Preston Guild Marathon

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  • Nerves really kicking in now, can't wait to get to the start line and get the marathon underway and hope that my training carries me through!!

    Hope everyone's taper is going well and managing to stay fit and healthy along with getting the carbs on board!! Good luck all in the final week and see you on Sunday bright and early !
  • Final Physio session today - massage, acupuncture, joint manipulation, ice massage, laser treatment and then foot and lower leg taped up. Will be 4 weeks on Sunday since running a single step so the taper is going extremely well!image



    Stay sane and safe everybody!
  • Sounds like you're taking the Paula Radcliffe approach to race preparation image

    Good luck with it.

  • lowrezlowrez ✭✭✭

    SJ, we'll get a barrel of iced water for you to hop in at the finish! Although, looking at the forecast we all may be nicely cooled on the day with a breeze from the North!

    Anyone got any good hamstring or T-band stretches? I particularly struggle to properly stretch my T-band without looking like I'm playing "Twister"; keeping balance, not giggling due to the ridiculousness of it all and therfore not getting a proper stretch for any length of time on the zone intended etc. Trying not to "tie up" in these last few non-running days.

  • I'll take you up on the offer of a barrel of water Lowrez!



    The best hamstring stretches I've found involve 2 people (nothing kinky!) - lying on your back, one leg flat, one leg up in the air with someone leaning onto the raise leg to push it towards your shoulder - that and leg on the arm of the settee, bend from the waist and tuck your bottom in to stretch the whole leg.



    For ITB I generally just use the foam roller, lying on side and rollering over the outside of the thigh and enjoying the pain!



    I always find a good old piriformis stretch helps too, lie on back, bottom against a wall with legs bent, one foot flat against the wall and the other like you have your legs crossed, push gently on the bent leg's knee.



    If you can replicate what I have in my head from those descriptions then well doneimage
  • Really looking forward to this now - I hope the weather will be good and the support will be great image

  • Weather still looking a bit breezier than you might like but otherwise ideal
  • For anyone interested I have put together an elevation profile of the route. All the data was taken from google earth. I apologies for any inaccuracies in advance but I only created it as a guide for me. Hope this can be of some help to you all. Happy running!imageimageimage

    http://rapidshare.com/files/970112899/Preston%20Marathon%20Elevation%20Profile.jpg

  • The beeb are predicting rain for Sunday, but i think its best waiting till Friday for a more accurate prediction.

    Thanks for posting your elevation profile blisterUK as i now know mine was correct lol - Its going to be a tough finish!!

    There should be some good support out Simon, as the HM has over 2k doing it. You bringing your usual support along ?

     

  • Wish I hadn't seen that elevation profile, the finish looks quite tough. Managed 2 miles on the treadmill and a couple of hours table tennis yesterday then 3 miles on the road today. It felt a bit sluggish but no pain or twinges in my calf. Planning a bit of a walk tomorrow and a couple of easy miles on Thursday then I might have a drive round the course if I get chance. Hope the rain stays away and the wind doesn't blow too hard.
  • Weather watching is fun but don't worry too much about it. I PBd in Manchester in lashing rain and strong winds...! You just have to get your race tactics right and draft people when you are in a headwind - don't be the guy in front... unless I'm behind you image
  • Weather watch is fun, just got hat and gloves out for Sunday, now trying to work out whether to wear thermal base layer?

    The joys of the weather. image

  • Thermal base layer?? Are ya running or watching??
  • ha, ha I'm a soft southerner, I may have to layer up too - although I'm sure it will make me feel like I'm on a training run and not a race.  Perhaps to get my goal I'll also have to risk hypothermia image

  • If you have trained without layers dont change anything you must have done a long training run in your race kit so just go with that as its not mid winter and dont over think things as it will beat you up before you even start so just chill out carb up and stick to your race plan all the best and see you sunday.
  • Just had last 5 miler with the running club and most of the guys (and girls) are doing the Snowdonia Marathon on Saturday. I aint getting much sympathy for the uphill finish in Preston! Lol

     

  • Weather forecast has indeed changed today.  Now cold wet and really quite windy. 31kph is not pleasant. image

    Not great for us (who likes wind?!)  But the main disappointment is for my family... and the Guild crowds.

    Ah well...  it's supposed to be sunny on Saturday and Monday... so the forecast could easily change

  • Come on guys! Can't let a bit of weather put us off!  All part of the challenge!

  • Had signed up for this but have been injured for 3 months so cannot do. However, I am now marshalling and will be on Cottam Way at about mile 8 and on the way back mile 23 so I'll cheer you all the way. Good luck!

  • it's only the gusts that go up 31kph and the rain is still only 'light' so all in all it should be marginally better than my last with gusts forecast up to 35kph and heavy rain!!!  Remind me again why I pay to do this???! 

  • I know how to pick my 1st marathon dont i lol.i still cant wait anyway.bring on sunday.
  • Bring it on! Can't be as bad as the Manchester marathon back in April - that was pretty wet & windy most the way round, wading through mud & water in many places. Still really enjoyed it though and it didn't deter the crowds either.

     

     

  • WonaWona ✭✭✭

    i was looking at much much earlier posts here, and people were talking about it not being in the city streets and being out of town.,,
    well thank goodness.! i say,,who wants to run round dirty city centres and traffic areas for goodness sake....
    anyway its going to rain..haha

  • Hey Branno, I was at Manchester too. Lovely north west weather! How did you do? I've signed up for next year too. Apparently the adjusted course is super flat image



    Right time to get it out and whap it on the table: name and target time list! I'll start,



    SlokeyJoe - 3:10
  • I noticed the wind forecast had improved since yesterday. Think I'll stop checking now. There's bugger all you can do about it so just concentrate on things you can control, like getting properly carbed up!

    And if you must dwell on the weather, you can console yourself with the fact that at least it's in the right direction with a tailwind on the way back into Preston.

  • lowrezlowrez ✭✭✭

    SJ - thanks for the stretches; I do hamstrings as you described without person 2, using a door frame - lie on back with bum against frame and leg vertical - you can stretch the adductor on the other leg at the same time by placing the foot against the frame and pressing the knee towards the floor - it would work better though if another person could bring the vertical leg further back extending the stretch. The ITB I've been given is; stand feet together, cross feet over, place weight on one leg and bend sideways attempting to get the etretch on...but I can't master it...usually fall over grappling for something to hang on to.  

    Weather; good to look at the forecasts so you know what to expect, but I too got my pb in dreadful conditions; huddled in a Belfast bus shelter at the start, a bin bag my only "warmth" covering my running vest, breaking into a complete body shiver, teeth chattering, thinking I should have definitely put a base layer on. But a few yards into the run I was absolutely fine, in the second half the rain poured from the sky even harder and the wind lashed it in from the sea but it was wonderfully cooling rather than detrimental to the pb attempt. Bring it on!

  • reading back on the previous posts I note I put the wrong units of the forecast I'd been looking at - let's hope I don't get my minute miles confused with kilometers!!  Could lead to an epic fail!  Heavy rain kicks in at 1pm (current forecast) - now there's an incentive to get round quicker!

    Talking of pace - who's adjusting that 1st mile pace because of the downhill start?  If you are, by how many seconds?

  • I'm just planning to hit target pace to make sure I have an "easy effort" start - wanting a slow burn and all-out finish for this race rather than the good old "bank time and fade horribly" approach



    Well that's the plan but will no doubt do what I did in Edinburgh (downhill first couple of miles) and knock them out at 6:15min miling and be blown by mile 3 - ooops
  • think im going to take advantage of the hill at the start.im sure its going to take advantage of me at the end lol

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