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Talkback: ASICS Target 26.2 Team: Lee
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Nuun are OK too, but taste more artificial to me. Not tried the SIS ones yet.
Steve/Choisty,
What is your training plan for the last 4 weeks before the race? has it been posted as i don't seem to be able to find it?
CC2, I will try those, thanks for the suggestion
Otis the last 4 weeks are:
Week Thirteen 60M
Mon Mar 19 5M (approx 40 mins) easy & 7M steady in 45 mins
Tue Mar 20 10M of 1M jog and strides, then 2M or 3000m at marathon pace, 400m slow jog, 2 x 1M at half marathon pace with 400m slow jog, 3 x 1000m at 10k pace with 200m slow jog, 4 x 400m at 5K pace with 200 slow jog, 5 x 200m at faster controlled pace with 25 secsrecovery, then 1M at marathon pace, then 1M jog
Wed Mar 21 5M easy & 10M in 65-70 minutes steady
Thu Mar 22 1M jog, then 4M with four 800m bursts at HM pace, then 1M jog
Fri Mar 23 6M (45 mins) easy
Sat Mar 24 Rest
Sun Mar 25 Eastleigh 10k plus 2M warm up and 3M warm down
Week Fourteen 67M
Mon Mar 26 5M (40 mins) easy & 5M steady in 35 mins
Tue Mar 27 9M of 1M jog and strides, then10 x 800m in 2:45 or faster with 2 min 200m recoveries, then 1M jog
Wed Mar 28 5M easy & 8M (60 mins) slow
Thu Mar 29 10M (70 mins) steady
Fri Mar 30 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat Mar 31 20M (2:25) slow with last 3M at marathon pace
Sun Apr 1 rest
Week Fifteen 54M
Mon Apr 2 5M easy & 5M steady
Tue Apr 3 7M of 1M jog and strides, then 12 x 400m, with 200m (or 2-min) jog recoveries, then 1M marathon pac e, then 1M jog
Wed Apr 4 5M easy & 8M (55mins) steady
Thu Apr 5 1M jog, then 4M at marathon pace, then 1M jog
Fri Apr 6 4M (30 mins) easy
Sat Apr 7 14M steady in sub 7s
Sun Apr 8 rest
Week Sixteen (44M inc race)
Mon Apr 9 5M (40 mins) easy
Tue Apr 10 1M jog, then 12 x 200m in approx 35 seconds with 25 seconds jog recoveries (start every 60 seconds), then 1M marathon pace then 1M jog
Wed April 11 4M (30 mins) easy
Thu April 12 3M (20 mins) easy plus strides
Fri April 13 Rest
Sat April 14 2M (15 mins) easy
Sun April 15 The race
Steve that's the plan, thank you for your work on it...I have started preparing mentally for the day too, this time no going off too hard, 6:15 all the way, then accelerate when I'm still feeling good at 20 miles
What a couple of days, tummy a bit dodgy, but immodium is a wonderful thing. Rehyrdration has been hard though.
Missed Wednesday's session due to being in Theatre all day then parents evening, would of had to run at 10pm after getting up at 4:30am, so decieded against it on a risk benefit score...Steve should I catch this session up on Sunday morning?
Yesterday didn't go to plan either as I was set for the 10mile steady when I had to pick my daughter up from gym after my son started projectile vomiting, so ended-up running 5.5M while I waited. I now have to avoid the cute little fella so I don't get it, doh!
Let's hope for a better day today
Keep on top of fluid and use rehydration sachets if need.
