I’ve done it... I’ve survived my longest training run. Twenty two miles of hard slog – that’s three laps of Richmond Park early on a Sunday morning. Super early in fact, because British Summer Time started this weekend. But I did it, and it felt good. It took 3 hrs 17 mins, and I was still smiling, standing, and holding a normal conversation at the end. Ok, so there was a bit nearing the end where I wanted it all to be over, but somehow I pushed through and carried on.
Amazingly, running that far isn’t just about the legs and lungs. There’s a heck of a mental battle too: dealing with the fatigue and pushing through it; knowing when to eat and drink...and what to eat and drink; the constant calculation of miles versus kilometres, hours and minutes, speed, distance, heart rate; deciding what to wear – gloves & jacket this weekend versus just a t-shirt last weekend. I just hope that on the day that it really matters, I manage to get all these things sorted.
This weekend I really noticed the plethora of runners in Richmond running in their charity vests – a rainbow of colours, a myriad of different shapes, sizes, speeds and running styles. But the one thing we all have in common is that we’re all planning to run 26 miles in less than four weeks time to raise money for worthwhile causes.
So, as the Bibendum team dig deep for our final few weeks of training, I ask you to also please dig deep in your pockets and click on the links to the right to support any or all of us in running for the Multiple Sclerosis society to achieve our goals.
And of course, a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone who has sponsored us so far!
Doing all this training has affected more than just my achy leg muscles and my creaky knees... this body is now pretty battered and blistered. In building up the miles, I’ve managed to get some chaffing in some pretty strange places...thighs, armpits and under the boobs/moobs are the common places, but I seem to have found new places to chaff. My décolletage is the weirdest spot – I have a new permanent ‘neckline’ courtesy of my sports bra (no more low cut tops for me!). I also seem to have a patch of recurring chaffing in the middle of my lower back, caused by running with the camelpak rucksack on. On the whole, the chaffing has been less painful this time around though – probably because training through the winter means less sweating... I’m certainly not complaining!
Another joy that hits most runners, and Dan has already talked about, is the blisters. Mine are generally on the ends of my toes – especially my little toes. Again though, I think I’ve been lucky and haven’t been too badly inflicted. The one thing I do really dislike though is the black toenails. I have three. Thank goodness it’s not open-toed shoe weather yet, because mine don’t look pretty at all! I tried on some sandals in the weekend, and was so embarrassed by the state of my toes that I rather quickly gave up and went home without new shoes.
One weekend, fairly early on in my training, I didn’t cut my toenails short enough before my long run, which caused my toenails to cut into their neighbouring toes and wasn’t a pretty sight when I later took my shoes off to discover my blood soaked socks... lesson learned there!
I’ve also discovered a new sore spot – well, it’s new to me, but I’ve come across other sufferers. It’s the tops of my feet. I guess it must come from tying your shoes too tight, or from where the tongue of your shoe sits across the high part of your foot... whatever causes it, it hurts a bit, and I hope it goes before my next run!
It’s not all bad though. Amazingly, I have already started to get a suntan from my hours in the great outdoors – plenty more freckles on my face, and the backs of my legs have a fabulously distinctive wide band of brown from the tops of my socks to the bottom of my shorts.
With less than four weeks to go, I am feeling good about this race. I’ve done more than I have ever managed before, and I can still move...bring on race day, I say. In fact, I’m almost starting to think about what I can tackle next...
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Thursday, 26 March 2009
ONE MONTH TO GO!!!
From today we start counting down through the final month until race day... 31 deep and utterly exhausted sleeps, and counting... http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/
As Kate commented in the last blog, the overwhelming feeling at the moment is one of earth-shattering tiredness. I cannot sleep enough. My social life is on hold. I just want to go to sleep for a really really long time. But instead, I have to focus on doing my longest training run, and on fundraising an overwhelmingly large chunk of money.
This week we got our marathon packs in the post. My race number is 40-something-thousand. Just how many people run this crazy race? The one thing that hit home when I opened that parcel and looked at my race number was not ‘Oh crap, I’ve got to run 26 miles in five weeks time’, but more a feeling of complete and utter nerves at standing in a crowd of somewhere close to a grillion people and really really wanting to find my space and get a good race time.
I get nervous in crowds...panicky, anxious, hyperventilatingly nervous. What the heck was I thinking when I signed up for this? I’m not sure yet what my coping strategy is going to be! Head down, elbows out and run for my life? It’s tempting...
So far though, my training has been going really well. I knocked out 20 miles in 2h 54m on Sunday in Richmond (It was so nice to be back running there after three weeks away!). And I felt pretty good when I finished – it gives you quite a lot of confidence to finish a run that long, knowing that you could keep going if needed (and it will be needed in a few short weeks!).
I saw Gordon Ramsay out training too – running his laps in the opposite direction...it’s nice to see famous people make the same massive commitment of effort to this as us ordinary folk! One of the guys in the running club had seen Gordon training with company earlier in the morning – and thought that his company might have been Michel Roux...chefs training together... isn’t that nice! I wonder how competitive they’ll be on the day?
This weekend is going to be my long run. I’m planning to do 22 miles. Here’s hoping for more sunshine to do it in! The week after that, the running club is hosting a ‘run the second half of the marathon’ run, which should be really good – it’s a great opportunity to familiarise myself with the route and to check my pace on it too. I’ve ambitiously signed up to the 8.5min/mile group... I hope I can keep up!
Simon:
Looking at all the training schedules I’m clearly well behind which is a little worrying. I managed a 16 mile run on Saturday morning in 2 ½ hours which made me feel more confident. Until I read that I should be on minimum 18 miles by now!
It’s dawning on me just how much time commitment goes into training for a marathon...I’ve planned an 18 miler this weekend and will attempt 20 the weekend after which will be the furthest I’ll do before the big one.
Kate:
When my race pack arrived in the post I had a serious panic attack and when I think that this weekend it will only be 4 weeks away I start hyperventilating all over again. I feel like I’m about to take an exam I’ve done no revision for, though of course I have been training I just feel like I’m running out of time and that I haven’t done enough!!
I managed 18.5 miles at the weekend and want to do 20 this weekend but I’m pretty slow, still it’s the taking part that counts!!
