BA Athletics Club Marathon Special 27th March 2014
Forthcoming Events:
-
Wednesday 2nd April - Watersplash 10k - Concorde Centre
from 18:00 + social from 20:00
-
Thursday 3rd April - Magic Mile - Bath Road near Newport Road
Junction start 12:45
New members and non-members of all fitness levels and abilities are welcome
at all of these events. The full diary of club featured
events is on the club website at:
http://www.barunner.org.uk/Event Diary.shtml (updated).
Running related gossip and chat: Facebook "BA Runner" (link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/636199849751546/).
This news digest is being sent to you because you are on the BA Athletics Club email
list. To be removed please email us at
news@barunner.org.uk. Difficulty
viewing this email? Read it off the website instead -
http://www.barunner.org.uk/News Latest.shtml.
New Publicity Poster
Please load and print the latest poster promoting club events in April, May and June and display on
your local noticeboard.
Poster 290Kb.
Mad March Twister 19th March 2014 Results
The Mad March Twister involves teams of two setting off in
contrary directions on the traditional Round-the-Block course (3.7 miles).
When they meet they turn round and return the way they came. The result is
based on their combined finish times. Note that some teams were
sufficiently balanced that each runner had two Motorway Bridges on their run
whereas others had one member who had no bridges to climb and the other having
all four!
Result |
Runners |
|
Time |
Team Time |
1st |
Gary |
Rushmer |
29:05 |
|
|
Steve |
Newell |
28:25 |
00:57:30 |
|
|
|
2nd |
Eddie |
Giles |
31:32 |
|
|
Roderick |
Hoffman |
31:07 |
01:02:39 |
|
|
|
3rd |
Simon |
Turton |
31:14 |
|
|
Alan |
Anderson |
32:02 |
01:03:16 |
|
|
|
4th |
Steve |
Hillier |
33:09 |
|
|
Dennis |
Foxley |
33:30 |
01:06:39 |
And now on the subject of Mad March...
Marathon Training Updates
Piers Ks Training Update #3 – 21st March 2014:
Now less than 3 weeks left until the Big Day. In my last update I
reported that I’d just got back from a skiing trip. I don’t think it did
my legs, and knees in particular, much good. I’ve had a few niggles in
my knees and slight sciatica in my right leg since. I have cut down on
the number of days I’ve been out running per week to give myself more
rest and hopefully get healed. Not quite there yet.
As part of my training plan I had entered the Reading Half Marathon
at the beginning of March. I had hoped to go sub 1:30 but because of the
knees etc had to settle for 1:33:10. I won’t be going back to this
particular Reading event in a hurry. I spent a lot more time in various
queues than actually running the race. There was a queue for a shuttle
bus from the station out to the football stadium where the start and
finish lines were. Then a queue to drop bags and another queue to get
from the initial holding area to the start. After the race there was a
massive queue to pick up bags and yet another queue to get a shuttle bus
back to the station. Some friends in Ealing Eagles waited so long for a
bus that in the end they walked the whole 3 miles back! I think I will
be tackling the hills at the Berkhamsted Half next year.
On 9th March I ran along the Thames in a loop from Ealing to Kew
Bridge and then down to Hampton Court and back to Ealing via Bushey
Park, Teddington and Isleworth. About 23 miles in total. Took me nearly
4 hours so a bit off marathon pace but at least my knees did not seem to
get any worse.
On Sunday 16th my long run was the Spitfire 20 which took place in
Surrey at the ‘Top Gear’ test track based at on aerodrome. I had wanted
to do sub-2:30 for this but as my knee was still not 100% I ended up
with a time of just over 2:35 – not too far off.
Last week I decided was my last chance to rest up and try to cure my
knee so only ran (gently) on Wednesday during the week (usually I would
run 4 days). This seemed to do the trick and on Saturday I managed a
reasonable parkrun of just over 21 minutes and a 15 mile run on Sunday
with no knee problems.
Having lost so much fitness over the last month there is no tapering
for me just yet. Hope to do a 20 miler next weekend followed by
26.2 on 6th April (Paris Marathon)
before starting my taper for London on the 7th!
Regards Piers Keenleyside
|
Hi Everyone
Saturday was my last long run before the big day,
I ran 22 miles using a 6.5 mile loop
along the canal and back through Southall as it’s fairly flat. On the
way back through Southall I would stop in a newsagent and buy a bottle
of water to keep me going, on my third loop and third visit to the same
newsagent to buy yet another bottle of water the shop assistant seemed
amused and puzzled by my repeat visits. In previous years I’ve used
sport drinks all through training and the marathon, topping those up
with gels in the latter stages, however I have always had the problem of
feeling a bit icky in the stomach part way round, trying to find the
balance between getting enough energy on board and not upsetting my
stomach. This year I’ve switched to using water, with a High 5 Zero
electrolyte tab dropped in, and taking energy gels more frequently. I
have found that I can pop a gel about every 30 minutes and wash it down
with some water without feeling so gooey inside. It worked well on the
22 miles on Saturday so I’m hoping it will see me to then end come
marathon day.
