DCM 2023 Mentored Novices Thread

skyblue46

I see a few of ye planning races and races to be run but not raced over the next couple of months. I really would encourage caution. Now is the time to put the feet up and recover. You may not feel it but a huge toll has been taken on your body. Jumping back in too quickly rarely ends well.

j2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121313049#Comment_121313049

How long is it taking a toll on the body you think?

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311654#Comment_121311654

https://runclon.ie/register-2/

Clonakilty?

skyblue46

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121313105#Comment_121313105

A month...the general consensus is a day for every mile raced can be taken as rest or just having a few very easy days. I would think this even more important for novices. In my case, this year I ran Amsterdam marathon on the 15th. Since then I have had 3 runs none of which exceeded 4 miles.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121313049#Comment_121313049

As somebody has been injured for 11 months at this point I’d agree …. Please be careful. I raced a 5Km 3 weeks after Dublin last year. I was in the best shape I’d ever been for DCM, thought 1 weeks rest was enough, went back easy running and then raced. My hip went 1.5 miles into the 5Km … might have been coincidence but I’m very sorry I raced that 5km.

TheRef

Hey Grads - firstly congratulations. Welcome to the very small club of those of us ran a marathon 😁💪. Whether it is one and done or the first of many, fair play. Never lose sight of what an unbelievable achievement it is and something you will have with you for the rest of your life.

To help next years novices, can you jot down any tips or advice that they can read back on, hearing directly from folks who have just being through it? You've learned a huge amount on this journey, so imagine you could talk to your past self, what would you want them to know? There will be plenty of people who in a few weeks time will get that email acceptance for Dublin 2024, and wondering what the heck have they just done 🤣

Bungy Girl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121319484#Comment_121319484

1. Road-test EVERYTHING. ‘Nothing new on race day’ extends to socks, sunglasses, accessories, gels and what you carry in your belt, not just what you’ll wear on the day.
2. You won’t run the race line in those crowds so expect to run 26.4 miles at least and adjust your pace accordingly if you have a target time.
3. Run slower than you think in your training runs. You’ll get fitter and faster as the training goes on but don’t get carried away even though you’ll naturally want to go faster.
4. Listen to the mentors. They are wise and have your best interests at heart.
5. Best advice of all was to start conservatively and stay below race pace for the first 7 miles. The temptation will be to go fast because you’ll feel great. Don’t.

flended12

Dear all, great info here

I'm hoping to get marathon 2024 under my (reduced waistline) belt next year.

Will take on all the advice going.

Thanks to nullObjects for sending me here

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121328594#Comment_121328594

I saw your other post, I'll look you to the base building and half plan from last gear tomorrow so you can check it out and see what you can do to prepare over these few months to get ready for next year. FYI for my first I just worked myself up slowly from running 3 times a week to 5 times a week with a few races thrown in before starting the marathon plan in the June

Sunny Dayz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121319484#Comment_121319484

1. If you are thinking now about the marathon next year - spend your winter building up good running habits and a base. Get into the habit of a few days a week, and a long run at the weekend. Get to feeling fairly comfortable with running. Build up your long run to say 10/13 miles so that by the time the marathon plan starts next June, that you are very comfortable with those distances - it's a good mental boost but also will make the longer distances feel a little easier.
2. I get that some people are happy and comfortable running on their own, listening to music or podcasts. If you can I would recommend marathon training with other people, even if it's just for the weekly long run. I found that I got so many hints and tips, and also very importantly, support and encouragement, on my long runs with more experienced runners. The company and the chats pass the time and make the ever increasing distances seem less daunting. I had the advantage of being in an athletics club but there was a whatsapp group set up locally for the weekend long runs and non-AC people joined in too through word of mouth. It was fantastic for finding a few similar paced people and motivating you to get out every week for the long run, trying out different routes etc. I think I did only one long run on my own. Another weekend I knew I'd be away and just put in the group that I was going to do my long run myself on Fri evening after work and 3 people messaged back to say they would join me!
3. Look at your calendar for the next 12 months. Have you any weddings, family occasions, holidays, what way does your work schedule go? How is your home schedule in terms of kids activities, family commitments etc. Plan now what days you will run and how that fits in with life around you. Things always come up and that's inevitable, but take control of your schedule as much as you can and make the training plan work for you.
4. If you haven't much experience running races, schedule a few of them in over the next 8 months or so. Get used to travelling to an event in terms of organisation and timing, running alongside strangers, fuelling, pacing, clothing etc.
5. Don't doubt yourself. I know only 1% of the population have done a marathon. But people complete marathons every day - it is possible.
6. Join the Boards Novice thread and interact with it. Post your musings, your struggles, your wins, your progress. You might not realise it but your posts will help others even if they might not say it or even realise it themselves.

