Marathon Aftermath

I lived in my compression tights for three days! On the Monday I could walk downstairs with bannister assistance, Tuesday much better and on Wednesday was bouncing down the stairs so superficially my legs recoverd quite quickly. I did get a bit of a sniffle but as I took a full 7 days off anyway it didn't matter and I quite enjoyed not having to train. I seemed to have picked up a bit of plantar fasciitis on my rights foot too which was a bit worrying.

On Monday 8th I did something I haven't done for about 5 years - I set foot inside a gym. I have a few muscle weaknesses that I have known about for a long time, they made their presence felt during the marathon training so I decided it was time I hit the weights and I sorted them out. I had an induction for the YMCA near work at lunchtime and the leisure centres near home in the evening.

The YMCA has by far the best free weights area and at lunchtimes is not overrun by barrel chested men on chicken legs grunting out bench presses. I usually struggle to be comfortable using upper body weight machines (and lower body sometimes too) so prefer free weights. I cycled to the evening induction, only a couple of miles but I headed off to one of the other centres to check out pool times and swimming lessons. I ended up doing 13 miles on the shopping bike and it felt great to be out.

Tuesday I decided to try a short run at lunchtime, 3 miles only as Jez had asked me to take him running in the evening (glad I was sat down when he asked!). My legs felt a little tired still but I had a flyover from the Red Arrows to liven up my run. My foot was ok to start with but not happy at the end, I thought it may be the shoes. The evening run was another short one but offroad. I suggested we run out of Abbey Village on a short route round the woods. It was to be a run walk as he hasn't run in ages, the route would be hilly so we could use the hills as walk breaks.

Of course he managed to run up them fine! A bit of a recovery at the top but he seemed ok and will be faster than me in no time if he keeps it up, boo. Foot felt ok once warmed up though stiff again later.

On the Wednesday I had a proper gym session. I have weak hamstrings, the left in particular but they have different weaknesses. I also have a very weak left vastus medialis which causes problems when running down hill and is not a great muscle for a cyclist to be weak in either. If you look at pro cyclists that muscle is usually well developed. The other quad muscles are much stronger and override it and my knee can flop out to the left a little. Those are my target areas as well as some upper body work. However it would appear that both VM muscles are rubbish, so I will be working on them quite a bit. Hamstrings need strengthening but are not so stupidly weak as the vm's.

Thusday ended up being a rest day as I felt quite tired and on the Friday I got out for another run, only 4.5 miles but my legs felt much better than Tuesday. A run out to the prom and a loop round Fairhaven Lake dodging the geese. Short runs are great. I wore my Wave Rider 11's which have a lower arch support and the sore foot whilst still there was lot reduced.

Edinburgh Marathon Report

Sorry this has taken a bit longer than it should have..

I've been trying to get my thoughts together about Sunday's race but it would all appear to be a bit of a blur (oops), even before the heat really took its toll I was just focussed on my own race and my own running.

The official results:

Overall - 4:16:24

10k - 00:55:44

Half - 02:02:07

30k - 02:55:47

3632 out of 8257, which I think is possibly the first time I have ever finished a race in the top half of the field.

An early night at 10pm, which in Scotland was broad daylight rather than dusk so felt a bit weird. I had set my alarm for 5:50 am on the morning, I can't remember the last time I voluntarily woke up at that side of 6am. I actually had a pretty good nights sleep getting all the tossing and turning and missing the start nightmares out of the way on Friday night it would seem. Jez made me breakfast and made sure I ate it! (He's seen me try to miss breakfast before). Then it was into the car and off to Edinburgh.

The plan was to park up at Castle Street car park just off Lothian Road. Staying at the West End on Princes Street should hopefully avoid any problems with the tram works. We would then walk to the start at the other end of Princes Street then Jez could either get the bus/train or drive out to the finish at Musselburgh. However the tramworks destruction has advanced somewhat since I was last in Edinburgh and we just couldn't see how to get to Lothian Road at all from where we ended up, with hindsight we maybe should have tried to get to the Western Approach or come in via Fountain Bridge (assuming they haven't dug all that up too).