This brings what I always think of as ‘the mad month of March’ to an
end in terms of long runs and training effort and means that I can start
to look forward to some shorter weekend runs and the big day itself.
Overall I’ve completed two 20 mile runs and this 22 mile as well as an
18 and quite a few shorter runs. I too have found some of the midweek
interval and tempo runs a struggle off the back of a weekend long run.
I’ve had a couple of good 10 mile temp runs at Marathon pace minus
30secs per mile which I think have been really beneficial.
I’ve been using a foam roller to ease out the inevitable niggles and
find it really works well on my back and calves. Haven’t needed the ice
baths this year either !
However this week’s not going to be great for me, I have a day visit
to hospital tomorrow for some tests which need to be done under a
general anesthetic, so it looks like the rest of the week might be out
for me in terms of running. It’s not come at an ideal time and when I
asked if I could delay it for a few weeks until after the marathon the
response was that I would have to go back on the waiting list. I suppose
the rest won’t be bad, I just feel like I should be adding a bit of
speed in these last few weeks and don’t want to miss any runs at all. If
anyone has any experience of getting over a general then please email me
back. I’m just not sure how long it will be before I can get back
running.
It would be great if we could meet up at the start for a chat, I
think we’re mostly on Red start. Any suggestions for a place to meet and
a way of finding everyone ?
Finally, what’s everyone having for breakfast on marathon day?
It’s Porridge for me,
All the best.
Steve Taylor
|
Hi all,
like everybody else I can say my preparation is going well and feel
perfectly ready......just got my BA T-shirt (thanks Paul!), shoes nice
clean and comfortable, leggings just the right colour ...still need to
decide if it is going to be headband or clips for my hair, but that will
be a last minute decision I guess.......all in I all I think, like any
good Italian, I can look the part and being mistaken for a runner!!!!!
Oh yes, training you meant!!!.......well, .....after my returned from
Abu Dhabi - ( I run the fastest 5k ever!!!!! there, as went out
with this young kiwi who set an "unkeepable" pace but I was too proud to
tell him to slow down and be respectful of my age!!!!) I did managed a
19miles run from Staines into Windsor and back through Virginia
Waters...though to be fair, I had to walk the last bit and worryingly I
could not have done even an extra 100 yards!
Run 20 miles Saturday down in Shoreham, Hove, Brighton and back
.....in 3h33'59".....and felt I still had fuel in the tank! so that has
made me feel like maybe, just maybe I will be able to see our marshals
on the last stretch...they might have to pick me up from the side of the
road...but I might see them.
Now it's tapering time with maybe a 15 or 13 miles next week and then
no more than 8 miles the following week end...will go down to Brighton
on the 6th to support some friends running the Brighton M and to see
what pain looks like in people face! 3 weeks to go now...feeling
excited... happy running everybody, Stay safe and injury free!
"Any idiot can run, but it takes a special kind of idiot to run a
marathon." -Unknown
Marzia Coltelli
|
Hi all,
Yes managed to get the long run in late afternoon yesterday
22.5m
including 2 laps of Richmond Park averaging 8 min pace… I’m happy with
that given the hills in the park as last weekend felt a touch deflated
as I struggled to hold 8 min miles on the flat. The original plan was
was 4 key sessions a) intervals ( Tuesday ) b) Hill work (
Thursday ) c) Park run Saturday d) long run Sunday with optional
10k lunch time easy runs if I wanted to do them. I ditched park run on
the Saturday to enable me to get through the long runs on Sunday but was
still getting tired. This week 1 switched the hills to Tuesday ( and
interval work Thursday 9 x 1km around 3.55/k off 90 secs
recovery ) so was fresh for Sunday – made a huge difference.
I’ve managed 3 x 20 milers in the last 3 weeks ( didn’t plan to as I
wanted to have them 2 weeks apart ) and think 5 in total now. I’ve got
all sorts of niggles so spend ages stretching ( can’t stress this enough
how important it is…sort of thing you can do while watching Eastenders
or Corrie laying on the carpet ). Also took my hill sessions much
slower as the calves started playing up. Lost a lot of speed so like
Richard will start my taper now with probably 13.1m next weekend and 8m
the following weekend. I’ll keep my intervals going for heart rate and
am now ditching my hill work to prevent injury. I also want to get in
10km dynamic intervals where I alternate at 4 min/k, 5 min/k, 4 min/k
etc where the 5 min/km is the recovery pace and also my marathon pace…
if you do this session ( adjusting for your own pace ) it makes the
marathon pace comfortable as its your interval recovery pace…
Anyway… hope everyone’s doing well in their training and best of luck
for VLM 14. Keep stretching with niggles- spend ages doing it… rather
than a cursory 30-60 secs like we do after park run, spend the whole of
Eastenders doing it now and again… u find once its stretched a few
times it eases off and u get more out the next stretch….
