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RW Forum Six – Sub 3.30
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So this mornin when I left Colchester it was bright and sunny but have arrived to it being quite overcast in London- given how early the race starts tomorrow this could mean a quick starting pace with overheating if it gets sunnier as the sun rises. On my way to the international cake and sugar craft show... This is a good way to carbo load right?
I don't think I'll add extra length on. I'll let u know my race plan after the race
Is that Excel Angela? We'll be there next Saturday!!
great morning for a race, all went to plan and I arrived at the start just as the runners were mustering, saw a couple of people from my club and got my breath back before the off. Not far in some d***head cut in front of me and his heel caught me hard on my shin, but in true parkrun style I apologised to him!
I lost my barcode but I was 37th in 22:38.
7.247.41
7.22
1.11
Avg 7.29
I felt quite comfortable all the way round, just as well really, and resisted the urge to race kids etc. just tomorrow to get out of the way now and that's it!
Mr P - nice job on the parkrun! Longer run tomorrow then? Love the weighbridge comment
Angela - the uniform for the school my son is going to is....wait for it....brown and yellow! Yes, I did say brown and yellow. It's like a training camp for UPS. Also they are dead strict on it - socks and jackets have to match or they get taken away (in a Homer vs Bart style moment I have dared him to wear red underpants on his first day). They have to be exactly the right shade of brown. Gloves too. Crazy.
Best of luck tomorrow. I think it might be a good thing for you if it's hot. Good practice for those conditions. Yet again I've done nothing in the heat - just watch it soar next Sunday
Sorry, I hope I haven't passed the nerves on?
Thanks for posting the info from Ruth. I'm feeling alot more comfortable with my strategy now.
I did my last 'long' run this morning. Went for 9 miles in the end. Noticably hotter than of late. Took a gel early on and did a jelly baby per mile. No stomach issues and the JB's went down really easily.
I may up the number of JBs based on what you've posted from Ruth. I reckon I'll need more fuel than a lightweight like yourself (that was a compliment btw.). So I'll go for 8 JB's (36g) + one gel (22g) = 58g per hour for the first two hours (116g total) then just JB's for the next hour (+36g = 152g total) and go by what I can stomach after that.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, it is soooooo nice to taper properly. Today's run was great. Nice and easy (I tried to keep it slower but averaged 8:40mm) felt like a warm up all the way which is just what I wanted.
Looking forward to a week of easy short runs and no doubt a few adrenaline filled final few days.
Good luck with your 8-10 on Sunday Sarah. Should be nice weather for it.
Just checked Colchester parkruns results page- we managed to get more runners than we had last week! Virtually unheard of for a newly launched parkrun as u tend to get parkrun tourists coming to the opening... Even more scared about being run director now
Yellow and brown Malcs! That IS mean!! I was lucky my school uniforms were always various shades of blue and comfortable, though there was a period I was only allowed to wear skirts not trousers- I'm sure that can't be legal these days. In the VIth form there was no uniform whereas at the boys school they had to wear a suit- quite expensive for the parents to have to buy their 16 ur old enough suits and shirts for a 5 day week methinks... Rich for a state school anyway!
One of the reason my schools results have been going down is the boys school started accepting girls into the sixth form, so we had a brain drain... In order to persuade us to stay at an assembly around the time we had to make the choice my headmistress told us 'boys are for recreation, not education'.
I'm going to paste an eating plan that someone has forwarded onto me for a week leading up to the marathon. We talked about it on our run this morning and from what my friend said it didn't account for the runners weight so you would probably have to increase/decrease portions based on your weight. Although I'm copying this I haven't actually studied it myself to see the pros and cons but since the recent discussion have been centred around carb loading (as well as house sales, cars, and schools
) I thought it might be of interest. I'll probably have to do it over a few posts...
Ignore the dates - this is from a few years ago.
The Flora London Marathon (Sunday 26 April 2009) is the most high-profile endurance event of the sporting calendar and this eating plan will give you the optimum amount of fuel to get you over the finishing line with a personal best. But you don’t have to own a cupboard littered with spent running shoes to tuck in. Sport nutritionist Matt Lovell (sportsnutritionvlog.com) has designed it for those who want to ensure they’ve got enough fuel in the tank to get through any extreme. “First of all you need to load up on carbohydrates,” states Lovell. “When you’re training normally they should make up 55% of your total calorie intake but leading up to the race your muscles need to store more fuel to be used on the day of the competition. This is done by manipulating your intake in the final week before the race.” It’s not a miracle eating plan that’ll deliver wildly enhanced performance in a week – you need to have put the hours in first – but the following dietary tweaks will give you an extra edge by making sure your body is fuelled to capacity and ready to run the race of your life.
