Asics training starts now...!!

Hi Mel, congratulations on pulverizing your PB.

I will be seeing you in Paris, probably twice. Overtaking you in the first half because I think I'm Steve, then you running passed me after I've realised that I'm not Baconboy.

I'm sure the ASIC team will give you great advice for the course, I'm looking forward to reading it.  Although my first PM, I've read the other forums and ran the 20k. They give out 33cl water bottles every 5k and powerade only at 33k. It's seems runners prefer the bottles, critism is that drinks stations are only on one side of the road thus bottle necks. Only one sports drink station.

Good news about the trees. We go through Parc Vincennes (10-18k) and Bois de Boulogne (33-42k). 

Other info. The Champs is downhill which makes a fast start.  There can be a few bottlenecks as some streets aren't wider enough for 40000 people.  There are several tunnels (23-31k), the slopes are only 5% over 100m but they can sap you. One tunnel for the Paris20k was very long and very hot.  The French runners have a song 'I'm not tired', 'we're not tired' which echos in the tunnels. Around 31km the fun begins and there is a climb, it will be probably around this point you'll be stepping over me.

Good Luck and hope to see you on the 7th.

Thanks Gary about water bottles!

50 MINUTES & 56 SECONDS  Wow girl!

melaniejayne wrote (see)

Hi Sam......Please don't worry!!!.....I really don't get too hung up on timings.....I'm just here to have a nice time and enjoy what I'm doing to my best ability!!!!.....It has spurred me on though and i have managed to rope a couple of friends into a 8.30 pace with a very experienced runner to pace us!!!!.....so no I'm not competitive or anything!!!!!............

Hi Ruth.....I will try some more water based gels, and torqwith no caffeine.....I might try running on Sunday with a GU gel just to see how I get on....!!.....Oh all this information.....!!!....

Sarah Conway 6 wrote (see)

Ruth,

I did my 15 miles on Saturday morning and finally can say I've broken the barrier to doing over 13.1 miles. I practiced with some gels... 1 before and then an isogel after 6.5 miles and then I had two pieces of shot blocks about 10.5miles to get me through. I sipped my water with electrolytes as required. Does this seem like sufficient amount of energy to have taken on or should I have had something with caffeine in it besides in my water?

You had 33g of carbs (23g from gel and 5g each from shot B) for the 15 miles while actually running. I would suggest you aim for 30-50g per hour of running, how long did your 15miles take? The caffeine is not for everyone so it is a personal choice but you may want to try it in the middle part of race for  a wee pick up from the caffeine so you can mix the gels and only use caffeine at say 15 & 20miles? Others use it all the way round and others do not use it at all. You need to see if it works for you.

Mel

Why don't you try regular jelly sweets or the shot bloks from powerbar (these are like jelly cubes with 5mg of caffeine per cube)?

Or like you have suggested the gels with a less thick consistency in your mouth. It needs to work for you so keep working at this on long runs.

50 mins  56 seconds indeed!!!

p.s wine after race is okay ... as long as you rehydrated first with non-alcoholic drinks and only a couple of wee ones

Hi Ruth,

My 15 miles took 2 hours 36 mins to complete.Thanks for that advice that really helps especially when it comes to the caffeine gel option as I think I will need something to push past 15 miles. I'll try that when I do my 16 miles run in two weeks time as this week is a nice gentle 12 miles.

Mel is a star  - blasted that PB and, I suspect, was smiling all the way round. Great performance, which indicates you're ahead of the game when it comes to current goal finish time in the Big One! But let's see how the half mara goes, too. Enjoy this week's training!

Evening Mel!

Such a fab new PB!! Woo woo!!

Look forward to having a good catch up at Dorney Lakes!

Hi Mel, yes the info from Sam helped and I know understand what they are, im going to try and use them in some runs and see how I can improve them over the weeks. I am doing bournemouth, fingers crossed it all goes well.

Congrats on the PB, enjoy your training this week! 

Hi Mel, just wanted to pop in and say a big well done on your new PB! Cracking stuff!

