Marathon Training

Good luck Migrant, especially if you are running in 31°C that is hot. Make sure you keep really well hydrated. I did a 30k race in 30°C last summer and it was really tough, nothing compared to your Ultra!

Good luck!

I'm doing my first ultra tomorrow. 50km. Eeekkkkk!!!! Hope I'll survive. I'm overseas and tomorrow's forecast is 31 deg C which could make things "interesting"
Training went ok, got a slightly stiff ankle. Fingers crossed.

Just had a look at Hal Higdon, he doesn't recommend any speedwork except for advanced runners and then the speedwork is long intervals (800m) and not the short ones, which I have on my plan and he says aren't important for marathons. I much prefer his plan to the one my coach gave me which has speedwork on every session, even the long run
I might switch to the Hal Higdon advanced schedule, it matches more what I'm doing in terms of mileage than my coach's plan.

Congratulations on such a good half boobz. A time I can only dream of!

Good to know my legs are going to hurt less! Am following the Hal Higdon novice schedule - on week 8 of 18 (4 sessions a week - 2 x small runs, 1 x medium and 1 x long). Am trying to do Insanity/P90X as well.

Have overeaten this evening - I'm guessing due to the calorie deficit from the run. Am trying to stem the appetite with tea!

Hi Boobz congrats on running your HM in under 2 hours, if you were running a real race I'm sure it would be quite a lot less than 1H58 - it is impossible to recreate the speed on your own that you can achieve when competing in a race.
Regarding the negative splits, it is hard but all the best racers do this. I've only managed it once, when I ran HM with some club friends who weren't doing it to do a PB they was just the restart after the summer rest. I ran with them for the first 16kms then felt great so took off and finished really strongly. Mentally it is tough to do on your own as you always want to have the time in the bank for the first half to be sure you will achieve your time in the second part of the race, but it is possible.
Once you get some long runs under your belt (25k plus) your legs will hurt less. They will hurt, after my long run I'm definitely a lot more tired than after usual sessions, even tough interval sessions but you will get used to it. Make sure you fuel well for long runs, I never bother with anything for under 2 hours but more than that I take water and jelly babies.
Do you have a marathon plan to follow? How long is it, how many sessions a week? I can't believe I only have around 5 weeks left solid training before the taper then the marathon mid March. Gulp.

Got back from clinic on Sunday night and was so good to be home amongst the bosom of my family again! I managed to eat really well until yesterday and then caved and ate some biscuits and crisps at lunchtime and then felt really guilty after not eating any rubbish for nearly 3 weeks! But it was only a minor falling off the wagon and am back on it now!

Just ran my half marathon today - was supposed to be a race on Sunday but DH and I couldn't find anyone to mind the children so I did mine before work this morning, and DH will do his on Saturday early doors. Managed to do it in 1hr58 which would be a sub 4 hour marathon if I could do it again!

My breathing and fitness felt absolutely fine all the way to the end - I didn't feel tired in myself at all, but my bum and tops of my thighs were starting to ache - does this just get better with training and by the end of my training schedule the ache will either be less, or take more miles to kick in? ATM I can't imagine running double that as my legs would really start to hurt I think? Also, how does anyone ever run a negative split?

Cross training Friday - Sunday - some P90X and Insanity I reckon. I am LOVING feeling fit and strong after 2015 summer of cancer. I only started running on 28th Dec and already less than 4 weeks later I can run a half mara in under 2 hours so I am well chuffed.

Power to all you amazing ladies.

Thanks everyone. Swimming on Monday, spin class on Tuesday, going to see how some hill work goes today. Knee feels a lot better but I'm trying to avoid temptation to go for a normal run until next week.

Imbroglio the most important thing you can do is listen to your body. Which is what you are doing. Running through injury is tempting but dangerous, it is much better to do some cross training instead.

You are doing the right thing imbroglio

I think to run you need to be so stubborn but sometimes that stubbornness leads you to just crack on when your body is telling you otherwise.

Try not to be glum. You will find a way and it sounds like you are doing all the right things.

I'm practising what I preach - swimming today to rest my niggling knee. Will do an extra spin class and swap my normal midweek run for hill work which won't stress the joint. Also going to get some new runners in case that helps.

Feeling a bit glum.

Thanks Imbroglio. I took yesterday off and just did a gentle 5km tonight to see how I felt. All good, so if that is still the case tomorrow I will attempt to squeeze a long run in as working from home.

Go for it Sandunes.

You've made me consider another marathon this year... Not sure if I can manage a third or not!

Imbroglio the rule I was told - anything neck up is ok to run, neck down is a no. Don't try and make up a missed run, either. Write it off and carry on as per schedule.

I salute you boobz 💪🏼

leave it for today MrsHarvey. Recovery is as important as a good run, and most people miss a couple of runs for various reasons.

Bleurgh. Have woken up with a streaming nose, pounding headache and hacking cough. Thank you very much DDs - the perils of infant germs.

Rationally know I should postpone my long run but panicking at the thought. Any advice from those of you with more experience? Feeling really sorry for myself!

Boobz that's fantastic, to run 18kms after all the fasting you have been doing! And in that time too. I'm so pleased the clinic has worked out for you I've been reading your diary on it and it sounds really interesting.
I often do long runs fasted, HM distance is fine but I'd be worried about anything over that. My long runs at the moment come in at around 16.5 miles, that's what I did yesterday morning (non fasted!). I do one hour at 9kph, 45mins at 10.5 kph and the last 30mins at 12.5kph, then 15 mins recovery at around 9 - 10kph. The time will increase next week. I am trying to do 5:2 and manage on Mondays but fail dismally for a second day. I often do 16:8 but that isn't helping shift a couple of kgs. I'm running over 60 miles a week at the moment so am quite hungry!
I'm doing Barcelona 13th March.

Manchester

That well known Stratford upon Avon!

Brighton!

Sounds like everyone is doing about the same length runs... sorry if I have missed it but what marathons/when are you all doing?

I often do longer runs fasted (excluding a cup of tea).

Did 10m today. Wanted to do 12 but my knee was niggling. Also I have just added in a midweek 7 miler so I didn't want to push it in the circumstances.