I can’t even imagine how I will feel on the day, I think it’s going to be rather overwhelming standing in that crowd waiting for the gun to go, cue hyperventilating again...
Dan:
Well the reality kicked in for good on Tuesday when my running number dropped through the letter box. I guess that confirms it then! I start with the masses at the red start so will be well and truly amongst the crowds, which is slightly annoying as I really want a good time and don’t want to get held up too much.
I am actually feeling quite excited about getting this run done now and with 4 weeks left I just want to get it started. I feel prepared and hopefully all the training will have paid off, it is just down to a serious tapering over the next 4 weeks to ensure I don’t do myself any damage between now and the 26th.
All I can think about now is food, sleep and how quickly will my blisters heal so there isn’t much time for other things. With running almost 2 marathons a week at the minute it’s amazing how much food you consume and how quickly those pesky blisters appear no matter how much you try to stop them.
As Kate commented in the last blog, the overwhelming feeling at the moment is one of earth-shattering tiredness. I cannot sleep enough. My social life is on hold. I just want to go to sleep for a really really long time. But instead, I have to focus on doing my longest training run, and on fundraising an overwhelmingly large chunk of money.
This week we got our marathon packs in the post. My race number is 40-something-thousand. Just how many people run this crazy race? The one thing that hit home when I opened that parcel and looked at my race number was not ‘Oh crap, I’ve got to run 26 miles in five weeks time’, but more a feeling of complete and utter nerves at standing in a crowd of somewhere close to a grillion people and really really wanting to find my space and get a good race time.
I get nervous in crowds...panicky, anxious, hyperventilatingly nervous. What the heck was I thinking when I signed up for this? I’m not sure yet what my coping strategy is going to be! Head down, elbows out and run for my life? It’s tempting...
So far though, my training has been going really well. I knocked out 20 miles in 2h 54m on Sunday in Richmond (It was so nice to be back running there after three weeks away!). And I felt pretty good when I finished – it gives you quite a lot of confidence to finish a run that long, knowing that you could keep going if needed (and it will be needed in a few short weeks!).
I saw Gordon Ramsay out training too – running his laps in the opposite direction...it’s nice to see famous people make the same massive commitment of effort to this as us ordinary folk! One of the guys in the running club had seen Gordon training with company earlier in the morning – and thought that his company might have been Michel Roux...chefs training together... isn’t that nice! I wonder how competitive they’ll be on the day?
This weekend is going to be my long run. I’m planning to do 22 miles. Here’s hoping for more sunshine to do it in! The week after that, the running club is hosting a ‘run the second half of the marathon’ run, which should be really good – it’s a great opportunity to familiarise myself with the route and to check my pace on it too. I’ve ambitiously signed up to the 8.5min/mile group... I hope I can keep up!
Simon:
Looking at all the training schedules I’m clearly well behind which is a little worrying. I managed a 16 mile run on Saturday morning in 2 ½ hours which made me feel more confident. Until I read that I should be on minimum 18 miles by now!
It’s dawning on me just how much time commitment goes into training for a marathon...I’ve planned an 18 miler this weekend and will attempt 20 the weekend after which will be the furthest I’ll do before the big one.
Kate:
When my race pack arrived in the post I had a serious panic attack and when I think that this weekend it will only be 4 weeks away I start hyperventilating all over again. I feel like I’m about to take an exam I’ve done no revision for, though of course I have been training I just feel like I’m running out of time and that I haven’t done enough!!
I managed 18.5 miles at the weekend and want to do 20 this weekend but I’m pretty slow, still it’s the taking part that counts!!
I can’t even imagine how I will feel on the day, I think it’s going to be rather overwhelming standing in that crowd waiting for the gun to go, cue hyperventilating again...
Dan:
Well the reality kicked in for good on Tuesday when my running number dropped through the letter box. I guess that confirms it then! I start with the masses at the red start so will be well and truly amongst the crowds, which is slightly annoying as I really want a good time and don’t want to get held up too much.
I am actually feeling quite excited about getting this run done now and with 4 weeks left I just want to get it started. I feel prepared and hopefully all the training will have paid off, it is just down to a serious tapering over the next 4 weeks to ensure I don’t do myself any damage between now and the 26th.
All I can think about now is food, sleep and how quickly will my blisters heal so there isn’t much time for other things. With running almost 2 marathons a week at the minute it’s amazing how much food you consume and how quickly those pesky blisters appear no matter how much you try to stop them.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Injury Issues
A wise woman has wagered a bet on me...she’s donated £26.20 (£1 per mile) to my just giving page, with a promise to double it if I achieve my sub-4:00 target. If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll realise that, to most, this seems like a pretty sure thing for me... however, she asked some wise questions...
What’s my best ever marathon time? 05:05. Not even sub-5:00!
When did I achieve this? 2005...when I was merrily the other side of 30 and full of youthful exuberance.
What times have I done since? Somewhere in the region of 05:30 & 05:45 I think, but I barely trained – honestly! So I am sure they can be discounted in this general discussion.
So what happened the year that I did train hard (2005)? I’d done a 01:47 half-marathon (my PB, still yet to be beaten), everything was going great, and I looked in fine form to do a sub-04:00 marathon. In a nutshell, what happened was runner’s knee. Essentially it’s just a really sore knee. But knees are important when you run. Crucially so. They take that impact every single time your foot hits the road...that’s 21,000 times or more for each knee in the course of a marathon.
My runner’s knee was possibly caused by my dodgy running style (I overpronate) or by a muscle imbalance. I have ITB problems on my left leg...that’s Illiotobal band problems for those not up with all this running speak. It’s a band that runs up the outer side of your thigh from the knee to the hip somewhere... and it gets tight, and it’s hard to stretch out, and when that happens, it pulls your kneecap out of alignment and can cause runner’s knee. Needless to say, my knee caused excruciating pain for me when running, and in doing that 05:05 marathon, I had walked/limped for over 10kms/6M of it...incredibly disappointing, considering the effort I’d put in.
