the Marathon of the North

145791016

Comments

  • Hehe - thanks for the kind words Daisy!



    No ice/snow of any substance up here - so my week is pretty heavy. Training mara as noted last Saturday, recovery 6 miler on Monday, training (speed) half mara yesterday and 20 miler on Friday. This was always my peak week as I'm on holiday and going away (with kit!!) on Friday for a few days.



    I guess we will be talking about tapering when I come back? Anyone got clear plans? I'm a little unsure - last year I definitely backed off too much...
  • happy running everyone, I am having to alter plans a bit with weekends away, work and children off school so hope to do my longest run a weeek on Monday, 21 miles, get up really early so don't take up too much of the day....I guess training plans sometimes have to be adapted!

    Tapering...good subject to dicuss Adrian.. I certainly had taper madness last time, imagining all sorts of injuries....I will probably do my last run the Monday before and just have a few walks in the dayys leading up to the 28th.....

  • Are you reducing your long runs Lily? I'm showing a few signs of wear and tear - hit 60 miles this week and can feel it. Got a couple of blisters as well randomly!



    Was thinking of moving my mileage down 5% this week and then further 5% - don't want to lose too much as I have London to run....
  • Tapering is tough. I think it helps to do some easy running in the last week, as it helps keep you sane if nothing else image

    16miles at MP in the sunshine! yesterday for me. Might do 20 miles next Friday/Saturday. Look to do shorter runs at close to MP apart from that now.

  • after my 21 miles next Monday I will go down to 10-12 for my LSRs for the next 2 weeks. For my final week I will do very litttle running as I know I will worry about injury! I am following the Beginners Plan from the Manchester marathon website. Worked well for me last year! How are your plans going Adrian for 2 maras in a week? Hope all goes well for Londonimage you have trained so hard. I would love to hear all about your London experience....I won't enter next year as it is on my daughter's birthday and Easter Sunday but maybe 2015.....I just don't travel well after running (I live in the north) and worry about the toilet situation.... feel I best stick with smaller northern marathons!

  • just been on my first run in months with no hat, gloves and base layer and even felt the warmth of the sun, bliss!

  • Hehe, you travel comment made me chuckle Lily!! I'll be sure to give some London feedback.

    Training for the two in a week has been going ok. The last month or so I've been trying to go way over the required mileage - my peak week was 70 miles and was basically one mara, one 20 miler, half mara and speed work for the rest.

    I'm beginning to reduce and this is still causing me confusion! Think I will keep my long runs around the 20 mark - if I was only in one mara think I would go slightly lower.

    My aim is to enjoy London and run as free as possible - survive Sunderland (and those damn hills!) and then keep the body ticking over with 20's and speed work until Edinburgh and maybe go for a PB......



    I was talking to my wife the other night and said I need to reframe this as a once in a lifetime opportunity - I doubt when we have kids this will be possible. I feel quite privileged to be able to do this image



    Hope everyone is ok and training/tapering is working out!
  • Tiny request - if you are doing the Marathon of the North would you please consider participating in my study which you can find on the Spring marathon thread as MSc Research Project requires marathon runners - no electrodes!

    It's about using a positively focused self-talk technique to increase your resilience and positive affect (that's the strong positive moods that you can control).

    It is straightforward and might just provide an additional tool to conquer the mental aspects of tackling a marathon. Drop me a line if you would like more details.

    Cheers.

  • Good luck with your research, GTC - it sounds interesting, but I think a lot of us on here will be down to their last LSR before tapering now, not down to their last 2 LSRs - how long do the long runs need to be?  I'm presuming about 18+ miles?

    I haven't been on here for a while and everyone's training seems to be going well.  Mine has been next to non-existant though, thanks to the pain in the back of my knee.

    After my curtailed LSR on 23rd March (cut from a planned 30 to 13 - so disappointed and frustrated, as I whinged on here) I've been trying to rest my sore knee as much as possible.  I did a mere 6.5 last Tuesday, and then took part in Elswick's Good Friday relays, where I ran in a team of 3.  The distance was only 2.2 miles, but obviously it was raced at faster than 5k pace, so still hard.  I did however get a 'Come on Jarrow' from Steve Cram who was spectating (his old running club).

