and the transport reports all over the country didn’t make great listening, just with the volume of traffic, bad weather, accidents etc. But we made it back safely, emptied the car, had some food, watched a bit of TV and then went to bed. OH is back at work today and on the walk up with Tigg it was raining heavily and not that pleasant!

SHADES

Big G - just as well you'd broken the journey up, to do the whole trip in one day would have been even more hellish.

I bet Tigg didn't enjoy the weather this morning.

I drove to the gym, something I rarely do, but if I had walked I'd have been soaked by the time I got there.   All the regulars turned up, I don't think I've seen the gym that busy since the pandemic.

Robert OHara

Shades surprised the gym is full now, didn’t think it started to fill up until January 

Big G glad you got back okay 

Cal, good of Colin to drive you to Sheffield! Trains to and from Manchester are a nightmare, lack of staff, striking hear the line are in financial problems so can’t see it getting any better soon.

Hope you all enjoyed Christmas, over indulged in food and suffered massively.  Hoping to blow the cobwebs off with a run in a bit.

got a pair of Gtx trail shoes, couple of shirts and couple of shorts to keep me going 

Robert OHara

Managed to get out, very sluggish, cold, wet and windy 5.6 miles seems for forecast is like it for Saturdays run 

SHADES

Robert - no newbies in the gym just the regulars like me.   I expect we'll get some newbies in January, they've been doing a special offer 60 days for £60, that's full membership includes classes and swimming etc., don't think they're allowed to start in the gym until they've had their induction.  No gym staff in today.

Well done getting out for a run after the Christmas indulgences, you'll be fine for Saturday.

Big_G

I did about 2hrs on the bike instead of a run after the dog walk, mainly as I couldn’t face another soaking.  

Then I had my first of 3 shockwave therapy sessions so we’ll see if that helps at all. It hurt quite a bit so hopefully it’s worth it!  He was a bit vague about whether I could run or not, saying to see how I feel, but I can cycle anyway so that’s good. I did Google the other day and there are some sites that say it’s ok to run and others where they say it’s not, so I’ll have to play it by ear, but I want to give it its best chance. I’ve got to keep up with the stretching, massage etc. 

Robert OHara

Big G fingers crossed it works, I was told to stay off running but to load gradually, so the cycling and stretching will most probably help. 

Shades my gym is very reasonably priced at £28 a month, there is a swimming pool about 500m away, includes classes and par 3 golf.  Seems many of the classes have been cut back since precovid probably due to cost or lack of attendance.  I took advantage of the half price offer for two months and didn’t visit my n December 

SHADES

Big G - hope the treatment works.   Odd about the lack of clear advice about whether it is OK to run.   Best to be cautious I guess.

Robert - our classes have changed since the pandemic but there's still plenty choice, about 10 a day during the week and less at weekends.  The indoor cycling classes are usually full and a couple of pilates/stretch classes too.

I've lapsed from all classes since February/March.   Bumped into one of my Pilates group out running a couple of weeks ago, said I would go back to Pilates that week but I didn't.  Then just before Christmas I bumped into three of them in town, they'd just come from the Pilates class and they made me promise/bullied me to go back after Xmas holidays.   So I'm booked in for Tuesday, now a different instructor.  She's lovely but super fit and I find all her classes very hard.  Anyway I'll just do what I can 😱 .  This Pilates class is never full.

Big_G

Robert/Shades, I was just walking back from work with OH and I was telling her I was thinking about not running for 3 weeks, but do a fair bit of cycling instead, and get back to the gym as well in that 3 weeks (I’ve been very sporadic what Lisbon and then NL). I went on the scales today and although I am not ‘racing weight’, it wasn’t horrendous so if I can just jump into a decent cycling plan for 3 weeks to give me some structure and if this treatment works, it’s still plenty of time to train for Boston. 

Ian5

Big G-I averaged 20m/w before Boston so you've definitely got time to get ready.

Shades-Looking at the list,apart from the covid Barca,my timed were very consistent this year,3:10-3:14,I'll be happy with that in 2023.
Not much running here again,only the 1 run last week,2 up to now this week is better,hoping to get 4 in,then we are off to Llangollen for a couple of nights over New Year,so planning a run there with OH.

