Brentwood South Weald Marathon

Sunday marked my third marathon in three months as I completed the Brentwood South Weald Marathon organised by Go Beyond in the leafy Essex countryside.

The appeal of this event was its proximity to where I live, just a 15 minute drive away. After I entered I however became less enthusiastic about the event due to it being 12 laps of a 3.5km course and I was somewhat apprehensive this would be a dull and boring monotonous event that would be a depressing mental grind.

The reality was thankfully far from the truth.

Race intro

The marathon forms part of the Brentwood Running Festival which also comprises of a 10K and a half marathon, so provides a challenge for all abilities.

The marathon is a complete off road affair, a real trail marathon, suitably tough, muddy and grueling for even the most experienced runner.

Before the event I knew to expect a tough course as I have visited South Weald Park before and so was aware of the terrain, but it wasn't until completing my first lap that I fully appreciated what a tough event this marathon was going to be.

The course

Somewhere into my second lap I quickly established my race strategy, aim for under 5 hours which would be incredibly respectable, be prepared to walk the hills and inclines and conserve energy for later in the race and keep my trainers as dry as possible for as long as possible.

I also broke the course down into two halves, one half was around the main park field where running on longish grass that was very tough on wet heavy ground. The hill up to the wood then marked the transition into the second half where the trails zig zagged in and around the woods, although undulating and technical the path here was mainly downhill I figured and was a section that I should try to move through as quickly as my legs would allow.

Interspersed in the forest were sections of treacherous muddiness where a slow to a walk was advisable. There was also the tricky ravine with a sheer drop down a root riddled bank and a muddy scramble up the other side slowed most runners progress down to a walk or a crawl.

Out of the woods a nice water sodden muddy, marshy patch awaited before the second hill climb completed the lap and took you down to the finish line.

How did I find it?

In summary; tough, muddy, tiring, scenic, challenging, autumnal and rewarding are the words that spring to mind.

I decided to run without a watch so throughout the race I had no real idea of pacing or my race time apart from the snippets of other runners completing the 10K or half marathon I heard over the loud speaker as I passed through the finish line after completing each lap.

This decision made the finish all the more satisfying as I was really pleased with my finish time as this was my fastest off road marathon.

The course was so demanding though, having completed Beachy Head Marathon this time last year I am no stranger to tough off road marathons and although the hills in South Weald Park don't quite rival the seven sisters this is still a tougher than average marathon.

As some kind of perspective I consider myself to be in much better shape running this marathon than my last two but by the half way mark my legs felt like they did at the 20 mile mark of the last two marathons.

Overall I really enjoyed the event and would class this event as a special event as it stands out for its excellent organisation, brilliant marshaling on an interesting and inspiring location and setting.

The event was very much a slick operation which included a thorough briefings given before the start of the three different races, enthusiast marshals offering encouragement on the course and a plentiful supply of refreshments available after every lap. The race represents terrific value as for the £16 entry fee you received a medal and t shirt as well as a print out of your split lap times provided to you within seconds if finishing. 

The only negative I can recall from the experience is a minor one relating to the playlist being played at the finish line, some of the songs were not what you would call your obvious choices, hearing Elton Johns candle in the wind 3/4 of the way through was extremely odd and although it didn't inspire to me run it did make me chuckle! 

On a personal note I was very pleased with my performance, I didn't find the multiple laps a drain or a bore but instead found it quite comforting to know what was coming up and to have a clearer understanding of distance covered and distance left to run.

I coped with the slight repetitiveness of running the same path over and over by talking myself through the route that lay ahead of me on the course in the same way a rally car drivers navigator talks the driver through the obstacles that lie ahead in the next few hundred metres. 

Physically I did start to tire and ache from around lap 5 and the going got harder as you would expect through laps 6 and 7. I was as ever glad and thankful for the support of my wife who was on hand with lucozade and support to keep me running into the final laps.

The last few laps were understandably all the more difficult but thankfully went by relatively quickly and I continues to feel buoyed by the growing number of multi coloured bands I was collecting to count the number of laps completed. 

