The athletics/running thread

[Harry Genshaw]

11.5 miles today along the River Lea in falling snow and a couple of inches underfoot. Great fun!

Nice one. A few of us did 9 miles over Winter Hill early this morning. Snow up to your thighs in places and unbelievably cold over the tops. Like you say G -was good fun

[Gooner Girl]

Bonkers, the both of ya.

[Winter Hill White]

Running my first marathon in about ten days time on Sunday 20th January. I've been reasonably good at keeping to my training schedule. Starting to get a bit trepidatious now, though. Any tips from those who have done one?

Are you going for a time or just to finish?

Just to finish really.
Although I suppose the unspoken target in my mind is less than 5 hours.
I've done two HMs. One at 1hr 67m and one at 1hr 57m.

A lot may depend on the weather - Mumbai, where I'm doing the marathon, can get in the high 20s and 30s, even in January. Here in Delhi, it's apparently the coldest cold snap for 44 years; over the last week, I have even been wearing gloves when I run in the morning. Not sure it's affected Mumbai though. Just checked the current weather, and the 0530 temp was 19 degrees with 83% humidity. Forecast to reach 30 degrees by 1130.
The race in Mumbai starts at 0540 in an attempt to escape the worst of the heat.

I've no experience in running in that kind of heat for so long. I've done London twice, though and what I would say is take every opportunity to catch a drink station. Sip regularly and don't gulp. Don't worry about your first 2 miles being slow. You will catch up as it's a marathon not a sprint.

Make sure you taper properly and rest up as much as you can. Don't run in the last week apart from two slow 2-3 mile jogs. Carb load (potatoes, pasta, rice) for the last few days.

Other than that, enjoy yourself.

Well, I finished it, which was my main aim.
I did it in 4 hours 20 minutes. Weather could have been a lot worse - got hot from about 35 km onwards, but nothing excessive. Must admit I walked bits of it from 35km to 39km. Maybe I didn't think so at the time, but looking back on it, I enjoyed the experience. "Should I do another?" is now what I am inevitably asking myself.

[Harry Genshaw]

Well done WHW. Thats a great effort for a 1st marathon in that heat. And yes, you should definitely do another!

[Gary the Enfield]

Great effort WHW you should be well chuffed with that.

You should definitely do another (you probably have already decided that too). Try one in a cooler climate and see if you can't break that 4 hr barrier.

Remember, backwards down the stairs to help your screaming hamstrings.

[Winter Hill White]

Yes - amazed how much more painful going downstairs is than going up!! Living on the fourth floor, the New Year Resolution not to use the lift has gone out of the window!

Will probably aim to do a half marathon when I'm back in the UK for a couple of weeks in the summer (I did the Torbay Half Marathon last year - fab event if you get the chance - nice route by the sea, well organised, etc). Then maybe tackle another marathon early next year.

A bonus of the weekend was meeting/getting photograph with/getting autograph on running bib from Haile Gebrselassie who was the "Event Ambassador". Really nice bloke - said well done and all that and then said "the next few days for you - you are in trouble!".

[Harry Genshaw]

Haile Gebrselassie

In your honour I spent an hour and a half over Winter Hill this evening with head torch in some very deep snow. Bit cooler than Mumbai

[Winter Hill White]

[quote="Harry Genshaw
In your honour I spent an hour and a half over Winter Hill this evening with head torch in some very deep snow. Bit cooler than Mumbai [/quote]

You're making me wistful for Blighty, HG. The Lancashire countryside is definitely what I miss most about home.
Talking of head torches, have you ever had a go at Night Orienteering?

One other thing on the marathon - I even managed to squeeze in (or maybe I should say squeeze out) a sit-down emergency evacuation part way round. It is, after all, traditional to spend most of your time pooing in India.

[Gary the Enfield]

[quote="Harry Genshaw
In your honour I spent an hour and a half over Winter Hill this evening with head torch in some very deep snow. Bit cooler than Mumbai

You're making me wistful for Blighty, HG. The Lancashire countryside is definitely what I miss most about home.
Talking of head torches, have you ever had a go at Night Orienteering?

One other thing on the marathon - I even managed to squeeze in (or maybe I should say squeeze out) a sit-down emergency evacuation part way round. It is, after all, traditional to spend most of your time pooing in India.[/quote]


Not orienteering but I have run through our park recently in the dark. I've used this to see:



From Alpkit. A Gamme LED head torch. £15

[Harry Genshaw]

Talking of head torches, have you ever had a go at Night Orienteering?

I haven't. In fact I really need to get myself on a navigation course. It's incredible how many folk do long fell races without knowing 1 end of a compass from the other.

[Gary the Enfield]

This morning I completed the inaugural 10k Legacy race in Hadleigh. It was run over the Olympic Mountain Bike course with a couple of bits added on. Has to have been the toughest 10k I've ever done. The course was over 2 laps with unremitting hills, boulders, mud and puddles. The time was immaterial really as it was the first time it's been run but I got round in 53:11.

I had a great time.

[Harry Genshaw]

Well done G. That sounds like a great time in those conditions.

I was out for 3 hours over Winter Hill this morning. My God it were cold. The wind at the back of the mast was so hard and fast the lass running with us was close to getting blown off the hill! My feet were so cold I was minutes away from doing a Capt Oates and asking em to leave me there!

Like you though - I loved it

[Gary the Enfield]

Well done G. That sounds like a great ti
me in those conditions.

I was out for 3 hours over Winter Hill this morning. My God it were cold. The wind at the back of the mast was so hard and fast the lass running with us was close to getting blown off the hill! My feet were so cold I was minutes away from doing a Capt Oates and asking em to leave me there!

Like you though - I loved it

This is what I imagine you do every Sunday HG. You fell runners are mental!

[bwfcdan94]

8 mile jog (it was quite a slow jog by the end), not bad I think.

[thebish]

8 mile jog (it was quite a slow jog by the end), not bad I think.

keeping going for 8miles is always gonna be pretty good in my book!

[Gary the Enfield]

8 mile jog (it was quite a slow jog by the end), not bad I think.

Well done Dan. Are you in training for something?

[Wandering Willy]

What he actually meant was:

" hate my dog"

'Cos it wouldn't eat his English homework.

[Gary the Enfield]

Well done G. That sounds like a great time in those conditions.

I was out for 3 hours over Winter Hill this morning. My God it were cold. The wind at the back of the mast was so hard and fast the lass running with us was close to getting blown off the hill! My feet were so cold I was minutes away from doing a Capt Oates and asking em to leave me there!

Like you though - I loved it

Just seen my results. 50th out of 281 finishers. 53:12. First finisher was 40minutes plus which shows how tough it was.

Very pleased.

[mrkint]

Went to buy some trousers yesterday - could no longer get into a 34 inch waist!

bad times! Signing up for the manchester 10k imminently and getting back on the fecking wagon!

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Went to buy some trousers yesterday - could no longer get into a 34 inch waist!

bad times! Signing up for the manchester 10k imminently and getting back on the fecking wagon!

Slippery slope that is. Once I left a 34 waist behind a 36 waist only lasted a few months before a 38 arrived. Even if it means never wearing trousers again, I refuse to have 40 waist trousers