Shades Marathon Training

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  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    Big G - What will you do post 100? Continue at same pace or spread races around?

    Cal - Intro session is tomorrow evening

    Woke today with nasty sore throat and feeling rotten. Took a covid test and negative. Hopefully clears up by the half on Sunday but no running today. 

  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    RCouture, I keep changing my mind about that!  I can't see me doing as many of the likes of Plym Trail as I do prefer larger events, but they do have their place even if training for other events (i.e., my May Plym Trail event was a great confidence booster for DD this year).  In the past I've had thoughts of doing more Halfs and trying to get my time down in that event, which possibly is still my favourite distance, but because of the marathons in recent years I've not done many Halfs.  But then on the other side, I do see myself doing a 12hr event at some point, and along the way I expect I'd do some marathons or 6hr events as prep if I did that.  Plus, there's the DD each year, and I have time goals around that too, and I personally think that event requires some marathons in preparation to make the best attempt at DD.  So many options, but as I say I keep changing my mind!
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Shades, yes...trail race is in the evening.
    Have fun, Rcouture!
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - I'm used to you keeping quiet about the odd forthcoming marathon.   ;)

    I guess it will be a while before you will decide what to do post your 100.   Doesn't look good for large overseas marathons.   Ireland are back racing and doing marathons but Dublin have announced today there won't be a marathon this year, usually end of October.   Their Covid cases are low, about 300 a day and haven't seen a death recorded for at least a couple of weeks.


    Rcouture - hope that's just one of those 24 hour summer colds.

    Don't go mad and run too hard at the club night as you have your race on Sunday and it's easy to get carried away when running in company.   You can impress them with your speed next time.  :)

    Cal - re your race and consultant's appointment,  I don't know if you find it strange but I find that after the long lockdowns I don't want too many things to fall on the same day, it feels like it's almost too much.   Last week I had one day with 3 appointments/meetings, maybe I'm just too used to not working anymore.
  • Ian5Ian5 ✭✭✭
    Big G-I took a full week off and ran yesterday,7 very slow miles,it felt OK but a bit tight at the end, sore today so I'm going to run every other day for now,if I remember right it didn't matter if I ran 5 or 20 miles the after effects were the same so may aswell go long on my runs 😀
  • BG - Er it vastly increases cost effectiveness to do multiples ;) Technically prob yes depending on route but surface less so. I could prob cope with a Quad on Plym trail one just wouldn't be super fast.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Ian - that's very patient of you taking a full week off.   A bonus that the distance you run makes little difference to the discomfort post run.   Physio appointment this week?


    Keith - have you still got family to stay with when you're down here in Devon?   That's even more cost effective  ;)


    8 miles today, humid, allegedly 97% and I was sweating even though it's cool.   My should be flat route but a couple of hills to avoid that evil seagull at B & Q.

    The seagulls in our road seem to have lost their chick.   I haven't seen it for 2 days, it may have fallen/died or possibly moved to another part of the roof but I don't think that's likely.   Don't think it was ready to fly.  The parents are still around but not so much and they seem calm. 

    Gym later
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Keith -  What's your marathon/ultra tally now?

    Big G - I've assumed it's the marathon you're doing on Saturday.



  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Shades, yeah, I know what you mean. Fortunately the appointment is 9:40am and the race is 7pm so there's a nice gap between.
    Sad about the chick but these things happen I guess. I remember a pigeon squab falling right in front of me as I walked under the railway bridge down my road. I couldn't just leave it so I picked it up and took it home then researched bird rehabbers online, found someone who rehabbed pigeons and got on a train to Victoria to meet her. A lot of trouble for a little pigeon chicky but what else could I do?