I was heartbroken. Absolutely completely and utterly gutted. And I will be again if it reoccurs. Which is why, this time, I’ve taken a number of preventative measures. I now have a lovely pair of sub-4 orthotics in my bright white Asics 1140s that I am slowly but surely running in. It is just coincidence that the brand is the same as my marathon goal. I’ve also done almost all my long runs on more forgiving surfaces. Pounding the road or pavement doesn’t do your joints any favours at all, which is why I’ve stuck to the trails of Richmond Park for the long Sunday runs, and I chose a half marathon that was a trail run too.
I’ve bought myself a foam roller to roll out the tight ITB – for anyone that’s done this before, it’s definitely best done in private as rolling along this thing is one of the most painful self-inflicted experiences ever and causes me to swear like a trooper!
Another more pleasant way to ease the pain is to ensure I regularly massage my legs. I’ve become a real fan of the Neal’s Yard Arnica Salve (http://shop.nealsyardremedies.com/product/979/Arnica_Salve_Plant_Therapy), which seems to work a treat on my tired muscles, and I am sure the massage helps to deal with some of the tightness too.
So far, I’ve managed to avoid any serious issues. I got a bit worried a few weeks back when the knees started to hurt a bit after I did a 17 mile training run on the road – I was away at my Nan’s for the weekend, so didn’t have my usual trails available. I took it easy for a few days, and things seem OK, but those knees are definitely at the forefront of my mind every time I run. One month more...that’s all they’ve got to last!
Kate:
Everybody keeps asking me if all this training is making me feel super healthy and energised, the answer is: No, I just feel bloomin’ exhausted! The last couple of weeks of relentless training have left me crawling into bed super early and passing out. My body has gone from doing no exercise to about 5hrs+ a week of training so it’s been quite an adjustment.....and every muscle has felt it! The knees have felt a bit worn at times but touch wood no real injuries yet.
I have found a great and cheap place for Thai massages (don’t get the wrong idea, its completely above board!) and so am treating myself to one every Monday after the long run on a Sunday. I wish I could afford to go every day, it’s sooo good. I swear I can almost hear my legs sigh with relief afterwards.
Dan:
After every long run my legs are shattered. The next day they feel like lead and it takes at least 24 to 48 hours for them to recover. But then I get back out on the road to give them an easy break in and I seem to be fine again.
I have had a slightly dodgy right knee since day one but luckily it doesn’t give me any pain whilst running, that just comes down to the endless blisters on both my feet. They haven’t started to hurt too much whilst running yet but hopefully if they do give me problems on the big day then I will just run through the pain.
Pain is temporary, failure is for life!
What’s my best ever marathon time? 05:05. Not even sub-5:00!
When did I achieve this? 2005...when I was merrily the other side of 30 and full of youthful exuberance.
What times have I done since? Somewhere in the region of 05:30 & 05:45 I think, but I barely trained – honestly! So I am sure they can be discounted in this general discussion.
So what happened the year that I did train hard (2005)? I’d done a 01:47 half-marathon (my PB, still yet to be beaten), everything was going great, and I looked in fine form to do a sub-04:00 marathon. In a nutshell, what happened was runner’s knee. Essentially it’s just a really sore knee. But knees are important when you run. Crucially so. They take that impact every single time your foot hits the road...that’s 21,000 times or more for each knee in the course of a marathon.
My runner’s knee was possibly caused by my dodgy running style (I overpronate) or by a muscle imbalance. I have ITB problems on my left leg...that’s Illiotobal band problems for those not up with all this running speak. It’s a band that runs up the outer side of your thigh from the knee to the hip somewhere... and it gets tight, and it’s hard to stretch out, and when that happens, it pulls your kneecap out of alignment and can cause runner’s knee. Needless to say, my knee caused excruciating pain for me when running, and in doing that 05:05 marathon, I had walked/limped for over 10kms/6M of it...incredibly disappointing, considering the effort I’d put in.
I was heartbroken. Absolutely completely and utterly gutted. And I will be again if it reoccurs. Which is why, this time, I’ve taken a number of preventative measures. I now have a lovely pair of sub-4 orthotics in my bright white Asics 1140s that I am slowly but surely running in. It is just coincidence that the brand is the same as my marathon goal. I’ve also done almost all my long runs on more forgiving surfaces. Pounding the road or pavement doesn’t do your joints any favours at all, which is why I’ve stuck to the trails of Richmond Park for the long Sunday runs, and I chose a half marathon that was a trail run too.
I’ve bought myself a foam roller to roll out the tight ITB – for anyone that’s done this before, it’s definitely best done in private as rolling along this thing is one of the most painful self-inflicted experiences ever and causes me to swear like a trooper!
Another more pleasant way to ease the pain is to ensure I regularly massage my legs. I’ve become a real fan of the Neal’s Yard Arnica Salve (http://shop.nealsyardremedies.com/product/979/Arnica_Salve_Plant_Therapy), which seems to work a treat on my tired muscles, and I am sure the massage helps to deal with some of the tightness too.
So far, I’ve managed to avoid any serious issues. I got a bit worried a few weeks back when the knees started to hurt a bit after I did a 17 mile training run on the road – I was away at my Nan’s for the weekend, so didn’t have my usual trails available. I took it easy for a few days, and things seem OK, but those knees are definitely at the forefront of my mind every time I run. One month more...that’s all they’ve got to last!
Kate:
Everybody keeps asking me if all this training is making me feel super healthy and energised, the answer is: No, I just feel bloomin’ exhausted! The last couple of weeks of relentless training have left me crawling into bed super early and passing out. My body has gone from doing no exercise to about 5hrs+ a week of training so it’s been quite an adjustment.....and every muscle has felt it! The knees have felt a bit worn at times but touch wood no real injuries yet.
I have found a great and cheap place for Thai massages (don’t get the wrong idea, its completely above board!) and so am treating myself to one every Monday after the long run on a Sunday. I wish I could afford to go every day, it’s sooo good. I swear I can almost hear my legs sigh with relief afterwards.
Dan:
After every long run my legs are shattered. The next day they feel like lead and it takes at least 24 to 48 hours for them to recover. But then I get back out on the road to give them an easy break in and I seem to be fine again.
I have had a slightly dodgy right knee since day one but luckily it doesn’t give me any pain whilst running, that just comes down to the endless blisters on both my feet. They haven’t started to hurt too much whilst running yet but hopefully if they do give me problems on the big day then I will just run through the pain.
