Target 26.2 - First Timer Steve's Journey to Paris

Steve,

Fantastic result at weekend, and especially the negative splits. You must be feeling really excited about Paris after feeling so strong at the end. The report was great too!

Am trying to stalk you on Garmin Connect now too....

Steve loves bacon wrote (see)

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

Last 5km a PB!

1 hr 38 mins that is AMAZING!!!!!! So pleased for you and goes to show what a good training schedule and a motivated person can do together.

Glad gels worked and also good that you know you need a race belt as this is what "dress rehearsals" are all about!

Did you manage to try carb loading day? 

Well done and loved the race report. 

Hey Ruth,

I know! I can't wait until my next 5k run now! Thanks for the kind words - I've looked back over it and it just all seemed to go so well from preparation through to execution so I'm really chuffed. Paris, ici je viens!

The gels were completely fine so I was really pleased that you recommended giving them such a thorough test out but, yes, a belt will be a great idea for me! I didn't mind carrying them in my hands but it would be a lot more convenient.

I did indeed try carb-loading. In fact, I was looking forward to it for weeks!! It wasn't anywhere near as fun as I thought it was going to be though, it just felt like I was completely full all day and I just had to keep on and on eating!

I pretty much followed Ady's plan but with a couple of things substituted in from the example plan you also posted. I ate a LOT of pasta that day...

How much should you eat after a long run? I figured I didn't need to go crazy because I had pre-loaded the bulk of the energy I would use during the race but obviously you do need to re-fuel again afterwards! When I got home I knocked myself up a rather unusal but actually really delicious prawn and asparagus Madras. Went down a treat

It is funny when someone tells you can eat loads it is never as appealing. Rugby players I work with to bulk up always think it will be easy to eat loads more protein/ food etc but no it is not and they are always surprised when i tell them it may not be so easy! As I have always said carb loading may not be for everyone's benefit but I think you have to try it and believe  the effort may pay off in the last 6 miles a marathon. Remember to cut down on protein, bulky fruit and veg etc to help leave room for the carbs.

Post long run a good serving of protein (around 100g of meat or fish) and 60-80g dried weight pasta/rice would be enough (as well as water) to get all the protein and carbs you need but so would some beans and toast  in in medium potato or scrambled eggs on toast  and 200ml glass of fruit juice so basically a regular lunch or small dinner would be enough for even a very long run. If out and about 500ml of a smoothie (yogurt based) or a milkshake would also be perfect but what you had above also sound good (as always !)

Steve, Over the coming few weeks the focus will be on Paris and the food challenges that may bring. The first challenge is the restaurant choice for the Friday & Saturday night. If you were going on a leisurely holiday I would suggest different a restaurant each night and of course to try the local food BUT you are here to do a marathon! So I am looking to seek everyone’s honest opinion on restaurant type. My thoughts are Italian as Parisian meals are not typically carb heavy, more meat based. Last year I picked out some Italian places to eat and then sent links to you all so that you could at least know what was available and if this would be suitable for everyone, so the plan was to do something similar. I am also thinking of RRR who does not eat gluten or wheat (we had a similar issue last year but there was other choices at the Italian we ended up choosing) so I would suggest we look for something that may be Italian but some non- pasta options?  Those that ate in the places I suggested last year could perhaps comment (Steve, Sam etc ) on what they think too?

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

Parisian meals are not typically carb heavy

Snails have 0.12g carbs, and frogs legs have zero carbs. High in protein though 

And watch out for their horse burgers - I've heard they contain beef! 

jenf wrote (see)

that worked! even the nice big sun

That's good then

I didn't realise the Garmin Connect thing was so cool - there's loads of info there... and nowhere to hide for me now if I run a bad session

Aliya Razzaq wrote (see)

That's okay, I will forgive you, it's not the easiest name to remember!

My time was 1:44 - not as fast as yourself but pleased with it nonetheless!

Thanks, I am always thinking about my posture when running, learnt the hard way after suffering terrible back pain after a long run! 

Haha it wasn't your name so much as just so, so much to take in on the day! Was quite an experience and great fun

Well done you - that's a great time! Didn't you say your PB was 1:48? Or am I imagining things?? If it was then you smashed it!

