VLM 2019

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  • It went ok I think.
    Onto the 20 next week now
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    I'm definitely giving this a go, thanks for joining the discussion Wardi :) Have you run longer than marathon using it? Does it stay put if things go soggy? Whats the worst you've been through and did it stand up to it?
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    So far so good Lowrez.  York was the worst in terms of wetness but it worked ok as I put plenty on in readiness, worked at VLM in the heat too.  I always found that tape/plasters fell off so love this stuff.  Marathons are my limit so for ultras perhaps carry extra.  Textureof Bodyglide is similar to those 'solid' anti perspirants.  I'm running the Barca marathon next weekend so it will be coming out again!
    Congrats on the long run Prince!
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    edited March 2019

    There are going to be limits to all methods I suppose. I find with the tape that once it sticks it is pretty much never going to budge. I've done stuff like put it on the night before an event and it'll still be there even if I have forgotten to take it off after showering post event. Getting a good dry non-greasy stick in the first place is key. It stayed in place through 38 hours of running once during which I was thunderstormed on during the night. Bodyglide sounds like an equivalent but more versatile product because you can slap it on other places.

    Great running prince - I'm on a stepback week so 13 for me tomorrow :)

  • Hi
    I am running London for the first time.Is there anywhere to have a shower after the race , or do others know of anywhere I could catch a shower before catching my train home?
  • Ross it's my first time too, i'm catching the train from Paddington and there are showers there - though hoping my hotel where i go back to, to pick up my bags will let me have one. 

    Wardi, I've ordered a 42g stick of that bodyglide - not from amazon though, boy it's expensive from there! Got it half the price elsewhere. I noticed the likes of Savers, and B&M sell that P20 - heard good things about it, will look at that nearer the time - some spf50 won't go to waste anyhow. Thanks

  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭

    Portlanders, that's a  good shout re showering at your hotel, particularly if you're leaving left luggage with them. I do this every year, just ask for a late checkout and explain that you're doing the marathon, most people are really helpful when they understand why.

    You'll get P20 in the cheaper shops. It's very effective and doesn't run when you get sweaty. But it will instantly turn anything white which it touches yellow, so don't apply it then put on your favourite white t-shirt.

  • Thanks Rodeo for the clothes stain on the P20, I just bought some nice white UA Siphon tops and would hate for them to be ruined.

    Can i pick anyone's brains here - after a short, easy run on Saturday I had a bad tightening on my left upper leg, really couldn't put weight on it at all. Since then been following RICE and applying voltarol, and things have improved that although i feel a tightening as soon as i get up from sitting down, it soon eases off with a bit of gentle walking. Although i can't walk fast without feeling it tighten again. Any ideas what this could be, and anything else i can do to speed recovery? Thanks
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    I am ashamed to admit that post finish I will do a swift change of clothes in the park off from the bag pickup point and employ a previously prepared flannel for a quick wipe down and a can of deodorant as I hasten to Euston and my train home :#.

    In my experience any well known brand factor 30+, mostly purchased in those sub 100ml overpriced bottles at airports on my way out to my next event, protects and stays on fine all day (and no staining).

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Front (quad) or back (ham etc) Portlanders? Any pain when you apply pressure anywhere? I go for a sports leg massage once in a while which can really help keep you road worthy; I never used to do this; terrified of anyone "touching me" :) but once over that barrier I swear by this now.
  • That's just the thing 1owrez, nowhere is tender to touch! I've poked n prodded, but nothing..... think it's certainly front. Even tried my handheld massager which can be tender when i have a tightness, but nothing, it acts and all feels ok! I'm thinking whatever it is, is improving and will hopefully be ok by end of week if i just continue what i'm doing. Have Reading HM a week Sunday, my first HM - hopefully i'll be able to make it. 

    Re: Shower, if the hotel can't oblige I won't bother as train journey only 45mins and drive from the station 10mins - wet-wipes could be as good as it gets lol 
  • rodeofliprodeoflip ✭✭✭
    PL, I'm sure if you ask nicely the hotel will oblige. Most hotels aren't that busy on a Sunday night so it's unlikely they wouldn't be able to help. If not, "shower in a can" and a baby wipe is the next best thing.
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭
    Have you got a post-run stretching regime Portlanders? Sounds like you might simply have a lactic build up in your quad (not sure if I am using the right term there) it is good practice to do something like this after a run
  • 1owrez, thanks for your info on the Tokyo Marathon. Got back home last night with my Marathon Majors Six Star Medal. my next message is the copy and paste of my postings on another Forum about it - you may see the differences that have taken place when you did it.
    Was pacing a friend/club mate (who was also getting the Six Star Medal) for a 5:10 finish - I did 5:09:55, he did 5:10:26
    Can't wait for the BIg Half on Sunday lol
  • Thursday 27 February
    Hello all from a foggy and wet Tokyo.
    Flight took off at 2pm GMT Wednesday and landed at 10:45am Thursday because of 9 hour time difference.
    Got to the Tented City Expo (because the normal Expo building is being done up for the 2020 Games. Several hangar sized tents which were flooded in places. All regimented and each element of registration demarcated. Got the special sticker on my bib so I can get the six star medal when I finish.
    Hotel is massive, room on 38th floor (Grand Premier or something like that. Had briefing and then went out looking for a curry house.
    Went to bed after midnight local time - knackered.
    Breakfast on 45th floor. Gym on the 7th.
    Mate went on day trip to Mount Fuji but came back early due to fog.
    Just got back to hotel now, its nearly midnight.
    Weather clearing but expecting rain and 10 degrees on race day.
    Will add the treadmill miles later but done 5 today.
    Probably do 7 tomorrow.

