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Shades Marathon Training
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I had a run planned this morning but I just don't fancy it today for some reason so it's a rest day today. Hopefully I'll get out tomorrow.
Regarding your previous messages about the Gloucester Marathon in August, I'm in the same boat having entered last year and supposedly having a deferred entry for this year.
I've contacted the organisers (and had no reply 3 weeks on), I've also been in touch with Gloucester Council, Marketing Gloucester, and Traffic Management, none of which have any record of the event or applications for road closures for this year. I'm awaiting a response from Run Britain / Run Licencing and I've also heard from speaking to someone on social media (though I have no idea how accurate this is) that the organisers are in a spot of bother regarding fraud offences and have left the UK for Spain!
I'm pretty much taking the above to mean there is no 2019 August GCM and so will give up and find an alternative event.
Well I managed to counter some of my all inclusive holiday overeating by running 15 miles along desert roads on my first morning here. Felt great!
Desperate to run more but I’m tapering now
Will be strange going back to your job next week.
Hope Elle's swim went well, that sounds an easy distance on a running website but a long distance to swim.
Ian - good discipline to stick to your pace at parkrun and ignore all around you, not easy to do. Hope the calf niggle is nothing, you always seem to get a niggle somewhere just pre race.
ELS85 - thanks for your info on GCM. I'd already checked RunBritain website for a permit application and there's nothing there, not sure if applicant needs to have a course measurement certificate before applying for permit, they probably do.
Interesting about the alleged fraud and leaving the country, they have several events coming up soon including the FOD marathon. Do keep us posted if you hear any more news.
Khanivore - you will so regret it if you do put on weight, you can still enjoy your food without pigging out. Where are you?
Mini race report coming up, had to go out early yesterday and didn't get time to post.
Got to Dalfsen in NL late yesterday afternoon, and where we'll be staying for around a week so hopefully not as much driving over the next few days. I did end up going out for just a 3-miler yesterday afternoon and it was nice to stretch the legs a bit.
Big G - sounds like you need the break from the driving.
Ian - I think a twinge is now part of your normal taper fever. Good news on the B & B, sensible when it's a big marathon as there'll be road closures which can often make the trip on race morning more stressful.
Report with a couple of pics coming up...
The Brain Tumour Ultra 40 miles – 30th March 2019
This is the last of the Born to Run events to be held in on the Millennium Coastal Path at Llanelli and having done the two previous events I felt somewhat obliged to be there for the final one. A new and much improved race venue at the Squash Club this time also meant that although the course would still be 3 out and back sections the only climb would be at a different stage of the race.
28 runners set off, conditions were good, cool and sunny. The first out and back section has a turnaround point at 4 miles and also incorporates the parkrun route, my friend was able to nip up to the finish line and get her parkrun time recorded and then re-join our race. I’m not feeling that great, I’d settled into a steady pace but despite the superb conditions my breathing doesn’t seem as good as it should be, which is unusual as I don’t suffer from asthma or hay fever.
The 2nd out and back section is my least favourite as although the majority of the route is tarmac, this section has some trail, mostly good trail but some not so pleasant gravelly sections. The redeeming factor is the scenery, the views were across the sands and in the sunshine very beautiful. I keep up the same steady pace as I did in the earlier miles but by now I have a very sore throat, I wasn’t running hard so it wasn’t thirst causing a dry throat
Turnaround point at 13 miles. This is a plastic free race, which although a very honourable reason means that having to get a bottle refilled adds extra time and also means having to get back into the rhythm of running again. On my way back when I got to the coast a nasty headwind had picked up and I had 3 miles running into that before getting a chance to turn inland again.
At the next drink station at 21 miles I was able to get rid of my bottle belt which I hate running with. The drink stations for the remainder of the distance were 5 miles apart which means no need to carry any fluids. I took a handful of Pringle crisps from the drink station and started the long climb up to Tumble, I’m feeling a little better now but still have the sore throat. The climb for the whole race is only 1130 feet but most of that climb is in the section from 21 to 28 miles and it’s a long drag up the highest point of the race. My own race plan had to be to run comfortably to 20 miles and then run/walk the remainder of the race.
One of the benefits of the out and back sections is that you get to see the other runners and I was only at 23 miles when the leader was coming down the hill towards the finish, he only had a couple of miles to go but was struggling and having to walk, he said his legs ‘were shot’ but he was still on for a very good time. He won the race in 5:29.
The climb up to Tumble is relentless, I pass another runner who is still running but I overtake him at my walking pace. Finally the path levels off, the views are amazing, but no sign of a red kite this year. I thought I was never going to reach the turnaround point, but eventually at just over 30 miles I come to the village of Tumble and I can turn around and head back to the finish. My throat is feeling less sore now but I’m no longer able to eat anything but as I’m only doing run/walk I’m not worried about energy levels although I am tired
The miles passed more quickly heading back down to Llanelli, but not as quickly as I would have liked, do they ever? I realise that quite a few runners must have DNF’d as I don’t see as many as I should have.
Finally my Garmin beeps for mile number 40 but I’m still not at the finish, eventually I see the turning to the finish and manage to run the last little bit to finish in 8:32:56. 30 minutes slower than I had hoped for but amazingly this is still a PB by over an hour for me as I have only done two 40 mile races before very slowly.
As usual we get a personalised plaque, my 3rd now and I think they’re very special.
Only 20 finishers, so 8 DNF’s. Technically I guess a podium place for me as 3rd female from 5 female finishers.
A quick cup of tea and a sandwich and then I get in the car for the 3 hour drive home. On the journey home I come to realise that the reason for my sore throat is now apparent I have a bloody cold. I’ve done nearly 500 races and have never come down with a cold on race day.