    An unremarkable 5 mile recovery plod this morning...I don't much enjoy these sorts of runs really...I either like runs with speedy bits, or longer runs where I can explore. But can't do those every day eh? The good thing today was my HR was in the 130s which is the lowest it's been on a run in a long time.
  • Shades - No not got anywhere to stay on the cheap now. 62 + 10 ultras is current count.
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    Cal - That’s my favourite kind of run, think I’m just lazy 😀

    1080 v 10s 33pct off at sportshoes.com at the moment. Know Shades/Big-G that you’re into them. 
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Cal - I can't imagine that there would be any tests at your appointment that would affect your race later in the day.

    Yes, nature is cruel and although I hate the troublesome seagulls I would never hurt them.   I even carefully catch and put any spiders outside.   I do kill wasps though as I'm frightened of them having been badly stung during a marathon a few years ago.

    Good news on the low HR.


    Keith - you'd better book up early as Easter can be a bit pricey.

    Well you're not that far off the 100 especially if you're doing multi days.


    Rcouture -I had an email from Sportsshoes and I did look yesterday.   I'm tempted as just been advised of this month's discount from my club for Sportsshoes and that gives me another 10% off and free delivery.  


    I am SO excited....

    IOM marathon is going ahead, 8th August.
    IOM borders are now open.
    No Covid tests required just exemption certificate which double vaccination entitles me too.
    Flights and hotel were booked months ago.  :):):)


  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Shades, yes, the marathon.  I've not got to the stage where I even consider the 50ks at these type of events!  Great news on your IOM events!!

    RCouture, thanks...don't tempt me ;)  I do have 2 boxes of the 1080s unopened still, so I'm okay for now.

    7 sticky miles today.  It was a late start for me for my run, as last night I went up to my friend's in Axminster to watch the football at this place and didn't get back until midnight, which is late for me these days.  My mate was literally crying after England won.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - lol at your friend, he's going to be a wreck on Sunday.

    Midnight sounds so decadent these days.   :)

    Yes, very pleased about IOM.   I rang the hotel as I'd booked via their website and there were no details about cancellation policy.  I can cancel up to day before, guy at hotel said IOM government won't change their minds about the opening of the borders.   I'm not sure how he knows that, maybe they realise they can't keep the variants out of the island and are just going to learn to live with it.
    No masks or SD on the island, only rules are not allowed in any healthcare establishments for first 10 days unless an emergency, I'm only going for 3 days.

    Have to wear mask on plane, easyJet.

    Now I have to renew travel insurance, book hire car, airport parking, all the stuff I used to spend hours on. Happy days.

    It is very humid today, I've just put the oven on and I'm boiling.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Awesome, Shades! 
    I got stung during my local parkrun once...bugger just landed on my wrist and stung me for the hell of it. At the time I had a lime green Garmin and I think it was attracted to it. I always seemed to attract wasps when wearing yellow.
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    Went to the chasers run this eve. Was just a chat with other potential joiners led by a couple of members while the club did their tempo sessions. Seems fine and as expected really. The club is massive with about 1000 people so not sure I’ll get to know anyone but if I can get a tempo session a week with folks that’ll do just fine so think I’ll join. 


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Trust me you will get to know people... I don't even go to the training sessions (since I prefer to train mornings) and I still know people. 1000 sounds a lot but some are triathletes and cyclists - you do tend to see the same faces at running events.
    As you are joining you should sign up for the Wimbledon Trail series - race one is in two weeks. It's a bit of a mob match between us and Fulham so a lot of us will be there and you'll get to know people (plus it's good fun). https://www.goodrunguide.co.uk/RaceDetails.asp?RaceID=23859&fbclid=IwAR27gcQDmT7VWm7H3rCL0L4-NGfAFgonRx-Be2luI9AVckc6XLsXCk51npc
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Cal - I've heard that yellow does attract wasps etc.   Sting on the wrist must have been very painful.

    Good to see you getting Rcouture involved in club races  :)


    Rcouture - I'm sure you'll really enjoy being part of a club.


