God loves a trier

RubyK

Hey JEmily, thanks for that. I'm hoping and praying my wall hitting now, might make for a wall free day 25th Oct

You are so right about the pace, and it's something I still have not got a handle on. My first few miles are too fast. I'm really going to try and sort this out this evening.

Best of luck with the 15 miles tomorrow - there is a nice group of you by the looks of it, which is great. I find it gets a bit boring running alone all the time.

shazkea

Good luck this evening Ruby. You're absolutely doing great so don't let one "not so good" run knock your confidence. Just enjoy the run and view them as learning curves for the big day. You're right in saying it's better to happen now than the day. Also....22 miles in training this far ahead of DCM, that's awesome stuff

RubyK

Thanks shazeka, your right, I have to think positive and just get out and go for it this evening.

meathcountysec

RubyK wrote: »

Thanks shazeka, your right, I have to think positive and just get out and go for it this evening.

Apart from going out a bit quick on your 22-miler (respect for that :cool:) you didn't take a drink until 8 miles in. By the time you feel thirsty you are already starting to dehydrate. Drink stations in DCM at every 3 miles. Hydrate earlier maybe?

I learned a lot from my disaster of a 15 mile 2 weeks ago. Will see if I remember the lessons today (18 miles)

Good luck.

RubyK

Definitely think you are right there MCS, and I will place a water bottle nearer around mile 4-5 this evening. Cheers, and best of luck with the 18'r

RunHomerRun

RubyK wrote: »

Ah thanks so much RHR, lovely post from you

Hi-5 are the gels available on marathon day. Hopefully, I'll work something out in the next few weeks, that suits me.

Can't believe how quick the time is going by!

Any plans for yourself? What about the half in Waterford 11th Dec? Thanks again for your motivational words!

Hi RubyK,

No problem at all.

Half in Waterford in December ....... thats not a bad idea at all, something to aim towards.
Maybe I will consider it....:rolleyes:
Thanks for the suggestion...

RubyK

Fri 27/08 - ok, maybe I am stupid, but to get the "fear" out of me, I decided to try my best to go as far as possible this evening Hid 4 bottles of energise and 1 bottle of water, plus 2 gels and some jellybabies. Mile 1, too fast. Again. Slowed down, and tried to focus on the task ahead. Took my first energise drink at mile 5. Surprisingly, it didn't taste too bad, and I definitely think it helped me keep going (lots of loops to get in the miles). Took a gel at mile 9, and I didn't feel any ill effects like before. Plodded on and at mile 19, I waited for the wall, which I hit hard on my last LSR. Mile 20, no wall, and thankfully that's the way the last 5.8 miles went. Yes, it was tough at times, but nowhere near as bad as last week. Time on feet - 4 hrs 7 mins - 25.8 miles covered. I had to stop twice to give directions to people (what a sight I must have looked ) and twice to take the gels (coz I'm clumsy like that, and can't open, take the gel & drink water at the same time). I won't be covering this distance again on my LSR before M-Day. All in all very happy.

shazkea

Wow that's serious running Ruby, well done. DCM will be a breeze to you after that . Delighted to hear you didn't have any bad experiences and that's just the confidence boost you needed. Congrats

RubyK

Thanks for the nice words shazkea I know people say not to do the distance during training, but I'm the kind of person who needs to know they have covered it, iykwim. I hope I won't have left my marathon behind me, in training. A friend has me a bit freaked out, saying I shouldn't have done it.

Anyhoo, it's done now, and I'll be following proper plan for the next 8 weeks. Fingers crossed.

This day 8 weeks :eek:

xebec

Fair play on getting that distance covered!! As you know it wouldn't be advisable for most people, but fair play for doing it... Your aim now should be to make sure you get some proper rest this week. One of the problems with going to this distance is that it's easier to get injured afterwards, some proper rest and low mileage this week should sort you out though.

Again, fair play on covering the distance and don't worry about anyone who says you shouldn't have done it!

RubyK

Thanks xebec, appreciate your reply My legs feel grand, no stiffness at all, thank God. I'll keep the miles down this week though, as per your advice.

