Marathon training for the non runner

EKRIUQ

I've decided that I want to run a marathon, and have just began training. But unlike most who decide to run marathons I am by no means a atlethic person, I hitting close to 17 stone for my 5'11 frame and hav'ent done any real training for the last 10 years (now 28) but my goal is to run the Edinburough marathon next June.

That's 7 months away and I intend starting very slowly and increasing my milage slowly.

Has any one got some advice how to avoid injurys or just experience in this field or any races you know about happening between now and June ie. 10Kms half marathons or 5 mile runs

Any help much appricated and I'll keep you up to date with my training

Genghis

You sound like me about 18 months ago! About that age, that height, that weight, and starting at zero in terms of training. This year I have completed my first 2 marathons, so I hope I can be of help.

The first thing to say is that a marathon is not an easy thing to do - particularly if you are intent on running it the whole way through. You will certainly need to be committed and motivated, and if you truly are, then 7 months is achievable - but you MUST begin now. It is just 30 weeks to the Edinburgh marathon, so the schedule I have outlined below is based on this time-frame.

You must start slowly but consistently, to avoid injury. This means committing to going out 3-4 times a week over the first 4-6 weeks, increasing to 4-5 times a week after that. At the start the most important thing is to establish a 'run every other day' attitude and trying to increase the time you spend running each session; ability to run 'long distance' will follow.

While you obviously are gearing up to being able to run 26.1 miles in one session next June, at the start don't worry too much if you are only doing 2.61 miles per session, or even if in the first few week you have to walk parts of your run. I would suggest you try to do something like 15-20 minute sessions at first, building up towards 30 mins over 6 weeks (by which time you should be able to do without stopping), and ultimately aiming to be able to run for a full hour without stopping in about 12 weeks - NOTE: not to be able to run one hour every time you go out just to be able to do one one-hour run by the Sunday in week 12. In that final week you should hope to be able to achieve 4 sessions - 1 30 minute, 2 40-45 minutes and 1 60 minutes.

Up until this point, I would suggest don't worry about mileage, times, splits etc. Your objective in the first 12 weeks is to be able to run for one hour. Marathon training can be seen as a series of personal challenges - consider this your first.

As you move into the next phase, you will need to vary your sessions - the one hour run will become your weekly 'long run', 2-3 of your other sessions might be run for varying lengths between 30-50 minutes, but at a consistent, 'fast but comfortable' or 'race' pace, and you might consider an interval or 'speed' session for your fifth session. If required, you might also make one session a 'hill session' - where you run all or part of your run up a 'gentle' incline.

As you pass the one hour milestone, weekly mileage will become important. If you are still doing 5 sessions a week as above, then you will probably be doing about 22-25 miles a week.

To avoid injury as you increase from this base, you should not add more than 10% to your mileage each week, and also build in 'recovery' weeks where your keep the miles the same or slightly less than before. For example in weeks 13-22 you might follow a pattern such as 25/28/28/31/31/35/39/38/42/44 miles per week. While you will be raising mileage across all your sessions, you should be trying to push the long run to as long as possible.

By the end of week 22 you should aiming to be able to run for 2 hours (more or less continuously), which should be further than half marathon distance (i.e 13 miles plus). Building up from 1 hour, I found it very beneficial to make every second weekly 'long run' the longer run. For example, one week my long run might be 9 miles, the next 11, the next 10, the next 14, the next 11, the next 16, etc.

In weeks 23-27 your emphasis will be on completing one 20/21 mile run at a steady, comfortable (but naturally declining) pace. This is very much a confidence run - knowing on the day that you have recently run before to within 5 miles of the end is important - on the day, adrenalin will take you the rest of the way. I didn't want to reach the 26.1 distance before my first marathon, for fear of injury, because I didn't want to risk 'a bad run' (i.e. that I couldn't complete) so close to the marathon itself, and because I wanted the Marathon to be 'special'.

The final long run should be completed no later than 21 days before the marathon itself. After that you are in 'taper' mode - meaning that you gradually decrease your weekly mileage over the final 3 weeks in preparation for the big day. In week 27 (when you will run your 20 miler), you have probably ran 40-45 miles, and this will be the most weekly miles you have run in the course of the 7 months. For week 28 you should do more than 30 miles, week 29 no more than 18 miles and the week of the marathon itself, no more than 12 miles. The final 3-4 days should be resting, with perhaps a 2 mile jog 24-36 hours before the start. In taper mode, you still run the same number of sessions, but you decrease miles-per-session to meet the lower number of weekly miles. In the last 3 weeks you will also stop any speed training, and your emphasis should be maintaining good pace in all sessions.

