Can I give more? The answer is usually yes

Murph_D

Agree with DD there - I hardly use them at all myself on long runs anymore. Might be a bit more conservative preparing for first marathon though -- if there are going to be some, eh, gastric effects, they might not become evident during a shorter run?

First time I took a gel (Kinetica) I was fine on the long run but peed black stuff afterwards. It was really alarming! the gel obviously didn't get absorbed properly but that never happened again, thankfully!

wowzer

dublin runner wrote: »

The drink is fine. Just pick up a bottle the day before to be 'accustomed'! I don't think it's available here.

There's a decent chance that it could be 20/22 degrees (hopefully not!) so you will have to prepare for that. Sodium intake for me is very important. I like the dioralyte sachets but they can be a pain to mix with water.

I would recommend having a plan A and plan B. Plan A being a mild Irish day and plan B a warm Rotterdam morning (the temp can really pick up towards midday). It will never get to be very hot but I think people underestimate the difference, particularly coming off a cold Irish winter and spring. Nothing to be very concerned about. It's something you can easily prepare for.

100% agree with DR, the heat caught me on the hop in 2014 too. It wasnt roasting by any stretch but coming off a winter training block it was a killer towards the end of race.

The water in cup and sponge situation in Rotterdam is excellent, it's surprisingly easy to drink from, no water gets spilled as the sponge soaks it up and you use the sponge to cool your bonce if your bald like Tang

tang1

wowzer wrote: »

cool your bonce if your bald like Tang

Ah there was no need for that now!! Good to hear from likes of DR and yourself who have experienced Rotterdam and what worked, cheers man.

Notwork Error

Firedance wrote: »

that sounds like a good plan Murph, can I ask, as an experience marathoner, do you pre plan when you're going to take your gels? I tried that in Dublin and it was a disaster because I should have made adjustments on the day to allow for circumstances and I didn't. I'm thinking just bring about 4 gels and take them (or not) on a 'see how I feel' basis, but then I worry if that's not enough planning!! Sorry for the log hijack B!

I wouldn't go with the how you feel approach, I've lost count of how many times I've bonked, mostly when cycling but it's the same thing and once you start to feel it, it's too late and swallowing a whole bottle of carbs only gives a tiny bit of relief. Gels definitely give a boost but I look at them as preventive instead of reactive. Taking gels will give you energy but they also preserve glycogen stores when taking them which is what you want. You're saving energy by taking them.

I usually take them every 30 minutes after about an hour of racing. I find I don't get bloated from them that way but everyone will be different.

wowzer

Notwork Error wrote: »

I wouldn't go with the how you feel approach, I've lost count of how many times I've bonked, mostly when cycling but it's the same thing and once you start to feel it, it's too late and swallowing a whole bottle of carbs only gives a tiny bit of relief. Gels definitely give a boost but I look at them as preventive instead of reactive. Taking gels will give you energy but they also preserve glycogen stores when taking them which is what you want. You're saving energy by taking them.

I usually take them every 30 minutes after about an hour of racing. I find I don't get bloated from them that way but everyone will be different.

Spot on, you don't take them when you feel you need them. You take them to stop yourself from needing to take them if that makes sense.

They are the easiest way to take on valuable carbs and as NE says they keep glycogen levels topped up and you avoid hitting the proverbial wall.

I think Meno used to take 6-8 during a marathon and I was the same for my marathons.

You just gotta practice taking them to find what suits.

tang1

Thursday 28.1.16

4miles Easy@9.19min/miles in 37min 15secs

This was suppose to be 6 easy but Mrs tang1 was delayed at work and I had to be back to let her go to the hairdressers!! God be with the day I had to go to the barbers, these days it's 5 mins in front of a mirror with an electric razor and I'm golden for 3 weeks!!! At least I'm not like TbL having to get the blue-rinse in once a month. Kept the pace slow just to let the legs recover from previous days 15 miles. Body & legs felt good.

Friday 29.1.16

Rest, it was my Mamò's 90th birthday so had a trip to Connemara. She'd put a person a quarter of her age to shame, she still looks after my aunt who is in her 60's and disabled. Great great woman.

Saturday 30.1.16

5miles Easy + 4x1 mile&7-7.15 pace off 2min rec.

Was looking forward to this all week, got out close to mid-day and the wind was blowing. I wasn't going to let that bother me, it's weather totally out of my control, more important to control what I can like my pace. The five miles easy flew by quick enough then into the faster miles, I felt really good on them and had to throw the anchors out on a few occasions and not get carried away, 2 & 4 were into the wind:

6.59, 7.00, 6.58, 7.00.

