In 2014 I experimented with overhauling my diet in the hope that it might have a positive effect on my diet. It did. And so much more besides. You can read about it here and listen to my experiences on the Paleo Runner podcast here.
Inspired by the aforementioned podcast, as well listening to Tom Williams experiences on Marathontalk, I have decided to see if running less will make me a better runner. It sounds counter-intuitive but after reading several blogs and listening to dozens of podcasts, it is clear to me that there are people pulling off some epic feats of endurance on very little mileage. This includes some impressive marathon times and going really long at ultramarathon events.
I should be clear that I won't just be substituting running with more time on the sofa. Rather, I want to see if combining running with other forms of cross-training will have a positive effect on my race times. So, as part of Jantastic I have set my run target to just 4 runs per week, plus 1 swim session per week. I have also been doing 1 - 2 crossfit sessions per week (but these are not counted as part of Jantastic) and plan to get out on my bike regularly once the weather improves.
As any experienced runner will know, running is very good at identifying weaknesses in your body and whilst I have been fairly injury-free over the 7 years I have been running, I am aware of the need to remain strong in order to stay injury free. I am also toying with the idea of doing a triathlon later in the year, so hope this more balanced approach will help me in preparing for this.
I have some 10k's and half marathons planned for March - April time, so check back later in the year to see if this approach is having a positive effect on my times.
I am also interested to hear about your experiences and if running less, combined with cross-training has had a positive effect on your running. If so, which exercises and sports do you find more beneficial?
Showing posts with label Marathon Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marathon Training. Show all posts
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Friday, 10 October 2014
Chester Marathon 2014 & how I managed to go sub 3:30
Last Sunday I ran in the 2014 Chester Marathon. Having failed to go sub 3:30 at Milton Keynes (weather and lack of training) and Berlin (packed field in the early part of the race) in 2013, I was determined to hit my goal at the third time of asking.
I had heard good things about Chester and it did not disappoint. The organisation was excellent, there was plenty of space at the start / finish area of Chester Racecourse. The course was not flat but not hilly by any means. There was plenty of support as you passed through the various villages on the route and the crowds in the last couple of miles provided us with a real boost. I can see why it has been voted the UK's favourite marathon by Runners World readers. The conditions on the day were nigh on perfect and I was feeling confident at the start.
My training for Berlin last year had gone well and I believe that if it were not for the aforementioned crowded field, I would have gone under 3:30 there. I chose to go with the same 3:30 marathon training plan which is created by an American trainer by the name of Jeff Gaudette and is free on the Runkeeper app.
My training on the whole went well. I had a much better base of fitness than prior to my training for Berlin and save for missing the odd session (largely down to holidays), it went without a hitch. Due to the High Peak 40, which was 2 weeks before Chester, my last long run (22 miles @ marathon pace) was 4 weeks before race day. Ideally this session would have been run 3 weeks out but otherwise I don't think I would have changed much.
The main difference between my training and racing at Berlin and my training and racing at Chester was my nutrition. I had felt for a long time that nutrition was one of my weaker areas and somewhere I could target for performance gains. Back in April, I started eating a 'paleo style' diet. My motivation for this was that I had heard about people running relatively fast marathon times and doing so without the need for traditional fuel, both prior to and during the race. This was something that appealed to me and so I set about a radical overhaul to my diet. More on which to can read about here.
I believe that the changes I made to my diet back in April and the adaptations that have occurred within my body over the last 6 months are the key difference in me achieving a sub 3:30 marathon at the third time of asking. On my way to Chester, I have lost over a stone in weight and am keeping it off, despite having relaxed my diet a bit recently, I scored big PB's for the 5k and 10k on the way to a 6 minute PB in the marathon at Chester. I am also able to run for 3+ hours without the need for energy gels/drinks etc.
At the High Peak 40 I ran for 8 hours and burned over 5000 calories. Yet I only had a smoothie for breakfast and consumed less than 600 calories on the run. At Chester, I ran in a fasted state, having only had a coffee and cream for breakfast. On the run, I only consumed water until mile 25. Having run up the final hill (and admittedly feeling pretty spent), I grabbed a gel from a marshal. I am sure the benefit of that gel was purely psychological as I doubt it would have been digested by the time I finished the race.
When I began this journey back in April I had hit a plateau and I knew I had to change something in order to kick on. I had no idea whether 'going paleo' was going to work for me, let alone effect my performance in a positive way. 6 months down the line, I am really pleased to be able to say that it has done both. Day-to-day I feel much better, with more energy and no sugar crashes. My performances this year speak for themselves. I have arguably done slightly less training, yet because I have been able to shed a bit of weight, I have been quicker. Plus it has saved me a fortune in pre-race, race and post-race nutrition!
I would love to hear from others that have gone through similar changes to their diet and am more than happy to answer any questions from anyone who is considering switching to a paleo or low carb / high fat diet.
I had heard good things about Chester and it did not disappoint. The organisation was excellent, there was plenty of space at the start / finish area of Chester Racecourse. The course was not flat but not hilly by any means. There was plenty of support as you passed through the various villages on the route and the crowds in the last couple of miles provided us with a real boost. I can see why it has been voted the UK's favourite marathon by Runners World readers. The conditions on the day were nigh on perfect and I was feeling confident at the start.
My training for Berlin last year had gone well and I believe that if it were not for the aforementioned crowded field, I would have gone under 3:30 there. I chose to go with the same 3:30 marathon training plan which is created by an American trainer by the name of Jeff Gaudette and is free on the Runkeeper app.
My training on the whole went well. I had a much better base of fitness than prior to my training for Berlin and save for missing the odd session (largely down to holidays), it went without a hitch. Due to the High Peak 40, which was 2 weeks before Chester, my last long run (22 miles @ marathon pace) was 4 weeks before race day. Ideally this session would have been run 3 weeks out but otherwise I don't think I would have changed much.
The main difference between my training and racing at Berlin and my training and racing at Chester was my nutrition. I had felt for a long time that nutrition was one of my weaker areas and somewhere I could target for performance gains. Back in April, I started eating a 'paleo style' diet. My motivation for this was that I had heard about people running relatively fast marathon times and doing so without the need for traditional fuel, both prior to and during the race. This was something that appealed to me and so I set about a radical overhaul to my diet. More on which to can read about here.
I believe that the changes I made to my diet back in April and the adaptations that have occurred within my body over the last 6 months are the key difference in me achieving a sub 3:30 marathon at the third time of asking. On my way to Chester, I have lost over a stone in weight and am keeping it off, despite having relaxed my diet a bit recently, I scored big PB's for the 5k and 10k on the way to a 6 minute PB in the marathon at Chester. I am also able to run for 3+ hours without the need for energy gels/drinks etc.
At the High Peak 40 I ran for 8 hours and burned over 5000 calories. Yet I only had a smoothie for breakfast and consumed less than 600 calories on the run. At Chester, I ran in a fasted state, having only had a coffee and cream for breakfast. On the run, I only consumed water until mile 25. Having run up the final hill (and admittedly feeling pretty spent), I grabbed a gel from a marshal. I am sure the benefit of that gel was purely psychological as I doubt it would have been digested by the time I finished the race.
When I began this journey back in April I had hit a plateau and I knew I had to change something in order to kick on. I had no idea whether 'going paleo' was going to work for me, let alone effect my performance in a positive way. 6 months down the line, I am really pleased to be able to say that it has done both. Day-to-day I feel much better, with more energy and no sugar crashes. My performances this year speak for themselves. I have arguably done slightly less training, yet because I have been able to shed a bit of weight, I have been quicker. Plus it has saved me a fortune in pre-race, race and post-race nutrition!
I would love to hear from others that have gone through similar changes to their diet and am more than happy to answer any questions from anyone who is considering switching to a paleo or low carb / high fat diet.
Thursday, 11 September 2014
I am now a fat burning beast!
Back in April of this year, I made a change to my diet and started eating a paleo / or primal style diet. If you missed my original post about what that entails, you can read it here.
Part of my motivation for overhauling my diet was because I believed it would improve my running performance and allow me to use primarily stored body fat, rather than sugar as fuel. I wrote about my quest to become a fat burning beast back in May. You can read the post here.
I have to admit, despite what I had read and heard about going paleo and what it might be able to do for my running, I had my doubts. Having been a sugar burner all my life, I didn't see how it would be possible to run for 3 hours plus, in a fasted state and not chugging down loads of gels and energy drinks before, during and after the run.
But on Sunday, that's exactly what I did. As part of my training for the Chester Marathon, I ran 22 miles at an average of 7:59 minute miles. That's just under 3 hours of running. What did I fuel myself on? Well, I got up, had a coffee with cream and that's it. On the run, I consumed 750ml of water and nothing else. The statto's can see my Strava activity here.
I'm not going to say it was easy. After all, I was running at PB pace. But I felt stronger as the run went on. I never had any sugar crashes or came close to hitting the wall. Not only that but I recovered really quickly after the run. I didn't get back and feel like I had to eat all of the food in the house and was still able to commit to the list of chores Mrs M had lined up for me!
Without even training for speed, I have PB'd in the 5k and 10k since going paleo. Losing a stone in weight will do that for you. Plus, I am saving a fortune in 'nutritional products' as I am not having to buy gels, energy drinks and recovery shakes.
Obviously the big test will be Chester. Not forgetting the small matter of the High Peak 40 ultra marathon a few weeks beforehand but after eating paleo for 5 months, I do now feel like I can call myself a fat burning beast!
Part of my motivation for overhauling my diet was because I believed it would improve my running performance and allow me to use primarily stored body fat, rather than sugar as fuel. I wrote about my quest to become a fat burning beast back in May. You can read the post here.
I have to admit, despite what I had read and heard about going paleo and what it might be able to do for my running, I had my doubts. Having been a sugar burner all my life, I didn't see how it would be possible to run for 3 hours plus, in a fasted state and not chugging down loads of gels and energy drinks before, during and after the run.
But on Sunday, that's exactly what I did. As part of my training for the Chester Marathon, I ran 22 miles at an average of 7:59 minute miles. That's just under 3 hours of running. What did I fuel myself on? Well, I got up, had a coffee with cream and that's it. On the run, I consumed 750ml of water and nothing else. The statto's can see my Strava activity here.
I'm not going to say it was easy. After all, I was running at PB pace. But I felt stronger as the run went on. I never had any sugar crashes or came close to hitting the wall. Not only that but I recovered really quickly after the run. I didn't get back and feel like I had to eat all of the food in the house and was still able to commit to the list of chores Mrs M had lined up for me!
