DCM 2018 - Mentored Novice Thread

Hedgehoggy

skyblue46 wrote: »

Sadly nothing we can do about the weather! Haha. Personally I just prepare for the worst so I did my tempo on Wednesday morning at the heights of the storm and will resist the temptation to do my LSR tomorrow and save it for Sunday which is forecast to be very wet!!

Had all the rain gear laid out and ready to go for LSR this morning. Quite possibly the nicest training run I've done. So far. Sunny but cool, no wind.... Where did the storm go????

Well done to everyone on the half results!!!!!!

Mr. Guappa

Hedgehoggy wrote: »

Had all the rain gear laid out and ready to go for LSR this morning. Quite possibly the nicest training run I've done. So far. Sunny but cool, no wind.... Where did the storm go????

Well done to everyone on the half results!!!!!!

On a related subject, what do people intend to wear if rain is forecast for the day itself? Running top as normal? Or with a rain jacket and/or base layer? Wooly hat or ordinary cap? I had mixed weather for my long run on Friday and went with running top plus rain jacket and wooly hat. Felt reasonably cool for the majority of it.

Hedgehoggy

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

On a related subject, what do people intend to wear if rain is forecast for the day itself? Running top as normal? Or with a rain jacket and/or base layer? Wooly hat or ordinary cap? I had mixed weather for my long run on Friday and went with running top plus rain jacket and wooly hat. Felt reasonably cool for the majority of it.

Personally think if it's raining I'll go worn layers that can be taken off easily rather than a base layer that might be diff to get off if you do start to heat up. Apparently discarded clothes are donated to charity... So would reduce my guilt at leaving a top or something on the side of the Rd

Safiri

bucketybuck wrote: »

Cheers! I've gotten a great boot from yesterday, I looked at some pace predictors and they say that my time could translate into a 3.40 marathon, which I won't be going for but mentally I now feel like sub 4 isn't a pipe dream, that I could even go at a slighter faster pace than sub 4 and bank some time for any problems or issues! I'll have to give a lot of thought to what pace I decide to go with.

The calf started to ache at about 3/4km and of course got tighter as the race went on, especially any time I hit one of the hills. I was very conscious of it all the way through and was just waiting for it to reach a point where I had to stop and stretch and then try to limp home. Thankfully that point never came, it hung over me the whole way but it didn't bite and it didn't hold me back at all.

That was another nice lesson from yesterday, I had a number of aches and pains but it was as if I could acknowledge them without letting them affect my pace, I think that will stand to me if things get tough in DCM!

Congrats on the PB, that's some improvement!!

What I will say now that most people have finished the final tuneup race in their marathon prep is how important pacing is in the marathon. Trying to bank time is not a good approach to running a marathon. I won't go into much detail in this post but here are a few posts I made on the subject of goal setting and pacing the marathon and specifically Dublin on last years Novice thread.


https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104771538&postcount=3527

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104842786&postcount=3772

Huzzah!

Applegirl26 wrote: »

I enjoyed the half today though was disappointed in my time. I wanted 2:10 and got 2:14. My only other HM was 2:18 so at least it's an improvement. Still, I really thought I could do it. I run a lot in the park and thought the familiarity would help me finish quicker.

I might have started slightly too fast but I kept thinking hey you're not here for a stroll, you have to earn this!


Then I headed home to great fuss as my guys had been tracking me all morning.
13 weeks down, 5 to go...

You deserve to be made a fuss off. I ran just under 2.13 at last year’s Race Series half and then 2.08 at my next, 6months later, so you’ll definitely get the sub2.10, once the main thing is over.

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

Found that clip on YouTube too. I recognised about 5% of the route, but with the quality of information I'm getting around here I don't expect that lack of local knowledge will be much of an impediment.

Well done to everyone who completed the half today, lots of great performances. Only five weeks to go until the big day!

I didn’t know the course for my first, either, but I read a few race reports and had enough familiarity to have goalposts in my mind for the day.

Dealerz2.0 wrote: »

This is exactly what I wanted to read as a reply, thank you Casey78

I guess what pace you set yourself will depend on what you want from the day. My main goal was running the full thing and enjoying it, so I went out at a more conservative pace. But others might want to give it their all to achieve a time goal, at the risk of having a tougher race.

