Rome Marathon 2013

Hello all, sorry to hear you are injuried Ami-s  Keep us informed how you get on. My advice though so you do not lose the endurance is get in the pool and do sprints across the pool (as in running it not weight bearing) and you can keep your heart and lungs active. 

I did a 6.6 Mile trail run very slippery and muddy. I had a great day managed 50 Minutes not at full throttle. So the steady state runs are starting to pay off. 

I was running with a Marathon runner who will be in the 100 club next year at the Greater Manchester one. His advice was to keep it steady and listen to your body when it needs a rest take it. He also said make sure you bank a 20 miler early then cut back a week later, just to test how you feel. 

He made my race enjoyable, I ran a reasonable time relaxed if I raced it at full throttle I do not think I would have been much faster. Just goes to show 

I'm very wary of these training plans because the people who follow them are usually the people who areinjured all the time. Hal Higdon's has a decent length run every week with 7ish mid-week which matches almost what I'd do anyway. It's just something to follow and keep up the mo-jo.

ami...Not sure about foot injuries but I hope it'll be a case of 'slow and low' till recovery, of course it might be more serious and pain is a way of your body saying stop! I think if it doesn't hurt do it, if it hurts a bit do it slow and low, if it hurts a lot don't.

Oh dear Ami-s! Lets hope it's a sprain of some kind rather than a break. It wouldn't be good to run a marathon with a stress fracture, you'll end up being out of action for months!

ADG- did you mean me with the P+D? I'm not worrying if i don't follow it religiously, just listening to my body, I am guilty as charged of currently running all my runs slightly too fast and must slow down. But I think that's the result of recently losing 2st, it feels easy so i'm doing it, but probably am not really ready for it. I ran my pb off a P+D schedule 4 years ago this spring, so i'm hoping it'll work again.

Have you entered Rome then Traveling Runner?

I did 7 today with 8 x 100m strides.

Ami - I had a bout of Plantar Fasciitis about a year ago and kept the legwork going using elliptical training machines, similar motion without the stresses and impact of running. Hope you get it sorted soon!

My bib number for Rome is 2639..I notice this puts me at the back of the pack but my goal is a sub 3:40. Is being in the back going to spoil my chances of a faster time? 

always crowded at the start but will clear out within a few miles, even the big races like London and Berlin give you plenty of space to stretch your legs once things get going.

Hi All

Happy new year to everyone.

Have been injured for 4 weeks and just got back out there today. I was really happy with how it was all going and had done 13 miles of a half when I felt asharp pain in the back of my right leg. Long story short.... muscle strain. Rest required.

As an overweight 46 year old, I don't retain my fitness very well. I was pleased to get out there again today and do a little 4 miles.

I m obviously behind, but have enough time to sort it out. It will be my 4th marathon and I have never had a completely injury free schedule.

I think we all know our bodies and can sometimes listen to physios etc a little too much.

Hope you are all going well and look forward to keeping in touch

Happy running.

Hi Ami

I totally agree about Rome. i took my wife there for her birthday last year and absolutely loved it. To run a marathon there and take in all of the amazing iconic sites is fantastic.

I'm sure your injury will be fine. Don't forget to listen to your own body sometimes rather than a physio. My cynical side and past experiences, makes me quite distrusting (is that a word?) of some people.

Let us know how you go.

I really need to sort hotel out, any suggestions? they all look the same to me

I had a look at Rome, it a date I can not do, as I am starting at Salford University on the 18 March 2013. 

So I will keep an eye on how you are all do. I will learn from the experience and pass it on my Marathon Training at the Greater Manchester one in April 2013. 

Let all have  a great 2013

Bib number received at last - 5535 - puts me in with the sub 4hr gang. Hoping to get in the 3h30's this year (3h52 in 2011; 3h41 in 2012...).

