Berlin Marathon 2013

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Comments

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Andy - from the information that ive learnt - the gels take between 30-45 mins to work so if you take it atmile 22 you'll be done by the time its reached it usefulness. I take one at 1 hr in, then every 30mins until the half way point and if i need a boost ill have some coke... but thats rare. It depends on the brand of gel but leaving it to mile 13 means your tank is already empty

    A friend of mine takes on no gels and just fuels their runs on kendal mint cake! And theyre a 3hr 30 marathoner.

  • Emmy H wrote (see)

    Andy - from the information that ive learnt - the gels take between 30-45 mins to work so if you take it atmile 22 you'll be done by the time its reached it usefulness. I take one at 1 hr in, then every 30mins until the half way point and if i need a boost ill have some coke... but thats rare. It depends on the brand of gel but leaving it to mile 13 means your tank is already empty

    A friend of mine takes on no gels and just fuels their runs on kendal mint cake! And theyre a 3hr 30 marathoner.

    Emmy- Your talking about the soft drink variety, right?image

  • well it would certainly make you go faster if it was 't  ;)

    that is why I have always used those belvita as it is slow release oaty carbs so they have kept me going for the first half. If I finally break the 3hr mark I will owe you big time Emmy.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Andy - if you PM me your email I'll send through some nutrition suggestions for the week before Berlin.

    david... Oh yes... The full fat stuff as well!

  • andy can't believe how similar u are to me.. managed a 3.05 in London last year great till mile 20 then blew up drastically . Have ran two 3:07's but can't get near the sub3. Like u don't carry water and put a couple of gels in my pocket..think I've got something  wrong or just gotta admit I've reached my limit

  • Ah the mystical art of fueling. What everyone else said. Think the key for me is taking on before I need it because then it's too late. So I take a gel every 7kmsih, it keeps me going and out of trouble belly wize.

  • A good friend of ours, Tricky Dicky, is a sub 3 runner. His top tip for gels is to mix them 50:50 with water and carry them in two bottles on his hydration belt. He sips from them as he goes along and supplements it with water at feed stations. I tried this but found that the pre-mix made me thirsty. It may work for you though.

    Another tip I saw recently was about drinking from cups. Squash the cup into a funnel, makes it easier to pour into your mouth and is less likely to slop. I'll be giving this a go.  

    Spitfire & JasonReid. Mrs O is my support team and she likes to get to as many points on the course as possible. For Berlin we have 5 points planned at km 3, 11, 22, 35 and 40. The only tight bit is from 35 to 40 as the train takes about 15 mins. All of this is using 1 train line (U2) and not too much walking. Mind you, I will be running about 5:45 per km and she is very determined. Plus we will be sussing out her viewing points prior to the race.

     

  • What support team are the minis in?? I am going to be hoping they can supply bottled water?? I obviously wont be relying on them! 

  • think Mrs O will deserve a medal as well if she can make all those stops.

    my missus is just waiting at the finish - suppose she will have the two kids

  • just seen on the site that next years Berlin is going to be a ballott.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Orbutt wrote (see)

    Another tip I saw recently was about drinking from cups. Squash the cup into a funnel, makes it easier to pour into your mouth and is less likely to slop. I'll be giving this a go.  

    Spitfire & JasonReid. Mrs O is my support team and she likes to get to as many points on the course as possible. For Berlin we have 5 points planned at km 3, 11, 22, 35 and 40. The only tight bit is from 35 to 40 as the train takes about 15 mins. All of this is using 1 train line (U2) and not too much walking. Mind you, I will be running about 5:45 per km and she is very determined. Plus we will be sussing out her viewing points prior to the race.

     

    You're right. This works for the paper cups but not really the plastic ones. I make a funnel and then tip it to the side.

    Mrs. O is very determined. She was a lady to be reckoned with in Paris!

  • Ballots - hate em. Much prefer pay your money and get in. I suppose it's a measure of popularity though.

    Emmy - image

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Orbutt - completely agree. As someone has said on FB - the organisers had little choice. They could have gone down the Boston or London route and apparently this year - a lot of runners felt it was unfair that they didnt get the opportunity to enter as it sold out so quickly. I'll see how the race goes this year but i'm not a fan of the ballot races - give me a nice local friendly marathon any day!

  • As long as you get to know reasonably quickly whether you're in or not then a Ballot is fine. The London wait is a pita.

    Thanks for the spectator info Orbutt, is it pointless trying to get near the finish ? thought I read something about big screens & grandstands.

    Normally on water stations I tip the first bit away (or over my head) then drink what's left. Taking Gels after 22 may not help physically but mentally they do & will take any help I can get at that point. image

     

  • "Mrs O is my support team and she likes to get to as many points on the course as possible. For Berlin we have 5 points planned at km 3, 11, 22, 35 and 40. The only tight bit is from 35 to 40 as the train takes about 15 mins. All of this is using 1 train line (U2) and not too much walking. Mind you, I will be running about 5:45 per km and she is very determined. Plus we will be sussing out her viewing points prior to the race."

    Very good call, I will see whether Mrs SpitF is up for it? 

    Just having a nagging blister on my right foot just about under sole - bunion area. Have been using normal plaster, but was thinking whether you guys recommend using Compeed for race day.

    Comments are appreciated.....

  • KK there are big screens near the finish but the crowds will be huge too. The brochure shows their location on a map. 

