Cobbles & Red Wine - Sarah’s Paris Marathon Plan: Sub 3:35 - Page 33 - Spring Marathon

Andrew Mitchell 14

01/02/2013 at 08:13

Morning RRR!

Glad to hear you're on the mend - hopefully you'll get some incident free mileage in this weekend

Like you I'd been put off using gels by people's descriptions of the taste/texture. Done a couple of longish (for me) runs the last two weekends and have struggled towards the end. Think I'll give them a try pre Silverstone. Are they widely available or just at specialist running shops?

RunnyRunRun

01/02/2013 at 08:54

Morning Angela!

Oh no sorry to hear you’re really poorly … getting up at 2am to use your foam roller? Eek! Well at least you’re dedicated to getting well enough to run again!!

I use audiobooks on my long runs to keep me entertained and I find I’m still able to hear noise around the narrator, whereas with music I used to be a bit oblivious of what was going on around me. I sometimes use music at parkrun but make sure I keep an eye out to check I’m not in anyone’s way. Not a lot more irritating than someone bumbling along in front of you lost to their headphones while you’re trying to get round them in the search for a new PB!! Argh!

RunnyRunRun

01/02/2013 at 08:55

Morning Ruth!

I definitely think I could live with adding rice cakes with honey and nutella to the menu!! They were delicious!!

It makes me feel full just reading the pre-race day menu!!

RunnyRunRun

01/02/2013 at 08:55

Morning MCS!

Man flu?? And no ambulance was called? I’m impressed! Hope you’re feeling better now! Although if you can do 10k in 46 minutes it sounds as though you’re doing great!!

Great news about the interviews – I’ll be keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you!!

RunnyRunRun

01/02/2013 at 08:56

Morning Sarah!

Back is SO much better it’s unbelievable!! Actually feel normal now! Will be back to doing a 5 mile fartlek or hills tomorrow and will be doing the 20 miler on Sunday!

The snow was forecast – briefly for Sunday but it looks as though the weather man has changed it to rain again! I’m going to try the same route this week but I’m going to drive the route tomorrow to check for floods and to see where I went wrong and missed the sign!

Barcelona will so wonderful! What is the temperature meant to be like?

RunnyRunRun

01/02/2013 at 08:57

Morning Andy!

Yes … please, please keep your fingers crossed for me for a nice, boring long run on Sunday!!

Gels are widely available … although saying that I haven’t seen them in Tesco but they’re available in pretty much all running shops, even shops like Sports Direct I think! You can get them pretty cheaply from eBay. I bought my last couple of boxes from there. Would definitely recommend the High 5 gels although a few people have also said the SiS ones are good too but I haven’t tried those.

RunnyRunRun

01/02/2013 at 09:04

Physio update!

I went to see a physio in Northampton yesterday. My pride was slightly dented when he failed to hide a smirk when I told him that I’d damaged myself falling into a ditch. Apparently this isn’t a ‘normal’ marathon runner’s injury. (Sulk) Marathon runners wear lycra, carry loo roll and the blokes stick Vaseline on their nipples. What’s he trying to say?

But it’s all good news. He thinks I jarred the joints in my lower back and the muscles around it when I fell over, but the problem is muscular not a joint problem. He’s given me a bit of an MOT and I’ve got a full range of movement and there’s no nerve irritation. He spent a while giving me a sports massage and easing the back and it feels huge amounts better.

I’m going to jump back into the schedule and do the 5 mile fartlek or hills session and then the 20 mile long run on Sunday. I’d like to do the same route as last Sunday … but I’m going to drive it first to check for flooding and to check where I got lost. I don’t want an action replay of last week. And I promise … no jumping ditches. Well. No falling over anyway.

mcs

01/02/2013 at 13:45

SIS gels for me and I like shokbloks not sure if thats the right spelling but they are like winegums but softer.........packed with carbs and easier on the stomach and less sticky than gels for opening up. Try some they are not cheap but hey you are only doing Paris Marathon for free you can afford it!!!

sarah osborne

01/02/2013 at 16:26

I like the shotblocks too...their like eating jelly cubes!

So glad to hear that your back is much better and you will be back in the trainers tomorrow sarah. The physios can certainly work some magic. Was the physio recommended to you? How much did the session cost?

