Paris Marathon 2013

Scott - It was a great wee event, but it was cold out there today and it's certainly not a PB type course. On the plus side the views are amazing and if you could take the time to look around the miles passed by quickly.

Eggyh73 wrote (see)

Emmy H wrote (see)

Hi all,

I need some advice. Someone I know is running Paris in April BUT after a long hiatus they started to train for it... YESTERDAY. They want to know if they're going to get round or what sort of training plan to follow.

My first attempt at a response was: are you f*&)ing crazy?

What do others think? Should I completely discourage? or?

I'd tell them four weeks is nothing like enough to get ready for a marathon. If they insist on doing it then tell them to prepare to walk a very large section of it.

Iain Moore 2 wrote (see)

Emmy - I guess if they have residual fitness, they could get around by run-walking. But, frankly, I think that is pretty irresponsible and asking for trouble. I certainly wouldn't recommend it. I'm sure the panel have other ideas though...

Thanks for the agreement. That's my response.

Emmy H wrote (see)

Hi all,

I need some advice. Someone I know is running Paris in April BUT after a long hiatus they started to train for it... YESTERDAY. They want to know if they're going to get round or what sort of training plan to follow.

My first attempt at a response was: are you f*&)ing crazy?

What do others think? Should I completely discourage? or?

Well..   I come at these things from a different perspective to some people...  it depends on what their background is...   I've done plenty of marathons with no training at all..   just turn up and do it.   Its perfectly possible if you know what you are doing and have some background.   If, on the other hand, this person is basically a non-runner (as opposed to a runner who hasn't run for a while) then I suspect he/she is in for a bad day.

Dark Vader wrote (see)

Emmy H wrote (see)

Hi all,

I need some advice. Someone I know is running Paris in April BUT after a long hiatus they started to train for it... YESTERDAY. They want to know if they're going to get round or what sort of training plan to follow.

My first attempt at a response was: are you f*&)ing crazy?

What do others think? Should I completely discourage? or?

 

Well..   I come at these things from a different perspective to some people...  it depends on what their background is...   I've done plenty of marathons with no training at all..   just turn up and do it.   Its perfectly possible if you know what you are doing and have some background.   If, on the other hand, this person is basically a non-runner (as opposed to a runner who hasn't run for a while) then I suspect he/she is in for a bad day.

 

 

 

DV - I'm more of 'your' sort of runner. I've only met them once and they PM'ed me to ask about some training advice and it was only when I dug deeper that i found out how little training they had done (their max mileage being 13 miles in one week in the past 4 months)

Orbutt wrote (see)

Emmy - don't worry. You've got the miles banked. Get to a physio and you'll be fine for Paris. Did you try the new shoes or did you run in your usual ones? Also, unless your friend has got major residual fitness - or they plan a run/walk then they are deluding themselves and could be in for a painful few hours.
Weedy - way to go. I agree with Iain, if those aliens come back could you give them my name too
Eggy - look at the progress you've made. Superb, mate.
IM2 - is that your first sub 2?

DV - keep us informed on DV junior. I've never heard of anything like it. The good thing is that it doesn't seem to be causing him any bother.

Whilst we didn't have the proper arctic conditions of the Caledonia massive, it was bl00dy cold with snow flurries, and freezing gusts. But 32k done. It still hurt at the end but not as much as last week. All my splits, bar one, were better and I think I've got my feeding plan sorted. Still very thirsty towards the end but I'll work on that.

Thanks Orbutt. You're right - i'm going to do some stretching and get back to the physio/dr. I'm not taking any painkillers/iburopfen as I don't want to mask any pain that could be there when i'm running. Let's see what happens tomorrow. Well done on getting out and completing 32km in artic conditions! You're certainly made of hard stuff!

Congrats on the hilly snowy half boys!  Sounds like you all had a good day out.

Emmy - You can tell this tale to your "friends" I started training a month and a bit ago and well...it's bloody tough and am still touch and go.  Last week's 24kms left me hobbling for days, got a massage yesterday and was hopeful of 28 kms today...but bailed at 17km proper .  I could have gone on but wouldn't be able to walk now so made the call.  There is nothing more bloody irritating than sitting on a bus stuck in traffic along the route that you should be running.

So collective forum wisdom...thoughts?  Take it as a rest week and try again next weekend?  I'm only giving myself a 2 week taper so I've got two possible LSRs left.  Any ideas on mid-week?  with work I've only managed 2*5ish kms during the week.