Applegirl26

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

On a related subject, what do people intend to wear if rain is forecast for the day itself? Running top as normal? Or with a rain jacket and/or base layer? Wooly hat or ordinary cap? I had mixed weather for my long run on Friday and went with running top plus rain jacket and wooly hat. Felt reasonably cool for the majority of it.

I've been wondering this also. Can't believe that's how close we are to the big day.

Applegirl26

Huzzah! wrote: »

You deserve to be made a fuss off. I ran just under 2.13 at last year’s Race Series half and then 2.08 at my next, 6months later, so you’ll definitely get the sub2.10, once the main thing is over.



I didn’t know the course for my first, either, but I read a few race reports and had enough familiarity to have goalposts in my mind for the day.



I guess what pace you set yourself will depend on what you want from the day. My main goal was running the full thing and enjoying it, so I went out at a more conservative pace. But others might want to give it their all to achieve a time goal, at the risk of having a tougher race.

Thanks so much huzzah. That has given me great encouragement.

The man in red and black

20 mile LSR done. Only 1 X 20mile LSR left on the plan :eek: Have been doing alot of my training going around in 900m circles lately on the local track due to it being dark in the mornings and evenings so said I would tackle some hills for the LSR to prepare better for the hills in DCM. Bascially start at my house, go 5 miles pretty much continuous uphill to the top of a 800ft hill on the way between Thomastown and Graiguenamangh then 5 miles down the far side then turn around and go back up the hill again and finish with 5 miles downhill. Total elevation covered on the run 1577ft so my biggest hill session to date.

Took a gel at 5, 10 and 15miles. Bought 2 x 500ml bottles of water at 10miles and drank them on the way back. Have to say my legs were absolutely burning. Felt completely spent about 100m from the top of the hill on the way back. Was glad to finally reach the top and start the 5 mile downhill home. My calf held up fine which was a relief so just general aches from the hills.
Pace was up and down with the hills obviously but finished feeling I could push on, despite the sore feet, but held back as not necessary at this stage. Average pace of 9:27mins/mile. Happy with my use of gels. Feel comfortable that they won't cause issues on the big day.

Question 1: Should I continue adding in hill runs from here on or leave it at that and do the rest of my training on predominantly flat ground? The area around here is mostly hilly but the track around the local pitches is almost completely flat. I feel it big time in the legs after long hilly runs and not sure if I should be cutting this out now or continue another few weeks?
Question 2: The plan I'm using calls for a HM next weekend. It's the Brendan O Shea plan from the Irish Runner published on DCM website. Does anyone know of a HM on Sunday next weekend and also is it too close to the DCM and perhaps I should not do a HM at all at this stage? Unfortunately with work I couldn't do the Dublin HM yesterday so longest race is still 10k. I think I might have to go in blind to an extent at this stage!

Mr. Guappa

The man in red and black wrote: »

20 mile LSR done. Only 1 X 20mile LSR left on the plan :eek: Have been doing alot of my training going around in 900m circles lately on the local track due to it being dark in the mornings and evenings so said I would tackle some hills for the LSR to prepare better for the hills in DCM. Bascially start at my house, go 5 miles pretty much continuous uphill to the top of a 800ft hill on the way between Thomastown and Graiguenamangh then 5 miles down the far side then turn around and go back up the hill again and finish with 5 miles downhill. Total elevation covered on the run 1577ft so my biggest hill session to date.

Took a gel at 5, 10 and 15miles. Bought 2 x 500ml bottles of water at 10miles and drank them on the way back. Have to say my legs were absolutely burning. Felt completely spent about 100m from the top of the hill on the way back. Was glad to finally reach the top and start the 5 mile downhill home. My calf held up fine which was a relief so just general aches from the hills.
Pace was up and down with the hills obviously but finished feeling I could push on, despite the sore feet, but held back as not necessary at this stage. Average pace of 9:27mins/mile. Happy with my use of gels. Feel comfortable that they won't cause issues on the big day.