The recoveries were plenty long, this gives me a boost heading into the Trim 10 mile next week.

11 miles total for session.

Sunday 31.1.16

5miles Easy@9.02min/miles in 45min 09secs

This was suppose to be 7 miles but got caught at work, was happy enough to get out for few miles by time I got home. Very mild out, sweated buckets on this. Legs feeling good and energy levels are fine to. 43 miles for the week and over 180 miles for the month. Eating like an absolute hound to, thank god I'm training for a marathon.

Darren 83

Whats the target for Trim?

tang1

Darren 83 wrote: »

Whats the target for Trim?

Hoping a PB, be it only by a second I'll be delighted. 6.45 pace gives 67.30 that's the target I have in my mind.

Darren 83

tang1 wrote: »

Hoping a PB, be it only by a second I'll be delighted. 6.45 pace gives 67.30 that's the target I have in my mind.

Should be no bother to you with training you have put in.

tang1

Darren 83 wrote: »

Should be no bother to you with training you have put in.

Here's hoping, hopefully I'll be telling you all about a new PB this day week. What's your aim?

Darren 83

tang1 wrote: »

Here's hoping, hopefully I'll be telling you all about a new PB this day week. What's your aim?

Honestly don't know, The longest I've raced last year was 8k

tang1

Darren 83 wrote: »

Honestly don't know, The longest I've raced last year was 8k

See from your log your thinking 80mins, no reason why not the way your training is going. If the weather plays ball you'll run that no bother.

RacoonQueen

The weather is going to be perfect next week. I have foreseen it.

Steroo

Good luck in Trim!

tang1

Steroo wrote: »

Good luck in Trim!

Cheers Ste, how's training going, you back at the Darkside stuff?

Steroo

tang1 wrote: »

Cheers Ste, how's training going, you back at the Darkside stuff?

Yea always doing a bit! Haven't been out on the bike - but Spring is here so it's time to get busy again!

tang1

Monday 1.2.16

30 mins Recovery, just over 3 miles covered in the wind. Got blown all over the place doing this, was glad it was nothing longer.

Tuesday 2.2.16

7miles Easy@9.04min/miles in 63mins 31secs

Got this done after work and with the bit of a stretch in the evenings got most of it done in daylight. Lovely evening for a run and one of those you wished wouldn't end. All feeling good.

Wednesday 3.2.16

11.45miles Easy@8.29min/miles in 1hr 37min 04secs

This was broken up as follows, first 7@ Easy pace and last 4@MP. Took half day from work to get this done as didn't fancy running up and down the same 1 mile stretch in Summerhill in the dark to get this done. Got home at 2pm changed and out the door. Bright cool day, ideal for running, first few miles were circa downhill so pace was bit quick. Settled into easy pace from then on and the miles ticked by.

The MP miles were a joy to run, felt oh so comfortable and I didn't want them to end, splits as follows:

7.30, 7.29, 7.30, 7.29

Like to think there is another 22.2 of them in the legs come the 10th of April. But the small matter of the Trim 10 mile has to be taken care of first, best of luck to all who read here on Sunday, hopefully see ye all there. Easy miles for rest of the week. From here till Sunday, over and out.

Younganne

Best of Luck Sunday, looking forward to meeting you.

Firedance

GOOD LUCK!!!! not that you need it have a super race

Darren 83

Best of luck on Sunday tang

Bungy Girl

Have a great race on Sunday, Tang. Give that Lemon a run for his money if he shows up!

Ososlo

+1! Have a great race! You deserve it with all the excellent training! Looking forward to seeing how you do:)

aquinn

Absolutely, post asap so we don't have to stalk. Have a super race.

tang1

Sure I knew this already:

Firedance

tang1 wrote: »

Sure I knew this already:

Ha ha WTF? Where did you get that? Also, I demand a recount

tang1

Firedance wrote: »

Ha ha WTF? Where did you get that? Also, I demand a recount

Seen it over on the Cycling Forum, I can't create a link as I'm computer thick!!

Firedance

tang1 wrote: »

Seen it over on the Cycling Forum, I can't create a link as I'm computer thick!!

Ok WHAT we're you doing on the cycling forum?? Trust those softies to come up with something like this

Firedance

Chartsengrafs

Good luck and enjoy! Home advantage sure to be worth a few minutes!

Bungy Girl

Firedance wrote: »

Ah shucks