# Marathon Training and T2



## BigMalc (Nov 8, 2012)

Well after my improvements in running over the past year or so I have now gone and done the potentially stupid and got myself a place in next years London Marathon.

Have got to the stage of half marathons in 2hrs or so, and have done 1 20m race last April (nearly killed me!) so am progressing but now it will start to get a bit more serious.

I am planning on popping in to the surgery to chat to either my GP or the DSN, but cant imagine either will have alot of knowledge about long distance running specifically.

 I have plenty of advice and support from my club (Marshall Milton Keynes AC) in general terms, but my question is does anyone know of any good reference material that may help as a pill (and byetta) T2 particularly in the food and nutition side of things.  (I have tried some gels and so far they make me want to hurl!).

Willing to pay a sensible consultation fee for approriately recommended person if needs be.

No rush as have 5months to prepare....

Cheers for reading

Malc


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## lucy123 (Nov 8, 2012)

Malc - absolutely fantastic and what an achievement that will be for you,
I cant really help as only up to 10k myself but Alan does a lot of running and there are many others on here too - so I am sure someone will know how to help you,
Are you going to be sponsored?

Very proud of you - well done!


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## Northerner (Nov 8, 2012)

Great stuff Malc  Have you looked at Runsweet website? It was set up by the man who trained Steve Redgrave after he was diagnosed, I believe:

http://www.runsweet.com/


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## Julia (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi Malc,
Can't really help either as I'm type 1 not type 2, but, having run a road marathon earlier this year, I wanted to wish you the best of luck!
And...actually I've just gone and looked at my book "diabetic athlete's handbook" by Sheri Colberg and it has some stuff about T2 medications, so maybe worth a look?
Anyway, good luck with the training!
Julia


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## Copepod (Nov 8, 2012)

Just one suggestion that might help instead of sports gels, which I can't tolerate either - I have discovered that squeezy pouches (Asda do apple, raspberry, strawberry and chocolate flavours, each about 90g and containing about 15g carbohydrate, about 45p each), intended for children's lunch boxes, are far more palatable - not so sweet, and have screw tops, so you're not left with a sticky packet. 

Worth asking your GP or diabetes specialist for referral to diabetes & sports clinic at Wycombe Hospital - as mentioned in Runsweet website.

Please keep us informed about your road to and around London Marathon.


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## BigMalc (Nov 15, 2012)

Cheers folks, will do some of that suggested and let you know how I get on.
ttfn


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## trophywench (Nov 15, 2012)

Dunno where you are Malc, which end of the country - but Runsweet also operate in cahoots with Loughborough Uni.


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## BigMalc (Dec 12, 2012)

Mid December update - 
Tweaked hamstring towards the end of a 5mile race late Nov (and on for a good time-Boo!).

Two weeks off, just started again, suitably strapped etc and so far so good, but at least that tweak has focussed the mind onto only one race and not trying to squeeze in odd short 5/10ks too.  Will still do some Parkruns, but only as a pacing/general run not for PBs.

Will spend the rest of Dec just doing an hour or so at a time to ensure hamstring fully OK and step back up again in New Year.

Merry Christmas to all, 

ttfn
Malc


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## Northerner (Dec 12, 2012)

Sounds like a plan Malc - injuries are more likely when it's cold and you push yourself, just build some safe miles and they will set you up for the year to come 

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!


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## HOBIE (Dec 15, 2012)

Good luck Big Mal with marathon & training.  Its good to have a possitive attitude


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## BigMalc (Jan 28, 2013)

Week 4 of 16 completed in training.
After the snow and ice of the past week and the wimpy 7.5m long run last weekend, it was back to full training, though in deference to remaining ice on paths, not full speeds this week.
Tues was a 6m through snow filled orchards, canal tow paths and similar.  Milton Keynes may have detractors but pretty unbeatable for being, just very pleasant.
Thu 5.5m of picking paths carefully but still not too bad.
Sat am, idea was a 7m to start of park run, the Parkrun then the 2.5m home, so a nice 12-13 or so.  Trouble was paths were either fine or shocking and not alot in between.  I got to the start of Parkrun with about 2mins to spare so no time to tighten up (great) but it was cancelled due to the ice on the start finish and the hilly zig zags. So it was a struggle to then not just to go striaght home, but managed to end up on a 12.5m run, over 2hrs 15mins.  9th longest run ever and 4th longest in time (I claim the slightly slower speed is due to the state of the paths!).  
So Wkly mileage, Wk1 24.7m, Wk2 30.7, Wk3 19, Wk 4 23.5, monthly so far 97 a new record and still 4 days to go!
26.2m still seems exceptionally daunting at over twice Saturdays run, but I just have to have faith that keeping on going and adding another 10-15mins a week to the long runs (apart from the couple of races I'm doing) will get me there.
ttfn


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## Northerner (Jan 28, 2013)

Malc, you are doing really well  Training at this time of year can always be a bit unpredictable, but you have managed to find the time and routes to get more mileage in your legs. The danger with snow and ice is not so much that you might slip and break something, but that you might slip and tear a muscle or strain a tendon, so take care. Hopefully the weather will now get a bit milder and it will last through to the spring!

