Marathon Improvers Thread.

diego_b

Same here actually I had a 17K run to do last night (13K tempo) so I took the shot bloks with me and took a few enroute and all good, not used them for a number of years. I'm liking the sounds of the powder in the flasks as mention above as I've mixed stuff running before (High 5 zero tabs) and went fine. Just curious, if you need to dilute into 500-600ml of water as some of the powder's state as you splitting the sachet between the flasks (a half dose in each)?

Also the sound of SIS Beta Gels (have used High Five, Kinetica and SIS before) but would like to pick up a few single ones before investing. Fewer gels with a higher carb load sounds very good to me if the stomach can take them.

Cartman78

Some interesting posts on gels....I'm going to stick with the SiS ones this time around (SiS GO Isotonic)...might look at experimenting over the winter with something else ahead of a possible spring marathon that I'm definitely not already half planning 😂

What are people's thoughts on the upcoming XC season?

A recipe for disaster/injury? Or a welcome change from pounding the tarmac??

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525265#Comment_119525265

That’s a brilliant idea. I’m going to keep that in mind for my tailwind.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525420#Comment_119525420

I use these 30ml plastic travel bottles that I can get in those "Flying Tiger Copenhagen" shops. Fill them with Tailwind and keep 4/5 in either my pocket or a flipbelt. I can grab a water bottle from a water station, and while running remove both lids and pour the tailwind into the water bottle. The travel bottle is solid so its relatively easy to do the pouring.

As for gels v tailwind, I am pretty cynical about gels these days, I'm coming around to the idea that they aren't really needed at all. I would now just bring tesco brand jellies rather than any fancy gels, and even then I don't much bother taking them on long runs any more.

I rarely use tailwind either but there is one thing I can't deny, and its that when I do use tailwind I find myself finishing the run much stronger. I don't get that with the gels or jellies. I should probably use it more but I find it a bit of a chore to drink, especially later on in the race. In my last marathon I had plenty of tailwind in the travel bottles but ended up grabbing an energy drink from one of the stations and being happy enough with just that instead.

Sandwell

I ran the Tullamore half marathon this morning and finished with a small PB, which I'm delighted with as it was achieved with no taper. The previous pb was from only a few months ago and came after following a specific half marathon training plan so there's definitely much to be encouraged by in today's performance. I'm following Hansons advanced plan for Amsterdam and so far so good. I've been hitting the training paces reasonably comfortably and although I'm definitely feeling the cumulative fatigue it's never been a struggle to finish a session. Just need to stay healthy between now and mid-October.

Regarding gels, I'd fully intended to take one today towards the end of the half (something I'd normally never do) but when the time came I was just too close to the limit and feared that it might be a bad idea. I'll have to practice on some of the long MP tempos that I have coming up.

I could do with a recommendation for a pair of shorts that can hold a few gels and maybe a small soft flask or two. Or maybe the best option is to wear a running belt?

event

https://www.decathlon.ie/men-s-tights-shorts-and-baggy-shorts/145971-38314-men-s-trail-running-baggy-shorts-graph-grey.html#/demodelsize-340uk_37quote_slash_eu_xl/demodelcolor-8503016?queryID=784d11b26d2053a490f4c97b29fc0500&objectID=2473360

These are what I wear

racersedge

Well done on Tullamore today @Sandwell .A warm day and it’s a tough enough course - but one that is a good challenge for marathon training. Race could of done with starting an hour or so earlier but who can predict the heat we would have! 😂

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119529998#Comment_119529998

Cheers. Yeah, the 11am start is probably not a great idea for a summer race. Otherwise though it's a super event, one of the best in the country I'd say, brilliantly organized from parking, to reg, to water stations and stewards on the course. The route is tough with those climbs in the first half but it does leave the second half very fast, albeit the legs are too beat up by then to fully appreciate it. All I was thinking during those eternal last few miles was that if I could hold it together and not drop off the pace that it would be great prep for Amsterdam. The stadium finish even replicates the end of that particular marathon.

Were you running yourself or involved in the organising?

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119529713#Comment_119529713

Congrats on the PB. I've been using this the last couple of months and I'll be using it in Amsterdam too. Can highly recommend, will carry 2x250ml soft flasks, I reckon you could squeeze 8 to 10 gels in and a pocket for a mobile phone. No bouncing around, providing you get a good tight size.

https://www.decathlon.ie/walking-flasks-and-flask-carrying/333176-94130-hydration-flask-carrying-running-belt-black.html#/demodelsize-1205/demodelcolor-8645720?queryID=05c036a6eb35ff88814ef5f5a530fb0a&objectID=4303773

Sandwell

That looks great. Must see if I can pick one up. Hope the Amsterdam training is going well for you. We'll have to arrange to meet somewhere for a post race pint if we both make it to the start line in one piece next month.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119530288#Comment_119530288

I'm heading over on my own, so absolutely.

Training going 7/10 and unlike you, I'm going to taper for Ratoath, need the confidence of a good race.

Sandwell

Best of luck with that. It's supposed to be a fast course. I was hoping to do it this year myself but it clashed with family stuff so Tullamore suited better in the end.

