the Marathon of the North

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  • Hi everyone, glad all going well Shielsy. Def listen to your body Adrian, maybe you need more rest before the first big day?image......I am still resting after Monday but will try to get out tonight as my legs feel a lot better.

  • well done on all these long LSRs!  I'm feeling a bit pushed for time at the moment with the kids off school for the holidays, but have managed early morning 17 and 18 milers over the last week, so I'm hoping that's "enough"!  Enjoying the better weather, bodes well for a good summer of running

     

    Feeling pretty good at the moment though, hoping I can dodge all the horrible lurgies around at the moment.  I'm downing so much Vit C I might turn orange image Anything not to be ill.

     

    Love my foam roller.  I went to a foam roller "class" at a local physio, which was handy to have someone else watch and say whether I was doing it right or not.  My children think it's a light sabre however...

     

    Happy running everyone x

  • Note to self: add Vit C and fresh orange juice to shopping list.  I've already been to Boots and stocked up on Compeed plasters.

    Another note to self: maybe 2 weeks before a marathon is not the time to think about breaking in new shoes to work, as lovely as they might be ... ouch! image

    Please can someone confirm if the baggage area is indoors or at least covered?  I'm not sure how waterproof my holdall will be.

    Also - what's getting away from the city via Metro like?  I know getting away from the GNR is an absolute nightmare.  Although it'll be worse this year as there's an extra race and more entrants.

    Toilets - would those who've done it before say there's enough en route?  Amazingly, I didn't need the toilet once when doing London, but my bladder is usually on the 'nervous' side come race-day so I want to be assured I'll be ok.

    What are the toilets like at the start? Portaloos, or do we get to use the stadium ones?

  • Compeed is on offer at boots - 2 packs for £7 which is under the £4 for one from my local Sainsburys.....

    I'm pretty sure the bagge area is indoor if I recall correctly.....metro should be ok but it was quieter last year - there are a few more events and so maybe more spectators ? Hope it's not too bad as I'm intending to get a lift to and from the station and parking wasn't an issue last year.....

    Toliets at the start are superb - indoor, stadium jobs. No idea en route - does it say on the race leaflet ?

  • RE toilets it says that there's plenty of toilets where the water stations are ... but doesn't say if there's toilets next to every water station.  Would be good if this were true as there seems to be plenty of water stations.

  • They must have increased the water stations then, last year they felt few and far between....
  • Adrian, that's interesting (about water stations) ... maybe you were so 'in the zone' you just didn't notice them image.

    According to the race leaflet there's stations at approximately 4.5km/8km, 10/11km, 17km, 21km, 24km, 27km, 29km, 32km, 33.5km, 36.5km, 39km, 40.5km - and at the finish.  So, we'll see.

    The water comes in sachets ... I've never had water in a sachet before so that'll be exciting.  Hope it's straightforward.

    I have done races were water is provided in paper cups, which is near impossible when you're trying to race.  Then, I usually end up opening my mouth and chucking the water in the general direction of my face, hoping that some will hit the target.

  • Yeah, maybe I was in the zone. I recall the first station was 4 or 5 miles in. It was baking hot and that didn't help. I'm going to wear my camelbak so will be prepared this time...

    The water sachets, as cool as they sound, I found quite hard to use. Memorably one exploded in / over my face and torso. Think you had to use some mouth black magic to open them!
  • how is everyone? I keep thinking that this time in 2 weeks I will still be running! Feeling nervous and excited. After my big run on Monday I have just had a few short runs since. Planning an 11 mile run along the river in York on Tues as a complete change from my usual routes. Shielsy maybe worth contacting the organisers of the M of the N re the toilet situation. They are brilliant at answering any queries on facebook or I guess you can go through the website. My new worries are about what I will wear on the day. I have been sent a charity t shirt that isn't a tech one so may wear my base layer underneath. But that won't work if it is too hot! We had sachets of water at Manchester last year and they were v challenging to open. Think at some stations they had started to open them for you. Like you Adrian I remember one exploding over me but I was soaked anyway from the continuous rain. I feel taper madness coming on.........

  • Good luck for your 11 mile run in York Lily (I love York, my brother and sis-in-law live there)

    12 miles for me today in horribly windy conditions (I hate the wind, if it's this windy in a fortnight I'll be turning the air blue with my annoyance, I can't stand running in it).

