DFW running club part 4!! ALL ARE WELCOME!!

bank_of_slate

Have you tried a support bandage Paul?
...Linda xx

kmstuart

Loch Ness Marathon 2009

A race of 7 parts and some other stuff too.

Shockingly despite never bothering packing until Saturday morning I still left on time around 9:30. Stopped at Tesco’s in Carlisle for some sarnies for the drive up plus the porridge for my breakfast. Somewhat windy, especially when zigzagging to the west on the A9. Hit a headwind and speed plummeted by 10-15 mph going up the hills. Still managed to arrive a little after 3 which was near perfect timing being you can’t check into 3 at a Travelodge anyway.

Settled in, unpacked and watched a spot of telly, first great train robbery with Sean Connery I think it was, before heading down to registration around 5 after being summoned by VR Got down their, got my race number and chip then met Shades, VR, Elspeth, Mr and Mrs Mac and others before heading off to a sit in chippy for dinner. Steak pie and chips followed by chocolate puddle pudding with ice cream. Yummy. Did I mention that someone got ice cream who didn’t want ice cream so I ended up eating it, can’t think why

Back to my room in time to catch the second half of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King which was nice. Didn't really manage to sleep after that though so was channel hopping trying to find something to sleep in front off. MOTD and some naff comic on afterwards. The latter worked as I was asleep by midnight.

Up when the alarm went off at 5:55, perfectly planned timing for the GP start Decent enough GP although if I’d known the buses were leaving late due to a few missing ones I could of stayed in bed longer watching it on the telly rather than catching the last 10 laps on the car radio.

Once GP was over went and got on a bus, handily I picked a MegaBus knowing full well they have loos on them An hour later and still having failed to move it was time to squeeze past the extra people in the aisle (several people per bus to carry those who had no bus turn up I think) and naturally just as I finished we were off which was very handy timing as its ever so slightly bouncy in the loo at the back.

Eventually got to the start at 10am which was when we were meant to be setting off so the start was pushed back to 10:50ish in the end. Nipped into the bushed shortly after getting off the bus before depositing bag on baggage bus and then meeting up with Fetchies. On returning from a final bush visit Shades said go back to Santa as she was aiming for a 3:57. This I did joining up with Santa, Sophster, Flip and a few other fetchies. Not entirely sure standing at the 3 hour marker was a good idea though especially once the bagpipers moved through and we ended up not exactly far from the front.

Race itself well er following the Santa group without Santa knowing she was pacing was probably a bad idea 7:43 first mile a smidge to fast when I was aiming for 9 min dead per mile. Oh well eased off and the group drifted off in front a bit but was still going too fast. Got a drink at the first station and then drank and walked up half the hill around mile 4.

Seemed to have a spate of on pace miles here which was nice then I hit mile 8 which had a steep downhill bit meaning I erred to the fast side a tad again. During mile 10 I noticed my left ITB was being a bit of a sod so I eased the pace of a little to see how it was going to behave.

Typically I was 2 mins ahead of schedule through 10 miles but alas the ITB was being a pain. Brief walk to rub it during mile 11 before carrying on. Still bothering me though so I grabbed a bottle of lucozade just before the 12 mile marker and used it to massage the ITB. Walked a fair bit of mile 13 whilst rubbing leg as well as switching to the right hand side of the road to see if the opposite camber would help. All that did was cause my right knee to start hurting.

Mostly running but some walking for the next few miles until the big hill at mile 19. Walked up most of this as it’s as quick to walk as it is to run it unless really flying along. Got to the top and started running down the other side intending to use the next mile or so of downhill to regain some time but barely a few hundred meters into the downhill my right knee was giving me some intense pain and even hurt walking down the hill.

That'll be my old knee injury then and will teach me to do Langdale and then do any proper running 2 weeks later as Landgale always knackers it out from all the hills. Loch Ness doesn't help as there are quite a few steep downhills as well as normal less steep downhills too.

Walked mostly to the bottom of the hill before being molested, well ok hijacked, by VR and off we ran for the next few miles. The drop around 22/23 miles was a bit of a sod as that was making the knee bad too so I walked the steeper bit before catching up. Going along the flat into Inverness however I was suffering again and was struggling to walk at a decent speed let alone run.

Got a few jelly babies/beans passing fetch point and on hitting 25 miles began trying to run again. Was a bit run walky at first with run 3/400 meters walk 100 meters as the knee was being a bother. Got to the were the buses leave from and ran all the way from there despite the pain as I realised I could just about make it under 4:45 with some effort. Nipped past a few people coming around the back of the stadium thus not needing to worry about being outsprinted for the line as there was no way I’d of managed a faster pace.

