Paris Marathon 2014

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  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    Benign - Thats a good point to make about the electrolyte tabs. Which ones do you use?

  • Spitfire51 really sorry to hear that, glad you are ok now, I think you are right about under estimating the challenge. 

    I look two small bottles of high5 zeros using a drinks belt and glad I did now, I had issues in training with cramps and put that down to lack of electrolyte and decided on the belt strategy then. Must admit at the start I felt a little daft but who cares each to their own ! 

    Rest up and recover, get the mileage back up and you will smash Amsterdam image

  • Spitfire51, that does sound a terrible experience, just glad you are OK now.

    Got back from Paris last night. I had a fantastic few days, and it was great meeting up with everyone.

    Interesting reading everyone race reports.

    Good to get another Marathon under my belt. Hoped for a faster time, but can't really complain, and its was just great to be in Paris.

    Nice not to have to rush back, so spent Monday and Tuesday enjoying the city.

    I did enjoy Pasta Papas and Corcorran. Good to have people to share the experience with, when I'm travelling just on my own.

     

  • PC - wrote (see)

     

    Tinks - now are you a runner ?

    Yeah....no....still not.

    Congrats Matty. That's a fab story. How about a piccie of you and the Mrs-to-be?

  • Benign - It just tells you that I do not know much about it. Just thought that low BP would mean sugar level low. The Red Cross paramedics were giving me sugar lumps and water but I was "returning" (argh) everything 

    Hatter88 - interested in knowing which belt you were wearing??? saw a guy wearing one with 6x small bottles which could save me next time. Also saw people wearing Camel Ultra Vest

    Thank you all for the support wishes, much appreciated.

    *I have an unfinished business in Paris, I will go back to finish that event.

  • E mmy wrote (see)

    Benign - Thats a good point to make about the electrolyte tabs. Which ones do you use?

    I used a sachet of SIS electrolyte powder in 500mls water, but I don't really know the difference between that and other electrolyte drinks/tabs. They may all be fairly similar. The important thing is to take in some electrolyte if your heavily increasing your water intake, or not to drink too much anyway (by which I mean several extra litres) Electrolyte imbalance is much more dangerous then a bit of dehydration.

  • Spitfire51 - it was an ultimate performance aira force 2, took my iphone and some shotbloks as well 

    Available from several online stores 

  • Emmy - I really like the High 5 Zero electrolyte tabs (pink grapefruit flavour, if you don't mind!). Zero sugar and zero calorie, and includes magnesium (good for preventing cramps). This has made the most difference of everything I've tried in endurance nutrition.

  • Radar SalRadar Sal ✭✭✭

    Steve a and any other London runners.  We've got a meal booked at Ask italian wigmore st on sat eve at 6:30. Pm me if you want to join. Just finished at expo. image

  • Mad story Spitfire51. Hope you recover soon.

    Mad story MattyWarr - hope you never recover being madly in love and romantic. Knock-out time fella. Really delighted for you.

    image

    I got round to downloading my running data today (normally I'm diving right into it as soon as i can - obviously not pleased with my race). I walked 21 times after km 27.

    I don't know what I can learn from this marathon experience. Try to avoid germs in the run up is the best I can come up with....? What I will say was good was I knew from km5 my HR was too high and I would have to adapt. I waited until km10 to see if the HR would go down and it didn't. So at that point I eased up the pace, not leaving it any longer. But still, less than 25% of the distance completed.

    By 25kms, I knew that the Silver target was in serious doubt but I also checked how my emotions were about that: just fine. I knew things could go much worse due to my illness before.

    First walk break at km27, next at km30. Started to feel some pain in my heart when running. Having had a full sports medical just 3 weeks before, I knew nothing major was wrong. This was just a sign that between illness and exertion my body wasn't happy. So I gave myself full permission to walk as much as I needed to, that i should not let the chest pain stay or get worse.

    By km35 I'd seen the 3h15 pacers go past and any chance of me scraping my Bronze target. I told myself that it was OK, I wasn't bothered by that. The time didn't matter at all. Just finish, stay safe and try to have fun despite my muscles hurting so much. I think I managed body and emotions well. My time was rubbish (for me) but I can certainly take on another marathon or two this year, with enthusiasm and a much better chance of going fast again. The key learning point is never to throw everything into a single race and run yourself into health trouble. There's always another event, another day.

    image

  • Radar sal - can't believe you guys are doing it all again this weekend ! Respect image 

  • Hi all,

    Didn't get as involved in this thread as it seems I should have (defo my loss) but with girlfriend and girlfriend's dad out there we ended up doing our own thing. Even though we didn't meet up with you guys I wanted to say thank you as just by following this thread I got so much useful information which made the whole weekend run far more smoothly than i would have done otherwise.

    Also (my friends don't get running so where else can I boast), I managed to run my aim of sub 3 and came in at 2:58:03! very chuffed!

