Beginner-based marathon advice with Mike Gratton

Stephen,

I'm not experienced enough to advise on cortesone injections - you need advice from a Dr or Physio on that. Massage and antinflamitaries are the usual treatment and I would think you have still got time for the route to be investigated.

Whether it will cause long term problems is difficult. Essentially it is a soft tissue problem that will clear up with rest but you need to find the cause to be able to assess what the long term damage problems could be.   

Dalesgirl & Tricia,

The problem of pace judgement in FLM is difficult in that the other 35,000 runners will get in your way. It is essential that you start in the correct time zone - well you have to as Lm will have seeded you to a coral - this will mean you are at least starting off with people all trying to go at the same pace.

You will not hit your required pace for a few miles and the temptation is to get frustrated and start to push through - this will waste energy and just get you more frustrated.

Try to pick your way through gradually and when you do get some space around you try to run just a fraction quicker than your target pace rather than speed up to catch up lost time.

By 10km or so the race will have settled down and most of the people around you will be running about the same pace as you and this is the time to get into a relaxed state and just concentrate on ticking off the miles.

If you get it right you will start to pass groups of runners who have got it wrong after 15 miles and you'll pass many people walking after 20 miles - this will be good psychologically and will reward you for tolerating the situation early on and keeping in control.

Dale,

I would wear the new ones - do a few more short runs in them but the shoes are so good these days that unless they are not the right model for you they break-in very quickly so it is not much of a risk.

thanks for your earlier comments paul hey dont pull out yet still 2 weeks to go i am running with my son who was about to pull out 3 weeks ago went ``& saw someone had 2 weeks rest & on sunday did 10 miles in 2 hrs & thinks the help & rest got him through the same could happen to you .

i ache everywhere below the belt but running for the kids of variety club gives you the reason to get there just dont even think about whst time you might do who cares once you hit that line ! 

        HELLO MY FELLOW RUNNERS and paul nolan dales girl rosie ellis

      DONT EVER THINK OF PULLING OUT AT THIS STAGE HAVE CONFIDENCE NOTHING IS INPOSSIBLE U WALK SOON U WILL SEE THE FINISHING LINE THINK OF THE CHARITY U R RUNNING FOR THINK OF THE CROWDS CHEERING THEY HAVE COME OUT TO CCCCCCCCCCCCC   UUUUUUUUUUUUUUU TAKING PART CHILDREN OFFERING U SWEETS DO TAKE THEM DONT IGNORE THE CHILDREN

      WELL I WILL B WALKING JOGGING I JUST HAD MAIL FROM INJURED RUNNER MY REQUEST ALL INJURED DIS HEARTENED RUNNERS PLEASE JOIN ME I WILL B RUNNING FOR KIDS GET GOING CHARITY WEARING A R E D     TURBAN WE WILL ALL GO S   L    O    W  L   Y   SINGING   HAY HO HAY HO WE WILL REACH THE FINISHING LINE AND IF U HAVE FAITH IN U WE   WILL IF U PULL OUT WAT A DISAPPOINT WITH ALL THE TRAINNING SO COME AND JOIMN ME TOGETHER WE WILL C THEE FINISHING LINE

      THANK YOU MIKE FOR ADVISING  ALL RUNNERS I AM 62 ONLY STARTED LAST YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY NOT WORRIED ABOUT PERSONAL BEST BUT WILL OFFER COMPANY TO ANY FELOE RUNNER TO JOIN ME WE WILL SING AND TELL THE CROWD TO CHEER US OK BUY      dilkhush24@hotmail.com      www.justgiving .com / malkiat singh       GOOD LUCK TO EVERYBODY

       WE CAN ALL MEET AT KIDS GOING STAND AND PRAY BLESS US ALL AND WALK TOGETHER 

Hi Mike,

I'm not posting particularly to ask a question or anything, but I just wanted to add to the people that have said thank you to you for the time you spend answering all our questions. I've been following this thread a lot as I prepare for my first marathon, and you have always responded to every question with great advice and patience. I'm sure everyone on this thread, and the hard training thread, appreciates the great effort you put into this!

Mike,

 I have no question as you've answered the couple I have asked.

 All I wanted to say was that when I started out on this little venture, I felt very alone and to be honest s**t scared. I had never ever run this distance and at 47 and 3/4 am at an age when such new challenges are so much bigger in the minds eye.

However, through this forum, and reading everyone else going through the same pain/joy/issues/uncertainty/bloody mindedness/anticipation - it has made me feel priviledged to be part of a TRULY inspirational event.

Ken Lewis with his 'I ache everywhere below the belt but running for the kids of the variety club ....' (don't I know that feeling - running is less painful than walking sometimes!!!) and Malkit 'DONT EVER THINK OF PULLING OUT AT THIS STAGE HAVE CONFIDENCE NOTHING IS INPOSSIBLE......' encapsulate precisely what brings a lump to my throat (yep, all that pounding of the pavements has made my brains go to mush!)

 God, this is a FANTASTIC thing we are going to experience - WHATEVER time we finish in.

