Running

I had a look on the website but couldn't see any live tracking. sad times.

Amazing. No visibility but had a blast. Normally my descending lets me down but I was passing people for once. Climbing was slightly affected by having a Wednesday night hill race in the legs. 1:25 though, I'll be back next year for another pop.

Sounds ace, enjoy!

Waiting on results then. Hope @HatBeard had a good night.

my dot would have stayed put for the next 4.5 hours and I was sure I was done for but I perked up enough around 7ish that I figured I'd have a crack at another lap, managed to get around the 7th lap in one piece so I pushed up for an 8th which proved to be a lap too far. made it to the halfway point on the course and was barely moving forward so I cut my losses and hit the campsite (which I was right next to) to hand in my chip, call my race and receive my medal.

all told I did 7.5 (it counts!) laps of 5.7 miles plus all the random wandering around the campsite in between laps so covered over 45 miles.

having had a realistic look at the situation I am extremely happy with that. I was sure I was done at 6 so was great to push through and see it through to the extremely bitter end.

planning my return next year already.

Planning to do my first 26.2 miler in a couple weeks, not under race conditions, just for myself.

Made 30km the other week with just a banana and no water. Planning to do this with one of those stupid,ergonmic 275ml bottles (see pic) and a couple rhubarb and custard Nakd bars.

Any recommendations for what to put in my bottle as I'm limited to 275ml I think I'll want more than water as I would like to avoid taking my camelbak. Cheers 👍

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Take two bottles Or a fiver to buy something in emergency.

And gels! I haven't run further than 20m for a few years, but it was always a drink that I craved.

Even more so this time of year for

^^ electrolyte

Well done @HatBeard sounds like you dug deep to get more done.

Oh yes. The bank card will be in the pocket. Two of the ergonomic bottles with water? Maybe I'll take one in each hand, one with water, one with electrolyte drink.
Sorry, but the gels are a no go for myself no matter how good they are.

Carrying two bottles in your hands for 26.2 miles will be no joke IMO.
I bought one of the cheapo karrimor bumbags with 2 x bottles and found this preferable to carrying.

I had my energy/salt drink in one and plain water in the other. Toward the end I couldn't stomach the taste of the energy drink.

I use one of these:-
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ultimate-performance-kielder-handheld-bottle-carrier/
easier to carry than one of those bottles and also carries 500ml. There are a few different ways to hold it to vary the irritation over the length of the run.

Or just get a bigger hand bottle: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ultimate-performance-runners-bottle-580cc/

I'd fill any bottles with electrolyte. No point doing one electrolyte and one water, may as well do both electrolyte.

500ml would leave me quite dehydrated by the end of 26.2m. I can do a half with just pre-hydration and 30km is about the limit of what I'll do without having more than 500ml. (For longer runs I use my bike as a base and stash more liquid and gels/snacks so I can top up part way through a run). If this wasn't viable I'd just use a hydration backpack, even if I ignored the bladder and just stuck an extra 500ml bottle in it).

Not sure why gels are a big no no for you, but I'd also carry 3 or 4 Isogels (e.g. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/high5-isogel-sachets-25-x-60g/ - they contain more water than normal gels so they're a lot easier to take).

If you really don't want to carry gels or too much water in your hands then either take the camelbak, use a waist pack, or plan a quick stop in a shop for more water and a snack.

Dehydration will ruin a run, especially at the point where you'll need everything to be going well in order to continue (past the magic 20 mile mark).

^ Pretty much that. Gels are a pretty practical way to get some fuel in on a long run. They're not all sickly sweet. I used these when training for a marathon and they're actually pretty pleasant.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GU-Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Energy/dp/B00JLACEQS
Think @HatBeard recommended them.

Likewise 30k with no water seems too far to me unless you're well used to it and probably a bit of an outlier. I'm sure you could get through it, but you'll get through it quicker and recover better if you're well fed and watered. I was getting a dry mouth around 15 miles in without water, and by then you've already left it too long. And electrolyte rather than just water.

Oh I'll definitely be using water now. That's kind of the point of my post, it was to find out the best way of carrying water with me without having to resort to my water bladder pack.
The 30km run was manageable without water, but it would have been a lot better with.

@duncs they look good.
@greenbank it's not that I don't want to carry gels, they just sit oddly in my stomach. Also, those bottle carriers look ideal!

I do seem to have had an offer of a support car so that pretty much solves everything.