Thanks again

RubyK

Mon 30/08 - hummed and hawed, but eventually got out the door for a nice 6.05 miles in 52.10 mins. Quite warm out there, but I enjoyed it for the most part. Left calf felt a bit tight for the first half mile, but loosened up after that. And a blister seems to be appearing - but I've been lucky, 12 months running, and only getting my first one now!

claralara

Well done with the 25+miles Ruby! Seriously that's savage going. And to get out again for an easy 6miles in 52mins yesterday..you make it sound so easy! Great going

RubyK

Thanks clara, although I'll probably go out tonight and have a stinker of a run!

RayCun

wow, impressive running, well done

tunguska

RubyK wrote: »

Fri 27/08 - ok, maybe I am stupid, but to get the "fear" out of me, I decided to try my best to go as far as possible this evening Hid 4 bottles of energise and 1 bottle of water, plus 2 gels and some jellybabies. Mile 1, too fast. Again. Slowed down, and tried to focus on the task ahead. Took my first energise drink at mile 5. Surprisingly, it didn't taste too bad, and I definitely think it helped me keep going (lots of loops to get in the miles). Took a gel at mile 9, and I didn't feel any ill effects like before. Plodded on and at mile 19, I waited for the wall, which I hit hard on my last LSR. Mile 20, no wall, and thankfully that's the way the last 5.8 miles went. Yes, it was tough at times, but nowhere near as bad as last week. Time on feet - 4 hrs 7 mins - 25.8 miles covered. I had to stop twice to give directions to people (what a sight I must have looked ) and twice to take the gels (coz I'm clumsy like that, and can't open, take the gel & drink water at the same time). I won't be covering this distance again on my LSR before M-Day. All in all very happy.

Wow Ruby K that is brilliant stuff!! Im stunned by that. Dont wanna sound sexist or anything but there arent many lads who'd have the guts to do a run like that, never mind many of the ladies. Well done, that took courage.

RubyK

Ah thanks tunguska - see I took your advice after all

I'm not quite sure what I should be doing LSR-wise until the big day. Any thoughts?

tunguska

RubyK wrote: »

Ah thanks tunguska - see I took your advice after all

I'm not quite sure what I should be doing LSR-wise until the big day. Any thoughts?

You still have a fair bit of time before the big day so you can play around with your long run a bit. I mean you have 5 more weekends before you'd hit a taper(if you choose to do a 3 week taper)so you could maybe play around with the pace of your long runs. A lot of people will throw in marathon pace segments into their long runs. For example if youre goal was for sub 3 hrs then your marathon pace would be 6:50/mile. So what you'd do in your long run would be say:

5 miles easy
13 miles @6:50/mile(marathon pace)
5 miles easy

Or you could try a progression run. Taking the sub 3hr example again:

5 miles at 7:20/mile
5 miles at 7:10/mile
5 miles at 6:50/mile
5 miles at 6:40/mile

These runs are a lot of fun, you really have to concentrate and focus all he way through, which Ive found, makes things go quickly. Long runs can be a bit of a chore normally but when you do them like this they fly by.

Or you could just stick to what youve been doing i.e. same pace throughout, but try and run a few seconds per mile faster than you did previously. When I do this I take it mile by mile, make every mile a mini- goal. So if you ran your 25mile run at 9min/mile, next long run try and run at 8:55, see how that goes.

It'd be worth your while buying a copy of this book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Advanced-Marathoning-Peter-Pfitzinger/dp/0736074600/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283253763&sr=1-1

Dont be put off by the "advanced" part. This is a book for everybody whos willing to work hard.

Also theres a 20mile race in athlone on the 3rd of october. Be well worth running as a close to marathon pace long run. Will let you know a lot in relation to where you stand for the big day.

RubyK

Thanks so much tunguska, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. Lots of advice there for me to work with! I'll have a look at that link you posted too.

Athlone would be ideal, but unfortunately it's not possible for me to do.