Without even training for speed, I have PB'd in the 5k and 10k since going paleo. Losing a stone in weight will do that for you. Plus, I am saving a fortune in 'nutritional products' as I am not having to buy gels, energy drinks and recovery shakes.
Obviously the big test will be Chester. Not forgetting the small matter of the High Peak 40 ultra marathon a few weeks beforehand but after eating paleo for 5 months, I do now feel like I can call myself a fat burning beast!
Monday, 4 August 2014
A quick update on how eating paleo is affecting my running
21 miles, 3 hours 50 mins, 2,439 foot of ascent and 2,726 calories burned. Fuelled by a couple of handfuls of nuts and seeds and 4 dates.
On Sunday I ran the second half of the High Peak 40 route with Mike, Al and David. The plan was to have some fun in the Peak District and recce the second half of the route. Having switched to eating paleo in April, it was also going to be my longest run on this diet and the first real test of how this change of nutrition would affect me on a longer run.
Before I get into that though, I want to thank Mike for organising the run and navigating the route, Al for giving me a lift and David for picking up the navigation when Mikes recollection of the route let him down! As always it was great to run with them and a beautiful day in the Peak District.
Overall, I have been sticking quite closely to the paleo style of eating. I relaxed this whilst I was on holiday, allowing myself more alcohol, desserts and ice cream! That little diversion aside, I am really enjoying what I am eating and don't really see myself changing from this lifestyle.
When I woke on Sunday, I didn't feel hungry but conscious of the day ahead, I thought I better eat something. My breakfast consisted of home made nut muesli with a couple of blueberries and some almond milk. I also had a Nespresso coffee with full fat cream. This would have been about 7:45am. We started running at about 11am and my plan was to just eat when I became hungry. I didn't actually need to eat anything until 2 hours 20 mins into the run, even then I wasn't that hungry or facing any sort of crash. I just had a handful of nuts and seeds.
Over the next hour and a half, I consumed another couple of handfuls of nuts and ate 4 dates. At the end of the race, I drank a home made smoothie consisting of frozen berries, almond milk, Greek yoghurt, peanut butter and honey, and ate a Trek bar. This would have been about 3pm.
We travelled home and I didn't eat anything until about 7:30pm when I had a normal sized meal of home made beef burgers, basmati rice and a salad. About an hour later I had a coffee with cream.
Yesterday was an amazing day of running with great people in a beautiful setting but it also served as a really good experiment and test of how my long run / race nutrition is adapting to the paleo diet. I have to say, I was really pleased with how it went. I never felt like I was going to bonk and whilst I wouldn't say that I had endless energy, I was really pleased with how my body responded both during and after the race. I would usually want to eat all of the food in the house on returning from a 20 mile run!
I am hoping that as a I train for Chester, I will be able to encourage my body to become more fat adapted. Watch this space!
On Sunday I ran the second half of the High Peak 40 route with Mike, Al and David. The plan was to have some fun in the Peak District and recce the second half of the route. Having switched to eating paleo in April, it was also going to be my longest run on this diet and the first real test of how this change of nutrition would affect me on a longer run.
Before I get into that though, I want to thank Mike for organising the run and navigating the route, Al for giving me a lift and David for picking up the navigation when Mikes recollection of the route let him down! As always it was great to run with them and a beautiful day in the Peak District.
.JPG) |
| A great group to share an excellent day of running with |
Overall, I have been sticking quite closely to the paleo style of eating. I relaxed this whilst I was on holiday, allowing myself more alcohol, desserts and ice cream! That little diversion aside, I am really enjoying what I am eating and don't really see myself changing from this lifestyle.
When I woke on Sunday, I didn't feel hungry but conscious of the day ahead, I thought I better eat something. My breakfast consisted of home made nut muesli with a couple of blueberries and some almond milk. I also had a Nespresso coffee with full fat cream. This would have been about 7:45am. We started running at about 11am and my plan was to just eat when I became hungry. I didn't actually need to eat anything until 2 hours 20 mins into the run, even then I wasn't that hungry or facing any sort of crash. I just had a handful of nuts and seeds.
.JPG) |
| Plenty of natural obstacles to negotiate! |
Over the next hour and a half, I consumed another couple of handfuls of nuts and ate 4 dates. At the end of the race, I drank a home made smoothie consisting of frozen berries, almond milk, Greek yoghurt, peanut butter and honey, and ate a Trek bar. This would have been about 3pm.
We travelled home and I didn't eat anything until about 7:30pm when I had a normal sized meal of home made beef burgers, basmati rice and a salad. About an hour later I had a coffee with cream.
Yesterday was an amazing day of running with great people in a beautiful setting but it also served as a really good experiment and test of how my long run / race nutrition is adapting to the paleo diet. I have to say, I was really pleased with how it went. I never felt like I was going to bonk and whilst I wouldn't say that I had endless energy, I was really pleased with how my body responded both during and after the race. I would usually want to eat all of the food in the house on returning from a 20 mile run!
.JPG) |
| Some of the beautiful Peak District scenery |
I am hoping that as a I train for Chester, I will be able to encourage my body to become more fat adapted. Watch this space!
Wednesday, 30 July 2014
The importance of a quality running sock
Being a seasoned runner I've come to take for granted how important it is to choose a good sock for running. I was reminded of this recently when my sister took up running. She is completely new to the sport and has been running a 2 mile loop from her house. She dropped me a line the other day complaining of blisters. I said that I've run 50k's and not suffered with blisters and told her to invest in some good quality running socks.
A good running sock is important because it is the only thing that puts you in touch with your running shoe and, ultimately, the ground. If you are running a lot of miles (or even if you are not, in the case of my sister), it is vital that you find a sock that fits well, offers you some extra cushioning and vitally, assists with wicking sweat away from your feet.
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I was recently lucky enough to be sent a couple of pairs of running socks by the guys at the Sock Mine. You can check them out here. They sent me one pair of their cool runner socks and one pair of their cool runner anklet. I really like the fit of these socks and they provide support and extra cushioning where you need it (see picture below).
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What has impressed me most though about the socks from Sock Mine is their quality. Some running socks will lose their shape or their cushioning after a few wash / wear cycles but these feel as good after several runs and washes as they did when they were brand new.
So, if you are new to running, invest in some good quality running socks. For a small investment you will find your runs will become far more comfortable. After all, as runners, it is important we look after our feet. We may be asking them to run a lot of miles!
You can follow the Sock Mine on Twitter: @TheSockMine
Happy feet = happy running!
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
A quick update on my quest to become a fat burning beast!
So, I have been eating a paleo / primal diet for just over 2 months now.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I have found the transition to a low carb diet really easy and I am someone who has always eaten a lot of carbs and sugary snacks.
Mark Sisson says that a good way to test if you have become a fat burner (also known as fat adapted), it whether you can skip a meal without feeling feint, ratty or any other symptoms you would usually associate with missing a meal. Previously, I would have struggled going even a few hours without a meal or a snack and my wife could always tell when I was heading for a sugar low because I would become really short and snappy! I am now at a point where I can comfortably go for 6 hours without feeling the need to eat. Often, that window will have included some exercise.
When I adopted this way of living I felt that the challenge was always going to come when I wanted to teach my body to burn fat (rather than carbs / sugar) during my long runs. I feel I am well on my way to becoming fat adapted and I have been able to run for over an hour and a half without any fuel (and even in a fasted state). This is running at my sub-aerobic threshold of less than 135 BPM (or 75% of my max heat rate). The trouble is, currently this equates to roughly 9:30 minute miles. My target mile pace for Chester Marathon is 8:00 minutes per mile. As you can see, I have some work to do in order to be at 75% of my max HR whilst running at 8:00 minute pace!
Having run an easy 10k on Saturday, I tried for a fasted 9 mile effort at marathon pace on Sunday. I don't mind admitting that I found this harder than expected and simply wasn't able to hold the pace in the final few miles. It is all well and good being able to go for 6 hours without needing to eat but I need to ensure that I have enough fuel for my runs, so this was a good lesson in this regard.
I have faith in my training plan (which starts on 17th June). I used the same plan for Berlin last year and I remember how my fitness improved on those longer, marathon paced efforts. Of course, I was a sugar burner last year, so it will be interesting to see how my body copes with those longer training runs this time around. Watch this space!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I have found the transition to a low carb diet really easy and I am someone who has always eaten a lot of carbs and sugary snacks.
Mark Sisson says that a good way to test if you have become a fat burner (also known as fat adapted), it whether you can skip a meal without feeling feint, ratty or any other symptoms you would usually associate with missing a meal. Previously, I would have struggled going even a few hours without a meal or a snack and my wife could always tell when I was heading for a sugar low because I would become really short and snappy! I am now at a point where I can comfortably go for 6 hours without feeling the need to eat. Often, that window will have included some exercise.
When I adopted this way of living I felt that the challenge was always going to come when I wanted to teach my body to burn fat (rather than carbs / sugar) during my long runs. I feel I am well on my way to becoming fat adapted and I have been able to run for over an hour and a half without any fuel (and even in a fasted state). This is running at my sub-aerobic threshold of less than 135 BPM (or 75% of my max heat rate). The trouble is, currently this equates to roughly 9:30 minute miles. My target mile pace for Chester Marathon is 8:00 minutes per mile. As you can see, I have some work to do in order to be at 75% of my max HR whilst running at 8:00 minute pace!
Having run an easy 10k on Saturday, I tried for a fasted 9 mile effort at marathon pace on Sunday. I don't mind admitting that I found this harder than expected and simply wasn't able to hold the pace in the final few miles. It is all well and good being able to go for 6 hours without needing to eat but I need to ensure that I have enough fuel for my runs, so this was a good lesson in this regard.
I have faith in my training plan (which starts on 17th June). I used the same plan for Berlin last year and I remember how my fitness improved on those longer, marathon paced efforts. Of course, I was a sugar burner last year, so it will be interesting to see how my body copes with those longer training runs this time around. Watch this space!
Friday, 30 May 2014
Getting started on the Paleo Diet
As someone who is new to this lifestyle and way of eating, I thought it might be useful to tell you about some of the resources I have found useful.
In my last blog on going paleo and becoming fat adapted, I referenced Mark Sission's Daily Apple website. I strongly recommend signing up to his free newsletter as the information provided will give you a basic understanding and blueprint for going primal.
The other resource I have found really useful are the Run Paleo podcasts, hosted by Aaron Olsen. I have been listening to these from the very beginning and have learned a huge amount about nutrition and the paleo lifestyle. He has some excellent guests that provide a broad range of ideas, theories and information from you to draw on.
I also follow Professor Tim Noakes on Twitter. He regularly posts interesting (and some might say, slightly controversial) articles. He is well worth a follow.