100g oats
150ml skimmed milk
1 banana
Snack
1 small baked potato with baked beans
1 apple
Lunch
50g pasta with chicken breast
Mixed vegetables
Snack
Granola bar
1 orange
Dinner
250g sirloin steak
30g basmati rice
Green beans
Sweetcorn
Why?
In the final week before the event you’ll taper off your training so you’re well rested. This should be a two-tier strategy. “You also need to shrink your meal sizes as don’t want to pick up extra body weight,” says Lovell.
2 scrambled eggs
2 slices of white toast
200ml orange juice
Snack
Mixed fruit salad with
200ml of fat-free yoghurt
Sprinkled with mixed seeds
Lunch
Tuna and chickpea pita with:
Honey
Mustard
Watercress
Sliced tomato
Snack
Bowl of vegetable soup
1 apple
Dinner
Broccoli
250g grilled fish
30g brown rice
Carrots
Why?
Today is when you’re the most likely to feel a few hunger pangs. “You’ll reduce your carb intake to 35% of the total calories you eat today,” says Lovell. “This will gradually deplete your system of carbs and will pave the way for the carbo-loading phase later in the week.” Soldier through it and avoid the temptation to sneak in a few snacks – you’ll be rewarded with bigger meals later in the week.
3-egg omelette with:
Diced red pepper
Tomato
25g cheese
Snack
50g almonds
Dried apricots
Lunch
Tuna salad
1 apple
1 small bunch grapes
Snack
200ml fat-free yoghurt
Diced fruit salad
Dinner
Chicken breast and mixed vegetable stir-fry
Why?
“Today your carb intake will continue to be low and will again make up only 35% of the total calories you eat,” explains Lovell. “You’ll obviously still be training, but the distances you’ll cover and intensity will be lower than usual. Your activity levels will be lower so the reduced carb intake will keep you lean before the race. You’ll deplete the amount of energy that is stored in your muscle, which primes them to be able to store more oomph in the days leading up to the race.” Think of it like an oil change – you have to fully drain the car’s old grease before you can add the supercharged performance boosting oil.
4-5 large pancakes with jam or honey
1 banana
200ml orange juice
Snack
2 large bowls of cornflakes
1 apple
Lunch
1 large jacket potato
Baked beans
Cheese
Mixed salad
Snack
200ml fat-free yoghurt
100ml coconut milk
60g mixed berries
1 banana
2 Weetabix
50ml skimmed milk
Dinner
Spaghetti bolognaise
Mixed salad
Why?
It’s likely that today will be your last training session so that you can be fully recovered before the race. “It’s at this point that you’ll ramp up your carb intake so that it makes up 70% of the total calories you eat. The result – muscles that are “maxed out” in their carb and energy storing ability.”
3 egg omelette
2 slices whole-wheat toast
1 orange
Snack
1 large portion of rice pudding with added coconut milk
Lunch
2 roasted vegetables and Mozzarella cheese baps
Snack
Small jacket potato
Cottage cheese
1 apple
Dinner
250g of pasta
Tomato passata
Why?
“In the final 48 hours leading up to the race you’ll avoid high-fibre foods like beans, bran cereals, lettuce and broccoli to evade an upset stomach during your race,” says Lovell. “Your diet will continue to be made up of 70% carbohydrates and because this is your rest day you won’t be burning any of the calories off.” This turns your muscles into an energy storage depot that’ll be at full capacity by Sunday.
2 English muffins
2 eggs
Big bowl of Cornflakes with milk
Snack
150ml fat-free yoghurt with:
100ml coconut milk
Sultanas
2 bananas
2 Weetabix
Lunch
250g of pasta with
Olives
Sliced and skinless baby tomatoes
Mozzarella cheese balls
Snack
5-6 slices of watermelon
4 slices of white bread toast with jam
Dinner
2 turkey breasts
Carrots
Courgettes
Potato and butternut squash mash
Why?
“Today’s meals are all very low in fibre and continue to be made up of 70% carbs,” explains Lovell. “You’ll need these to flood your muscles with one final flush of energy. They are all plain-tasting refined carbs, which are easy to digest, and won’t loiter in your belly when the time comes to hear the starter’s whistle. Your muscles will now be saturated with energy, in the form of glucose, which you’ll be able to put to good use throughout the race.” Sleep easy knowing that you’re loaded with more energy than a Russian Oligarch.
Special K or Cornflakes or Rice Krispies
Glass of skimmed milk
1 banana
OR
3 slices of white bread with jam
1 banana
OR
Small bowl of basmati rice
Tomato passata
OR
1 peanut butter bagel
Glass of orange juice
During the race
Sports drinks, bars or gels
OR
Fruit slices
OR
Jellybeans
Why?