    Race Day
    Got up at 5:00 am this morning, beat my room mate to the WC. lol.
    Had tons tons to eat as had time for the body to 'process it'. I was right. (too much information I hear). 
    Some guides took us to the 'gates' very close to the Keio Plaza Hotel at 7:15 am but did not take into account our different start pens. I made my own way to gate 2 as the official volunteers were absolutely brilliant.
    Baggage bag searched and had security cleared sticker put on. Walked through a metal detection arch. My fillings did not set of any alarms and found th5right baggage lorry after going the wrong way first - must have walked a km (won't count that in my total). Joined the loo queue that became three queues at 7:45 am. Had a choice of a Japanese style loo or western style - thought I would enrich my knowledge as only wanted to pee. Escaped at 8:25 am and walked to my starting pen 5 minutes walk away. It was raining all this time.
    Stood around with others like a wet lemon until the race started at 9:10 am (I crossed the start line about ten minutes later).
    Room mate wanted to beat 5:15 so I gave him a pacing tag. Seemed a pointless exercise as he said he wanted to follow/stick with me. He always goes off too fast and  at fades rapidly late on.
    At 5km we were 5 mins ahead of schedule. An unsuccessful attempt to go for a pee (by him) at 10km (the portaloos at Tokyo can be as far as 200m from the race route in some back street and when you get there you find there is long queue). We carried on having lost 3 minutes but still minutes ahead of schedule. I knew that he fades badly later on. He used to pop into the shops for loo breaks along the route after that. He did fade but we managed to come in at about 5:10 (please check the results when they are up) Bib numbers H80635 and H83795.
    As our bib colours were different, we had to turn in opposite and he managed to find the tour bus, I got lost - but - not only the official volunteers were extremely helpful by walking me about another 3km around and around the subways but even a floor walkers at the McDonalds came out to help me find an official volunteers - genuinely impressed.
    Room mate already refreshed himself by the time I got back.
    Its now gone midnight and we are packed for a 7:15 am checkout. As this is not Trip Advisor I won't bore everyone about my take on the local eateries.
    All in all, my total run time for the six marathons averaged 4:55.
  • Cheers Rodeo, sent them a nice email so will see what they say, at least i hope they will have a courtesy room available, if not the room i'm staying in. It's only a small, cheap hotel - will report back.

    1owrez, shamefully i will admit i'm not the best when it comes to exercises, and have dreadfully poor flexibility. Last week was a down week from a 20 mile run, so whilst i reduced the running, i drastically increased and introduced new exercises... one being the lunge... thinking back i probably introduced these too rapidly.
    I've taken a look at the video you linked, correction i've looked at the video 4 times now, and tried my best to do the exercises - getting my foot to touch my bum just isn't going to happen just yet, but done my best and tried them all a few times. The calf stretch is the only post run stretch i've been doing, but that will now change. Have the video saved in my bookmarks for ease of reference until i learn them off by heart. 

    I'm not sure yet, if this will alleviate the problem i have, but the positive is i can do the exercise with little discomfort and can feel the tightness release after 20-30 secs of holding. I would imagine if i had a strain i would find the exercise painful, and probably impossible to do - so fingers crossed it is just an extreme build-up of lactic acid, which with lack of exercises I've been doing wouldn't be a surprise. I'll keep you updated how it goes, thank you so much again for all the advice you have given me, all of which I've taken on-board and am very grateful for. 

    Harm, what a thoroughly enjoyable read, and although it was raining, you seem genuinely impressed with the organisation of the marathon, especially the official volunteers... not forgetting the McDonalds floor walker. Very good, and i would be extremely satisfied at a sub 5 average, congratulations. 
  • Long time no hear, me and roger have really worked hard and have managed to raise our charity money with a few weeks to go, now need some help from you guys who knows the route,this is a one off for us and we now know that it’s only 1person can run,so we think that we could do half each, so need to know if there’s anywhere me and me old tuss can swap about on the ways, sort of half each just to enjoy the craic, thanking yous
  • That is illegal
    If you get caught you will be named, shamed and banned for life - trust me
  • I'm surprised........ no shocked you the audacity to ask that here! 
  • Portlanders, It might be a wind up
    The rules clearly say the number is exclusive to the named participant and not transferable 
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    HS2 - so happy for you - what an achievement - I never realized you got the six star at your final major on the day!