Talking of fluid I thought as the weather is getting warmer I thought I would bring you to attention of some of the fluid guidelines by The International Marathon Medical Directors Association (IMMDA)who are a well recognized global group who aim to look after the health of marathon runners. I have cut and paste some of their most up to date fluid recommendation (these have not changed as far as I am aware since 2006). The real take home message is that “one size does not fit all” for fluid (nor energy in a marathon) and it is impossible to tell you how much you need for optimal performance. Here is their view point (which I agree with): “How much should you drink? Drinking too much or too little can be of risk to health and performance. Hyponatremia (low blood salt level due to abnormal fluid retention from overdrinking) and dehydration (due to net fluid losses from under drinking) are conditions easily adverted by understanding your individual body needs. Just as you have a unique face and fingerprint, your body’s need for fluid is individual as well. Body weight, gender, climate, sweat rate are just a few variables that individualize your needs” They suggest:“Try to drink to thirst. This advice seems way too simple to be true; however, physiologically the new scientific evidence says that thirst will actually protect athletes from the hazards of both over and underdrinking by providing real time feedback on internal fluid balance. If you are not thirsty, try to refrain from drinking. Do not feel compelled to drink at every fluid station nor follow the cues of other runners: their fluid needs are probably very different from your own.” The also mention to Adjust the rate of fluid intake to race pace: slower race pace = slower drinking rate; maximum intake of 500 ml/hr for runners with greater than 5 hour finishing times (10-11 min/mile pace). Weight monitoring is also important: if you gain weight during your workout or event, you are drinking too much!“Runners aiming for optimal performance are advised to understand their individualized fluid needs through use of a fluid calculator (see numbered points below) but ALWAYS defer to physiologic cues to increase fluid intake (thirst, concentrated dark urine, weight loss) or decrease fluid consumption (dilute or clear urination, bloating, weight gain) while participating. It is also important to recognize that if you use this method in one climate and then travel to a different climate for your event, the humidity will change your sweat rate and therefore your fluid needs”
Fluid calculator: to calculate sweat rate, runners/ walkers should follow these steps:
- Weigh nude before the run.
- Run/walk at race pace for one hour. (One hour is recommended to get a reliable representation of sweat rate expected in an endurance event.)
- Track fluid intake during the run or walk; measure in ounces.
- Record nude weight after the run/walk. Subtract from starting weight. Convert the difference in body weight to ounces.
- To determine hourly sweat rate, add to this value the volume of fluid consumed (in Step 3).
- To determine how much to drink every 15 minutes, divide the hourly sweat rate by 4. This becomes the guideline for fluid intake every 15 min of a run.
- Note the environmental conditions on this day and repeat the measurements on another day when the environmental conditions are different. This will give you an idea of how different conditions affect your sweat rate.
To be continued...Also start event hydrated, I know this sounds obviously but when travelling (often makes you dehydrated) and in different environments (and Paris may be a lot warmer than the UK) you may not be used to having to drink more so a couple of days before you leave get in the habit of drinking more throughout the day and continued regular intake of fluid right up to the start of race. The morning of this race this may be water, a hydration based drink (the electrolyte drinks with little/no carbohydrate in them such as Lucozade lite, SIS hydro, Powerade zero, nuun etc ) high five zero or an isotonic sports drink.
Have a great weekend running
Choisty
Hope Saturday and this week goes better
I wouldn't do Thursday's session on Sunday as you need to rest up after Saturday's run. Just focus on running well next week - no point in risking overdoing this weekend and potentially getting tired
It surprised me how easy the easy pace felt I really could of run all day. I was looking forward to the marathon pace all the way through the run, and every time I thought of it I smiled and the pace increased! The marathon pace was a bit harder especially maintaining pace uphill but it seemed to come out OK.
I had a gel at 9 miles this went down OK but was gooey on my hands, the only thing was I am a little dehydrated now.
make sure you hydrate well in next few days - looks like it's cooling down a bit - after a great first month, a slight hiccup with injury and virus, you have come back very strongly the last month and now the major work has been done and it's time to ease through the next few weeks.
Thanks Lee I'm better than I was a month ago with 4 successive 20s and today Paddock Wood Half in 83. Hard ro get excited when 13 minutes down on PB but wasn't expecting anything quicker and have cold/chest infection. Probably still not quite in sub three shape yet and probably needed another 3 or 4 weeks proper training
You got lost again and ended up in Ann Summers.
Hi Lee
May I suggets that during your taper may be wise to drop portions of foods for next few weeks and then carb load the three days before; but you have done enough in the past to know what works for you.
Here is Italian restaurant that thought might be good for evening meals in Paris; has usual pasta dishes (they have Engish menu at restaurant but not on line and tthis is on the Champs Elysées
which thought might be nice )http://www.bistroromain.fr/_pdf/Carte_Bistro_Romain.pdf. There is also another one that does pizza (although I think the above does as well but not on the online menu) called Luna on Rue Desaix which i am trying to get a menu for. The hotel has not got back to me on the buffet that is provided for at breakfast and after 3 emails and one phone call I am not sure I will get this.
Also thought it might be useful to know that a 100g of a french stick type bread (around two and have inches!) has around 56g of carbs
Cheers Ruth, loads of info their. I am sooooo light at the moment, I am now 3kg lighter than the start of the process at BUPA, so will be sure to lighten the portions as we go into the last few days as I don't want the wieght back.
