the Marathon of the North

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  •  How are everyone's legs today, on this glorious sunny (wind-free! image ) day?

    Yesterday I was actually very poorly with food poisoning (I think).  My celebratory curry I had on Sunday night knocked me sick and I spent all day yesterday in bed sleeping, or hobbling to the bathroom.  All I had to eat was a small bowl of soup yesterday evening.  Maybe it's a knock-on effect of putting your body through the stress of a marathon?  Your natural defences are so low that you are more susceptible to bugs?

    Anyway, I'm feeling a lot better today and might take a walk to running club tonight - not to actually take part in the session, I'm feeling so weak right now I think the 10 minute walk there will be effort enough, but just to swap stories with others who took part in the races on Sunday.

     Madbee - massive congratulations on your half pb - it's a great feeling to go sub 2 hours, isn't it?

  • oh no poor you Shielsy, sorry to hear you have been so unwell, hope you get your strength back soon. Just as you should be having lots of nice treats. I have just had a massage which hopefully will help my stiff legs. Still kicking myself about how I ran on Sunday but all my friends and family have been so kind, it is the running the marathon not the time that seems to make them proud! Just about to go out for lunch with a friend......

    Brilliant well done Madbee on your half. Sure you could do a mara. Ignoring my problems from Sunday I really believe it s all in following a plan and stubborn determination that gets you round. I followed the Manchester Marathon training plan for both my marathons, it is finding one that works for you. I feel like a change so have contacted Shades from the forum for their plan. Also Manchester had no out and backs so found it psychologically easier than Sunderland. York is a circular route with no repeated bits. Would def look for those sorts of routes in the future. Good luck!

  • Hope everyone is feeling better today too sorry to hear you've not been well Shielsy.

    Don't be kicking yourself about the run Lily. Sounds a heroic performance to me, especially with your health problems in the build up.

    Psychologically, Sunderland was as hard as any marathon i've ever done. Lots of twists & turns, repeated sections, hills, wind and yet we all finished!! The experience and fitness will mean you'll ace it at York!!

  • Yep lovely weather here too - grrr!

    Achy quads for me today and stairs are a bit of an issue but still feeling elated and everyone has been so lovely to me (best mate even sent me flowers!) - must do marathons more often!!image

    Lily of course they are proud of you for just doing it - it's a huge achievement and not everyone has the guts to get to the starting line and especially to carry on when things get tough.

    Looking at the map from my Garmin no wonder the distance read slightly short - it cut off loads of corners on the route!

    Helen

  • Thanks Madbee! Congrats on your half PB! 

    I've got the marathon bug and signed up for Chester! It's 3 days before my 23rd Birthday and for some reason I've decided an entry would be the perfect birthday present to myself haha! My calves are still sore from those hills!

    I'll be jogging steady tomorrow though! Just treated myself to a new pair of running trainers!

  • DaveClaret wrote (see)

    Don't be kicking yourself about the run Lily. Sounds a heroic performance to me, especially with your health problems in the build up.

     

    Hear hear!

    Hellsbells - that's interesting about the corners.  A friend of mine who ran on Sunday suggested that because there was such a lot of out and back sections, and the Garmin only records points every so often, maybe it may not have counted points where there was a quick u-turn?  I dunno, I'm not sure exactly how these things work.

    What I have noticed on my uploaded map of the run (I use the software Ascent) is that I cannot see a mile marker for 23 - I've got a marker for 22 and 24 but nothing for 23.  Could anyone point out to me whereabouts mile 23 was?

     

  • On the facebook site, people measuring the course with the Nike plus ap are saying that the course measured accurate. I tend to think, like Shielsy mentions above, that Garmin's are not great with runs that have lots of turns and that have parts under cover or shade. Mine seemed to lose the signal a bit during the first park section.

    I think it's likely that the person wwho measured the course is the same person who was the announcer. He runs for a club near to me and is very experienced at it so i'd trust him to get it right.

  • I've been reading lots about Garmins niot liking turns and twists. Looking at my data and some of the turns look very sharp - pretty sure I always take a wide berth and it knackers my legs to twist and turn quickly. lol.

    I see the photo's are out - pretty happy with mine for once - 19(!!!) and also has a couple with a lad I spoke to for a while who, in his words' was "shot". I love having proper memories like that backed up with a picture. We're deep in convo in one of them!!!

    I've also sent an email to the timing time - my chip/gun time is the same and I no way got over the start line immediatley - fingers crossed I may dip under 3.46 for my time. We'll see......

