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Original poster

Anyone else doing marathon-type training?

37 replies

JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 16/01/2021 19:22

Hi folks - currently planning my first 2-hour run tomorrow - I have signed up for a 23 mile run this coming July - if it happens.

Wonder if anyone else is doing similar training - please share your pleasures and pitfalls. I'm finally getting close to a sub 60 minute 10K for once!

OP posts:
fellrunner85 · 16/01/2021 19:48

Yes, I'm sort of in marathon training as I've got two marathons this year, both in the autumn. I'm just increasing base mileage at the moment though, before going into a proper 16-week block in the spring.

What's the 23-mile run - sounds interesting!

Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 17/01/2021 00:24

It's the Rat Race Man vs Coast Penzance to Lands' End. With some cliff jumping and swimming as well. Have done other Rat Races but I'm wanting to take training a bit more seriously - haven't run much more than 12K until the last couple of months.

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PlugUgly1980 · 17/01/2021 06:39

Good luck! I've got two autumn marathons as well, so not currently training, but regularly run 40-50 miles per week anyway. Currently the majority is on the treadmill as working full time and home schooling two primary school aged kids means the only time I get is very early on a morning and it's too icy most mornings currently to be out in the dark. Are you following a training plan to increase your mileage? Runners World have some online or you could have a look at Hanson's plan which is different in that the longest run is never more than 16 miles and it's about high mileage across the week instead...works best for me with my time constraints. Make sure you eat plenty, and practise what works in terms of refuelling on your run whether that's gels or proper food, and add a rehydration tablet into your water to replace lost salts. Take it steady, build up slowly and enjoy!! Sounds like an amazing challenge!

rwalker · 17/01/2021 07:57

The biggest thing is to pace your self up the distance and drop the speed .
Get a training plan make sure you have rest days. I did some hill reps and interval sprints that really helped

CatsVacation · 17/01/2021 09:38

Hi all,

I was thinking of starting a thread in similar after ploughing through lots of old ultra and marathon threads.

I have just signed up for a 30 mile race at the end of October. It is an out and back along a river so is fairly flat. I've never ran a race before except once more than 30 years ago at school🤔.

I started running in lockdown as my husband started c25k and I felt lazy. I hVe always been quite fit but never did much running- in my head I thought I was more of a sprinter than distance, but it turns out I was probably just doing it all wrong.

I am currently running around 30 miles a week and need to work out a training plan.

I will come back later with some questions for all you experienced people! I have a lot😁

CatsVacation · 17/01/2021 09:39

Sorry, there were paragraphs when I posted 😬

Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 17/01/2021 17:38

Well, I ran for around 2 hours but like an idiot didn't check that my tracker was on until I already ran for 30 minutes! So I set it for 90 mins instead. I managed a pace of 6'.37" but I'm feeling it now - definitely feel shaken up inside.

Glad I made an energy drink with apple juice, water and some Diarolyte. That seemed to help get me around.

As for running - I commute by running 2-3 times a week to work to run experiments as I'm tag-teaming HS with my DH. No real long runs during the week now since this lock down. I'm gradually building the distance runs with the aim of a 30K maximum run sometime in spring.

OP posts:
Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 17/01/2021 17:39

I reckon I am running 20-30K a week with the weekend run inclusive.

OP posts:
fellrunner85 · 17/01/2021 17:54

6:37 miles is insanely fast for a long run!!! No surprise you're feeling it now. I wouldnt recommend doing the whole run at that pace though, even if that is your planned pace for race day - definitely warm up and cool down!! Surely you covered pretty much your whole weekly mileage just in that run though??!

Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 17/01/2021 18:55

Its kilometres not miles - I have never run a 6.37" mile in my life.

OP posts:
RandomUsernameHere · 17/01/2021 19:12

I'll join! Planning to do a road marathon in the Autumn (really hoping it goes ahead) and either a trail ultra or just the marathon distance part of it in the summer. Thinking that the full ultra might be a bit too much to do so close to the autumn marathon.

fellrunner85 · 17/01/2021 19:18

Oh, sorry OP - though it would've been very impressive!

Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 17/01/2021 19:20

I'm not a fast runner - just persistent! Isn't 30K though where you would expect to 'hit the wall' (glycogen depletion)?