All the best
Ian Haylock
|
Hi All,
One more thing and that’s nutrition....like
stretching to stop your body falling apart , this is the other important
thing and am sure others of you know loads more about
it than me.... I never used to take this seriously as I used to do
shorter races. I think anything up to half marathon you can pretty much
go for it but once you start running 16m onwards nutrition is
massive.... I started taking gels now... and definitely recommend
working out which ones ( if any ) work for you. Some are heavy going and
could make you chuck up so be careful... I wouldn't try them on the day
if you're not used to them....worth having a look to see what works for
you... it maybe sweets, choc, bananas...
Also pre run meal. Again a big thing. I used to
just have a slice of toast and tea but yesterday had much more and it
worked for me....
Finally ( and without sounding
like your Mum ) don't forget the toilet. Many times I've still not
learnt but if there's a 10% chance you need to go, it will be a 90%
chance within 5 miles :-o
Other bits of admin: toe nails, nipples etc.. I
still haven't learnt, toe nails still fall off ...
p.s. Please don't get offended it’s a note to
self more than anything and am sure you are all far better at
administering yourself than I am...
Cheers
Ian Haylock
|
Afternoon all,
I sit here this afternoon with my feet up having now completed the
three 20 milers I had planned over the last three weekends. They were
Finchley, Cranleigh and today the Gade Valley 20 mile hill session. All
done and still in one piece. The long runs have left me quite tired
during the week so my midweek running has been limited as I have tried
to recover, but as the long runs are critical I have focused on these.
This weekend I did manage a park run on Saturday, in a time a little
faster than planned of 21.27, just got a bit carried away, so getting
round today on the back of this was good news.
So now it is time to start to taper, bringing the long run back next
weekend to what should be a more comfortable 15ish, then even less the
following week. If the legs are up to it with the shorter long runs it
may be a chance to do a little more during the week, maybe a quicker
tempo run or two. We shall see.
For those new to the London Matathon you will see you need to go to
Excel to register. This is good fun as you can spend time and money
wandering around the quite large exhibition. There is more running stuff
there than you will ever need! But if possible do NOT go on Saturday.
First it is really busy, but more importantly it can be quite tiring
wandering around for a few hours, so best go Wednesday or Thursday if
you can and then put your feet up on Saturday.
Hope everyone is feeling ready for the big day, good luck to
everyone.
Richard Ruffell
|
Hello runners,
Today a few lines about my running training again.
First of all I want to mention the Finchley 20 run. I'm so happy that
I was able to complete my first 20 mile race this year. As the weather
was on this day-sunny, blue sky, no wind - so I enjoyed the race. It was
a four laps run in the Ruislip area. At first I thought it would be
difficult to run all the time on the pavement but it was a perfect mix
of road and pavement run. My legs and feed were in good conditions so
that they could carry me through the long distance in three hours. Just
my mind started a bit to complain in the last lap, especially mile 18.
But I've pushed myself and kept it up in a runner friendly attitude. In
London I hope and wish to fight to keep the running spirit up. Anyway,
it was a brilliant run without pain.
On my plan for London is one more Half-marathon (Hillingdon),
10k runs, my weekly parkrun and midweek runs. I'm still doing the
swimming long distance training session and the mental preparation for
London through reading running magazines.
I've received the VLM magazine and looking forward to the
Registration at Excel. I hope everybody's training goes well and
everybody can keep it up for the 13 of April.
Good luck and good running,
Kerstin Luksch
|
And it's not all training for running the marathon. Steve
Newell and I recently visited a section of the course in Docklands to
check out how a crossing point can be operated there. The club has
been asked to operate its usual five crossing points and its usual
duties in the final two sectors of the course and the good news is that
we have all the volunteers we need. The Docklands crossing point
is a different arrangement whereby we'll be managing the setup and
operation of the point this year but with a local club providing the
volunteers to man the point - and with the idea that they will take over
management of it next year.
So for everyone who will be helping on the day - remember that it
will be a long day so start your standing up training!
Roderick Hoffman
|
News for the next BAAC News Digest?
Please send items for inclusion in the
next Digest. Results, news, pictures, feedback, jokes, stories - send it to us at
news@barunner.org,uk.
Club website:
www.barunner.org.uk.
|