Question 1: Should I continue adding in hill runs from here on or leave it at that and do the rest of my training on predominantly flat ground? The area around here is mostly hilly but the track around the local pitches is almost completely flat. I feel it big time in the legs after long hilly runs and not sure if I should be cutting this out now or continue another few weeks?
Question 2: The plan I'm using calls for a HM next weekend. It's the Brendan O Shea plan from the Irish Runner published on DCM website. Does anyone know of a HM on Sunday next weekend and also is it too close to the DCM and perhaps I should not do a HM at all at this stage? Unfortunately with work I couldn't do the Dublin HM yesterday so longest race is still 10k. I think I might have to go in blind to an extent at this stage!

Going by skyblue's Strava, DCM has an elevation gain of 864ft, so probably no need to be doing an excessive amount of hillwork. My view is that it's no harm to have some gentle inclines and drags on your regular route, but nothing too outrageous. Most regular roads will have some level of climb over the course of 20 miles, so should be fine. I wouldn't do everything on the track, but if that's the only option on a particular day, then perfect.

bucketybuck

The man in red and black wrote: »

Question 1: Should I continue adding in hill runs from here on or leave it at that and do the rest of my training on predominantly flat ground? The area around here is mostly hilly but the track around the local pitches is almost completely flat. I feel it big time in the legs after long hilly runs and not sure if I should be cutting this out now or continue another few weeks?

I would be adding in some hill runs, but not to the extent of two 5 mile drags uphill on an LSR! That will stand to you but could be a bit of overkill.

I would leave the LSR's on the flat but try and find a hill or two for one of the midweek runs. Again, it doesn't need to be a hill work session, just a hill or drag here and there so that it isn't totally flat and to prepare you for what will come in DCM.

ewc78

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

Going by skyblue's Strava, DCM has an elevation gain of 864ft, so probably no need to be doing an excessive amount of hillwork. My view is that it's no harm to have some gentle inclines and drags on your regular route, but nothing too outrageous. Most regular roads will have some level of climb over the course of 20 miles, so should be fine. I wouldn't do everything on the track, but if that's the only option on a particular day, then perfect.

I had a quick look at my DCM 16 strava profile. It says 176 meters of elevation gain The Half I did yesterday is saying 179 meters elevation gain.
So for anyone that did the Half yesterday and is worried about hills in the Marathon. Just know that the you ran more or less the same elevation gain yesterday in one half of a marathon as you will for the full length of the Marathon.
I know elevation profiles differ depending on watch used etc and isn't an exact metric,but I just thought that was interesting.

The man in red and black

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

Going by skyblue's Strava, DCM has an elevation gain of 864ft, so probably no need to be doing an excessive amount of hillwork. My view is that it's no harm to have some gentle inclines and drags on your regular route, but nothing too outrageous. Most regular roads will have some level of climb over the course of 20 miles, so should be fine. I wouldn't do everything on the track, but if that's the only option on a particular day, then perfect.

bucketybuck wrote: »

I would be adding in some hill runs, but not to the extent of two 5 mile drags uphill on an LSR! That will stand to you but could be a bit of overkill.

I would leave the LSR's on the flat but try and find a hill or two for one of the midweek runs. Again, it doesn't need to be a hill work session, just a hill or drag here and there so that it isn't totally flat and to prepare you for what will come in DCM.

Thanks to you both for that feedback. I will stay mixing it up daylight depending so. Have some routes that don't involve so much continous uphill. Appreciate the help! This group has really been invaluable for someone like me training on my own.

ariana`

The man in red and black wrote: »

20 mile LSR done. Only 1 X 20mile LSR left on the plan :eek: Have been doing alot of my training going around in 900m circles lately on the local track due to it being dark in the mornings and evenings so said I would tackle some hills for the LSR to prepare better for the hills in DCM. Bascially start at my house, go 5 miles pretty much continuous uphill to the top of a 800ft hill on the way between Thomastown and Graiguenamangh then 5 miles down the far side then turn around and go back up the hill again and finish with 5 miles downhill. Total elevation covered on the run 1577ft so my biggest hill session to date.