    Portlanders; classic stuff... and great self-diagnosis... you need to go carefully introducing additional cross-training activities into your regime, especially new stuff you haven't done before... it is highly likely your muscles are complaining/reacting to the different activity and load being placed on them. It is absolutely the right thing to do, but go very slowly initially, I would say with lunges, which are really heavy in terms of static start, explosive move, rapid stop, only do 3 easy ones and then leave it a day, and add extra ones on alternate days slowly, you will quite quickly get up to whatever reps a programme is recommending.

    Go easy on the stretching too if you are setting off from "cold", post run you don't need to be wary as you will be massively warmed up.   

  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Guys, if you want I can eradicate J&Rs daftness, including your comments, and this one I am typing now, so it will be as if the comment was never made, alternatively we can leave it here as a warning to others. J&R also boast they bargained down the charity place they got from £2k to £1.4k as if that was a good thing. Some people have their heads in very bad places :(

  • davewooddavewood ✭✭✭
    Oh dear, jolley and roger, see where you’re coming from BUT this ain’t the place to ask these sorts of questions, lol, people tend to get a trifle upset if you try and move outside of “rules”’ in any case just past half way on the Highway, there is a petrol garage with toilets, gets very busy so might be your best bet.......love it 
  • Just wondering who would keep the medal and who would wear the finishers T-shirt?
    I am with 1owrez on this one and cannot see where J&R are coming from on this at all - it makes a mockery of the whole system and I am all for rules.
    If this was an acceptable practice I wonder why I bothered to spend 10's of thousands to complete my 147 marathons - the last one on Sunday which cost me £3000 - and I had a ballot entry after ten years of applying.
    As a Race Director myself, there is NO place to ask these sorts of questions in my book.
    The VLM is not a relay race.
  • 1owrez, Yes, if you register just before your final Major with Abbott, you create your profile and claim your best times for the other five (if you have done some more than once - I did Chicago and Boston once, two New Yorks, four Berlins and 34 London's). When you collect your running number for the last one, they stick another label on your bib and after crossing the finish line you go to the Abbott tent to get your Six Star Medal - the certificate is sent to you later.
    Not sure what other target to aim for now but the three I have in mind are:

    50 consecutive London's - will have to live to 74 to achieve this.

    777 - (& marathons in 7 days in 7 Continents) - this currently costs about £40000. entry fee.

    50 marathons in 49 days - am planning it for 2022/23
  • May i please pick the brains of you experienced runners, and toilet needs? Do you have a regime you can share on how/if you manage to run a marathon without needing a stop for a wee? I'm a naturally very hydrated person, in that i only drink water and wondered if like not having a drink after 8pm the night before, just a glass in the morning, but more than 2 hours before the race start, would help me not needing the toilet? I understand hydration is very important, but as i say i'm a very highly hydrated person, and would only drink to thirst in the race. Thank you. 
  • 1owrez1owrez ✭✭✭

    Hi portlanders, there is no need to do anything special from my point of view; have you noticed on your longer runs any need to pee? I generally run marathons with zero stops, your body will tend to use the water you drink to cool you pushing it out as sweat, it will also need some to assist in digesting gels etc. I don't do anything out of the ordinary the day before in terms of volume or stopping drinking. And same again in getting up and having breakfast etc. I do like to pop to a portaloo in the lead up to the gun going so I know for sure I definitely have an empty bladder before the kick-off - there is something psychologically calming knowing that has taken place - then if my body does click that pee switch out on course I can think about whether that is a real "emergency" or a milder thing; you are putting your body through quite an ordeal running for 26 miles and it can get a bit confused at times as you wobble all your circuitry about over the course of 4 to 5 hours. I definitely don't want to make any pit stops and usually find these rare occasions are just that; false alarms; it can be several hours after the finish that I naturally reach a point where I really want to go.

    I too only take water and only drink to thirst; you of course will be aware of water intoxication, also known as water poisoning, hyperhydration, or water toxaemia? A potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside safe limits by overhydration. Sadly there have been deaths due to this, the amount of water needed for this to kick in is huge though; don't be concerned if you are simply drinking to thirst which is a very good approach.

  • Thanks 1owrez, Yes, on runs over 10k i need to pee, and usually find the need to go after only 4 miles but can hold it. Where I've taken a pee around the 5/6 mile mark on a long run, I find that's emptied me out and don't need to go again. It's just that initial first segment if you like. This seems like something i need to experiment with in training - I do have a pee before i start my runs, guess i'm retaining water somewhere..... which has me thinking, I'll have less salt with my meals as believe that retains water and i'm a bit of an indulgent salt shaker! Thanks 1owrez, your post may have indirectly led me to a possible solution of why i need to go early in my runs. 
  • WardiWardi ✭✭✭
    My patented formula for pee prevention..  sip water/tea/coffee or whatever from when you get up on marathon day but not to excess.  60-75 mins before the marathon start STOP drinking.  There is no harm in this as you will already be hydrated.  This will allow your plumbing to drain as it were.  Go for a last pee as close to the start time as you dare, I usually save a glug of energy drink that I then drink before the gun.  I've run nearly 30 marathons and never had to stop using this method.
  • Cheers Wardi, as i say i'm going to cut down my excessive salt intake, but will also trial your regime. I have my first ever hm race a week Sunday, so that'll be a good trial what with the nerves and all. Will report back how it went. 

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