Shades Marathon Training

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Comments

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    MF, great news you’re thinking about events and a rough plan. I’m with Shades though - for now, just get out and enjoy your running for a bit, and then build from there.

    Khani, I can see how the strife could happen regarding the dishwasher....

    Shades, I wonder what all the stars are about - on your case, was it because you reached a certain high number of posts or something?  Or to mark you being on here a certain amount of time?  It's all a bit odd and I still think it's one of the most badly managed IT upgrades I've known - once the upgrade happened, traffic on here dropped substantially and it's never recovered.

    Robert, I've had a bit more of a closer look at the link you posted about Barkley.  Some of the reports there are really good.  What an intriguing event it is!

    Ian, I knew I was going to have to walk the hills at DD, and really my main/first goal was getting to half marathon feeling really fresh. There is one massive hill in the first half marathon, but again I didn’t even attempt to run it - I walked it briskly and got to half marathon feeling fresh in 2hrs. It worked for me as when I looked at the splits afterwards some fellow Trotters were quite a bit ahead of me at Half Marathon, but I finished way ahead of them at the end. Similarly to you I was never in danger of the cut offs so I didn’t have that pressure, and I do know most of the course as well so had that as an advantage. There is one really steep downhill at around 20 miles, which I remember having to walk *down*.  I often have to do that at an off-road event as I’m crap at off-road, but that’s the first and only time I’ve had to do that on a road event.

    Having said that, if I was going for a better time, for me I think I’d be a bit more aggressive in the first half marathon, and maybe get there around 10-15mins quicker.  That would still be fairly easy for me I think and I reckon I’d still be ok on the rest of the course. I just wanted to finish it last year though and wasn’t really going for a quick (for me) time. But I believe I could have pushed it harder on the last 6 miles as conditions were good on the day I did it (it’s an open part of the course so conditions can be crap there) but looking back, I walked too much of that section.

    Ian, I’ve never tried the beetroot juice but I’ve seen in other places that people do use them. It makes your pee look a bit odd though, by all accounts, so don’t panic if that happens!
  • H0NKH0NK ✭✭✭
    Made myself a beetroot smoothie this morning after reading about the shots, Beetroot, carrot, lemon, cucumber, ginger and fruit juice.
    It was very nice, I must be turning into a hippy but think that will become a regular.
  • mamafoxmamafox ✭✭✭
    Ian - I too remember SK talking about beetroot shots being a part of her training.

    Shades - Thank you for your advice, will just keep building up slowly and see how I feel. That lap of the gap race sounds just up your street.. just try and take it really easy with DD the week after.. eeeeek!

    Big G - Our dishwasher died a couple of months ago but I've got used to living without one now. One of the most hated tasks in the house was emptying the thing!

    Rob/Khani - Am with you on the lose weight group.. I've got 3kg to lose after 6 months not running  :/

    Thank goodness I haven't entered any races if this morning's run was anything to go by.. crawled round my 12k route and felt really sluggish, was a massive effort. I have lost so much fitness it's unbelievable  :( However on a very positive note my PF has gone completely.. I even had to try and remember which foot it was in!
    Light rain which was nice.. saw a load of snails all crossing the road all in the same direction which set me off wondering about snails for a while and distracted me nicely for a couple of km.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Khanivore - stop that over eating, you know you'll regret it.  When is your Gatwick half?

    Cal - I didn't realise you were using the beetroot shots, so pre race on race day and as part of your taper routine for the days before?

    I like beetroot but just lately I've gone right off it.   My friend who is doing here 2nd IM eats loads of it.

    I haven't heard you mention your achilles lately, annoying for you that it's grumbling again.

    There are so many variables that have good (and some not so good) scientific evidence to work but as the human body is so fickle it's impossible to know what does and does not work for an individual.  But the mind is also a hugely powerful tool in distance running and confidence in your own ability, even if that confidence has come from wearing your lucky underpants can work too.

    Big G - I've been on this forum since September 2002 and not that long after I had a job that gave me loads of forum time so would post several times a day from my work :) 

    I expect this forum will end soon, the US one has gone already.   The biggest problem with the new format is that now that most folk use their phone the app version doesn't show the menu on the RHS which includes such as Recent Discussions, which I use frequently and if a poster doesn't mark a thread as a favourite then it won't appear in the notifications.   Hence the number of threads that just die so quickly.   Even the main menu no longer shows Forums so it looks like now they are deliberately trying to wind it down.

    At some time we'll need to discuss where we will move to should RWUK shut this down.   All suggestions welcome.