Took a gel at 5, 10 and 15miles. Bought 2 x 500ml bottles of water at 10miles and drank them on the way back. Have to say my legs were absolutely burning. Felt completely spent about 100m from the top of the hill on the way back. Was glad to finally reach the top and start the 5 mile downhill home. My calf held up fine which was a relief so just general aches from the hills.
Pace was up and down with the hills obviously but finished feeling I could push on, despite the sore feet, but held back as not necessary at this stage. Average pace of 9:27mins/mile. Happy with my use of gels. Feel comfortable that they won't cause issues on the big day.

Question 1: Should I continue adding in hill runs from here on or leave it at that and do the rest of my training on predominantly flat ground? The area around here is mostly hilly but the track around the local pitches is almost completely flat. I feel it big time in the legs after long hilly runs and not sure if I should be cutting this out now or continue another few weeks?
Question 2: The plan I'm using calls for a HM next weekend. It's the Brendan O Shea plan from the Irish Runner published on DCM website. Does anyone know of a HM on Sunday next weekend and also is it too close to the DCM and perhaps I should not do a HM at all at this stage? Unfortunately with work I couldn't do the Dublin HM yesterday so longest race is still 10k. I think I might have to go in blind to an extent at this stage!

Question 1. I suggest you stick with your familiar training ground - no need to add in hills specifically but if the routes you've been running for the last 13 weeks happen to be hilly then there's no need to suddenly start avoiding them either. Everything in moderation - DCM isn't a particularly hilly course but there's are some drags/hills, roughly 850ft climbing in total.

Question 2. Sorry i don't know of any HMs next weekend but someone else may. 4 weeks out is ok for a HM, i know there's one on in Galway 3 weeks out which many people race. If it's in your plan then i assume so is some kind of taper and recovery days etc?

bucketybuck wrote: »

Cheers! I've gotten a great boot from yesterday, I looked at some pace predictors and they say that my time could translate into a 3.40 marathon, which I won't be going for but mentally I now feel like sub 4 isn't a pipe dream, that I could even go at a slighter faster pace than sub 4 and bank some time for any problems or issues! I'll have to give a lot of thought to what pace I decide to go with.

The calf started to ache at about 3/4km and of course got tighter as the race went on, especially any time I hit one of the hills. I was very conscious of it all the way through and was just waiting for it to reach a point where I had to stop and stretch and then try to limp home. Thankfully that point never came, it hung over me the whole way but it didn't bite and it didn't hold me back at all.

That was another nice lesson from yesterday, I had a number of aches and pains but it was as if I could acknowledge them without letting them affect my pace, I think that will stand to me if things get tough in DCM!

Congrats on a super time yesterday and you are indeed very well positioned to get a sub 4 but please please please do not attempt this approach. The first half of DCM is the toughest, the highest point of the course occurs at 7m/11km, if you go out too hard you will pay in the 2nd half. Dublin is perfectly set up for a negative split (faster 2nd half), pace yourself properly in the first half and you could still potentially finish in 3:50-3:55 but go out hard in an attempt to bank time and your race will quite likely not end well.

ariana`

Safiri wrote: »

Congrats on the PB, that's some improvement!!

What I will say now that most people have finished the final tuneup race in their marathon prep is how important pacing is in the marathon. Trying to bank time is not a good approach to running a marathon. I won't go into much detail in this post but here are a few posts I made on the subject of goal setting and pacing the marathon and specifically Dublin on last years Novice thread.


https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104771538&postcount=3527

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104842786&postcount=3772

Guys please make sure you all read these posts! Safiri (El Caballo in a former life) among many others was a brilliant source of advice to the 2017 Novices and these two posts in particular were bang on the money and saved a lot of us 2017 Grads from inevitable carnage!! They are well worth taking the time to read if you want a happy ending on October 28th

Safiri many thanks for digging out those links for us

tbukela

Well done to everyone who did the half in Dublin yesterday and Charleville today, some great running from looking on Strava etc. Lots of LSRs in the bag over the wkd as well.
I did Charleville today for the first time, highly recommend it BTW. I was delighted to take over 10 mins off my previous PB and finish in 1:35:47. Its a great boost to see the benefit of all the hard work and training.
I'll be having a serious look at the posts re pacing etc before making any dramatic calls about the big day. I'd prefer finish in some comfort than in a heap, been there got the t shirt already for that.

bucketybuck

My plan this week involves the usual 3 midweek days, Tues, Wed, Thursday, but I see that the Boards plan has people out tomorrow for the first run, rest Tuesday and then out Wed and Thursday again.