OP posts:
TeaAndHobnob · 17/01/2021 19:28

Hi everyone. I've got a 24 hour race in June (done in a team, it's huge fun), an overnight ultra in July, hopefully Great North Run in Sept, and an orienteering/role play type ultra in October - it sounds weird but I'm really looking forward to it.

All of these were postponed from last year. I want to do Manchester marathon but it clashes with Metropolis. I don't know if any spring marathons are likely to happen or still have places??

fellrunner85 · 17/01/2021 20:07

Isn't 30K though where you would expect to 'hit the wall' (glycogen depletion)?

No - 30k is only 18 miles and you really wouldn't expect to hit the wall so soon in a marathon. It would be a pretty dire last 8 miles to get through! That said, it's different for everyone and also depends how far you've consistently run in training, as well as how you've fuelled.
For me, the "wall" has come at 23 miles each time. In subsequent marathons I trained better and fuelled better so it didn't happen...

Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 18/01/2021 11:36

So you might not hit it if you have been refuelling througout?

Having said that - I'm mixing things up with Nordic running and strength training whenever I can go a workout on my chin-up bar.

OP posts:
RandomUsernameHere · 18/01/2021 12:59

Correct, as I understand it people only hit a wall when they haven't fuelled sufficiently throughout the race. I've never experienced it during marathon/ultra marathons.
I think it's about 1g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per hour that you need to take on.

fellrunner85 · 18/01/2021 13:22

Exactly - if you fuel correctly, it shouldn't happen. The classic error is to think you need to take on fuel at a certain mileage interval (say, every 5 miles) and practice that in training. But then on race day you go faster than you do in training, your fuelling plan isn't sufficient, and you bonk out.

Another classic error, which I've fallen foul of, is to choose to rely on gels provided during the race rather than carrying your own stuff. Never a sensible option!

Original poster
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 18/01/2021 15:17

I'll bear that in mind and take a suitable concentrated drink with rehydration salts as generally water provision is pretty good on these runs.

OP posts:
MrsDThomas · 19/01/2021 22:49

Running a sub 60 10k is totally different to what you will be doing. You need to learn to drop your pace.

Its easy to hit a wall at 18 miles in a marathon. Not all marathons are like London. There are tough ones there and it can easily happen

Savoretti · 19/01/2021 23:02

Ooh - glad I found this thread. I am currently running 10k about 3x per week but would like to find a training plan to build that up.
Will look at Runners World and Hanson. I am over 50 and have a history of pulling muscles so want to build up safely and gently

Blue5238 · 20/01/2021 07:24

Hello everyone
Currently trying to get the mileage up as booked various ultras I am really hoping happen later in the year.... Including a night one in July Teaandahobnob....is yours WW?
Only managed one short trail race in 2020 a and whilst I kept running didn't do distance training. So increasing long runs but also trying to keep some speed and hill work in the week, and a bit of HIIT as I think being stronger would help.

TeaAndHobnob · 20/01/2021 07:41

@Blue5238 it is! How funny we're both doing it, it's only a small race. Have you done it before? I did it in 2019 and bonked really hard on the last lap - flat coke totally saved me. You could say I have some unfinished business with it Grin

Blue5238 · 20/01/2021 07:56

Teaandahobnob, I haven't done it before. Thought it would be good training for an ultra in Oct that will have a fair amount of night running. I loooove flat coke on long races

fellrunner85 · 20/01/2021 14:48

Its easy to hit a wall at 18 miles in a marathon. Not all marathons are like London. There are tough ones there and it can easily happen

This is a bit of a non-sequitur!
Never done London but I've done road marathons, trail marathons and mountain marathons. If anything I've found the road ones harder as its all about maintaining a constant - fast! - speed, and being completely focused on the clock.

Whereas on a trail course, the focus isn't so much on time, but about the race and where you place. In my experience, people aren't clock watching as the times just don't translate in the same way, and as a result the race isn't one constant slog. You get a bit of a breather on the downhills, for example. Not saying people don't hit the wall on hilly marathons. They do. But it doesn't happen as often.... not least because you usually have to carry your own supplies, so will have more gels etc to hand than you might on a road race.

Also, the point about hitting the wall is that it happens when you're going beyond a state you're body is used to. Most people should be used to running 18 miles before race day. Not so many will be used to running 22 miles though.