Thank you so much for your encouragement and sound advice - I suspect there are a few more who will make it to the start line than may have otherwise done, because of your help.

Allez le 13th!!

Encore mon braves (and no, I haven't been drinking - much LOL)

DW,

They don't distribute sweets on the route and it is always best to become self sufficient in these events and rely on nobody else for support - you can't get individual attention amongst 35,000 runners and there is a high chance of missing friends and relatives on the course if you try to get supplies by that means. 

There are plenty of well designed bum bags available on the market which can take a few gels and jelly baby packs.  

Mike .. you know me and I know you and how hard you work. Yes, even at my ripe old age I am running again this year. I know it is my 50th marathon but having not run one for over 15 years your thread has been so very useful. Thanks I will come along and shake your hand at the Expo.

For those that are looking for some inspiration as we get close. read on...

Hi Mike,

As a beginner runner now training for the great north in October, I too have found your advice most useful and the trial and tribulations of forum posters inspirational.  I hope there will be a similar support mechanism available for my event as it gets closer!

I am running approx 3-4 times per week, that is a 4-5 mile tempo run,  up to half an hour intervals on a treadmill and my long slow run reached 7.5 miles this week.   My heart rate is gradually decreasing and my speed is improving although I am having difficulty keeping my long runs slow.  All good so far.

However, my last 4 or 5 runs, regardless of distance are giving my lower calfs/ankles some trouble in that they are very tight and aching whilst I am running.   I am doing plenty of stability, core strength and explosive work as well as my regular runs.   I've ordered a new pair of running shoes as they have done 360 miles so it may be lack of support but is there anything else I can do?  I want to be able to enjoy my training, injury free and prepare for the event so that I can finish strong and comfortable. (don't we all!!)

 Many thanks

Mike

My training has been going just dandy for my first ever marathon...til Sunday, when my knee started playing up whilst I was on a 13mile run.  Shot off to the physio yesterday and I'm to rest until the marathon as I have patellofemoral pain or fat podimpingement or something plus ibt?? I'm in bits and extrememly gutted.  Any advice to get me still doing some cardio (swimming but without legs apparently) at least plus advice to get me through the marathon and don't say don't run cos I am!

Thanks

L

Keepgoinglass,

The calf muscle soreness is probably a result of increasing pace of your runs - as your CV system improves and you start to run quicker your legs come under more stress.

Try getting them regularly massaged to keep them loose and continue with the stretching - new shoes may also help. Also get some one to look at your running style to see if there are any abnormal strains being put on your calfs - running too high on your toes for instance.

Laura,

That's the spirit

If you can swim using upper body only (put a pool bouy between your knees to hold them still and you afloat) it will help keep your fitness up and protect your legs.

On the day you will probably find that your leg muscles will have lost some tone and running may feel a bit strange but as you get warmed up and into you should find that you get into your normal stride. As your legs will have lost some strength you may need to revise your targets downwards a little.

Hi Mike,

just read back over the last few pages, this seems to be the best place to get advise and thankyou for doing this.

Training had been going week, did a 20 mile race at PMP 3.5weeks ago on a hilly course.  Since then most of my runs have been pretty rubbish.  I use a HRM and have seen that my pace is quite a bit slower for a certain HR (about 20-30s per mile).  I've had a couple of good speed sessions but my recovery runs have been rubbish as have all 3 LSRs since the 20mile race.  I am also feeling quite tierd.  When I run my legs feel fine, it is just that my HR is up so I have to slow myself down.

I know I am getting quite stressed about the event, could that be causing my HR to be high when I am running and if so should I run to my normal HR (and accept a slower pace) or should I run at normal pace and ignore HR?

Also, is it too late to get back to where I was when I did the 20mile race even though 80% of my runs since then have been rubbish?

Hi Mike

Firstly, many thanks for all the advice which you have been giving us.

I have been following the training plan diligently, with the exception of a week in february where I had a recurrence of a lymph gland disorder which I suffer from (and have been on antibitocs since) and today's shortish run where a sudden attack of runner's tummy on the embankment led to me cutting back my run from 6 miles to 3 on a mad dash back to the office! I have quite bad arthritis, which I have used diclofenac and stubborn-ness to get through on the long runs, and quite bad morton's neuroma which usually hits after about 5 miles, which again I use stubborness to get through on the long runs. Probably due to these, for the last few weeks I've had swollen feet, knees and ankles, and strange swollen bumps have appeared on the top of my feet, with are very painful to touch and painful to put trainers/shoes on. As with everyone else, I've also collected the obligatory 'runner's knee', ITband sydrome and standard aches and pains - which I'm now getting help from a lovely physio once a week with.

My question(s) really are - despite having started the taper, I am still feeling very sore, tired and quite low. Weirdly, I am now feeling really fed-up with the running! Is this normal at this stage? Also, will the aches, pains, swelling etc start to go down and have gone away in time for the big day? I am determined that I will get my backside around London one way or the other (and I have been mentally preparing myself to spend 5 hours with the neuroma entertaining me), but am hoping that the rest of it will go away so that I can still enjoy the day as much as possible.

Thank you again for all your time, effort and patience.

Alex