There actually was a way through a convoluted diversion (I spotted it on the walk to the start) but none of the diversion signs gave a clue as to how to get anywhere. We ended up near Frasers and were about to do a u-turn to see if we could find another way to Lothian Road when we saw some runners parking up in some on street parking and thought we would join them. It would be a simpler walk to the start from here anyway. As the parking wardens in Edinburgh are legendary I headed over to the meter but found parking there was free on a Sunday, fantastic. I didn't think free parking existed in the centre of Edinburgh.

It was just after 7am ish, I think, I really didn't have much grasp of time all day. I was relieved to find it was really cold in the shade, I put my spare t-shirt on for the walk to the start. We were just off the start of Princes Street so it was an easy walk along the ruins of Princes Street. What a mess the tramworks have made, I hate to think how bad it is when the construction machinery is giving it laldy.

Most people out and about seemed to be runners, it was still quite cool, particularly in any shade and the breeze had the familiar fresh from the North Sea nip to it. I hoped the breeze would make its presence felt for the race but it didn't. Milled around the start area for a while, stood in a very slow moving queue for the loos though I had plenty of time. As the loos were in a sheltered courtyard the sun's strength was becoming obvious and I could feel it burning the side of my neck and it wasn't 9 am yet.

Jez took my bag off me and dumped it in the truck whilst I headed into my start pen and milled around drinking some fluid. I had made up some drink for this part but left it at my folks so had picked up a freebie bottle of Lucozade Sport instead to spare the water I was carrying. I hoped it would settle ok as I really don't like the stuff. I had a rucksack on with a litre of water in, all my gels and some jelly babies. I saw quite a few other people with bladders too. My plan was to miss out most of the first water stations then start picking up water later when things calmed down a bit. I was going to take gels at 5 mile intervals. I changed the water station part of the plan quite early.

The elite race kicked off at 9am on the dot and I think I crossed the timing mat at the start at about 5 or 6 minutes later. I was able to run straight away and as it was downhill I took it nice and easy. I had picked my place to start well as I was running at the pace I wanted to, not passing many people or being passed. I ignored the first water station and kept on running. Temperature was still reasonable at this point.

As we arrived at Portobello prom there was another water station but I passed that one too. The breeze was pretty good here and really cooling. I could see Cockenzie power station and it looked miles away. I knew we had to run past it twice. Not long after passing the water station I realised the temperature was really climbing and decided I would pick up water at the next station, drink some and pour some over my head to help keep my head temperature down. I had my first gel at five miles and it went down ok.

Instead of pace I was keeping a close eye on my heart rate, it was sitting around 170 at the 10K point which was ok, a bit higher than I really wanted even allowing for the fact it always sits higher in an event but I didn't want it to go much higher so decided to keep an eye on that rather than my pace. I ran on, staying fairly comfortable effort wise and enjoying the breeze. I started picking water up from the stations, they were only 250ml bottles which I have to say was smaller than I was expecting. I drank half and wore half. I really settled into my stride around the 10K marker.

I passed Jez at about the 12 mile mark, he said I was looking comfortable.

The course is an out and back from about mile 9 so I knew I would see the elites coming in and sure enough as I was just about at the half way point the two lead men came steaming past. They were way out in front of any one else. Worryingly some of the very fastest runners heading back were stopping to take walk breaks - it's not something I expected to see and I didn't think it was a good sign of things to come. I passed half way in just over two hours, I knew for definite I wasn't going to be chasing 4 hours.

I continued on in much the same vein until about 17 miles, passing the power station for the first time. The course turns round at 18 miles, before that it does a little loop round Gosford House. It was on this little loop that the temperature really seemed to take its toll. The temperature had obviously been really climbing all day but on the outward leg there was at least a little coastal breeze but this loop moved in from the coast and it was like running in an oven.

People started walking, it didn't help that it was a gravel track. I slowed my pace down even further but managed to keep running without the tell tale pounding in my head which means the heat is getting to me. Back out to the coast and along briefly before turning round and seeing how far away the power station was again!

8.2 miles to go and what little wind there was was now a tail wind, it seemed to have really warmed up a lot but I kept my pace for a while. I was starting to get a little of the pounding but up ahead I could see the road descended slightly so I thought I would keep going and use it as a break. I could see a lot of people walking up ahead....then I passed a lad unconscious at the side of the road, the first aider trying to get a response out of him...I had a walk break.