Does anybody know the reasoning behind that? I raced the HM at the weekend so would I be better taking tomorrow as a rest day or Tuesday as the rest day?

OOnegative

bucketybuck wrote: »

My plan this week involves the usual 3 midweek days, Tues, Wed, Thursday, but I see that the Boards plan has people out tomorrow for the first run, rest Tuesday and then out Wed and Thursday again.

Does anybody know the reasoning behind that? I raced the HM at the weekend so would I be better taking tomorrow as a rest day or Tuesday as the rest day?

Did you do a recovery run today? If you didn’t i’d say run one tomorrow to help the legs recover, preferably on grass, then revert to the plan for rest of the week

bucketybuck

Safiri wrote: »

Trying to bank time is not a good approach to running a marathon.

ariana` wrote: »

Congrats on a super time yesterday and you are indeed very well positioned to get a sub 4 but please please please do not attempt this approach.

I suppose "bank time" wasn't the right words really, I didn't mean that I was thinking of going out quick and trying to build up time in the first half of the race.

I think what I meant was that originally my pace was going to be 5.30min/km, but the predictors are now saying that I could potentially run 5.10min/km. So if I run at 5.20 min/km I would still be running within myself, and thats a pace that should see me comfortably within 4 hrs even if something crops up, like a toilet break or something like that.

Basically I would still be running at a constant pace for the entire run, not faster at the start trying to build up a bank of time.

Thanks for the posts though, they are a nice reminder not to get too cocky or carried away with myself. I guess if 5.20 km/min isn't needed for sub 4hrs then why am I going out on the hilly first half of the course at that pace! :pac: It does make more sense to go out at the slower pace and then see where I stand later.

I need to think about this some more!

bucketybuck

OOnegative wrote: »

Did you do a recovery run today? If you didn’t i’d say run one tomorrow to help the legs recover, preferably on grass, then revert to the plan for rest of the week

I didn't. I have to admit, I am not good at the recovery runs, they are something I rarely do.

OOnegative

bucketybuck wrote: »

I didn't. I have to admit, I am not good at the recovery runs, they are something I rarely do.

Fair enough, they do help and I reckon that’s why there is a run this week on a Monday. Stick to what’s worked for you so far up to this point then, it is working.

skyblue46

bucketybuck wrote: »

I suppose "bank time" wasn't the right words really, I didn't mean that I was thinking of going out quick and trying to build up time in the first half of the race.

I think what I meant was that originally my pace was going to be 5.30min/km, but the predictors are now saying that I could potentially run 5.10min/km. So if I run at 5.20 min/km I would still be running within myself, and thats a pace that should see me comfortably within 4 hrs even if something crops up, like a toilet break or something like that.

Basically I would still be running at a constant pace for the entire run, not faster at the start trying to build up a bank of time.

Thanks for the posts though, they are a nice reminder not to get too cocky or carried away with myself. I guess if 5.20 km/min isn't needed for sub 4hrs then why am I going out on the hilly first half of the course at that pace! :pac: It does make more sense to go out at the slower pace and then see where I stand later.

I need to think about this some more!

Well done on the half. Sorry I haven't been around over the weekend, it was a busy one for me. Now is however not the time for cockiness or getting over bullish. Safiri has posted two links which are very relevant, please read them. I'll get back on tomorrow with some facts and figures based on some research I did last year around DCM pacing....particularly for novice runners.

ariana`

Sorry, i’m a bit late getting to this, busy weekend. Firstly, i want to say well done again to everyone who raced this weekend and to all the LSR runners also! It was cracking weekend with lots of PBs which is great to see and a super reward for the hard work you are all putting in!

BUT this is not the time to get too carried away, ok! There’s a lot of miles between 13.1 and 26.2! A marathon is a massive test of endurance and no matter how brilliant your speed over 13.1miles, that endurance over 26.2 is still untested. I know we are probably driving you mad going on about setting a realistic target and conservative pacing but it really is the key to a successful first marathon.