Finish line

I most admit a strong feeling of elation approaching the finish line for the final time, no musical fanfare, no cheering cheerleaders or cheering crowds that you get with larger inner city marathons but instead the strong sense of satisfaction of having completed a demanding challenge with a handful of other hardy souls.  

                   

The final curtain - the third of three marathons in three months

Tomorrow is the third of my three marathons in three months? The marathon in question is the Brentwood South Weald Marathon in Essex. 

How am I feeling about it?

In a way glad it is going to be over but at the same time sad that I will lose that long term goal and the short term focus from every day life.

My preparation since my last marathon just 4 weeks ago has gone well. I very much stuck to the less is more training mantra and only completed one long run of note a 18 mile run commute home.

My challenge for tomorrows marathon will be the course as the route is 12 laps of a 3.5km course. I have thought quite a bit about how to deal with this and have tried to play it down and just think of it as a normal run. My coping strategy if I need one will be to follow the 'run in the moment' advice of Scott Jurek, the idea of breaking runs down into the current situation and not thinking about what has gone before or what lies ahead. There is a great video interview that I watched this week that you can see here. 

I have been looking forward to this marathon as it really my local event as it takes place a few miles a way and will only take 15 minutes to drive. I must say it is nice not to have to travel away to race and to not have to plan and arrange travel and accommodation etc.

So the stage is set for this third marathon, I have a few niggles to my calves (a constant issue with me) and to my right ankle but other than that I feel strong.

My marathon supplies for before, during and after.

My preparation this last week has been good and my legs feel pretty fresh and eager to run. I have done a few slow, gentle sessions on the stationary bike and have found these to be really beneficial.

The only negative in my preparation is that tonight, the ever so important pre-race night is the night of a family occasion so I will be out for Dinner and a night at the local greyhound races. Any other night I would be really keen for such an evening as I enjoy a night at the dogs but just not tonight! 

So fingers crossed for tomorrow! Thank you to everyone for your support and well wishes. Good luck to everyone racing this weekend and a massive well done to anyone who has taken on the grueling Beachy Head Marathon today! 

How far is your marathon?

I am a quiet kind of guy, I am not loud, I do not usually volunteer information about myself easily and this is true for my running.

I don't tell people I run regularly or I try to train every day or that I often run a long distance event at the weekend.

At work I have tried to keep my running exploits under my hat and have largely succeeded. I did however recently share my marathon running with a fellow running colleague which has now led to word spreading. Another colleague now seeks me out for advice on her own fledgling running aspirations which is nice, I like it, but it has led to my running being discussed in group situations which inevitabley has led to more of my work colleagues knowing and subsequently taking an interest in my running.

This has culminated in a colleague shouting his best wishes for this weekends marathon across the office. I know there is nothing wrong with this and its a really nice sentiment but as a shy introverted person it just doesn't sit well with me.

I guess that kind of personality fits in well with being a runner as running is a solidarity and private past time with no reliance on team mates or achievements being widely acknowledged by others. 

To a certain extent I can't hide things from those I work with, its always been fairly obvious that I have been into fitness lifestyle as I don't drink lots of coffeeand don't usually partake in birthday cake when its someones birthday. These behaviours although sometimes admired are usually seen as rather odd as they differ from the office norm.

 

I suppose the problem is mine as I am private and just don't really want to share my running with everyone. 

Thats what makes my blog somewhat weird as here I am sharing my running with the Internet and the potential audience of millions of people! 

I enjoy writing my blog though, I enjoy interacting with other runners and sharing each others experiences, I just don't want to share my running with the people I share an office with every day!

I think it might be because I know people generally don't understand running andI don't want to have to explain myself and my running to people. I am sure all runners suffer with this, I just hope I don't get to many versions of the dreaded 'How far is your marathon?' question! 

Marathon preparation check list

Marathon training demands a lot of time, effort, dedication, determination and preparation to be successful. The foundations for success need to be put down in the weeks and months preceding an event, however the week before a marathon is still a key time. Here is my guide to the final stages of marathon preparation based on my own personal experiences: 

Eat lots don't be hungry 

There is so much advice on pre-race nutrition and the importance of carb loading such as these great articles from Runners World and RealBuzz, 

Also you should also check out this video from Buzzfeed which gives you an entertaining yet informative guide to how the carb loading process works. 