Pain is temporary, failure is for life!
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Racing and Pacing.
This week’s hot topic is all about racing and pacing! I’ve now churned out two half marathon races in the lead up to the full, as has Kate. Dan, Simon and Amy have all completed races too. This weekend was the big race weekend, with many of London’s marathon runners turning out to various events around the country – the popular one was Silverstone, but the idea of running in circles on a race track filled me with dread and I avoided it like the plague... in fact, none of the intrepid Bibendum team ventured near that race at all!
I’ve realised that I really enjoy the half marathon distance race – for me, it’s over and done within a couple of hours, training for it doesn’t become life-consuming like training for the full distance marathon does, and you feel completely awesome when you finish. It also doesn’t completely kill your legs, and you don’t feel like you need to run with the rucksack of paraphernalia that you need for a longer race (energy gels, sports drink, tissues, Vaseline, keys, mobile phone, money, tube pass, plasters, survival blanket, Swiss army knife, kitchen sink...) .
The thing that scares me about doing these races though is that, in training for the full marathon, you complete your half marathon race, you’re utterly knackered, you’ve given it all you’ve got to get the result you were hoping for and then you realise you have to run DOUBLE that distance. Cue great sinking feeling... how the hell am I going to manage to run that far??? Somehow I hope we’ll all manage...
My first race was at the beginning of March in Berkhamsted (http://www.berkhamstedhalfmarathon.co.uk/) – a hilly course that winds around the villages near Berkhamsted and finishes at the town cricket club. I’d been warned it was a tough, but pretty, course, and hoped that all my hard work training on the hills in Richmond park would pay off in the end. It was an enjoyable race – made more so by travelling with a car full of Serpentine girls who were also competing, meaning there was support at the start and finish of the race.
The weather was cool and overcast, and I felt comfortable in what I chose to wear. I managed to get gels intake and water intake working well, and powered strongly up the hills, which felt awesome. The worst hill, at around the 5M mark made me want to cry, but nearing the top another runner advised that this was as bad as it gets and that spurred me on knowing I didn’t need to reserve a bit of ooph for a potential future hill.
Because I’d been warned that this was a tough run, I’d picked my race time at around the 1:55 mark, vowing to be happy with anything under 2 hours. However, as I approached the last few miles, I realised I was out-running this prediction and knowing that the last couple of miles were essentially downhill, this pushed me to up the ante and aim for a sub-1:50 finish.
As the picture from this race shows, as I approached the 13 mile mark, I was REALLY pleased with how the race had gone! I crossed the line on my watch time of 01:48:16, with an official gun time of 01:49:17. There were no timing chips for this race, and it demonstrates what a difference it makes between the starter gun going off and actually crossing the start line in what was essentially a small field of runners.
So, one half marathon down, and one to go. I ran my second half marathon in the Forest of Dean (http://www.forestofdean-halfmarathon.co.uk/), which was another hilly route, this one mostly on trails, which are much kinder to the knees! I’d really hoped to get a PB on this race, despite the hills, and set myself a goal of 01:45, which turned out to be foolish in the end!
For some reason, this race just didn’t go according to plan. It was an absolutely stonkingly hot sunny day, and I’d chosen the wrong top – long sleeves, when I should have worn short. I also kept getting stitch on the course and had to slow down much more than I wanted to (I even had to walk a couple of times!! Very frustrating!). I realised by the 9M mark that my goal wasn’t going to be obtainable, and I wondered if I’d even get the sub-01:50 that I’d had previously, but was too hot and sore to care!
I pushed on though, knowing once again that what goes up (and we’d gone up and up and up) must come down, and that the last mile or two must essentially be straight downhill... and they were – almost too steep to let fly. By some miracle, I crossed the finish line with seconds to spare... literally! My chip time was 01:49:58 – two seconds inside that challenging sub-1:50. And twenty minutes later (and for the rest of the day), I was buzzing – stitch and heat forgotten, and just pleased to have achieved another pretty decent result.
I’ve since checked out the Runners World race predictor (http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?uan=1681), with both my race times and it pegs me for the full marathon at somewhere in the 03:45:43 – 03:49:16 mark. That’s some pretty precise measuring – I’ll be interested to see how accurate it is! However, London Marathon is much flatter than the halves I chose, so maybe I could beat the 03:45 and get a good for age...fingers crossed!
Dan:
I undertook the Milton Keynes half marathon in the first weekend of March. Training had gone well and I was feeling pretty happy up until the race but a little apprehensive considering I had not run a competitive race since school. This was on a much grander scale than I had imagined but definitely something I needed before the marathon. It was great practice to be running in a crowd and to get used to bustling for position amongst so many people.
It’s also key to getting your pacing right as you do tend to run much quicker than normal due to the adrenaline and competitiveness. My target time for the marathon is under 4 hours so I would have been happy with any time under 1hr 55 but I exceeded my expectations and ran a 1hr 37 which I was ecstatic about. It has made me consider changing my time to around 3.30 for the main event but I started with a target of 4 hours and as long as I achieve that I will be happy. Anything under that will be a bonus.
Kate:
I did the Brighton half marathon three weeks ago which I managed in 1hr59mins, which I was pretty pleased with. I ran it with my brother and there’s nothing like a little sibling rivalry to keep you running!
I did another half marathon on 15th March in Hastings, which was so hard, the first 7 miles were uphill which I read afterwards makes it equivalent to running 14 miles (needless to say if I had read it before I wouldn’t have done it) so I finished it in 2hr1min which I was a little gutted about as I had anticipated being faster than the first time. But I am doing a 16 mile race in three weeks so fingers crossed for that!
Simon:
I ran the Bath Half on Sunday, my first ever half marathon and a real test for the big one. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. I had been warned that the Bath Half has a reputation for chaotic organisation – last year they delayed the runners at the start line for an hour in the rain! Congestion was a real problem at the start, the first two miles were so bunched up that there were patches where you had to walk!