    Just before the finish is a good place to spectate, as the last 6 hopelessness turns into last few hundred delight. 

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Spitfire - Try them on your long runs and see if it works. I think if they help with the blisters - then use them. Personally I go au-natural and if they burst then i've got something else to think aboutimage

     

  • Emmy H wrote (see)

    Spitfire - Try them on your long runs and see if it works. I think if they help with the blisters - then use them. Personally I go au-natural and if they burst then i've got something else to think aboutimage

     

    Emmy you are a Super-Woman image

  • She's as tough as they come. Who else would welcome a burst blister as a distraction ?

  • orbutt - thanks for the info, will make sure shes about to hand me gels as i cant wear a belt or carry too many, really puts me off when ive tried it in the past - in training i would carry them so far and drop them off in a hedge/similar on an out and back course and pick them up at a later stage!

    looking at doing a final 16/18 this sunday, as i missed it last weekend due to a cold...hoping a 2 week taper is sufficient at this stage!

  • jason, good luck with your LR this weekend...I've got a 12mi scheduled.....

    I may try another belt until race day and have Mrs SpitF along the course for support

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    Orbutt wrote (see)

    She's as tough as they come. Who else would welcome a burst blister as a distraction ?

    I remember at Milton Keynes where one did burst tha I couldn't think of much else for a few miles! Seemed to work a treat!

     

     

  • Emmy H wrote (see)

    Spitfire - Try them on your long runs and see if it works. I think if they help with the blisters - then use them. Personally I go au-natural and if they burst then i've got something else to think aboutimage

     

    Emmy - you ae a total trooper...

    Spitfire - I however am not! And I heartily recommend compeed as a preventer - and treatment.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    jasonreid7 wrote (see)

    looking at doing a final 16/18 this sunday, as i missed it last weekend due to a cold...hoping a 2 week taper is sufficient at this stage!

    Jason - be careful knocking out a 16/18 miler so close to race day. It's better to be undertrained and rested than overtrained and exhausted. Have you ever done a 2 week taper before?

    Iain - I find that using compeed annoys me more than the blister itself! image

  • i am planning a 23 miler this weekend!! image

    I have always done a really long one on the weekends before - last year i did 23 the weekend before but at a really slow pace, i have also done the Paris - London double before and always ran the second one quicker. After this it will be winding down to about 25-30 miles next week and then only 20 the week of the race. 

    Berlin deffo has big screens at the finish - last year i was one of the first to get from the finish back round the stand and watch at the finish waiting for the father-in-law and the missus to come in - i had my Team GB top on and medal around my neck. Suddenly the camera crew ran over and stuck the camera in my face and i did a 'Mo-bot' i had promised the kids i would do crossing the finish. Suddenly there was a cheer and i realised i was all over the big screens. For the next 20 minutes they kept coming back over and filming again - it was slightly embarassing.

  • Good point Emmy....I have been reading about taper (total noob, my second race ever!!); and as you said it is important to slow down and not get yourself injuried.

    I will be trying today on my 5m run a waist bag - Karrimor Raid5 (quite comfy I must say). I hope this will enable me to carry all gels required.

    I think I also need to get myself psychologic together, as I am starting to get a bit anxious too soon and without reason....

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Morning all,

    I just wanted to post this as i've had a few people asking me about nutrition. I am currently using Fitnaturally for my nutrition and to help me with my running.

    I've just had a nosey (i'm on their bespoke plans so get everything tailored to me) and they've got a marathon week eating schedule to give you the best preparation for going into a marathon.

    http://www.fitnaturally.co.uk/services/marathon-week-nutrition-plan

    It's only a tenner and to help prepare you for marathon day - i think it's really cheap! I remember 'preparing' beforehand and I was just stuffing myself with carbs - not thinking about whether it was necessary or not.

    I'm not employed by them - i've been using their services for 6 months and during that time have knocked off 1 hour off my marathon time. Have a look here to see the difference made: http://www.fitnaturally.co.uk/blog/marathondiet

    If you're focused on your nutrition - why not give it a go. It could be the best change that you make to your marathon time!

     

  • Super star eh Andy, had a disastrous run last year in Berlin feeling better this year.like u will probably set off at 3 hr pace and hope the wall isn't their at mile 20.. Crowds in the last couple of miles are immense, can't wait now its a fab place to go and run

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Spitfire - Take a few moments visualing the race. Thinking about what you want to achieve, how you'll feel as you cross the finish line and relax.

    Put confidence in knowing that you have trained well, are focused and can do it! I think marathontalk will be putting out a podcast soon with taper madness (they always do around this time!).

  • spitfire51 wrote (see)

    Good point Emmy....I have been reading about taper (total noob, my second race ever!!); and as you said it is important to slow down and not get yourself injuried.

    I will be trying today on my 5m run a waist bag - Karrimor Raid5 (quite comfy I must say). I hope this will enable me to carry all gels required.

    I think I also need to get myself psychologic together, as I am starting to get a bit anxious too soon and without reason....

    You're actually going through taper madness and you're not even tapering image

    To give you an idea, On Sunday I'll be doing 12 miles and the following Sunday I'll be doing 8.

    Keep your intensity up but reduce your mileage.

    P&D recommend a 3 week week taper reducing your mileage in week 3 by 25%, week 2 by 40% and week 1 by 60%

    Emmy - thanks for the links, I'll have a nose

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