RunnyRunRun wrote (see)

Well done on both of your new PBs!! That's so fantastic!! Can't believe you set a new 5k pb at the end of a half marathon - that's AMAZING!!

Think you, me and Ady will all be chasing each other around the track at the same speed at the time trial at the next bootcamp ... although I suspect this time I may be back of the pack!!

Well if we're going to be really picky, it was a new 10k PB too... haha. But I'm not counting it - I have a parkrun in the new schedule Sam has given me on Week 14 so I shall be going all out for a new 5k PB then... It's currently 21:32 so anything in the 20s will be amazing!

And no, I don't think so! You guys just keep getting better and better and I can't keep up!

Tenjiso wrote (see)

Congratulations Steve, that was a brilliant race!  Such a huge confidence boost, you must be stoked!

Thanks Ten, it definitely was a huge confidence boost - never knew I had it in me!

How are you?? Training going well? (I've barely had time to keep this thread up to date over the last few weeks, let alone spread myself over the other threads!)

Clive Kelty wrote (see)

Steve,

Fantastic result at weekend, and especially the negative splits. You must be feeling really excited about Paris after feeling so strong at the end. The report was great too!

Am trying to stalk you on Garmin Connect now too....

Thanks Clive, all these kind words really do mean a lot

Yes, it was so fantastic to feel so strong at the end - I took it conservatively at the start so I feel like I would definitely be capable of taking a minute or two off that time... which is crazy when I consider the improvements I've already made!

I've only just discovered the Garmin Connect thing - wish I'd worked it out earlier as it is a great little tool and gives you loads of info on your runs... Not to mention that it's fun to be nosy and see how everyone else is getting on

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

It is funny when someone tells you can eat loads it is never as appealing. Rugby players I work with to bulk up always think it will be easy to eat loads more protein/ food etc but no it is not and they are always surprised when i tell them it may not be so easy! As I have always said carb loading may not be for everyone's benefit but I think you have to try it and believe  the effort may pay off in the last 6 miles a marathon. Remember to cut down on protein, bulky fruit and veg etc to help leave room for the carbs.

Post long run a good serving of protein (around 100g of meat or fish) and 60-80g dried weight pasta/rice would be enough (as well as water) to get all the protein and carbs you need but so would some beans and toast  in in medium potato or scrambled eggs on toast  and 200ml glass of fruit juice so basically a regular lunch or small dinner would be enough for even a very long run. If out and about 500ml of a smoothie (yogurt based) or a milkshake would also be perfect but what you had above also sound good (as always !)

Well, Ruth, you've done the one thing that I thought nobody would ever find a way to do and make me not enjoy my dinner for once

I can definitely see the benefit - when you look at the sheer number of calories you burn during a half marathon or a marathon, you'd be foolish not to prepare your body by pre-loading with some extra energy!

Thanks for the post-run advice - actually sounds like the prawns and rice were quite a good bet! More luck than judgement...

See you next Saturday!

RUTH MCKEAN wrote (see)

Steve, Over the coming few weeks the focus will be on Paris and the food challenges that may bring. The first challenge is the restaurant choice for the Friday & Saturday night. If you were going on a leisurely holiday I would suggest different a restaurant each night and of course to try the local food BUT you are here to do a marathon! So I am looking to seek everyone’s honest opinion on restaurant type. My thoughts are Italian as Parisian meals are not typically carb heavy, more meat based. Last year I picked out some Italian places to eat and then sent links to you all so that you could at least know what was available and if this would be suitable for everyone, so the plan was to do something similar. I am also thinking of RRR who does not eat gluten or wheat (we had a similar issue last year but there was other choices at the Italian we ended up choosing) so I would suggest we look for something that may be Italian but some non- pasta options?  Those that ate in the places I suggested last year could perhaps comment (Steve, Sam etc ) on what they think too?

Italian sounds good to me... who's paying?

Training - Week 10

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Guess what? Crazy busy week at work! This week I went to a hearing in Cornwall - the premises in question was literally about 25 minutes down the road from Land's End and took a good 8 hours in the car...

