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Shades Marathon Training
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I also need tips from those of you who have done Loch Ness and recommendations for places to eat (bearing in mind we are all going so there will be 5 of us). We are flying up on Friday evening and we will have a car so if the weather is bad on Saturday we can drive somewhere.
One tip for Loch Ness, although this may have changed since I did it. When I did it, baggage was left outside, not really covered over properly. Possibly take a bin liner or similar to put your bag in so it keeps any change of clothes dry.
I've just looked at the start time for Stockholm and you are right. That is a strange start time! Will need to google historic temperatures to see what it might be at that time of year.
Well done again, another well paced marathon. Your sister had a brilliant run and a big PB.
Good you've done your recovery run and your legs feel OK. Yes, an easy run on Thursday would be a good idea.
Re Loch Ness, the bus to the start takes about an hour. Some of the buses don't have toilets on board so hold off with the fluids until you are on the bus. You have a long wait at the start, there are toilets there but nothing else, it's in the middle of nowhere. There's no shelter there either and it can be very cold. You can take a bag to the start but have to put that on a truck to be taken to the finish. I take some warm (old or charity shop) clothes to wear at the start as the wind can be very cold there. The first 3.5 to 4 miles are a very gentle downhill so a very comfortable start to the marathon. Then there are some shortish undulations which comes as a bit of a shock to the legs. The route then goes alongside Loch Ness and you follow that for most of the marathon, very scenic. I forget exactly, I think about 19 miles there is a hill, this is not THE HILL, but a prelude to it. Once you get up the hill then you're on the road back into Inverness and flat. Once onto the edge of the River Ness, you can see race HQ and the finish on the other side of the river. Unfortunately you have to run up alongside the river over the bridge and down the other side to the finish. Roads are closed except for the odd car for most of the route. Coned off as you get back into the city and some traffic.
My favourite pre marathon meal is fish and chips, which is why Big G and I went to Lorrimers, a sit in chippie on Longmans Road. Generous portions, within walking distance of the city centre, there is parking there.
There are plenty of places to eat if that's not your preference.
Big G - you're not allowed to drive to the start. However, one year Dave Ross and Mel overslept and missed the buses. As it was Mel's 200th, not running was not an option so he managed to find a taxi to take them to the start. Cost Dave £50 and that was about 10 years ago.
The race profile has a hill between miles 18 and 19. But what is "THE HILL"?? Is that later? There doesn't seem to be much of a hill later on.
Never done a race in Scandinavia, did enter a 24 hour indoor race in Finland once but had flu 2 weeks before so had to cancel.
There's a 50/100k in Stockholm that I'd like to do, August I think.
Yes, that's the hill, I couldn't remember exactly where it was. There's a gentler hill just before it and everyone says, that was OK, and then realise that that wasn't 'the hill '. It's not that steep or hard, what makes it challenging is that it's at the stage of the race when many runners start to slow and tire.
It's a very fast course, think I've done my 4th/5th fastest time there.
A running friend did his first sub 3 there. At the Expo others were telling him he wouldn't do it because it wasn't a fast course and there was a hill. I told him he would do it and he sailed around in 2:56.
I just checked my race list and my 5th fastest time was at Loch Ness. I've done the race 8 times. The air quality is very good up there too, I guess that must make a difference too compared to polluted city races.
Gym this morning and I didn't recognise the place. All new shiny machines and equipment. They've not finished yet, I think the machines are taking a lot longer to put together than maybe anticipated. But I was able to wander round and try some of the new machines and I'm very impressed. I tried out the glute machine, on a very low weight as it slightly niggled my knee. Then when I left the gym and walked down to Asda, my glutes were on fire. That's worn off now thankfully, don't want a serious case of DOMS right now.
Not confident about Barnstaple at all, had a very bad run this morning and knee started to niggle so had to stop after 2 miles and walk for a mile then I ran the last 2 miles home slowly. Really I should DNS and probably all my races for the rest of the year. I was a bit concerned about any time limit at Barnstaple, as I would probably need a 6 hour time limit, the race details don't specify but it does say event from 9-4, which is 7 hours. I don't think time is an issue as now it's organised by a charity and fund raising encouraged it will be about finishing for the fund raisers.
But at the moment I'm still planning to run, I know that if it all goes wrong I'll be back in Barnstaple at 13 miles so an easy option to DNF.
That's good news on your cycling fitness, all improvements in fitness are a step in the right direction.
Getting excited about Chicago now. Will start packing (and repacking, and repacking….) in the next few days. Flying out next Thursday. Genuinely no idea what time I’ll do. I may amaze myself and end up beating Boston’s time, but that seems genuinely vey unlikely at this point. Or because of the foot I may end up walking a lot and be 5hrs. We shall see. Just need to get it done and enjoy the weekend.
I will probably ditch Abingdon as I'd need a sub 5:15 to have a registered result and I still 'count' my marathons. I have a refundable hotel booked for Abingdon so would only be the entry fee. Not bothered about the entry fee, there are still 80 places left so unlikely I'd be able to transfer in time, and I won't be spending on the petrol that weekend.
Going back to lost costs on races, hotels etc. I booked my IOM hotel through Booking.com and knew I was liable for the first night as I cancelled late. But I've never been charged, I did contact the hotel first before I'd contacted Booking.com and I can only assume as I'm a regular customer of the hotel that they've decided not to charge me.
I've just been reading that it's a €205 entry fee for Berlin next year, shirt, chip and baggage would be extra. What a rip off. But very effective hype about the Majors.
How long are you in Chicago for? Nice shirts, bit understated. If you do buy a shirt, opt for the blue, or any other colour than white. The white are nice but in synthetic materials they don't stay white and then look grubby and you might want to wear it for a few years.
Legs coming around. Think will still leave it to Sunday for a first run back.
They're not even running related. I'm sure runners would be more interested in runners goodies.
I thought the entry fee for Dublin last year was pricey at roughly 105 euros. But we got 2 goody bags with lots of stuff, mostly food. And a long sleeved top. No charge for chip or baggage.
They tried to flog me 6 star coins at Tokyo,I politely declined.I'm actually surprised they don't have more 6* gear,I struggled to find my tshirt,and I'd have happily paid for a jacket or similar.
I think it's a good idea as it stops time wasters such as they get with London.
I'm also in for Berlin,we are doing the team option so either both of us get in or none.
I suppose London don't do that so the 2nd runner would have to take up a charity place for them both to run.
Not checked yet,but someone in our club has said that NYC is $500 now 😢
OH has missed out also,we took out the insurance as I'm not doing it alone so we only.lose the $20