DV - Hope you find out what's going on with jnr!

((RS)). I've told them in no uncertain times that I don't recommend it.... I don't know if they'll accept my advice but i've been honest with them. I'm sorry it was tough for you - but you did the wise thing. It's better to stop early and run another day - than get injured.

Yan - You need to learn less peeing - more running. Stop giving your dad a reason to slack off

Talking of running with dogs - I may be stealing my brother's spaniel to run one of the marathons in May. He's already used to 30 mile hikes in the welsh hills so a marathon is no problem for him.

Hey, great news James B!

Emmy: Hope your niggle sorts itself out. I'm nursing a couple of unhappy hip flexors. I was pretty disappointed by a "sports massage" physiotherapist last week, but the running shop here has given me some recommendations so I'll give them a go this week.

32 km done in -3 degrees and snowing. Was quite lovely, but I was also very pleased to stop given I couldn't feel or move my hands! Got home and made hot tea with a dash of whisky. Have also just about sorted fuelling. Tried jelly beans, shotblocks and a flapjack type biscuit. I liked the shotblocks and the biscuit. Not so keen on the jelly beans.

What are these gold bars of which you all speak and where can I get some?

And a question for the panel...

I splurged yesterday on a Garmin Forerunner 110. OH MY GOODNESS! I have been missing out on A LOT of data.

Question, though, does anybody know how to make garminconnect show me my total time for each half of the run? I think I managed negative splits, but am too lazy (actually, stupid) to add up all the lap times for each km in each half.

And my flight gets in around 1530, so I'll be heading to the expo then for others getting in around that time. Would love to meet up.

Well done Tricky, nice to see you back racing.

Nice to meet Iain Moore at the parkrun y/day, albeit briefly as I was registering the finishers. That it pretty typical weather Iain but we do get some cracking days too at the coast. Today wasn't one of them. I struggled through wind and snow to complete a 20 mile LSR at plod pace.  

Hi Mark,

My support crew managed to get right to the finish line to see me cross. I wasn't expecting that and it was the best feeling.

The exit pen is pretty big and pretty busy, but we went the day before when all the barricades were being built and figured out where the end would be. Then we arranged to meet outside the exit pen on one of the little side streets.

Mark, the website says that this year they're making new arrangements for family meetups....but ,with so many thousands ,it can't be that different from other years...So, +1 for MM suggestion. Have a walk on the Saturday night and agree a spot.There are plenty of shaded, grassy, areas on Ave. Foch. I think your family might have a better chance of seeing you if they are on your right as you run up. If they miss you, a meetup on the grass unde your chosen tree might work. Lots of people like the ' right under the Arc' as a spot, too.

What about messaging our own dear Radar Sal for her famous ' Supporters' Guide'..

Yeah, Eggy! That's great news.You're back on form.

The formatting, here, is weird...

Well, against my better judgement I went along to the Trafford 10K this morning with a bit of a 'hope for the best' attitude, which was very ignorant of me but....

MASSIVE PB! Been waiting three years to beat my old best of 38.39 in 2010 but the sixteen attempts between then and now have pretty much all been sabotaged by the dreaded shin-splints. No pain whatsoever today, good conditions flat course,, and the months of training saw me home in 37.52. Really really chuffed with it and got to say, it's a massive confidence boost ahead of Paris!

I'm most certainly not going to forget yesterday's episode though, and am taking it as a huge 'warning shot', and am safe in the knowledge that I've a fair bit of 'prehab' work to do between now and April 7th. I'll certainly be trying the barefoot-walking-with-toes-up you recommended Tricky Dicky.

Oh, and I got to meet Ron Hill too, who was there as an ambassador for Brooks who sponsored the event. Only downside to the day was that it was bloody cold and it took 20 minutes for my hands to thaw before I could untie my car key from my shorts (I tie the drawstring through the key, double knotted)! Must have looked a bit suss seeing a fully grown (well, as fully grown as you can be at 5ft 7) bloke fiddling with himself for a prolonged period in the car park!!

Weedy - regards keeping a training diary, I've kept one the past few years and have looked for patterns as you suggested but can't find any common factors, that's what's made it all the more frustrating!

Marathon Maus - the Garmin 110 is a quality piece if kit! I'd be lost without mine and it's so easy to use!

James - good news with the injury! 'Proceed With Caution' should perhaps be the manta for the next few weeks...?