I calmed down really quickly and started running again, I decided to run to the next water startion and take a good walk break through it then run to the next one etc. I had a little water left of my own but I was saving that for the 20 mile gel. I got to the water station at mile 19 and drank most of the water with only a little on my head as it was boiling. I did wish the bottles were bigger but decided against taking two.

I had to do a bit more run/walk than I wanted but at this stage it seemed more people were walking than running anyway. As this was my first marathon I had nothing to compare it with but I wasn't expecting to see so many walking. Keeping a pace going running involved a fair bit of dodging! I had my gel at 20 miles and used the last mouthful of water I had to wash it down. I hoped it was enough to avoid any stomach problems, not that the Torq gels have ever given me problems even when I take them without water but this was a bit out of the ordinary.

Any teensy bit of shade was hunted out by the runners then I realised we were getting near the power station again and hopefully a water station at about 22 miles. I passed a few more runners by the side of the road, some in much worse state than others but any bad cases were thankfully being attended to. The next water station came up and it was dry! This kind of messed things up for me, however, this was the only station that didn't have water when I got to it a lot of runners behind me were not so lucky. I was out of water completely and I felt like a wrung out sponge.

Nothing for it but to keep moving on. A lot of run/walk like everyone else and I could feel my abs threatening to cramp??? All the things that had bothered me on my training runs - tight hamstrings and glutes and left knee were absolutely fine, I was having no problems getting running again after walking but the abs thing was a new one (guess who needs some core work?). In fact I was quite pleased at how my legs felt and I was almost enjoying the event, it helped I was getting close to the finish and the crowds were building up.

I got to the last water station and it had water, hurrah!! I drank all of my bottle but really wanted to put some on my head but due to the last station running out I didn't think it fair to take another. Lucozade sport was on offer but I knew that would make me sick so I declined it. As I was moving off I saw lots of people dive over to the other side of the road and come back with water, one of the water stations from the outward leg still had water on it, all the runners were through so I took a bottle and dumped most of it on my head. That really helped perk me up, as did the 24 miles marker. I was able to start running again then it was the 25 mile marker and I passed Jez around here somewhere:

The crowds were fantastic all the way into the finish, I ran all of the last 1.2 miles lifted by the crowd, the last sting in the tail was the temporary surface they had put down on the race course. It felt like running on a trampoline, not what my legs wanted at all.

Over the line in 4:16, glad to be finished. I got some water, more lucozade sport, the marshal made me take two? I drank all the water whilst another marshal took my chip off then I shuffled over to the queue for the goody bag. I didn't feel well at all so found a place on the grass to sit and get myself together. I drunk some of the Lucozade, yuck, good plan not to have it whilst running and watched someone being stretchered away. I did wonder where the first aid tent was as if I didn't start feeling better soon I may have to make my way there.

After another five minutes I started to feel better and ten minutes later I did the queues and picked up my bag and headed out the race course to find Jez. He looked a little concerned and asked me what I had to drink, apparently my lips were grey. I knew they were dry but didn't realise how dry. He had brought the car to Musselburgh and it was parked about a mile away so we started walking. He had some plain water and I remembered I had some Nuun tabs in my kit bag as I was still struggling with the Lucozade. I dug some out and chuked it into his water bottle, conveniently it had 500 ml left.

The Nuun was fantastic, I felt a lot better after drinking it. The walk to the car wasn't too bad really, got my legs moving. The A/C was cranked up full then we drove back to my folks. It was quite an easy drive really, not much more than half an hour and I was glad I wasn't having to wait on a bus or train.

Back in the house I had some recovery drink, then up for a shower and into compression tights then I really wanted a bacon butty (salt?) which Jez sorted out for me, then I had a full roast dinner and some pudding, lots of water and a bit of wine. An early night, taking a couple of ibuprofen meant a good nights sleep.

Too hot for me today

A year to the day when I fried in the Garburn race I ran another hot one, but at least I learned some lessons from last year and backed off the pace early enough to not end up like one lad I saw passed out at the side of the road (he did not look in a good way). I hoped for 4 hours but finally crossed the line at 4:16 on my watch.