Well done Shades - that sounds like a tough race with that hill so late on. Well done on the PB!
Talking about driving, I've this morning been browsing one of the RW mags you gave me and there is a piece in there about driving. Basically it advises to:
- break up travel with activity. Rather than sit down at the services, walk around or even do some stretches.
- consider the driving position. Many car seats are designed with the rear lower than the front, so your hips are lower than your knees, which increases hip flexion, puts pressure on the lower back and also compresses the hamstring tendon against its attachment point on the 'sitting bone'. Try to adjust the seat to horizontal but if you can't, use a towel to raise your hips to at least as high as your knees.
I definitely think the second point I can learn from although being tall may be hard to implement. In my car, I can't raise the back of the seat, but a towel may well help for long journeys!
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/severnbridge/
"Starting in Monmouthshire, Wales, on the Wye Bridge Section of the old Severn Bridge, the route is an out and back course over the beautiful Severn Bridge. The run takes you across the national border into England, and into the counties of Gloucestershire and Avon, taking in breathtaking scenery of Wales and England either side of the Severn Estuary, before bringing you back into Wales. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed at this event."
Annoying thing is I haven't been able to do a recovery run as too full of cold, but I am feeling better today and RHR nearly back to normal, legs are only slightly achy.
Big G - re the driving, are you too tall to be able to sit on a cushion in your car. I know you sometimes say that you suffer some discomfort after a long drive so trying a few minor alterations might help.
I am quite comfortable driving even after an ultra, although my foot was sore but I can't do anything about that. I do drive with my seat fairly far forward so I don't have to extend my legs in full to brake/change gear. At services I always park a long way from the building and the walk to and from the car really does help.
But I did have a bit of nightmare on the trip home. I stopped at Sedgemoor for a strong coffee as I was starting to feel tired, had a 5 min nap too then felt fine again and set off for the last hour to home. But the M5 was shut due to roadworks from J27 to J28 with a diversion. I've never used J27 so completely unfamiliar to me and in the dark I missed the first diversion sign so after a couple of miles my trusty satnav put me in a different direction but then took me back to join the M5 at the closed junction, but I did manage to pick up the diversion sign this time and it was the most complicated diversion, lots of roundabouts etc, through Uffculme and some other villages a lot of it 30mph, I was like the pied piper I had about 40 cars following my every turn and I think we went through Cullompton before finally getting back on the M5.
That doesn't sound a good diversion at all
https://www.phoenixrunning.co.uk/events/the-phoenix-three-sixty-six
They're putting on an official marathon a day, for every day of 2020!
i honestly don’t know how you do it. Do you feel the run 20 and then run/walk strategy was the right one in retrospect? What ratio of run walk do you use?
Oh and ‘a quick sandwich and a 3 hour drive home’??? Really? Ouch!
I have driven 185 miles early with a short breakfast stop, run a 10 minute marathon PB then driven home, all on clear roads and in good weather.
I used to drive home straight after Windermere marathon too, but that was tiring as M6 busy on a Sunday night. But the alternative was to take Monday off work and then a slow even more tiring drive home.
Maybe look at an early start and if you want to do a parkrun look at say near Preston or Lancaster way.
The trouble with the diversion signs is that you don't really know if they're the right diversion signs as they're everywhere.
Ha, ha love that April Fool I can imagine Rik laughing away.
Khanivore - I planned to run the first 20 in about 3:45 ish. My run/walk is just done to how I feel, I can't do that by so many minutes running, so many minutes walking, that's hard.
Was definitely the right strategy for me as I haven't run further than 20 miles this year. My first marathon of 2019 is on Sunday.😁
It took me nearer 4 hours to get home with the diversion.
Big G-love you fell for the joke,could have been realistic if it said running around a lake in MK,he'd have had entries then.
12 hr day today so no running,will get out for 8 tomorrow,but nice and easy.
Ian - any more thoughts on your pacing plans for Sunday? That's a long day at work, if you're short of time this week, cut the distance of your runs and get a bit of rest.
Feeling better today but still have cold so won't run. I will probably have to cancel circuits for tomorrow morning as don't want to do that class if I haven't even had a chance to run and see how my legs are after my race. Hopefully will get a little run in tomorrow instead of circuits.
It's a bit early to be thinking of carbs for next weekend's race but am meeting a friend for a lovely pasta lunch today
Current thinking is 3:06 pace as when I ran Saturday that's what felt about right.
I've just done a quick check on the weather forecast for our various marathons this weekend as we're scattered around and generally conditions look good. I think Cal should have the best weather, least breezy and lowest humidity. Rotterdam looks good too but I expect even a light breeze there can be felt as so flat.
24 years today since I ran my first, and what was to be my only, marathon
Started sneaking a look at the weather myself the last few days,mine looks ok,would like the wind to ease a little as it's a headwind the last few miles and its exposed there so will feel it,other than that it's ok.
That's an impressive amount of years,I'm on 3
Was a bit warmer than expected - I’ll head out a bit earlier tomorrow. I’m feeling strong and the running is going well.
I have as yet to decide whether I go for a 4:40 or a 4:30 marathon. I feel 4:40 will be achievable without killing myself. It’s probably the right pace. However, I am worried I will feel I took it too easy.
My first marathon was London 1995. Best, that's hard really to judge. I've run some lovely races in gorgeous places. Probably favourite race of all time was Dingle Ultra and the run I had there in 2010 was the best I could have hoped for, a beautiful and amazing race.
Steve - not good if the 10k is same day as the cycle event, makes logistics difficult.
On 375 now, 304 marathons and 71 ultras.