First road marathon

[Mountain Hare]

Best Athlete,

We'll (hopefully) keep this thread alive thru' the summer and catch up in the Autumn.

For me, it's a long fell race every month - May - Old Counties Tops, June - Duddon, July - Wasdale, August - Borrowdale, then back to tarmac training Sept/Oct building to Amsterdam.

We'll see how it goes - either way, I reckon the Sunday night out around Amsterdam with a medal around me neck could be good for a laff!

All the best for Windermere

MH

[jodg]

Hello,
Thought I'd share this with the forum to see what you all think. A friend just sent me the link to a marathon schedule based on three "key" runs a week.

http://www.marathon-training-program.com/three-day-program-faster.html

By the way, it's the Snowdonia marathon that I've entered at the end of October. Does anyone have any experience of this?

[Wylie Coyote]

I did Snowdon a few years ago based on 8 weeks of training after a broken ankle all summer and had one of the most enjoyable marathon runs ever.
Take it easy on the first hill, power up the third at 23 miles then fly down it in fellrunner stylie whilst all the road runners are quibbling about the uneven surface and the steepness of the descent.

I religiously took an energy gel on the hours and kept myself going with jelly babies and took water at every station. Unlike London where there are crowds dolling out stuff all the way round and drink stations every couple of miles Snowdon is more like running unsupported.

Stunning scenery, great atmosphere, excellent race.

[JohnK]

This years Snowdon will be my 10th consecutive pop at it always a great race with the hills being a distinct advantage to those that are used to them.

Most folk blow there chances of a good race by running the 8 mile descent from the Youth Hostel at the top of the pass, down into Beddgellert to fast then having to walk up the hill at Waunfawr.

Great outing though not like your average road marathon

[jodg]

Ta for the info chaps, sounds like an atypical marathon. I've had a look at the profile and see that there's a fair bit of climb for a road race. Am familiar with the first part but can't quite recall where the second climb is. Hope to be there again for a recce.

Can't wait to get the training started - laid up with torn ligaments at the mo' , but found out today that I'm entered (cheque has been cashed at least).

Hope to see you there JohnK.

[JohnK]

Likewise jodge hope the ligaments heal quickly

[Average Punter]

I've done this twice before and am hoping to have another go this year (haven't entered yet) if things go according to plan. Contemplating with horror entering the Wasdale race as part of the process of trying to render my body fatigue-proof.

[Wylie Coyote]

Think I'm gonna do Leicester. Flat.
The trouble with Snowdon is that it clashes with the KIMM (or should I say OMM) Mind you Leicester clashes with the FRA Relay but I shall just have to give it a miss this year, anyway my skipper says he was so p***** off last year with trying to get committment for that and the Ian Hodgson from my club fellows that he probably won't bother with the fra relay. (Is that Blasphemy?).

[jodg]

I religiously took an energy gel on the hours and kept myself going with jelly babies and took water at every station.

Hmmm, can give some good gel advice? I've always relied on jelly babies and carrying a bottle of Maximuscle energy drink in my bumbag. Do gels compare? There are loads of brands out there - are they are pretty much generic?

[Wylie Coyote]

Yeah, I went in to the shop and examined the contents of the two types on display. They were exactly the same as far as I could tell. There was little difference in the price. The snooty shop arsesistant was dead against their usage so of no help.
A lot of running is in the mind. I had a plan, based on some "proper" research that I had read about in "Woman's Weekly" (or some other rated mag) I stuck to it and it did the trick. I also used jelly babies. Being a fellrunner I naturally caried a bumbag.
I heard recently that in order to increase the intake of the glucose intothe blood stream you should stick the jelly baby under your tongue. I tried this on the Coniston 14 this year at the half way mark. It is very uncomfortable, makes you really mad for chewing the sweet and causes you to dribble down your chin!