Some other tips:

1. What you eat is important. When you are building towards long runs, make sure you eat something 1-2 hours in advance. I found porridge, nutri-grain bars, fruit, fig rolls to be good. Everyone is different, but I also found that a small amount of food on runs over 90 minutes worked for me too. All round, a healthier diet is very adviseable. Think of food as fuel.

2. What you drink is also important. Water is vital. Drink plenty of it all the time, and particularly in the hours before you run. I never use 'sports drinks' for runs under 60 minutes, but do find them useful for longer runs. Whatever you use, make sure it is available on race day - properly run marathons usually hand Lucozade Sport or equivalent out on the day. Ideally you will use the same drink during training and the marathon - trying sports drinks on the day itself may not agree with your stomach.

3. Injuries happen. When they do, remember to allow them to recover, and make sure you get back into it. The hardest times for me was 7-10 days after being injured, the first run can be easy to put off, and off, and off. And remember, with just 30 weeks any injury might jeopardise your chances of making Edinburgh. Always have another event in mind - Dublin is in October, Isle of Man and Longford in August, etc.

4. Listen to your body. Watch the knees, the shins, the calf muscles. Never persist with 'running off an injury'.

5. Always Stretch. Warm up (walk, light jog, 5-10 mins), Stretch (5 mins at least), Run, Cooldown (Slow jog, walk), Stretch to finish. Not doing this would be the single surest way to injure yourself.

6. Don't discount rest. Always take a day off before long runs, perhaps two. Skip or shorten a session if it feels right, but only because you know it will help you next time out.

7. Don't skimp on shoes. Buy a pair of 'running' shoes (i.e. not just any pair), and seek advice if you are not sure - Asics, Adidas, New Balance Nike and Reebok have the best 'made for running' runners. Expect to pay about €100 a pair, and replace them a couple of months before the marathon (never attempt a marathon in either well-worn, or brand-new shoes). Arnotts in town, Champion Sports (only Jervis branch) or Sportsworld in Terenure will be able to assist best.

8. Its winter for most of your training. Make sure you are seen!

9. Cross-training can be good, too, either as a replacement for one of your running sessions, or as 'active rest' (i.e. non-running exercise taken on your 'running rest days). A swim session or a bike ride or once a week can be useful for developing fitness and reducing injury risk. Just make sure you keep up the intensity (a splash around, 4 lap swim is no substitute for a 5 mile run).

10. The forums over at www.runnersworld.co.uk are excellent sources of information, motivation, inspiration and advice.

Final point - in relation to races. Races are great, and some say that one race equates to the benefit of 10 days individual training, in any case they are excellent for motivation and goal setting. Your idea to participate is excellent.

In Ireland most races take place March to October, so in the coming weeks there is not a lot. However, there is a 'Jingle Bells' 5K race around 23 December in the Phoenix park - which would fit nicely with the training plan outlined above. You will also see a couple of 5 milers and 10K early in March. All races are in 'Irish Runner'.

The one event I think you should definitely do is the 'Connemarathon' half-marathon. Not only is it scheduled at the right time for you (end March / about week 18), it is also the best organised marathon / race I have been to. It is a challenging, tough course, but it has a real buzz to it. It was my first half last March, and next year I will go back to do the full one. See www.connemarathon.com for more details.

Eurorunner

Tipptop, I think Genghis has covered everything!

Couple of things i would emphasise...good footware - John Buckley Sports in Cork or Sportsworld in Terenure are specialists (if anyone knows any others please post) - the most expensive runners many not be the best for you..

I am also fairly new to marathon running - done one marathon and two half marathons - I would recommend setting an initial goal of a half marathon. This worked well for me.

Injury: You have to be disciplined - if you dont stick to your training schedule, you could fcuk up your knees/feet/etc. This year i could only manage a half marathon cos i fcuked up and dropped two runs - then went back and did a long and fast run and screwed up my leg - as genghis said, dont run on an injury - i tried to run it off but this wasnt smart - sometimes, you can be so focused on wanting to buildup to marathon level that the enthusiasm can get you in trouble if you force the issue. In my case, i realised that i had no choice but to stop training for a while to let it heal - which screwed up my whole plan for the year - but then theres always next year.

Warm-up/Stretching: Very, very important if you want to avoid injury. It can be viewed as a boring task but its necessary - minimum 20 mins.


