It's simple really isn't it, you train to run ultras by getting up and running miles and miles and miles, don't you?
Well yes I guess so, but lets be honest how many of us actually know how many miles to run, at what pace, what HR, what other areas we should be giving some time to, what not to eat and generally how the heck we get the very best performance we can from ourselves.
So the plan was to get a professional on it, find out how fit I am and get a plan on paper, this hopefully would hit two aims with one rock; the first being to give me an idea of exactly how much work I should be doing and some of the other areas I should be putting time into, like core work, and the second, I'm a lazy sod and easily distracted, so having a bit of paper with it all spelled out on gives me just one thing to do, everything on that bit of paper!
Now I know there are hundreds of trainers and get fit bods out there, but I thought it made a little sense to speak to someone with some MDS experience, and you'd be hard pushed to find any one with more MDS experiance than Rory Coleman, having run it 9 times. Cheap it was not, but the sponsors will pay, when I get some, and I suppose you can't put a price on advice, the bit that did stick in my throat somewhat was my lttle car being classed as a van on the Severn bridge and having to pay £12 quid for the priviledge! - but again sponsors are needed.
We started with a little mental preperation and warm up, then on to the VO2 max test. My only experiance was what I has seen on telly where peoplen seem to pass out on treadmills with what looked like respirators stuck in their gobs, so I was looking forward to this bit!
I'm not sure how we did it but I ran my arse off for a while and at the end I went white the room span an equation was done and I was aparently fairly fit, which was good, I should be running sub 3hrs marathons according to the result, so stepping up is certainly in order!
After this we went for a brew and wrote up a 12 week plan, and had a nosey about on ther tinterweb for some races to enter, Jurasic Coastal here I come.
All in all a very positive and usefull little adventure. I now have a nice wee plan that, although initially scary, puts ones mind at rest, having everything written down in front of you allows you to tackle one day at a time, whilst still planning for the big days to come. Sounds odd but it helps to take it one day at a time, and still being aware that come week eight I will be running three marathons back to back.
Now is certainly the time for hard work, every step I take now is one less to take in the desert.
For more info and to sponsor me check out my website: https://sites.google.com/site/sandbetweenmytoesmds/home
Friday 15 February 2013
Friday 1 February 2013
When things don't work out
The second marathon on my road to MDS could be summed up in three words, crash and burn!
This was the one, a sub four hour, nice and flat, a little urban admitedly but I thought I'd be going so fast I wouldn't notice the view! I was entered into the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon on the 23rd Dec, what else are you going to be doing? Fantastic value for money, very well organised and run, the route goes out from Pompey around the coast to Hayling island and back along the same route.
Compared to my first marathon, the aim of which was only ever to finish. An aim incidentally that will never be adopted for any race again, although the primary aim is always to fininsh, it makes things drag, and I enjoy it more if I know there's nothing left in the tank at the end.
Any way off topic there, compared to my first marathon I did a fair bit of training for this one, admitedly still not enough. I worked out the pace I needed to maintain, had a strategy of sports gels and chewy shot things to be consumed at set miles throughout the race, and my training runs were coming in on time, I was feeling confident.
Race day arrived, and the first mistake of the day. I set out from home in what I thought was plenty of time, got there with ages to spare, then realised you had to pay for the car park! After buying a banana with a £10 note I stood at the parking meter, "Hmmm, shall I pay for an optimistic 5 or 6 hours?" I thought. Plumping for the sensible option of 6 I jammed in a load of quids and set off for the obligatory pre race poo. Now this was a lesson I learnt very early on in my running career, always have a poo before you run. If you think it's uncomfortable needing to go in an every day situation then try running whilst clenched, most uncomfortable!
Unfortunately everyone else also has to relieve themselves before they run, and with only 3 toilettes there was a que as long as the ladies and a smell like....well rather unpleasant!
In a slight flutter, getting back to the car, ripping of clothes, plugging in ipods, turning on Garmins and wildly jabbing safety pins into me, my shirt and my race number I set of for the line, I must have been the last one across it!
Lesson learnt, arrive earlier than you think you need!
Still we were under way and feeling good, one advantage to starting at the back is breezing past the slowbees! The first leg went well, seeing the lead runner at about mile 12 for me and I suppose 14 or so for him, I'll be honest the guy chasing in second place looked in better nick than this chap. At mile 13 and the turn point my knee started to feel a little funny, but no real discomfort so we kept grinding on, I found splashing through the enormouse puddles helped.