One the plus side I had no blisters, no chafing, all toenails are still there, my hamstring was fine and I actually almost enjoyed the last five miles (just miles 15 - 21 were really awful and sun baked). The only real worry was I thought my upper abs were going to cramp in the last 3 miles which made breathing shallow, weird. I also managed t get some suburn despite the factor 30.

The crowds at the finish were excellent and I pushed hard for the finish - then felt quite ill once I crossed the line. I managed to get myself together after about 25 minutes of sitting on the grass without visiting the medical tent. More later...

Saturday "Long Run"

8 miles on Saturday and legs felt even better than they did on Thursday, there may be something in this taper lark. Found it hard to keep my speed down to 9mm, partly because my legs had perked up and partly because in my head it was a short run.

8 miles at 8:50 mm even though I did keep slowing myself down apart from where the Garmin started under reading the speed in some heavy tree cover, I was practically sprinting trying to maintain speed by the time I popped out of the trees. I'd forgotten it did that.

For some reason on Sunday I had a complete attack of the CBA's, it was too hot for doing intervals but I never managed to get on a bike either. Think I was possibly taking taper a bit too far.

Club Run

Quite a bit faster and further than I was expecting, no idea exactly as I left the Garmin at home (after switching it on to let it find itself, d'oh and I set off running still wearing the strap too). 6/7 miles maybe but not at a social pace at all, very enjoyable actually. Knee was fine and legs actually felt the best they have for weeks, apart from my lower legs they still belong to someone else.

As the easing off is working and the run wasn't at social pace I decided against riding in to work today. I also remembered I am on call this weekend and have to bring my laptop home which meant a laden ride on the Spesh rather than an easy cruise on the road bike. Just hope there are no bank holiday problems on the M6 on the way home.

8 miles on Saturday (short, short, short!). Hopefully get the road bike out for a spin on Sunday as its forecast to be warm. 6 miles of "intervals" on Monday/Tuesday, I will speed the legs up a bit but not flog myself and then my last run on Wednesday. I'm not going down to the club as don't want to be doing a run like yesterday so close to the marathon (eek).

Long (ish) Run on Sunday

A rest day on Saturday which turned out to be the better day weather wise unfortunately but my legs needed the break. I was getting ready to head out about 1pm on Sunday but I got a message from my friend asking if I could come and help her with her shopping as she was now on crutches!

About 30 minutes into her very first snowboard lesson her free foot had slipped off the board and her knee twisted very badly. She was in agony and had to have a big orange splint put on and be taken out of the Chill Factore to A & E on a stretcher with gas and air. It caused a bit of a "commotion" apparently (a trifle understated I think).

Nothing actually broken but likely ligament and cartilage damage, ouchie. I think a straightforward break of the leg would have been a better outcome. When I think to the amount of times I used my free foot as a brake coming of chair lifts (as I'm rubbish and have no ability) on a board I think I've been quite lucky.

I picked her up and took her shopping. The biggest downpour of the day happened when I was driving her back so at least it saved me from running in that. I was starving when I got back and even though I knew that a Tartiflette was probably not the best thing to be eating before a run its all I really had easily available.

I eventually got out the door at 15:45 into the wind but no rain at this time. I chucked arm warmers into my bag but it was actually quite warm for running. Plan was to do an out and back route 6.5 each way at 9mm. 13 miles, no more, no less.

I headed out towards the A59 again, into the wind but at least it would generally be behind me on the way home. Hitting the narrow lanes I could tell the camber was not helping my hamstring at all. About 4/5 mile in it started raining, then it started heavily raining and I was now feeling cold. I spotted a dry patch on the other side of the road and ran over to shelter under a tree and get the arm warmers out, which were a complete pain to get on with wet arms. The Tartiflette was weighing very heavy and I never managed to completely rid myself of the slight nausea of too much in my stomach.

I set off again and was soon wishing I had brought gloves along too as my hands were freezing. The rain was really driving into my face which wasn't ideal as I was running alongside a road and couldn't see the cars approaching. I spotted a footpath which allegedly was going to cut off a bit of a road corner and set off down it to get away from traffic. The rain was still heavy and I was shivering. At just over 6 miles I thought sod that for a game of soldiers and turned round.

