It's very quiet in here at the mo....

[ladyrunner]

Erm ... if I did it's fallen out. Or got milled in the wash.
Right now the only Ultra on my immediate horizon is a long stint of Jury duty in April.

Actually Ladyrunner mentioned some of the really long (100k plus) walk/ runs as a viable alternative to the attrition of running a marathon as fast as one possibly can. I was reminded today that the (Sussex) Ouse Valley Way extends some 42 miles from its source in Lower Beeding on the Weald right through to the coast at Seaford Bay. I would love to take that on, on a kind of walk/ run/ picnic basis.

Yes that was the TrailWalker 100k on the Downs but it was very expensive to enter as it was late entries only now, plus you had to agreed to raise £500 sponsorship each.

Then I mentioned entering the Beachy Head Marathon at the end of October as a leisurely run/walk and believe you kinda agreed to come along for a day out on the South Downs ... or maybe you had a fuzzy head and it was the night before's beer talking??

Julie

[Antonio247]

Antonio, I'm still in awe that you are even thinking of the ulta. My 22 km. runs now don't seem so bad. You will definitely have to do the run/walk system right from the start; and hopefully extend your miles that way.

Suzie

Gracias, Suzie. I should have trained longer distances but I entered the ultra because there were no places left for the half or the marathon and I thought I wouldn´t feel well if I went to Connemara without taking part in one of the races. So, I´ll take it easy. My aim is to do at least a half marathon. Anyway, If I feel well, I´ll try to do it no matter how long it takes me. Although the cut off is 7 hours thirty minutes, last year there were runners who were allowed to do it in eight hours forty-three minutes. I´d better start the run/walk strategy from the beginning and perhaps 4 or five minutes run, one minute walk instead of 9 / 1.

Saludos desde Almería

Antonio

[Bierzo Baggie]

Anyway, If I feel well, I´ll try to do it no matter how long it takes me. Although the cut off is 7 hours thirty minutes, last year there were runners who were allowed to do it in eight hours forty-three minutes. I´d better start the run/walk strategy from the beginning and perhaps 4 or five minutes run, one minute walk instead of 9 / 1.
Saludos desde Almería
Antonio

That's the spirit!

The time limit sounds tough as it looks like a hilly course. You'll save most energy (and time) if you walk all the hills. At the mere sight of an incline start walking briskly "sin prisa pero sin pausa". If you keep it up you'll be overtaking people at the end who have tried to run all the way. Walk before you even feel like walking... 63km is a long way...
Good luck Antonio, if you get to the finish it will be truly heroico

[Sweder]

Although the cut off is 7 hours thirty minutes, last year there were runners who were allowed to do it in eight hours forty-three minutes. I´d better start the run/walk strategy from the beginning and perhaps 4 or five minutes run, one minute walk instead of 9 / 1.

There is a wild-arsed crazy part of me that wants to stand and roar at the utter madness of such an attempt. It's also telling me to change my entry on the day and join you; what an amazing thing to achieve! And we could take a picnic with us too ...

I'm serious. This could be fun!

[Seafront Plodder]

Steady on there...

Your main priority is to get out of that which would cut your rehydration short.

A rather apt smilie I thought.

[suzieq]

I'm serious. This could be fun!

Sweder - 'fun' is not a word I would use with running an ultra... And if the talk starts heading this way before the race and I start thinking it might be 'fun' - just kill me right then.


Suzie

[Sweder]

Steady on there...

Your main priority is to get out of that which would cut your rehydration short.

A rather apt smilie I thought.

Shhh Baldrick; I have a cunning plan ...
Besides, loose lips sink ships and all that, eh?

Suzie, you just need a few glasses of Guinness ...

[Antonio247]

Although the cut off is 7 hours thirty minutes, last year there were runners who were allowed to do it in eight hours forty-three minutes. I´d better start the run/walk strategy from the beginning and perhaps 4 or five minutes run, one minute walk instead of 9 / 1.

There is a wild-arsed crazy part of me that wants to stand and roar at the utter madness of such an attempt. It's also telling me to change my entry on the day and join you; what an amazing thing to achieve! And we could take a picnic with us too ...

I'm serious. This could be fun!

Well, I´m sure you would do it under 7 hours 30 minutes if you had decided to train for it, S. . It would be fun to have a mate or several mates doing the whole course together. Unfortunately, MP3s aren´t allowed; therefore, so many hours on my own -if I don´t find someone to keep their pace - could be really boring but very good for my mind.

Anyway, if I manage to finish the ultra, I´ll pay a round of drinks.