As for you not being in shape, i wouldnt let that bother you. The one thing thats amazed me since i started last year were the super fit grannies and grandads - in my first marathon i was in awe of fifty & sixty somethings and how fit they were - anyone can run a marathon - but you have to be disciplined and commited to it. Most important is not to overdo it in the beginning. Build it up very slowly and dont be discouraged if you cant run for more than a couple of mins (and feel like $hit:p) when you start.

Anyways, thanks to Genghis for that link for the connemara marathon..i had heard a few things about it and will now make it my goal for next year.


Good luck:)

EKRIUQ

Thanks alot Genghis and Eurorunner for all your valuable advice, genghis your information was very informative and knowledgeable and although now it seems a bit over my head at the monent, I'm sure I will refer to it as the time goes on.
I've just finished my first week training but the motivation factor is still very high, I've trained 4 times this week by running for 15minutes and walking for 5 and repeating once so I've been out for 40 minutes at a time but feel good at end of it hopefully in 4 weeks I can start on counting milage and running for more than 30 minutes continually.
I've no expectation that the marathon is going to be easy, my dad has run in 30 marathons and has said that theres no such thing as a easy marathon but I have'ent looked for his advice yet. I'll wait untill well into my training before seeking advice from him,(don't want to be shouting mouth off unless I can back it up)

The Connemara 1/2 marathon looks perfect for my schedule and will definately give it a go, providing my training goes well in the next couple of weeks

And thanks again for the advice

tunney

I'm going to be the voice or reason here and I can tell that I will not be liked for it. The majority of people when they take up running immediately target a marathon as their ulitmate goal, something that they have to do and have to do as soon as possible. There is nothing wrong with training for and doing a marathong but there is something wrong with going for one straight out of the box. Someone suggested looking at www.runnersworld.co.uk do have a look, have a look under training and injuries, more specificly the trains about knee pain and marathons. Everyone there has knackered knees(ITBS) and the sole cause of this was jumping straight in and training for a marathon. Taking up running is a massive shock to the body and to be honest most peoples bodies have something slight wrong here or there that will f*&k them up over the course of the training and/or the race itself. That is of course if they go straight in for a marathon, take your time, run for a year, run the sorter races, run them faster and better, enjoy yourself and then when you've been running consistently for a year, do a marathon, train for the 12 weeks safe in the knowledge that your body can handle the strains. A greatt book for any runner, or would be runner, is Tim Noakes Lore of Running, its only 30 euro in Hodges and Fidges, get it, read it and you'll enjoy many years of running, and running injury free. One of the key things that he says in it about marathons is that you should be a runner for at least a year before going for a marathon and that you should be running 30 miles a week for a few months before starting your training for a marathon. ANyways I'm rambling now. Take your time, hold off a bit and then you'll enjoy a lifetime or running rather than just one painful marathon.

I know find well I'll be savaged now by you and all the other "runners" here. But its just my two cents. Ignore it if you want but do so at your peril.

PS:
One thing thats really annoying me this month is this months runners world. they've taken three people who either never ran or have ran in 20 years and are "training" them for London 2004. That really annoys me because (a) some of them are fat fat people and being overweight and long distance running is asking for toruble and (b) they're not runners. Thats two counts of ignoring your own advice there by runners world and its p*ssing me off

Genghis

Your points are well made, tunney. My post was a specific response to the question 'is 7 months enough?', and I think it is 'possible' if not ideal. In actual fact my experience is closer to that which you described - i.e. training for 12 months or so before gearing up for my first marathon, which took the guts of a further 6 months. (In fact I began training January 2002, with a view to Dublin in October, realised this was not achievable in June 2002 and decided to postpone til October 2003. As it turns out I felt I could do Longford in August, and ended up doing both in a space of 9 weeks.)

Taking the slow route may well be the reason for my good fortune, injury wise - I have had only two occassions where my training was curtailed, and the second was the result of rushing back from the first. That was well over a year ago now; i.e. I have been training intensively for 12 months injury free.

Good to hear you found the advice useful, Tipptop - glad to hear both you and Eurorunner are interested in Connemarathon 2004!

tunney

Good to hear that you went 12 months without injury - its the only way to make progress!! Congrats on finishing dublin and longford. By all accounts longford was meant to have been an amazing success! What times did you do both in?

Genghis

Originally posted by tunney
By all accounts longford was meant to have been an amazing success! What times did you do both in?

