MBNA Chester Marathon 2013

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Comments

  • According to netweather forum people who like to analyze all the forecast models going to be a lot of rain this week, especially thursday...but there is potential for a warm up next weekend. Not sure if that's good or bad.

  • Anyway...  to avoid have a zero total for this week, I went out for a 45minute run... arriving home at 10.40pm this evening!

    Tapering max, it's called.  No half measures!

    Actually... just getting over a cold... that cost me a week's training.  It's been a long one, but hopefully will be properly behind me in a couple of days.  Don't know whether that affects my time notably.  I'm getting nervous of going with the 3-45 pacer... at 8.33 miles.  I know that 8:45 to 8:55 is more like the pace I think I can maintain. Still tempted though!

  •  

    I too am nervous about setting off with the 3:45 pacers, even though my plan is to only live with them until half-way.   A 1:52-1:53 half-marathon wouldn't be an issue, if I could then stop and have a beer.   But with another half-marathon still to face.......

     

  • My race-pack arrived image

     

  • Runny Knows....I am feeling exactly the same as you! I am drawing some comfort from fact that my training runs have tended to be quite hilly and 20 miler in south cheshire was def quite challenging hill wise and I understand chester marathon is mainly flat....in fact someone says it almost feels like downhill for most of it....and that would suit me! Got upset stomach now tho so not really eating.....seem to be doing the carb depletion / carb load by thurs hopefully but I didnt mean to try that!!! Good luck everyone for this final week!!

  • Runny Knows...image

    Bev...take it easy...don't eat foods not used to etc.

  • REMREM ✭✭✭

    Feeling quite weak from the carb depletion! Looking forward to huge carbfest on Thursday!

  • REM - not sure why you're bothering with the carb depetion phase...current thinking is that method is unnecessary and can make you more susceptible to illness etc. Why not just eat normally and then increase carb percentage and decrease training last 3 days.

  • REMREM ✭✭✭

    I have read that too.  Talking to some the older runners I run with, their view is that it has fallen from favour beacuse it is difficult - I know - proper grumpy old men! 

    Anyway I though it would give it a go as an experiment for my spring marathon. 

  • Ok, fair enough.

  • With the availability of gels and sports drinks etc not sure how necessary carb loading is these days....

    But. Who is going to load up with beetroot?!

  • I might wait til next marathon to try that! image

  • NjordNjord ✭✭✭

    Did the beetroot juice thing a year or two back because I was told that my pee would turn purple if I drank enough.  Apparently there are other benefits as well but I stopped listening at that point - I mean, who wouldn't be excited enough about having purple pee!

    Anyway it didn't work.  Can't remember if I ran well or not, but my pee didn't change colour.  Once bitten, twice shy.

    Will be eating and drinking normally most of the week with reduced running volume taking care of the carbo-loading.

  • 15West wrote (see)

     

    But. Who is going to load up with beetroot?!

    I'm intending to carry a bagful round with me, in case I need them.

  • Yes. Purple pee...and purple poo apparently. How cool is that?!

    How much running you doing this week Njord? You paced before? Fair amount of pressure to get it right I guess...what is your actual PB?

  • Another question. .....who is going to use compression socks on the run? I did on 20 miler and ran well but then I don't know how well I would have done without them!!

  • Not me, haven't got any. I do have some comression tights though which I just wear post long runs sometimes, or when I'm feeling kinky.

  • NjordNjord ✭✭✭

    15West - probably about 30 miles this week.  I like to run every day to keep everything mobile, but all runs will be 30-40 minutes.  I've never officially paced before so I'm looking forward very much to Sunday - a few nerves for sure, but that's no bad thing. 

    I've run about 50 marathons since my first in 2006, and include 6 sub-3's in the last 18 months (two on consecutive days earlier this year) and my PB is 2:42 from Rotterdam in 2010.  On paper, pacing sub-3 might therefore look fairly straightforward, but I will NOT be taking it for granted.  I've run all the previous Chester marathons and have so much respect for the good work that Chris, Andy and their team put into the race.  I don't want to let them or any of their runners down.

  • Beetroot worked for me at Manchester, but there were no big shared troughs to let me prove it to everyone else. Also ran a PB so will be on it again

  • Wow Njord - you like marathons don't you?! Impressive stats.

    Barlick - Beet-It shots?

  • I've used Beet-It shots on my last two marathons, not sure it improved my stamina, but definately turned my pee pink.

  • Latest forecasts indicate could be fairly warm next sunday. Not sure if sunny/dry, but certainly won't be cold. At the moment. Might be fairly settled too.

  •  

    I've set myself five targets

     

    T1 - To get around safely in one piece and come home with a medal'

    T2 - To beat the 4:40 I ran last year (2012 - Milton Keynes);

    T3 - To beat my 4:13 Personal Best (2006 - Nottingham);

    T4 - To beat my Personal Trainer's 4:09 Personal Best (she'll be in Chester);

    T5 - To go sub-4.00.

     

    I think that (despite how 'down' I am just now), T1 & T2 are achievable.   Not sure about the other three.   But a boy can dream.

  • T1 - To get around safely in one piece and come home with a medal'

    T2 - sub 3.00

    T3 - sub 2.55

    T4 - sub 2.50

    T5 - sub-2.45

    (T6 - new world record).

  • Tim of MK    you get a lot more then a medal

  • I am setting myself just one target. To run well and as close to my time last year of 3:15:02 as possible, after all, it's what I have trained for image

     

  • hope to beat   3h43   that i got last yearimage

  • T1 - To avoid injury

    T2 - To go sub-4hr for the first time.

    T3 - To achieve 3.4x.xx  (which would be a huge pb... one I thought would be achievable but not quite done enough.

    T4 - To achieve 3.45.44 (which, in age-graded terms, be better than my brother-in-laws 3:24:00 pb)

    Weekly mileages have been erratic and quite a bit lower than I hoped (yes there are a couple of single-figure weeks in there! ).... that's family life/work for you!  No gym work either. But still very hopeful I'll achieve T1 and T2 - because I've had a more solid year leading up to the summer training.

    Last 12 weeks' mileages, up to yesterday: 19, 24,  29, 44, 4, 36, 46, 36, 44, 10, 56*, 5,

    *the 56 looks a lot, but only because the previous Sunday's long run sneaked into Monday, so 2 long runs in the week.

     

  • I've set one target sub 3, not sure if I've done enough mileage to do it so I won't be dissapointed if I don't finish or it all goes belly up as long as I've give it my best. 

    My pb is 3.04 so anything better than wouldn't be bad either.

    I started the beet it shots today, I've had a great race with them in the past and a bad one as well so I dunno if they work or not! 

  • RK, your name has just reminded me of a question I hadimage

    Running tends to clear my sinuses and when I'm on a trail there is no problem clearing them footballer style image Now I wouldn't dream of doing this in a road race so how do you guys deal with it? Surely I can't be the only one who needs to clear their nostrils and I don't have anywhere to stuff tissues without them getting damp with sweat.

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