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Shades Marathon Training
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Honk - don't worry I will remind you when entries open for DD next year
Keith - if you're racing on Easter Sunday there has to have been an Easter egg on offer for the runners? The plural of cheeseburgers has not gone unnoticed
Cal - Steve?
Lovely 10 mile run for me today. I've had an easy week since Connemara so today starts my last block of training preparation for DD, just under 6 weeks to race day
Gorgeous morning, chilly though, wore fingerless gloves and could really have done with full. Nice to put my shades on for the last 2 miles.
Saw 2 pheasants, a fox, lots of bluebells and primroses and the cow parsley is growing like mad, masses of wild garlic too, really a lovely time of year.
No running today. I usually rest on Monday but had considered running today (with it being a holiday) but body said no. I don't normally run more than three days in a row and especially not when recovering from a marathon, so I decided I would walk instead. I usually just walk around Tooting Common but, nice as it is, it can get boring doing the same route, so I went up to Streatham Common instead. I've run around it enough times but have never explored the Rookery, an ornamental garden that is located there. And it was very nice - pergolas, flowers, water features. However, I was absolutely disgusted by the amount of littering. Tooting gets its share of litter but nothing like on Streatham Common. I ended up picking up a few things and putting them in bins myself, but there was a lot. Eh.
Still, I did close to 6 miles and achieved my steps for the day, all by 9am, so that's good.
It's a shame to waste a BH as a non running day and not take advantage of it being quieter early on. Shame about the litter, we have the same problem here, rubbish chucked everywhere. Not helped by our idiotic council removing so many litter bins...they thought folk would then take the rubbish home with them!
I'll be looking to add the May marathons to the list this week, Liverpool for you?
Ian - Newport and nothing then until DD?
Big G - have you any May races left to list?
Big G - OK, I won't list any of your races although I hope you'll be able to do some of them. Did you manage to get a refund at NDM? She used to do refunds less a small deduction for admin costs.
Sorry to hear you had a bad night, that's the trouble with shoulder injuries, sleeping can be very difficult.
Robert - Well done on your pacing, that sounded perfect. Good news on the injection appt too.
Khani - I've got two pairs of Hokas that I use for training and they seem to be indestructible.. I don't log my mileage for my shoes but the Hokas just don't seem to wear out!
Keith - Well done on your race.. I heard about some creme egg flavoured mayonnaise a while ago and I thought of you
Shades - I know you're an optimist but when you put the words "West Cork" and "Early December" in the same sentence that sets the warning bells ringing for me! I've never really suffered from the cold in a marathon (let's face it though.. I've never even done anything really cold!) but last year at Cognac we had heavy rain and, for the first time ever, I did regret wearing my shorts as my legs were freezing and it did affect my running.
Just easy forest running for me as I'm still scared the PF will come back (it hasn't).. I've been using the school holidays to get my horses back out there as I've been neglecting them a bit lately so have been out and about quite a bit on them which I've enjoyed. Need to get on with building my running miles up now.. just not enough time for everything!
Mamafox - West Cork is usually very mild but I think it was last year they had cold weather for that race. But it's a very popular event and highly rated, great race organisers too, I have done some of their events before.
Is the Cognac marathon local to you? On the return coach from Connemara I sat with a French runner and I think Cognac marathon was local to him. Connemara attracts a lot of overseas runners and he was with a group of 11, great company and we had a good laugh on the way back to Galway.
Great progress with your running, enjoy it. When is your next marathon?
I remember you talking about a new Irish race you will be doing this year which sounds perfect for you.. when's that one taking place?
As for me with races I've only actually entered La Rochelle for November - I'm sort of looking at a couple of trail events from May onwards to give me something to go for and get me back in the swing of things a bit. Can't quite let myself go yet as worried that this PF will come back. I'm toying with the idea of entering Royan marathon on 1st June but I have nowhere near enough time to get anywhere near enough long runs in. Not sure how long my fitness will take to come back either so that would probably be a disaster. Am stalking their inscriptions page and they have 300 odd places left so still time. I really do need to pencil in a proper plan to build up my mileage mind you. In fact all this wittering along has motivated me to go out for a run now as I haven't been able to get in a run today and was starting to make excuses that it was too late
One year we had just started DD and a runner from North Devon RR who was doing her first DD asked if she could run with me for a while as she didn't want to overcook things in the early stages. I said that's fine and I'd be walking the hills. We got to about 4 miles and she slowed to a walk, I asked her if she was OK, she said fine, she was just walking the hill. I said to her "this isn't a hill", she looked a bit worried but she finished the race in good form.
Mamafox - Connemara isn't the easiest race to get to. The French group travelled over by ferry and rented a house in Athenry. Easiest way is to travel to Dublin and express coach to Galway. Race entry includes travel to race from Galway, you're not allowed to drive to the race so a hire car is wasted really.
Connemara is an amazing race and I don't think any race I've done comes close in the camaraderie between all the runners and the marshals too. Despite the conditions I've never seen such a lot of happy runners and in the photos everyone is smiling and laughing. I think that is why it's so popular with the overseas runners, they come from all over the world.
The other race I'm doing in Ireland this year is Glendalough Lap of the Gap, it's the week before DD which isn't ideal. It goes over the roads of the Wicklow mountains, I have hired a car but it is possible to get there by bus, although a bit fiddly, it's only 50 miles from Dublin.
I can understand you being a little cautious about your training and not doing too much too soon. Just enjoy your running for now and you'll know when you're ready to run longer races.
