Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Very nice daver, great time.

Tapering now for Windermere. Felt strange 'only' running 15 miles yesterday. Thought I had been running on hilly ground, but it's still no where near the elevation gain I'm going to face during race (2000ft). My longest runs have had a max of 1000ft. Anyway, looking forward to it now and hoping for decent weather....
 
Went out for a ride along the towpath on Saturday and there were some pretty serious-looking runners wearing numbers coming through Staines. It was the Thames Path 100 and they were at about the 20 mile point.

I really want to do an ultra one day and figured this might be a convenient option since it's local. No, not at all, because it's 100 miles, not kilometres :p

Anyway, I'm going to take this year's marathon training a bit more sensibly than last time and see how I get on. If I injure up again I'll scrub the idea of further marathons and an ultra and concentrate on the smaller distances.
 
2 weeks on Saturday until my first 'race' the Edinburgh 10KM. Looking forward to the experience.

I am then off on holiday to Orlando so looking forward to getting some early morning runs in the Florida sunshine!!

Probably going to work through the Higdon Intermediate half marathon programme for the Glasgow half then decide what to do for the full training for april - baring in mind that being up in Scotland some of the training is likely to take place on the treadmill :(
 
Yep - I am sure to be bugging everyone with my breakdown of distances travelled around the many theme parks also!!

Thanks also - its an ambition of mine to do the goofy challenge at Disney also!
 
Jonny69 said:
I love running when I'm away. Have a great time!
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+1 - ran when in Barcelona for a few days back in March. Was great to be out by the beach / sea, not knowing what scenery or path is coming next is great for some variation.

Question time for people who've run marathons...

If you fuel during the race with gels, how many did you take? I've been giving it some thought (running the Yorkshire Marathon in October) and was thinking of 3 or 4. The recent issue of Runners World has some figures for the people they picked and trained for the Paris Marathon - some of them were getting through 7 or 8 gels.

I hit the wall very badly in my last marathon, so I'm very keen to get in-race fuelling better this time.
 
I've only ran one marathon, but during my long runs and in the race itself I used a gel after the first hour, then one gel every half hour after that.

I found that the key is to refuel before your body needs it rather than waiting until you get into bad shape.
 
planty said:
I've only ran one marathon, but during my long runs and in the race itself I used a gel after the first hour, then one gel every half hour after that.

I found that the key is to refuel before your body needs it rather than waiting until you get into bad shape.
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I have always worked on the assumption that it takes 30/40 minutes after taking for the gel to be effective and so take one at the start then every 40 mins. Seems to work for me.
 
Jonny69 said:
Went out for a ride along the towpath on Saturday and there were some pretty serious-looking runners wearing numbers coming through Staines. It was the Thames Path 100 and they were at about the 20 mile point.

I really want to do an ultra one day and figured this might be a convenient option since it's local. No, not at all, because it's 100 miles, not kilometres :p

Anyway, I'm going to take this year's marathon training a bit more sensibly than last time and see how I get on. If I injure up again I'll scrub the idea of further marathons and an ultra and concentrate on the smaller distances.
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bearing in mind you'll run the ultra at a slower pace, could actually be easier to train up and run one if injury prone. Just a random thought.

I'm now back on the road after 12 or so months off following the birth of my daughter. The plan is to now focus on ultras and half marathons. Don't think I'll be able to regain the pace I had to do a marathon justice.
 
I ran London last year and had four gels myself and took the opportunity of the two Lucozade gels on offer towards the end of the course as well so six in total. Ran two half marathons and for both of those it has been three gels but always take four just in case. Next time I run a marathon I'll be taking eight but probably not using them all.

Other than the boost I do wish I'd never had the Lucozade gels however as the taste was disgusting and it put me off my stride a little and also gave me some mild tummy problems too. The gels I'd taken myself were SIS and have always worked a treat, never take anything else now. I would find the gels you like in training and only ever use those myself, not a lesson you need to learn the hard way like I did.
 
firstborn said:
I have always worked on the assumption that it takes 30/40 minutes after taking for the gel to be effective and so take one at the start then every 40 mins. Seems to work for me.
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You might be right - I always find that I feel much better right after taking a gel, though that may just be a placebo effect!
 
IndigoGorilla said:
I ran London last year and had four gels myself and took the opportunity of the two Lucozade gels on offer towards the end of the course as well so six in total. Ran two half marathons and for both of those it has been three gels but always take four just in case. Next time I run a marathon I'll be taking eight but probably not using them all.

Other than the boost I do wish I'd never had the Lucozade gels however as the taste was disgusting and it put me off my stride a little and also gave me some mild tummy problems too. The gels I'd taken myself were SIS and have always worked a treat, never take anything else now. I would find the gels you like in training and only ever use those myself, not a lesson you need to learn the hard way like I did.
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Thanks for the replies so far, food for thought (boom-tish)

I quite like the Torq gels, well as much as you can like sticky, gooey substances.
 
planty said:
You might be right - I always find that I feel much better right after taking a gel, though that may just be a placebo effect!
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If it makes you feel better immediately then you might be running yourself too low on sugar. Sounds like a sign that you might be craving carbohydrate to keep you going.
 
Another thing I do as well is making sure that I have a variety of flavours for my gels too, won't get sick of one flavour then (berry / citrus / cola / caramel based etc).
 
Jonny69 said:
If it makes you feel better immediately then you might be running yourself too low on sugar. Sounds like a sign that you might be craving carbohydrate to keep you going.
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Interesting. I'm injured at the moment so haven't been running recently, but when I get back into it I'll try experimenting a bit more with the gels. Thanks for that :)
 
IndigoGorilla said:
Another thing I do as well is making sure that I have a variety of flavours for my gels too, won't get sick of one flavour then (berry / citrus / cola / caramel based etc).
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I tried a Torq Forest Fruits Guarana before going out my bike tonight. Perhaps it being out of date didn't help, but it was minging. Quite like the Rhubarb & Custard or Strawberry Yoghurt though.
 
planty said:
You might be right - I always find that I feel much better right after taking a gel, though that may just be a placebo effect!
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Just to clarify I've never felt that I get an 'instant' boost from a gel and would never bother taking one in the last 30/40 mins of a full, so would prob go through 5 to 6. Never felt the need for them during a half.
 
firstborn said:
bearing in mind you'll run the ultra at a slower pace, could actually be easier to train up and run one if injury prone. Just a random thought.

I'm now back on the road after 12 or so months off following the birth of my daughter. The plan is to now focus on ultras and half marathons. Don't think I'll be able to regain the pace I had to do a marathon justice.
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WIsh I had the time to get back into it but 6 day/55 hour standard work weeks kill it for me :(

I would do a marathon even if the time wasn't great just to have done one :)


BTW - Congrats on your daughter. I wondered where you had disappeared to :p
 
Richie said:
WIsh I had the time to get back into it but 6 day/55 hour standard work weeks kill it for me :(

I would do a marathon even if the time wasn't great just to have done one :)


BTW - Congrats on your daughter. I wondered where you had disappeared to :p
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Cheers, biggest challenge to date but worth it :)

Understand the work issue, challenge for me as well. Fingers crossed i'll be able to balance everything, hope you can too :)
 
Need some new trainers and currently wear Nike Pegasus but looking to try something else. Anyone know how Asics trainers generally fit in terms of sizing compared to Nike?

I'm a 9 in Nike trainers but anything from a 10-11 in Adidas. Thinking of ordering online so could do with someone who has maybe tried both brands.
 
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