I did my first 20 miler today too. Was nice to get one done and I felt surprisingly ok (especially after running 8 miles last night). My next three weeks im reducing my milage so even though the 20 is quite early in my plan, I did build up to it slowly and have a few reduced milage long runs coming up now.

I hope all the floods have gone ready for sunday and that we dont get any more rain! No falling over either!

Not sure about the temp in barca, im guessing it will be similar to here in winter.

Angela Isherwood 2

01/02/2013 at 17:26

Hi RRR,

Day 3 off work- I've never been so sick that I took 3 days off work in a row. Feeling totally useless- don't think I'll even run at the weekend, though I'd like to get out on Sunday.. Resting heart rate has been over 100 all day, but just checked and its at 85, so starting to get better (usually 55)
I've never used an audiobook at all, in any setting. Might give it a go for the really long runs.

On gels, I used to use lucozade sport, and I could even get them in sainsburys, but they are quite sickly. Now I use sis, which I get from runner's need in London- sure you can order online. They're much more palatable

Steve Marathon Coach

01/02/2013 at 18:34

Good news RRR - you will be nicely rested for your 20 but don't worry about the pace too much and just focus on doing the distance and finishing it strongly.

well done on doing the 20 Sarah O, must be good to get it ouf way before weekend.

Hope you continue to feel better AI

sarah asics pro team

01/02/2013 at 21:26

That's great news and really good you got an MOT to check everything out as you didn't want any underlying tightness when you carry on. Keep up with the stretches and easy core exercises for the next few days while getting back into it.

RunnyRunRun

02/02/2013 at 12:41

Ruth ... just had a thought and checked back over the pre-race food.

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

Mid-morning- 500ml of fruit smoothie or low fat milkshake (sip over the whole morning if wish) and nibble on some jelly sweets should you fancy.

... are we talking Pick n Mix??? I have the BEST NUTRITIONIST EVER!! (Does a happy dance!!)

Derrick Baldwin

02/02/2013 at 16:09

Hi Sarah , glad your lower back as improved , I had a rest last week well 3 sessions because of my back and knee but I can tell you I felt loads better and my performance has got better , I did the parkrun today and come in at 20:39 my 5th best ever. So on that note good luck and keep up the good work/running

sarah osborne

02/02/2013 at 21:22

Thankyou Steve I love being able to do my LSR on a friday so if anything goes wrong and I dont manage to get it done, I have the weekend to give it a second attempt, although touch wood, thats not been necessary (as yet).

Last year I didnt get to 20 miles until 3 weeks before VLM so I feel in a much better position.

RunnyRunRun

02/02/2013 at 22:59

Afternoon MCS

Ooh yum! I like the idea of Shotbloks! Sweeties?! Hooray! Although I tried jelly babies a few times and struggled to chew them while I was running. Are they softer than jelly babies?

RunnyRunRun

02/02/2013 at 23:02

Afternoon Sarah!

Woo woo!! Well done on your first 20 miler of 2013!! Glad it wasn’t too bad! Did you have a nice country route or were you running through the town?

The physio I used was one I’d used after a car accident a few years ago and he was fab. I’ve popped back to him a few times when I’ve had a niggle and he’s always been great. I’ve got medical insurance through work so I put it through that but I think he charges about £35-£40 for an hour.

RunnyRunRun

02/02/2013 at 23:03

Afternoon Angela!

Oh no – sounds like you’ve been hit really hard by the flu! I’m glad you’re starting to get better but you’re right to rest for a while. No point in running now and getting yourself back to square one!!

Ooh can recommend some fab audiobooks I’ve listened to on runs … Rivers of London, The Knife of Never Letting Go, Hunger Games…!

RunnyRunRun

02/02/2013 at 23:04

Evening Steve Marathon Coach!

The 5 mile hill run went well earlier – no problems or twinges from the back at all so throwing myself at the 20 miler tomorrow! Not going to risk the previously flooded route tomorrow as it’s all a bit mushy underfoot off road around here still so I’m off to try and get to Warwick on foot!

RunnyRunRun

02/02/2013 at 23:04

Evening Sarah Asics!

Thank you! My 5 mile hill run was fine earlier – no twinges - and I used the days rest to get some good stretching done. I’ll make sure I keep those up. I’m back to se the physio next Thursday just so he can check there aren’t any more problems, but I’m feeling fine at the moment!