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121328594#Comment_121328594

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LOkLQ_a9NHWe97yaRkfF6ArFmCHmtf9y1tU0LR7uMr8/edit#gid=144772219

In this plan there is a base phase which you can start out on and a 5k/10k or HM plan which you could again follow to bring you up to be ready for the marathon training next year

Seifer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121319484#Comment_121319484

In addition to the great advice from @Bungy Girl and @Sunny Dayz I'd add the following:

1. If you haven't ever really run before and haven't signed up the marathon yet I'd say, don't and spend some time learning what you enjoy as you gain fitness. Do some shorter races or time trials enabled by some sort of structured running program; rinse and repeat. Marathon running isn't the be all and end all and you may find more enjoyment in the shorter distances before forking over your entry fee.
2. If you're already signed up then I'd still advise playing around with some shorter programs and distances. Learn what your body can take and how it responds to different volume and intensity. It's important to try and learn to distinguish for you the difference between a niggle and a potential injury that you should really just rest or see a physio about.
3. The reason I'm harping on about the above is that probably the hardest part of the training is to make it to the start line ready to race. I only ran somewhere between 62 - 68% of my planned mileage. Averaged only 32 km a week over the 18 week plan. Dropped all Marathon Pace work from Week 10 on. BUT I always tried to get a long run in and I finally caught a break in September and got to run pretty much everything including my two 32.2 km's. The point I'm making is listen to your body, err on the side of rest and try get the long runs in. If you make it to the start line you'll finish!

Bungy Girl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121331397#Comment_121331397

Can I ask when us grads should think about starting the base phase ? Thanks.

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121335890#Comment_121335890

So, I can only go on my own experience, @Lazare can probably add some additional insight. For me as a grad the intention was to keep the frequency of the training up once I had completed the marathon, so I went into a base building phase in the December. This allowed me to keep the marathon fitness without overly stressing the body and starting off the new year in a good place. I then had a series of races over the first half of the year and then into a marathon block for DCM this year.

MiniMonstera

@TheRef haven't forgotten about your question will take a bit of time soon to respond.

Anyone else finding their post marathon runs super tiring? I'm running easy Effort and not stressing about the watch but find towards the end of run and throughout the day I'm quite fatigued.

Also, I'm wanting to get back to daily easy running. How much more time til I can? 😃

bazwaldo

I've been editing this for a few days to make sure I have most of my thoughts in it. Obviously, I'm speaking from my limited experience but as a novice these are the words of wisdom I wish I knew and paid attention to when I started my training. A lot is common advice said in many places but out of all the common advice, these are the most important for me.

Training

Easy pace runs must be done at easy pace. This is so important. It improves your fitness, gets you time on feet without exhausting you, gives you mental strength and reduces the risk of injury. Understand what easy pace is for you.

Do some dynamic stretches before each run as a warm up. And some stretches after each run. 5 mins at least before and after.

Include some yoga/pilates into each week.

Include some strength and conditioning into each week to help prevent injury. It can be done straight after a run. Keep recovery days as such. I know with running it's a lot of time to give to it but to give yourself the best chance of getting to the starting line and being comfortable on race day, it is really important.

(The 3 above I did not do regularly enough and picked up an injury two weeks before the race. It didn't stop me completing DCM but had knee and hip pain for most of it and had to keep my pace really slow throughout. Now I've at least two months of rehab to go through!)

Ignore the pace of others on Strava or wherever. Set your own pace.

After doing your warmup, start slow and work up to your run pace. Do 5 mins cool down (slow run or walk) when run is done.

Start trying different gels once your long runs reach about 90 mins long. See which works best for you. I used two different types on race day.

Decide on your gear at least a month before so that you've time to make sure it will work on race day no matter what the weather.

