The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner

[gatso]

NY or Philly in November and go to a Jets or Eagles game would be good.

while that would obv be great I was definitely thinking europe

berlin ideal imo as long as it's easy to get a place. nice and easy to get to for a weekend of running and drinking, exactly a year away so plenty of time for even a beginner to prepare and the weather will be pretty good for marathon running

another one I'd be interested in is the maraton solidarnosci in gdansk, much smaller so guaranteed to get places and it's on the coast. depends what date they run it in 2012 though, it may clash with the olympics

[kinboshi]

Definitely need to do one that allows us to do the run, then spend a few days after enjoying some hard-earned drinks.

[EvilPie]

GG Hopkin.

Shit just got real!!

[gatso]

GG Hopkin.

Shit just got real!!

Are you not in for a fastest marathon prop with Hopkin?

[EvilPie]

GG Hopkin.

Shit just got real!!

Are you not in for a fastest marathon prop with Hopkin?

Thought I'd got away with that

The answer is no unfortunately. I'll also pussy out of the 10k if that's ok?

Happy to take any ridicule that you'd like to send my way.

[StuartHopkin]

GG Hopkin.

Shit just got real!!

Are you not in for a fastest marathon prop with Hopkin?

Thought I'd got away with that

The answer is no unfortunately. I'll also pussy out of the 10k if that's ok?

Happy to take any ridicule that you'd like to send my way.

Sigh, somehow missed the challenge made previously.

Would have had a nifty on it but not that interested really.

Defo in this just for personal gratification!

Berlin marathon sounds awesome!

[gatso]

2012 berlin marathon is on sept 30th. registration opens in mid october, cost was €55 this year so assume will be about the same. I believe it's first come first served in which case we should def go for it. if it's a ballot then should have a rethink as it's pointless if you can't guarantee everyone getting in

[StuartHopkin]

2012 berlin marathon is on sept 30th. registration opens in mid october, cost was €55 this year so assume will be about the same. I believe it's first come first served in which case we should def go for it. if it's a ballot then should have a rethink as it's pointless if you can't guarantee everyone getting in

Yeah lets see what we can do, must be others up for it.

Just checked last years time and I am defo in seeing as I could walk it and still beat a couple of thousand entrants.

Fly Saturday, Run Sunday, Beers all day Monday, Fly Tuesday imo

[gatso]

I got the cost wrong. this year was

'Registration fee for the first 10.000 participants is 60 euro, the next step (until 25.000 participants) is 80 euros, and from then on it is 100 euros until the limit of 40.000 is reached.'

3k registered on day 1 so it's easy enough to get in at the lower price level. it was definitely first come first served and not a ballot

[gatso]

Fly Saturday, Run Sunday, Beers all day Monday, Fly Tuesday imo

that sounds good

[kinboshi]

Fly Saturday, Run Sunday, Beers all day Monday, Fly Tuesday imo

that sounds good

+another 1

So 12 months to prepare is good, are we going to look at a half-marathon in the meantime?

[StuartHopkin]

Fly Saturday, Run Sunday, Beers all day Monday, Fly Tuesday imo

that sounds good

+another 1

So 12 months to prepare is good, are we going to look at a half-marathon in the meantime?

Yeah buddy

Need to put some sort of a plan together or you two will be waiting hours for me!

Current thoughts are

Spooky sprint end of October, kilomathon in March, another half in the summer, then the robin hood in early September, 3 weeks to recover then the Berlin one.

Sound sensible or is two in a month setting me up for a fall? Thought it would be nice to know I could do it before I went and did it abroad!

[kinboshi]

Three weeks before you do a marathon you should be aiming to do your last 'big' training run.  This will be about 20 miles (ish).  Running a half-marathon race three weeks before isn't always great because you are going at a faster pace, but for only 13 miles.

Doing a full marathon (and your first at that) three weeks before another full would be a daft idea imo - but doable, especially if you take the first one very easy and treat it as a training run rather than trying to get a good time.

[EvilPie]

Can I be the first to predict that Hopkin will succumb to the allure of alcohol and curry and not have a hope in hell of doing this.

I don't know much about marathons but I'm going to assume that you need to be reasonably strict with your diet?

Hopkin ain't doing that unless he turns queer.

[kinboshi]

Can I be the first to predict that Hopkin will succumb to the allure of alcohol and curry and not have a hope in hell of doing this.

I don't know much about marathons but I'm going to assume that you need to be reasonably strict with your diet?

Hopkin ain't doing that unless he turns queer.

Alcohol is fine, unless it stops you from doing the necessary training.  If I'm going running in the morning I'll try to avoid drinking the night before (or only have a couple) otherwise it's tougher to get out of bed and I don't get as much out of the run.

As for diet, I don't think the odd curry is a bad thing at all.  Again, wouldn't have a hot one the night before a run for a number of reasons!  When you up your mileage and are doing 30 miles or so a week, then you can get away with eating 'less well', but obviously lots of carbs before a run and a balance of protein and carbs after a run makes more sense than loads of fatty foods.  the better your diet, the better you'll train and you'll then do better on the day of course.

I don't think the food/drink side will be the toughest part for Stu.  Doing the miles in training will be the tough bit.