Thanks again

RubyK

Tues 31/08 - 6.05 miles. Don't know the time, as I met a fellow runner, who stopped for a quick chat, and I forgot to stop my watch He offered me a lift to Cork to do the Cork - Cobh 15 mile race on 3/10. He thinks it would be a good one for me to do, before DCM. It's something to think about alright.

Wed 01/0 - It's my birthday, and I think I'm being brought out for dinner, so no running this evening.

Might take tomorrow off aswell, as I have to do my LSR Friday evening.

DustyBin

Jaysus Rubyk you've really up'd the ante since I last had a look in here :eek:

You're running has improved no end, and the endurance stuff just seems like no bother to you. Fair play you'll have a fantastic race in Dublin I'm sure of it.
That 26 mile run you did will surely now give you all the confidence you need that the distance will be no problem to you on the day.

Tunguska is a much faster and more experienced runner than I am but I think that maybe nothing more than maybe 22 easy miles for you between now and the big day. Them progression runs and the marathon pace runs that he talks about are exactly what you should be doing now, but maybe limit them to 20 miles total. Doing 13 miles at predicted marathon pace may seem daunting now but will really stand to you when DCM comes around.

Don't forget your step back weeks either - the last thing you need now is a stupid injury. During your step back week run your lsr slightly less 'l' and definitely 's'. If you don't have a foam roller then buy one, the increased mileage you're doing can be a big cause of annoying calf and ITB niggles - I know for Cork this year I started suffering big time over the final 6 weeks or so from not using my foam roller enough. The niggles played havoc with my head at the time. Learn how to stretch your glutes properly.

You're well set for the marathon now, just a bit more hard work on endurance and do a little bit of tempo and speed work and get to the start line in one piece ready to give it socks.

What is your target time for DCM btw?




(Oh and Happy Birthday:D)
\/ \/ Thanks JEmily \/ \/

JEmily

Enjoy your Birthday and meal...and well done on 25 mile run, wowzers

RubyK

Thanks a mill Dusty, you have given me some great advice there Re. the foam roller - I've seen them being mentioned before, and I always picture a paint brush roller :D

Hoping for a time of 3.59.59

JEmily, love the smiles, thanks very much Thanks for the birthday wishes!

claralara

Belated birthday wishes Ruby! Hope you enjoyed your evening

DustyBin

Hoping for a time of 3.59.59
!

why are you selling yourself short??
Maybe you're just sandbagging?

Either way you should AT LEAST be starting out with the 3:45 pacers and looking to push on ahead if them over the last few miles - you've done a 4hr marathon in training ffs
with the training between now and the marathon combined with a good taper you'll be knocking lumps out of that on the day - depends on what you want though I suppose.
maybe during a few of them pmp runs run them at 3:40 pace?

RubyK

Jebas DustyBin, what are you trying to do to me :eek: Following 3.45 pacers, I'd be done by mile 10 man

However, I will take all your advice on board, and I'll do a couple of pmp longer runs.

Thanks again, I really do appreciate all the help.

RayCun

RubyK wrote: »

Jebas DustyBin, what are you trying to do to me :eek: Following 3.45 pacers, I'd be done by mile 10 man

3.45 = 20 minutes faster in the marathon than you just did in a training run
Sounds to me like you'd be well able for it.

Are you doing the half?

RubyK

Hey Ray, I'm not doing the half - I did Enniscorthy half in June though 1.56.10

There's a 15 miler in Cork, that I'm thinking of doing early October.

tunguska

Dont want to put you under pressure Ruby K but Id have to chime in with the lads on this one. 3:59 is a bit conservative considering you've run 4hrs in training. Look after yourself between now and Oct 25th and you'll be good to go. Theres a section on a 3 week taper in that book I recommended in my previous post and it'll see you through to race day in good shape.

RubyK

But it took me over 4 hrs 7 mins and that wasn't the actual full distance. And I'd imagine there will be a fair bit of congestion for the first mile or two.

I'll look at that book though Tunguska - I have to say, the thoughts of a 3 week taper are starting to make me feel gittery already!