    I agree with everything you've said there about your run at DD last year.   But remember last year was going into the unknown for you and you did a very good performance and now you know what you can do on another day.   You're right the last 5 miles are usually into a headwind, in 2017 that's where we had the icy rain, and my pic in the local paper had me looking like a drowned rat.

    Honk - I think beetroot in a smoothie or even a soup is the nicest way to eat it.


    Back to circuits for me today, loved it but was hard, well I found it hard.   
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    xpost mamafox - it doesn't matter right now that you've lost fitness, much better to be injury free and you know that fitness will come back quite quickly.

    I'm trying to lose a bit of weight too, if I can lose 5 pounds before DD that will be less to drag up those hills.   Might be a struggle to lose any weight as I've just eaten my 2nd breakfast of the day, a habit I've got into on Circuits day.

    Rain here too, cool and I've put my heating back on.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    It's always there a little bit, but it's been fairly quiet this week.
    Trying to lose 5lbs myself (to get to 10 stone) but the scales aren't budging. Hmph.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Big G-Thanks for the DD info,I'm sure I'll have lots of questions in the weeks leading up to it.
    Cal-Think I'll give the beetroot shots a go then,will get them this week so time to try them before Newport,sounds like it can't do any harm either way.
    Keith-I've seen a new marathon your way,its called solway coast,they did the half last year and putting on the full this year,it's late July so weather could be tricky though.
  • H0NKH0NK ✭✭✭
    I'm another one trying to shift some weight, lost 7 kg since January mainly through exercise but now trying to improve what I eat also in order to keep the weight coming off.
    I also joined the forum in 2002 (but have spent long periods away from it and only post occasionally)
  • Shades, congratulations on you're new ranking! No chance I'll try DD if any signs of injury.  I too noticed the forums button vanished on the front page, my 1st thoughts were it's gone for good, but do believe time may be limited.  I'd assume a suggestion that you've made before would be to migrate to fetcheveryone.

    Kharni enjoy the rest, no need to rush back to anything, just stay away from the fridge!  Think you've mentioned in the past that you fast? If so am interested do you train or race ever during that time?

    Cal, blame the scales! That's my excuse or it must be muscle gains

    Big G, I'm a tad concerned that most of my running had been flat in prep for the races I've paced (all 150 miles this year) think I'll be taking the 1st half very steady.

    MF Great news with the PF! Trust that you are still stretching and doing everything as if you still have the injury whilst under the cortisone? As shades said the fitness will come in time, no need to rush these things.

    Honk well done on the weight loss so far, I find when you're on a roll its a lot easier to lose or maintain.

    Was considering a run but my foots not hurting that much so think to limit the running for a bit, will go swimming again tomorrow.

    I have just purchased a stint sock to wear when inactive/ sleep.  They aren't very comfortable to get on with but a few people have waved about how they helped.  Cant do much harm so should have that delivered for tonight.



  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Ian - I had planned to do Solway Coast this year but as I'm in my austerity year it was one I had to ditch.   Also that weekend is when the kids break up from school and I guess the drive up the M6 would have taken me anything up to 8 hours, so I'm hoping that maybe next year they'll hold it on a different weekend.

    Looks a good choice for you, part of that A-Z plan and not too far for you to travel. 

    Honk - that's a significant weight loss, well done.   

    I've never had any time away from the forum :o 


    Happy days  :)  just had an email from Connemara race organisers. I won my age group, actually I think I might  have been the only one that finished in my age group, but I have the choice of a hoodie or a bag.   Don't wear hoodies so have opted for the bag  :)


    Even better I get free entry to next year's race :):):):)   19th April 2020 just in case anyone is considering doing it.
  • Shades great news on the win and bagging a bag and a free place!

    Ian I'm also got an A-Z list I'm struggling with X (have ran XNRG Humanity Challenge Ultra so that will do if no other alternatives). a few others I'm struggling on for letters for races I fancy.

    U - Usual Suspects

    Q -Quadrathon

    O - Oslo


  • Iain LoveIain Love ✭✭✭
    Afternoon folks.. 

    just got got in from work and decided I’ll be going to collect my London marathon number today so a quick change and back out to get into London...

    Although I have raced fairly frequently since last London marathon, I’m slightly nervous or more apprehensive as I haven’t done any marathon specific training cause my main focus has been on my tri. 
    I entered a cycling sportive on Monday which was 74miles around Essex. I drove to meet my friend where we cycled to meet up with the rest of the club that were also doing it and we all cycled to the start together. Was a really good ride and by the time I got back to the car I had done almost 90 miles so a good bit of training..