For those that need the EA letter, just drop them an email enquiries@englandathletics.org - explain you need a letter for the race and they will send you one you can upload - takes 2-3 days. Just make sure you include your EA number and club name in the email. I would have emailed the template to you but don't want to run the risk of being ticked off by EA or Roma.

Hotel booked too. I've gone through Hotels.com and booked a decent place. Not bang in the centre, but close enough to bus/metro routes. Also, if you go via Quidco you can get 10/12% cashback via Hotels.com or Expedia. Get booked soon though, its 6 Nations Rugby too (Italy v Ireland) so could be getting busy! I'm there for 4 nights (15-19), bringing along my partner (she's excellent support crew and can be seen lobbing me lucozade at regular race intervals! ), and my folks are coming along too - nice family outing!

Hope the training is going well. Happy 2013

I went the Doctors note route, except it was more of a doctored note...

Hotel is booked through Booking.com, though I don't really think it makes much difference, mustn't forget the flights too people, they were more expensive that weekend as it was, the cheap flights are probably going like hot cakes now.  

Hope everyones training is going well, and Ami-s has some good news?

I'm feeling very optimistc, off the back of a 10 mile with 6 tempo yesterday, the 6 mile suggests (mcmillan) that im only 1 minute off pb (3:41) with 10 weeks training left.

To put it another way, I've improved by 14 minutes in 7 weeks since my last marathon (again mcmillan prediction, but it was spot on for my last marathon), so i'm crossing my fingers to break into the 3:30s....  

Oh Ami! That's not good, no experience of a stress fracture, search the site for "devoted to distance" aka D2D...

Alex, yes I saw the low cost airlines really try to rip you off with luggage, thankfully it's just me and the hand luggage allowance (free) is only about 2 lt's smaller than my suitcase, which is normally virtually empty!

I'm wary of the pace calculators too because I always come out too slow over the short distance compared to longer ones, seems I'm better at keeping a pace up but have no base speed. But in fairness I've allways been overweight, it's only now that I'm in and training at a "healthy BMI" that they're starting to tally better, it's also why i've made leaps and bounds, it was off a tempo to, not a race so looks good. I'm sure you'll do well if you stay injury free, sory to remind you again Ami!

Can't believe it's only 10 weeks until the marathon! As it's my first ever one, I can't quite believe how quickly it's come round... Training is going well though. Did 15 miles this morning in 2hrs 29mins which MacMillan reckons would put me on a 4hr 30 marathon - although to be honest, it felt really slow and sluggish and I know I could have done better. Got a new bed a few days ago and haven't had a decent night's sleep since! My half marathon PB is 1hr 56m so I'm ideally aiming for around 4hr 15m in Rome but (as it's my first attempt at the distance and I have no idea what to expect come the actual day) I'd be happy enough with a 4.30 finish - to be honest, I'd be happy to get round without stopping and in one piece!

Got a half marathon booked in for the first weekend in Feb (Blackmore Vale Half in Sherborne, Dorset - which has a reputation for being hilly - it's known as the 'half with the hill finish') and then the Plymouth Hoe 10 mile race mid Feb. Should break up the training runs a bit as I'm starting to have exhausted all possible routes around where I live (I live on the seafront in Poole, Dorset and while it might sound idyllic - running along a Promenade / beach and back again for miles isn't the most exciting of routes!).

As my runs are getting longer, I am finding it is my mind that is causing the issues rather than my legs. The long runs mean that I'm out running by myself for 2-3hrs - have started downloading podcasts and audiobooks to try to stop my mind from getting bored and to keep me occupied.

Got my flights booked but we're on a 7.40am return flight on the Monday - only one we could get that got us home at a reasonable hour on the Monday as need to get our little girl from my Mum and Dad etc before back to school and work etc on Tuesday. Bit of a bummer, but hey - I'll sleep on the plane I guess!

PS - Ami, that's such bad news about your foot. Will keep my fingers crossed that it heals ok and you make it to Rome as scheduled...