New York Marathon 2009

TortieT: a very good move. I'm staying with friends on Grove Street - 5 mins from your hotel on Exchange Place  - which has fabulous views of the Manhattan skyline (below)

 From the PATH station you can be in Manhattan in 10 mins. I'll look into ferries from NJ to Battery Park - not sure if they'll be running that early

I've just Googled 'getting from Central Park to the Izod Center  (where the official buses pick up from on the NJ side) using public transport'. It looks like a right old schlep. Is this the price one pays for having a cheaper hotel (or 'more hotel for your money'), or am I going about it all wrong?

That's a pretty picture, OTH. Those'll be the light conditions when I get back to my hotel after the race, then? 

You don't want to go near the Izod centre. Apparently it's in the middle of nowhere (and nowhere near a PATH station) so the plan is to get the PATH to the World Trade Centre then walk to the ferry to get to the race start then get subway and PATH back to Jersey City afterwards. As long as you get a hotel near a subway (Queens) or PATH (Jersey) station then it'll be only a bit extra travel than staying in midtown. The PATH back to Jersey leaves from 33rd street so just get subway to there then change tracks I assume. I reckon it'll take about 30 mins to get from Central park to my hotel (hopelessly optimistic I'm sure!)

 I'm going on the advice of a native New Yorker!

Aha! According to t'internet the journey between 33rd street and Journal Square (my Jersey station) is 26 mins and that's longer than it would be on a week day as Sunday service makes you go via another stop. Alternatively I could get the subway to World Trade centre then PATH to Journal Square (11 mins)

See here for map http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/path/pdfs/map_0507.pdf

Tricia... as a vet of 30ish marathons I can tell you that it is most definitely possible to run a marathon without hitting the wall.

Your training can go absolutely perfectly, you could be well rested and ready come race day... but you MUST get the nutrition right if you want to avoid the 'wall' which is really just sudden energy depletion beyond recovery.

Getting your nutrition right in the 3 or 4 days before the marathon is just as important as what you have to keep your energy up during the race.

I can't give you any advice or suggestions without knowing what you do, or can/can't take but I'm happy to help if you want

Hi Trinity,

Would certainly welcome advice as would like to be able to achieve a marathon without hitting the wall as am confident my time would improve considerably.

For 3-4 days prior to the marathon I ate normal sized meals but made sure that my carbohydate intake was increased and also my water intake. The day before again didn't increase the quantity of food at a meal but snacked during the day on bananas, cake etc. The morning of the race I had porridge with honey and an energy drink, followed by a banana about 1 1/2 hrs before. On the run I took a SIS energy gel every 40-45 min and drank water.

Hi Tricia

Sounds like you're almost doing the right thing so only minor adjustments and you can look forward to a happier time in the last 6 to 8 miles.

I trust you have a good pre marathon taper so eating normally up to the wednesday before the marathon is fine.

Thursday have a couple of small snacks through the day on top of normal meals

Friday... this is THE most important day for food and sleep. Friday evening is your marathon meal... eat as much carbohydrate as you can. The aim at the end of the meal is to feel very full... this is the store that will help you in the marathon. So dinner and pudding! Enjoy! Also, obviously plenty of hydration.

Sleep is most important on Friday night as well so get a good 8 to 10 hours.

Saturday the only aim for this day is to not get hungry. Any big meal will not really help you in the marathon because the body hasn't got enough time to process it. So lots of carb snacks and maybe a small meal in the evening... just don't get hungry or thirsty.

Rest from about 4pm Saturday afternoon... and that means feet up complete rest in your hotel room, watch the tv, get your kit ready, but that's about as active as you should be.

If you don't sleep too well on the night before you don't need to worry. You've got the sleep in the bank, you're loaded up and you're rested.

Marathon Day follow your usual breakfast routine. Stay as calm and confident as you can so you don't waste nervous energy. Gels... sounds like you have that sorted too, I take them every 5 miles but the important thing is to stay ahead of the energy rather than have to play catch up. I usually take 5 SiS gels with me... 4 normal and 1 caffeine. The caffeine one is the last one I take and it gives you a kick just when you need it

Anything else I can help you with... just ask

I am the one-person cheerleading team after all!

Hi Trinity,

Thanks a lot for all that info. Definitely need to eat more on the friday and to snack on the thursday. Otherwise hopefully have been on the right lines.

Didn't like the caffeine SIS gel, but did wonder whether I should try to take in more gels during the race maybe every 30 mins? What do you think?

You're welcome

what minute mile pace will you be aiming for?

Trinity_ wrote (see)

Sleep is most important on Friday night as well so get a good 8 to 10 hours.

I found this difficult: what with nervous tension, strange bed in a hotel, changed routines, etc.

tiptree... I usually find a full stomach and a busy day at expo helps tire me out ...followed by a little lie in on Saturday morning

Tricia... I think every 30 minutes will be too much, and come later in the marathon you'll find it hard to take one.

I would go every 5 miles rather than 45 minutes. Also, try the caffeine gel just one more time. Take it on a long run of 18 to 20 miles and take it about 2 miles before the end of the run. I think it's worth a try for the benefit

hi

does anyone know if they sell the SIS gels in America?, or should we take a supply with us?

Chowster...They were at the Boston expo when I went in April but personally I wouldn't risk it and I'd take my own

LOL Tricia

Tricia - I might be being contrary to our resident cheese expert, but for what it's worth I take Gels from mile 8 onwards - initially every 3.5 miles (about 25/26 minutes) and then every 3 miles nearer the end. I once read that a gel has about enough energy for around 30 minutes - It seems to have worked as I've never 'bonked' in 6 marathons. I also follow similar routine to the mighty Trin and also eat Nairns Oatcakes the night before as they have a brilliantly slow GI. (I'm still burning them off 4 weeks later)

My problem is cramp in the back of my upper legs at about 22/23 miles but I didn't get this at recent Boston which I put down to either higher mileage in training (average 42 over 16 weeks, max of 70) or the fact that US Gatorade contains extra salt.

Also the day before, from noon onwards, I did nothing other than lie on a bed and watch tv. I framed my day around allowing myself to stick the number on my vest at about 6.00pm

Over the Hill - Saw your schedule for getting back from NY and am worried about you making an 8.50 lecture. It will feel like the middle of the night and am worried that you haven't factored in the classic time difference factor along the lines of Phileas Fogg in 'Around the World in almost 81 Days'. In the NotCat schedule I shall be allowing for generous time differences, the clocks going back at the autumnunal equinox, the curvature of the earth and the vagaries of magnetic north.

I would like to join your happy band, I have been running for 6 Weeks and have not raced yet. This will be my first marathon and trip to the US, I hope to complete it in under 5hrs 30m, not very ambitious I know but I have suffered a little training setback with a broken hand.  Flying BA to Newark 29th returning 2nd.

I could update the list but I wouldnt want to upset the apple cart.