Marathon Training

Good Luck to those who have race day tomorrow!

Trust your training
Don't go off too fast
Fuel well
Keep your head (and sense) when it gets tough

ENJOY IT!!

Remember to come and tell us how it was!

Good luck Boobz! Just about to leave for Manchester as we're staying over. I volunteered at parkrun this morning dispensing tokens at the finish, and there were a few people not running because they had a marathon tomorrow

Brilliant video!

Good luck Boobz you'll be fine. Pace yourself and don't start too fast, make sure you stop at the water and food statons and stay hydrated.
Most importantly enjoy it - I'll be thinking of you I was there last year! And I hope the weather is better in Rome than here in Brittany for my HM tomorrow.

Good luck for tomorrow!

Tapering this weekend and finding it quite weird with no long run to find time for. Will pop down to the running club tomorrow for a short run and their pre-marathon chat.

Thanks for the advice all.

24 hours to go!

Have been searching for

I bought some chewy blackcurrent things last year which were fine - no vomming For training runs I take some ordinary sweets

Babies but in the end just ate bananas at the food stations. Maybe I'd have run faster with a gel but I have GI problems so prefer to keep everything natural. There Will be energy drinks and gels as well as sugar and fruit at the food stations.

Agree with Cmot never ever take something, especially girls that uou haven't talent before. I find Haribo much to dry and chewy to eat while running. I took jelly b

If you aren't used to gels, then don't take one, they can make you vom or worse. Eating haribo all the way round, or some lumps of marzipan would be better. But its worth trying gels in the future as they can give you a real boost - as we cycle and I do tri we've been through a lot of different ones and I like the Stealth training banana gels as they are longer lasting, and SIS cola gels for an emergency caffeine fix

Carbo gels... haven't used them thus far - but DH has bought some for the race.

Should I take one on route and use at the 15 mile point or so? Or will that ruin my race if my body doesn't like it? Was thinking I might just take some haribo which seems less severe!

Oh thank you thank you imbroglio I am well confident with 15. Its always time that restricts me. I feel much better now. You sound knowledgeable enough to me. I run 4 times a week 2 short one medium and one long and at 14 to 15 for about 6 weeks now.

How do you feel after 15 miles Summerhouse? Is that a 'secure' distance for you?

I'm not an expert at all (only discovered gels last year!) but some training plans only go up to 18 miles so maybe stick to that rather than risk injury?

What else are you doing, eg shorter runs, cross training?

Maybe someone more knowledgeable will come along...

You people are doing amazing! I am three weeks from the big day and only up to 15 miles. I think I will run 18 on Monday and 20 the following weekend. Feel like I am cramming for an exam. This was not the plan!

Just completed 12+ miles. Now officially tapering!

I've just booked in some spin classes so that I can quell the panic during the taper. I need fresh knees on the day.

Gosh how restrained of you not running the day before! ;)

Ok so you didn't taper and ran 3:35 so I can stop worrying!

Just did 12 miles - wasn't too slow but certainly felt a bit more of a slog than usual (have been watching what I eat a lot to try and get to my racing weight, and I think I hadn't taken on enough fuel).

Feel good now though! I do love the post-run endorphins.

If it makes you feel better Boobz I ran 100 kms week -2 of marathon and 60kms in the week leading up to the marathon. Usual km per week in training were 120. So I didn't taper as recommended and was OK for the marathon itself. I didn't run at all the day before the marathon of course

Oh phew - I thought you were both going to tell me to just follow the plan, but based on the above, am going to run a half tomorrow, 8 on Sunday, 4 on Weds and then leave it I think. Seems workable.

I did a 15km race 2 weeks before my marathon. Would have done a HM if there had been one available to do. Do what you feel like. I didn't taper as I should have done but I just did gentle running the week before, not forcing with speed. As long as you do easy running you should be fine.

I'm in the same boat - last long run 4 weeks prior to the big day due to doing a 10 mile plus a half marathon at the weekend instead of a single long run, but I did fit in an extra long run in the previous weeks.

I'm thinking of doing another half this weekend in my own time plus whatever else I can fit in around life/stuff.

I think its pre-race nerves kicking in - you do need to taper to be at your best on the day.

Argh looking at that above now I feel like I should have done a couple more 16+ runs... what is everyone else doing?

Hello all.

I miscalculated how far away the marathon was when I started my training program, so that means my longest run, 20 miles, was actually 4 weeks prior to the race day rather than 3. I am now worried I have been tapering for too long... my race is a week on Sunday - and my schedule says to only do 8 miles as my long run this week, and then a 3, 4, 3 and rest rest rest until the race.

This feels like I will have been taking it easy for too long and my body will forget how to do long runs (this is probably all rubbish) - do you think it's worth me doing 13 miles tomorrow, an 8 on Sunday and then a 4 mid week next week and then race on Sunday 10th? Or stick to the schedule? I have done many many 4, 6 and 9 and 10 runs, about 5 x half maras, and then 1 x 14, 15, 16, 18 and 20. Do you think that's enough? (No idea why I am worrying about it now!)

Yes - its a big shift from 'glad to finish in one piece - now off to the pub' to 'so how fresh do I feel after that, could I do that again right now?'

Well done Imbroglio! Isn't it amazing we can just run half maras now - I don't even really think about it as I set off... "oh 13 miles this morning - lovely!"