    Having felt quite fresh on my 3 mid-week runs I felt really sluggish today.  By the time I'd finished I felt like I'd run 26 miles!  I suppose the strong winds can't have helped.

    Made myself a 'power salad' for lunch of Feta cheese, peppers, celery, tomatoes, spring onion, spinach and rocket with quinoa, dressed in lemon juice and a balsamic glaze.  Very nice, but ... we're constantly told to 'listen to your body'.  Well, at this precise moment my body is telling me it wants some cake, so I'm off to the shops to get me some  image.

  • I agree Shielsy wind is horrible to run in, but good for you keeping going. Your salad sounds delicious but sounds like you def need cakeimage. Enjoy!

  • Taper madness kicking in here too! I've got aches and pains and hunger pangs!! Lol. London this week - 3 short runs planned and the same again next week before the MOTN.

    It's getting very exciting!!
  • hello all you taper mad people!  Sounds like it's all going well image

     

    I also went for a 12 miler yesterday - out and back.  The first 6 seemd to be entirely uphill and into the wind and were a bit miserable, but of course having turned it was all easy, the wind felt like an enormous hand pushing me along!  Overall did it at my intended race pace so happy with that.

     

    For me it's not cake, it's fruit and nut chocolate image  Or rather image  I better not let myself buy any more...

  • just returned from my run along the river in York. A beautiful sunny run, but run with a heavy heart for the people affected by the bombs in Boston, so shocking, so awful image

  • I was going to go Boston as I ran a qualifying time at MOTN last year. In the end I did not go becuase of the logistics with family and the cost.

    So glad I did not go there, feel awful for everyone affected by the bombs.

  • Hey guys! I'm doing this one too! It'll be my first marathon, and I'm aiming for Sub-3.10 in order to qualify for a GFA place for next years LM! Good luck everyone!

  • So awful what happened in Boston, very hard to comprehend.  It has been wonderful how runners around the world have rallied together to show support.  I think London is going to be very emotional, even more so than usual.

    hello Oliver!  Good luck with getting your GFA time image, that's very fast.

    How is tapering going for everyone?  Going bonkers? image  I have developed a cold of course...

    Tim is it you who has started up the trail running podcast?

  • Hey Daisybrain, thanks for the welcome!



    Hopefully it doesn't porove too fast for me! I ran a 2:21, 20 mile race at roughly predicted marathon pace and felt great at the finish line! And I am a lot more prepared now, so feeling relatively confident! But being my first marathon, I'm sure it's not going to be as straight forward as I would like!
  • Hi Daisybrain was hoping you would see the post about podcast, as I know you run trails as well. Yes I came up with idea for podcast. More than delighted with the number of downloads we have had and the feedback image

    Had a very bad week last week, did not get in enough sessions due to being busy. Running home from work  3 times this week. last double figure run on Saturday.

    Debating obsessively with myself about how quick to try and run. It is tiring me out!

  • Tim Bateson wrote (see)


    Debating obsessively with myself about how quick to try and run. It is tiring me out!


    Stop thinking about it - you're supposed to be tapering image

  • Hello everyone.

    It's getting really close now and the butterflies are starting.

    Awful, awful news about Boston.  The thought of it happening over here just doesn't bear thinking about.

    Not much running for me this week (so far).  I work a 12 hour shift on a Monday so that rules Mondays out (my 12 hour shift following a Sunday running 26.2 miles is going to be a tough one!), and Tuesday I battled the wind for 4 miles after work.  Yesterday I got my hair cut and highlighted, so that ruled running out so I'm going out tonight for hopefully about 7-8 miles.

    Oliver - best of luck with your marathon target ... that's very impressive.

  • fingers crossed it all goes to plan Oliver, but it sounds like you're well prepared.  Will be excited to hear how you've done and how it all went!

     

    Shielsy this weather is doing my head in!  Though it would be fine if it were a following wind all the way round image I guess that's against the laws of weather...  Hope you have a good one tonight.

     

    Tim great stuff! I "saw" you on the Hardmoors page (not that I've done anything like the Hardmoors run, just got added after a conversation down the pub!) so thought it must be the same person.  Cool, I like a nice podcast to listen to when I'm running. Was listening to Liz Yelling's advice on Marathontalk, really helpful for pre-race nerves I thought.  There some stuff about pacing there too...