[ladyrunner]

I'm feeling really envious of you guys - why on earth did I agree to run the Brighton Marathon when I could be having fun running/walking 39 miles in Ireland with you guys!!

I'm serious about next years Ultra attempt - I won't be running Brighton Marathon again.

Julie

[El Gordo]

Although the cut off is 7 hours thirty minutes, last year there were runners who were allowed to do it in eight hours forty-three minutes. I´d better start the run/walk strategy from the beginning and perhaps 4 or five minutes run, one minute walk instead of 9 / 1.

There is a wild-arsed crazy part of me that wants to stand and roar at the utter madness of such an attempt. It's also telling me to change my entry on the day and join you; what an amazing thing to achieve! And we could take a picnic with us too ...

I'm serious. This could be fun!

It's a mad mad mad mad world.

[ladyrunner]

Had my trip to the physio tonight. The news is positive but I have been told to rest from running. Basically she gave my calf a deep massage which was very painful and said that the problem wasn't too bad, and that basically it is just a mass build up of muscle mess which has ocurred over time and shown itself when I tried to run fast.

She has given me the go ahead to do my last long training run on Saturday (20 miles) but I mustn't go fast at any point in the run. After this she wants me to rest my leg from running until the marathon but I can continue race walking as this causes no pain to my calf.

I was a bit concerned about not running for 3 weeks before the marathon, not because of loosing my fitness as the race walking will keep my fitness level up, but more concerned about feeling uncomfortable running on the race day due to lack of use of my running muscles. Do you understand where I am coming from here??

I did say that all I wanted to do in the last week or so before the race was one short training run on the road at marathon pace (8:30-9:00 min mile pace) so that I can test my calf running and make my decision before the day as to whether I aim to start the marathon running or walking.

I'm not really feeling disappointed as my main reasons for entering the Brighton Marathon were to try and enjoy the experience of running through Brighton, my home town and birth town, and not worry about running a fast time.

Julie

[marathondan]

I was a bit concerned about not running for 3 weeks before the marathon, not because of loosing my fitness as the race walking will keep my fitness level up, but more concerned about feeling uncomfortable running on the race day due to lack of use of my running muscles. Do you understand where I am coming from here??

Yes indeed. You always feel a loss of sharpness after a layoff, even if there isn't much actual loss of fitness. Like a lot of things, I suspect a lot of it is mental. Kind of a "hmm, I hope I can remember how to run!" feeling. But you will be physically sharp and loosened up from the race walking.

One short run to test your strategy does seem a good idea.

I'm amazed how well you've adapted to this setback and (possibly) adjusted your goals. A good lesson for us all, I think.

[marathondan]

It's a mad mad mad mad world.

Reminds me of your recent non-post about the demise of the plodder (with a small 'p') around these parts. Suddenly it seems everyone wants to go long and slow! (Sweder "The Machine" wants to take a picnic!) Maybe you should post it after all.

[ladyrunner]

Saw my physio again yesterday for my scheduled appointment. Since my last visit which was a week ago I had completed my steady 20 mile run on Saturday, then followed that up with one race walking fast interval session of 5x1k on Monday and a very slow 6 mile walk on Tuesday. On Wednesday I took a slow jog 400m to the shop to see how the calf felt and immediately felt it tighten up which left some soreness for the physio to iron out.

Received 45 minutes of ultrasound and deep calf massage which was extremely painful, and the Physio's outcome this week was that my leg is feeling much better than last week and that she is quite optimistic now that I will be able to run the Brighton Marathon rather than walk it. I am not so optimistic after the tightening up incident on Wednesday.

She has now agreed that it would be good for me to try a 4 mile run on the roads at marathon pace to see how it feels but no sooner than Monday to allow my calf to recover from the deep massage. Then I need to call her to discuss the outcome and whether I will need another session. The trouble is that I am going away on holiday for the week before the marathon which makes it hard to fit another session in!!

My plan now for training for the next week is 5k hard race walk at the Parkrun tomorrow, 8 miles race walking at marathon pace on sea front on Monday then will rest a day and try my 4 mile run at marathon pace on Wednesday.

Which ever option I choose for the day of the Brighton Marathon, my options being running or race walking, both are going to make me one very nervous competitor before the start. With the walking option I am nervous because I have covered no long distances walking. 6 miles is my longest walk to date. And with the running option it's the uncertainty of how the calf will behave. During my 28 years of participating in athletics I have never once been in this situation before!!

Most people would have probably pulled out of the marathon by now but I won't be beaten as I am doing this for Moyleman. Also because I have waited a long time to run a marathon in my home town and because of the great support from my friends Cam, Jen, Heather, Ash and Simon.

Julie