VOTE Shady_Ady

Hi Ady,

I noticed in your introduction you said your biggest weakness is diet and second to that is lack of speed training. However it seems like so far on here you've mainly been discussing the lack of speed training. As someone who also struggles with their diet and knows how easy it can be to quickly fall off the diet wagon, I'm just wondering how you're planning on overcoming this weakness if you win. Especially as I think your training has to start before Christmas?

Also just wondering if you think your diet causes you problems because of a lack of the right kind of energy for your body or because excess weight is slowing you down? (Not trying to offend at all here or saying you need to loose weight, just going off what you've said already!)

Haha Andy....I'd certainly be interested to hear if you did decide to run a marathon. The best piece of advice I was given when running my first marathon, was just to enjoy it. Don't get carried away with thinking about a certain time, as it takes the gloss of what you have accomplished. Take in the experience - the crowds, the sights, the sounds.....and if you feel like crying when you cross the finish line, then what the hell, let it all out and hug the closest person to you.......you're guaranteed to hug you back!

Also in my own opinion, if you're new to running and are planning on doing a marathon, choose a biggish one.......as the crowds definitely make a difference if you're into the last few miles and have never ran that far before! All the best.

Hi Xyloid. You make me chuckle! Reading your post about debagging put images in my head that shouldn't be allowed before the watershed!

Where do you usually run at the moment? Is it just in the gym? I have just joined my local Park Run too, so I can start to concentrate on increasing my speed by doing shorter distances at a much quicker pace. You definitely seem to have the right idea by attacking each distance one at a time and then moving on the next.

I'll start with more interesting of your two questions - de-bagging! If I dont wear proper running underwear, then I always have this problem, and there's nothing less sexy than running past a group of twenty year old girls near the town centre, looking like you're fiddling with your bits. That's not even attractive in the bedroom! It also causes a lot of chaffing as well, which means youre still scratching about down there long after your run has finished (maybe that's just me).

There's 2 things that has helped me - firstly buying proper running underwear (I wear running underwear that look like cycling shorts. These are tighter and thinner than normal underwear so they dont scrunch up like normal pants do. I also wear proper running shorts (opposed to football shorts, etc). I still haven't worked up the courage to wear the skimpy tiny running shorts! But these are lighter material as well, which also stops it from happening. This has worked for me and stopped it happening.

In some races I've seen some guys who wear no underwear at all under their shorts.........with graphic detail, as they vaseline up their meat and two veg! If it works for them, fairplay, but these kind of images before a race can leave a newbie traumatised!

As for cadence........you've stumped me....now I'm going to look like a complete novice  I've never actually studied this when I've ran....I've just gone out and ran. I've never had it analysed either. Somebody might correct me, but I really wouldn't worry about this, especially if it makes you look like you've dropped the kids off at the swimming pool, before even reaching the leisure centre!

If you're working up to a general base of fitness, then maybe trying to fit in an extra 20 steps a minute, will increase your level of discomfort and speed. This can always come later on. Once you feel more comfortable with the longer distances.

Well, I never thought I'd be talking about my underwear on the internet with a stranger. Thanks for breaking that taboo!

Thanks also for the vote. Feel free to ask any more questions you like. I'm still not as popular as some of the other entrants so you're always guaranteed an essay for a response!

Hi Ace,

Thanks for your message. No offence taken, especially as on the Asics Target 26.2 video, I say I run so I can eat! Of all the things I could have said. 

A very valid point actually you made there. I havent really mentioned it at all. To be honest, up until now, I havent really concentrated on my diet at all in the past. Not because I've failed to do so, but just because I havent wanted to try.

It's got to the point though, where I want to give a marathon my best ever shot and do EVERYTHING the right way. The weight I am now is the same as when I ran the Boston Marathon when I got my PB. Normally when I get into the longer runs during my training, I drop weight very quickly. Seeing as I'm at my PB weight now, by also correcting my diet (I don't think it will need much - just eating more fruit as snacks, should stop the urge of eating extra in the evenings), I think I should have no problem dropping 10lbs in 6 wks.

I'm sorry you struggle too......but I think if your mind is in the right place, then this shouldnt be a problem. The key is to stay motivated and have a goal. For me, that goal is a race. If I dont have a race planned then I struggle to stay focused. Also dont have one huge goal, instead have several smaller goals...this way you feel you're making better progress more often.

I never have issues with lack of energy because of my diet (maybe I will say differently if I ate correctly 24/7. I always eat the correct food groups before long runs, so should have a good amount of good energy to burn (if that makes sense?).

And yes.......my excess weight does probably slow me down....losing it should definitely help to lower my PB and hopefully reach my goal of a sub 3:30 marathon.