    Johnny

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

    Emmy - I really like the High 5 Zero electrolyte tabs (pink grapefruit flavour, if you don't mind!). Zero sugar and zero calorie, and includes magnesium (good for preventing cramps). This has made the most difference of everything I've tried in endurance nutrition.

    Thats what i use - but the berry version. I've never tried the SiS version... maybe give that a go. On really hot days - i use the electrolyte SUCCEED tabs... they work a dream when it's over 30c

  • JokeybhoyJokeybhoy ✭✭✭
    TD: There are a lot of similarities between your story and my race experience,apart from your finish time of course haha,hopefully one day I'll be disappointed getting a 3:25 marathon time.
  • Radar SalRadar Sal ✭✭✭

    Hatter 88 - neither can I.

  • I can't believe I'm actually about to type this...but I feel like going for a run. image

  • Heroine in a Half Shell - I'm happy to go out to the airport and try and find your case.  You can send me the details in a PM on here.  

  • Leggy Mountbatten in da house! Or should that be Legless. Actually I don't feel too bad.  Rocking up late as usual.  Did you see the way I slipped in at the back on the Arc photo?  I could see you all there at 7.45am but couldn't get over that bloomin' road for love nor money.  Had my sons and daughter racing about trying to find a way over whilst I got increasingly more stressed at the thought of getting so close and still missing the photo. Thank you so so much for this thread. I had the best time in Paris thanks to you all.  Everything was brilliant and all because of all the information you gave out in advance. 

    Of course I nearly didn't get to race because when I showed my med cert at the expo she pointed out that it was dated  2013 instead of 14.  I nearly fainted clean away with horror.  The doctor's handwriting was so bad I hadn't spotted it, nor my husband nor my daughter who photocopied it for me two days before.  It was done in February and I know how important it is so I still cannot believe it happened. I needed a stiff drink after that scare I can tell you. Thank goodness she took pity on me, goodness knows what my face looked like. The stupid thing is that I had been more concerned about picking up my two friends' bibs as they were not arriving in Paris till 5.30pm. 

    I have been reading everyone's experiences of the race. I am so glad everyone is alright, there sounds to have been some scares out there. Well done all those who were pleased and sorry to all those who were disappointed.  The best thing about being my first marathon was that I just wanted to get round and get round I did.  I had a whale of a time.  The union jack leggings caused quite a reaction so I was never short of crowd support.  It was wonderful spotting the stool flags.  Thanks everyone for supporting, it helps so much. Felt a little overwhelmed and queasy around 18 miles and thought I was going to have a situation.  A Bristol moment did you call it?  Naturally the area was very built up at that point and all cafes were shut.  I got increasingly more desperate and then I suddenly spotted a marshal, asked if there were any toilets soon and he pointed out two Portaloos on a neighbouring building site! I had to squeeze through some wire fencing, opened the first door and recoiled in horror.  Put it this way - some poor builder must have turned up to work on Monday morn and got quite a shock.  The second one was OK and it even had toilet paper! Miraculous.  Anyway it was such a hot day that being in a plastic box with the door shut caused me to boil up.  It occurred to me that I might never be found.  Fortunately I felt a lot better and also slightly smug as I had found a toilet haven of my own.

    The last 6 miles were weird and wonderful.  I vacillated (good word) between despair and euphoria and sometimes moments of madness.  At one point I remember thinking 'I think I could be an ultramarathoner'. What the heck?! I think it's because I was feeling alright for most of the race.  Probably because I had a really steady start.  A bit too slow perhaps but I was running with my friend who was originally doing the marathon and then got seriously ill at Xmas and had to have an op.  She told me that she would probably start running again in June.  But of course she couldn't resist and so she managed to get back to 13 miles by mid March and decided to try to get to 17 miles on the day. So I really wanted to make sure she got to her target and so I made us both keep the pace down.  Also I wanted to finish and I couldn't risk anything getting in the way of that so no grand gestures and silly faster pacing that would leave me unable to drag myself the last couple of miles.

    I l

  • Le EggyMountbatten wrote (see)

    I vacillated (good word) between despair and euphoria and sometimes moments of madness.  At one point I remember thinking 'I think I could be an ultramarathoner'. What the heck?!

    Hehehe. Come over to the dark side, you'll like it here. image

  • StuchburyStuchbury ✭✭✭

    Orange Cherry zero tabs for me. Love them. Take them every long run and when I get home to make sure all is good.

    Contemplating doing a 100km over two days. Trying to convince Mr S he wants to do it with me. I'm done with silly sub four marathons (apart from Shakespeare in two and half weeks).

    Leggy - what a great marathon story!

    I am also shocked at the number of us that had some really quite serious sounding medical issues on Sunday - is that usual? I thought there seemed to be lost of medical people helping runners and lots of ambulances in the woods of death but I don't have experience of big city marathons so don't know if it was the heat really causing people problems or if that's usual? Am very glad everyone is on the road to recovery now.

  • Hi Tiredlegs

    Orapidrun - how did the blood tests go?