    8 miles today, not quite so humid, but still in the 90's.    Legs a bit tired after the gym but I was revived by seeing my kingfisher on the way home.   Haven't seen him for months, I assume he's been away nesting/breeding.
  • RcoutureRcouture ✭✭✭
    Cal - That’s good to know and I’ll look into that race!
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - good luck for tomorrow, hope the going isn't too muddy.

    Rcouture - and good luck to you too for Sunday, just in case you're heading off for your weekend today.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Ah nice, Shades...I hope he has managed to raise a little family. I enjoyed seeing the fox family in the garden below my flat this morning - the cubs are getting quite big now.

    Good luck to this weekend's racers.

    I was going to run yesterday but after three nights in a row with less than 6 hours sleep, it didn't seem wise to attempt the planned tempo as speed plus inadequate rest would be inviting injury. So I did that today instead. Chose a different route than last week (round the outskirts of Wandsworth Common and then home via a few quiet roads...I did have to cross a main road but it was quiet enough that I managed that without having to stop). After two warm-up miles I hit the first fast mile in 9:10 - a little slower than I'd like but I was just getting started. I managed to scrap under 9 for the next one and then hit 8:37 (around HMP) for the last one. So better than last week...no fade in the final mile but it did feel more like a sprint than something I can sustain for 13 miles. Still, I've made good progress this week so I'll take it.


  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Cal - that's good progress you've made with your speed and holding the pace in just a week.  

    Must be lovely watching the fox cubs, not keen on foxes having seen the damage they do, but the cubs are adorable.


    I woke in the night about 2 a.m. and the rain was bucketing down.   Still raining this morning but much less,   definitely not Big G's weather for a race, particularly off road.   I wouldn't blame him if he decided to give it a miss.


    Rest day for me today.

    Gym later.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    The main hazard with foxes here is them ripping into bin bags and scattering rubbish everywhere. Having seen them play tug of war with that unfortunate squirrel the other week, though, I know they're not too welcome where people have small pets and chickens. I've a friend in Loughborough who lost all her chickens to foxes.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    An interesting start to the day as it was chucking it down with rain (very hard) at about 4am and I was really wondering whether I wanted to even go to the event or not.  I knew the first and last 4.5 miles would be very muddy on hilly, technical terrain and I didn't want to risk falling over!

    But I got up at my usual time and left to head over Exe Estuary Marathon, and it was still raining, but it did ease off at the start, and then stopped shortly after.  Of course the terrain was still muddy so I just decided to take it really easy on the first 4.5 miles in particular, walking all the steep uphills and most of the downhills, which were very slippery.  From about 4.5 to 22 it was all very runnable on cycle paths, but I wasn't having a great day.  I had to buy a new bag for the camelbak yesterday as my old one broke when I tried it yesterday afternoon, and all I could find at short notice was a bag from Sports Direct, and it was rubbing and being generally annoying for all the event.  I won't be using it again, as it's really rubbed my lower back which was sore in the shower.  But regardless of the bag, I still wasn't having a great day as I was having to walk more than I had hoped.

    But I was ticking along and doing what I could, and got back to the 22 mile marker with no major issues, and then it was just a run/walk back to the finish, up and down the hills.  It had dried out a bit in the intervening 4hrs so it wasn't as bad as the start of the race, and  I did pass two Trotters in the last couple of miles, one of who was throwing up, but there was nothing I could do.  He had water and I offered food, but he declined, so after he gave me the nod I ran on and finishing in 4:57 (watch time).

    I'm happy enough with the time It was a reasonable day out, but the mud really isn't my forte at all.  I know some love it, but I really don't, but I got it done.  To think when I entered it I was thinking of a day out to top up the tan!  
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - well done, that's a good performance in difficult conditions on terrain not to your liking.
    You'll see from my earlier post that I had commented about the rain not to be to your liking, I even thought you might DNS.
    Ouch to the chafing, but emergency measures, there's always a risk.   Bit late to advise you to put Bodyglide on the chafing pre shower. 

