Halstead & Essex Marathon

Fenland Runner wrote (see)

I suppose it depends how good your body is at storing glycogen?

It'd be nice to have a proper understanding of this.  How much does one person vary from another.  Exactly for how long does glycogen get stored  (a day, 3 days, a week?)  Does it depend on other factors?  If you store glycogen but don't do any exercise does your body replace that glycogen with "new" glycogen anyway? Is there a difference in the quality of glycogen?  If so what affects it?  Is there an actual hard limit on how much glycogen one person can store? If so what is it?  And so on & so on & so on, tons of questions.

I've read many an article on the subject but not found much that goes into a thorough scientific explanation of questions like the above.  I'm not a running (or glycogen!) expert but I know from the stuff I do know a lot more about (weight-training, karate) that a huge amount of what's written or even what's commonly accepted as fact can actually be inaccurate, misleading or just plain wrong.  It'd be nice to learn this stuff properly so I can make a more informed decision on how to prepare etc.

Hi all, I'm doing this marathon on Sunday and I too ran VLM.

No ambitions of beating my london time (4:16)....esp given the hills... just want to take part as it's local to me. Did an 8 miler last Sunday but not run since because legs felt quite stiff after, despite no aches or anything after VLM, so am totally resting this week.

See you Sunday - good luck!

Worry not - biscuits are part of my daily diet, and yes sometimes a whole packet in one sitting so you are not alone! It'll be fine!! I got a terrible cold 4 days before VLM, I took Beechams cold n flu, drank berocca and put maunka honey on my toast, on the saturday I almost deferred as was so ill, but Sunday the adrenaline kicked in and I got round fine. Positive thinking!

I went round the Great Limerick Run in 4:52 last Sunday ( 3 minutes quicker than Brighton and I also had to walk nearly a couple of miles behind people dragging children and pushing buggies who were at the back of the 10Km walk. There was no place to overtake unless you wanted to battle with the traffic that was the other side of the cones!  That must have cost me a good ten minutes. It cost me £60 to enter.  When you encounter events like that it makes you much more appreciative of the wonderful job Halstead Road Runners do with their marathon.) 

I tried not drinking alcohol the night before Limerick but it didn't work so I have been wining this week to make up for lost time. Biscuits I have eaten by the packet and umpteen bars of chocolate have also figured on the menu!  I had a Chinese meal last night and we have an Indian meal booked for Friday night with friends so I should be in peak form for Sunday!  My biggest concern has beeen that I might not get back in time for Halstead when flights were grounded as a result of  volcanic ash. Hopefully I shall now be toeing the line with the rest of you for my sixteenth Halstead.

 Sorry I can't help Adrian with his query on glycogen. I've never taken the stuff. Do you think it might help me?

OG - you will be fine as you are doing it with us lot of nutters.

Peter - You will be doing a faster time at Halstead this year then

Not too sure about fast time Tracey. My old bones are tired. I'm not used to all this running these days. It's a matter of the older I get the faster I used to be! 

Nobody has mentioned the oil seed rape this year. It is in profusion. Better take your inhalers those who use them! 

Old Grunter wrote (see)

This'll be my first marathon. Still getting physio for my back, so could do without the 3 hours in the car. Had every niggle possible in the last week, but am I right in thinking I'm not alone in this...? 25% terrified but 75% can't wait for it.

"Long-distance athletes such as marathon runners often go into glycogen debt, where almost all of the athlete's glycogen stores are depleted after long periods of exertion without enough energy consumption. This phenomenon is referred to as "Hitting the Wall". In marathon runners, it normally happens around the 20-mile (32 km) point of a marathon, depending on the size of the runner and the race course. However, it can be delayed by a carb loading before the task.

When experiencing glycogen debt, athletes often experience extreme fatigue to the point that it is difficult to move."

Quote from Wiki...

Basically the general consensus is to taper plus carb load so that the glycogen stores are full prior to the event.

However it has also been suggested that by going long, the body gets more economic in using glycogen so that the Wall is pushed beyond 26 miles.

So all you who have recently completed a marathon and have rested and eat well will be in a good position.

Trace please dont say "shit or bust " to me

you know what my guts are like