Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

[Ian_Eb]

Thanks, only recently started using SIS recently and they seem to go down well. I'll check it out

I tried the Lucozade ones and they are hideous. Gu ones are like eating something and the SIS ones are really easy to use without leaving a weird aftertaste or gagging for water to wash it down with.

 

[D.P.]

Ah...
That scuppers that then. I'll focus on settling into the pace early and trying to hold it.
As you say, back off if needs be

Would it be realistic to run next weekend at the same HR as whatever this week turns out to be?
I think it'd be foolish to set a target pace for Vietnam given the heat/humidity and the self professed tagline of being one of the hottest IMs in the world... People don't run fast there. Straight 10.5km out and back along the sea front.
Thinking that HR would be elevated due to the heat and would therefore bring my pace down accordingly Good plan?
-ve split is out of the equation I think

You will never be able to run Vietnam at the same pace given the heat and humidity. there are tables you can look up to convert speed, but expect to be about 2-30 seconds a mile slower. http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Running_Calculator

When it is hot it is definitely important to look at HR rather than absolute pace.

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

That's my point DP, knowing i'll be 3 hrs in and hot, tired etc I don't expect to run the same pace but the heart rate should be representative no? Elev due to heat therefore my pace will have to drop to keep the HR in the same sweet spot.

I've been using High5 nutrition for years... I go well on their 4:1 and the bars taste awesome. I know I can stomach their gels when I need them even when I'm hot, dehydrated etc etc.
Youu tried the SIS protein recovery gels? Good lord you need to chew them :/
Their ReGo is nice though.

 

[semi-pro waster]

I tried the Lucozade ones and they are hideous. Gu ones are like eating something and the SIS ones are really easy to use without leaving a weird aftertaste or gagging for water to wash it down with.

I've not tried the Lucozade ones but my go-to gels are SIS or Hi5, I actually find the SIS gels make me keener for a drink of water than the Hi5 gels despite SIS labelling them as truly isotonic but both do the job. I've also tried some Karrimor gels and they were ok but somehow slightly more artificial tasting than either of the other two, that might just have been a perception issue though.

 

[D.P.]

That's my point DP, knowing i'll be 3 hrs in and hot, tired etc I don't expect to run the same pace but the heart rate should be representative no? Elev due to heat therefore my pace will have to drop to keep the HR in the same sweet spot.

I've been using High5 nutrition for years... I go well on their 4:1 and the bars taste awesome. I know I can stomach their gels when I need them even when I'm hot, dehydrated etc etc.
Youu tried the SIS protein recovery gels? Good lord you need to chew them :/
Their ReGo is nice though.

yes, follow the heart rate and you will find your pace has slowed down but you should cross the finish line at a comparable effort. That is why HR based training and racing is useful.

 

[D.P.]

I like Gu gels, taste really good, easy to digest, lots of pleasant flavors, icotonic, caffeine, and not excessively salty.
The other brands tends to taste very artificial and have a bad aftertaste. The Gu gels are so tasty sometimes I'll just eat one as a treat!

 

[D.P.]

Damn it was hot today! 19C at the start, 24 when I crossed the line. Got stomach cramps due to trying balance electrolytes, water, gels and that led to some dehydration. I was pouring most of the water on me to cool me down but that meant I wasn't drinking enough. I was carrying 500ml with me but it probably sweated 3liters! This meant for a difficult last 10k, was mosrly holding around a 6:50-6:55 pace but was overheating. I wanted around 6:37 pace at the end but just was impossible.

End result was 2:56:18 on my watch. That is 2 seconds slower than PR. Damn frustrating but also super encouraging. On a good day, with good weather on a fast course, if I hadn't run Boston 3 weeks ago, I know would be in 2:52 shape, maybe slightly faster.

Anyway, now I can swap the 800m horizontal repeats for 800m vertical repeats. Got a 66km, 5100m ascent ultra at the end of June. I hope I recover quickly.

 

[D.P.]

Actually probably spoke too soon and have a 1 second PR, lol! More impressive I came 27th overall and there was a field of around 12 elites and sub-elites from Kenya and Ethiopian. Almost no one passed me but I passed loads of people until I ended up alone, just shows how hard the conditions were.