  • hi Oliver, good luck with your first marathon. As a marathon veteran of one previous marathon (manchester last year) someone said to me enjoy every minute as you will only ever run one first marathon! Despite the hideous weather I can honestly say I did. So much so I have 2 planned for this year. I am a bit of a one for looking at the views, high fiving children spectating etc in the early miles, then head down and trying to acknowledge those giving me encouraging words etc as the miles progress. Having gone taper mad last year I plan to run my last run of about 6 miles on Monday then when I am not working I have organised walks with friends, coffee out etcimage i stop running because I worry about injury! Hope your cold is better Daisy. Know what you mean about the wind Shielsy. I have just been for and run before my hair cut tonight!

    Adrian.....how are the pre VLM days going?

  • Thanks Daisybrain, I will definitely let you all know! Really looking forward to it now! Although feeling very fragile! the slightest hint of a pothole or uneven surface has me veering across the road to avoid! Haha

     

    Lily, thanks for the advice, I will definitely enjoy it! Whether or not I make my target! Although hitting my sub-3.10 will be a massive bonus!

     

    My little sister has entered into the Junior Miles of the North, and I've told her if she runs that, faster then I run my final mile I'll give her £20 so she is already spending that in her head haha! I just hope she still cheers me on!

  • 7 miles tonight - half into the wind, half being blown down the road making me run faster than I wanted.

    Now, the question is: I have to do another shortish, slow run before my last weekend run on Sunday.  I'm wondering whether I should do 4 easy miles tomorrow night after work, or go to South Shields' inaugural parkrun on Saturday morning.  The temptation there though, would be to race it, or at least go at a decent pace, so maybe it wouldn't be the best idea.

  • You could tell yourself you're going to give yourself a nice easy PB to beat Shielsy?  I'd be wanting to go along myself, give them some support.  Are they at the stage of needing volunteers?  You could go 30 minute pacer or even tail runner so you'd not be allowed to hare off.

     

    Having said that, I expect to be down at Durham on Saturday and have a good tempo effort at it - I run to it and from it, so it works well as a bit of speed work.  I'll not be running next week though!

     

    Thanks for asking Lily - yeah still a bit snotty, so haven't run today as planned.  Tomorrow's filling up fast, but hoping that I could slot in a 5 miler somewhere.

    Oliver I like your little bet with your sister image Hope that spurs you both on!

  • I would go for the park run Shielsy with lots of company image and try to take it steady! Forgot to say I will be going to yoga as usual with my daughter next Thurs but even there will have to be careful not to strain myself! Have you all heard about the plans for remembering Boston on the day? From facebook I understand there will be a minutes silence and runners are being encouraged to wear sky blue and yellow ribbons which are Boston colours. Maybe will get an e-mail from the organisers about this. Getting scarily close nowimage

  • Are we to provide our own blue and yellow ribbons or are the organisers doing that?  I need to know if a trip to Fenwicks' haberdashery dept. is in order. I travelled into work on the metro with my niece this morning and asked her if she had any yellow and blue nail varnish.  She has, so I'm going to paint my nails those colours for the day.

    My club vest is yellow and blue anyway.

    I could go along to parkrun tomorrow and do it at marathon pace (which for me isn't going to be fast anyway).  I'm just niggling all over though, so am terrified of turning a niggle into a problem.

  • Nice to hear how well everyone's training and prep has been going and all those tapering decisions. I'd decided a couple of weeks ago to pull out as I'd had a couple of injuries and missed a lot of training. Boston has made me re-think though, my excuses seems a bit pathetic in comparison to that! So i'm going to give it a go just with a much slower goal time. Aim to try to beat my P.W. not my P.B!!

    Hope they do some ribbons to wear like they are doing at London. They could sell them with money to charity?

    Managed a 20 a couple of weeks ago with a bit of run/walk towards the end and a hilly 15 at weekend. Slow but it should be enough to get me round. In the Isle of Man this weekend so will do a slow 10 miler before resting and being healthy next week!!

    Have a great weekend all

     

  • I hadn't heard about that Lily - I must get myself over to the FB page.  Yellow and blue nail varnish sounds great!

     

    I think I'm benefitting from have friends run at VLM - until that's over and done with, I'm being distracted from the fact I'm running a mara myself!

    Hope the niggles don't come to anything Shielsy - could be just taper madness playing with your mind?  Hope so.  Just off now to do a slow 5.  There's no wind hooray!

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