I ran 10M last night and it felt like I was floating, so nice to be running with Gibbet winner Sean, cogratulations mate. Hard to keep the pace easy but just managed it.
Franny, I didn't get lost but Laton Sports have extended their Farnham store and it looks good, loads of kit, I could of stayed for hours!
Well better get out for the 400s, wish me luck
Shame you missed the Gibbet Lee as it was the best conditions ever.....& I should know.
Ran my fastest for some years.
Good to see you are in fine fettle and hope your taper goes well.
Hope to see you at the club before the race.
Today's rep session proves 2 things:
1. I follow instructions
2. sometimes I forget to think
The session was thus; 7M of 1M jog and strides, then 12 x 400m, with 200m (or 2min) jog recoveries, then 1M marathon pace, then 1M jog
On the face of it a good hard session and at 7miles I should have it completed in about 45-50mins.
However once I got started I realised it isn't 7miles, it's 9 or perhaps 10. Never mind as one thing it was, was fun.
paces went like this 400's at 87,84,82,79,79,80,79,78,80,77,75,72 followed by a mile at 5:40, with a huge smile.
Little disappointed not to hit my aim of 79 or better for the last 9 reps, but it was on the disused railway line so there are some undulations. The last 3 I opened the taps and just let the pace go, which was nice. The most impressive is the penultimate rep as it climbs about 15m during the rep. Total mileage was 9.65M
Franny, I will be down on Thursday and yes I am gutted that I missed the Gibbet as I would of like to of raced super Sean.
Excellent session - you averaged 79 for the whole session and after sensible start, consistent from your 4th to last 2 where you picked up well and last mile was good. Of course would have been quicker had you been on a track, especially with company.
That's your last really potentially destructive speed session and now you just need to save your energy up for Paris where the signs are looking really good
Thank you Steve, I am getting really very excited, so need to calm that down too. Just want to check you will be there on race day?
On the point of company, that is what I have missed most about marathon training, running reps with the club as they didn't mesh together well, still in a few weeks I will be back giving it eye balls out ready for the track season.
A novel excuse for going too fast. Not sure it would get you off a speeding ticket.
A Hail and pace session for those who remember television double acts
Yes will be at Paris and having been on course last year have a fairly good idea where I want to be. This year will be easier as apart from knowing course better, I only have 2 runners to chase over a smaller range of times though it will throw me if you run 2:35 pace to keep ahead of hail/rain etc.
This is a really fascinating read. I have just read back the whole thread from day 1, having been told about it by Ruth who has kindly been adivising me on nutritional matters recently.
Lee, very best of luck for Paris. It sounds as though your training has gone pretty well. Like many marathon campaigns you've had to navigate some problems and challenges along the way but sounds like you've come through them and are peaking at just the right time which personally I think is a difficult thing to get right when building up for any race, even moreso when it's a marathon.
Lots of hints and tips I have noted down as I've read that I can hopefully use in my own training in future, as well as on the nutritional side which is something I am paying particular attention to at the moment.
I previously ran 2.55 in 2009 and hoped to push on toward 2.50 and 2.45 but have gone a bit backwards since then despite best efforts and clearly haven't worked out the right approach for me as an individual. Not helped by experiencing IBS for almost 2 years. Hoping that with Ruth's advice on nutrition (which has been great!) combined with sensible training (still working on this!) can get me back on track and see some progress again.
I am impressed Lee by the pace of your easy/steady runs. Do you run to HR at all or just perceived effort? I have experimented with HR and wonder if it has actually held me back by slowing down too much. I thought I needed to work more on endurance because I don't convert so well from 10k/half up to the marathon but in hindsight I ran most of my pb's back pre 2009 before using the HR monitor and maybe I became a slave to it.
RichyC
Running as you feel with a reference to the pace and pace required for the races is in my mind more important than HR. To me they are stats you look at afterwards rather than let totally control your run. Lee doesn't put HR stats up but if you look at Knight Rider's 3:15 thread, his HR has gone down as he got fitter but he doesn't let it influence his pace.
re marathons - I have done 60 and while I run faster when younger, I only feel I got some sort of control over the event when I got my pacing right and the fuelling right ie gels and fluid intake. I was a much faster runner at other events n the late 80s and 90s but my marathon times were more consistent in the 2000s because my preparation was better and I was confident in what I was doing.