But as well as eating more carbs its also important to just eat more. 

While preparing for a race it is common to cut down on your food intake to try and lose weight to be in the best shape for race day but in the final stages its all about fueling your body to be ready for the demands of the upcoming 26.2 miles.  

So I let myself go a bit and eat if I feel hungry as long as its good stuff I am eating. Regular readers will know I have enjoyed the carb loading phase from previous marathons as you can see here. 

I tend to snack a lot on dried fruit, Brazil nuts, almonds, peanut butter, flap jacks, tortilla wraps and that kind of thing as you might have seen in previous posts or seen on my twitter feed if you follow me on twitter @beoutrunning. 

My other advice is a common recommendation of eating familiar things, food you eat a lot, that you enjoy and that you know suits you fuels you correctly. 

I also try and stick to the mantra of eating little and often so that I am not overloading my body and I am providing a constant steady flow of calorific fuel for energy. 

Sleep lots don't be tired  

In the week or two post marathon I focus more on getting to bed that bit earlier as well as cutting down on the early morning training to perhaps once or twice a week.

Giving your body plenty of opportunity to rest and restore its self so it is in the best condition possible for race day is really important.  

Although relax if you don't end up getting as much sleep the night before a run because of pre-race nerves or a change of routine due to travelling for a race is fine and wont impact on your performance.  

Walk lots - well not lots but maybe a bit more than usual.  

As my training is cut down in the lead up to a marathon I try to replace this with a bit of extra walking. This is for a few reasons, to keep my legs ticking over all be it with a much less strenuous form of exercise and to keep burning off a few calories while not training so much. 

My other bit of walking related advice is to where running trainers as much as possible pre race. Your feet are important so its important to look after them and keep them as comfortable as possible. 

Roll and stretch 

If not already part of your daily routine it definitely should be in the build up to the big run. Keeping your legs nice and loose and getting rid of any stiffness and tightness is key to a great performance on race day, its amazing how brilliant and energetic your legs can feel through the week with a reduction in training but an increase in rolling and stretching. 

Hydration

Water water everywhere! 

There is an abundance of advice on staying hydrated so I wont bore you with that only reiterate its importance. Stay hydrated and drink loads in the days building up to your marathon! 

Along with lots of water I also enjoy drinking a variety of herbal teas to help hydrate and refresh me. As well as this they also provide a sweet touch that might be lacking from your diet as well as providing other digestion and health benefits. 

Nutrition 

As well as trying to eat a well balanced nutritious diet in the marathon build up heres a few personal specifics I throw into the mix. 

Vitamin C - Load up on some vitamin C, something that should already be plentiful in your diet but especially necessary in the final stages of a marathon training programme to ensure you can fight off any illnesses while you body is more susceptible to attack due to the strains of training and to ensure you are as fighting fit and healthy as can be come race day. 

Coupled with an increase in vitamin C i have also found taking a cold and flu remedy such as Beechams is a great way to top up your body's defences and keep you feeling tip top!  

Protein - In race week as well as stocking up on my carbohydrates I also try to increase my protein in take to help my muscles be fully repaired and raring to go!

Specifically I opt for plenty of protein shakes and chicken throughout the week along with a steak dinner a few days before interspersed with plenty of protein rich snacks like almonds.  

Good digestion - To help make sure my stomach is settled and can cope with the high amount of carbohydrates along with potential pre race nerves I make sure I have a couple of spoons of natural yogurt in the morning and evening just to be kind to my gut in the hope it is then kind to me! 

Preparation  

Along with all the training and nutrition advice the best piece of advice is to be prepared. Mentally prepared for the challenges that lie ahead as well as physically prepared taking care of the practical and logistical arrangements of; how am i going to get there? What time so i need to get up/leave? What am I going to wear? Etc, etc

Its good to have these arrangements clear in your mind a few days before so you can relax and just focus on the actual running. 

One last thing most importantly:  

Don't forget to enjoy yourself! Enjoy the run, the challenge, the atmosphere, the experience, the location and the scenery, embrace it all so you can remember it in the future. 

Good luck!