Good luck, and keep up the excellent work! You have a very sensible programme ahead and I'm sure you'll be fine come the big day!


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## rhall92380 (Jan 28, 2013)

There is a runners forum on Facebook called Run the World (not diabetes based) but still may be of interest.

Good luck with your running

Richard


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## HOBIE (Mar 1, 2013)

Sounds like you are doing well Bigmalc. Keep at it


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## BigMalc (Apr 22, 2013)

Week 16+1day update.

Tough this marathon lark, burst a blister at 4m, starting getting cramp at 16m in one calf, other one kicked in at 20m, so last few was a mix of run and walk, but completed 5hrs 43m. 

Now to try to get back to normal, half marathons are far enough for the future!


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## lucy123 (Apr 22, 2013)

Well done you - and now you can say you managed to run further than Mo Farrah!!

How awful was the wheelchair accident though - they really do have to change something for next year. Poor Tiki Gelana


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## Copepod (Apr 22, 2013)

Congrats on completing, BigMalc. Hope you enjoy your future half marathons more


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## agreid (Apr 25, 2013)

Hi BigMalc,

Just joined the forum primarily because Im running the Edinburgh Marathon at the end of May and need some guidance around nutrition. Ive trawled the web but cant find any decent information for T2.

Ive ran a couple of half marathons and most recently 17 miles in training. Im slow anyway - 6 hours will be a good result. But Im finding I really hit the wall in the latter stages.

Ive tried taking energy gels but dont think they've had much impact and suspect they may even have had an adverse effect. On my 17 mile run I stopped and bought a porridge bar at about 10 miles. By 12 miles I was struggling but not sure if that was due to the stop.

So really looking for any suggestions on what you did in the build up and then during the run.


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## HOBIE (Apr 25, 2013)

I have done a bit of long dist cycling & allways find Dehydration gets me if i dont drink lots. Have a 3ltr cammel back, filled twice Plus bottles 1 afternoon doing c2c. Your legs want to lock up when dehydration gets you.  Well done & good luck with runs


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## BigMalc (Apr 26, 2013)

agreid, I am happy to pass on what I did, but I am NOT saying it works.

I tried the gels a couple of times, but they made my stomach churn and worse, so stuck to diluted lucozade sport and sweets.  Tried various but ended up with kendal mint cake, raisins and jelly babies, to try the give a variety as too much of any one thing stopped being enjoyable.

My issues is that whilst sweets etc worked fine for half marathons and even a bit further, once I got to anything over 3-3.5 hours, then my body seemed to stop taking in any energy from anything.  

During VLM I also had to stop at 23.5m to eject virtually all fluid in my stomach and again at 25.5 even though there was almost nothing left there at that point.  

I also got cramp quite badly during the race, for the first time whilst running, so do need to find a way of processing food/salt during a run.

They do 'solid gels' (Bloxx I think) which are more sweet like, so I will try those, but will need some water to wash them down or they will be too sweet to chew, but that should be do-able with drink stops etc.

If you find things that work, then do please pass on the info, as I will try anything once.

Good luck, and keep us updated with your progress,

Malc


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## Copepod (Apr 26, 2013)

Welcome to the forum, agreid.

Although it's aimed mainly at people with type 1 diabetes, you may also find some useful information on physiology etc on http://www.runsweet.com/ 

One more type of product you might like to consider are "squeezy fruit pouches", which I've only found at ASDA (not really advertising, as there are no comparable products, or at least I haven't found any). They're intended for children's lunchboxes, come in various flavours eg raspberry & apple, strawberry & apple, apple; my local store used to sell various flavours of jelly pouches, too, but haven't seen them for a while. 

They're palatable - not too sweet & sickly; not essential to drink when consuming contents; convenient - screw top pouches, so you don't have to eat whole lot at one go, like with tear open gel packs; good value - last time I bought some, 50p each or 3 for ?1; around 13g CHO in a 90g pouch.


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