Barcelona Marathon 2013

135

Comments

  • Muzza it is the Hal Higdon plan I am doing. I do enjoy his plans,.

    Melbow that was a great time for Stamford. I know it is hilly too.Time is creeping up now !

  • Crazy lady, ahh that's why, I never follow a plan but over the years I've picked up bits and bobs from stuff and yep Hal Higdon has great results, awesome for limited mileage marathon training and great less is more programme.



    Does anyone know more details or have done the breakfast run before? We don't arrive till late Friday so was wondering if we just show up or have to register Friday evening for the sat am?
  • Muzza

    I do keep thinking it is not enough mileage in some ways. The longest weeks have been 50 - 52  miles. I really could not put any more mileage in with out feeling exhausted. I feel now that I am ready for the taper to be honest.. I chose the intermeddiate 2 plan. I even looked at the advance plans and they were 6 days a week and I know I would find that hard. Saying that though I do a good walk one day a week on top of my running sometimes more than once a week.

    Funny you should mention the breakfast run as I have been looking too. I can not find any information at all other than a maximum of 2,000 bibs. I have been trying to find out more as I would love to do that steady.I was thinking of emailing to ask.

    I will let you know if I hear any more about the Breakfast run.

  • I had four consecutive 50+ mile weeks for Dublin but my peak mileage for this one has been 43 miles and usually around 30-35 per week but it has been at a much faster pace

  • Muzza

    It looks like we get the numbers from the expo. I could pick one up for you as I have more time than you and meet you Saturday Morning if you wish.

  • Crazy lady, Hal defiantly uses quality rather than quantity which will come good come 17th March! Only worry is cold here and hot there.



    Thanks for the offer on the bib, there are 3 of us and I wouldn't want to put you out, we get there at 5-6pm so we could go straight to the expo and get one. Thanks so much for the offer tho. Breakfast runs are great fun, Berlin is fun and Dublin was good till I got dragged on stage doing the Irish dance infrint of everyone sober.



    Expo is open 10am-8pm
  • 3.5 weeks to go. It's getting close.

    Jim, well done on a smooth transition from treadmill to tarmac, and getting good improvement on speed. I think you will beat Dublin time by a good margin. I've only average 34miles/week at slower pace to avoid injury. My last of 3 20miles was done last weekend. Am easing back this week with one more LSR 17mile this coming weekend, so it's like a 4-week taper. Will be happy to be able to start injury free.

    Did someone say it'll be 'hot'. It'll be cold for me coming from tropical climate.

  • I'm hoping it'll be nice & warm, using this as a training run for London..picked up a calf niggle so just had a week off which is frustrating. Hoping to get in a 10-12miler this weekend and 20 the following.

    Really looking forward to it now.

    Didn't know about the Breakfast run, sounds good. We fly out Wednesday & return Monday so trying not to eat/drink too much may be tricky!

    Anyone going to the Barca game that weekend ? any tips welcome

     

  • I did a sub  49 minute 10Km two days after the 20 miler - That's my fastest 10 km on the track and it was fairly cold with a stiff breeze - I am doing between 17-21 Km on Saturday - Probably at Race Pace - I am doing the Meath Spring Half Marathon 8 days later on the 3rd and I am tempted to try and stay with the 1:45 pacers for as long as I can but am a little worried it may take too much out of me with only two weeks to go from there to Barcelona

  • Hot - for the marathon?

    No - comfortable - like a warm day - shorts and a top!

  • Well done Jim, a half 2 weeks out is a good test to see where your at, double the half and add 10% or roughly 10 mins and you have a rough gage of your marathon time. Take it easy this week and race next week.



    Struggling to recover from the 4 in 4, felt ok last week but a few niggles have appeared. Sticking to swim/bike for a few days. Duchy marathon next Sunday, beats doing a long run image



    Looking forward to a little sunshine in Barca with a little luck.
  • I did a training 1/2 Marathon today, very cold but no wind - a tiny little bit of snow 1.5C but I had a lot of gear on leggings/hat/gloves/jacket so I was happy with 1:51:17 - Will try to get closer to 1:45 next week in race conditions. McMillan has me at 3:53 for Marathon but I think my 1/2 time will drop next week - I would like to get below 3:50 with below 3 :45  as my dream time -   Pity there are no 3:45 pacersimage

  • If you get close to 1.45-47 Jim sub 3.45 should be comfortable! Your gonna smash it, and that will make the San Miguel/guiness taste even better! image
  • This will be my 4th marathon and I had entertained hopes of a sub 3.30 (previous best being 3.40 in the sweltering heat of Edinburgh last year) BUT my hopes have been scuppered by injury. I had to rest completely for three weeks between end of Jan and most of this month with a calf strain. So, I have eased my way back again, very gently and in a way I am glad that I have, shall we say, 'revised my target' as I'm under no pressure to do a PB. I've been training at 10 min. mile pace, with no long runs under my belt since 13th of Jan (18 miles). I am hoping to do 18, in 3 hours tomorrow, and if that's successful I feel I'll have to do another long one (20?) next Sunday with 2 weeks to go.

    Does the team think that 20 miles might be too long next Sunday?

