Running 2022

[Pootsy]

Completed the Belfast Marathon in 4:35:34. My first ever marathon. Not bad for a 47 year old ex smoker.

I had aimed for 4:30 so I’m chuffed to get near that time. I won’t be doing another in a hurry though. ?

Stairs are a horror today.

 

[COYBL25]

Completed the Belfast Marathon in 4:35:34. My first ever marathon. Not bad for a 47 year old ex smoker.

I had aimed for 4:30 so I’m chuffed to get near that time. I won’t be doing another in a hurry though. ?

Stairs are a horror today.

Well done mate, you finished, that’s all that matters.

Are you having to come down the stairs backwards, whilst holding onto the bannister lol

 

[Pootsy]

Well done mate, you finished, that’s all that matters.

Are you having to come down the stairs backwards, whilst holding onto the bannister lol

Yes, stairs are a horror and the toilet is definitely a foot lower than before the marathon.

 

[COYBL25]

Yes, stairs are a horror and the toilet is definitely a foot lower than before the marathon.

If you’ve got a bike, go out for a very gentle, flat ride for the first few days / week after and just do a few miles.

I find it helps me recover quicker, than just resting.

 

[blueloon]

Completed the Belfast Marathon in 4:35:34. My first ever marathon. Not bad for a 47 year old ex smoker.

I had aimed for 4:30 so I’m chuffed to get near that time. I won’t be doing another in a hurry though. ?

Stairs are a horror today.

Great achievement mate , well done. I guess by now you’re thinking “ Hmm, maybe next time I can go 6 minutes quicker “ ?

 

[Pootsy]

Great achievement mate , well done. I guess by now you’re thinking “ Hmm, maybe next time I can go 6 minutes quicker “ ?

Still at the never again stage but I know that I could improve my time if I ever did it again.

Chip time was 4:35:08 and Strava says 4:34:47 so its a bit quicker already.

 

[COYBL25]

Still at the never again stage but I know that I could improve my time if I ever did it again.

Chip time was 4:35:08 and Strava says 4:34:47 so its a bit quicker already.

The thing about marathons, is the training takes over your life.

I found that to be the hardest part.

 

[COYBL25]

Second race of the year yesterday : Excalibur Moel Famau half marathon.

It`s one I`ve done before, so I knew what to expect, with a whopping 3200 ft of elevation packed into it.

Turned out to be my slowest ever half marathon yet.

For some reason, I felt really queasy and a shivery at the start and after chugging up the first mile of hills, I knew that there was no way I was going to make it around the course at my normal pace, so dropped my pace down to a very slow jog and just walked up the hills.

I buddied up with a lad, who was badly struggling, due to his chest and not long having recovered from the virus and kept him going all the way around, as he was talking about throwing the towel in.

Strangely, he was running with his missus, who left him, to run her own race and me too look after him ! ( I`d be having words )

I ended up finishing way down the pack and just under an hour slower than the last time I did it.

However, the bonus, is that my legs are fine this morning and no having go down the stair backwards due to the pain lol

 

[blueloon]

Second race of the year yesterday : Excalibur Moel Famau half marathon.

It`s one I`ve done before, so I knew what to expect, with a whopping 3200 ft of elevation packed into it.

Turned out to be my slowest ever half marathon yet.

For some reason, I felt really queasy and a shivery at the start and after chugging up the first mile of hills, I knew that there was no way I was going to make it around the course at my normal pace, so dropped my pace down to a very slow jog and just walked up the hills.

I buddied up with a lad, who was badly struggling, due to his chest and not long having recovered from the virus and kept him going all the way around, as he was talking about throwing the towel in.

Strangely, he was running with his missus, who left him, to run her own race and me too look after him ! ( I`d be having words )

I ended up finishing way down the pack and just under an hour slower than the last time I did it.

However, the bonus, is that my legs are fine this morning and no having go down the stair backwards due to the pain lol

Well done on keeping going and finishing mate ??.

I have the Garioch 1/2 marathon on Sunday which is quite hilly, not as much as yours though. Im still struggling post -Covid and my legs have been coming apart at 10 miles recently. I’m doing it with my eldest son, just going to pick a slower than normal pace and try to enjoy it.

 

[COYBL25]

Well done on keeping going and finishing mate ??.

I have the Garioch 1/2 marathon on Sunday which is quite hilly, not as much as yours though. Im still struggling post -Covid and my legs have been coming apart at 10 miles recently. I’m doing it with my eldest son, just going to pick a slower than normal pace and try to enjoy it.

I was talking about the post virus thing and running with the lad I did most of the race with yesterday, as for both him and me it`s 100% affected our running.

He is a full on triathlete and serious distance runner - 100 mile, start in the middle of the night, off road races, yet was in bad way with his chest / breathing yesterday and probably would`ve retired if I hadn`t have stayed with him.

He said the same as me, you seem to have good and bad weeks, seemingly with no rhyme or reason. One week you`re fine, feel good, run well and then the next week, you feel like your lungs have been sandpapered and you have very little energy.

