Brighton Marathon 2021 - Sep 12th

Has anyone else put themselves in for this Marathon yet? If so how is the training going.... 

Dave
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  • Mileage now up to running a half marathon once a week, for the past 3 weeks (10 minute miles).. I will now start playing around with the high 5 iso gels, as I don't take anything with me on the half marathon runs.. I just like running long once a week.
  • I bought myself one of those high 5 gel belts for 6 quid, and tried a couple of high 5 iso gels.. one at 1hr 10 mins and one at 1hr 35 mins in my 2hrs 10 mins 1/2 marathon run..I didn't have any reaction to the gels, and did they help....yes i think they did... 
    I have also tried eating various things before I have run ... the first week of running a half in the morning, I just had an apple and a banana and felt very hungry half way round, so I have now been eating a smoothie of oats, blueberries and protein shake, an hour and half before the run, and with the food and the gels, they do help keep me energised.
    This following weekend I am going to run an 8 miler instead of a half as I am going to work on a 4 week cycle... 4 weeks of running a half marathon at the weekend then a week at a lower mileage recovery week.. 

  • This weekend for my recovery week I did a 9 1/2 mile run,  just a banana and a pear before the run.. felt good so averaged 9.28 miles.
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Hi Dave. My husband and I are both signed up. We were originally planning to run in April 2020 so have been training for a while! Starting to feel optimistic it might actually go ahead this time :) 
  • Good to see.. that means I won't be running it alone :) How is the training going for both of you... I am working on the assumption that it will go ahead.

    This weekend was a bad run for me...its was windy and raining.. and I felt tired... I learnt a lesson that I shouldn't of done some hills 2 days before a long run. It was one of those days when I felt like walking.. but I completed the run..  ended up doing 14 miles.. with an average of 10:41 minute miles. This was much slower than my 13 miler two weeks ago when I averaged under 10 minute miles.. but I'm happy to get another long run under my belt...  No gels or water consumed on this run.. and a protein shake with Oats and a banana for breakfast,
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Well there will at least be 3 of us at the start line then :) training is going well for us thank you. I’m up to an 18 mile long run, and my husband is at 15 miles, but as I say we’ve been marathon training on/off for a while! Glad to see you’ve got up to 14 miles and it’s natural to slow down a bit as you increase the miles. Especially if you’ve been running hills in the days before. Have you run a marathon before or will Brighton be your first?
  • 18 & 15 miles well done.. and still with 16 weeks to go. I guess you have completed a few marathons, as that mileage is pretty impressive at this stage of the build up.

    I've only run one marathon before about 4 years back.. and I went off way too fast and suffered and had to walk parts, and ended up way over 5 hours..

    I signed up for Brighton as I heard there are normally a lot of people who enter, so it will make it easier when you have people to run with, plus its one of the flatest marathons around..

    This time I am trying to train a bit more sensibly, and I am trying to ensure I have lots of longer runs banked up, which will help me. 

    This weekends run was a 14 miler in the rain and I was much faster than the previous week averaging 10.14 min miles. Next weekend I have the Dorney Lake 1/2 marathon.
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Yeah we’ve done a couple before, including Brighton back in 2017 which was our first and we made the same rookie error of going out too fast and having to walk so know how you feel. It’s quite a nice course though and there’s definitely plenty of people to run with. There are pacers too so if you have a goal time in mind you can always run with a pace group which can help. <div>
    </div><div>That sounds sensible building up and having plenty of longer runs as it does make a big difference on the day. And we’re actually signed up to the Dorney Lake half this weekend too!  Are you doing it as a long run or aiming for a specific time/PB? </div>
  • I think that is a good idea to run with a pacer at Brighton... then I don't have to think about times, or anything else.. just enjoy the run...and soak up the atmosphere. I have heard some good comments from people about the Brighton course, so I am looking forward to it... 

    Dorney Lake will be my first run out with other people since lockdown... so I am looking forward to it... I have been running by myself over lockdown which is difficult, so it will be nice to actually run with people for the first time, so the challenge will be there to catch people, or overtake them... 