I found the heat a problem having previously only trained in winter months. I was alarmed to see so many people collapsed towards the end and couldn’t help thinking ‘that will be me in London next month’. Anyway, I wanted to do sub 2 hours and crossed the line in 2 hours 1 minute which was very irritating. My second half time was 50 minutes which is encouraging. Sadly there were no pictures on the Marathon-photos website, what a shame. I am predicting 4:45 for the big day.
Amy:
Oh I’m so ashamed to write my times compared to the rest of you! I also did the Brighton Half which was better than I’d expected to be honest. I had signed up to do it when I was still thinking I would be doing the London marathon so it was a little premature considering I was only 2 weeks into training. I did however manage to complete it, in a lengthy 2 hours 17 mins. Initially I was relatively pleased considering I just wanted to finish the bloomin’ thing. But compared to the others I’m now a little mortified! Obviously now I’m working on speeding up a little... maybe some new trainers will help.. perhaps those ones with the wheels in the heels...
I’ve realised that I really enjoy the half marathon distance race – for me, it’s over and done within a couple of hours, training for it doesn’t become life-consuming like training for the full distance marathon does, and you feel completely awesome when you finish. It also doesn’t completely kill your legs, and you don’t feel like you need to run with the rucksack of paraphernalia that you need for a longer race (energy gels, sports drink, tissues, Vaseline, keys, mobile phone, money, tube pass, plasters, survival blanket, Swiss army knife, kitchen sink...) .
The thing that scares me about doing these races though is that, in training for the full marathon, you complete your half marathon race, you’re utterly knackered, you’ve given it all you’ve got to get the result you were hoping for and then you realise you have to run DOUBLE that distance. Cue great sinking feeling... how the hell am I going to manage to run that far??? Somehow I hope we’ll all manage...
My first race was at the beginning of March in Berkhamsted (http://www.berkhamstedhalfmarathon.co.uk/) – a hilly course that winds around the villages near Berkhamsted and finishes at the town cricket club. I’d been warned it was a tough, but pretty, course, and hoped that all my hard work training on the hills in Richmond park would pay off in the end. It was an enjoyable race – made more so by travelling with a car full of Serpentine girls who were also competing, meaning there was support at the start and finish of the race.
The weather was cool and overcast, and I felt comfortable in what I chose to wear. I managed to get gels intake and water intake working well, and powered strongly up the hills, which felt awesome. The worst hill, at around the 5M mark made me want to cry, but nearing the top another runner advised that this was as bad as it gets and that spurred me on knowing I didn’t need to reserve a bit of ooph for a potential future hill.
Because I’d been warned that this was a tough run, I’d picked my race time at around the 1:55 mark, vowing to be happy with anything under 2 hours. However, as I approached the last few miles, I realised I was out-running this prediction and knowing that the last couple of miles were essentially downhill, this pushed me to up the ante and aim for a sub-1:50 finish.
As the picture from this race shows, as I approached the 13 mile mark, I was REALLY pleased with how the race had gone! I crossed the line on my watch time of 01:48:16, with an official gun time of 01:49:17. There were no timing chips for this race, and it demonstrates what a difference it makes between the starter gun going off and actually crossing the start line in what was essentially a small field of runners.
So, one half marathon down, and one to go. I ran my second half marathon in the Forest of Dean (http://www.forestofdean-halfmarathon.co.uk/), which was another hilly route, this one mostly on trails, which are much kinder to the knees! I’d really hoped to get a PB on this race, despite the hills, and set myself a goal of 01:45, which turned out to be foolish in the end!
For some reason, this race just didn’t go according to plan. It was an absolutely stonkingly hot sunny day, and I’d chosen the wrong top – long sleeves, when I should have worn short. I also kept getting stitch on the course and had to slow down much more than I wanted to (I even had to walk a couple of times!! Very frustrating!). I realised by the 9M mark that my goal wasn’t going to be obtainable, and I wondered if I’d even get the sub-01:50 that I’d had previously, but was too hot and sore to care!
I pushed on though, knowing once again that what goes up (and we’d gone up and up and up) must come down, and that the last mile or two must essentially be straight downhill... and they were – almost too steep to let fly. By some miracle, I crossed the finish line with seconds to spare... literally! My chip time was 01:49:58 – two seconds inside that challenging sub-1:50. And twenty minutes later (and for the rest of the day), I was buzzing – stitch and heat forgotten, and just pleased to have achieved another pretty decent result.
I’ve since checked out the Runners World race predictor (http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?uan=1681), with both my race times and it pegs me for the full marathon at somewhere in the 03:45:43 – 03:49:16 mark. That’s some pretty precise measuring – I’ll be interested to see how accurate it is! However, London Marathon is much flatter than the halves I chose, so maybe I could beat the 03:45 and get a good for age...fingers crossed!
Dan:
I undertook the Milton Keynes half marathon in the first weekend of March. Training had gone well and I was feeling pretty happy up until the race but a little apprehensive considering I had not run a competitive race since school. This was on a much grander scale than I had imagined but definitely something I needed before the marathon. It was great practice to be running in a crowd and to get used to bustling for position amongst so many people.
It’s also key to getting your pacing right as you do tend to run much quicker than normal due to the adrenaline and competitiveness. My target time for the marathon is under 4 hours so I would have been happy with any time under 1hr 55 but I exceeded my expectations and ran a 1hr 37 which I was ecstatic about. It has made me consider changing my time to around 3.30 for the main event but I started with a target of 4 hours and as long as I achieve that I will be happy. Anything under that will be a bonus.
Kate:
I did the Brighton half marathon three weeks ago which I managed in 1hr59mins, which I was pretty pleased with. I ran it with my brother and there’s nothing like a little sibling rivalry to keep you running!
I did another half marathon on 15th March in Hastings, which was so hard, the first 7 miles were uphill which I read afterwards makes it equivalent to running 14 miles (needless to say if I had read it before I wouldn’t have done it) so I finished it in 2hr1min which I was a little gutted about as I had anticipated being faster than the first time. But I am doing a 16 mile race in three weeks so fingers crossed for that!
Simon:
I ran the Bath Half on Sunday, my first ever half marathon and a real test for the big one. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. I had been warned that the Bath Half has a reputation for chaotic organisation – last year they delayed the runners at the start line for an hour in the rain! Congestion was a real problem at the start, the first two miles were so bunched up that there were patches where you had to walk!
