The runners' thread... (part II)
- Thread starter PigletsDad
- Start date
PigletsDad
My intelligence test came back negative.
YMMV!
For something of that length, I would carry a single gel, and take it at about 7 or 8 miles - after half way , but with time to have some effect before the end. I am very fussy about gels, and the only ones I like are two specific flavors from SIS: Pink Grapefruit and Lemon / Lime. Even those seem a bit to reminiscent of wall paper paste for comfort.
Tiredness may not be low blood sugar - it might just be pacing and distance - so adding sugary stuff may not fix the problem.
My own perception is that up to about 15 miles, feeding during the race is fine tuning and has a secondary effect. This sort of makes sense; you start the race with about 1500 calories of glycogen, and somebody my size uses about 100 calories / mile running, and you metabolize some fat, say 100-300 calories an hour, depending on the individual. So up to say 15 miles, you shouldn't run out of glycogen. Beyond that, some feeding starts to help - a gel is maybe 60 - 100 calories depending on brand. For marathon, you need to take on a few hundred calories, and as you go up into ultras you need to get closer to steady state. Of course, longer races are at slower paces, so there is time for a bigger contribution from fat burning.
I don't bother with electrolytes except above 20miles, or perhaps in extreme heat. Your body can make sweat very dilute, so it less of an issue than it might seem.
lordsummit
Moderator
Thanks.
robs
should know how this works by no
So...big weekend Lordy!
Hope you are stuffing up on pasta already...best of luck! Will be willing you on on Sunday.
Just stick on Sir Mo's shoulder for the first hour or so and you'll be made - no need for gels
I'll be off to Parkrun tomorrow, and quietly hoping for a quick one...after my month of 'high altitude training' in the Alps I went for a brisk trot around my short local route yesterday, and without trying toooo hard got a PB....so who knows.
Hope you are stuffing up on pasta already...best of luck! Will be willing you on on Sunday.
Just stick on Sir Mo's shoulder for the first hour or so and you'll be made - no need for gels
I'll be off to Parkrun tomorrow, and quietly hoping for a quick one...after my month of 'high altitude training' in the Alps I went for a brisk trot around my short local route yesterday, and without trying toooo hard got a PB....so who knows.
sean99
pfm Member
I've used these over the summer and I think I prefer them to gels/electrolyte drinks. Less messy than gels, and less sickly than the electrolyte drinks.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002IY96B0/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Another benefit if you're carrying them on the run is you can wash them down with water from the water stops - you don't need to carry your own drink. You may need to supplement with calories if going significantly beyond 90 minutes (I find up to 90 minutes I don't need any extra calories - this in the context of triathlon).
Good luck on the GNR (Guns N Roses !?) - look forward to the race report.
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
robs
should know how this works by no
Great Parkrun this morning. Not quite a PB but took the best part of two minutes out of the last one I ran and felt good.
Brand new pair of booties too, probably helped. Compared them with the old ones last night, and I was surprised just how worn away the old ones were. Strava sent me a message suggesting they should be changed every 300-500 miles (according to the manufacturers), but that seems not very many miles to me...
Half marathon in 3 weeks, so had better think about putting in a few miles in the near future. At least think about it..
Brand new pair of booties too, probably helped. Compared them with the old ones last night, and I was surprised just how worn away the old ones were. Strava sent me a message suggesting they should be changed every 300-500 miles (according to the manufacturers), but that seems not very many miles to me...
Half marathon in 3 weeks, so had better think about putting in a few miles in the near future. At least think about it..
lordsummit
Moderator
I’m due new tires as well, will go next week for some. 500 miles on the current pair, but they can get me round the GNR first. Getting a bit nervous now.
Weekender
pfm Member
Ah pre-race nerves...can't remember the last time I had them!
Bon chance...allez!
lordsummit
Moderator
Ran my fastest ever 10k yesterday, a smidge over 57 mins. New shoes day as well. It’s been an amazing running week this week with the GNR and the 10k pb. Trying to decide what to do next, planning a few more half’s, one in Jan, the Manchester in May and the GNR and other Manchester next year. Maybe a 10k in Nov/Dec. Not sure whether to spend a while working on speed over 5k/10k, or to keep chipping away at the half marathon time.
lordsummit
Moderator
Ha! Think you’re right. Can’t possibly do a marathon, just not enough time. Next year’s charity push two half’s in a month?
robs
should know how this works by no
Hell...just go for the big M.
Make time. If you can't make time for next year, how will you the year after...?
IMHO the marathon is maybe 50% training and 50% mindset. If you can do a half (like you just did you bloody hero ;-)) you can do a full....It might just hurt a bit more...
You're already there and clearly wanting to go for it....
Make time. If you can't make time for next year, how will you the year after...?
