Abingdon Marathon

Barry, I had a dentist checkup on Thursday, and I've got to go on Tuesday for 2 filling replacements - I need a forum judgement on whether this counts as a "get your excuses in early" plea

Morning

 I hope everyone gets their Teeth problems sorted before the day.

I am really excited now and not thinking about it as I will get nervous. Im so looking forward to meeting my team who I have been chatting to for the last couple of years on here. I dont think I could have done anymore and I know I wont be at the front so I really just want to enjoy it and get round.

I am racing tomorrow too at a local 10k. I am running with a friend so may just take it easy. I dont do eyes on stalks kind of running. 

SR3 my advice on carbo loading is only start on Thursday and stop early Saturday evenng. I probably eat the same amount of calories as per usual but cut out things like fruit and veg(!) and replace with extra rice, pasta, bagels (and biscuits), though I do eat a lots of carbs normally so it isn't a massive change! I also make sure I drink a bit more fluid on Saturday to ensure I am not dehyrdrated come Sunday. I normally notice I put on pound or two which is just the glycogen getting stored with the extra water in the liver and muscles. On Saturday evening I have an early tea of pasta and then on Sunday have my weetabix. Interesting to hear others views.

Planning on 12 miles tomorrow with 1 or 2 at MP. Then next week with be runs of 5, 4 and 3 miles I think. Still haven't decided on exact race pace but it will be 6:45 or a little quicker. Is anyone else aiming for ~2:56?

SR3 - I've never been a great one for carb loading. I make sure I've had 3 good meals on Friday & Saturday, usually plain stuff (roast chicken dinner or steak & chips being my usual last meal). There are people out there who swear by 3 pints of Guinness the night before!

Race day morning I will have a couple of bits of toast, a granola bar and a Clif bar on the way, and maybe 250 ml of an SIS drink, then a gel at 10, 15 & 20 miles. I know I've only done 4 marathons, and not as quick as many on here, but touch wood I've never felt as if I've completely "run out of fuel"

Ecky - enjoy the 10K

SR3 -   General increase of carbs from thursday onwards, not massive meals but lots of "grazing" inbetween meals, malt loaf, fig rolls etc increase of fluid intake to ensure hydrated, including a couple of drinks with electrolyte tabs.  Sunday morning big bowl of porridge, electrolyte drink on way to Abo.

I've been First Defencing for the last few days but woke this morning with blocked nose/thick head, better today than next sunday.  10 miles for me, cold/frosty/foggy to start but perfect running conditions by halfway through the run, first mile 8:22 then picked the pace up mile 4 to 6 under 7:20 and 7 to 10 under 7:10, finished with 7:20 avg.  Head feels better now and a few snot rockets cleared my nose.  Go racers.

Henley Half - much, much better this weekend - ran it fairly hard, without sprinting in at the end or wrecking myself on the hill. 1:38:45, which is a course best for me by nearly 3 minutes.

BB - glad you cleared your head this morning, and hope all other racers went well

Hi all and Thanks for the Good Luck messages. I did take it quite easy and came in just a few seconds over the hour. It was a lovely flat course though and such a nice day to race. I had a light massage after to soothe me legs.

I cant wait till next week now.

CBF intresting choice for final LSR. That hill between 8 and 9 is a right b*****r.

9.75 for me and now relax

Well done Chillies,thats some taper.

Postie - LSR = late suicidal race??

SR3  - re carbo loading I agree I would really only worry about this Frid/Sat and Sunday. I personally do not eat that much more that I would normally do, with only perhaps a bit of grazing between meals and additional fuild intake. I certainly would not try any foods you have not eaten before. I find if I eat too much I feel sluggish for the race. However only once you have tried it, will you know what works best for you.

CFB - well done on the course pb.

Ecky - good call on taking it easy.

Barry  - good speedy run. Glad the head felt better after. I also woke up this morning with a blocked up nose, fortunately nothing else, and it cleared during my run, and are OK now.

9 1/2 miles slow this morning (av8.49). I enjoyed the run and was comfortable, but did not think I would have still been comfortable going any faster, which is worrying.

Fantastic racing there MG

Plan for me is 6 easy on Tuesday, repeat on Thursday, with perhaps three in the middle at MP.

I am currently mostly watching Felix Baumgarten - almost watching through my fingers

Some excellent advice on pre-race carbs etc most of which is very sensible. I'd especially endorse AC's comments though if it's your first long race - don't do anything wildly different to what you normally do - up the carb intake a bit over the last three days and don't start eating anything 'special' that you haven't tried before, It's easy to overdo it and end up running feeling bloated. I did read somewhere recently that the Kenyans tend to lose weight in the last week leading up to a marathon........

Have been going through the usual process of psyching myself out of it in the last week or so, even though there's no real reason to - seems like others are doing the same thing! Went out and ran a 12 miler this morning at only just slower than MP - silly me. Hopefully not taken too much out of myself - really must make myself rest and relax for the next 7 days... Nothing further than 5 miles and down to 2 or 3 for the last couple of days

A question for some of the experienced Abo runners - are there mile markers all of the way round and if so are they pretty accurately positioned ? There's nothing worse than wrongly positioned mile markers !

That was the most stressful thing I have EVER seen