Finally, I have been using the Paleo Primer cookbook for the majority of my meal ideas. The book provides you with an easy to understand introduction to going primal, the basic framework and the theory behind it. Most importantly, the book contains 100's of fantastic recipe's, many of which can be prepared and cooked in less than 20 - 30 mins. This is essential for me because if an evening meal (or breakfast) is going to take hours to prepare and cook, then its just not going to be practical for me and I am unlikely to be able to stick to it. The book was originally released as 'Fitter Food - A lifelong recipe for Health and Fat Loss', before being rebranded as the 'Paleo Primer', I think largely to target an American Audience.
In my last blog on going paleo and becoming fat adapted, I referenced Mark Sission's Daily Apple website. I strongly recommend signing up to his free newsletter as the information provided will give you a basic understanding and blueprint for going primal.
The other resource I have found really useful are the Run Paleo podcasts, hosted by Aaron Olsen. I have been listening to these from the very beginning and have learned a huge amount about nutrition and the paleo lifestyle. He has some excellent guests that provide a broad range of ideas, theories and information from you to draw on.
I also follow Professor Tim Noakes on Twitter. He regularly posts interesting (and some might say, slightly controversial) articles. He is well worth a follow.
Finally, I have been using the Paleo Primer cookbook for the majority of my meal ideas. The book provides you with an easy to understand introduction to going primal, the basic framework and the theory behind it. Most importantly, the book contains 100's of fantastic recipe's, many of which can be prepared and cooked in less than 20 - 30 mins. This is essential for me because if an evening meal (or breakfast) is going to take hours to prepare and cook, then its just not going to be practical for me and I am unlikely to be able to stick to it. The book was originally released as 'Fitter Food - A lifelong recipe for Health and Fat Loss', before being rebranded as the 'Paleo Primer', I think largely to target an American Audience.
The team behind the book are called Fitter London. You can visit their website, which has some great recipes and to find out more about the book here.
Anyway, these are the main resources I have found helpful in adopting a paleo / primal way of eating and hopefully they can help you to. Of course, you are welcome to drop me a line on the blog if you have any queries.
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
My quest to become a 'fat adapted' runner
Disclaimer: The following is purely a personal account of my experience of trying to become fat adapted. Please do not take any of the following as nutritional or exercise recommendations.
I have been aware of the paleo or primal diet for some time now. I didn't give it much attention as I believed that, as an endurance athlete (in the loosest sense of the term!), I required a lot of carbs to fuel my training and races. This is a common understanding/misconception. I didn't really see any reason to change and, let's face it, I like cake!
The thing that really changed my thinking on this was an interview with nutritionist Barry Murray on the Marathon Talk podcast. During the interview Barry speaks about the benefits of eating a higher fat / low carbohydrate diet and, in particular, how this way of eating can be beneficial to an endurance athlete. I won't go into the science of it here but if you are interested in the concept of the paleo way of eating and, in particular, how you can become 'fat adapted', I recommend having a listen to the podcast here.
This interview with Barry and also Tom's (one of the Marathon Talk presenters) account of his experience of becoming fat adapted and his subsequent performance at the Manchester Marathon was a complete revelation to me. The timing of this information coincided with my wife (who is not a runner) wanting to lose some weight. We both thought that 'eating paleo' seemed to make a lot of sense, if only for cutting out the processed foods and the amount of sugar we were eating. So, in early April 2014 we started eating paleo. I don't plan to go into what that involves here as there are people that are far more knowledgeable and better able to educate you on the subject. I would recommend visiting the superb Mark's Daily Apple by Mark Sisson as a great resource for everything paleo / primal.
I didn't make these changes to my diet as a means of losing weight (although I was probably a few pounds over what I believed to be a 'good weight' for me). At the beginning of April, I was pretty much bang on 11 stone and my body fat percentage was around 16%, so not exactly heavy for someone of 5' 10" and 39 years old. What appealed to me, was adopting a way of eating that would have long term health benefits and at the same time, allow my body to become more efficient at burning fat as a primary source of fuel during marathon and ultra marathon races.
Inside of 4 weeks my wife and I noticed an increase in energy levels and felt much better generally. I lost about 6 lbs, my wife (who is sedentary) almost a stone. The other thing to remark on was that I was (and still am) really enjoying what I am eating. The food is really tasty and satisfying. I have had a few 'treats' since and haven't stuck too rigidly to the paleo way of eating if I am at a function or having a meal out. I guess I am eating paleo on a 80/20 basis. Interestingly, things like a take-away curry or a chocolate dessert that I used to covert as a treat, really don't hold the same appeal to me anymore and I am someone who has always had a really sweet tooth! As such, I really don't miss the things that I thought I would struggle to give up.
In the last week or so, I have noticed that I am becoming more 'fat adapted'. I am no longer ravenous when I wake up and I am able to go 6 hours quite comfortably without eating. At the weekend, I only had 2 meals each day and I ran 8 miles each day (one run in a fasted state) and played golf once. My total weight loss, since starting in April is 10lbs (current weight: 10 stone 4 lbs) and my body fat is down to 13/14%. I am eating more fat and losing fat /weight. I wouldn't have believed it possible 2 months ago!
Now, I am not in training for any marathon's at present, although I did run the Dukeries Ultra recently. I wasn't sure about my level of fat adaptation at that stage and didn't feel confident enough to completely go low carb/no carb during the race, instead opting for a more 'natural carb' approach to my nutrition. You can read about my experience here.
I will begin training for the Chester Marathon in June. I am hoping by that stage, I will be more fat adapted and better able to tackle the longer training runs on less carbs. Watch this space to find out how I fair in my mission to become a fat burning machine!
I have been aware of the paleo or primal diet for some time now. I didn't give it much attention as I believed that, as an endurance athlete (in the loosest sense of the term!), I required a lot of carbs to fuel my training and races. This is a common understanding/misconception. I didn't really see any reason to change and, let's face it, I like cake!
The thing that really changed my thinking on this was an interview with nutritionist Barry Murray on the Marathon Talk podcast. During the interview Barry speaks about the benefits of eating a higher fat / low carbohydrate diet and, in particular, how this way of eating can be beneficial to an endurance athlete. I won't go into the science of it here but if you are interested in the concept of the paleo way of eating and, in particular, how you can become 'fat adapted', I recommend having a listen to the podcast here.
This interview with Barry and also Tom's (one of the Marathon Talk presenters) account of his experience of becoming fat adapted and his subsequent performance at the Manchester Marathon was a complete revelation to me. The timing of this information coincided with my wife (who is not a runner) wanting to lose some weight. We both thought that 'eating paleo' seemed to make a lot of sense, if only for cutting out the processed foods and the amount of sugar we were eating. So, in early April 2014 we started eating paleo. I don't plan to go into what that involves here as there are people that are far more knowledgeable and better able to educate you on the subject. I would recommend visiting the superb Mark's Daily Apple by Mark Sisson as a great resource for everything paleo / primal.
I didn't make these changes to my diet as a means of losing weight (although I was probably a few pounds over what I believed to be a 'good weight' for me). At the beginning of April, I was pretty much bang on 11 stone and my body fat percentage was around 16%, so not exactly heavy for someone of 5' 10" and 39 years old. What appealed to me, was adopting a way of eating that would have long term health benefits and at the same time, allow my body to become more efficient at burning fat as a primary source of fuel during marathon and ultra marathon races.
Inside of 4 weeks my wife and I noticed an increase in energy levels and felt much better generally. I lost about 6 lbs, my wife (who is sedentary) almost a stone. The other thing to remark on was that I was (and still am) really enjoying what I am eating. The food is really tasty and satisfying. I have had a few 'treats' since and haven't stuck too rigidly to the paleo way of eating if I am at a function or having a meal out. I guess I am eating paleo on a 80/20 basis. Interestingly, things like a take-away curry or a chocolate dessert that I used to covert as a treat, really don't hold the same appeal to me anymore and I am someone who has always had a really sweet tooth! As such, I really don't miss the things that I thought I would struggle to give up.
In the last week or so, I have noticed that I am becoming more 'fat adapted'. I am no longer ravenous when I wake up and I am able to go 6 hours quite comfortably without eating. At the weekend, I only had 2 meals each day and I ran 8 miles each day (one run in a fasted state) and played golf once. My total weight loss, since starting in April is 10lbs (current weight: 10 stone 4 lbs) and my body fat is down to 13/14%. I am eating more fat and losing fat /weight. I wouldn't have believed it possible 2 months ago!
Now, I am not in training for any marathon's at present, although I did run the Dukeries Ultra recently. I wasn't sure about my level of fat adaptation at that stage and didn't feel confident enough to completely go low carb/no carb during the race, instead opting for a more 'natural carb' approach to my nutrition. You can read about my experience here.
I will begin training for the Chester Marathon in June. I am hoping by that stage, I will be more fat adapted and better able to tackle the longer training runs on less carbs. Watch this space to find out how I fair in my mission to become a fat burning machine!
Thursday, 29 August 2013
Review: BEET IT Sport shots
A few weeks ago Sport Pursuit were good enough to send be a couple of shots of BEET IT Sport. I had already heard about this product and the potential benefits of taking beetroot juice as a supplement for people participating in sports and had seen runners and sports teams promoting the benefits of this natural supplement. Now, I enjoy beetroot on salads but I was a bit sceptical about whether I could stomach it as a drink!
As I am currently training for the Berlin Marathon, I have been increasing my weekly mileage and a lot of my mid-week runs (which I tend to run before work) have been in excess of 10 miles. When you are pushed for time in the morning, it does present you with a bit of a challenge in terms of ensuring your nutrition is right and you have enough energy for a longer session. I wouldn't usually eat anything prior to an early morning run, sometimes opting for a banana if I feel in need of a bit of energy or have a longer session to run.
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I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the BEET IT Sport shots. The smell was sweet and the taste was better than I expected, no doubt in part to the natural lemon juice. The consistency was slightly thicker than I expected but nowhere near as thick as say a protein shake. The fact they come in 7cl shots means you can down them in one or two gulps even if you don't think you'll enjoy the taste! I can't comment as to the scientific benefits of beetroot juice but I have read enough to know that the high nitrate content in beetroot is good for you and I did feel good on those longer early morning sessions when I'd had a shot of BEET IT Sport.