    Had an easy 5miles last night with the club, rest today, although I just cycled 15 miles home from work, a interval session tomorrow night but I’ll use it to stretch the legs, and possibly an easy 3 miles on Saturday. Main focus for the rest of the week is hydration and fuelling ..

    Unless they change it, my number is 30364.😀
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Robert- yes Fetch seems the obvious choice, but I know others use other forums so might have some recommendations.  Fetch used to be owned by RW but now back in the safe hands of the original owner.

    Hope the splint sock works, I've heard that those who are prone to PF often use them as a preventive too.

    Ian's A-Z is his GFA plan A being Manchester marathon and Z being Isle of Man, all others are any races in between.

    But that made me think about my own list of races and how close or not I might be to a full A -Z. I will have a look sometime.
     In 100MC club there's a badge for 50 counties, I reached that a few years ago, quite interesting to work that out too.

    Iain - good luck for Sunday.  Although you have been focusing on your IM you've quite a few times lined up for London with less training. Remember those last minute long runs!
    Don't put yourself under any pressure, stick to your race plan and enjoy it.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Shades-Great news on another age group win.
    When I seen robs comment I thought I'd agreed to something I couldn't remember then,sure the wife always does that to me.
    Busy week again so no running today or yesterday,will go for a run tomorrow then got a 5k race Friday evening which I'm looking forward to if the rain eases.
  • H0NKH0NK ✭✭✭
    Shades, Congratulations on your win, I expect you'll win nearly every race now that you have 4 stars. 😀
    Good luck Sunday Iain, exciting going to London to collect your numbers, brings back good memories for me. I always look out for any Pirates on the TV footage.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Ian - hope your week is a little less tiring next week so better prep for Newport.

    H0NK said:
    Shades, Congratulations on your win, I expect you'll win nearly every race now that you have 4 stars. 😀

    Honk - ha, ha.   I'd like to think my age group success is due to my running but in reality it's more a case of last (wo)man standing.   But I'll take that. ;) 

    Over the weekend I sketched together my training plan up to DD and then when I was out running on Monday realised I hadn't put any hill work into the plan (muppet), so when I got home I modified the plan to include one hilly 8- 10 mile run and one session of hill laps.  The laps to be up Powderham Road (Big G knows this hill) which is a tough zigzag hill about half a mile long with roughly 250 feet of climb, the remainder of each lap a longer gentler downhill and flat, each lap is 1.65 miles.   When I woke up I was dreading the hill laps as I'm aching quite a bit from a combination of Pilates and Circuits this week so I only managed 2 laps, on the 2nd lap my abductors in my thighs were sore on the downhills.  Will do 3 laps next week!  And one week I might try and run it in reverse and run down the steep hill.

    Not very good publicity for Mo Farah pre VLM  

    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/more-sports/sir-mo-farah-denies-attacking-fellow-athlete-in-hotel-gym/ar-BBWglfn?ocid=spartanntp
  • Iain LoveIain Love ✭✭✭
    Honk - yup I’ll have my yellow and black on so you will spot me easily..

    Shades - hopefully I’ll be running with a mate of mine who has the same top goal as me. (Sub 2:50) we have run together many times and I think we pace each other pretty well.. plus he is much more experienced at knowing when to hold back and when to push so hopefully I’ll stick with him. He recently did a 100 miler in 17:35 so a very strong runner..

    I'm off to the pool today to put some good training in and try not to drown ..
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Hmm, not good about Mo!

    Iain, yeah, drowning would be a sub-optimal, in taper week of all weeks ;)   

    Robert, I bought that book you mentioned - it'll be arriving today.

    For anyone still interested in the Barkley, I've been pointed towards a podcast which has an interview over two shows with the RD.  I've never listened to the podcast before, or listened to the Barkley episodes yet, but it's Bad Boy Running podcast - episodes 151 and 152.

    Shades, probably we do need to have a backup plan for if/when this place gets shut down, which I also think it will.  I also think Fetch would be the place to go - I like Facebook, but the posting/comment nature of it doesn't really work in the same way as a forum does as posts easily get lost and move down the list.  I'm a member of a few running Facebook groups, but I think the way a good old forum works is still better for threads like this.  Such a shame to be even having to think about this - the powers that be should be embarrassed at how they've handled this migration!  I bet they're saying "Oh, Facebook is where everything happens now, so we had no chance", but other internet forums are still thriving.  I occasionally pop my head into the Caterham forum and it's as active as it ever was - I wouldn't mind betting that 80%+ of new Caterham owners also register with the forum, and the forum itself is not owned by Caterham.  OK, I know it's niche, but the point is it's thriving.  When you think about it, generally runners are very passionate about their hobby/sport, spend what spare money they have on races, kit, etc....surely a captive audience for marketing people is a great thing to have, but I'd love to see the figures of how traffic has dropped from before and after the upgrade.  I think the only saving grace currently is that the magazine still mentions the forum on occasion - to me, that's the only glimmer of hope, and if that stops happening it'll be closed down I would imagine.