  • my poor Garmin had no idea, mostly due to user error I have to say!  I have the same thing with the timing Adrian - I was back with the 4+ hour crowd not with the elites funnily enough!  It doesn't make a whole load of difference to me though, it wasn't like I was on a cusp.

     

    Aaah though my legs are reet KILLING me today.  Hills make me hobble, and if I sit down I'm like a Granny getting up again, have to hold on to the sides of the chair image  Have a foam roller - any good tips on getting rid of the dreaded DOMS a bit quicker?

     

    Hope you're feeling better now Shielsy, poor old you!

  • thanks Dave, Hellsbells and Shielsy for your kind words again image know what you mean Daisy about feeling like a Granny, I keep being late today as I can't get anywhere quickly. I did have a massage today that hopefully helped. Oliver, good for you signing up for another mara. I understand the marathon bug image but it hard explaining it to other people. Since taking up running I feel happier and healthier and strongimage. No running for me for at least a week. I will walk a bit tomorrow and maybe go for a swim. The photos Adrian, I found mine hilarious, talk about the loneliness of the long distance runner, partic the seafront with no one near me just little old me and a lighthouse. I do like the one of me high fiving my daughter at the finish! Hope everyone recovering ok.

  • I was in the 3rd row from the front, and my chip time and gun time is 3 seconds different, which I think is accurate, seems a lot of the guys who finished around me is similar, but for the guys at the back I can imagine it being nearly a minute different? A lot of people saying their timings were messed up, but the organisers have said they are working to correct it all for you guys who had it recorded incorrectly!

    Thanks Lily! Already turning my sights to go nearer 2.50 and hoping to run close to a Championship Quali time at London next year (2.45) watch this space!

    A guy posted a link to the Official Certificate of Accuracy for the race, and apparently Steve Cram said on Sunday it had also been verified by another measurer! 

    I read a while back about Garmins being slightly inaccurate in built up areas, races with lots of turns and lots of inclines/declines, so the Marathon on Sunday ticks all those boxes!

    Went running today, only steady 1.5 miles at 7:30/mi pace and calves felt much better for it afterwards! Going for a cycle tomorrow I think, feels good to get my legs moving again! 

    My photos are hilarious, look fine until the final straight, I look close to tears in this one haha! http://www.marathon-photos.com/scripts/photo.py?event=Sports/CPUK/2013/Marathon of the North&photo=MANB2192&bib=1351

    Hope everyone is recovering well!

  • Lily - I've just been looking at everyone's photos (nice to put a real face to the names on here) and yours are great.  How you managed to smile through Sunday I'll never know!  Mine are awful - it looks like my face is melting down my face on some of them!

    A friend from my running club recorded his finishing time as 3:22, but his official result is 3:29 ... needless to say he's not very happy and has emailed the organisers, but apparently they're dealing with a massive backlog now.

  • Hi I have been following this thread although I only did the 10k .My chip and gun time were the same although I was at the back when starting. I emailed race timing systems and they got back to me today saying there was some problems and they had corrected mine when I looked back on timings my time was reduced by nearly 3 minutes which was where I thought I was and cheered me up no end. Not sure if that means they sorted out everyone who had issues or if you need to e mail them. Well done to everyone on Sunday  I live in Sunderland and can run in any weather but I did think it was freezing and windy (again) on Sunday and as I was finishing going into the stadium passing you marathoners going the other way I was thinking I'm glad it's not me! Roll on the great north run...

  • Thanks hellsbells! Could you email it to me at amy@softwaretestingclub.com ?

    Still no sign of my Garmin but I'm going to look on the bright side. A new Garmin will be great, right? 

    I feeling very relieved that the course was the right distance! Imagaine how much worse you would feel after another 400 meters...

    I think it's safe to say I won't be buying any of my photos. I think I am actually crying in some of the ones near the end. They are made much worse by the very cheerful spectators. 

    Well done for running Oliver. I'm going to enjoy at least a week off before I go back. Mind you with the way my legs feel right now I'm not sure I even could run. 

  • Re DOMS. I find, and I'm not taking the pi*s here, a good foam roll and then the next day a gentle recovery run of 2-3 miles. GENTLE mind!!!

    Best by far is a ice bath within 20 mins or so of the mara but obv not possible unless you live super close on Sunday...so I made due with a ice cold...beerimage

  • Haha well I certainly followed the beer tipimage 

    At the moment I'm just trying to keep moving. Mornings are worst obviously but things ease up during the day. 

    Maybe I'll try a gently run tomorrow...