If you would like to find out more about BEET IT Sport. You can read about it here: http://www.beet-it.com/sport/
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| Maybe you should just BEET IT?! |
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the BEET IT Sport shots. The smell was sweet and the taste was better than I expected, no doubt in part to the natural lemon juice. The consistency was slightly thicker than I expected but nowhere near as thick as say a protein shake. The fact they come in 7cl shots means you can down them in one or two gulps even if you don't think you'll enjoy the taste! I can't comment as to the scientific benefits of beetroot juice but I have read enough to know that the high nitrate content in beetroot is good for you and I did feel good on those longer early morning sessions when I'd had a shot of BEET IT Sport.
If you would like to find out more about BEET IT Sport. You can read about it here: http://www.beet-it.com/sport/
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Stepping outside my comfort zone.....
....a review of my Berlin Marathon training, so far.
Following the disappointment at the Milton Keynes Marathon in May I concluded that, among other things, I needed to step outside my comfort zone. MK was my 4th marathon and although I had improved over those 4 marathons, it was clear that I had reached a plateau and needed to alter my approach if I was going to achieve my goal of running sub 3:30 at Berlin.
I first looked at the Daniels running formula after a recommendation from Twitter pal Dave (@dav3c) but I found the workouts too complex and also didn't feel it would offer me enough recovery time. In the end, I settled on the sub 3:30 marathon plan on the Runkeeper app, which is devised by a trainer called Jeff Gaudette. It looked to have the right combination of intervals, tempo and marathon paced running and uses a run on Saturday to tire your legs out for the Sunday run (sounds great, eh?!). The theory being, that you don't have to run quite so far on your Sunday long runs. Including a 2 week taper, the training plan would be a total of 16 weeks.
The first couple of weeks were fairly comfortable with midweek runs of 4 or 5 miles and the longest run being 10 miles. I then had 2 weeks in the US, ate a lot, drank a fair bit and only ran twice. The net outcome being I had a fantastic holiday but put on the best part of half a stone!
The combination of over indulgence and missing the progression of those 2 weeks of training meant that on return from my holiday, I was really struggling with the training plan. By now some of the midweek runs were close to 10 miles and aside from one slower run per week, every session was at, or faster than marathon pace. The long runs had crept up to 13 or 14 miles and these were run at MP with a 3 or 4 mile section at the end that is run at slightly faster than MP (circa 7:45m/m). I'd been used to doing most of my long runs (and some of my midweek runs) much slower than this. It was fair to say that this training plan was taking me out of my comfort zone. In fact, it was kicking my ass!
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......and one of the reasons I put on so much weight
in the US!
I took some encouragement that although I was finding it hard, I was managing to stick with the planned sessions*. I was really pleased when Nick (@nick_runs) suggested we run together for our planned Sunday run of 14 miles (@8:00m/m). He ran strongly and was clearly in better shape than me and on nearing home at about 12.5 miles, he encouraged me to push on for the full 14 miles, when I probably would have wimped out had I been on my own!
During this period of training I have also run 2 races. The Notts 5 mile Road Race (36:39) and the Jagermeister 10k this past Friday, which is a hilly race (44:40). The 5 miler was a bit of a social tempo run with Mike (@mikew30) and his son James but the Jagermeister in particular was good for sharpness.
On Sunday I completed 4 really solid weeks of training (week 9 of 16), with a 16 miler at MP. Although it was tough, I started to feel that I was running into some form and that the benefit of that 4 week training block was finally paying off. Don't get me wrong, the sessions are still really tough but I feel like I am getting some fitness back. I never felt like this at any point during my MK Marathon training, so I hope it is a good sign.
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Summer running through the woods & trails
Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I have got a week in Spain coming up in a week or so. I am determined to take my diet a bit more seriously in the hope that I can keep my weight down and although I won't be sticking to my training plan (it's too hilly where we are going) I do plan to run every other day (as a minimum), and swim lots.
I am particularly keen to hear from other runners training for the Berlin Marathon and those that have any tips for balancing holidays with training.
(*I did have to have a little lay down at about 11 miles on my first post-holiday long run!)
Following the disappointment at the Milton Keynes Marathon in May I concluded that, among other things, I needed to step outside my comfort zone. MK was my 4th marathon and although I had improved over those 4 marathons, it was clear that I had reached a plateau and needed to alter my approach if I was going to achieve my goal of running sub 3:30 at Berlin.
I first looked at the Daniels running formula after a recommendation from Twitter pal Dave (@dav3c) but I found the workouts too complex and also didn't feel it would offer me enough recovery time. In the end, I settled on the sub 3:30 marathon plan on the Runkeeper app, which is devised by a trainer called Jeff Gaudette. It looked to have the right combination of intervals, tempo and marathon paced running and uses a run on Saturday to tire your legs out for the Sunday run (sounds great, eh?!). The theory being, that you don't have to run quite so far on your Sunday long runs. Including a 2 week taper, the training plan would be a total of 16 weeks.
The first couple of weeks were fairly comfortable with midweek runs of 4 or 5 miles and the longest run being 10 miles. I then had 2 weeks in the US, ate a lot, drank a fair bit and only ran twice. The net outcome being I had a fantastic holiday but put on the best part of half a stone!
.JPG) |
| One of my rare runs in the US along Santa Monica / Venice Beach... |
in the US!
I took some encouragement that although I was finding it hard, I was managing to stick with the planned sessions*. I was really pleased when Nick (@nick_runs) suggested we run together for our planned Sunday run of 14 miles (@8:00m/m). He ran strongly and was clearly in better shape than me and on nearing home at about 12.5 miles, he encouraged me to push on for the full 14 miles, when I probably would have wimped out had I been on my own!
During this period of training I have also run 2 races. The Notts 5 mile Road Race (36:39) and the Jagermeister 10k this past Friday, which is a hilly race (44:40). The 5 miler was a bit of a social tempo run with Mike (@mikew30) and his son James but the Jagermeister in particular was good for sharpness.
On Sunday I completed 4 really solid weeks of training (week 9 of 16), with a 16 miler at MP. Although it was tough, I started to feel that I was running into some form and that the benefit of that 4 week training block was finally paying off. Don't get me wrong, the sessions are still really tough but I feel like I am getting some fitness back. I never felt like this at any point during my MK Marathon training, so I hope it is a good sign.
Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I have got a week in Spain coming up in a week or so. I am determined to take my diet a bit more seriously in the hope that I can keep my weight down and although I won't be sticking to my training plan (it's too hilly where we are going) I do plan to run every other day (as a minimum), and swim lots.
I am particularly keen to hear from other runners training for the Berlin Marathon and those that have any tips for balancing holidays with training.
(*I did have to have a little lay down at about 11 miles on my first post-holiday long run!)
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Milton Keynes Marathon 2013 - An honest appraisal of my training
I will be writing a separate blog to review the Milton Keynes Marathon and my experience on the day. First though, I wanted to look back on how I prepared and trained for the race.
One of the reasons for choosing the Milton Keynes Marathon, was the timing. Because it is one of the later Spring marathons, I thought that starting my training at the end of January would make things a bit easier. Little did I know.....
Everyone in the UK knows what a long winter we've had and the combination of the cold and the snow/ice but primarily for me, the strong winds, have made it particularly tough going. I can honestly say that training for this marathon has been, by far, the toughest training block I have completed for any race.
One of the elements I wanted to build into this training block was the inclusion of more 'race paced' efforts, both as a part of my shorter runs and during my longer runs. I also wanted to add one more run per week (taking me from 4 to 5) with a view to adding more miles. I had trained on a '2 week hard, 1 week easy' cycle, which served me well for Brighton (in 2012), so I decided to stick to this.
I had already built a good base, largely thanks to the Strava #basemileblast challenge. I started well, adding a 4 mile recovery run on a Monday morning as my 5th session. I also built my long runs well from 12 to 18 miles, over the course of the first 5 weeks and was coping well with the marathon paced sections. During this phase, I also ran the Belvoir Challenge, which although not fast was good for endurance and provided some good hill training.
I had planned to run the MK Half Marathon but managed to get the date wrong, so had to drop a 20 miler which I had planned for the same day. I decided (at the last minute) to run the MK Half hard and despite strong winds and blizzards, managed to get a PB (1:35:56). Looking back, this was probably my best session of the whole 14 week training block.
Around this time, the wind really started picking up, making any faster sessions or long runs really quite unpleasant. One of my key sessions during training is a long tempo run of 2 x 6 miles (inc 5 min recovery). In the past, this has been a good barometer of my fitness. I remember running this session at the end of quite a tough training week and tired legs, combined by the wind, meant that I wasn't able to hold the pace in the second half. It was a big dent to my confidence. As my Sunday long runs increased in length, I was finding it increasingly difficult to get up on a Monday morning for my recovery run. I decided that the rest was of more benefit that a slow 4 miler, so I dropped the session.
About 4 weeks out from race day, I realised that I had made another mistake with dates (I really must learn to read a calendar!). Because the MK Marathon was on a Monday, I thought I had one more week of training than I did. If I stuck to the plan, it would mean me having to run a 24 mile run (inc last 5 at MP) just 2 weeks out from the race. I had no choice but to drop the session. My last long run would now be 3 weeks out, a 23 miler (with a planned last 5 at MP). Other than the tempo session I mentioned above, this was the other real low point of my training. Again the wind took its toll on me, so much so, I even had to walk parts of the last few miles. Again, I felt it was another key session that I hadn't 'nailed' and I was really beginning to feel that I hadn't done enough.
Having felt really sluggish during my last taper, I had already decided I would reduce the volume but try to keep a bit more intensity (through some MP efforts and some easier intervals). I also decided (at the last minute) to run my last long-ish run at race pace. This was no doubt a last ditch attempt to try and squeeze a bit more out of the last few weeks of training. I managed to hold the pace (8:00m/m) for those 12 miles but it felt tougher than it should have done. Although I felt better than during previous tapers, it was clear that, one week out from race day, my legs didn't feel a fresh as they should. The final nail in the coffin, was running a faster than tempo paced parkrun just 2 days before race day (I know!).
Setting the conditions aside for a moment, I think missing 2 long runs (of 20 and 24 miles), combined with a taper that was too intense meant that I was not set up as well as I could be for race day. I always tend to get to a stage in training where 'I just want to get the training done' but this seemed to happen much earlier in this training cycle. I became very frustrated, particularly with my longer runs and quite bored of some of the sessions and routes. This tells me, it is time to freshen things up.
Listening to Marathon Talk recently, Tom and Martin spoke about assessing your training and making a list of 5 things that went well and 5 things that you could improve upon. Here are mine:
5 things that went well:
1) I was able to up my training volume and stay injury free
2) I stuck to my stretching/physio exercises and improved my flexibility and strength
3) I got a half marathon PB
4) It got me through my 4th marathon (3rd under 4hrs)
5) I met some great people along the way
5 things to improve on:
1) I need to pay more attention to dates!