One thing those of you raced this weekend may want to have a think about is how you felt in the last 1-2 miles and at the finish? If you felt strong in those last miles and finished strong then it is an indication that the endurance is good, if you faded or had a big drop off in you splits near the end then this may indicate that your splits early in the race were a little bit too ambitious - going off hard and hoping to hang on when running 26.2 miles is not an option, it will end in misery.

Week 14

Plan|Monday|Tuesday|Wed|Thurs|Fri|Sat|Sun
NNH1|2-3m easy or rest|3m easy|7m easy|4m easy|rest|14m LSR|cross
Boards|4m easy|rest, cross or 3m rec|8m easy|5m easy |rest, cross or 3m rec|20m LSR|3m rec


Lots of easy miles on the plan this week for everyone, a 20m LSR for Boards followers and a step back week for HHN1, enjoy.

We've talked previously about choosing your outfit for the marathon and wearing it on a couple of long runs/races to make sure it's comfortable I'm sure you've all done this by now! It's also a good time to start thinking about throwaway clothes, by this i mean clothes to keep you warm & dry on the morning of the marathon but that you don't mind throwing away - it depends on the weather but you might need an old hoodie, hat, gloves and a poncho (or alternatively a black plastic bin liner!). For anyone concerned about waste the Dublin Marathon organisers collect all the discarded clothes and they are recycled for charity.

By now we should all also be settled on our fueling strategy for the marathon? Or very close at least as we're down to the last couple of long runs pre-taper :eek:

I’m going to remind you of the basics again - i know, i know i’m like a broken record right :P

Do
Sleep - yes, yes lots of us have small kids who don’t really want to sleep past silly o’clock but sleep/rest when you can, put the phone away, turn off Netflix, log out of Boards

Eat - eat often, eat healthy, plenty of carbs & protein after long tough runs

Stay warm - get into the shower as quick as you can after your runs, at the very least get out of your sweaty running gear asap if you can't hop straight into a hot shower!

Stretch/foam roll - keep it up! Make time, it doesn't take long, you don't need any convoluted routines but a little often will make a difference!

Don't
Panic - this is the time when panic can set in that you haven't done enough miles or enough fast miles or enough races or enough.... Don't panic. The plan you are following works, you've done the work for the past 13 weeks, just 2 more weeks before the taper, stick with the plan, trust the plan! You are hitting your highest mileage ever, there is a risk of injury with that mileage so now it is more important than ever to trust the plan and trust the training paces!

Have a super week running everyone - you're so close now, 2 more strong weeks and then it's taper time and all the fun that will bring

skyblue46

bucketybuck wrote: »

If I had your time I would still be aiming for sub 4.

I know what the common wisdom is but its not an exact science. You ran just outside 1.50 despite not being 100%, that counts for something. And even if that was your best time, marathon pace for sub 4 is still 30 odd seconds per km slower than yesterday, who is to say you can't maintain that slower pace on the day itself?

Maybe it is a good predictor of times and come DCM you will fall a few minutes short, but I would rather try for sub 4 and fall short than not try at all. If you are struggling on the day itself you can always slow down and enjoy the run, but if you pick a slower time and find it comfortable it is a lot harder to change your mind then and chase a sub 4 from behind.

Sorry but I have to disagree here. If things feel uncomfortable too early in a marathon it will not end up in a relaxed enjoyable run. There is nothing enjoyable about having 10 miles left to run when you're already fooked. It is also remarkably easy to chase a target from a negative split if your target is a fair one in the first place. It has been said here before by many experienced runners that a negative split is the way to run this course.

The man in red and black

ariana` wrote: »

Question 2. Sorry i don't know of any HMs next weekend but someone else may. 4 weeks out is ok for a HM, i know there's one on in Galway 3 weeks out which many people race. If it's in your plan then i assume so is some kind of taper and recovery days etc?

Thanks a million.