    Then on the Saturday I went out intending to do my first 20 miler.  The first 10 were fine, but from then on I felt increasing discomfort with my blimmin' knee.  The last few miles were horrible, I just had to keep telling myself 'Just one more mile, just one more mile'.  I gave up at 19 and walked home.

    I haven't ran since, and have been rubbing in Voltarol Gel and taking ibuprofen (not at the same time!)  My knee feels a lot better now - not 100%, but definitely improved - so I'm going to go out tonight and see how I feel.  I'm just hoping it doesn't set me back right back to square one again.

    I'm so disappointed - I was hoping to get to as near 4 hours as I could, but there's no way that's happening now with the way I feel and due to lack of training right when it matters most.  And that's even if I manage to get to the start line!

    Does anyone know when the race packs get sent out?  I thought we'd have them by now.

  • Sad to hear about your run/knee Shielsy.....do you have space to try and rest a little more to heal?? Race day adrenalin may carry you through?



    Re Race packs - MOTN Facebook and twitter said today they are with us next week....
  • Ideally I'd like to try and get in another 20 miler before race day this weekend, just for my own confidence, which will give me 3 weeks to rest if my knee does start to hurt again.

    It's not the marathon that does for you, it's the training beforehand!  If you actually arrive at the start line even reasonably injury-free you've almost won the battle image.

    Thanks for info RE the race packs.

  • Sounds like a proper mixed bag lately of great running and unfortunately some injuries as well. Been a mixed bag of a few weeks for me as well. Had a weekend at CentreParcs in Nottingham a few weeks ago and got a 16 mile run in.

    Followed by a week of non-running due to a bug that I picked up.

    Then last week, ran 3 times with an 18 miler on Good Friday, where I ran first 10 miles as long slow run, then 4 miles at MP and then last 4 miles at 1/2 marathon pace. It absolutely killed but hopefully helps.

    Going for an 8 miler tonight at MP, Parkrun on Saturday with last long run on Sunday of 18-20 miles and then taper down. Been trying to manage the runs as I have been feeling niggles lately and have bought a roller to try and help massage away.

  • Very sorry to hear about your knee Shielsy.  Do you have a new target time or are you just going to see how it goes now?  Good point about race packs, I've been in denial about the whole being in April now thing, so good to have it sorted out before I thought of worrying about it!

    That 18 miler sounds like hell Brian!  I think no way would I be able to do HMP at the end of an 18 miler for 4 miles, that says a lot for your fitness.

    I've been on my hols and had some lovely runs, but all short (5-6 miles).  Planning on a 16 miler tomorrow morning so need to get to bed - and remember to sort out running kit beforehand as it's too difficult trying to think early for me image  If I can, one more LSR at the beginning of next week and then it's taper madness for me too.  I will have the cold from hell and two broken legs most likely....

  • Sorry to hear about bugs and aches and pains.

    I have a bug/sore throat that has been hovering for a week and has not fully struck yet! Wish it would happen soon in a way so I can get better again before the race.

    A dreadful 10 by 600 metres as part of a 10 mile run yesterday.

    A 12 miler today and one of my favourite runs on Saturday or Sunday will be a 22 mile loop from Washington up the River Wear towards Sunderland, crossing at the Queen Alexandra bridge then running back along the other side of the river.

  • Shielsy

    Thanks, and sorry to hear about your knee, I'm a keen advocate for chiropractors and podiatrists (don;t see the latter at this stage though but think about a chiro).

    As for the research - due to some delays on the admin side of academia there were delays in sign-off whichmeant I missed all the VLMers and other April marathons. Frustrating but I managed to scrabble around for some positives. 

  • are you pestering the Edinburgh people GTC?  Plenty of time still for them.

  • ....just checking in. Tough little 20 miler today that will usher in the taper. Thank God.

    Hope everyone is going ok. Also, got my 'pack' today - little booklet and number and rather randomly 4 pins!! Lol. Makes it feels very close now....
  • I got my pack today as well - I love the addition of the safety pins!  The info booklet is a bit basic (I'm used to GNR and VLM info packs).  I like to know where the toilets are going to be en route!

    All a bit bittersweet if I can't take part (and interestingly there's nothing on the booklet - that I've noticed - that mentions the possibility of deferring?).  I've rested my knee for 7 days now, resisted the urge to try it out mid-week, and will go out tomorrow and attempt a long run.  I wish I could get it out of the way today - it's absolutely glorious out there today - but I'm in work until 5pm so can't.