 

[Martynt74]

Great work @D.P.

 

[NoNameNoNumber]

That's impressive, great work trying to keep on top of the nutritional side. It's a slippery slope that I don't think you can ever recover from in a race if you let the vitals deplete... I like a sponge under my hat to keep cool and try to get the water down the hatch
North Lincs half was warm, avg 24.7ºC according to the watch. I tried to keep everything slowed down DP but I feel I've taken your advice and thrown it out the window!
Started with the 1:40 pacers but pulled 500m on them pretty quick, then tried to reel it in and just get on top of my HR, somewhere i the 160 range would've suited me I think but it just wouldn't come down.
Quickly gave up with that and decided to just hold what I as doing. I felt strong, so stuck at it.
About 8.5/9 miles in the 1:40s caught me so I chatted to one of the pacers for a mile or so then kicked. Didn't see them again
1:39:24
7:35/mi
172 avg HR

 

[Martynt74]

Still haven't been out since the half marathon 2 weeks ago. Still getting some discomfort from my inner shin. The physio suggested i see a podiatrist and there's a self referral form i can complete for that if my private health doesn't cover it.

Did play football last night and had an awful game. Having a pint with tea before hand probably didn't help reflexes as a goalkeeper so was tempted to go for a run when i got home but ended up just going to bed.

Tonight i think i'll get myself out.

 

[Martynt74]

Yay, i actually got up at 5:30 this morning and went out for a run.

First time in a long time that i've ran first thing and enjoyed it. Hopefully i can keep some momentum with it. Am also moving closer to a decent gym in around a month so planning on joining that and maybe doing a couple of morning pilates classes to help with movement and flexibility as i feel constantly stiff these days.

 

[Ian_Eb]

Still not been out since the Marathon! I think mainly it's due to having loads of jobs around the house that have stacked up whilst training. Back to it later this week or maybe early next. Looking like mornings may be the time to do it though, as it avoids getting in the way too much in the evening when the kids etc all want attention.

 

[D.P.]

Still not been out since the Marathon! I think mainly it's due to having loads of jobs around the house that have stacked up whilst training. Back to it later this week or maybe early next. Looking like mornings may be the time to do it though, as it avoids getting in the way too much in the evening when the kids etc all want attention.

Mornings are the best time, that way any other emergencies/work projects/delays/last minute meetings etc don't affect your training. I have been out every day this week, but mostly just hiking. Today added a few easy jogs for 7 miles and 2100ft of ascent.

 

[Ian_Eb]

But I like sleeping

I know it's the best time but I just need to get my backside into gear

 

[D.P.]

But I like sleeping

I know it's the best time but I just need to get my backside into gear

The trick is just to set your body clock earlier, which is much easier at this time of year being so light early in the morning. I went to bed at 9:30 last night for example. Getting 8hours sleep and getting up at 5:30 are not mutually exlusive.

 

[Ian_Eb]

Oh, I Know

As I said, I just need to get on with it. Will move myself this week!

 

[Martynt74]

Haha thats exactly how i've been for months now. My alarm goes off and i just reset it for an hour later. This morning i forced myself up though and enjoyed it.

Hoping now i've done it once i can do it more regularly and then it just becomes habit for the horrid dark winter months.

 

[D.P.]

Just don't loose the momentum form London. Good to take a couple of weeks away to recover but then you want to start back and keep a base aerobic fitness. A lot of people do 1 marathon a year and for 8 months afterwards do very little running so end up exactly where they were before, then wonder why they don;t get any faster. You don;t have to race frequently or keep such intensive training but it really helps to build upon the earlier fitness in repeated cycles. I went from 3:27 to 3:01 in one year just by keeping the training cycles going.

 

[Ian_Eb]

I am hoping to get back out on the bike as well this year, so mornings it is! As you say, I really don't want to lose the momentum from the last 3 or 4 months training. I am looking ahead at where else to run at the moment so lets see how it goes

May even appear in the cycling thread(s) at some point.