Gary Pearce wrote (see)

Hi Mel, congratulations on pulverizing your PB.

I will be seeing you in Paris, probably twice. Overtaking you in the first half because I think I'm Steve, then you running passed me after I've realised that I'm not Baconboy.

I'm sure the ASIC team will give you great advice for the course, I'm looking forward to reading it.  Although my first PM, I've read the other forums and ran the 20k. They give out 33cl water bottles every 5k and powerade only at 33k. It's seems runners prefer the bottles, critism is that drinks stations are only on one side of the road thus bottle necks. Only one sports drink station.

Good news about the trees. We go through Parc Vincennes (10-18k) and Bois de Boulogne (33-42k). 

Other info. The Champs is downhill which makes a fast start.  There can be a few bottlenecks as some streets aren't wider enough for 40000 people.  There are several tunnels (23-31k), the slopes are only 5% over 100m but they can sap you. One tunnel for the Paris20k was very long and very hot.  The French runners have a song 'I'm not tired', 'we're not tired' which echos in the tunnels. Around 31km the fun begins and there is a climb, it will be probably around this point you'll be stepping over me.

Good Luck and hope to see you on the 7th.

Haha we'll see - I reckon we'll all surprise ourselves come Paris...

Thanks for the course info - I must admit, I hadn't really considered until now how the course might be laid out etc. I think I've had my head in the training too much!

Well done on your PB!

and thought I'd let you know...... the curly Cale is awesome! had a few attempts but without the lemon I love it! doing some for tonight!

Hello Mel - congratulations on your fab PB, sounds like training is going to plan

I haven't run for nearly four weeks now due to shin pain, I might try a short run at the weekend but I don't think I will be able to recover enough miles even if I can run to complete a marathin in April Any advice greatly appreciated

Sarah Conway 6 wrote (see)

Hi Ruth,

 

My 15 miles took 2 hours 36 mins to complete.Thanks for that advice that really helps especially when it comes to the caffeine gel option as I think I will need something to push past 15 miles. I'll try that when I do my 16 miles run in two weeks time as this week is a nice gentle 12 miles.

Let me know how this goes!  

How did you feel towards end of your last 15mile or for the next couple of days when recovering from this?

 Steve loves bacon wrote (see)

Gary Pearce wrote (see)

Hi Mel, congratulations on pulverizing your PB.

I will be seeing you in Paris, probably twice. Overtaking you in the first half because I think I'm Steve, then you running passed me after I've realised that I'm not Baconboy.

I'm sure the ASIC team will give you great advice for the course, I'm looking forward to reading it.  Although my first PM, I've read the other forums and ran the 20k. They give out 33cl water bottles every 5k and powerade only at 33k. It's seems runners prefer the bottles, critism is that drinks stations are only on one side of the road thus bottle necks. Only one sports drink station.

Good news about the trees. We go through Parc Vincennes (10-18k) and Bois de Boulogne (33-42k). 

Other info. The Champs is downhill which makes a fast start.  There can be a few bottlenecks as some streets aren't wider enough for 40000 people.  There are several tunnels (23-31k), the slopes are only 5% over 100m but they can sap you. One tunnel for the Paris20k was very long and very hot.  The French runners have a song 'I'm not tired', 'we're not tired' which echos in the tunnels. Around 31km the fun begins and there is a climb, it will be probably around this point you'll be stepping over me.

Good Luck and hope to see you on the 7th.

Haha we'll see - I reckon we'll all surprise ourselves come Paris...

Thanks for the course info - I must admit, I hadn't really considered until now how the course might be laid out etc. I think I've had my head in the training too much!