It`s really frustrating.

 

[blueloon]

I was talking about the post virus thing and running with the lad I did most of the race with yesterday, as for both him and me it`s 100% affected our running.

He is a full on triathlete and serious distance runner - 100 mile, start in the middle of the night, off road races, yet was in bad way with his chest / breathing yesterday and probably would`ve retired if I hadn`t have stayed with him.

He said the same as me, you seem to have good and bad weeks, seemingly with no rhyme or reason. One week you`re fine, feel good, run well and then the next week, you feel like your lungs have been sandpapered and you have very little energy.

It`s really frustrating.

It is frustrating, and Covid affects people differently. I’ve never pushed my heart rate up high and been very cautious . I’ve not had any breathing issues, just achy body, knees, quads etc. I’ve gone out a steady long run , been bouncing along for 10 miles then my legs just slowed, and I ended up walking. Thursday I managed a steady 13 miles at 10 min mil pace, Sunday trying 7 miles I ended up walking in the last few miles at 12 min mile pace .

Just got to keep on keeping on I guess.?‍

 

[COYBL25]

Well done on keeping going and finishing mate ??.

I have the Garioch 1/2 marathon on Sunday which is quite hilly, not as much as yours though. Im still struggling post -Covid and my legs have been coming apart at 10 miles recently. I’m doing it with my eldest son, just going to pick a slower than normal pace and try to enjoy it.

Afternoon mate.

Having done quite a bit of reading on Long Covid and distance running, it appears that both you and I, are experiencing what turns out to be very common post covid effects, when combined with running - the symptoms are very similar to M.E.

One of the things that was recommended by runners from medical backgrounds, was taking over the counter hay fever tablets, as for some reason, they seem to lessen the symptoms - breathlessness, heavy legs etc ( it`s still not known how they work )

For the past week I`ve been taking one called - Loratadine.

I`ve felt much much better, especially on hills and I`m having to slow down much less than I was to get my breath back and generally just feeling much fitter.

I`ll post again in a week or so and let you know how I`m getting on with them.

 

[blueloon]

Afternoon mate.

Having done quite a bit of reading on Long Covid and distance running, it appears that both you and I, are experiencing what turns out to be very common post covid effects, when combined with running - the symptoms are very similar to M.E.

One of the things that was recommended by runners from medical backgrounds, was taking over the counter hay fever tablets, as for some reason, they seem to lessen the symptoms - breathlessness, heavy legs etc ( it`s still not known how they work )

For the past week I`ve been taking one called - Loratadine.

I`ve felt much much better, especially on hills and I`m having to slow down much less than I was to get my breath back and generally just feeling much fitter.

I`ll post again in a week or so and let you know how I`m getting on with them.

Cheers mate , that’s interesting. I did my hilly 1/2 m in my planned time of 2hrs: 05min, 15 mins down on a1/2 m in March . I’ve run slowly after Covid and never experienced any breathlessness , just achy legs and more fatigued. Things are slowly improving, I think, but for me it’s “ only” 7 weeks since I first developed symptoms and there’s an age factor. Someone said “ Hey , you’re 70 , you’ve had Covid and you’re running , just give it time.” Theres some truth in that , and maybe I’m expecting too much too soon, but I’m obviously now going to research hay fever tablets! Mrs blueloon takes Piriteeze which has a different chemical compound, maybe I’ll try that. Thanks again.

 

[COYBL25]

Cheers mate , that’s interesting. I did my hilly 1/2 m in my planned time of 2hrs: 05min, 15 mins down on a1/2 m in March . I’ve run slowly after Covid and never experienced any breathlessness , just achy legs and more fatigued. Things are slowly improving, I think, but for me it’s “ only” 7 weeks since I first developed symptoms and there’s an age factor. Someone said “ Hey , you’re 70 , you’ve had Covid and you’re running , just give it time.” Theres some truth in that , and maybe I’m expecting too much too soon, but I’m obviously now going to research hay fever tablets! Mrs blueloon takes Piriteeze which has a different chemical compound, maybe I’ll try that. Thanks again.

The thing that kept cropping up time and time again, was something called " Post Exertional Malaise " ( PEM )

Feeling wiped out for days after long bouts of exercise, very similar symptoms to M.E.

It`s really baffling all the experts, as the conventional wisdom, is that exercise is beneficial and aides the return to health, after sickness.

You`ll find stuff online, from top end endurance runners, who are now struggling to complete easy 10k`s months and months after having had covid.

The hayfever tablets, came about by pure chance, as a couple of runners, who suffered from hayfever, found that once hay fever season had arrived and they started taking their tablets, their post covid symptoms lessened when running and then came back when they stopped taking the tablets.

 

[SerenityNigh]

Completed the Belfast Marathon in 4:35:34. My first ever marathon. Not bad for a 47 year old ex smoker.

I had aimed for 4:30 so I’m chuffed to get near that time. I won’t be doing another in a hurry though. ?

Stairs are a horror today.

Congrats! Hopefully you'll get that training urge returning in a few weeks and start penciling in your next date.