Easy 6 after work today,felt ok again so yesterday just have been one of them runs.
Apart from the hills the weather can make a lot of difference, nothing we can do about that except dress accordingly. The year the temperature dropped during the race to 5 degrees, a few DNF'd including Adam Holland who has won the race a few times.
You'll be fine, you've done an ultra before and you'll pace it sensibly. And you can send supplies to the drink stations so ensure that you have access to however much fuel you think you might need.
Last night I started watching last year's VLM elite race again just to get me fired up ready to watch VLM on Sunday.
As for me I woke at around 4am in a lot of pain, but had a walk around, it eased and then I went back to bed until 8ish. I know these things can be up and down, but I asked for a call back from the physio to make sure I wasn’t doing extra damage with these exercises. She called back and put my mind at rest in the regard, but also said not to push it - it should be uncomfortable but not agony when doing the exercises. I knew this anyway but just wanted a bit of reassurance I wasn’t doing things wrong.
Proper bit of ‘adulting’ happening today - dishwasher is getting delivered!
My ex boss slept in a chair when he had a shoulder injury as he couldn't lie comfortably in bed. Not ideal but he was working and needed some sleep.
Now this dishwasher purchase....is this because you've been out of action for a while and likely to be so for a little longer?
Cal - are you doing Liverpool this year, if so what date is it this year? Just updating the list.
Pilates nearly killed me, so hard after having a break from classes. Not helped by it being fairly warm in the studio and the aircon not working properly until we were 40 mins into the class.
No, I think I would really struggle with a 'hot' class. I'm so used to exercising outdoors and having the air/breeze to cool me that I find it hard if I'm without aircon indoors. We were using the smaller pilates balls and I was struggling to hold onto mine as my hand was sweating, I wasn't the only one 2 dropped theirs.
Having never owned a dishwasher before (parents never had one, and I've never had one), I'm actually quite excited! I'm trying to promote myself as the "supervisor" whilst sitting down on a chair, telling OH how to stack the new toy....this may not end well
Big G the entry fee for Barkley is a real thing, the entry process is sworn to secrecy however I have seen a couple of people say 'tales From out there' book may help you enter, then again it may be another wild goosechase as people wont want to tell you how to enter as will decrease their chance. Worth a look here as one of the more detailed sites I've seen about Barkley. http://mattmahoney.net/barkley/index.html http://mattmahoney.net/barkley/essay.gif (thought this was funny)
Honk, Just to let you know I said 'DD, looks a good one to bear in mind for next year' sounds non committal but that's you hooked and in for sure.
Keith burgers are great fuel after a run, hope there was chocolate involved too.
Cal, nice touch picking a few bits of rubbish up, although theres not a lot when I do parkrun set up I try to pick a few bits up.
Ian, I'm a course geek too, I google map the course a lot when I can. With DD I've just settled with constant hills and the worst is around 13-18 miles. I'm not going to consider anything other than that for the race if I make it.
MF, well done on the progress, One thing I am worried about if having the confidence of going out for a run with the PF. Since the start of March I've only ran once other than organized events (races/ parkruns).
Shades, I'm not sure why I had 5.30 in my head for marathon cut off at DD! makes it a bit more exciting 5.15!!!! Will have to consider fuel and drinks accordingly, probably using the Ashburton and Buckland for taking on food as will be walking a fair bit of those sections after.
Was quite sore after Fridays 10k, probably a mixture of tensing and not running natural due to the pace and also stress of pacing right. so no other running over the weekend.
Yesterday OH and I went for a 7 mile walk, very casual pace, but good to be out. Followed a walk elle found online, was fairly pleasant along bridleways and public paths, gave me another off road route for when I'm back running.
This morning went for a swim, 1st in about 5 months, felt tough but needs must also my foot feels good after too, which weird as the last time I went my foot felt crap after. Need to lose a few lbs and get fit it I have any chance of finishing DD.
Robert - very interesting info on the Barkley there.
You're right the climb out of Ashburton is the toughest and longest climb, although it doesn't go on for 5 miles, there is some respite and goes onto become undulating after a mile or so. No point in worrying about the hill at 6 miles as it's so steep that 95% of the runners will walk it, simple strategy just walk as fast as you can.
In 2016 when I missed the marathon cut off by 3 minutes it was the section from 21 to 26 miles where I lost the time as we reached the top of the moor again it was into a strong headwind and I just didn't have the energy to keep the pace up.
I don't think you need to have any concerns re the marathon cut off even with your enforced rest due to injury. I hope your injection works, DD is not a race I would attempt with an injury.
Anyone tried beetroot shots at all? Heard a podcast with Andy Jones and he was talking about the benefits and I've not heard of it before so was wondering if anyone had as I like beetroot so happy to try it if there's any truth to it.
Slowkoala - who used to be on here, I'm sure she used the beetroot shots as part of her marathon prep. Are you linked with her on Strava?
Congratulations on the new star @SHADES. May I have your autograph?
Dishwasher stacking is a science @Big_G. It’s a serious subject and not to be taken lightly. It has been the subject of much marital strife.
Shades - I guess that means you've reached a certain number of posts, or something. Yay?
Khani - welcome back. You're entitled to a rest after a marathon.
Big G - hope you slept a bit better.
8 miles for me bright and early, with 5 at MP. I wasn't planning on doing a tempo but I felt good so I went for it.
Achilles behaved right up until the cool-down mile, when it started bitching. I get the feeling that it prefers when I run faster.