If you have not done a few half marathons already, don't get hung up on goal time as it's not until you get far into training and maybe do a half marathon race will you get a good idea of what marathon goal to aim for. Finishing it is also a goal regardless of time to do it.

Practice what breakfast works best on LSR days.

If you usually listen to music when running, try out some podcasts or audiobooks. Having a distraction during long runs can be nice to help the hours go by. Also, music might make you go too fast.

Try stick to the plan as much as possible. You don’t want any regrets after race day thinking of what you should have done.

Personally, I found it nicer when very few people knew I was doing the marathon. The pressure increased when I went public (which I had to do so I could collect donations for my charity).

Race day

Wear an old hoodie/large bin bag (loads of people do this) to keep warm beforehand. Can be removed once to start or whenever not needed.

On the day, your name is on your bib above your number. The font size is a bit small. Attach your own label over it with your name in a bigger font size. Supporters making the effort to read your name is a real feel-good moment and you should help it happen.

Have dry clothes and shoes to change into after the race, especially if its wet.

Keep moving after the race until you've no need to move. Once you slow down/stop, it's quite hard to move again.

Keep your pace very easy for first 10K, and only when really comfortable and confident to up it, do so.

If you carb load, have a breakfast and time your gels well, you should not hit "the wall".

Sip away at drinks the whole run. It's very easy to get dehydrated on such a long run and you'll suffer in the end if that happens, and it'll be too late to take corrective action.

witnessmenow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121341707#Comment_121341707

I've been sinilar. The weather has been fairly miserable most times I've ran since so I thought that might be contributing to it, but I'm a bit under the weather now too so it might have been that either.

I had planned to go on 3 or 4 easy runs this week but that's not going to happen now, just getting out of bed is the goal these days 😅

MiniMonstera

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121343058#Comment_121343058

Aw know, I hope it's nothing too serious!

I've been getting out every second day on husband's advice but would love to do a few consecutive days soon

witnessmenow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121344073#Comment_121344073

Just a cold or something thankfully, back out again today.

Looking forward to getting back in the routine of things again for sure. My current plan is to get out 4 times while I'm outside of a specific training plan

I've signed up for a couple of things over the next few months just to make sure I keep on top of things

10k next week (run in the dark Galway) - too early post marathon to go for this, but my 10k pb was set on a half marathon so I wouldn't have push too hard to get it.

Half marathon in corbally Limerick 3rd of December - this is outside the magic day per mile recovery so I could race this, but we'll see how the running has been going, it's pretty close I don't see myself getting back up to big mileage by then

10k in athenry on Stephens day - for turkey related reasons I probably won't be racing this either, but I thought it would be nice to get out and do something active before day 2 of the turkey fest

MiniMonstera

A race on Stephen's day (or an official run even if not racing) sounds fab! Unpopular opinion but once Xmas day is done I'm so over it, in fact totally sick of it! I like December festivities but come the day I want it done. And the days in between Xmas and NYE I find particularly hellish!😅🥳

T-Bird

There is an annual St Stephens day 5k and 10k in Coothall (50 min drive). I've done it that last 2 years and might do it again this year.

I also have 2 other 10ks in December, Belleek (Mayo) 3rd and a Rudolf run somewhere in Tyrone on the10th.

I'm also going to be doing a HM in Omagh on the 7th of April and then the marathon in Limirick in May.

I'll also probably sign up to the Bundoran 10 miler in February, and the Tony McGowan HM/10k in March when they go on sale. I've ran at them for the past 2 years and they get good participation.

I've also been trying to lose a bit of weight because my weight had crept up to 101kg when I was weighed at the hospital last Tuesday (I made sure my pockets were empty and took my top off and just wore t-shirt and jeans).

I've been doing fast 5k walks at lunchtime wearing a sweater and coat, and then running in the evening wearing my running gear, a poncho and a running jacket over that (sauna weight loss 🤣). I weighed myself after my HM run today and am now down to 96.9kgs. I'd love to get to under 90kgs but the end of the year.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121310002#Comment_121310002

Westport is another option

Mr. Guappa

The new Graduates thread is now open for any former novices looking to continue on their running journey:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058325614/the-2023-graduates-thread-whats-next

Come and join in and together we'll plot a course to countless PB's!

SimpleDimple

Hi all, I’m going to be doing the Dublin marathon this year as my first one.