This is the plan I've been using. The 3:15-4:00 plan. It has a minimal enough taper up until about 8 days before. Last 20mile run is 14 days before the marathon. I guess I'll just have to watch the pace in my training and gradually slow down. Also those links you posted to the previous DCM novices threads were very interesting. Starting the marathon slow is key it seems

http://sseairtricitydublinmarathon.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/marathon-schedules.pdf

incentsitive

Question - I feel I am a week behind in my training (I didn't get to my planned 18 miles on Saturday). I was wondering about the 2-week taper rather than 3. I was thinking of putting my 20-miler back by a week and doing 18 this weekend, 19.6 the following weekend (I am doing the 3/4 marathon in Longwood), and then doing the 20-miler the following weekend, which would leave me with a 2-week taper.

skyblue46

incentsitive wrote: »

Question - I feel I am a week behind in my training (I didn't get to my planned 18 miles on Saturday). I was wondering about the 2-week taper rather than 3. I was thinking of putting my 20-miler back by a week and doing 18 this weekend, 19.6 the following weekend (I am doing the 3/4 marathon in Longwood), and then doing the 20-miler the following weekend, which would leave me with a 2-week taper.

Ok, this is a good one and a question that more than you have on their minds at the moment. My own view is that purely with DCM in mind there is no good physical reason to reduce your taper. The benefits accrued from long runs are slow to show themselves. A long run 2 weeks out from a marathon will not have had time to benefit you come DCM itself, nor is it certain that you will be fully recovered from it. I have attached a link that may be of some help.

https://runnersconnect.net/coach-corner/how-long-before-you-benefit-from-a-workout/

RayCun

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

On a related subject, what do people intend to wear if rain is forecast for the day itself? Running top as normal? Or with a rain jacket and/or base layer? Wooly hat or ordinary cap? I had mixed weather for my long run on Friday and went with running top plus rain jacket and wooly hat. Felt reasonably cool for the majority of it.

For most people, unless conditions are really bad, overheating is more of a problem than being cold. But if you are going to wear extra layers

make sure your number is on the innermost layer, so you don't throw it away by mistake (or have to unpin it from one thing and pin it to something else)

wear layers of things that are easy to take off during a run, and are cheap enough that you are happy to throw away. Hats and gloves are ideal. A light jacket is easy to take off, but probably expensive. You could wear a black bag or plastic poncho to stay dry, and tear it off?

For before the race, definitely wear whatever it takes to stay warm - old t-shirts, sweatshirts, tracksuits etc, or get cheap stuff from Penneys. And a black bag or poncho if it is raining. You should have at least 30 minutes between bag drop and race start (otherwise you are cutting it too fine!) and you want to be warm for those 30 minutes. In the last few minutes before the gun everybody takes off those extra layers and throws them off to the side.

I think the clothes discarded at the start are given to charity. I don't think clothes discarded on the route are, afaik they just go in with the rest of the rubbish?

Strawberry Swan

Well done to all in the half marathon, great results. Pity I didn't sign up for it.

I'll be doing my long run tonight - 20 miles. It was very very tough last week as most of it was on the footpath. My knees felt it. I tend to mostly train on trail so I know I need to get used to running on the hard surface. What percentage of my long runs should be run on hard surface in preparation for the marathon?

ariana`

Strawberry Swan wrote: »

Well done to all in the half marathon, great results. Pity I didn't sign up for it.

I'll be doing my long run tonight - 20 miles. It was very very tough last week as most of it was on the footpath. My knees felt it. I tend to mostly train on trail so I know I need to get used to running on the hard surface. What percentage of my long runs should be run on hard surface in preparation for the marathon?

Can you run on the road? I'd imagine concrete footpaths are very hard on the body alright. DCM is all on the road so that would be the best surface to train on but you could mix it up with trail on the long runs while you adjust to it.

Strawberry Swan

ariana` wrote: »

Can you run on the road? I'd imagine concrete footpaths are very hard on the body alright. DCM is all on the road so that would be the best surface to train on but you could mix it up with trail on the long runs while you adjust to it.

I don't know any road I can run on in Dublin. The best option I can think of is the path out along Clontarf towards Howth but not sure if that is tarmac or concrete. I'll run some of my run tonight on Phoenix Park trail and then maybe try the Clontarf run next weekend.