I found the heat a problem having previously only trained in winter months. I was alarmed to see so many people collapsed towards the end and couldn’t help thinking ‘that will be me in London next month’. Anyway, I wanted to do sub 2 hours and crossed the line in 2 hours 1 minute which was very irritating. My second half time was 50 minutes which is encouraging. Sadly there were no pictures on the Marathon-photos website, what a shame. I am predicting 4:45 for the big day.
Amy:
Oh I’m so ashamed to write my times compared to the rest of you! I also did the Brighton Half which was better than I’d expected to be honest. I had signed up to do it when I was still thinking I would be doing the London marathon so it was a little premature considering I was only 2 weeks into training. I did however manage to complete it, in a lengthy 2 hours 17 mins. Initially I was relatively pleased considering I just wanted to finish the bloomin’ thing. But compared to the others I’m now a little mortified! Obviously now I’m working on speeding up a little... maybe some new trainers will help.. perhaps those ones with the wheels in the heels...
Runners World Race Predictor times for the Bibendum London Marathon team:
Dan: 03:22:14
Gemma: 03:45:43 – 03:49:16
Kate: 04:08:06 – 04:12:16
Simon: 04:12:16
I personally think these might be just a bit enthusiastic, but I am keen to give it a try for that kind of time!
Because Amy's doing Edinburgh and her training was in it's early days when she ran her half, I haven't done a race prediction for her....yet!
However, I predict a bit of a race on for Kate and Simon...what do you reckon?
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Drink and run...
We are another week closer to the big day, and another half marathon completed – Sunday 8th March saw Dan completing the Milton Keynes half marathon...just before the torrential rain, which was great timing (and a great result, but you’ll just have to wait to hear about that)!
I enjoyed my long run in a very different environment this week too – I was visiting my Nan in Lowestoft, so spent my Sunday morning pounding 17 miles on the tarmac in the Suffolk/Norfolk borders. Running on the flat, on the hard road and on my own was certainly a different experience for me, and not altogether enjoyable. The one thing that made it bearable was the glorious sunshine. It has to be said, I am certainly looking forward to getting back to the hills, softer paths and company that I get on Sunday mornings in Richmond.
This week’s topic is certainly a controversial one...unsurprising, considering where we work and how much we all enjoy our drink!
I’ve come to the pretty speedy conclusion that drinking and running definitely don’t go together! I’ve become so much more conscious of the effect of alcohol on my body since I started training for this marathon. Right now, I know that I can’t have more than two small(ish) glasses of wine without causing myself issues.
I definitely can’t have half a bottle (or more) – and YES, I am fully aware that a full bottle is about 9 units (at 12% abv), and that a girl should drink no more than a maximum of 2-3 in any one sitting, so half a bottle completely blows this limit and that I should only have one 250ml glass MAX in a day yada yada yada.
I have to be careful what I drink too – I ended up with a cracking two day migraine after enjoying a couple of glasses of Aussie shiraz a few weeks ago. Definitely one to be avoided! Pinot Noir doesn’t seem to have the same effect though, and neither have the majority of white wines I’ve had.
One thing I really notice however, is the effect that a few glasses of wine has on my legs – on both recovery days and run days. For some reason (and if anyone knows something scientific about this, then please do share it!), the day after a couple of glasses of wine, my legs feel like lead – very heavy, sore, tired...now this could (in part) be due to how far I’ve run, but the feeling is different... I’d definitely be intrigued to know more!
Dan:
I decided last year that if I was going to do this seriously then it was best to give up the booze full stop. Since I came back from Oz in the first week of Jan I have not had a drop of alcohol at all and am feeling pretty healthy and also pretty chuffed. It’s amazing how well you feel and the effects that booze really does have on the body. Temptation and craving have ceased and I can now happily go to the pub and order a soft drink without feeling left out.
One tip I can give you all is the discovery of a non alcoholic lager called Bavaria 0.0%. This tastes unlike any other alcohol free drink on the market such as Kaliber etc... It’s like the real thing, costs half the price and tastes awesome. It will most likely become a regular feature in the fridge to be honest.
I must admit I am looking forward to the first pint when I finish the Marathon because it will be just so much more satisfying knowing it will have been 4 months since I have had one. It’s also aiding weight loss so its wins all round. Come on ladies you know it makes sense!
Amy:
I think I was a little deluded when, inspired by Dan who gave up drinking when he did, I thought I should give it up too. After about a week I realised that it really was quite a long time until the marathon, and I do have that whole extra month compared to the others (this is my long standing excuse on any topic related to the Marathon). So I decided to just ‘cut down’.
Then I went skiing, and of course I was on holiday so had a break, a break from which I haven’t quite managed to bounce back from... I am in total agreement with Gemma with regards to the fact it makes quite a difference to your running. My tip of the day for girls off the sauce when in the pub is to order a tomato juice. If my self-discipline is out in force this is what I’ll order as it takes about the same length of time to drink as a glass of wine (particularly if you get it very spicy) rather than a coke which I will generally finish in about 2 seconds. Plus you feel extra smug about all the antioxidants you’re taking in. And you don’t feel 10 years old.
Kate:
Everybody, but everybody I know, has taken great delight in telling me that I will have to give up wine for at least a month before the marathon: the assumption is that I will find this impossible! But after extensive google searches I can’t find any conclusive evidence that supports this, a month is after all a very long time...In fact I’ve actually found lots of blogs from people who even drink a glass of wine before a big race day (they are however mostly winemakers).
Though to be honest since I started training I have cut down a lot, I have probably been drinking more frequently but a lot less in quantity, which is a far healthier approach to drinking in general. Though it’s going to sound terrible, a glass of wine is quite often my reward for going running, but I don’t like chocolate or have a sweet tooth so I figure we’re all allowed a vice!
However I’ve just read Dan’s blog so now feel really bad, perhaps I could try one month.....
Simon:
So far I haven’t really moderated my alcohol intake so I have little to judge performance against. I managed 13 miles on Sunday morning and felt good for more and that was after a normal Saturday night (i.e. plenty of wine with friends for dinner).