IMHO the marathon is maybe 50% training and 50% mindset. If you can do a half (like you just did you bloody hero ;-)) you can do a full....It might just hurt a bit more...
You're already there and clearly wanting to go for it....
lordsummit
Moderator
Hell...just go for the big M.
Make time. If you can't make time for next year, how will you the year after...?
IMHO the marathon is maybe 50% training and 50% mindset. If you can do a half (like you just did you bloody hero ;-)) you can do a full....It might just hurt a bit more...
You're already there and clearly wanting to go for it....
Mrs L would kill me
Also, between work, the boys football team, kids and stuff, I don’t think I could honestly do it without the blessing of an understandable partner. I’ve gone back to working full-time this year, that means a chunk of time that was mine has vanished. Besides, I want in my mind to work on speed a little. To beat the friend who got me into this round a Parkrun would be hilarious, his partner is desperate for that to happen (I need to lose a couple of minutes off my parkrun pb for that to happen!), I’d like to spend some more time on half-marathons, I can do it, so some refining and work should lead to improvements. If nothing else I’ve learnt that your first attempt to do something is to prove you can do it, it’s after that you see the gains in time. Or at least that’s how it is for me.
Maybe 2021 for a marathon, that’s when I’m 50, I like that symmetry.
JTC
PFM Villager...
There is always a way to find the time to train for a marathon. Maybe I can give you my own situation so that you have some perspective on what it generally takes - and bear in mind that I’m training a bit more intensively than a first-time marathon runner would do.
First up, my (self-penned) training plan calls for running on six days of the week, with the Monday following my long-run day being a pure rest day (though I may do some stretches or walk the dogs along the beaches). Tuesday to Friday, I generally wake at 0500 and leave the house for work at 0530, getting back home normally around 1700 to 1830 depending on when I leave. If I’m running, I will then do my run as early as I can once home - at present I can manage 10 miles (just) before the light is gone, but this will reduce as we get into autumn/winter. For me, I run typically a 10K or 10-miler Tues, Weds, Thursday, and Fridays I often run in Edinburgh after work but before heading home. Saturdays - Parkrun. Sunday: long-run, either a ‘short’ long-run (with my wife or on my own whilst the kids are doing their sailing and done in time for them finishing) OR if my wife takes them I can do like I did yesterday and get a proper long-run in (yesterday’s 22-miler was fitted in by starting just before the family left for the sailing, and I was home and showered before they returned from sailing (around 1230)). Or, I do a 10k or 10-miler later in the day whilst the kids are at swimming.
It’s a tough schedule, but perfectly do-able even with a full-time job and ‘dad duties’. For example, Thursday is Taekwondo for my younger son, 1800-1900 at a local school. I can easily squeeze a 10-11k run in between dropping off and collecting. You just need to be organised and a little creative. I do have a tendency to fall asleep by about 2130 on account of the running and early starts!!!
If I can squeeze in a 50+ mile week of running, most people probably can. And for a first marathon, most plans top out at around 35mpw, so very achievable (if you genuinely want to do it). This past week, I squeezed in just over 10 hours of running around a full-time job and ran 64 miles of training.
First up, my (self-penned) training plan calls for running on six days of the week, with the Monday following my long-run day being a pure rest day (though I may do some stretches or walk the dogs along the beaches). Tuesday to Friday, I generally wake at 0500 and leave the house for work at 0530, getting back home normally around 1700 to 1830 depending on when I leave. If I’m running, I will then do my run as early as I can once home - at present I can manage 10 miles (just) before the light is gone, but this will reduce as we get into autumn/winter. For me, I run typically a 10K or 10-miler Tues, Weds, Thursday, and Fridays I often run in Edinburgh after work but before heading home. Saturdays - Parkrun. Sunday: long-run, either a ‘short’ long-run (with my wife or on my own whilst the kids are doing their sailing and done in time for them finishing) OR if my wife takes them I can do like I did yesterday and get a proper long-run in (yesterday’s 22-miler was fitted in by starting just before the family left for the sailing, and I was home and showered before they returned from sailing (around 1230)). Or, I do a 10k or 10-miler later in the day whilst the kids are at swimming.
It’s a tough schedule, but perfectly do-able even with a full-time job and ‘dad duties’. For example, Thursday is Taekwondo for my younger son, 1800-1900 at a local school. I can easily squeeze a 10-11k run in between dropping off and collecting. You just need to be organised and a little creative. I do have a tendency to fall asleep by about 2130 on account of the running and early starts!!!
If I can squeeze in a 50+ mile week of running, most people probably can. And for a first marathon, most plans top out at around 35mpw, so very achievable (if you genuinely want to do it). This past week, I squeezed in just over 10 hours of running around a full-time job and ran 64 miles of training.