So the first few days of the final selection process have already past..........only a few left to go. It's been a manic few days, but thoroughly enjoyable. I can't believe it's only 5 more days until the lucky 5 are chosen. To be honest, it doesn;t really matter who these are, everyone's a worthy candidate in their own right. So much variety and potential 

I travel a lot with my job so I try to stay at hotels with gyms in.  I always use to stick to the elliptical trainer/bike/rower and just look at those on the treadmill with envy.

 Then one morning the gym was empty so i thought I woukd givie it a go.  I lasted 10 minutes before I thought I was going to die!  I kept at it over the next couple of weeks until I could go for 30 minutes at 10kph.

Then 2 weeks ago I thought 'bugger it', I'm going to run in the actual outdoors!  We have a network of cycle paths near us so don't have to worry about cars, just the occasional cyclist and a bit of dog poo.  

I then decided to hi-tech my ass and get a heart rate monitor and a book on it (heart rate training for the complete idiot).  I now try and run 4 times a week keeping under my lower ceiling for about an hour at a time.  I end up walking a fair bit to keep the heart rate down though.

I have ebem bought myself some running tights, now instead of Mr Bean it is more like Blackadder!

Hi Xyloid.

I'm impressed. When I've worked away from home I often feel too tired when I get back. That's why I run during my lunch breaks

Do you prefer running outside more now than a treadmill? I did the Great Wall if China marathon whilst working there and did almost all my training on a treadmill through the winter months as it got down to minus 30 deg C outside. I got injuries I've never had before which included a trip to the hospital and possibly my most embarrassing experience.

I've never used my heart rate monitor. I know that's bad. How has your running improved using one?

I hope the de-bagging issues are a distant memory now!

Now if you could now just progress from Black Adder to Monty Python I think that will be the completed article!

hey! you're up early posting around on threads have a good weekend

Hey Jen. I've had a terribly busy week so only had time to concentrate on the 2 forum pages. Now the weekend is here I thought it'd be rude not to have a good look at everyone else on here. Do you have any runs planned over the weekend?

just off out now ! weather if fab here I n Wales..gorgeous sunny morning

Very good to know. I hope it stays that way. On the train from London to Aberystwyth now. Plan on running along the seafront and up Constitution Hill tomorrow morning. Do you have many nice trails near you? Enjoy the nice weather!

I live on the coast n have a great cycle track on my doorstep , perfect to run on. it heads off into a country park/ forest/ beach. I have the best of all places to run
constitution hill is mean! enjoy!

Variety is the spice of life!

Constitution Hill is a mean little beast. I had to walk up the 2nd half last time I tried it. Hopefully I'll do better this time around.

Seafront running? Lucky you! Was very jealous of the sound of Jenf's lovely run this morning I've got lots of lovely trails and miles of canal paths but I'm in the bellybutton of England so no beach for a long way!

Thanks for the response Ady.

I agree that small goals are better, this is why right now I'm just trying to get into the habit of running. But I'm hoping to do a 10k in the spring/summer and then move forward from there. I live right outside London and I know you mentioned before you lived around that area too. Do you have any 10ks you can suggest to a beginner? I've thought about the British 10k in London, have you run that one?

Right now I'm doing most of my running on treadmills until I get my fitness/confidence up. I'm intrigued at what injury you got from a treadmill that landed you in hospital (you mentioned in your post to Xyloid)? Fall off and break something?

Hey RRR.......I was very jealous of Jenf's run too. Just about to head to slumber-land now so I can hopefuly enjoy my seafront run tomorrow.

I live right next to the Basingstoke Canal. It makes for a lovely run first thing in the morning. It also goes near my office in Farnborough, so when it was lighter in the evenings, I ran the 11 miles home along the canal once a week. The only problem with this was carrying a rucksack with my work clothes in. But I thought of this mentally as adding extra resistant to my mid week long run.

Hey Ace,

Good luck with your 10k. I have ran the British 10k 3 times, but sadly, none have been enjoyable. I ran them early in my running career and found it to be extremely over-priced and poorly organised (it may be different now that Nike is involved).

Once I found better 10k's I moved away from this. You should be able to find plenty cheaper and better 10ks around London. I'd recommend Bupa 10,000 in Hyde Park (great for first timers as it has several waves of  runners of varying speeds) and also London Barts 10k and London Pride 10k - these are both in Victoria Park on an extremely flat course, making it perfect for first timers.

I'd definitely move away from treadmills, even if it means having to adapt a run/ walk philosophy outdoors to start with.