    What time should we get up for a 8.30 am start? I'm staying near Barrio Gotico area. I'll be having to set my alarm for pre-race fuelling.

    Which pen should I put myself in now? Is there a 4 - 4.30 pen? Are there pacesetters?

    Cheers in advance

  • Snow in Barcelona today guys, settled on the hills around the city. Could be quiet warm come marathon day but don't take it as given at this time of year. Good luck to you all.
  • Didi, do your 18 but another 20 at this stage will not benefit your marathon this close, it will only help you mentally but physically it will cost you. Plus the risk of injury! Maybe just do 10 one day and 10 the next. Keep everything short now and stay injury free. You have done a marathon before so you know you can do it.



    Usually plan to get to the start 60-90 mins before the start. Mainly to cue for toilets.



    As for the pen I would imagine when you collect your number etc you will be given a pen number, it will depend on a time you put down when you registered.
  • Cheers Muzza, I'm just in from my 18 and the last two were very tough indeed (had to stop and walk a couple of times). Still  the miles are in the legs. I've had conflicting advice about a long run two weeks before; I'll just have to weigh it up and decide for myself. I'm just looking to finish in under 4.30 really, which is more or less 10 minute miles, to enjoy the race and soak up the atmosphere of the great city of Barcelona!

    I'll be in the wrong pen as I put down 3.30 or under when I registered, so I'll just have to hang back.

  • One thing that I am concerned about if I don't do another long run is that I will be going into this marathon with NOT ONE 20+ race under my belt! When I did Kielder in October I had just one (rubbish training!) but I had also done a 17 and an 18.78; when I did Edinburgh in May I'd done 3 long runs over 20 miles, plus an 18.05. For Barcelona, I have an 18 in January and today's 18, when I struggled. Ah what to do?

     

  • It's up to you! Gamble is all yours but its mind games! It's not your 1st marathon so you know what to expect. As long as you start easy and pace it right it will be easy on race day. Like I said 20m 14 days before will not make you fitter for Barca, but may help ya head! image
  • Thanks again, Muzza. Today was pretty tough, and now my right calf seems to be complaining (maybe compensating for the left one, which had been the injury). All I know is that I am going to take it very easy, both with the rest of the training and the race itself

  • If you got niggles now I'd defiantly not risk a 20. Like I said do 10 then 10 the next day so it doesn't take so much out of you or risk the injury. If the injury comes back you will kiss Barca. Totally up to you tho like I said. image
  • Didi,

    Regarding the pen situation, I did the race last year and this was the one area that let it down. It was all a bit of a bun-fight to get in the start area, surrouding area was too small and congested, in the end I scaled a security fence to get in, bit risky just before the start of a marathon.

    We set off in 2 waves about 5-10 mins apart. Your wave is set by your predicted time on entry.

    Other than that brilliant event in a great city. We had lovely spring sunshine which helped, hope your all as lucky and have a great time

  • Best get there in plenty if time then.
  • Thanks all. Overtaken by events...new developments, and not good ones. When I came in on Sunday, as previously mentioned, my right calf was playing up. Yesterday I went out, really really slowly, and the right calf buckled painfully after a mere 0.32 miles. Mierda.

    So with 18 days to go, it is doubtful if I could even run-walk it. I might risk further damage and I've got Edinburgh in May. I will decide the night before, as I'm obviously still coming: flights bought, hotel booked, ticket for FC Barcelona v Rayo Vallecano and so on.

  • Sorry to hear that Didi, frustrating! Dont forget Justin Beiber tickets!image



    Fingers crossed it sorts itself, go get a deep sports massage, no pain no gain!
  • I have to say a big thanks to the 1:45 pacers at the Meath Spring Marathon - I stayed with them till the last big hill (little hill) then fell about 50 metres behind them but they came back for me and dragged me over the line as last of their Group in 1:44:58.  I just need a bit of a recovery now  ( image Double big thanks to the pacers)

  • Hi guys,  thanks for all of the info on this forum.  I have booked Barca as my first ever marathon and now that it is two weeks away, am getting increasingly nervous.  Just looking to get round really, especially as training has been slightly disrupted by a knee injury as well as having to fit it in with everything else.  Did a half marathon today in 1:53 so thinking that 4.15 is a realistic goal as suffered at the end; just getting 26 done seems so daunting at the moment, just crossing the line is going to be great.

    Due to my wife working in a school and not being able to get time off, we are flying back Sunday night.  I think I am dreading this more than the marathon as well as being annoyed as hell that I will not be able to see FC Barcelona play.

    Good luck everyone.  Stay injury free for just two more weeks!

  • What is it with injurys! ,I've been struggling with my calf for the last few weeks as well, took a week off and felt ok but it went again so have now not run for 11 days, it's been pain free for a week now so will do a little run this week.

    May book a massage in this week & see if that helps.

    Not ideal but will be at least starting, going to make sure I've got some cash & a metro ticket with me in case I have to bail image

    Have London 5 weeks after, so depending how this goes I'll make the decision on deferring.

  • Also, I take it you have to go pick your race number up ? when can this be done if so?

    Couldn't find the info on the website

    Edit - Found it-

    http://www.zurichmaratobarcelona.com/exposports_visitantes_i.htm

Sign In or Register to comment.