2) I perhaps need to reassess my race day goals if training doesn't go to plan
3) I need to trust in the taper!
4) I need to freshen up my training
5) I need to take nutrition more seriously
One of the reasons for choosing the Milton Keynes Marathon, was the timing. Because it is one of the later Spring marathons, I thought that starting my training at the end of January would make things a bit easier. Little did I know.....
Everyone in the UK knows what a long winter we've had and the combination of the cold and the snow/ice but primarily for me, the strong winds, have made it particularly tough going. I can honestly say that training for this marathon has been, by far, the toughest training block I have completed for any race.
One of the elements I wanted to build into this training block was the inclusion of more 'race paced' efforts, both as a part of my shorter runs and during my longer runs. I also wanted to add one more run per week (taking me from 4 to 5) with a view to adding more miles. I had trained on a '2 week hard, 1 week easy' cycle, which served me well for Brighton (in 2012), so I decided to stick to this.
I had already built a good base, largely thanks to the Strava #basemileblast challenge. I started well, adding a 4 mile recovery run on a Monday morning as my 5th session. I also built my long runs well from 12 to 18 miles, over the course of the first 5 weeks and was coping well with the marathon paced sections. During this phase, I also ran the Belvoir Challenge, which although not fast was good for endurance and provided some good hill training.
I had planned to run the MK Half Marathon but managed to get the date wrong, so had to drop a 20 miler which I had planned for the same day. I decided (at the last minute) to run the MK Half hard and despite strong winds and blizzards, managed to get a PB (1:35:56). Looking back, this was probably my best session of the whole 14 week training block.
Around this time, the wind really started picking up, making any faster sessions or long runs really quite unpleasant. One of my key sessions during training is a long tempo run of 2 x 6 miles (inc 5 min recovery). In the past, this has been a good barometer of my fitness. I remember running this session at the end of quite a tough training week and tired legs, combined by the wind, meant that I wasn't able to hold the pace in the second half. It was a big dent to my confidence. As my Sunday long runs increased in length, I was finding it increasingly difficult to get up on a Monday morning for my recovery run. I decided that the rest was of more benefit that a slow 4 miler, so I dropped the session.
About 4 weeks out from race day, I realised that I had made another mistake with dates (I really must learn to read a calendar!). Because the MK Marathon was on a Monday, I thought I had one more week of training than I did. If I stuck to the plan, it would mean me having to run a 24 mile run (inc last 5 at MP) just 2 weeks out from the race. I had no choice but to drop the session. My last long run would now be 3 weeks out, a 23 miler (with a planned last 5 at MP). Other than the tempo session I mentioned above, this was the other real low point of my training. Again the wind took its toll on me, so much so, I even had to walk parts of the last few miles. Again, I felt it was another key session that I hadn't 'nailed' and I was really beginning to feel that I hadn't done enough.
Having felt really sluggish during my last taper, I had already decided I would reduce the volume but try to keep a bit more intensity (through some MP efforts and some easier intervals). I also decided (at the last minute) to run my last long-ish run at race pace. This was no doubt a last ditch attempt to try and squeeze a bit more out of the last few weeks of training. I managed to hold the pace (8:00m/m) for those 12 miles but it felt tougher than it should have done. Although I felt better than during previous tapers, it was clear that, one week out from race day, my legs didn't feel a fresh as they should. The final nail in the coffin, was running a faster than tempo paced parkrun just 2 days before race day (I know!).
Setting the conditions aside for a moment, I think missing 2 long runs (of 20 and 24 miles), combined with a taper that was too intense meant that I was not set up as well as I could be for race day. I always tend to get to a stage in training where 'I just want to get the training done' but this seemed to happen much earlier in this training cycle. I became very frustrated, particularly with my longer runs and quite bored of some of the sessions and routes. This tells me, it is time to freshen things up.
Listening to Marathon Talk recently, Tom and Martin spoke about assessing your training and making a list of 5 things that went well and 5 things that you could improve upon. Here are mine:
5 things that went well:
1) I was able to up my training volume and stay injury free
2) I stuck to my stretching/physio exercises and improved my flexibility and strength
3) I got a half marathon PB
4) It got me through my 4th marathon (3rd under 4hrs)
5) I met some great people along the way
5 things to improve on:
1) I need to pay more attention to dates!
2) I perhaps need to reassess my race day goals if training doesn't go to plan
3) I need to trust in the taper!
4) I need to freshen up my training
5) I need to take nutrition more seriously
Monday, 15 April 2013
Taper Madness!
Today is officially the start of my taper for the Milton Keynes Marathon (on 6th May).
Having run 23.5 miles yesterday, all of my longs runs are now done and I will be gradually reducing my training volume as I approach race day. Albeit, I am going to include a few more faster sessions this year, with a view to keeping some sharpness and tuning my legs into race pace (target 8:00 m/m).
The trouble with this stage of your training is that you know there is nothing you can do to improve your chances of achieving your marathon goal and that any attempts to squeeze in 'one last long run', will probably do more harm than good.
It is also inevitable that you will look back on the runs or sessions that you might have missed. For me, I missed out on a 20 miler due to getting the date for the MK Half wrong and I also miscalculated my total weeks when devising my training plan, so I won't be doing the 24 miler I had scheduled for next Sunday. Now, they are two fairly key sessions right there and I am currently in panic mode, thinking, have I done enough? So much so, I have been comparing my training with the latter stages of my Brighton Marathon training in 2011!
The fact is, marathon training very rarely goes 100% to plan. Home life, work, social occasions, injuries and in my case, the inability to use a calender(!) can all cause us to deviate from our marathon training plans. In looking back at my Brighton Marathon training from last year, I noticed that I had to skip a couple of key sessions/long runs late on, due to shin splints. I had completely forgotten about this injury and the minor lay off it caused. Clearly, it didn't affect my preparation too much because I PB'd at Brighton by over 15 mins (3:44:49).
So, I am writhing this post just to remind me to look at the key sessions I DID complete and not to panic during the 'Taper Madness', which will no doubt increase as I edge closer to race day. Instead, I should enjoy the fact that my Sunday runs are not going to consume the whole day and that I am giving my body a chance to recover before race day!
How are you/have you coped with 'Taper Madness'?
Having run 23.5 miles yesterday, all of my longs runs are now done and I will be gradually reducing my training volume as I approach race day. Albeit, I am going to include a few more faster sessions this year, with a view to keeping some sharpness and tuning my legs into race pace (target 8:00 m/m).
The trouble with this stage of your training is that you know there is nothing you can do to improve your chances of achieving your marathon goal and that any attempts to squeeze in 'one last long run', will probably do more harm than good.
It is also inevitable that you will look back on the runs or sessions that you might have missed. For me, I missed out on a 20 miler due to getting the date for the MK Half wrong and I also miscalculated my total weeks when devising my training plan, so I won't be doing the 24 miler I had scheduled for next Sunday. Now, they are two fairly key sessions right there and I am currently in panic mode, thinking, have I done enough? So much so, I have been comparing my training with the latter stages of my Brighton Marathon training in 2011!
The fact is, marathon training very rarely goes 100% to plan. Home life, work, social occasions, injuries and in my case, the inability to use a calender(!) can all cause us to deviate from our marathon training plans. In looking back at my Brighton Marathon training from last year, I noticed that I had to skip a couple of key sessions/long runs late on, due to shin splints. I had completely forgotten about this injury and the minor lay off it caused. Clearly, it didn't affect my preparation too much because I PB'd at Brighton by over 15 mins (3:44:49).
So, I am writhing this post just to remind me to look at the key sessions I DID complete and not to panic during the 'Taper Madness', which will no doubt increase as I edge closer to race day. Instead, I should enjoy the fact that my Sunday runs are not going to consume the whole day and that I am giving my body a chance to recover before race day!
How are you/have you coped with 'Taper Madness'?
Monday, 18 March 2013
10 things I wish I knew prior to running the Virgin London Marathon
I ran the Virgin London Marathon in 2011 (4hrs 16mins and 57secs, if you are interested). It was my first marathon and like a lot of people running their first marathon, I learnt a lot during training but also during the race itself.
Here are 10 pieces of information I would have found useful prior to running this iconic race:
1. It may be significantly hotter on race day than during your training runs. If you live in the UK, you will have done the majority of your training during the winter months. When I ran the VLM in 2011 it was quite a hot day (in the early 20's). I had adjusted my clothing according to the forecast but I hadn't accounted for the difference it would make to my hydration strategy (which consisted of water and gels during training and on race day). Cue: calf cramps at 19 miles due to a lack of electrolytes.
2. If you are staying in London for the race, pick a hotel closer to the finish (on the Mall), rather than the start. Trust me, you will be more willing to travel in the morning than after the race has finished! Public transport is free for runners on the day, so travel to Greenwich Park in the morning is easy.
3. The start of the race (for about the first 4 miles) can be a bit slow, due to the sheer volume of runners. You should be aware of your pacing strategy anyway but you should also be prepared to adjust this to account for any slow miles (or loo breaks!). This adjustment should be carried over the remainder of the race rather than made up in the next few miles.
4. Anyone who has raced before knows that it is easy to get swept up in the excitement early into a race and end up going off too quickly. Well, at VLM, this can happen at almost any part of the race because of the volume of runners and the fantastic levels of support. So, keep an eye on your pacing. Use a Garmin (or similar) and/or a pacing band (available at the expo).
5. The VLM is sponsored by Lucozade, so you will find their gels and drinks at the drinks stations on the course. If you are planning to use these products during the race (as opposed to your own drinks, gels etc), then it is a good idea to use them on your longer training runs. Otherwise, you run the risk of an upset stomach. Not something you want as part of your VLM experience!
6. If you are bringing a support crew with you on the day, it is a good idea to pick out a landmark for them to support from. The crowds are huge and whilst they might see you, it will be difficult for you to pick them out of the crowds. If you are running for a charity (and assuming they have a stand on the course) then this is a good place for them to stand. Seeing my wife at about 22 miles was very emotional and gave me a huge lift!
7. You should also pick a landmark close to the finish to meet friends/family. Mobile networks may well be down.
8. In addition to the photographers on the course, there are also race photographers in the finish area. I neglected to have my photo taken but looking back would have liked an official photo in front of the sponsors hording, sporting my medal. So, be prepared to wipe the sweat from your face and give your hair a quick comb through! There is no obligation to buy the photo's but it might be nice to have the option.
You might opt for an official finish photo!