Hi Mel

Try and not worry about Paris course yet. I will start preparing you for that after the half!
Just something to consider for your "dress rehearsal" next weekend is timing of breakfast. I spoke with runner’s world to get an idea of when you are likely to be leaving hotel on 7th April (morning of Paris marathon just in case you forgot!). This is probably going to be around 7am for your 8.45am start so perhaps you will need to be at breakfast for 6am so that this can be relaxed meal? (Also you use coconut milk this will not be available at the hotel - can you bring a UHT carton for race morning?) So for your  half next weekend which starts at 10am perhaps you want to consider also sitting down to having breakfast at 2hr 45 mins but this allows a much more civilised time of  7.15pm! All snacks after this should be same as for Paris.

If you find the time in the next couple of days could you write down your eating and fluid plan for next Sunday, from when you get up and throughout race. I feel this will help you  know exactly what your plan is and

..... help you feel confident in this. Remember this  plan can be changed for Paris if you have  problems. So don't worry if still concerned with gels etc lets go with one type for next weekend and be confident it will work!

Hi Mel,

I found the 15th mile tough in parts and when I stopped my hands felt numb with pins and needles so stopping my watch took a few seconds. But apart from that it was ok. I sat in a cold bath for about 5 mins (I couldnt take any longer than that) and that helped greatly. I did play a hockey match that evening and I was surprised at how much energy I had and no stiffness. I went running on Monday evening and did 6 miles and while I was a little tired, overall I found it ok. This weekend I have 12 miles and I think this could be a slower run as the step up to 15 miles does seem to have made me more tired towards the end of the week. Is this normal?

Hi Mel

I have been reading your posts for a while now, as well as Steve Bacon's.  I just wanted you to know how helpful they have been, they have given really useful advice as well as helping me feel I am not alone!  I am training for my first marathon, which will be London.   My training schedule is a bit in advance of yours because I have a family ski holiday in the last week of March so I need to have done all my long runs before then.  I just hope that I can get through the skiing without any injuries (I have already told my husband & friends I won't be doing any black runs this year). 

So I did 18 miles yesterday (I am lucky not to work Fridays).  It was a long way!!  But following all the discussions about refuelling I had a gel after 8 miles (yuk), then ShotBloks after 12.   Felt OK at the end, and went straight to my pilates class.  I think that this is a great way of cooling down and making sure my muscles don't get stiff. 

Congratulations on your 10k.  And good luck with the rest of the training.

I am doing the Surrey Spitfire 20 miles at the start of March, starting at the Top Gear track.  Anyone else doing that one?

Cat

Hi Cat, a few on Shady Ady's thread, including the great man himself! are doing the Surrey Spitfire... Sure they'd be glad to have another running buddy!

Hope all going well Mel and still basking in PB glory! 

Hi Mel,

I hope this weeks training has gone well - I haven't had this week's report yet, but given that we are starting a new block tomorrow I am posting the next lot of training below. You'll notice that the paces have been revised again. Please let me know how these feel - remember, the pace range should match the description. So, 'comfortable' should feel, er, comfortable! Please feedback if they feel too much of a leap - but y'know, if you will smash your PBs like that, you've got to expect me to move the goalposts a little

I've also put in a suggested goal/pace for Dorney. I discussed goal times with Ady and Steve at training day, but because you had the 10km time coming up, we decided to leave till afterwards. I know you ran a few mins outside of 2 hours before but reckon you are capable of running under 2 for it now.

So here's weeks 9 to 12. The long run in week 12 is a month out from race day and is the peak long run.

Revised pace guidelines

Jog (recovery) 10.20-11.10

Comfortable (easy) 9.20-10.20

Steady 8.40-9.20

Fast (tempo) 8.20-8.30 (or for intervals 8.10-8.25)

Week 9 w/c 11th February
Monday 4 MILE JOG (can swap Mond/Tues)
Tuesday REST OR CROSS TRAINING
Wednesday 1 MILE EASY, 1 MILE STEADY, 3 MILES TEMPO, 1 MILE EASY (6)
Thursday REST
Friday: 4 MILE COMFORTABLE PLUS 3 X ACCELERATION STRIDES
Saturday DORNEY LAKE HALF MARATHON plus w-up/c-down (15) AIM IS 1.55 to 1.59.59! Pace guideline 8.51-9.09 per mile.
Sunday 3 MILE JOG
MILEAGE 32