For longer runs I use my bike

Am sure that's cheating ;)

Great effort. 45 miles sounds punishing. It is always good to prove that you can do a bit more than you think.

The gu gels duncs posted are good. the new gu stroopwaffels are bloody amazing, though I've not tested them mid-run, only lower intensity walking. but it's much nicer actually eating something than taking on a gel. you need water with them though and of course they are pretty sugary.

http://www.ultramarathonrunningstore.com/GU-SALTED-CHOCOLATE-STROOPWAFEL-Energy-Waffles-p/guwafflesaltedch.htm

can get a box of 16 for about £23 on amazon.

I was having one with a coffee in the mornings before riding to work before my crash when I was on my diet.

results are out, came 26/31. if i'd managed another 2.2 miles, I'd have been 23rd as was on pace to finish slightly faster than the guy who did 8 there.

but conversely if i'd packed it in at 1am i'd have only been 27th anyways.

Well thanks to some of your advice and the incredible help from a sweet Italian girl in my local running shop, I'm stocked and ready for my first marathon.
Despite being against gels, I decided not to let one bad experience deter me, so I have 1 gel for every 8km lined up, if needed, and the energy cubes for about 32km with "the wall".

I'm not going to post anything about when I'm doing it as I'm trying not to put pressure on myself, and trying to keep it fun.
However, I have calculated that in the last 11 months I have ran the distance equivalent of Edinburgh to Paris and back! I feel that it is time to do a marathon.
Pretty proud of myself as I've not been running too long. I was a heavy drinker, smoker, prolific drug user and on a path of self destruction. Cliche as it is, but running has changed my life. It has given me a focus, some much needed head space and clarity.
Anyway, self indulgent spiel over, I'll keep anyone that's interested, or not, posted.
Cheers.

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Have a good one @Brum, there are few greater buzzes than completing a marathon, good luck!

Pretty proud of myself as I've not been running too long. I was a heavy drinker, smoker, prolific drug user and on a path of self destruction. Cliche as it is, but running has changed my life.

Theres a few top level ultra runners who would probably be in a box, had they not found running and changed their lifestyle. Your not alone 😀

As this is going to be your first marathon distance. If your not in a rush to get it over with, I'd recommend trying a few weekends of back to back runs to build endurance. And get your head round running tired and nutrition that works for you.
25k one day, then 10 the next day.
25k, 15k
30k, 10k
42

Most of all, smile and enjoy yourself when you go for it 😀

I've inadvertently been in training for it for a good while now. The majority of runs I go on are never less than 15km and I always throw in at least a half marathon a week.
This is kind of a training marathon, more or less to see if I'm up to it yet and to gauge whether the gels are for me.
I think I said previously but I managed 30km with no water and just a banana, so I'm confident that I can make the distance, if the gels behave themselves.

up to 20 odd miles and you can wing it because your body carries enough energy to get you through it in a pinch.

but go to any marathon and watch the people hitting the wall/collapsing after the 21 mile mark when they've exhausted their glycogen stores because they got their nutrition and hydration wrong and you'll realise it's a pretty steep drop off and it can hit quickly and when you go, you really go. much like when you bonk on a bike ride.

just be careful and listen to your body and if it's a hot day make sure you take on extra fluids. it's probably overkill but maybe let someone know your anticipated route too if you're just going out on your own. it's rare but i don't think anyone who collapses running long distances wake up that morning thinking it will happen to them.

Wise words.

I went for it today, had a support car as well at checkpoints along the route.
It was going totally swimmingly, making good time, but the difference in myself between 30km and 32km was unbelievable. It didn't help that 30km for at least 1.5km was an open golf course with a head wind.
I was looking to get a 3 hour 30 min marathon, but a nasty road traffic accident just east of Gullane had forced that road closed to pedestrians, let alone cars. I took that as a sign and threw the towel in at 32.5km. Turning back to make up the distance would have thrown me.

Although disappointed, it has left me optimistic and wondering what I would have done had that road not been closed. Would I have still stopped? Or would I have pushed through the odd sensation I believe must have been "the wall."? I was moving purely on mental strength, I had just taken my last gel and some caffeine gel cube things, but they didn't have as much affect as previous gels on the journey.

Didn't make the full 42km, but have left the 32.5 feeling optimistic.

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Ciqala??

You know when people say 'listen to your body', I'm genuinely interested in knowing what they mean, because when I run my body is pretty much screaming WTF U DOIN U DAFT CUNT at me the whole time