Mile 17 water stop, I slow to grab a quick drink and as I set of again escrutiating agony in my left knee! I make it about 200 painful yards and have to stop, what's going on this isn't part of the plan?! I try again and no luck, hobbling back to the check point a marshall notices I have been through once and asks what's wrong. Feeling like a proper knob I say my knee hurts, I sit down on a bench, and feeling like an even bigger knob get wrapped up in tin foil while someone sprays stuff on my knee and does something with their hands. Whatever they did it seemed to help, and after some time I hobbled off, and eventually was able to run again. The next water station at about 21 I think and it all happens again! I manage a funny hobbly walky run wich puts pressure on my other leg, which as a result cramps up. This pretty much continues to the end of the race. Finishing in 5.03, not great really.
Still, on the bright side it didn't drag, just felt like a run rather than a chor, and I've discovered a good marathon undie, that doesn't rub important areas raw, every cloud hey!
For more info check out my website https://sites.google.com/site/sandbetweenmytoesmds/home
This was the one, a sub four hour, nice and flat, a little urban admitedly but I thought I'd be going so fast I wouldn't notice the view! I was entered into the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon on the 23rd Dec, what else are you going to be doing? Fantastic value for money, very well organised and run, the route goes out from Pompey around the coast to Hayling island and back along the same route.
Compared to my first marathon, the aim of which was only ever to finish. An aim incidentally that will never be adopted for any race again, although the primary aim is always to fininsh, it makes things drag, and I enjoy it more if I know there's nothing left in the tank at the end.
Any way off topic there, compared to my first marathon I did a fair bit of training for this one, admitedly still not enough. I worked out the pace I needed to maintain, had a strategy of sports gels and chewy shot things to be consumed at set miles throughout the race, and my training runs were coming in on time, I was feeling confident.
Race day arrived, and the first mistake of the day. I set out from home in what I thought was plenty of time, got there with ages to spare, then realised you had to pay for the car park! After buying a banana with a £10 note I stood at the parking meter, "Hmmm, shall I pay for an optimistic 5 or 6 hours?" I thought. Plumping for the sensible option of 6 I jammed in a load of quids and set off for the obligatory pre race poo. Now this was a lesson I learnt very early on in my running career, always have a poo before you run. If you think it's uncomfortable needing to go in an every day situation then try running whilst clenched, most uncomfortable!
Unfortunately everyone else also has to relieve themselves before they run, and with only 3 toilettes there was a que as long as the ladies and a smell like....well rather unpleasant!
In a slight flutter, getting back to the car, ripping of clothes, plugging in ipods, turning on Garmins and wildly jabbing safety pins into me, my shirt and my race number I set of for the line, I must have been the last one across it!
Lesson learnt, arrive earlier than you think you need!
Still we were under way and feeling good, one advantage to starting at the back is breezing past the slowbees! The first leg went well, seeing the lead runner at about mile 12 for me and I suppose 14 or so for him, I'll be honest the guy chasing in second place looked in better nick than this chap. At mile 13 and the turn point my knee started to feel a little funny, but no real discomfort so we kept grinding on, I found splashing through the enormouse puddles helped.
Mile 17 water stop, I slow to grab a quick drink and as I set of again escrutiating agony in my left knee! I make it about 200 painful yards and have to stop, what's going on this isn't part of the plan?! I try again and no luck, hobbling back to the check point a marshall notices I have been through once and asks what's wrong. Feeling like a proper knob I say my knee hurts, I sit down on a bench, and feeling like an even bigger knob get wrapped up in tin foil while someone sprays stuff on my knee and does something with their hands. Whatever they did it seemed to help, and after some time I hobbled off, and eventually was able to run again. The next water station at about 21 I think and it all happens again! I manage a funny hobbly walky run wich puts pressure on my other leg, which as a result cramps up. This pretty much continues to the end of the race. Finishing in 5.03, not great really.
Still, on the bright side it didn't drag, just felt like a run rather than a chor, and I've discovered a good marathon undie, that doesn't rub important areas raw, every cloud hey!
For more info check out my website https://sites.google.com/site/sandbetweenmytoesmds/home
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