Week 10 w/c 18th February
Monday CROSS TRAINING
Tuesday 5 MILE COMFORTABLE
Wednesday 1 MILE COMFORTABLE then 3 x acceleration strides then 4 x 4 MINS at 7.45-8 MIN pace with 3 min jogs in between each. 1 MILE JOG (5 MILES)
Thursday REST
Friday 4 MILE STEADY TO INCLUDE A PYRAMID OF HILL REPS: 15 SECS, 30 SECS, 45 SECS, 1 MIN, 45 SECS, 30 SECS, 15 SECS. WALK DOWN HILL IN BETWEEN EACH EFFORT. SANDWICH BETWEEN W-UP AND C-DOWN (4)
Saturday 3 MILE JOG
Sunday 17 MILES COMFORTABLE
MILEAGE 34

Week 11 w/c 25th February RECOVERY WEEK
Monday REST OR LOW IMPACT CROSS TRAINING
Tuesday 4 MILE JOG
Wednesday 7 MILES STEADY
Thursday REST
Friday: 5 MILE COMFORTABLE
Saturday TRAINING DAY 5km time trial (approx 7 miles total)
Sunday REST
MILEAGE 23

Week 12 w/c 4th March 4 WEEKS OUT
Monday 5 MILE MARATHON PACE
Tuesday REST OR CROSS TRAIN
Wednesday 1 MILE COMFORTABLE then 3 x acceleration strides then 3 X 1 MILE INTERVALS  AT FAST INTERVALS PACE WITH 2 MINS JOG RECOVERY. 1 MILE JOG (5.5 MILES)
Thursday 3 MILE JOG OR LOW IMPACT CROSS TRAINING
Friday 4 MILES STEADY
Saturday REST
Sunday LONG RUN: 20 MILES COMFORTABLE
MILEAGE 37

Oh my goodness....So many lovely words of encouragement!!!!.....Not been on the forum at all this week as been super busy with work.....!! 'Note to self' ....to be more active on the 'chatting to you guys" front!!!

Thank you Sam for increasing my paces!!!....I'm sure I will have fun playing around with them!!....Little worried now about under 2 hours for Dorney Lakes....!!!....But hey...I can only do my best!!!!............I just looked at your pace guidelines!!!!....yikes!!!!.....

Hi Ruth.....Yes I will take some time out and plan my dietary requirements for Saturday.....!!....Today's run I used high 5 energy gel after an hour, then at 1.30 a gu gel x2 caffeine, then at 2 hours another high 5 energy gel.....The run was 2.42 so didn't feel I needed another gel so close to the end. I felt good and didn't seem to be having any problems and was full of energy, could have kept on going but I know Sam would have given me one of her looks!!!!........The high 5 gels arnt too bad...!!!.......Ive tried the shot blocks and I struggle to breath when I eat them and run!!.....will have another play with them maybe on a shorter run when breathing not quite so important!!!!...........!!!

Hi Sarah....dont seem to have any niggles.....the knee seems to have sorted its self out......Rolling frequently!!!!.....

PC91....that made me laugh a lot!!!!.....promise you wont shout abuse at me when you run past me in the trees !!!!............the water bottle advice is brill...thank you so much....that has really made me feel a lot better......I have done few races...( obviously not a marathon!!) but when they give you water in a cup...... whats that all about!!!!???? really..../?? its just not going to happen without choking!!!!.....so thank you for the bottle advice.....And for the other route advice!!!....that's fab!!!....you are the man of the moment!!!!.....

Ksizzpod....I hope your getting the hang of the accelleration strides!!!

Thank you Green and white Tigger....Im loving playing around with different varieties of curly kale....good with pumpkin seeds and a bit of chilli powder!!!.....Pleased your liking it!!!!.....

Oh Mad Welsh Woman...Im sorry your not getting any runs in !!!....that sounds pants!!!!......What are you doing for the shin pain???.....