By both accounts in this edition of Irish Runner, Longford was a great success. My experience was that it could be much better organised, and that it needs to become a bit more professional if it is to endure. Basic requirements of a major event were missing - no sports drinks, foods, gels or anything other than water was available at any point on the course; medical services were limited, and parts of the route lacked imagination. Choosing one of the hottest months of the year in which to run the event makes these shortcomings dangerous, uncomfortable and disappointing.

I would however commend the community spirit which was amazing.

My times - 4:11 in Longford, 3:38 in Dublin.

davelerave

and watch the feet ,you're quite heavy.i just had plantar fascia for six months and it's not nice.try to avoid crowned roads or at least run back the same side you went out if you can.and cut back at first sign of trouble(unlike me!)

Tray

This is just the thread I needed. Since February I have lost 3 stone 1 pound. I am a 6'1' guy and now weigh 14'6'. This has been achieved through running 3 times a week for 40 mins, playing footie for an hour and diet. I have recently thought about entering the lottery for the NYC marathon in a year's time. Basicaly I have another approx stone to lose and the aimless running is starting to bore me. I have thought that working up to the distance with some 10k runs and then half marathons would be the way to go. Bearing my recent weight loss in mind, is one year of training going to be enough?

Genghis

Tray,

Sounds like great progress so far, and if anything, the advice I posted above is more suited to your situaton - you have built up a good base, physiologically you are well prepared to begin adding distance, etc. As you have a year, I would stretch out the program I suggested to Tipptop - it was tailored for 7 months preparation, but you could build a better finishing time by allowing more recovery as you build up to the distance.

I would say that your biggest hurdle is actually getting into the marathon at all- it is the biggest, and most over subscribed marathon in the world. If you don't get the lottery there is always the charity route - Croi in Galway send a large contingent every year, but the snag is you will have to raise something like €3k for charity.

Do you have details for entering the NY marathon lottery? Is it online or by post?

(I might enter the lottery myself, it is something I want to do in the future, if not next year. It is reputed to be the best marathon of all.)

tunney

Or you could try and meet the entry requirements Only 2:45

Tray

Originally posted by tunney
Or you could try and meet the entry requirements Only 2:45

:eek: It'll be the charity route definitely. Pending further investigation I already have one in mind so it'll be a busy few months:D

Tray

Just an update- the NYC marathon is definitely out. Way too oversubscribed and apparently a very difficult first maraton as it is quite hilly. Any suggestions for about 12 months time. Dublin is the obvious one but I'm trying to go abroad and make an event of it if possible....

Genghis

Tray,

Have a look here, you might find something suitable - its mainly US, and it is for this year, not next, but you will find the major European marathons there also. I have linked you to October, there is a page for other months too.

tunney

Tray, I've also been looking into Marathons and one thing that appealed to me was doing the Belfast marathon in April(ish). You can do it in a relay and I think this could be good craic!

Genghis

Incidentally, I think I remember reading that the Edinburgh marathon is also running a relay event next year.

Tray

Cheers lads!:)

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

EKRIUQ

Originally posted by Genghis


4. Listen to your body. Watch the knees, the shins, the calf muscles. Never persist with 'running off an injury'.

Hi lads I'm back again looking for advice, The training is going very well even though the getting up at 6:50 to go for the run before work is a little bit harder on the cold mornings. After the first week I was a bit stiff after the runs I didn't worry too much about it pressuming it would go away, but last night when I went for my run both my knees were hurting an awful lot pain in both knees, they were always a bit stiff before, but this was worst since I started training so I said I'd cut my run short but when I was nearing home the pain had subsided a bit and ran futher than I did before about 35 min non stop run and felt really good after it.

To be honest I don't know if its a injury or stiffness. I never suffered from bad knees when I was younger playing sports and both knees would'nt get injured at the same time (or would they ). Now this morning even if I run 10 yards I can feel pain in them. I suppose 3 extra stone on my body than when I was younger which can't help and its time I think to change my runners.

Just wondering should I keep going running, I really don't want to take a break in trainng or would warm up exercises, deep heat or tight bandages help or even a diet to get some poundage off my frame even though I didn't want to worry about diet yet


Advice welcome

joshtheveniser

don't run through the pain anyway.what sort of warm-up are you doing?and what sort of pain and where on your knees?

tunney

PHYSIO PHYSIO PHYSIO!

Go to one NOW! Not just anyone though. Post your general location and I'm sure that someone will be able to recommend one.