    No topping up the tan today then  ;)


    Cal - foxes around here tend not to stray into the more urban areas as we're so close to the countryside.   But if anyone is foolish enough to leave bin bags out it's those bloody seagulls that rip them open.   They also empty the litter bins in the parks, with the help of the crows.

    Years ago my aunt had 48 chickens killed in one visit from the fox.  The fox took one chicken to eat.   One chicken survived the massacre but my aunt had to kill it herself as the poor thing was so traumatised.
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Shades, I really was wavering this morning as I nearly didn’t make it out the front door at all!  Sitting here now I’m glad I did though as there were no major issues and I didn’t fall. It could have been really nice in more suitable conditions as the views could have been great. 

    I’ve not done one of his before since he went out on his own. He does have some other events. One or two could be really muddy, but this 6hr event caught my eye as he’s termed it ‘Devon Flat’ and that looks to be on good paths and roads. I thought I’d mention it in case it may be suitable for you. 
    https://www.windingpaths.uk/starcross/

    He was RD of City to Sea when that first started, and I do like that event a lot. I think when I did that in 5:15 in brutal conditions it is still up there as one of the hardest events I’ve done. I felt I’d achieved something that day!

  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    Big G - I think you made the right decision to run today.   If it had been at any other time of year it could have been a miserable experience if it was cold and wet/muddy.

    Thanks for that link, looks perfect for me and I'm sure I don't have a race that weekend.   Race info answers my query about running surface too as on one section there's a tarmac path alongside an optional gravel path. 

    Have you entered or are you doing Chester that weekend?
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    Shades, that Winding Paths 6hr event is the same day as Dorney Marathon, which I have a place for. 

    His October running of the event I did today is on a different course with far less mud (possibly even none I think, depending on what the route is around the Exeter Riverside).
    https://www.windingpaths.uk/exe-estuary/
  • Big_GBig_G ✭✭✭
    3 mile recovery this morning with Tigg.  I could try and claim it was him that was slowing me down today, but actually it was the other way around!  Yesterday took quite a lot out of me, it seems.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    It's a lot of time on your feet, Big G - not surprised you are tired. Having to stay upright on mud also works the stabilising muscles a lot more (I hate mud too!)

    I opted to have a crack at the route I'd planned last week up to Wimbledon Common and around the Wimbledon Trail Series route. It was a complete fail (navigationally speaking).

    It didn't look that hard when I checked the map from when I ran it in 2019...how wrong I was. A comedy of errors including:

    1) Overshooting the first turn and then, realising my error, still taking the wrong path and ending up on the A3.

    2) Getting so disorientated that I mistook the Kingsmere lake for the Queensmere.

    3) Missing the Queensmere altogther and therefore the Rifle Butts hill.

    4) Turning off the path onto what I thought was the Rifle Butts only to find myself trying to scale a slippery slope that got so steep I had to resort to all fours. It was not a path.

    5) Running into the playing fields instead of around them and somehow managing to do a loop the loop.

    6) Thinking I knew where the Toast Rack (path) turn was because I'd found it on my own once before. I did not.

    7) Stacked it on a tree root trying to find the aforementioned Toast Rack it so I had to go home with dirt all up one side of me (fortunately the ground was soft so I wasn't hurt, aside from my pride).

    On the plus side, I got some practise running around the common again (which is a lovely place to run - saw quite a few bunnies today as well as a heron), and I covered 15 miles which is the furthest since January. Pace was terrible on the common due to the terrain, trying to figure out where I was going and stopping to (firstly) check a map board and (secondly) asking for directions, not to mention picking myself up after falling over. It was decent on the way home until I got to the last couple of miles. The penultimate mile goes uphill...not that steep but a grind when you're tired as it's quite long...so I slowed a lot there and then didn't have much energy left for the last mile. I did consider stopping at 14 and walking it in but told myself to man up and I'd be home quicker if I ran. Pretty much the same self talk I use during marathons. :lol:

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