Marathon preparation trail porn

With a week to go to my next marathon I wanted to run some trails to prepare myself for the type of terrain of the marathon and to break in my trainers to the world of muddy trails as they have so far in their short life been limited to road running.

I didn't want to have to run far to get onto the trail so I headed for a less familiar route which I have never previously ran but have walked before.

It was a glorious autumn morning all be it a bit on the warm side, I was dripping with sweat from very early on in the run.

The trail was magical, the peace and tranquility, the rustic autumn colours, the leaves carpeting the ground all spoiled somewhat by an abundance of nettles and plenty of sticky squelchy mud!

                      

                

I enjoyed running it so much, I was so pleased with my decision to choose this route but at the same time so disappointed to have not come this way more often!

I covered around 13km with a slower pace due to the stoppages and slow downs caused by particularly muddy or nettley sections of the trail. 

My run took in a variety of surfaces, grass, gravel tracks, mud, soily trails with the odd bit of tarmac. I think it has set me up well for the conditions next week in the marathon where the course as far as I know will be mainly muddy off road trails. 

I felt my running was OK and I feel alot better in the build up to this marathon than the last. 

My trainers are now well and truly inducted into trail running and all I can do now is rest, eat well and hydrate in the build up to marathon number three in the last three months! 

Nows the time to challenge myself

With just over a week to go to the third and last marathon in my three marathons in three months I am very much thinking about what I have learnt from the experience and what I can get out of this last marathon.

The aim had be to go under 4 hours in at least one of the races, an aim I now realise looking back was a tall order as only one of the events was suitable for a quick time as the other two routes were off road, undulating and hilly.

I have still achieved a decent new PB though knocking over 15 minutes of my previous best.

As I have said before the more I train for marathons and the more I run them the more I understand the challenge that is a marathon.

Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about. 

PattiSue Plummer, U.S. Olympian

I realise more an more that I need to push myself harder and not be constrained my own preconceived limitations in terms of how much I can train or how fast I can run.

I know with some decent training and with an event where things work out OK I am capable of running a sub 4 hour marathon but more than that I know I am capable of running much faster than simply trying to just dip under the 4 hour mark.

With this in mind I have decided to run my last marathon blind/naked/watch free.

I am just going to run it as hard as I can without monitoring my progress on any watch or tracking device and just see where that takes me.

Marathon running is all about the challenge of the 26.2, how to train for it? Can you run it all? Will you finish it? Pushing yourself through the pain.

For me I know From experience what the training requires, I know I can cover the distance, I know I can complete it in a decent time and I know I will be OK afterwards.

So now it is time to just worry about running it as best I can with a freedom to allow me to achieve my real potential.

My run commute all the way home

So I did it! I finally managed to complete one my main running ambitions, to run all the way home from work! Which is no mean feat as I work in Central London and live out in Essex approximately 13 miles as the crow flies or around 18miles to run.

I have ran part of the way home several times, often running the 11K back to West Ham station to then jump on the tube for the remainder of my journey.  In the summer I did plan to run the full route but dropped out after around 13 miles as I wasn't quite fit enough to run longer and didn't have the mental strength to push myself to run through the mean streets of Dagenham.

I have planned to run the full route a few times as well but have either been waylaid by other commitments or had to focus on my marathon training rather than pursuing this goal.

But my hand was forced somewhat as I might be moving soon so my chances to run this particular route have become limited. I thought Id better do it before the dark nights and the cold winter really sets in but I was surprised at how dark and cold it got relatively quickly.

So how did it go?

It took me just under 3 hours and the route was almost 18miles! My mapmyrun didn't seem to function properly either so the real distance will be even further! 

It was long and it was draining!

The first few miles are quite fun as the route takes me along the Thames, to the Tower of London past all the various sights of London.

Then its a straight run down Commercial Road to Limehouse before heading towards Canning Town an out onto the A13 for real out through Beckton and onto Barking.

The pathway is good and wide with a dedicated walkway and cycle path but you are running along the side of a busy motor way which isn't everyones idea of fun! 

Then after about 12 miles the junction to finally turn off the motorway and into residential territory comes and I head towards Becontree and Dagenham.

The route then takes me past these respective tube stations before continuing my journey out towards Dagenham East in the direction of Rainham.