These meals aren’t rich in dense carbs because you don’t want anything to be bouncing around in your gut while you run. “They have a small portion of carbs and are low in fibre and fat to prevent any delay in digestion before the event. Whatever you eat before and during the race, make sure you’ve tried it before during a practice run.” Your stomach might react strangely to new foods and this is not the time to experiment – those aren’t the kind of ‘runs’ that you’ve been training for.
Well done on the park run today. Was a lovely morning with the sun shining. Did the other runner apologise to you too? Minni sustained a shin injury too today!
How far are you planning on running tomorrow? How was your legs today?
what do you have to do as race director? I have to agree the title does sound quite scary.
Did you get to sample much cake and sugary things?
I cant believe that this time next week I will have collected my number and probably be bricking it!
Just wondering what would you recommend that I do in London on the Saturday with my parents and chris. The original idea was to go and have a look at the olympic village but ive been told that its closed now to the general public.
I was quite lucky at school, we just had to wear a maroon jumper and either a white, black or maroon polo neck and black trousers/skirt.
I was distracted at college by boys...I was the only girl in physics...big mistake. I ended up dropping out of college after a few months when I got too far behind. But after 2 months of working in the sausage factory and then as an editorial assistant, I decided to go back to college the following year and avoided the (male) temptation.
Its amazing what they are recommending to eat. Im guessing this is for the average sized male (70kg) as that is what everything is normally advised around. Cant believe that you could eat a jacket potato and beans as a snack and not as a main meal!!
My mum and I went to pizza express today. We were going to have salad, but then when we read the description of their new calzone, we opted for that instead...im still stuffed despite eating it more than 7 hours ago. Having sunday diner for our evening meal aswell....im going to be rolling around VLM if I carry on at this rate!
What do you think to carbo depleting first? Ive read mixed thoughts about it. I myself dont really see the logic behind it so im just going to carbo load for 2 days prior to the race and hope for the best. I was worried about sleeping the night before VLM, but going on how I feel at the moment, I may just go into a food induced coma!
Week 15 (day 103) aim; rest day
I've had a complete day of rest from running today, instead I spent the morning walking around town with my mum followed by a pig out at Pizza express. I then walked to the lane and watched sheffield united with my dad. It was the best I had seen them play all season and the atmosphere was like it use to be pre Wilson. We won 2-0 which rounded of my day quite nicely.
When ever I walk up the steps at the lane my legs always seem to feel heavy, however today they felt great..this tapering is working and im feeling quite positive today. Im actually looking forward to VLM and especially seeing what time I will get.
Otherwise most things are quite pricey- what genre of 'things to do' are u interested in?
I didn't actually eat any cake or sugar- some amazing cakes on show though- I'll email u pictures!
I had a big portion of sweet potato on Thursday night and. I swear that put me in a coma- a food we eat in Nigeria- amala, made from puna yam has the same effect- very good for inducing an afternoon siesta
I can't believe u dropped out of colleg and now ur a doctor! Talk about the hard way of getting there!
How did your run go today Malcs?
Good luck to everyone who has their last longish run tomorrow
Thankyou angela. I went to the natural history and science museums about 5 years ago and really enjoyed them, spent all day in them and was almost booted out at closing time.
Thats exciting that your making your own cake, im very impressed. I love baking but dont have the time, or a large enough kitchen at the moment...but when I move I will!
Mainly in to sport, science and history, thought about looking round cutty sarc though...is that any good?
I might have to try amala if it works that well, could do with something for the next few nights!
I think dropping out of college (after getting in with the wrong crowd and going of the rails as my parents like to describe it) did me a favour. By working in rubbish jobs for 10 months it made me realise how much I needed a good degree to get a good job.
I've not been to the cutty sark, so couldn't say, but that area o London has lots of nice places- when I did London I was still living in SE London so would regularly run around there and think how nice it was- I must go back and explore though never did.
There's a cable car they put up for the Olympics by emirates airline- might be worth a ride? Though its part of the transport network. The south bank is a nice place to hang out, and there u have the London eye and the aquarium. Baker st if ur into Sherlock Holmes and there is Madame Tussaud's and the planetarium- personally MT is expensive for wax figures but it is quite impressive and u can take some fun pictures - if u like places like Alton towers as well it might be worth u getting a season ticket as u can visit Madame Tussaud's on that as well as the London eye.