Splits for the race I think next showing my dodgy early downhill mile times

7:43 too fast and not exactly downhill
8:09 better but still too fast
8:32 about right allowing for the downhill
9:25 walked to drink
9:01 bang on
8:59 ditto
9:09 ditto
8:19 oops too fast down the steep downhill
9:14 better
9:34 eased a little cos of ITB
10:16 ditto
10:33 and again
12:15 walked whilst massaging ITB
9:57
10:46
14:56 knee been a bother now too
10:49
12:34
14:00 up the hill
13:05 downhill with knackered knee
1:17:28 for last 6.2 miles @ 12:30 pace (watch only holds 20 lap splits)

Total 4:44:44 for 26.2 miles @ 10:52 pace

Overall not too bad considering, not exactly sensible to clock 3 miles in the exact same time as my 5k PB though, even allowing for the downhill. Thru 10 miles 2 mins ahead of schedule isn’t to bad being its downhill to start with. Half time is my 3rd fastest ever as I timed that as 2:02. If bang on pace that should have been close to a PB pace which merely shows that I need to do a half to get a more sensible half PB

VR had finished just in front of me and Shades was only a little behind too so we all collected bags and headed off for the free food. Jacket with cheese for me with a bottle of FGS too. Soon left as due to the delayed start there wasn’t a lot of time before dinner at 6:30.

Back to the TL for a shower and a quick posting of times on RW. Also a quick check to see where precisely the restaurant was and a gander at the menu. Down to the restaurant via the station car park and unsurprisingly being food was involved I was first there Dinner was Cream of mushroom soup, half a roast chicken with crushed potatoes and haggis jus, followed by a scrumptious chocolate fudge cake with cream.

On leaving I headed up to Weatherspoons to catch Santa and the rest before heading back to the TL to catch some telly and bed. Up fairly early Monday, down to Morrison’s for fuel plus some sausage rolls for the drive home. Nice easy simple drive back, barely any slow traffic and even had time to visit granny on the way thru Carlisle.

Alias_Omega

Blakey,

I would just give up all running until the event...

You will be find on the day.

Idiophreak

Kinda agree with Alias - I'm no medic, but whenever something hurts me when running, rest always helps

Speaking of "hurt when running" did a sprints session just now - 1.5 mile warm up, 5 mins on, 2 off, 3 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off, 3 on, 2 off, 5 on, 2 off, 1.5 mile cool down.

The "hurt" I was referring to is...well, all of me. OUCH.

SazM030306

WoW well I've just found out I'm 5 weeks pregnant!!!!

Any advice on running whilst pg? I'm down for the Cancer Research 10k a week on sunday...

Thanks
xxx

bank_of_slate

SazM030306 wrote: »

WoW well I've just found out I'm 5 weeks pregnant!!!!

Any advice on running whilst pg? I'm down for the Cancer Research 10k a week on sunday...

Thanks
xxx

:T Congratulations!!!!!! :T

Just take it steady as your ligaments start to relax you may be more injury or strain prone
...Linda xx

Idiophreak

SazM030306 wrote: »

WoW well I've just found out I'm 5 weeks pregnant!!!!

Any advice on running whilst pg? I'm down for the Cancer Research 10k a week on sunday...

Thanks
xxx

Many congratulations.

I don't think running (sensibly...don't wanna fall, overexert yourself etc) is an issue until relatively late on - in fact, it acts as a weight - I know one of my friends started running like a rocket once the thing finally popped out.

Of course, as always, it's worth speaking to the GP first, I believe there are certain medical conditions, "abnormalities" etc that can make running more dangerous than it is for most.

And congratulations again!!

Idiophreak

Something I hadn't even thought about:
"Another thing to remember is that your feet often get bigger with pregnancy. Watch the fit of your shoes and move up to a bigger size as needed."

http://www.pregnancytoday.com/articles/healthy-safe-pregnancy/running-while-pregnant-2251/3/

evab_2

Congrats Saz, I would keep in regular contact with your health team and just listen to your body. With my first I was able to keep doing exercise for a while but then the heat during the summer made me dizzy and also I had a bad back. I think running is OK for a while but then change to walking and swimming.

km thanks for your report, how do you remember so much detail?! Well done on your time!

Ukevas

Pass over the running shoes to the other half... and tell them now they have to run for 3 of you