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Shades Marathon Training
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Robert - I think cost will deter some gym newbies this year.
Thank you for the race list, nicely spread out and a good varied selection.
Have you done Beachy Head before?
I think it's better to make plans than to hold off otherwise it's too easy to make weak excuses not to race, usually the excuse is not enough training, which is most likely to be lack of planning. I like to plan in advance and book early when I can especially for events where I need hotel/flights etc.
Rcouture - sounds like a promising start to the new job and a bonus that you have a later start so should be able to find time to run without impacting on family time.
I had planned to do my very hilly town run today, including the monster hill that I skipped last week. Don't know what I was thinking of, I realised as soon as I got out of bed that the thrashing I gave my legs yesterday in the gym was not going to make a hill session possible. So 8 miles flattish instead, had a lovely run, perfect conditions, really mild, birds were singing their heads off.
I’ve just been on Zwift and have a dentist appointment for a checkup shortly
Hope the dentist goes OK. Is your dentist NHS or now private?
Rob - that's a plan! The Essex 30 sounds intriguing although I'm generally not a fan of laps. Have you done it before?
Shades first time at Beachy Head, been on my list for five years! I doubt I’ll change my ways of planning the year in advance.
Cal Essex 30 is a bit boring, nice disused railway trail, frequent aid stations every 4.3 miles, back to your bag every 8 miles so can take on your own fuel, see all the runners constantly as it’s an out and back, thank your lucky stars that you’re only doing 33 miles whilst the others are doing 50 or even 100!
My dentist in nhs, have a good relationship with mine, have a good old chat and she knows I run so she avoids any filings around races.
Robert - I'm sure you'll love Beachy Head, it's very popular and well organised. I've done it three times, hated it every time, not my sort of course but part of the famous triple of 3 marathons in 3 days in 3 different countries. England(Beachy Head)/Wales (Snowdonia)/Ireland (Dublin). It was only possible to do the triple when the races fell on the same weekend which wasn't every year, BH was always at school half term, Snowdonia last Sunday in October and Dublin last Monday in October.
When I did BH we used to get soup and buns at one of the check points, and a meal at the finish, not sure if they do that now. Weather can be a factor, first time I did it when we got to the first of the Seven Sisters it was so windy that 2 of the runners ahead of me were blown over, we had to go up using our hands. Naturally the remainder of the course was very windy and exhausting in the gale force winds.
One thing I particularly hate about BH is that they have a piper with bagpipes on the downs at the start. IMHO bagpipes should not be allowed out of Scotland 😡
From your list I've changed the date of BH, you have it for the Sunday, I'm sure it's still on the Saturday. Only mentioning it in case you're booking accommodation.
I would avoid any major dental treatment too around race time but it wouldn't bother me having fillings.
Hope the weather is OK for Sunday.
8 miles this morning, undulating. Legs still gym tired, didn't have a great run but I think that was because it was quite chilly. Lovely full moon, unfortunately too much cloud, otherwise I could have run home on the back road by the moonlight.
Forecast is mixed for sunday, but the course is waterlogged and muddy in places, remember it being drier last year and that was bad enough. The white socks are going to get another hammering!
The ultra addition must be fairly new, I agree £20 for an extra 10k is a bit pricey. Sausage rolls are much better mid run fare than a bun.
You need some black socks!
Big G - isn't the injection more likely to be effective on the nerve issue we'd discussed before.
Dropped into the gym, that sounds a bit casual, did you do a workout too?
Shades Elle is unsure on a graduation ceremony, would be different if it was a brick uni. Chloe and her boyfriend also didn't have a graduation ceremony either as didn't see the fuss with it (Chloe's should be later this month). We've suggested going out up London having a meal and show together instead, I may just sneak off to a ceremony by myself if Elle decided not to go. The ultra was introduced last year, but it was the marathon event that had been recommended highly.
Anyway 18 miles planned this weekend. Also thinking of plans, looking at either a 50k or 50 miler for later in the year.
Robert - I'd stick with the marathon then. One of the best things about BH is that as it's so popular and busy there's a great atmosphere.
I dropped into the gym, only did 30 minutes as I was too hungry to do more. The kids were in from the school but all beautifully behaved as newbies to the gym so weren't allowed to wander around getting in the way. Teacher was explaining how to use the equipment.
Glad I went to the gym as I bumped into one of the managers who left and has returned. She's suggested I book a one to one session with one of the gym staff for a new programme, free of charge.
I was late to the gym as I went to upgrade my phone. Haven't got the phone yet as they were out of stock, so will be sent to my home and I will go back for data transfer next week. I get a free laptop with this phone!
Have you decided which Spring marathon to do yet?