SHADES

Big G - if you limit the racing on the bike and do a couple of hours base training every day that should improve your aerobic fitness when you resume running.  I'm sure your legs will make the necessary adjustments quickly when you're back running, and you'll have a head's start on the aerobic/endurance work.
Bonus, you will avoid any awful winter weather too.

Ian - Good to hear you're back on schedule with the running.   Llangollen is lovely.

Just waiting for dawn to get out for my run.  I trashed my legs and glutes in the gym yesterday so I expect it will not be the easiest of runs 

SHADES

8 miles, flat.  Legs were very tired and glycogen depleted so hard work after 4 miles.   We had a lot of rain yesterday, river has burst banks, even wider than last time.   In the neighbouring field, which I expect was flooded yesterday, water has now subsided and there were 5 beautiful egrets having a feeding frenzy, I suppose worms.   Also a buzzard in the same field, always magnificent to see.

Bloody postal strike, had a Christmas card today from a friend who is dying and he wrote that he was hoping to make it to Christmas.  Just so frustrating to hear that now.  

Big_G

2hrs on the bike today. OH is off today and she’s informed me we are going out to buy a new mattress…

SHADES

Big G - any soreness after your shockwave treatment?

You have to go to shop for the mattress, very important shopping. 😉

Cal Jones

Sorry about your friend, Shades...is he still with us? It'd be a lot worse to receive that card were he not.
Enjoy wrangling that mattress, Big G.

Also 8 miles here...windy out so I didn't go out until 10:30. Pace, stride length and cadence were all much better (pace around 10:30s mostly) which made me happy but not sure if that's purely from going out later or if it's a byproduct of the enormous Yule log I scarfed down yesterday. 🤭

Ian5

Shades-Post is terrible lately,I just got a letter dated 9th Dec,glad it wasn't important. 

Interesting day in work today,we had a release of a drink called prime,I've not heard of it before but we had massive queues outside for them,apparently its promoted by some YouTubers,had a look at the ingredients and it's basically lucozade sport,yet the power of marketing had made it the must have drink for kids.

Welshpoppy

Ian: I heard queues were crazy for this drink!!

SHADES

Cal - that's the dilemma, I don't know if he's still alive or not.   He usually, well since Covid, sends me an email Xmas card as when shielding he didn't go out.  This time I get a written card, but he didn't date it and as usual with Xmas post no postmark on the envelope.  I don't want to contact his wife and ask, I'll just have to wait.   He was only given a year or so to live but that must be five years ago, incurable lung condition.  He used to run marathons.  Writing in card was quite shaky.

Ha, ha at the Yule log, you'd better stock up on them and save them for pre marathon carbo loading.  Rocket fuel.


Ian - so glad I went to Aldi yesterday, wouldn't be happy queuing up with the kids.  I ran past Aldi this morning and there were 5 lads, about 12/13 hanging around outside, didn't think anything of it except thinking they're up early for teenagers during school holidays, it was about 8:30.

WP - you been following the YouTubers?  😉

Welshpoppy

Shades nope not me😊 it was on the local news webpage. 

Big_G

Ian, I saw something about that drink as well!

Shades, there is no extra discomfort today in that it’s back to normal, although it was quite tender last night. Been for a short walk today, and a drive, and it was ok. 

Mattress has been purchased and being delivered soon. 

Ian5

Yes the queues were mad,reminded me of when Kevin the carrot was first out.
7m done after work,leg still aching but runnable.

Robert OHara

Ian I don’t understand the hype with the drink, I could understand if there was something special about it, 

Big G mattress is on our shopping list too, From memory my shockwave left my foot feeling tender for a day or two after each session.

Shades that’s sad about your friend and the late arrival for the card, Elles stepfather received a letter for a hospital apt in the post two days after the apt. 

Cal I’m sure Ian will keep the group informed of the aldi 9p post Christmas sale so you can stock up on Yule log for pre race fuel.

Rest day as took down Xmas decs and caught up with Uni work, May get out to stretch the legs tomorrow before Saturdays marathon.  