    If I can average under 10 minute miles - roughly under 2hrs 10 mins, then I will be very happy.. and feel my training is going in the right direction, as I am looking at this race as a stepping stone to Brighton in September.

    What are you hoping for at Dorney Lake?

     
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Ah that's good. Glad to hear you're looking forward to it and using it as an opportunity to run with other people again as well as a stepping stone to Brighton. For us my husband is hoping to run under 1:30, which would be a PB for him, and I would quite like get under 1:45, which I've done before but not sure if I have the fitness to that at the moment so will be interesting to find out :)

    Good luck for tomorrow - we'll probably pass each other at some point on the many laps! :)
  • dave turpittdave turpitt ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    I really enjoyed the half marathon at Dorney Lake this weekend, despite the motorway closures, and the congestion and queues of traffic afterwards due to the motorway closure. Its great go be back running with other people. I managed my fastest half for years coming in at just under the two hour mark..so I was pleased with that, despite running the first mile too fast... mind you the course is as flat as a pancake. The weather was good and there were plenty of people running around the course to make it feel like a race. It was very well organised.. 
    How did you and your husband do momo..?
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Congratulations on coming under 2 hours! You must be chuffed if your goal was 2:10. It was definitely nice running with other people again. I ran 1:43 so achieved my goal and my husband was just seconds away from going under 1:30. He’s a bit disappointed but that still a PB for him :) do you have any other races before Brighton?
  • Well done on your time, and wow what a great time for your husband... both times are very respectable times. 
    I think I need to book up some more races, I only have a 10k currently planned for early July. Do you have any races planned?
    Only a 5 mile easy fun for me as a long run this weekend as my ankle feels a bit sprained....I'll try a run every other day and see what it's like.. if it feels good I'll go longer if not I'll just take it easy, and wait until it feels better.
  • A 5 1/2 miler for me this weekend, due to my ankle still not feeling 100%, but its getting much better. I'm not going to push it until it feels right... I've got plenty of time to recover & train before the Brighton marathon.
  • Ankle feeling a little better so I did a 8 miler at the weekend.. and a 5 miler every other day.. hopefully i can up the long run again this weekend..
  • Hi Dave, not sure if this is the forum but i'm interested to buy a running number from anyone who's not going to take part this year - assuming it still goes ahead? Any suggestions?
  • It looks like only charity places or running club entries which are now accepted.. why not email the organisers & see what answer they give.

    https://brightonmarathonweekend.co.uk/events/brighton-marathon/enter/


  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Sorry to hear about you ankle Dave but glad to hear it’s getting better and you were able to do 8 miles this weekend. I managed to get up to 20 miles the weekend before last which is always a nice moment in marathon training - makes it feel like the distance is possible :) we also ran the Weymouth half marathon this Sunday at the pace we hope to run the marathon in which felt like a good training run (especially with the heat). In terms of other races I have the Farnborough half in July, Newbury half also in July and the Big Half in August. So probably a few too many booked in, but will just use them as training runs rather than trying to get a PB/time. Just over 12 weeks to go! :)
  • 12 weeks to go... not long now.. well done on your 20 miles.... that's one to tick off. . a friend of mine entered the Weymouth half and said it was hot and the last few miles were very hilly.. so well done on that...
    It sounds like you're all sorted out for your long runs in July..
    I am going to work my mileage up again... and hopefully look at entering Newbury.
  • dave turpittdave turpitt ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    I managed to do a half marathon on Saturday, so I am starting to build the long distances back up again.. the ankle is feeling much better but is still not there yet, so I am taking it easy.  It was also one of those runs where I felt lethargic with not a lot of energy.. but on days like that you just battle through... and I felt a whole lot better when I finished the run. Its a shame but most of June has been a bit of a washout in terms of increasing my speed for me... but at least I have managed to get out running.. 
  • Managed a good 15 mile run over the weekend...with one gel taken at 1 hr 45 mins to help me.. and a 14 mile run the week before... ankle is now getting much better.. still not 100%...but getting there... I'll hopefully try a 16 miler next weekend... and then drop down to 10 the week afterwards for a recovery week, before upping it again.. Momo did you do the Farnborough half at the weekend and if so how did you get on?
  • Phew it was very hot this weekend... managed a hilly 12 miler (nearly 3000ft elevation) before I ran out of steam.. and just had to walk home... I hope it isn't this hot on Marathon day.. 
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Hi Dave. Sorry been really terrible at checking this forum. But yes I did the Farnborough half and it went well thank you :) did you sign up to the Newbury half in the end? I ended up switching my place to another event because I didn’t want to miss out on the first parkrun back. Sounds like your training is going well and glad to hear your ankle is feeling better. Last week was so hot so I wouldn’t worry if you struggled then. Fingers crossed it won’t be too hot on marathon day. :)
  • No worries Momo... I'm glad your prep is going really well.. especially with that big 20 miler a few weeks back...you're on that starting line....well done!!!!!