Again LONDON eye I find dull and think I get a better view from the 33rd floor of the gherkin, -u could pay ??25 I think to go to the top of te shard- we had a work party in there befor Christmas and the view was INCREDIBLE
If its sunny, everywhere in London is nice.. If not, stick with museums and galleries
Definitely food for thought there Minni; I think I could apply the theory but not the specifics of the actual meals. I'm planning on taking Thursday & Friday off, so I'll be able to prepare some good meals.
We have to attend a wedding reception on Friday night, it would have been a cracking do too but we'll be leavinga bout 10 pm.
Coincidentally we will eat at Pizza Express the night before the race Sarah, I won't have the Calzone, but I find their portions a bit small on the lasagne and pasta.
I loved the V&A when we went, I'd always thought it was a bit Guardian reader but the jewellery took my breath away.
I also like the National Portrait Gallery just off Trafalgar Square round the corner from the National Gallery. You can lose yourself in there for hours. It's got a cafe that looks out over Trafalgar Square if you fancy a sit down!
Tomorrow is supposed to be 12. I got a new gel belt today, so I'll load it up but I won't use any. If it's warm enough I'll do a full dress rehearsal. that'll give the neighboursa laugh!
My legs are OK, I walked back to the car, Delamere Forest has some stiff climbs and I didn't want to overdo it.. I overheard a mountain biker behind me come round the corner and mutter "for ****'s sake!" when he saw the hill then he got off and started pushing, he was a big lad, it made me laugh.
Sarah - If you say you like science and history then I'd have to agree with the others' suggestion of the museums. Natural History and Science museums are right next to each other. Only issue might be that they get quite busy and could be busier on marathon weekend but then again everything will be.
We were in Greenwich a week ago and had a great time. There's the Observatory, Maritime museum and Cutty Sark. They have done it up nicely after the fire. Not been in though. You can also walk under the Thames if you're into tunnels
Tower of London was quite good - plenty to see. We booked in advance and got there early so we didn't have to queue long to see the Crown Jewels.
You can also go up Tower Bridge - been years since I did that last.
If you just like the sights there's nothing like hopping on and off busses. Mrs Malcs has also recommended the museum of London in Barbican and the Tate Modern if you like staring at piles of bricks and the like.
Had a great run today thanks. 9 miles at about 8:40 pace. I feel I'm about ready now. I was a bit over aggressive with my tennis ball when I got back though and may have irritated my foot. Not too worried though. Typical idiotic thing for me to do. We'll see how it is at the mini rugby tomorrow.
Mr P - are you running in fancy dress? Did I completely miss the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man reference?
There were quite a few obvious VLM runners out in their full kit today. Sent a shiver down my spine thinking about it.
Minni - wow, interesting stuff. I don't think I'll be organised enough to to anything like that. Like Sarah I just plan to eat shed loads for two days before.
Best of luck to all of you running tomorrow!
No Malcs, I can make people laugh just by donning a vest and shortsand a Batman style gel belt.
I came in one cold January night in my Ron Hills and took off my top and Mrs P said I looked like stavros Flatley from Britain's got Talent.
I forgot about the observatory, after reading davina Sobel's book about Longitude seeing Thomas Harrison's clocks was very moving.
Greenwich Market was good fun, like a mini Covent Garden; in fact Covent Garden itself is always interesting.
Perhaps we should rope Angela in as guide and go on a tour together!
If I were guiding u, I'd take u off the beaten track- near where I use to live- Broadway Market is a good one- quality food like borough market but I could do my weekly shop there without breaking the bank
Bedtime for me- hopefully dreams of a successful race
Learnt a LOT on this race:
-how not to pace a race
-never go to a race without Vaseline
-if it's going to be hot, wear a visor or a cap
-east London half marathon is incredibly poorly organised and not worth doing again
Will do a full write up later... Managed to d it at an average of 9:29mm but that average covers a lot of sins- wow! It's a hot one
You have made so many good suggestions as has everyone else. I feel like I need to spend two weeks in London and do it all. The cable car sounds fab, as does all the other touresty things. Like you im not a huge fan of MT - think its over priced and dont really see the point. Im not that keen on the london eye either, went on it a few years ago and it wasnt really my thing (dont think it helps with me being scared of heights).
I wouldnt mind going up the shared but its expensive for what it is. Think im going to write a big list of all the things to do and let everyone else choose!
Race director sounds like a very responsible job. Sounds like you have to do everything aswell...good luck.
Sorry to hear that your race didnt go quite to plan today...but on a good note its better for it to go wrong today and you learn from mistakes etc than it to happen on marathon day. Sounds like you kept a good pace overall.
Cant wait for the race report
How did your 12 go today? And the new belt? I did a dress rehearsal a few weeks ago, I found it quite exciting.
I love covent gardens, if the weather is nice, there is such a lovely atmosphere there.
What will you be having at pizza express?