It didn't take long till the back of me was soaked too. My Shuffle started playing up then died as I got back to the road. I was sure I had only just charged it but it was dead. The rain eased off quite a bit soon after so I took in an extra little loop to keep the distance up then headed back home.

It felt good to be heading back homewards this quickly, the wind mostly behind me and the rain had stopped. A fairly steady trog back, a lot more puddles around than before though. About a mile from home my left foot and ankle really started to ache, just under the ankle bone. It really was painful, it felt like I had gone over on my left ankle but I haven't done that since February. I had to stop to cross a road so tightened up my shoe to see if it helped, seemed to but there was still an ache. I was going to be just under the 13 if I headed straight to my front door so I took the longer way into my street and ended up at 13.1.

Arriving home it was nice not to feel utterly dead, very cold but not as battered as last week. Straight into a hot shower then some food but not having to eat epic amounts like last week.

13.1 miles at 8.50, bit fast but I was really cold on the second half and needed to get warm. I am so glad I didn't have to do anything longer.

Last Very Long Run before the big day.

I just couldn't motivate myself to go out and run on Saturday, the weather was rubbish during the day. I got out on Sunday instead. I wasn't looking forward to the run at all until I started getting my kit ready and then I seemed to acquire some motivation from somewhere.


Plan was for 20 miles at 9:35 mm, a bit more distance if my legs were up to it. I planned a slightly different outward route this time, still flat and still tarmac but lovely lanes. I felt much better at the start than the last long one, running felt smooth and was holding it back a bit at the start but I have learned that this restraint really does pay off later.


As I knew where I was going for the first 7 miles or so it was pretty uninterrupted, in a world of my own really. At the first map check I had a gel, a couple cycled past with their kiddy on a bike seat on one of the bikes, with a potty strapped behind the seat. Okay, odd thing to see! Incidentally these are great lanes for cycling so will no doubt be getting the bike over this way soon.


My left leg was a little grumpy here, hamstring still stiff but some of the lanes were narrow and had pronounced camber at times and I figured this was contributing. Out to Much Hoole and another map check, I decided to head back up the A59 then through Walmer Bridge and out towards the Marshes again.


I knew where I was again so this was pretty uninterrupted running. I got to the marshes at about 12/13 miles, can't exactly remember. I had another gel here then carried on running, I didn't have any of the faff I did last time deciding which footpath to follow so I was soon back at the road and on my way to Longton.


I had been drinking a lot on this run, a lot more than last time even though it wasn't as hot a day. As I suffered after I ran out of water I headed into Booths to top up, get some jelly babies. A fair bit of faff getting the bladder topped up without spilling water anywhere, I put a handful of jb's in my pocket and set off again. Legs a little creaky at first but soon settled into the plod again. I started eating jb's and just kept on eating them, don't know if I was hungry or just glad of the distraction.


Out of Longton, under the A59 and noticed another bike with child seat and child heading other way, recognise my friend V and her little girl and stop for a chat. I don't think I've seen a bike helmet that small before! 15 miles in at this point and my legs are hurting, setting off again was hard, not too bad once I was going though.


Out of New Longton I kept plodding on, as starting running again seemed to hurt most I tried to keep moving all the time, which made crossing the roads a little interesting. Soon I was at Booths in Penwortham and 18 miles in. I could choose to take the cycle route home, 4 miles or a more direct route, closer to 2. I went for the four, don't know why but my legs started running that way before my brain had time to catch on I think.


It has a long gradual downhill which hurt quite a bit, my left knee in particular was getting very grumpy and my feet were hurting. My feet didn't hurt at all last time but I had more cushioned socks on. Plod, plod, plod.... I got to 21 miles and things were really painful. My left knee felt like it was on fire, though it wasn't ITB pain thankfully and I had a stitch. I had a good stretch then carried on but it wasn't really improving and my feet were sore. I also noticed that my gait was changing as my knee felt quite stiff. At 21.5 miles I had an attack of sensible and decided to stop, go straight home and not go for the other 0.5 mile.