9. You may well have a long wait at the start at Greenwich Park, so make sure you have adequate clothing to keep out the elements. You may also have to wait for a while before you are reunited with your friends/family at the end of the race. I would recommend including a fresh top to change into and any recovery drinks/food within your kit bag (rather than leaving it with friends/family). Note: you have to use the plastic kit bags provided. You can't just stick your number on your own rucksack, for example.
10. Finally, VLM is a unique racing experience that will live with you forever. Enjoy the day and remember to smile, cheer the marshalls and support and take it all in.
Good luck!
Here are 10 pieces of information I would have found useful prior to running this iconic race:
1. It may be significantly hotter on race day than during your training runs. If you live in the UK, you will have done the majority of your training during the winter months. When I ran the VLM in 2011 it was quite a hot day (in the early 20's). I had adjusted my clothing according to the forecast but I hadn't accounted for the difference it would make to my hydration strategy (which consisted of water and gels during training and on race day). Cue: calf cramps at 19 miles due to a lack of electrolytes.
 |
| Smile! You might be on TV! |
2. If you are staying in London for the race, pick a hotel closer to the finish (on the Mall), rather than the start. Trust me, you will be more willing to travel in the morning than after the race has finished! Public transport is free for runners on the day, so travel to Greenwich Park in the morning is easy.
3. The start of the race (for about the first 4 miles) can be a bit slow, due to the sheer volume of runners. You should be aware of your pacing strategy anyway but you should also be prepared to adjust this to account for any slow miles (or loo breaks!). This adjustment should be carried over the remainder of the race rather than made up in the next few miles.
4. Anyone who has raced before knows that it is easy to get swept up in the excitement early into a race and end up going off too quickly. Well, at VLM, this can happen at almost any part of the race because of the volume of runners and the fantastic levels of support. So, keep an eye on your pacing. Use a Garmin (or similar) and/or a pacing band (available at the expo).
 |
| At the VLM Expo |
6. If you are bringing a support crew with you on the day, it is a good idea to pick out a landmark for them to support from. The crowds are huge and whilst they might see you, it will be difficult for you to pick them out of the crowds. If you are running for a charity (and assuming they have a stand on the course) then this is a good place for them to stand. Seeing my wife at about 22 miles was very emotional and gave me a huge lift!
7. You should also pick a landmark close to the finish to meet friends/family. Mobile networks may well be down.
8. In addition to the photographers on the course, there are also race photographers in the finish area. I neglected to have my photo taken but looking back would have liked an official photo in front of the sponsors hording, sporting my medal. So, be prepared to wipe the sweat from your face and give your hair a quick comb through! There is no obligation to buy the photo's but it might be nice to have the option.
9. You may well have a long wait at the start at Greenwich Park, so make sure you have adequate clothing to keep out the elements. You may also have to wait for a while before you are reunited with your friends/family at the end of the race. I would recommend including a fresh top to change into and any recovery drinks/food within your kit bag (rather than leaving it with friends/family). Note: you have to use the plastic kit bags provided. You can't just stick your number on your own rucksack, for example.
10. Finally, VLM is a unique racing experience that will live with you forever. Enjoy the day and remember to smile, cheer the marshalls and support and take it all in.
Good luck!
Monday, 25 February 2013
Race review: Belvoir Challenge 23rd February 2013
Do you like running? Do you like cake? Then read on.........
The Belvoir Challenge is unlike any race I have participated in. If you are looking to try and get a new PB, this is probably not the race for you but if you are looking for a well organised, fun and friendly race, which offers a challenging an picturesque route and lot's of yummy home-made cake, the Belvoir Challenge is well worth a look.
The Belvoir Challenge starts and finishes in the village of Harby, in the Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire. It offers two routes of 15 and 26 miles, both of which are mainly off-road and involve a fair bit of elevation. Hence why it's not really a PB course.
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I opted for the 15 mile race, as I was using it as one of my training runs for the Milton Keynes Marathon. I had also planned to 'race' at a fairly easy pace and hopefully in a group including +Mike Wells (@mike30), @ainsia and @Beastipuss, among others and I was looking forward to a social run, which I was told, would feature home-made cake at the 2 check points.
On arrival to the village hall in Harby, I knew this was going to be a special race. They had a full BBQ on the go and this was at 8am! Everyone was very friendly and sign in was easy as they had plenty of volunteers and separate queues for different groups of surnames. There was no chip timing or race number to pin on, just a small laminated tag (which I tied on to my gel belt) and a map of the route. There were the inevitable queues for the loo but I can't really see how they could have crammed more portaloos in to the start area.
The race got off on time but (having queued for the loo) I don't think I have been so cold before the start of a race. The start of the race was slow but this was down to the tight nature of the village streets and, to be fair, we were toward the back with those walking the course. The first 4 miles were uphill and we settled into a good group, having fun negotiating the styles (well, apart from Mike and Kieron who decided to leap over one of the iron fences into a load of mud!). I had been promised that this race would deliver plenty of mud, plenty of hills and plenty of cake and it did not disappoint!
At about 5 miles we came across a sheep that was lying on it's side and appeared to be heavily pregnant. Despite one member of our group suggesting he could go "all creatures great and small", we decided that alerting a marshall was probably the best course of action.
At about 6.5 miles we came into the pretty village of Eaton, and our first checkpoint. They had set up the village hall and there were loads of volunteers on-hand to serve hot tea and coffee, as well as fruit cordials, Mars bars and all manner of home-made cake! We spent about 10 mins at the rest stop and allowed some of the other member of our group to catch up. Well it was an excuse to eat a bit more cake!
.JPG)
Is there such a thing as too much cake?!
Getting going and leaving the relative warmth of the village hall was quite tough but once we were moving again it was fine. The section between 8 and 10 miles involved another ascent to the highest point on the course (about 560ft) but thankfully there was another checkpoint on about 10 miles. Although this one was outside, it offered even more cake than the one before! If I had a rucksack with me, I think the temptation to stuff it full of cake and chocolate might have been too much!
The final section involved a really enjoyable descent and took in some more pretty villages, including Stathern. Although, in my view, taking the route so close to the Red Lion was a mistake. I was extremely tempted to pop in and have a quick half by the fire!
.JPG)
By this stage, I was in a small group with Ains and James and we were able to pick up our pace in the final few miles. James was having to dig deep and given he is not yet 16, did really well to keep the pace. Ains seemed to have got stronger following our rapid descent (maybe it was the pigeon feet?!) . We were passing a lot of other runners at this point and only really had to slow down to negotiate a huge muddy puddle in a farmers field. Well, when I say negotiate, we actually just ran straight through the middle of it! In fact, given all the mud we encountered, it was a miracle I got to about 13 miles before my feet got wet.
We were all feeling the miles by the end and we had helped to get each other through to this point but hey, this was still a race. We all managed to find some extra energy and had a good sprint for the line. I think on another day, James would have definitely taken me down.
Now, that's just showing off!
At the end of the race you get to retire to the warmth of the village hall, where there are more volunteers on hand to serve you hot food and, yes you guessed it, even more cake! There was also a rather nice personalised certificate.
So, if you want a fun, friendly and well organised off road race, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Belvoir challenge. Oh, did I mention they had cake?
The Belvoir Challenge is unlike any race I have participated in. If you are looking to try and get a new PB, this is probably not the race for you but if you are looking for a well organised, fun and friendly race, which offers a challenging an picturesque route and lot's of yummy home-made cake, the Belvoir Challenge is well worth a look.
The Belvoir Challenge starts and finishes in the village of Harby, in the Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire. It offers two routes of 15 and 26 miles, both of which are mainly off-road and involve a fair bit of elevation. Hence why it's not really a PB course.
A great day out
On arrival to the village hall in Harby, I knew this was going to be a special race. They had a full BBQ on the go and this was at 8am! Everyone was very friendly and sign in was easy as they had plenty of volunteers and separate queues for different groups of surnames. There was no chip timing or race number to pin on, just a small laminated tag (which I tied on to my gel belt) and a map of the route. There were the inevitable queues for the loo but I can't really see how they could have crammed more portaloos in to the start area.
The race got off on time but (having queued for the loo) I don't think I have been so cold before the start of a race. The start of the race was slow but this was down to the tight nature of the village streets and, to be fair, we were toward the back with those walking the course. The first 4 miles were uphill and we settled into a good group, having fun negotiating the styles (well, apart from Mike and Kieron who decided to leap over one of the iron fences into a load of mud!). I had been promised that this race would deliver plenty of mud, plenty of hills and plenty of cake and it did not disappoint!
At about 5 miles we came across a sheep that was lying on it's side and appeared to be heavily pregnant. Despite one member of our group suggesting he could go "all creatures great and small", we decided that alerting a marshall was probably the best course of action.
At about 6.5 miles we came into the pretty village of Eaton, and our first checkpoint. They had set up the village hall and there were loads of volunteers on-hand to serve hot tea and coffee, as well as fruit cordials, Mars bars and all manner of home-made cake! We spent about 10 mins at the rest stop and allowed some of the other member of our group to catch up. Well it was an excuse to eat a bit more cake!
Getting going and leaving the relative warmth of the village hall was quite tough but once we were moving again it was fine. The section between 8 and 10 miles involved another ascent to the highest point on the course (about 560ft) but thankfully there was another checkpoint on about 10 miles. Although this one was outside, it offered even more cake than the one before! If I had a rucksack with me, I think the temptation to stuff it full of cake and chocolate might have been too much!
The final section involved a really enjoyable descent and took in some more pretty villages, including Stathern. Although, in my view, taking the route so close to the Red Lion was a mistake. I was extremely tempted to pop in and have a quick half by the fire!
By this stage, I was in a small group with Ains and James and we were able to pick up our pace in the final few miles. James was having to dig deep and given he is not yet 16, did really well to keep the pace. Ains seemed to have got stronger following our rapid descent (maybe it was the pigeon feet?!) . We were passing a lot of other runners at this point and only really had to slow down to negotiate a huge muddy puddle in a farmers field. Well, when I say negotiate, we actually just ran straight through the middle of it! In fact, given all the mud we encountered, it was a miracle I got to about 13 miles before my feet got wet.We were all feeling the miles by the end and we had helped to get each other through to this point but hey, this was still a race. We all managed to find some extra energy and had a good sprint for the line. I think on another day, James would have definitely taken me down.
Now, that's just showing off!
At the end of the race you get to retire to the warmth of the village hall, where there are more volunteers on hand to serve you hot food and, yes you guessed it, even more cake! There was also a rather nice personalised certificate.
So, if you want a fun, friendly and well organised off road race, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Belvoir challenge. Oh, did I mention they had cake?