    A part of me is looking forward to running again, whilst another part of me is scared to run in case it starts playing up, if that makes sense?  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

    Good luck to everyone else who's going out this weekend for their last long runs - enjoy!

    And don't fall down any open manhole covers!

  • Fingers duly crossed! Good luck!
  • Great news on getting the packs. I only remembered to enter about 4 days agoimage 

    Shielsy fingers crossed.

    22 mile undulating trail run around the river Wear from Washington towards Sunderland and back. Feels great to have got the last long run in, let taper madness commence image

  • Thanks for the crossed fingers!  image

    It must've worked as I went out today and managed 20.20 miles.  I was hoping to do 22.22 (that was my last LSR when I trained for London) but once I hit 20 my legs said 'No more!'  It was a struggle towards the end (not sure where I'm going to get another 6 miles from) but it's done.

    Not as lovely as yesterday, weather-wise - quite cool and a bit windy at times - so I was still out with a running jacket, gloves and a long-sleeved top.

    Now let's see if I can walk tomorrow image

    Well done on the undulating 22 miles, Tim.

  • Well done everyone on the last LSR. I did Parkrun yesterday, broke my PB but woke up with a few niggles, bit of last few week nerves and decided to sack off my last really long run. Decided that I didn't want to push it too much.



    Hopefully this will work in my favour, as I pushed it before for my last marathon, didn't listen to the signs and broke down at mile 18 with a bad knee.



    I have done 2 x 20 miles and 2 x 18 miles during the last 12 weeks which should hopefully see me through okay.



    What is everyone doing in the next 2 weeks? I have been following a sub 3:30 plan that says I should do 18 miles next week as a final long run but it just feels a bit too close. Does a 12/13 mile run at marathon pace sound suitable?
  • I will be not be running further than 16 miles from now. Will probably do a mixture of MP, 10K pace  and slower running on my long runs. 13 miles at MP will take it out of you.

  • Cheers Tim. Slow 12 miler then next weekend.
  • got my pack on my return yesterday, the smallest pack I have have received for a run and with 4 pins in it! Glad knee improving Shielsyimage Know what you mean about feeling priveleged to be able to do these runs Adrian. My children are old enough to leave while I go out now. I have just returned from my LSR as they are getting out of bed! I did 21 miles in just under 4 hours so my dream of 5hour mara might be possible. Now need a big cake! Felt good and strong. Must share a funny story....a friend asked me, do you sometimes go for 2 runs in one day as she had seen me twice....I said it would have been the same run, it is just that I am out for a long time! Getting close now....

  • Well done on the 21 miles, Lily!  Hope you've got yourself a nice cake.

    My legs feel pretty beaten up today after yesterday's 20 miles, but I think it's just the usual muscle soreness you get after putting your legs through the mill ... I'm not noticing any specific knee pain *she says carefully optimistically*

  • Thanks Shielsy, I had a lovely cream slice and then lots of chocolate. Feel ok today, just stiff legs. Glad you have not got specific knee pain. Fingers crossed that continues image

  • Lily - yum on the cream slice!

    I went out tonight after work planning on doing 5 miles at 9 m/m, but somehow ended up running at 8.30 m/m.  Felt good to be running at a quicker pace again, even if it was just a few miles.

  • Are you lot all out running or something, lol?

    Went out tonight after work for a steady 8 miles.  Felt really good.

    I also went to Start Fitness at lunchtime and invested in a cheap foam roller, to iron out niggles. I had a quick go tonight before my run, and it takes some getting used to just to do it right ... feels like it'll be a good core workout, never mind massaging muscles.

  • Hehe! Glad your runs are continuing to be good Shielsy - and a foam roller! Awesome. I love mine - may be worth having a little look on YouTube as there are some good video workouts...



    I'm super busy at the moment - I've come back from two weeks holidays to working somewhat condensed hours as I have 10 days off around the two mara's. It all feels very near and very real...



    Tapering is continuing - have a study day today and my usual 13-15 midweek run is 10. Doesn't really feel worth going out! Lol. Weekend long run is going to be around 15 miles, I'm a little unsure as they've all been above 20. I'm trying to listen to my body as I feel both tired and a little beat up...



    How's everyone else?
Sign In or Register to comment.