Describe the pain a little more to us. What part of your knees hurt? When does it hurt? All the time? Just on foot strike? Does it hurt when walking? What about stairs?

I doubt that knee pain is a result of stiffness to be honest.

davelerave

i agree .it's time to see a physio.get some sound advice on your injury and stretching/strenghtening exercises tailored to your needs

moby2101

Hi Tipptopp,
As stressed previously go see a physio ASAP.
This exercise I think may be of assiatance to U, But dont try it out till U see a Physio.

This sounds all too familair.!!

3 yrs ago when I got back into training, weighing in at 15.5 st I pulverised my knees pretty badly within a few weeks.

I was dtermined to run the weight off, instead I ended up with dreadful knees (both of em!!) I had A lump the size of an egg on my right knee cap ( I kid U not!!)

After a trip to the Sports clinic In UL and a course of anti inflammatories and a lot of rest the knees still hurt like hell.

A friend who races triathlons diagnosed my problem and sent me to a really good physio here in Limerick.

The fix was relatively easy.

I was basically grating away my knee cap slowly but surely, top and bottom halves of legs were very strong as a result of weights and the 'aul knees hadn't been worked at all and were taking all the punishment my knee cap had been pushed down.

My physio started me on "step up" excercises straight away, I use the steps in a gym, If U dont have access to a gym, make your own, it needs to be about 1ft high and wide enought to accomodate both feet ( you could stack 2 blocks on top off each other and start there)

Step up on your "platform" start with your left leg, left leg stays stationary, with your right leg "step off" the Platform and lunge forward and only barely touch the ground with toes, lunge back up dont return your foot to platform and lunge to the rear barely touching also, repeat 15 times then do other leg, (repeat x5)

it'll hurt like hell in the beginning but you will build up your knees and push your knee cap "back down "and stop the "grating"

Ideally perform this excercise b4 and after run/cycle( I do 100 each leg B4 aqnd after runs)
3 yrs later I'm training hard, I've been racing on the roads all Summer and training in the gym now, knne problem has not returned.

hope this helps, let me know how U get on !!

tunney

I don't mean to be rude but you are suggesting that he do particular exercises without anything about his injury. What helped you could seriously hurt him.

Just go to the physio, ignore all advice from here (including mine), and let us know how you get on.

However do post your symptoms and we can have a guess at whats wrong.

moby2101

Agreed, (if U red the post it says see a physio b4 attempting any repairs!!)

tunney

I know I justed wanted to make absoultely sure that there was no chance that he'd do it before hand. I've very strong feelings about knee injuries

Genghis

Tipptop,

Have you tried resting at all? Do you find that the pain is worse when you train on consecutive days. I would suggest taking a week or so off, and see how you get on. Remember, you are going from being relatively inactive to moderately active in a short space of time, it is inevitable you will feel some strains. Give yourself the chance to get stronger.

I am not familiar with your specific injury, but when I did encounter similar strains, the sorted the problem out for me. It is a frustrating, but necessary part of training. All of this advice is of course cautioned with 'seek medical help, etc.' Good luck!

EKRIUQ

I've decide to take a couple of days rest and then try it out again hopefully it will be ok

tunney

Just go to the bloody physio. Seriously, going now could save you weeks of training.

p.pete

Originally posted by daveirl
Paris is in April - http://www.parismarathon.com/marathon/2004/us/index.html

It looked good when I checked it out last. It's defintely got to be one of the more interesting Marathon routes!

I signed up yesterday:D , It'll be my first marathon, is anyone else running this one?

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Corksham

Just the thread I was looking for. I have recently begun training for the London Marathon in April. I have always been relatively fit but this was mostly from martial arts, soccer and the gym.
I can do 10 miles no bother on a threadmill but the roads are sceal eile. I am doing about 20 miles a week and building and am cautious of injuries and probably jumping in a bit as there is some good advice about people needing at least a years running (which I dont have on the roads but my fitness is ok). For me it's a personal goal and I am doing it for a charity. I too will keep people posted and wish everyone else the best.
Whilst diet and training are hugly important, I am pleased to see people offering advice on avoiding injuries which is advice that should be heeded by the likes of me planning to run my first marathon in 5 months.

p.pete

Fair play to you Corksham, sounds like you should be in a good position to step up the training for London. Don't worry too much about putting runs in on the threadmill, as long as you are using a gradiant.

At the moment I can run for about 80 mins without stopping - I'll try the "increase that by 10%" thing for the next few weeks and see how it goes. That will be my long run each week. Also I'm playing 1 or 2 hours of football a week - so add an extra 2 runs per week on top of that and hopefully I'll start to notice a difference.