Monday, 18 February 2013
Marathon Training: How to avoid hitting the wall
"Hitting the wall", "crashing", "bonking, or the "the bonk" are words or terms that are used to describe when you run out of energy during a marathon, or during a long run, as happened to me on Sunday!
I was 14 miles into a 16 mile run when it really hit me. It had known it was coming for a few miles but still miles from home and having consumed my only gel, there was nothing I could do about it. Almost immediately, I went from feeling quite good, to having absolutely no energy. My legs turned to jelly and I was finding it hard just to put one foot in front of the other. It also effected my mental state, so much so that I nearly ran out in front of a car! I had it the wall, in a big way...
Most people who are about to embark upon training for a marathon will have heard of the dreaded wall. In fact, even non-runners know about it and will ask, "did you hit the wall?" when you are talking about your marathon experience. But despite it being quite a well known term, most people don't actually know what hitting the wall is, or how you can avoid it. Often, people think it is just about running far enough in training, so your legs are accustomed to running 26.2 miles.
In fact, it has little to do with how fit you are or how well you have trained. You may have had perfect training and completed all of your training sessions and long runs but if you get your nutrition strategy wrong, you will run out of energy and hit the wall at some point during your marathon.
Here is a very simple explanation of what happens to your body when you hit the wall. Your body uses something called glycogen as it's primary fuel when you are running (during long, slow duration exercise, fat can help fuel activity, but glycogen is still needed to help breakdown the fat into something the muscles can use). When you have used up all of your glycogen stores, you hit the wall.
The trick is to keep your levels of glycogen topped up. Glycogen is what your body metabolises from carbohydrates, which is why you will hear people saying that they are 'carb loading' on the lead up to running a marathon. This is to try and ensure that they have as much glycogen stored in their liver and muscles. Now, before you think about eating 5 pasta meals and 10 chocolate bars the day before your marathon, your body can only store a certain amount of carbs as glycogen. The rest is stored as fat, so beware!
Everyone is different but, on average, your body can store enough glycogen for about one and a half hours of strenuous exercise. The more strenuous, the exercise, the more quickly you will use the energy (glycogen) and once this has completely gone, you will hit the wall.
Most first time marathoners will be running for 4 or 5 hours, or more. In fact many of your training runs may be in excess of 3 hours. So, it doesn't matter how well you have fuelled beforehand, you will run out of energy at some point. This is where fuelling during your run comes in. This food/fuel normally consists of energy drinks / gels / jelly beans or a combination of the above. We use this type of fuel because it is easy to consume on the run and easier for your body to digest during exercise. After all, would you feel like eating a plate of spaghetti 15 miles into a marathon?!
The only way to ensure that you don't run out of fuel and hit the wall during your marathon is to practise your fuelling and re-fuelling strategy during your long training runs. As I mentioned before, peoples metabolisms are different and their fuelling needs may vary greatly. You will also find that, over time, your body becomes more accustomed to endurance exercise and therefore more efficient at using it's fuel stores. I used to start run out of energy after about an hour to an hour and half of exercise. Now I can often go for 2 hours before I start to feel my energy levels dropping.
So, it will require some trial and error. If in doubt, it is better to take more gels with you on your training runs (unlike me on Sunday!) and if you do feel your energy levels dropping, do react to this because if you do hit the wall, it is very difficult to restore your energy levels and recover to the point where you can carry on running.
One final warning. Once you have found a fuelling strategy (both pre-race and during the race) make sure you stick to it on race day. Do this and you can avoid hitting the dreaded wall.
Good luck!
I was 14 miles into a 16 mile run when it really hit me. It had known it was coming for a few miles but still miles from home and having consumed my only gel, there was nothing I could do about it. Almost immediately, I went from feeling quite good, to having absolutely no energy. My legs turned to jelly and I was finding it hard just to put one foot in front of the other. It also effected my mental state, so much so that I nearly ran out in front of a car! I had it the wall, in a big way...
Anyone who has experienced this will know how horrible it feels. I ate like a horse when I got in in the hope of restoring my energy levels and tried to rest but I still feel rubbish today. It did however, make me think that this was a good topic to write about.
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| Hitting the wall can hurt! |
Most people who are about to embark upon training for a marathon will have heard of the dreaded wall. In fact, even non-runners know about it and will ask, "did you hit the wall?" when you are talking about your marathon experience. But despite it being quite a well known term, most people don't actually know what hitting the wall is, or how you can avoid it. Often, people think it is just about running far enough in training, so your legs are accustomed to running 26.2 miles.
In fact, it has little to do with how fit you are or how well you have trained. You may have had perfect training and completed all of your training sessions and long runs but if you get your nutrition strategy wrong, you will run out of energy and hit the wall at some point during your marathon.
Here is a very simple explanation of what happens to your body when you hit the wall. Your body uses something called glycogen as it's primary fuel when you are running (during long, slow duration exercise, fat can help fuel activity, but glycogen is still needed to help breakdown the fat into something the muscles can use). When you have used up all of your glycogen stores, you hit the wall.
The trick is to keep your levels of glycogen topped up. Glycogen is what your body metabolises from carbohydrates, which is why you will hear people saying that they are 'carb loading' on the lead up to running a marathon. This is to try and ensure that they have as much glycogen stored in their liver and muscles. Now, before you think about eating 5 pasta meals and 10 chocolate bars the day before your marathon, your body can only store a certain amount of carbs as glycogen. The rest is stored as fat, so beware!
Everyone is different but, on average, your body can store enough glycogen for about one and a half hours of strenuous exercise. The more strenuous, the exercise, the more quickly you will use the energy (glycogen) and once this has completely gone, you will hit the wall.
Most first time marathoners will be running for 4 or 5 hours, or more. In fact many of your training runs may be in excess of 3 hours. So, it doesn't matter how well you have fuelled beforehand, you will run out of energy at some point. This is where fuelling during your run comes in. This food/fuel normally consists of energy drinks / gels / jelly beans or a combination of the above. We use this type of fuel because it is easy to consume on the run and easier for your body to digest during exercise. After all, would you feel like eating a plate of spaghetti 15 miles into a marathon?!
The only way to ensure that you don't run out of fuel and hit the wall during your marathon is to practise your fuelling and re-fuelling strategy during your long training runs. As I mentioned before, peoples metabolisms are different and their fuelling needs may vary greatly. You will also find that, over time, your body becomes more accustomed to endurance exercise and therefore more efficient at using it's fuel stores. I used to start run out of energy after about an hour to an hour and half of exercise. Now I can often go for 2 hours before I start to feel my energy levels dropping.
So, it will require some trial and error. If in doubt, it is better to take more gels with you on your training runs (unlike me on Sunday!) and if you do feel your energy levels dropping, do react to this because if you do hit the wall, it is very difficult to restore your energy levels and recover to the point where you can carry on running.
One final warning. Once you have found a fuelling strategy (both pre-race and during the race) make sure you stick to it on race day. Do this and you can avoid hitting the dreaded wall.
Good luck!
Friday, 15 February 2013
Training talk: Putting Yasso 800's to the test
I am using Yasso 800's as one of my key speed sessions as I train for the Milton Keynes Marathon.
For those not familiar with this session, you run 800 metre reps and use the same amount of time it takes you to run the sprint rep for your recovery (e.g 3:30 mins / 3:30 mins). You start (as I did this morning) by running 4 times 800m and build up to running 10 times 800m. The key to this session (as with all intervals) is to try to hit the same times for all of your 10 reps, although by the time you reach 8, 9 and 10 they are going to be pretty tough!
This session was developed the the legendary runner Bart Yasso. The reason this session is popular with marathon runners is that Bart claims that the time that you can hold for 10 x 800m reps, should indicate what you are capable of running for the marathon. This is a theory that has been put in to practice for many years, with many accomplished marathon runners.
I am going to put the Yasso 800s to the test during my marathon training. At the moment, I am running about 3 mins 30 secs for my 800m reps. My splits this morning were: 3:30 (6:57/m), 3:26(6:55/m), 3:27(6:52/m), 3:28(6:48/m).
Now, given that I am hoping to run sub 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes. I am hoping to put Bart's session to the test and see if it can help me beg a 15 min marathon PB.
If you are interested in learning more about Bart Yasso and the Yasso 800s, you can read about them here.
I will keep you updated as my training plan unfolds but in the meantime, I would be interested in your experience of the Yasso 800s. Are you doing/have you done this session? Have you found it to be a good indicator of your marathon time?
UPDATE:
Bart took the time to read my blog entry and sent me a reply on Twitter!:
For those not familiar with this session, you run 800 metre reps and use the same amount of time it takes you to run the sprint rep for your recovery (e.g 3:30 mins / 3:30 mins). You start (as I did this morning) by running 4 times 800m and build up to running 10 times 800m. The key to this session (as with all intervals) is to try to hit the same times for all of your 10 reps, although by the time you reach 8, 9 and 10 they are going to be pretty tough!
This session was developed the the legendary runner Bart Yasso. The reason this session is popular with marathon runners is that Bart claims that the time that you can hold for 10 x 800m reps, should indicate what you are capable of running for the marathon. This is a theory that has been put in to practice for many years, with many accomplished marathon runners.
I am going to put the Yasso 800s to the test during my marathon training. At the moment, I am running about 3 mins 30 secs for my 800m reps. My splits this morning were: 3:30 (6:57/m), 3:26(6:55/m), 3:27(6:52/m), 3:28(6:48/m).
Now, given that I am hoping to run sub 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes. I am hoping to put Bart's session to the test and see if it can help me beg a 15 min marathon PB.
 |
| Wow! I feel like Bart Yasso....Wait, that is Bart Yasso! |
If you are interested in learning more about Bart Yasso and the Yasso 800s, you can read about them here.
I will keep you updated as my training plan unfolds but in the meantime, I would be interested in your experience of the Yasso 800s. Are you doing/have you done this session? Have you found it to be a good indicator of your marathon time?
UPDATE:
Bart took the time to read my blog entry and sent me a reply on Twitter!:
@runrforlife Congrats , love the pic.The reward is living the lifestyle and embracing the journey.
1:01pm · 15 Feb 13 · web
UPDATE (19/4/2013):
I have now completed my full session of Yasso 800s and built up to running 10 reps, all of which I completed in under 3 mins 30 secs. In fact my average pace for the 10 reps today was 6:54m/m, which I was really please with.
So, if Bart's theory is correct, I should be in good shape to hit my target time of sub 3 hrs 30 mins at the Milton Keynes marathon. I will report back after race day on 6th May!