I stayed overnight in a hotel, spent about three and a half hours taking care of the hearing the following morning... then spent another 8 hours in the car on the way back! It was a bit of a mission...

But it was very lovely there and just two minutes away from the premises at twenty to eight in the morning, I took this pic of the local beach... my job isn't all bad!

 However, as stunning as the scenery was, it did mean that I wasn't able to do Wednesday's planned session...

Training - Week 10

Friday - 6 MILE COMFORTABLE then 4x ACCELERATION STRIDES

Actual - 6 MILE BUILD UP (8:10 - 7:20M/M)

Instead of this session, I did Wednesday's build up session today. I figure that tomorrow I have a rest day so I can do this run tomorrow... It's not ideal, but it's the best I can do in the circumstances!

So that meant I had to do the same distance but do the run as a build up and gradually increase the pace for each mile.

I don't know what it was - it was probably the combination of a lot of factors - but I really did struggle with motivation today. It's not often I say this but I really did struggle to get out of the door and I was completely lacking my usual enthusiasm! It's probably got a lot to do with a long week at work with a lot of travel time thrown in, the fact the weather has turned cold again, the snow and hail showers we've been having in Essex all day...

What it all added up to was me needing a Herculaen effort to drag myself out the front door. But drag myself out I did and, feeling as unmotivated as I did, I am sitting here now feeling pretty proud of myself for managing to do the session!

I usually love build up sessions - I get the chance to go out and get faster and faster... that is pretty much the ideal run for me! But today, although I wouldn't go as far as saying it was a chore, it wasn't fun. Although it hasn't been settling, there has been light snow showers all day and, from time to time, hail as well. The bad thing about build up runs is that when you are running in horrible weather, that weather gets progressively worse the faster you go.

I remember one particular hailstone that hit me plum square in the middle of my forehead at what felt like about 90 miles per hour and illicted a rather noisy exclamation of pain from me.

It wasn't pleasant out there.

But the actual running itself went pretty well, as you can see from the Garmin info.

I was supposed to build up from 8:10m/m to 7:20m/m and although I was a few seconds out here and there, it went pretty much to plan and I got through the miles like this:

Mile 1 - 8:08

Mile 2 - 7:56

Mile 3 - 7:46

Mile 4 - 7:34

Mile 5 - 7:29

Mile 6 - 7:13

This meant an overall time of 46:06 which is an overall pace of 7:41 m/m.

sarah osborne wrote (see)

Congratulations Steve on your new PB and on an amazing race last week....your new PBs are fantastic, its amazing how well you have come on.

Thanks Sarah - I feel like a completely different runner! I'm so thankful to Sam and the rest of the team for giving me all their time and expertise... Hope I'm impressing them!

jenf wrote (see)

hope you managed a beach run, they are the best!

I wish! Woke up at ten to 6, site visit at the premises at 7, took the photo then straight on to the hearing for 10, hearing finished at 1pm... then straight back on the road to come home! 

But what an amazing beach, eh? Beautiful part of the world...

Hi Steve,

another busy week, then? Hope you're all set for the long run tomorrow - don't stress too much over the paces: I'd rather you got the distance done comfortably than sweated over the exact pacing prescribed - as long as the general trend is speeding up not slowing down. 

And just to let you know that the plan has changed for the training day, as Sarah and Alex both have races on the Sunday so we thought a 5km time trial the day before was a bit unkind. But rest assured we have something 'fun' in store 

Steve loves bacon wrote (see)

How are you?? Training going well? (I've barely had time to keep this thread up to date over the last few weeks, let alone spread myself over the other threads!)

I've had to restrict myself from following too many threads - it eats up too much time.  That's why I just pop in occasionally to see how you guys are doing (which is very well by all accounts!).

My training is going to plan so far, with just seven more weeks to go to the marathon .  This morning I ran 22m (my longest training run ever) and have now hit peak weekly mileage (56m).  The emphasis for the next month is on more speedwork (not as fast as yours, I hasten to add!).  I followed your lead recently and ran strides outdoors.  Soooo much more fun than doing them on a treadmill.  You've also got me rethinking my strategy for gels on race day.

Keep up the great work!  You've obviously got the speed, so with a bit more endurance you'll have it cracked for sure.