The most direct route is the tube route of the district line but I cant imagine TFL or thousands of commuters taking kindly to me running along the tracks! 

I did try to plan my route to be as direct a possible although that's not all together direct as the road system doesn't always head where you want it to.

Soon enough I was in Elm Park and heading towards Hornchurch which gave me a much needed spring in my step as I was on home turf and running on roads I had often ran on before.

A few more roads and a few more turns and I was back in Upminster  within a stones throw of my flat. The last few hundred metres gave me time to reflect on my journey and the realisation of completing my commute without the aid of a car, a taxi, a bus, a train or the tube. A pretty special feeling especially when its something I have wanted to achieve for so long! 

The only down side was that my evening was pretty much over as it was now 8.20 an I was definitely too tired to do much else! 

A pizza and a much deserved pint provided my refuel and after some stretching and foam rolling and a bit of a chillax in front of the TV it was time for bed! 

Between marathon 2 and 3

So two out of three marathons done and dusted.

Number one the Vanguard Way Marathon completed in 4.55 after one or two issues.

Number two the Robin Hood Marathon in Nottingham ticked off with a PB of 4.10 just over a week ago.

Number three fast approaching before the end of the month, the Brentwood Weald Country Park marathon less than three weeks to go!

Recap

I thought I would tie up a few loose ends and recap on where I am and what I am doing as I enter the final stage of my three marathons in three months series.

To be honest I have kind of had enough of running OK maybe not running but the demands of marathon training. My body is starting to feel the affects of several months hard training and I am getting a bit fee up with constantly having to train and eat right, still mustn't grumble!

As I have mentioned I completed my second marathon in a PB time of just under 4hours 10 minutes and with it earned myself the flashest medal in my collection!

Medal

Not only is it shiny and orange (my favourite colour!) and with the striking robin hood design but the bit in the middle spins round! Awesome! 

After the marathon I did go on a little post run eating binge and enjoyed eating a few too many calories to help me refuel. If you are in the mood for a bit of food, check out this blog here be warned does contain foodporn!

Trainers

Trainer wise about three weeks before my second marathon I bought my second 'new' pair of trainers.

My 'newer' asics GT 3000's replacing the 'old' new pair of my asics GT 2000's.

I figure my 2000's have done in excess of 400km and felt like they had lost a lot of life, I will still keep them as my second back up pair as they still have a bit of life left in them though.

Ideally I would have had a little more time to wear in my new pair before my second marathon but it disnt work out that way and although they haven't caused me any problems I think they will be more in their prime come my third marathon in a few weeks

Yearly mileage

Year to date I have almost hit 1300km thats around 800 Miles and I think I am on course to hit 1700km. Earlier in the year I did have an ambition of trying to hit 2000km as I narrowly missed 1000km in 2014 but I know now I am too far adrift from being able to meet that target.

My new aim is to hit 1000 miles which will be just over 1600km which is very doable as I will only need to cover 100km per month for the last three months, should be in the bag! 

London marathon 

Last week I along with many others up and down the country waited expectedly for their fate to be decided? Was Christmas going to be planned around training runs? Would I have to endure a lot of running through the cold, dark dank days of January?

The simple answer is a big far no!

No London Marathon for me again! I have entered the ballot at least 6 or 7 times over the last 10 years or so and never been lucky enough to get in. I know I am not alone in not being lucky enough to be selected.

I did go on a bit of a twitter rant against the London Marathon in the gact that it has become more about celebrity runners and fundraising and less of a race event. Anyway thts over with now and I know I will still be entering the ballot again to hopefully be selected for 2016, fingers crossed!

So on-wards to Marathon number 3...

Marathon number three is in Brentwood, Weald Country Park to be precise and must surely be my most local marathon as it is only a 10-15 minute drive away.

Having started to look into the specifics of this run I am a bit taken aback that this marathon consists of 12 3.5km laps! Argh!

I knew it was laps but so many repetitions of such small laps sounds awfully dull and dreary with the potential to destroy any runner mentally. Time will tell!

The positive from it is that as it is in a park and the route is off road I can go back to training on trails for my preparation which I am really looking forward to! Bring on the trails!