  • thanks Shielsy, yours are great too! Shows the effort we went through....HellsBells you look familiar, I wonder if you were sheltering behind the skip before we assembled for the start? If you were I was there briefly in a purple fleece with husband and daughter! Apologies if I was mistaken. I am wondering if it really was a skip! Anyway something that gave us a little respite from the wind.

    I promised my husband I wouldn't get post marathon blues as it was such a difficult experience but I guess I have got them a little..........how is everyone else? If you get them how do you deal with them? At least the legs are a lot better today...

    Amy, I had a few tears too, I wonder why it has that effect, through the run it was because it was so hard and I guess at the end relief, then felt tearful talking about it after!

  • I had post-marathon blues after London, as it wasn't just running a marathon, it was a big weekend away in London, the Expo, the excitement, the awesome crowds, the sunshine, coming back to work and have everyone you know ask how it went, raising nearly £1000 for my charity etc etc.

    This time I'm just glad to see the back of it, to be honest ... hardly anyone in work knew I was running a marathon this time, it was just a few stops away from where I live on the metro so no sense of it being anywhere different (as lovely as Roker beach is), the conditions were hideous ... and then I promptly get sick so didn't get to brag about it in work anyway, lol.

    If I feel anything, it's a twinge of disappointment that the day couldn't have been a bit kinder to us so maybe I could have seen what I was capable of after all the hard training.  Then again, maybe I would still have got 4:02, so who knows?

  • Adrian LOL at your medicinal beer - any excuse! image

    The DOMS is much better today - I'd say I'm back down to a 70 rather than a 90 year old....  have run-then-cake scheduled with friends tomorrow, will be short and gentle, so hope that with the foam rolling will get me back to normal.

    Lily I was definitely blue yesterday - not helped by the hobbling!  As for coping, I knew it was caused by the marathon and not to take it seriously, and today I already feel a new woman!  Much more energetic image  Hope you're feeling better too.  You ran a marathon - again!  Not so many people can say that.

    Shielsy what's your next one booked - will it be the sub 4 you're hoping for I wonder!  In fact, I've inadvertently stalked you.  I was looking for info about the Thunder run, and there you were on one of the threads!  Are you doing it again this year?  I'll be there, with my team of mad middle aged women image

    Oliver that's very exciting!  2.45 would be amazing - sure you can do it though, with a bit (lot!) of hard graft of course.  Wishing you lots of  injury free training.

  • for all those entered York there is a thread http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/events/yorkshire-marathon-2013/237539.html Thanks Daisy and Shielsy, what are your future marathon plans? I do feel better today, and someone at work said I was glowing! Legs def less stiff but I still feel so tired!image Has anyone done the Shades training plan? I have e-mailed but no reply yet. Feel like a change, any recommendations? I have been running 4 times a week and would like to add a few longer runs maybe to build up stamina for the marathon...

     

  • Lily - I've never seen the Shades training plan, but would be interested to see what it was.  I have no clue when (or if!) I'll be doing another marathon, though I did enter the VLM ballot on Monday from my sick bed.  I quite fancy to maybe come along to support the York marathon though, as it gives me an excuse to have a weekend in York with my brother and sis-in-law, and I know a couple of people taking part.

    Daisybrain - did you do Thunder Run last year?  Yes, I'm doing it again this year and can't wait.  It's a bit like Glastonbury for runners and I loved the camaraderie.  The fact that we had nice weather that weekend, despite the rest of the summer being a total wash-out, helped.

  • Thanks Lily I'll go and join that thread for York.  I've never heard of the Shades training plan, what is it?  I've been using the Smartcoach on here to work out plans.  I like the way it's flexible so I can add in things like my running groups and park run etc.

     

    Shielsy no this will be my/our first time!  Fantastic to hear you had such a good time.  Hope the weather is kind again.  Do you have any tips, things we ought to bring with us we might not think of?

  • Daisybrain - there's quite a few things that might not seem immediately important:

    The weather could be wet, could be boiling, so bring shorts/vests and layers/tights.  A change/or changes of shoes in case it is wet and yours get soaking.  The course last year was a bit 'traily' in places but dry, so I managed in road shoes, but if it gets boggy then grippier shoes might be useful.

    Change of batteries for headtorch - you don't want that dying on you in the middle of the woods in the middle of the night!

    Duct tape - one of my tent poles decided to splinter when putting it up last year image

    Wellies (for mud) and flip flops (for the showers)

    There's a great on-site catering tent providing pasta and baked potatoes etc, but there can be queues sometimes, so this year I'm going to take a little stove and kettle so that I can make my own cup of tea and porridge pots.