UPDATE (19/4/2013):
I have now completed my full session of Yasso 800s and built up to running 10 reps, all of which I completed in under 3 mins 30 secs. In fact my average pace for the 10 reps today was 6:54m/m, which I was really please with.
So, if Bart's theory is correct, I should be in good shape to hit my target time of sub 3 hrs 30 mins at the Milton Keynes marathon. I will report back after race day on 6th May!
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
What a difference a day (of running) makes....
Generally I am a pretty positive person but having found my long run on Saturday tougher than I expected, combined with still feeling pretty sore (following a recovery run on Monday morning) I had a bit of a moan yesterday. Maybe it was just down to it being Monday, I don't know.
Anyway, what a difference a day makes! I met with Mike this morning and as he is currently involved in a #hillagechallenge on Strava, I swapped out my planned marathon pace 6 miler for a social run through Sharphill Woods. We splashed through boggy, muddy puddles (sometimes up to our calves!) ran up and then and flew down hills in low light conditions (which was slightly scary!) and explored fields in search of a mythical underpass under the A52!
It was just the sort of tonic I needed. In the end it was probably a tougher session than I had planned but unlike my long run on Saturday it didn't feel like it because we were having so much fun.
Anyway, having been a bit negative yesterday, I wanted to reflect on how different one run can make you feel. The moral of the story is that you are only one run away from feeling good again.
So, if you are feeling a bit fed up, lace up your trainers and go and run somewhere different, explore like you are 10 again, splash through some puddles and get yourself muddy. Remember running is fun!
Anyway, what a difference a day makes! I met with Mike this morning and as he is currently involved in a #hillagechallenge on Strava, I swapped out my planned marathon pace 6 miler for a social run through Sharphill Woods. We splashed through boggy, muddy puddles (sometimes up to our calves!) ran up and then and flew down hills in low light conditions (which was slightly scary!) and explored fields in search of a mythical underpass under the A52!
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| I can see the pub from here! |
It was just the sort of tonic I needed. In the end it was probably a tougher session than I had planned but unlike my long run on Saturday it didn't feel like it because we were having so much fun.
Anyway, having been a bit negative yesterday, I wanted to reflect on how different one run can make you feel. The moral of the story is that you are only one run away from feeling good again.
So, if you are feeling a bit fed up, lace up your trainers and go and run somewhere different, explore like you are 10 again, splash through some puddles and get yourself muddy. Remember running is fun!
Monday, 11 February 2013
Is this harder than I remember?
I am now into the 3rd week of my 14 week training schedule for the Milton Keynes marathon and do you know what? I feel absolutely knackered!
The last time I trained for a marathon was a year ago, when I was in training for the Brighton Marathon and I really don't remember it feeling this hard. Particularly this early on in my training. Now, I'm not sure if I just remember it as being easier or if the fact I am pushing for a quicker time (sub 3:30) just means that I am having to push myself to go that much harder?
Thinking about it logically, my first three marathons were run at a pace closer to what I would deem to be a much more comfortable pace. VLM and The Robin Hood Marathon were both run at 9:00 m/m and Brighton at 8:30 m/m. I would say that my 'natural' easy pace is around 8:30 to 8:45 m/m. In order to go under 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes, I will need to be running at 8:00 m/m for 26.2 miles. Something which still scares me!
I know it's really early days and I even blogged recently about it getting harder before it gets easier but my I found my 14 mile long run this weekend really tough. I switched my LR day to Saturday (as I was due to be going to a party Saturday night and wanted to avoid a #hangoverrun). This meant I wasn't as well recovered, from having run 8 x 400m at 5k pace on Friday. The conditions were quite tough and wearing shorts probably wasn't the best move. I ended up getting really cold and it took me ages to warm up afterwards. I also didn't deal with my post-run fuelling very well, so ended up feeling pretty grotty afterwards! The session itself went well though. I did just under 15 miles with the last 5 at marathon pace and took in the sights of Nottingham Uni and Wollaton Hall as part of the 'old' Robin Hood Half course. It is quite a challenging/hilly route but one I enjoy for the sights.
I ended up falling asleep on Saturday afternoon (something I rarely do) and rested completely yesterday, apart from some stretching and foam rolling. This morning I went for a 4.5 mile recovery run but my legs still feel pretty battered and I feel like I could sleep for a day!
I have stepped up to running 5 times a week (from 4 times) and this is the only thing I can really point to as being different from how I have trained in the past. I would be really interested in hearing from people who have been/or or are currently at a similar stage in their marathon training. Is this something I should expect as part of the extra training load and increased pace of the MP efforts?
Thanks!
The last time I trained for a marathon was a year ago, when I was in training for the Brighton Marathon and I really don't remember it feeling this hard. Particularly this early on in my training. Now, I'm not sure if I just remember it as being easier or if the fact I am pushing for a quicker time (sub 3:30) just means that I am having to push myself to go that much harder?
Thinking about it logically, my first three marathons were run at a pace closer to what I would deem to be a much more comfortable pace. VLM and The Robin Hood Marathon were both run at 9:00 m/m and Brighton at 8:30 m/m. I would say that my 'natural' easy pace is around 8:30 to 8:45 m/m. In order to go under 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes, I will need to be running at 8:00 m/m for 26.2 miles. Something which still scares me!
.JPG) |
| The University of Nottingham |
I know it's really early days and I even blogged recently about it getting harder before it gets easier but my I found my 14 mile long run this weekend really tough. I switched my LR day to Saturday (as I was due to be going to a party Saturday night and wanted to avoid a #hangoverrun). This meant I wasn't as well recovered, from having run 8 x 400m at 5k pace on Friday. The conditions were quite tough and wearing shorts probably wasn't the best move. I ended up getting really cold and it took me ages to warm up afterwards. I also didn't deal with my post-run fuelling very well, so ended up feeling pretty grotty afterwards! The session itself went well though. I did just under 15 miles with the last 5 at marathon pace and took in the sights of Nottingham Uni and Wollaton Hall as part of the 'old' Robin Hood Half course. It is quite a challenging/hilly route but one I enjoy for the sights.
.JPG) |
| Bruce Wayne Manor. Also known at Wollaton Hall |
I ended up falling asleep on Saturday afternoon (something I rarely do) and rested completely yesterday, apart from some stretching and foam rolling. This morning I went for a 4.5 mile recovery run but my legs still feel pretty battered and I feel like I could sleep for a day!
I have stepped up to running 5 times a week (from 4 times) and this is the only thing I can really point to as being different from how I have trained in the past. I would be really interested in hearing from people who have been/or or are currently at a similar stage in their marathon training. Is this something I should expect as part of the extra training load and increased pace of the MP efforts?
Thanks!
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Are runners the worst at taking advice?
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| Injuries - Annoying for everyone |
Now, I have been quite fortunate that over the 4 years or so that I have been running. I have managed to stay relatively injury free. Mike also commented that he had managed to dodge any serious injuries, although judging by some of the decisions he has made following a twisted ankle on the squash court, I can only conclude that he has some sort of Wolverine-like super steel running through his bones and joints.....only without the claws......and the beard....
We both acknowledged that we, as runners were far better at dishing out advice to other injured runners than we were at actually taking that advice and applying it to our own situations. I suspect most have us have been there at some point. I know I have had a couple of niggles and near injuries, particularly whilst preparing for marathons recently. And I whilst I have dropped the odd run or swapped out a tough session for something a bit easier, I do admit to finding any deviation from my training plan very difficult.
When running becomes so ingrained in our daily routine, it feels odd not to be running when you normally would or to have to substitute a run with a session on the cross trainer (something I did whilst training for the Brighton Marathon and absolutely hated!) You only have to look or listen to anyone who is tapering, or worse still, injured to know how frustrating it can be.
Your safe haven of Twitter, where you can share your exploits and talk to all those like-minded running buddies becomes a living nightmare as you see person after person logging run after run. Or worse still, those countless tweets from well-wishers with offers of useful (but ultimately frustrating) advice. Your timeline fills up with messages like "Chin up mate. You'll be back soon. Make sure you get plenty of rest and recover properly". (Something I am frequently guilty of!)
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| Mike was detirmined to bag a PB! |
So, the moral of the story is, if you do feel a bit of a niggle in your ankle or a tight hammie. Think about what advice you would give to a fellow runner and more importantly, listen to that advice. Remember, we are not all Wolverine!
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Milton Keynes Marathon - Training plan reveal
Those of you that follow me on Twitter may have already caught a glimpse of my training plan for the Milton Keynes Marathon (on 6th May). I am hoping to go under 3 hrs 30 mins, which will be a significant PB, given my current best is 3:44 (at Brighton in 2012).
This will be my 3rd marathon and although I have learnt a great deal from training for and running those 3 races, I am far from being an expert. I thought it would be useful to post the details here, so that others running a Spring marathon can compare it with what they are doing, so those considering a marathon can see what training is involved and hopefully, so I can receive some useful feedback.
My training plan has evolved from taking a simple training plan from Runners World and adding to it sessions that I have read or heard about and by learning what has worked (or not!) for me in the past. The only real change that I have made from my Brighton Marathon training is the introduction of more 'race paced' running and I have stepped up from running 4 days per week to running 5 days per week, just because conventional wisdom suggests I should be doing more miles. Although it is not detailed on the plan, I also do one day of simple strength/core work and some stretching.
This plan is an an evolved version (albeit a significant one) of the training plan I used for my first half marathon in 2007, so I am conscious that I could be reaching a plateau. If I don't hit sub 3:30 at Milton Keynes, I will be looking for ideas to make some significant changes to my training for the Berlin Marathon in September.
Thanks for looking and I welcome any comments!
This will be my 3rd marathon and although I have learnt a great deal from training for and running those 3 races, I am far from being an expert. I thought it would be useful to post the details here, so that others running a Spring marathon can compare it with what they are doing, so those considering a marathon can see what training is involved and hopefully, so I can receive some useful feedback.
My training plan has evolved from taking a simple training plan from Runners World and adding to it sessions that I have read or heard about and by learning what has worked (or not!) for me in the past. The only real change that I have made from my Brighton Marathon training is the introduction of more 'race paced' running and I have stepped up from running 4 days per week to running 5 days per week, just because conventional wisdom suggests I should be doing more miles. Although it is not detailed on the plan, I also do one day of simple strength/core work and some stretching.
 |
| Milton Keynes Marathon training plan |
This plan is an an evolved version (albeit a significant one) of the training plan I used for my first half marathon in 2007, so I am conscious that I could be reaching a plateau. If I don't hit sub 3:30 at Milton Keynes, I will be looking for ideas to make some significant changes to my training for the Berlin Marathon in September.
Thanks for looking and I welcome any comments!
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