I saw a threadmill routine in a magazine this week - a pyramid run? Basicly do say 3mins at 0degrees - then 3 mins at 2 then 4, 6 and 8 then lower it back down doing a minute at each gradiant. I tried it at a steady 7 miles an hour this morning and it all fell apart when I got to 8 degrees, I'll try again though:D

tunney

Lads threadmills are all well and good but they are not a subsitute for running outdoors. Its completely different.(Well not completely). You're training to do 26.2 miles on concrete. You're going to have to put a fair proportion of your miles in on a similar surface. Get out there and plod around a park or something.

p.pete

Originally posted by tunney
Get out there and plod around a park or something.

a park is fairly different from concrete as well. Not all running should be done on concrete. Tarmac is more forgiving than concrete also.

I plan to have my long run on a hard surface to make sure that I'm used to it, after that if I can manage it my shorter runs will be on softer surfaces.

tunney

a park is fairly different from concrete as well

I meant the path in a park, away from traffic

Tray

I was just thinking about surfaces myself. I have been doing a fair bit on tarmac and some on concrete and am extremely wary of getting shin splints. I have now incorporated a grass run and a treadmill run to two conctere runs each week. Definitely ture about the treadmill being no substitute for running out doors. I can generally do about 20 minutes more on the treadmill even incorporating gradients. There just is'nt as much resistance and shock...

tunney

If you have been running regularly don't worry about shin splints. They are just the result of the bones playing catch up with the muscles.

Genghis

I run maybe a third of my mileage on treadmill, and I have to say that I find it muh harder to keep the same pace for the same time on a treamill - it takes much more effort, I find, and the biggest difference is simply the lack of any headwind. I heat up very quickly on a treadmill, and this makes training more difficult. That said, treadmills can be better for recovery runs, speed sessions and tempo running, when you are watching your speed closely over a short period of time.

tunney

I'll accept the fact that heat makes it more uncomfortable to run on threadmills but its still far easier than outdoor running.

Genghis

Originally posted by tunney
I'll accept the fact that heat makes it more uncomfortable to run on threadmills but its still far easier than outdoor running.

I find treadmill running much more difficult than outdoor running. Prmarily the heat, the resulting perspiration, the lack of complete control over your pace, and also the boredom factor. How is treadmill running easier in your experience?.

Eurorunner

Couldnt accept for a second that treadmill is easier than outdoor. Theres no stepping on uneven ground, hard surfaces, etc. ..no cross winds or adverse weather conditions.


Thats not to say that the treadmill doesnt have its place.. just that they shouldnt be used in terms of direct comparison.

Corksham

I have a question for people who have run a marathon or would be experienced runners:

Do you ever use the threadmills? If so how often. I personally do the roads 3 times a week and the threadmill once a week. I found it great for losing weight, the sweat pours off me. I am not all that experienced a runner and am looking for advice either in praise of or against threadmills, do they have any part in marathon training?

Thanks guys

tunney

Sweat pouring off you? Losing weight? perhaps its dehydration that makes you lose weight? I know after some of my runs I'm 9 pounds lighter. (3 hours in summer heat only taking in a litre of water) its generally not considered good.

D!ve^Bomb!

Originally posted by tunney
Sweat pouring off you? Losing weight? perhaps its dehydration that makes you lose weight? I know after some of my runs I'm 9 pounds lighter. (3 hours in summer heat only taking in a litre of water) its generally not considered good.

holy ****! are u serious? 9lbs?... that cant be good

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

tunney

9lbs alright, but at the end of the run I was f*&ked. Legs of lead, body in bits, white t-shirt soaked in blood from runners nipple, dizzy, light headed the list goes on Admittedly it was one of the hottest days of the summer and dumb f*&k here went running at mid-day for 3 hours I should have expected it

And like you said dave, there was a crust of salt over over my face, manky. Still it was a good excuse for eating a few packs of tayto with my energy drink

Took me a few days to get over but I learnt a valuable lesson about the importance of hydration.

Tray

Fair balls to ya Tunney- thats some going!! I use vasline on my toes and anything else that can rub against each otder to avoid getting cut. Or maybe I just like putting Vaseline on my nipples!

tunney

I find surgical tape works best for the nipples Just remember to take it off before going to GAA training

p.pete

Runners nipple, nobody told me about this:eek:
Although I was freezing my baps off when I was running last night:D