    Wet Wipes - when you've just ran, you're knackered, and you can't be arsed to shower image

    Plasters - if you're clumsy like me and take a tumble in the woods at night.

    Warm hat, and maybe space blanket/extra sleeping bag - you might find you won't sleep that much over the 24 hour period, but it can get a bit chilly in the tent in the middle of the night.

     

    I loved last year so much, though it was a bit challenging (I did the 6 mile route 4 times in total but by the end you're mentally and physically drained).  I did find I pb-ed at all distances following TR24 though, as I think it just injected me with some kind of toughness I didn't have before.

  • There's also a personal joke with me and my fellow TR team though, in that I'm jinxed with regards to the event:  we drove down to do it in 2011, I erected my tent, was dead excited for the weekend, jumped over a guy rope ... and went over on my ankle, badly spraining it ... I'd been down there exactly half an hour image.  I was in so much pain and because we were camping the portaloos seemed like miles away, which I couldn't cope with - a whole weekend of hopping.  So my boyfriend had to make the 3 hour drive for me to take me home.

    Then last year I was struck down my a stomach virus for a week and a half before the event.  I lost 6lbs in weight (and I'm only 5 foot and light anyway) and still wasn't eating properly on the Thursday before it started.  All my family and OH were telling me not to take part, but of course I ignored them and had a blast.

    I'm just praying that this year everything goes without a hitch, lol.

    I'm keeping everything crossed for great weather again this year.

  • First run on sore legs tonight.

  • fantastic thanks Shielsy - that's all going into the spreadsheet!  Interesting all your times went down afterwards (interesting and encouraging!).  Did you train for it at all? I'll still be training for the GNR and York so was hoping to mop it all up together.  Hope this is 3rd time lucky for you this year, totally mishap free image

    So how was it for you Tim?  I did a very short run today, with friends (there was also cake involved image) and it felt OK, calves still really tight and knotty though.  Had a good foam rolling session this evening.

  • I wanted to go out for a run last night as it was so beautiful up here ... perfect for running, but I'm still feeling a bit weak after my bout of sickness so I'll leave it for a while longer.  My legs feel reasonably normal now though, no tightness, although I'm sure they'd feel very sluggish if I made them run any great distance at the moment.

    Daisybrain ... no, I didn't train specifically for Thunder Run, but I was running about 10 miles for my long runs anyway.  I know people who were doing 2 runs a day to get used to running when they were tired, but our team never.  To be honest, our team were more in it for the experience than trying to get a good finishing position so times weren't important.  Are you in a team of 3, 5 or 8?  I was in a team of 5 and managed to do 4 laps.  Beforehand I was hoping to do 5, but in all honesty by the time I'd ran 3 of them I was pretty tired.

    Running in the dead of night with just your headtorch to light the way is quite a disconcerting experience, especially with people coming past you.  Make sure you've got a top or jacket with those high-vis strips on (the stuff that seems to light up when you throw a light on it)

  • Still don't have a time in the official results ! Maybe I've been disqualified.....

    Shielsy- Glad you are feeling better. I agree with your thoughts regarding "What if...?" Had the weather been better, I really don't know if I would have run any faster. I suppose that's how running becomes so addictive- the quest to have perfect control over all variables

    I have followed my "normal" week: rode to work, played badminton, been to taekwondo and not felt anything (well, apart from being whacked in head during sparring). I went for a run on Tuesday and felt tired after about 4-5 miles, however.

    Does anyone know roughly how long it takes to recover after a marathon?

  • capples I found this the other day http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51152/Post-Marathon-Zero-Week-Training-Program  and since been following it to the letter - surely Hal can't be wrong!  Looking forward to the reverse taper next week.  Weird your results haven't come up yet.  Mine have been sorted now, so dropped a couple of minutes off the time which is nice image  Hope yours appear soon.  I wonder why it's been so confused this year?

     

    Shielsy I'm in a team of 8 (lazy caaah!), and definitely it's an excuse for us to go camping and have a laugh, we're not expecting to break any records (just having a child free weekend where we get to go running and have lots of chat is enough!).  I will tell them all to dig out their high vis vests. Did you already have experience of running with a headtorch?  I've only been out once with mine, and that was when it was snowing and on road so not really a fair test. Will have to try going out properly late with it, and on trails.

  • Running home from work tonight. My legs are still feeling heavy but improving. They felt less sore after Hardmoors 55!

    There seems to be some rumours going around that the course has been measured short for all distances on Sunday. Has anyone else heard anyhting on this?

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