I had been debating this for about a mile and a half but refused to stop but it was hurting and I don't want to injure myself this close. My No.1 goal for this marathon has always been to get to the start line uninjured. So, I walked the last 1/4 mile home, shaking and stretching my legs as I went.


Back home for recovery drink, a shower and compression tights. One of the problems I have after long runs is eating, I'm not sure if its a case of no appetite or just too knackered to contemplate sorting anything out but I'm sure the fact I didn't eat much after the last really long one contributed quite a bit to me coming down with a cold. This time I had left overs from last nights dinner waiting for me so I made myself eat it. It was like force feeding myself for the first few mouthfuls but after that I was shovelling it in. Then a small slice of cake, then a larger slice of cake, then a banana then Jez asked when I wanted dinner and I replied ASAP!


So a large portion of Gorgonzola risotto (yum), some ice cream and a glass of wine and I finally felt almost full. Hopefully this will help me recover better this time!


So 21.5 miles, 3:22 of running time, 9.26 average and a little faff. I'm not sure the last mile properly counts though.

Long Run - Ouch

The original plan for today was to go on a decent MTB ride over Hebden way. I put air in my forks, made arrangements.....We were out for a meal on Friday night and I drove because I was on call. It didn't dawn on me properly til 11:15 pm that being on call meant that heading off into the wilds of West Yorkshire was a complete no-no, I need to be able to log on to the systems within a maximum of an hour after being called - feck, I've not been on call for ages so I get out of the habit.

B*gger, phone calls made in the morning and apologies made. I decided to head out for a long run. Heading down to the bottom of Cuerden park was also out today so I basically ran along and near the Ribble so I could get back easily if called.

My legs felt tired to start but I wasn't too worried as I could take my time to get into it. I decided to run along the Ribble way (not the cycleway), which was a grassy path next to the river. Its fallen away in a few places and I decided that running really close to the edge was perhaps not sensible.

The Ribble was really low, lots of little beaches I hadn't seen last time I was along this way. I dropped down onto one and took a few pictures, then some more:

Which was nice but it was just over 3 miles in and I was already in faff mode. I head along a bit more looking at the view, a tractor came into the field and snapped my attention back just in time to stop me heading into some slurry. As the tractor went through it it disturbed it and the stench was minging. It was nicely added to by the fact the tractor was muck spreading, eww!

I joined up with the cycle path and headed back towards London Road. At just after 5 miles my legs decided to start hurting, this was going to be a hard run. It was my quads that were complaining, I can only think they were still sore after Thursdays effort.

I explored lots of little paths, ended up in the centre of Preston at one point, then various paths in Penwortham then back along the Ribble the way I came. It was an exercise in keeping going when all I wanted to do was stop, not particularly enjoyable but I kept telling myself this would be good preparation for the latter stages of the marathon. At the 14 mile point I really just wanted to walk but I made myself run, including turning away from home for a bit to make sure I covered 15 miles.

So just over 15 painful miles and surprisingly at 9.29 pace, same as last 15 miler. I put it down to the flatter run as it certainly felt slow. The jury is still out on the Wave Creation shoe, they are noticeably firmer than the Wave Rider and I'm not sure I entirely like them.

It is painful walking downstairs at the minute, last time my quads felt like that I was doing hills. I need to do some more hills to get some quad strength back. Think I could really have done with riding rather than running today. Easy day tomorrow now I think, pick up some shopping on the bike only.

Long Run

I had planned a 15 mile run today, which will be the longest run I've ever done, by a whisker (Garburn Trail was 14.8 or some such). I wore my new Wave Creations today, another pair of spangly white running shoes. The spangly white lasted all of 1.7 miles then I splashed through a big muddy puddle and covered them in crap, best to get them dirty quick!


My legs were noticeably fresher setting off this time, the first mile was too fast at 9:40 so I had to slow myself down. I decided to run the whole length of Cuerden Park and back today, the undulations and trails in there naturally slowed me down anyway. I had a bit of navigational snafu trying to get back into the park after it is split by the road (didn't want to do just an out an back) but I'd taken a map with me for this very reason and was soon heading in the right direction.