    I saw some chat on a Facebook running forum about Nike's shoes for London.  There is apparently a rule that the shoes the elites wear have to be available for sale to the public, so Nike are releasing these in London this morning (presumably at the Expo?).  From the Nike Site: "Watch elites race 26.2 miles in the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% on April 28. The shoe will be available beginning April 25 in London, and on April 28 through the NRC app for U.S. NikePlus members".  Seems to be cutting the rules a bit fine, or is it just all marketing hype, which I am now inadvertently promoting!?
    https://news.nike.com/news/nike-zoomx-vaporfly-next-official-images-and-release-info

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwl7jZwgsGh/  (Paula's instagram gives a teaser for the shoes too)




  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Iain - enjoy your swim.  

    Good to have a mate to run with on Sunday especially as you are of equal ability.   

    Big G - I know that video has been cut just to show the bit about the theft and Mo's reaction for maximum news impact and I'm trying to be fair but I can't help thinking he is a fool.   I know he's not very bright but he stayed in a hotel for 3 months and had 2,500 in cash and I assume an expensive watch which he hadn't even locked in a safe.   Allegedly he then left without paying his hotel bill, never mind the alleged assault too.   Will be interesting to hear more about the story.  

    I'm getting worried about you and the Barkley, hope it's not on your wish list (yet) ;) 

    Re forum, yes I would favour Fetch too.  I don't like FB, hate the layout and it just attracts trolls, and having a closed group doesn't encourage newbies.   We definitely need it to be on a website that is full of runners just like us that want to talk running so as not to bore the rest of the world about running.   Most Fetchies are ex RW anyway and a friendly bunch.  Fetch has a similar set up in that if you have a thread marked as a favourite it will take you to the first unread post so it's easy to catch up and follow.

    Is that a rule that London have re the shoes and the release date or is it a general rule?

    I once bought a pair of NB shoes from their factory and they weren't due to be released to the market for a month, the sales person told me to say I was trialling them if I was asked.  I wasn't asked.

    How's the shoulder today?


    Survived Pilates, tough though but at least the air con was on right from the start today.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    Shades, I believe it’s an IAAF rule. 

    https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/competition-rule-amendments-june-2018

    "Rule 143: Clothing, shoes and athlete bibs
    - Any type of shoe used must be reasonably available to all in the spirit of the universality of athletics. Shoes must not be constructed so as to give athletes any unfair assistance or advantage".

    There's always a lot of chat about these recent Nike shoes over on the sub-3 Facebook group.  Some love them and genuinely think they give them an edge, and others think it's a marketing gimmick.  Having never tried them, I think it's mainly a marketing gimmick - to be the manufacturer who gets a runner under 2hrs will be a massive promotional thing I'd imagine!  But I also wonder if it does seem to be pushing the boundaries of what is "fair" in relation to trying to get quicker times.  Even in my limited way, I know my "racing" shoes are quicker than my usual training shoes, but these Nikes do seem to be blurring the boundaries about what technology can go into a shoe.  I don't know what the answer is though, but tinkering at the rules probably isn't the way to go as these companies will always push the spirit of the rules.  I suppose the above paragraph tries to keep it in check with the "unfair assistance or advantage" sentence, but what is deemed unfair I think is open to interpretation.

    Shoulder is still sore, and also no real change in terms of range of movement :(    

    Regarding Barkley, I think you have to be a certain kind of runner to even get into the event!  I do enjoy reading about it all though...I know I'm a bit of running nerd, but I find it fascinating!
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - that makes sense being an IAAF rule otherwise there would be questions whenever an athlete sets a new WR.

    It's a good marketing hype the 4% etc.  Of course the right kit is important to an athlete but I would guess 99% of the runners that buy the shoes thinking that they will make them 4% faster should look at their training/weight/diet/race strategy first.  I know a few folk that have run very badly in them and are genuinely disappointed thinking that the shoes gave them an advantage.