I really should try a week without to see if it makes a difference! I do have every intention of cutting right down in the last couple of weeks and then completely by the last two. If nothing else this will give me the extra focus to finish the race and crack open some Champagne. Kate – I think our training schedules/philosophy are quite similar, is that very bad?
I enjoyed my long run in a very different environment this week too – I was visiting my Nan in Lowestoft, so spent my Sunday morning pounding 17 miles on the tarmac in the Suffolk/Norfolk borders. Running on the flat, on the hard road and on my own was certainly a different experience for me, and not altogether enjoyable. The one thing that made it bearable was the glorious sunshine. It has to be said, I am certainly looking forward to getting back to the hills, softer paths and company that I get on Sunday mornings in Richmond.
This week’s topic is certainly a controversial one...unsurprising, considering where we work and how much we all enjoy our drink!
I’ve come to the pretty speedy conclusion that drinking and running definitely don’t go together! I’ve become so much more conscious of the effect of alcohol on my body since I started training for this marathon. Right now, I know that I can’t have more than two small(ish) glasses of wine without causing myself issues.
I definitely can’t have half a bottle (or more) – and YES, I am fully aware that a full bottle is about 9 units (at 12% abv), and that a girl should drink no more than a maximum of 2-3 in any one sitting, so half a bottle completely blows this limit and that I should only have one 250ml glass MAX in a day yada yada yada.
I have to be careful what I drink too – I ended up with a cracking two day migraine after enjoying a couple of glasses of Aussie shiraz a few weeks ago. Definitely one to be avoided! Pinot Noir doesn’t seem to have the same effect though, and neither have the majority of white wines I’ve had.
One thing I really notice however, is the effect that a few glasses of wine has on my legs – on both recovery days and run days. For some reason (and if anyone knows something scientific about this, then please do share it!), the day after a couple of glasses of wine, my legs feel like lead – very heavy, sore, tired...now this could (in part) be due to how far I’ve run, but the feeling is different... I’d definitely be intrigued to know more!
Dan:
I decided last year that if I was going to do this seriously then it was best to give up the booze full stop. Since I came back from Oz in the first week of Jan I have not had a drop of alcohol at all and am feeling pretty healthy and also pretty chuffed. It’s amazing how well you feel and the effects that booze really does have on the body. Temptation and craving have ceased and I can now happily go to the pub and order a soft drink without feeling left out.
One tip I can give you all is the discovery of a non alcoholic lager called Bavaria 0.0%. This tastes unlike any other alcohol free drink on the market such as Kaliber etc... It’s like the real thing, costs half the price and tastes awesome. It will most likely become a regular feature in the fridge to be honest.
I must admit I am looking forward to the first pint when I finish the Marathon because it will be just so much more satisfying knowing it will have been 4 months since I have had one. It’s also aiding weight loss so its wins all round. Come on ladies you know it makes sense!
Amy:
I think I was a little deluded when, inspired by Dan who gave up drinking when he did, I thought I should give it up too. After about a week I realised that it really was quite a long time until the marathon, and I do have that whole extra month compared to the others (this is my long standing excuse on any topic related to the Marathon). So I decided to just ‘cut down’.
Then I went skiing, and of course I was on holiday so had a break, a break from which I haven’t quite managed to bounce back from... I am in total agreement with Gemma with regards to the fact it makes quite a difference to your running. My tip of the day for girls off the sauce when in the pub is to order a tomato juice. If my self-discipline is out in force this is what I’ll order as it takes about the same length of time to drink as a glass of wine (particularly if you get it very spicy) rather than a coke which I will generally finish in about 2 seconds. Plus you feel extra smug about all the antioxidants you’re taking in. And you don’t feel 10 years old.
Kate:
Everybody, but everybody I know, has taken great delight in telling me that I will have to give up wine for at least a month before the marathon: the assumption is that I will find this impossible! But after extensive google searches I can’t find any conclusive evidence that supports this, a month is after all a very long time...In fact I’ve actually found lots of blogs from people who even drink a glass of wine before a big race day (they are however mostly winemakers).
Though to be honest since I started training I have cut down a lot, I have probably been drinking more frequently but a lot less in quantity, which is a far healthier approach to drinking in general. Though it’s going to sound terrible, a glass of wine is quite often my reward for going running, but I don’t like chocolate or have a sweet tooth so I figure we’re all allowed a vice!
However I’ve just read Dan’s blog so now feel really bad, perhaps I could try one month.....
Simon:
So far I haven’t really moderated my alcohol intake so I have little to judge performance against. I managed 13 miles on Sunday morning and felt good for more and that was after a normal Saturday night (i.e. plenty of wine with friends for dinner).
I really should try a week without to see if it makes a difference! I do have every intention of cutting right down in the last couple of weeks and then completely by the last two. If nothing else this will give me the extra focus to finish the race and crack open some Champagne. Kate – I think our training schedules/philosophy are quite similar, is that very bad?
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Food for thought.
Another week has passed by and we’re another week closer to THE BIG DAY. Our fundraising is ticking along too, but we could really do with your support as we’ve currently only got 20% of our £10k total raised.
We’re all now busy entering and running half marathons too, to see how our training is progressing and get us in the race mood. Kate and Amy ran the Brighton half marathon, I’ve just run the Berkhamsted half, Dan’s running in Milton Keynes this weekend, and next weekend Simon is running in Bath (I’m very jealous of this!), and I thought I’d give the Forest of Dean half a whirl, because I’m a sucker for punishment! We’ll have more details on all these races and how we fared for you in the coming weeks.
I was really pleased with the result I got from my half marathon, and it was a good chance for me to try out my eating and running in a race situation. The 10:30am start seemed a long way from breakfast at 8:00am, so I was a bit concerned about how hungry I’d get, but it all worked out in the end.
I took a gel before the start, and then had two others on the way around, plus I carried a small water bottle as I’d read that the drinks stops were few and far between. I was certainly glad for a few gulps of water after the massive climb during mile three. The other challenge I wanted to ensure I had sorted was how to carry the gels, so I strapped on my belt bag as tight as possible and hoped for the best. Thankfully it stayed in place the whole race – in fact I had a small fight with it at one point while trying to wrestle out a gel and attempting to continue running...perhaps not so tight next time eh?