Also traveling solo so definitely up for a meet up.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119529713#Comment_119529713

Well done on the PB. I love the Flipbelts and have used them for all marathons. They’ll take loads of gels and a small flask too though I tend to wear shorts with a side pocket also and use the side pocket for my flask.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119525420#Comment_119525420

I think I might have suggested at the time that this seemed too complicated. At least I hope I did! Marathon fuelling needs to be simple and automatic (no thinking) as far as I’m concerned. Your brain is fluff by 20 miles (or earlier).

When I did NYC marathon I had zero tabs wrapped in foil in my pockets, drink straws for sipping from paper cups strapped to my wrists - stuff like that, all too fiddly, and most of it ended up being dropped on the ground. Clumsy me, with no plan B.

Keep it simple and practice, practice!

event

Did a 20 mile lsr today.

First 10 @ 09:00 min miles

Next 10 @ 08:00 min miles

1161 feet of elevation.

SIS beta fuel worked well. They do gel chews as well, tried them and liked em. Plan for marathon is have 2 of them, have 2 gels and 2 drinks. Good mix of texture and flavours.

Murph_D

Good sounding run. What’s the marathon target again?

racersedge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119530193#Comment_119530193

Was in the field. I live close to Tullamore so it was an easy decision to do it, on top of it been a good route with a marathon in mind and it’s a very well organised event (although sorely missed the post-race spread there has been in the past!) PB for myself, but tough going. While the elevation map says it’s probably more difficult on the first half, those drags and inclines when tired on the back half do sap it out of you.

chabsey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119530302#Comment_119530302

Heading to Amsterdam as well myself, might look into that hydration belt cause I inevitably end up spilling 90% of the cups of water when trying to grab them without stopping. My training is also going about 7/10....was 10/10 before I realised my treadmill was lying to me.

Cartman78

Just signed up for Charleville Half at the end of September.

I did this race in 2019 but have zero recollection of it tbh apart from saying hello to Jerry Kiernan before it.

Anyone on here doing it? Any recommendations/tips would be appreciated... I suspect I was half injured doing it last time, ran what was a disappointing 1:33 (having ran 1:29 in Limerick in May 2019).

I'd give my current training a 7.5 rating....it would have been 8 or 8.5 until the last few days when a few familiar aches/niggles have started to surface

Treviso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543029#Comment_119543029

My opinion would be it's far too close to Dublin to race it properly, you may not recover in time for the marathon itself. Maybe use it to run 13 miles at marathon pace, or longer if you run some MP miles before the start. Charleville HM used to be middle of Sept, which did allow people race it and recover. Moving it to end of Sept put an end to that.

In terms of the course, about as good as you can get if conditions are right. Last two times I did it, it was very humid, and last year the wind was against us for the last 3 miles.

Unthought Known

Bit of a bonus having 6 weeks between the Dublin half and DCM this year.

DeepBlue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543029#Comment_119543029

A few fast runners I know had very disappointing results (by their standards) in 2019 due to the conditions on the day. I think it was humidity as I don't recall it being particularly sunny.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119545256#Comment_119545256

The humidity was crazy that day and so many people struggled. It was cloudy so surprised everybody too. I did it last year and was much easier than 2019 even with very strong winds … mainly side on but tough going in spots. I’ve an entry for this year but reluctant to do it again as never had a good day out there … though it’s obviously well known for being such a flat course etc. I might just do it as part of a long run.

Cartman78

Aha.... thanks @Kellygirl & @DeepBlue that makes sense now...I've obviously suppressed the memory of that day in a dark and distant vault 😂

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119531318#Comment_119531318

Mine was sub 3:40 but you folks convinced me to go for sub 3:30. I think I'll go for that.

event

So how did we all get on last week? Got out for 4 runs last week, was away for 3 days

3m easy

10m session

10k easy

18m LSR @ 08:37

Will take it bit easier this week, have Ratoath on Saturday.

Cartman78

Had a bit of a shambles last week - telling myself that maybe a lighter week isn't any harm at this stage but feel like the wheels are starting to come off a bit tbh.

All the gory details are over on my log -

10.15K @ 4:50

9K @ 4:50

10K @ 4:30

20K @ 4:55

Sandwell

Decent week. Managed to hit the 56 mile target from my plan despite being out of action with a 24 hour bug at one point. Ran easy until Thursday as I was recovering from Tullamore so I skipped the usual Tuesday intervals from the Hansons plan. Managed the Thursday MP tempo without incident. Friday was a write off after spending Thursday night on the toilet. A short run on Saturday confirmed that the legs had recovered and I managed a 20 miler fairly comfortably yesterday albeit it left me exhausted for the rest of the day. Legs feel okay today though.

I tried out Maurten gels during the run yesterday and found them great, so much cleaner and easier to take than any others I've tried. I quite like the Clif blocks too so might take a mix of the two with me on the day.

Kellygirl

I did the Waterford Greenway half Marathon and took another 2:20 mins off my Cork half time to get 1:43:05. Hopefully all will go to plan on the day now in DCM and I’m hoping to get 3:45 if not 3:40 though that seems very ambitious. Pb is 4:03 from 2019 but my half PB then was 1:52 so I’m in a very different place now.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573387#Comment_119573387

Well done on the PB. Nice to get some positive feedback from the training block.