    Incidentally I've put YT on my VLM tracker as I so want him to do well on Sunday. He's next to Eliud :) 

    Sorry there's no significant change in your shoulder, range of movement takes a long time to return to normal, hope you're sleeping OK or at least better.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Shades, yeah, I really want him to do well too.  He deserves it.  I know we all have our knock backs, but for a young chap to basically have a relative nightmare last year, come back, train hard/well, and be in very good shape shows something about his mentality I think.  As I've said before, he's had a lot of people chiming in telling him he should be doing more speed work, but he's stuck to his guns and only introduced some more regular speed work fairly recently (as he had always planned).  We all know anything can happen in a marathon, but I just hope it all goes well for him on the day, the weather is kind etc etc.  He's hoping for sub-2:25, and I think he'll be disappointed if he is slower than 2:30.  Regardless of what happens on Sunday, he's got to this point training on his own, which again I think shows something about his mentality.

    Yes, I agree about the shoes.  There are bigger gains to be made from training properly I'd imagine.  If you're unfit and don a pair of these shoes, they don't suddenly make you fit!  But for the elites maybe they do make a difference?  Who knows.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Big G, I must confess reason got the better of me and I bought a pair last week (the flyknits, not the new green ones). I haven't worn them yet - I'll likely debut them at Gatwick half and if I like them, then Liverpool.
    I realise they aren't going to cut minutes off my time but I've asked around and the people I know who have them (they're quite easily available now - Nike Town has loads of them) say they reduce recovery time substantially. Being very similar to the Zoom Fly I'm not expecting them to be radically better, but I'm hoping the ZoomX foam is kinder to the balls of my feet, at least.
    Rest day today and, surprise, I feel ropey again. This seems to be a thing now. I'm starting to wonder if it might be something other than viral (pollen or pollution?) But I did have another early waking night last night and that seems to be a factor too.
  • KhanivoreKhanivore ✭✭✭
    Intrigued by all this talk of beetroot shots. I shall investigate!

    Managed a 5 mile run last night. I didn’t get to go out until 10:30pm but I was adamant I wouldn’t miss another day. Will run tonight too at a similar time if I must. 

    Just signed up for Manchester 2020 :smile:
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Ooh see you there maybe, Khani - I'm in too.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Big G-I listened to those podcasts last week and found it good,I've listened to a few of theirs and they're quite good,bubbly people who seem to attract decent interviews.
    Shades-yes next week should be a lot more relaxed,last time I actually finished with Saturday at 12,this time I'm finishing on Thursday so 2 days off.
    Khani-Well done on the sign up.
    Need to review early next year now,our plan was a holiday in Sri Lanka but that looks out now.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - I agree re YT, I so admire his determination and focus especially for one of his age.   When we were in Frankfurt he often went off and did what he needed to do rather than go along with the plans of the others.  We went for dinner and he went a run ;) 

    Cal - those green shoes are really bright, I saw the clip of Kipchoge and Farah.   I like bright and dayglow colours but sometimes in running shoes they make everyone look like this chap

    I'm not sure how a shoe can reduce recovery time, unless it's by more cushioning so less damage caused during the run, but that can be provided by any well cushioned shoe of any brand.   Some runners can't use racing shoes as they just don't offer enough protection to the foot and there often has to be a choice made between weight and cushioning, although as the shoes get lighter with more hi tech materials it's less of an issue now.

    Khanivore - just realised I could have used your avatar instead of pic above :) 

    That's late going out for your run, shows true dedication.  I take it you're not a morning person.  Hope the job is going well.

    Great news on your Manchester entry for next year.

    Ian - that's good that you've got 2 days off pre Newport, should be much better race prep.

    Bad luck about Sri Lanka, I heard the FO don't advise travel there.   At least you have plenty time to sort out an alternative.

    6 miles today, lovely run.  Still in winter kit as it was only 8 with a FL temp of 5.  I did have my shades on though :)   Saw several runners out today too.


    Well I hope Mo Farah is happy now with the news coverage, I don't think he's going to come out of this well, tenuous links now to a coach with a drug ban now has been brought into the story and apparently the press have descended on Addis Ababa to get more info/copy.

  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Shades-We hadn't booked yet,as we were planning were about to go so at least no rigmarole of getting money back etc.
    I agree re Mo,even the stupid video of him at the expo jumping on the WR treadmill makes him look silly.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6956477/Sir-Mo-Farah-struggles-grips-giant-treadmill.html
    Fella next to him looks easy though.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Shades, I guess I'll let you know!

    This Mo thing is a bit of a mess. He shouldn't have brought it up, it won't be helping his mindset, I woudln't have thought.
    My friend (the one who drives me to parkruns) met Kipchoge at the Expo. I'm a bit jealous!

    Nice weather this morning - much cooler but sunny. Did 6 plus strides (5 strides) so about 6.3 miles. Wore my Zoom Flys to give my calves a bit of a break.
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