I’ll follow the boards plan when the 2024 novices thread is up, but just wondering, between now and June, is it best to just keep building up the distance each week? i was thinking of entering a half marathon in June (I’ve done half’s before), would this impact on the marathon training since the distance in the plans on the mentor thread aren’t at that point by then

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651216#Comment_121651216

Hi SimpleDimple,

It's not going to do you any harm at all. Working on your base over the start of the year is perfect to get you in good shape for the Novices plan. I did the same myself. Ease yourself into it and don't increase the mileage too quickly. If you check out the Graduates thread, linked above by Mr. Guappa, there is a link to a set of training plans and there is a half plan in there if you are searching around for one.

Based on how you go and your weekly mileage, at that point, then you can adjust the first few weeks of the Novices plan, it won't be an issue in all honesty, plenty of people come into the Novices thread at different levels of training.

Best of luck with the half.

SimpleDimple

That’s great, thanks for the reassurance. I was worried that by ramping up for a half in June I’d be getting ahead of myself, but it’s good to know that it’ll (hopefully) stand to me in the grand scheme if things

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121653327#Comment_121653327

It sure will, the more consistently you are running prior to starting the marathon plan then the better everything will go for you :-)

Sunny Dayz

Hi SimpleDimple, it's good that you have a half marathon planned for June. Depending on how much you've been running in the past year, it gives you plenty of time from now to build up a base, consistency and learning what works for you running wise. Have you raced much in the past? Can you pencil in a 10km sometime in the late Spring to get a gauge on your pacing, and even just on the nuts and bolts of taking part in a race?

SimpleDimple

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121653716#Comment_121653716

Thanks for the input! Yep I’ve done a few races in the past, anything from park runs up to half marathons.

The first time I did a half I got caught up in the buzz of the day, horsed out for the first 4km because I was feeling nice and strong, and then limped home for the last 4k or so, not making that mistake again!

I’ll take a look at the calendar and see what else is between now and June, thanks for the advice!

RacoonQueen

Just unsticking this to make space for the upcoming 2024 novices thread

TOYO

• Have you raced before? If so what are your PBs? (Date and distance please!) No this is my 1st marathon
  
• Do you still need to take walk breaks in your training? (No problem if you do) No
  
• How much training do you currently do ? Distances, how many days a week, cross training - whatever you think is relevant to your current fitness level.
• I'm doing the Hal Higdon Novice Supreme Marathon Training Program and am on week 22 of the 30 week program. I'm upto 38/39kms per week at this stage and I'm also doing 1x cross training S&C class per week until recently.
  
• What do you want to achieve? Dream finishing time and realistic finishing time? Or just complete it in no specified time?
• I want to run the entire marathon no stopping accept for the bathroom if needed :)
• Dream time would be 4:30 but probably more likely to be closer to the 5hrs
  
• How many days a week can you train? And what plan do you intend to follow?
• I train 4 times a week
• 1 x S&C (Class just recently finished so I'm frantically looking for a replacement)
• 20km Pace 4:46/km Time 2h 15m
• 11.30km Pace 6:32/km Time 1h 13m
• 4.8km Pace 6.18/km Time 30m
  
• What is your biggest worry/fear/doubt (if you have any!) in signing up?
• Lots!! Fear I'm not fuelling enough and I don't take in water during my runs except loading up before and after.
• Heard horror stories of bathroom episodes during the run.
• Reading here I'm now worried I've not done any practice organised races Halfs etc
• Fear of creating long term damage - I don't carry any weight but my knees are creaking now and letting me know I'm putting them to the test. Going to physio now once a month for the last 3mths. I swop between wearing Asics and Brooks running shoes.
• Fear of injury - I have two left feet!!
  
• Why are you running this marathon?
• My Mum and Father in Law passed in the last 12+mths and I'm doing it for the Irish Heart foundation in their memory and as a tribute to them while raising funds for a wonderful charity.
• I'm 52 and it's also been on my bucket list and I think it's now or never!

Sunny Dayz

hi 2023 novices!! Hope ye are well! You may or may not know that I’ve been the mentor for the 2024 DCM novice group. I was thinking it might be helpful if a few of you from here could perhaps comment on the 2024 thread with any words of encouragement or tips. You were in their position this time last year - any words of wisdom for them?!