    Tink - you sound like you're feeling better image

    Stuchbury - my pistachios didn't even make it out of the expo

    Spitfire - sounds bad, but you're still with us, and that's all that matters at the end of the day

    Leggy - just call it fashionably late

  • StuchburyStuchbury ✭✭✭

     

    Weedy Gonzalez wrote (see)



    Stuchbury - my pistachios didn't even make it out of the expo



    Did you eat them Weedy?

  • So it chopped off the rest of my ramblings.  I was going to say I loved the disco tunnel and I shoulder shimmied with the lady to Le Freak.  I adored the gay cheerleaders and rushed towards them blowing kisses to which they high-fived me.  The leader in the leopard print leotard grabbed my hand and we highstepped down the road together for a few metres.  Fabulous! The tot of red wine was brilliant too. I enjoyed the whole race from beginning to end.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed to have a 5 instead of a 4 at the start of my time but I wouldn't have swapped my experience for the world.  Bring on the next one!

    And my friend ran 18 miles and walked 8 to finish.  What a star.

    I was sorry I didn't make Corcorans but I was too tired and my husband was ill and our hotel was on a building site so we couldn't get any rest on any of the days.  I saw a tractor being lowered past our window by a crane. And our teenagers were being very stroppy after two days of 6am starts and I wouldn't wish them on anyone.

    We had a lovely time at the Ile Saint Louis thanks for the info ATM.  I was gutted that I forgot to get a copy of L'Equipe as was suggested.

    Hope the missing suitcase and medal turn up - what a horrible thing to happen.

    Hope everyone's recovery is going well xxx

     

  • orapidrunorapidrun ✭✭✭

    Weedy - you are kind, and good to remember, I went today for bloods and an ecg, find out Friday afternoon, seemed to go ok?

    Stuchbury - it seems we have similar designs on going sub 4. I thought i was going to to go 3.30 in amsterdam but overtrained, only just made the start and limped a 4hr33, then in Paris (just now) was on target for 3:45 overcooked the race, at 28ish k pushed myself too hard and dnff! I'm signed up for Abingdon, with only 1100 runners it won't be so congested but after Sunday will not put any pressure on myself to do anything but finish with a 'smile'.....haven't done that yet.

    I am humbled by the events on Sunday, all finishers, respect, YOU DID IT!! I pushed it too hard and paid the price on arguably a hot day, learning curve, always another day. Only second marathon, so put all expectations into it....will become more wizened by experience.

    Really, feeling really pretty good right now considering I only ran about 18 on Sunday after a two week taper......and at the peak of fitness, supposedly. Still taking it easy though, feet up been eating well and hydrating properly (I work in education (Easter break), wife and daughter are away for 10 days too, so luckily I can). All being well am considering a long(ish) and slowwww run on Saturday to rest a few demons and to hang onto the base fitness plus keep the mileage in the legs.

    Spitfire - sounds like we had a similar experience....grim.com. Glad you're ok now. Amsterdam is great, good luck.

    Sounds like everyone is beginning to start limbering up and getting out there again in some form or another, good luck London runners, go well, will be watching on telly!

  • Whilst I had a great weekend with some lovely people I ended up having not a great race. Was hoping for a marathon pb (under 5:10) and was on track up to about.halfway. at 10 miles however I slipped at the aid station on some of the orange peel that was all over the road (accident waiting to happen!) and seemed to aggravate the leg that had been giving me trouble for the few weeks before the marathon, as after than the leg pain set in and didn't leave me for the rest of the duration. Needless to say the last few miles were more walking than running.

    In addition mother nature decided to be a bitch and arrive a week early so that meant 3 trips to the loo en route and nothing you could deal with at the side of the road either.

    This was my 6th marathon but only my 2nd road one and I wasn't sure how I would be as I hated the first road one I did. (London, and put it down to it being my first and hurting so much) all the others have been off road and I have loved them, especially the Purbeck one last September.

    However, i think this weekend only served to confirm to me that road marathons are not for me as I really didn't like any of the race.(even taking the problems into consideration) I don't know what it is, whether it's the crowds, the tarmac, the bigness of it all, but I'm going to be sticking to the trail marathons from now on!
  • StuchburyStuchbury ✭✭✭

    The sun is shining... I may just go for a run this afternoon!

  • Some amazing stories of mixed fortunes, from euphoria to despair and everything in between. That's what makes the Marathon such a great adventure. Well done to everyone for taking it on.

  • Andy-W-Andy-W- ✭✭✭
    Back on English soil, stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn Express Folkstone. Back up to Leeds after our breakfast. Only 31 days to go until Leeds Half marathon.
  • Hi Emmy, yeh been on the melds but see ok so far this week only London and time will tell if it holds up. 

    Radar Sal,thanks for the offer of the italian I'll keep you posted as not sorted my final plans out yet.

    Off to London expo today to pick up my bib etc, god this week has flown, hope everyone's recovery is going well speak soon all 

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