    I'm having problems.. I was going to go for a long run last Saturday, but woke with a bad headache, so didn't go, I then decided to go on the Sunday and ended up doing 7 very hard miles... I realise now I've been overdoing it, I was going to the gym nearly every day previously doing weights, and also running every other day... so since Sunday I haven't run or gone to the gym... so I've made a decision to do the local 10k this weekend which I am looking forward to, and see how it goes.. hopefully I will start feeling invigorated again... and go again with the training....
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Oh no. Sorry to hear you’ve overdone it but well done for recognising it and taking a step back. Can be really hard to do when you have an event coming up but it is the right decision. Are you feeling back on track now? I had a similar situation last week when I tried to run 20 miles after work on Thursday because I was away for a wedding at the weekend. It was a really bad idea and had to be rescued by my husband around mile 4! I should have just taken the weekend off and accepted not doing a long run. <div>
    </div><div>How did your 10k go?</div>
  • Momo... its strange how some runs seem so easy and others are very very difficult.... and you just run out of steam.... even though you want to run and think you are going to run well. You've done the 20 miler so you're there already... so I guess its just keeping the long runs going and trying to improve the speed. 
    I think I'm sort of back on track.. I actually did my fastest 10k for years last weekend, which surprised me after a week off, but I realise I needed the rest...and today I thought I'd see how I got on and tried to do a long run.. I managed to do a 14 miler... which also surprised me.. hopefully I can go a bit further next week depending how I feel... I really wanted to do a 20 miler before the marathon... so maybe I can still reach that target... we'll see.. !!!
  • Momo21Momo21 ✭✭✭
    Glad to hear you’re feeling back on track and congrats on your fast 10k. That must have given you a boost and along with your 14 miler is good progress for Brighton. I’m sure you’ll get to 20 miles soon. I did another 20 miler today which went well and was a relief after last week. Clearly some time off did us both good :)
  • Well done on another 20 miler, you have certainly done well, despite the bad run the other day,... you must be brimming with confidence now... especially as the run is only just under 4 weeks away.

    Friday I did a 15 1/2 miler on a hilly course taking with me 3 aqua gels, which I used at 1hr 15, 1hr 45 and 2hrs 15.. but I've now gone down with a cold... oh well... I'll see how I go this week, and if I feel ok I will try for a 17 miler around the weekend... if not I will try a long flat run in the middle of next week... I've still got two long runs before the taper starts... 
  • Trying to find a half marathon time of mine from 1993 , if anyone out there did the bath wateraid half marathon that year and kept the newspaper results page I would really like to hear from you
  • Well I didn't expect that at this late stage.. I went down with a fluey/virus thing and didn't run for 9 days... yesterday I did a 3 mile slow run.. lets see what the rest of the week brings... hopefully I can get the energy to do one last long run before the taper starts this coming weekend.... Luckily I have banked lots of miles in the previous weeks... but I wish I would of got further than 15 1/2 miles on my long run..
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