Haha...I didn't break anything. I tore a muscle in my left groin. Unfortunately I made the mistake of typing 'swollen groin' into google, and before I knew it, I'd self diagnosed myself with a hernia, that if not treated could be life-threatening (I'm so stupid sometimes!).

As this was while I was working in China, and because my Chinese isn't the greatest, my boss and his wife (who both spoke English) took me to the local hospital. I was living in a city that rarely saw foreigners, so before I knew it, I had 7 doctors lined up in front of me and was asked to drop my trousers and pants.

As my boss and his wife looked on (staying in the room to 'translate'), the 7 doctors waited in turn to grab, twist and contort my balls and prod my groin. Obviously the message that the pain was ONLY in my groin had been lost in translation!

Continuing to be a naive hypochondriac and because google had told me so, I still thought I was suffering from a hernia. The doctors couldn't feel a hernia, so I was taken to another room for more tests.

My boss and his wife followed me into this room as well, and I was asked again to pull my pants and trousers down. This time they rubbed gel onto my nether regions and I now realised I was having an ultra sound around my genitalia to see what was causing me the pain.

I'd like to say this was in the middle of winter in northern China and the outside temperature was -30 degrees C. Inside it was close to freezing. You can't blame my 'pride and joy' to be feeling extremely shy!

By now, the news had gotten around that a foreigner was in the hospital. While I was having my groin ultrasound carried out, a never-ending supply of female nurses came into the room, apparently needing paperwork to be signed. Each time one entered, they made direct eye contact with me and started to giggle. All this, while the doctor was prodding my baby-making apparatus.

10 minutes later, I found out it was a muscle tear.........although I personally blame the treadmill for this harrowing experience, I have also learnt never to type ailments into a google search!

Ady, that's a great story, made me smile!  How long were you in China for?

As for the Heat Monitor helping my running, I am too new to all of this for it to have a before/after picture, but it has definitely slowed me down from what I initially started out at, so I guess that should help stop me overdoing it in these early stages and fend off injury

I sooo much enjoy running outside more.  An hour on the treadmill is definitely 60 minutes long but an hour outside seems to fly by!

I know you have been round the running block a few times, but cast your mind to when you were first starting out as I am, how long was it before you felt comfortable to go out and run with other people in an organised race?

Hi Xyloid. I was working in China for 15 months then travelled around the country afterwards for 6 wks. Running was always fun over there. I was in a small non-westernised city. No one ran. So when I'd go out on the streets for a jog it brought the city to a standstill. Could be fun, but tripping over and knowing a thousand eyes are watching you can be a little unnerving!

I find running outside you can so much easily lose yourself in your own thoughts than on a treadmill. A few other people on the forums have been saying how useful the heart rate monitor is. I will definitely start using mine. I'll let you know how I get on.

I can say with all certainty NOT to do what I did for my first organised race. My first was London Marathon in 2004. I had trained for a good 4 months beforehand but id only ever ran alone or with friends. This meant not only did I run my first marathon. But every single thing about an organised race environment was also new. This is possibly the worst way to do it and I realised how under prepared I was.

Personally I would go out and run in an organised race as soon as you feel your able to run this distance comfortably........and I'd start from doing 5ks and working your way up rather than what I did. Have you heard about Park Runs? Do you have one of these near you? Whereabouts in the country do you run? You are almost guaranteed to find a 10k race of some kind near you. I wouldn't hold back from entering. The sooner the better.

You'll find such a variety of runners and abilities that there's no reason to worry that you won't fit in or will be the slowest (I'm sure you're not worrying about this anyway!) I think this was what stopped me entering when I first ran - the feeling I was an imposter and didn't really belong and a little scared I'd be too slow and left myself. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Do you gave a specific course you follow when running outside? Or do you have a variety of trails and paths you use?

I bet the 15 months was a great experience.  I once did 6 months in the States but that is not the same as immersing yourself in a totally foreign culture/language environment like you did.  There is a possibility that I might have to undertake a project in Japan next year, which I am really hoping comes off.  

The way you described your reluctance to initially enter a race is exactly how I am feeling now!  I live in Newport Pagnell, so there is a Park run in Milton Keynes which is where I intend to lose my cherry, I just don't feel I am ready for it yet!  I want to give this base/HRM lower threshold running two months to try and build up some aerobic fitness initially so will probably look to do one late Jan/early Feb.

How do you feel your fitness levels are at the moment?  Do you feel ready to start the Asics/RW training schedule should you get chosen?

Still getting the de-bagging issue with my shorts on unfortunately1  I have shorts that have a brief liner type thing, so think maybe I should go with a cycling type short under normal shorts.  Clearly my thighs are too hench and they just end up working the fabric up in to my scrotal domain!