Saturdays marathon will tick over 1000 miles in 2022.  Since June it’s been tough, back strain, then covid, asthma flare up and the calf strain.  Also with the new job overtaking life for a bit and Open Uni and insurance exams it’s been a busy year! 

2023 will be a better year, I feel I’m good to start without injury get some base training in before a short marathon plan for halstead which should be my 40th 4 days after my 40th birthday and aiming for a sub 4. 

SHADES

Big G - that's promising that your foot felt OK the day after.

Ian - at least you can keep Kevin the carrot 🥕.   Just been reading about the carnage in the Aldi stores yesterday.   Worrying how gullible the kids are.   However, amongst them will be the entrepreneurs who queued up to buy what they could to sell on at profit. 

Robert - postal strike causing more delays with the NHS then too, no thought for anyone else.   I am strongly opposed to any strikes, not just the Royal Mail.   

You have had a busy year, good you've started planning 2023.   I'm looking forward to meeting you at Halstead.   
Good luck for tomorrow's marathon.



I didn't feel great last night, slept OK for me, but have woken with a tickly throat and raised RHR so I'm erring on the side of caution and not running today.

Big_G

Sounds like you’ve got some great plans and goals, Robert. 

Shades, I’m not sure if it’s my imagination but I think the foot does feel marginally better after the first treatment. I 100% feel I could run anyway, but I’m not going to. 

Looking back over my 2022 from a running point of view, it started off so well in Seville in February, and I had high hopes (I confess I was wondering if sub-3 may have become a goal, certainly sub-3:05 was definitely a goal for this year). I got the 100th done, which I was pleased with particularly after the delays due to the pandemic, and then it went very downhill from there. 

But outside of running the year’s been good, with probably the Dutch/French trip in the van bring the highlight, and seeing the TdF in person brilliant. I’d like to do it again but not sure if it’ll be 2023. Personally speaking, it’s been very stressful with Dad and I can’t see that getting much better, but we seem to be in some kind of routine at least. It’ll be all change with OH’s work as well, but that could be exciting for her - regardless she needed to get out of the zoo so she’s made the right decision. 

As for running goals, I can’t set time goals yet. If this treatment works, I’d like to get up to around 2000 miles for the year, and I do have some marathons lined up, but whether they’ll be quick ones or ‘get it done’ attempts remains to be seen. If everything goes really well and the treatment works, maybe the second half of the year I may be back into a similar shape as I was, but we shall see. In terms of parkruns, I have done 208 so one thing is maybe getting to 250 but that’s not a major goal for me (this year I only did 32). 

Ian5

Rob-Lots of 4's planned there for Halstead,good luck tomorrow.
Big G-A very up and down year for you.
Mine has been like a rollercoaster,started injured, did Boston on minimal miles and somehow got 3:14,then had a good spell of training for Antwerp and got 3:10,not a PB but it is an age grade best and loved Chicago despite blowing up a bit.
Covid wasn't fun after dodging it for 2 years.
Highlights were another 2 majors ticked off and I really enjoyed both of them and Antwerp was great esp as OH also got GFA there.
1 of my best running highlights is actually seeing OH progress, from not really running until 2020 to be where she is now is amazing and is only going to keep improving.

SHADES

Big G - did you get your Frankfurt refund?


Ian - that's a lovely thing to say about your OH and her running.    I think she keeps you on your toes now 


2022 for me; was just a joy to be able to travel to races again especially to get back to my beloved Ireland.  I had three goals for the year, complete my 400th marathon/ultra, be fit enough to run DD, and get a London GFA time.   I didn't manage the DD one, but successfully completed the other two.   Especially pleased about the GFA, I know with advancing age I have a softer time to achieve, but as we get older that doesn't always make it that much easier.  Two GFA times one eligible for London 2023 and one eligible for 2024, no intention to use them, just wanted to bag them.

No run today, I have a cold, not bad just a slight head cold.   Hoping it clears and RHR drops for tomorrow, I love my run on New Year's Day, I like to make a good start to a new year 

Big_G

Shades, they wouldn’t give it to me as they said they only give refunds for a certain set of reasons