Thanks for reading as always any tips and hints on how to cope with running multiple laps would be great! 

Post marathon eating binge

After a marathon you are meant to eat loads right?

Firstly to replace all the calories you have burned and to refuel your body with all the nutrients it needs to recover from its exertions.

Secondly to reward yourself for all the hard work during the actual marathon and all the efforts of training. 

I know using food, especially bad junk type food as a reward is not a healthy mindset but hey we all do it, right?! 

To be honest following this latest marathon I haven't had a massive appetite. Directly after running I felt empty and quickly consumed some water, a lucozade and a mars bar from my race goodie bag along with a tortilla wrap. But other than that I didn't feel hungry and writing this article three days on I still haven't had a huge hunger. 

Come an hour or two later I still didn't feel that hungry. Not really knowing what I wanted to eat only knowing I should eat we headed to wetherspoons as I knew they at least provided a wide range of food options, my selection was a Mexican chicken burger and two pints of cool refreshing cider.

To be honest I struggled to finish! It wasn't the greatest burger but was perfectly edible and wetherspoon chips are a personal favourite but I just couldn't really manage it all.

I know your body including your stomach takes an absolute hammering during a marathon and its not easy for your stomach to recover from all the sickly sugary energy gels and lucozades.

Later on in the evening I tucked into a few sweet treats, again not through a sense of need or hunger but from a sense of reward and entitlement.

What the old marketing phrase? A finger of fudge is just enough to give the kids a treat? Or in my case a whole pack is just enough to give the marathon runner his chocolate fix!

My post marathon sugary eating binges are nothing new, after the Beachy Head Marathon last year I consumed pretty much an entire packet of a Marks & Spencer chocolate biscuit selection pack at around 4am in the morning after the run as I couldn't sleep and felt bored in my hotel room with only the biscuits to keep me entertained! 

Monday morning the day after the race I was sure I would feel ravenous after not eating that much on the day of the race so I eagerly looked forward to taking advantage of our hotels buffet breakfast.

I didn't really feel that hungry and to be honest didn't eat a crazy amount, my metabolism is definitely working overtime though as I didn't feel stuffed or bloated at all and my stomach soon felt emptish again.

Tuesday and back at work I treated myself to a Japanese curry as a nice break from my training staple of brown rice or potatoes. 

I then carried on the chocolate eating with a pack of 'family sized' twirl bites. 

I blame supermarkets for providing these snacks at such a cheap price and the advertising them as soon as you walk into the store!

After an intense training programme I think its important to let yourself go for a few days and just eat whatever as its hard to sustain complete healthy eating for longer periods. In my case its necessary to have a few 'cheat' days with another event coming up so quickly so I can get eating bad foods out of my system before I refocus on a healthy diet again.

Thanks for reading, what do you like to eat after a long run? Any favourite cheat foods or weird urges you love to eat after running?

One of my best ever running experiences

This morning I headed out for a little run before work, I just wanted a gentle few kms as this is my first run post marathon. 

I toyed with the idea of getting involved with run2work and running part of my commute but decided against it as I just wanted something short and gentle. 

I headed out from my gym in central London and decided against my usual kind of route along the river.

Instead I headed towards Trafalgar Square, it was nice to experience one of London busiest tourist attractions in the stillness and quietness of 7.30 in the morning.

I then struck upon the idea of heading towards Buckingham Palace as I often forget to realise how close and accessible to Central London it is.

Running along the mall with the queens residence in my sights I realised I was of course running along the world famous finishing straight of the London Marathon, poignant as only yesterday I received my London Marathon rejection magazine.

The highlight of my run and one of my best running experiences occurred on the return journey. 

After a quick pic of her majesty's pad, with the fear of trying not to look suspicious like I might be a terror crazed jihadist in these security conscious times, I headed back along the Mall adjacent to St James Park.

All of a sudden the chimes of Big Ben rang out, it was one of those movie moments where the traffic seemed to quieten and time stood still for a few seconds. It just gave me a moment to reflect on how lucky I am to be a runner and how lucky I am to experience these kind of moments in World famous areas that I am fortunate enough to have on my doorstep.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this little snippet of my running experiences.