I got to the bottom of the park near Kem Mill then started heading back towards Lostock Hall again on the main cycle path. This half of the park is quite quiet really, I used to see deer boinging around in the adjacent fields quite regularly when I commuted though here of a morning. My right calf seemed very tight, I had to stretch it out quite a lot and it was beginning to worry me a little.


I crossed back over the road and into the other half of the park which as usual was a lot busier, car park crammed, dogs and kiddies everywhere. I spotted a footpath that seemed to head in the same direction as the main track so decided to have a bit of an explore. I did realise I was running alongside the wrong bank of the river and wondered how I was going to get across.


I came to the end of the footpath and there were some large stepping stones in the river. When I say in the river, one of them was completely submerged, the others were greasy. They looked like a dunking waiting to happen so I headed back the way I came (probably one for the summer I think). The path was quite grassy and muddy and all the slipping around settled my calf down for a while.


I dodged round various obstacles on the main track then climbed out of the park. I think I had done about 8 miles by then as I had another gel at the top, I was working on a gel every four miles as a strategy. I just had another 7 miles to go.


Out onto the tarmac again and my average speed started to pick up. I trundled along the same road as the last long run but I realised I wasn't going to need to go all the way to the bottom of the tramway. I did some more exploring of a couple of lanes around where we used to live. At the 13 miles mark my legs started to really hurt, which I was pleased about because they went at just over 10 miles last time.


The last couple of miles were a bit of a trudge, I dropped down to underneath the last section of the tramway and had to wait a little for a man and his dog to clear the gate so I could run the little rise back up onto the tramway track then home. My legs took some serious persuasion to get going again, it was only a small incline though it might as well have been Ben Nevis as far as my legs were concerned. I only had less than a mile to do so there was no way they were stopping now.

Back on flattish ground they trundled along ok.

15.02 miles at 9:29mm average, which is a little too fast actually, thought I was getting the hang of pacing.

Marathon Training Plan

I have been looking at my training for the next few months (still need to get into the detail). I have decided to base my mara training on the First program which calls for three runs a week only and cross training to prepare for the marathon. Traditional marathon programs seems to call for about 5 days of running minimum which is not for me, I want to start and finish the marathon as my primary goal not break any records.

I also know that I am an injury magnet and 4 runs a week tends to be my limit. I'm in love with my bikes again and want to ride them. I want to do some offroad running in there too, miles of tarmac will utterly bore me (exactly why am I doing a road marathon again ????????????). Basically its based on the First program but not slavishly following it.

The program gives pace zones based on my best 10K time which is about 8:20 mm. So intervals are around 7:35 - 7:40 mm (ouch but doable for short distances), tempo runs are 8:30 - 8:50 and long runs are 9:20 - 10 mm. I had settled on doing my long runs around 9:20 - 9:30 pace anyway as it feels like I could keep it going for a long time.

The plan consists of 1 Long run, 1 interval session and 1 tempo run a week. It is the tempo run that most worries me as it calls for anything up to 8 miles at that pace. I may find its these runs that get slowed down, I seem to cope with intervals ok but long fast (for me) runs wear me out. It also has a stepback week every 5 weeks, I'm going to change that to 4 weeks initally to fit in with the XC races. I have used a 4 weekly step back in the past and it has worked for me.

I want to fit in riding to work, general bike bimbling about and some mountain biking as well around that but it will all depend on how the runs go and it may just be lots of easy paced riding (no bad thing).

I was chatting to some marathon veterans over Christmas about my training, they didn't seem alarmed that I wanted to subsitute some runs for cycling as they know they will be proper rides however they told me that the long runs were what mattered above all, if I replaced some of the speedwork with steady paced runs it probably wouldn't make that much difference.

Short, fast races are probably best avoided apparently, in fact it was suggested I don't race much at all but I'll get bored so my race program is:

The three remaining XC races (one a month, step back week)
The GNW Half in Feb(first real target)
The Hawkshead Trail in April (for fun)

I may do the Blackburn Winter Warmer 10K as it was hilly and a good course but I'll see how training goes. I may need to find a longer race to aim for between the GNW half and the mara, I like intermediate targets.

What a ramble, will flesh out the details in the next week or so.