As far as the balance of food and running goes, I try and eat before I head out for my long runs, but eating when I first get up in the morning is really really hard! Because I don’t usually have breakfast until I’ve been up for at least an hour, I find eating on waking makes me feel just a teensy bit nauseous...still, I know how important it is to have the right energy for long runs, so I always attempt to eat about half of what I’d normally have, but even that much is a huge struggle.
I definitely like to have a large mug of coffee before I run though, and find that the caffeine does as science says it should and picks me up for a good hour or so at the start of a long run. That, and I’m not sure I could tackle any day without that first burst of caffeine... me, addicted? Nooooo...
I take energy gels and water on all runs of an hour or longer... I take a gel about every 40-45 minutes, and drink when I feel I need to. At the moment, I am using Torq gels (http://www.torq.ltd.uk/index.html), which come in yummy flavours like Strawberry yoghurt and Forest Fruits, but are dairy and gluten free. The forest fruit flavour also has caffeine in it, so I take one of these once the initial caffeine of the day has run out. Previously I’ve used Squeezy (http://squeezyshop.co.uk/) gels, but I don’t like some of the flavour surprises in the box!
I think it’s definitely important to find a product you like and that you can stomach. It’s a great way of avoiding the dreaded “wall” that runners talk about, and despite being only a small calorie intake, they provide a necessary energy boost when required.
Dan:
Sunday is the long run day and I tend to get up relatively early and have a couple of Weetabix and a slice of toast to get some basic fuel in me. I consume copious amounts of water to make sure I am hydrated.
When out running I have a camel pack that I fill with Lucozade sport which I sip at regular intervals to keep the energy levels up making sure my muscles get what they need. I also carry a pack of Jelly Babies which I eat 4 or 5 every 30 minutes or so just to get the energy boost I need.
I finding eating whilst running far easier than drinking so don’t find in too much of an issue. I will be trying the energy gels over the next few weeks as I start to reach the 20 mile mark. I have heard varied reports on how good these are and what they can do to you so I am a little wary.
Amy:
I don’t think I’ve quite got to that stage yet. I’m very dubious about these gel things… Jelly babies sound like a great idea.
Kate:
I always eat before I go for a long run on Sunday and then tend to spend the time whilst out running fantasizing about what I can eat when I get back (something has to get you round). But as yet I haven’t experimented with gels or energy drinks, like Amy I’m a little dubious.... So at the moment it’s plain old fashioned water, but as next Sunday is up to 16 miles I think I will be needing some kind of fuel, perhaps the jelly babies is the way to go...
We’re all now busy entering and running half marathons too, to see how our training is progressing and get us in the race mood. Kate and Amy ran the Brighton half marathon, I’ve just run the Berkhamsted half, Dan’s running in Milton Keynes this weekend, and next weekend Simon is running in Bath (I’m very jealous of this!), and I thought I’d give the Forest of Dean half a whirl, because I’m a sucker for punishment! We’ll have more details on all these races and how we fared for you in the coming weeks.
I was really pleased with the result I got from my half marathon, and it was a good chance for me to try out my eating and running in a race situation. The 10:30am start seemed a long way from breakfast at 8:00am, so I was a bit concerned about how hungry I’d get, but it all worked out in the end.
I took a gel before the start, and then had two others on the way around, plus I carried a small water bottle as I’d read that the drinks stops were few and far between. I was certainly glad for a few gulps of water after the massive climb during mile three. The other challenge I wanted to ensure I had sorted was how to carry the gels, so I strapped on my belt bag as tight as possible and hoped for the best. Thankfully it stayed in place the whole race – in fact I had a small fight with it at one point while trying to wrestle out a gel and attempting to continue running...perhaps not so tight next time eh?
As far as the balance of food and running goes, I try and eat before I head out for my long runs, but eating when I first get up in the morning is really really hard! Because I don’t usually have breakfast until I’ve been up for at least an hour, I find eating on waking makes me feel just a teensy bit nauseous...still, I know how important it is to have the right energy for long runs, so I always attempt to eat about half of what I’d normally have, but even that much is a huge struggle.
I definitely like to have a large mug of coffee before I run though, and find that the caffeine does as science says it should and picks me up for a good hour or so at the start of a long run. That, and I’m not sure I could tackle any day without that first burst of caffeine... me, addicted? Nooooo...
I take energy gels and water on all runs of an hour or longer... I take a gel about every 40-45 minutes, and drink when I feel I need to. At the moment, I am using Torq gels (http://www.torq.ltd.uk/index.html), which come in yummy flavours like Strawberry yoghurt and Forest Fruits, but are dairy and gluten free. The forest fruit flavour also has caffeine in it, so I take one of these once the initial caffeine of the day has run out. Previously I’ve used Squeezy (http://squeezyshop.co.uk/) gels, but I don’t like some of the flavour surprises in the box!
I think it’s definitely important to find a product you like and that you can stomach. It’s a great way of avoiding the dreaded “wall” that runners talk about, and despite being only a small calorie intake, they provide a necessary energy boost when required.
Dan:
Sunday is the long run day and I tend to get up relatively early and have a couple of Weetabix and a slice of toast to get some basic fuel in me. I consume copious amounts of water to make sure I am hydrated.
When out running I have a camel pack that I fill with Lucozade sport which I sip at regular intervals to keep the energy levels up making sure my muscles get what they need. I also carry a pack of Jelly Babies which I eat 4 or 5 every 30 minutes or so just to get the energy boost I need.
I finding eating whilst running far easier than drinking so don’t find in too much of an issue. I will be trying the energy gels over the next few weeks as I start to reach the 20 mile mark. I have heard varied reports on how good these are and what they can do to you so I am a little wary.
Amy:
I don’t think I’ve quite got to that stage yet. I’m very dubious about these gel things… Jelly babies sound like a great idea.
Kate:
I always eat before I go for a long run on Sunday and then tend to spend the time whilst out running fantasizing about what I can eat when I get back (something has to get you round). But as yet I haven’t experimented with gels or energy drinks, like Amy I’m a little dubious.... So at the moment it’s plain old fashioned water, but as next Sunday is up to 16 miles I think I will be needing some kind of fuel, perhaps the jelly babies is the way to go...
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