26 Mar - 21 miles The longest training run

It all started out so promisingly even with only 4 hours sleep following 3 night shifts in a row.
Being a loooong run, I needed my entertainment and when I couldn't find my charger for my ipod shuffle, loaded up my iphone with a few podcasts to keep me going including a couple from Marathon Talk which Audrey had recommended.  I must admit I had wondered how interesting an hour plus of talking about marathon running could be, but after listening to 3 episodes on this run, I was quite surprised how interesting and inspiring it was.
I'd bought a couple of GU gels as a change from the SIS ones I usually use -  lime Sub-lime to start with and then  Espresso Love  for the second half when I was sure to be flagging.  For my dodgy feet, I managed to get my hands on these ball of foot pads which seemed to offer a bit of cushioning and put them in both my socks.  As I already mentioned, I'd made up my own pad using cotton wool stuffed into the end of the foot from a pair of tights, which I also added to the Right Shoe as this has been the worst offender.


It was another gorgeous day (I was so glad that the good weather hadn't disappeared as soon as I'd finished my night shifts).  My long run route always takes me via a very long slow hill out to Annesley Woodhouse (going up 130m over 6 miles) - My theory being if I start off with this hard start in training, the flatter route of the actual marathon course will seem like a doddle and of course what is also really nice is that what goes up, must come down, as it's followed by an equally long and gradual downhill :)  Having made it to the top of the hill @ the 8 mile point things were going really well - no tummy upsets and although a little discomfort from my left foot (the one without the extra padding) generally not feeling too pad.  At 9 miles heading into Linby, I took the first gel, didn't taste too bad, it was thicker than I was expecting, but I had my drink to help it down.  I was still fine, heading in to Hucknall, an interesting piece on the Marathon Talk about seeking help from injuries, saying how people usually leave it too long before seeking help (my feet niggling a bit just to remind me that all was not perfect there)  .  I was still feeling relatively OK as I hit 11 miles, where the plan was to try to turn up the pace to have a few miles running at closer to marathon pace.  I'd been initially running at 10.0 min miles and planned on turning it up to 9:15 - 9:30 at this time (although on looking back at the download after the run, I was already running this pace not long after the start of the downhill).


At 14 miles though the tummy started to get a bit grumbly, not too bad but enough to tell me to take a toilet stop.  I felt a bit better after that and managed to keep up my pace and took my Espresso Gel at 15 miles.  By 17 miles I was seriously flagging though.  My belly was turning somersaults and my feet really hurting.  I did the next couple of miles with breaks of walking and the last 11/2 just walked my way home.
Felt really rotten at home, only ate half my dinner and went bed early with a heat wheat pad over my belly.


I'm feeling much better this morning though, (apart from the normal aches & pains to be expected)  so I don't think it's a bug like I had before. I guess starting out with only a few hours sleep after a night at work on my feet, didn't particularly help, but I'm thinking that the Espresso gel might have been the main culprit (perhaps the caffeine in it didn't agree with me).   I'll chalk it down to experience and think I'll stick with the SIS gels from now on, I've never really had a problem with them in the past, but had just wanted to give the GU gels a chance.   My right foot (the one with the extra padding) felt better than the left, so as a temporary measure I'll make up another pad for the other foot and I've left a message with the podiatrist, but it looks like the first appointment available will be on Saturday.
The good thing is that this is still a training run and that's what it's all about and trying things out so that it's eventually right on the day.