6 miles this afternoon on usual common route. Worked from home to test out the tech. I won’t actually be wfh much for a while until I establish myself and get to know everyone though. Even then I may keep it to once every week or two max as I enjoy the office and the run-commute is nice. Maybe on a Wednesday or Thursday as those are speedwork days. OH and girls are headed to in-laws this weekend so I will be solo working and running.
Good you can plan your office/WFH to suit you, all seems to be going very well.
Big G - I'm surprised Tigg lasted 2 minutes this morning, somewhat challenging conditions.
50-60mph gusts here, I put the bins out last night and amazingly they were OK, I had wedged them against a wall.
My quads were still a bit sore from Wednesday's gym when I got up but I decided to go ahead with my hilly town route despite the weather as we have flooding here if I attempted to go on a flatter route. The heavy rain had stopped and I ran the first 3 miles only having to deal with the hills and the wind. Legs feeling a bit heavy but OK, unfortunately the worst of the headwind was going up the hills and a tailwind for the mile long gentle downhill, which I did twice. At the highest point the wind was quite scary, big houses up here with substantial gardens and lots of big trees swaying and groaning in the wind. On the second lap the rain started and was very heavy and the roads quickly flooded, even at the highest point the road was still flooded. Back down into the town and at 6 miles I have a mile flat through the town which I was hoping to use as a bit of a recovery before tackling the toughest hill. But that flat mile was all into the wind and was exhausting. Up the big hill, which is about half a mile in total, it's so steep it zigzags up, the climb just for the hill is over 200ft. But my legs were wasted at this point and I had to stop twice on the way up. Made it eventually, then all downhill to home. My quads are on fire now, but I enjoyed it. 8 miles 725ft climb.
Rcouture - how is the new job working out then? Nice that you can run-commute.
Big G, I don't blame Tigg.
Shades...yes I can sympathise at the hills and wind but well done.
Today's parkrun was Mote Park in Maidstone, Kent, which I chose because it was all hard path. However, I underestimated how hilly it was (I mean, no big hills, but undulating enough to be pretty taxing). The wind didn't help my speed either. My time was an uninspiring 28:55, but evidently others found it tough too because I finished as 12th female and 1st in age group. HR was high (peaked at 191) but I guess that's to be expected on a course like that.
I got very wet this morning on my run. If I had opted for the flat route I would have been even wetter, photo taken this morning.
Since the photo was taken the water has risen and now impassable.
Cal - Good job with the AG at parkrun
6 miles this afternoon. HR today and yesterday looking more normal after stressful week which is comforting. 20 miler planned tomorrow. Not sure if I’m doing too many of these too early as still have 10 weeks until Barcelona and tomorrow will be 4th >18miler since beginning of December? Want to keep mileage as high as I can for as long as I can so not sure what else to do really.
I did go on the bike yesterday, hoping for a longer ride, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Legs tired, HR higher than usual, so I stopped earlier than planned. I’ve had an easy morning this morning (new mattress is great), and we’re heading out for a brunch a bit later. I may go on the bike later, or I may just have a rest day and go again tomorrow.
Big G, hope you like the mattress.
On the plus side, pace was alright, there was a nice full moon and I saw a couple of Chelsea Pensioners in full regalia (around 7am) as I was coming up to Sloane Square so I gave them a cheery greeting.
Big G - Makes sense to me, will crack on. You’re right that running to HR does help to stop overdoing it. Thanks. Hope it’s the mattress of your dreams 😬.
Cal - Nice long run
Had a lie-in for the first time in a while as home alone. Done a bit of work and will head out shortly.
I'm always amazed at the confidence of marathon runners that don't at least factor in an extra week or two just in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Big G - good to hear the mattress is a success. I do want to buy a new bed and mattress in the next year or so, will keep that company in mind.
Cal - well done on your 15 miler and coping with those bridges. It's hard to think of taking water out on a run when you look at the weather at this time of year.
12 miles for me today, quads still a little achy so flat route today. I ran the route as in the picture above, but the flood water has gone from the road now, neighbouring fields are still flooded and the river is now 4 times it's usual width. I counted eleven swans that had swooped in on one of the flooded fields having a lovely feed. Showery today, wore a lighter jacket and I wasn't pleased that I had only gone half a mile and there was a torrential downpour. I didn't want to get wet so early into my run so I thought I'll run to the corner, I was on the industrial estate, and there's a big tree there that I saw some people sheltering under earlier in the week. I did laugh when I got to the tree as it's still there but after yesterday's storm there wasn't a single leaf left on it and no shelter to be had. Further down the road was a big pine tree so I ran there and sheltered for a minute or so until the rain eased. The quay was flooded but the path was OK on the way out, but on the way back I had to run through some flood water, not much, enough to get soaking feet but I was only a mile or so from home. Noticeable cardiac drift for the last 3 miles, but not unexpected.
50 miles for the week