Predicted Madrid Weather 24 days Before Marathon!

Temperature  - 4/22/2012

	Today	Normal	Record	4/22/2011
High	17°		N/A	14°
Low	8°		N/A	9°

I know, I know, it means nothing but it's still fun to see what predictions are being made already!

It predicts rain too!

I just can't help myself but look :-)

Runners Boot Camp Dates!

I have now set up my Copenhagen Runners Boot Camp through Meetup!
See http://www.meetup.com/copenhagenrunners/

I am holding a free trial session on Thursday 10th May so feel free to join us if you are in the area or want to see what we are all about.

The first Runners Boot Camp session will be on Thursday 24th May.

If the Boot Camp isn't for you but you enjoy social running then feel free to join Copenhagen Runners and meet up for some of our runs. Anyone is welcome :-)

We all enjoy running and having fun!

Iberia Strikes!

I have just read that Iberia will be striking every Monday and Friday from April until July!!

I have found this latest information on the Internet. This is going to effect people travelling on Friday 20th April to Madrid for the marathon.

(Reuters) - Pilots at Spanish airline Iberia (ICAG.L) have called 30 days of strikes in a dispute over the start-up of a low-cost carrier they see as a threat to jobs and conditions.

Pilots say the launch of Iberia Express contravenes deals struck when Iberia and British Airways merged to form International Airlines Group.

IAG and Iberia believe starting the new airline is the only way to make the loss-making Spanish unit profitable.

European airlines are battling soaring fuel prices, weak demand from cash-strapped passengers and the burden of new taxes on air travel as well as fierce competition from low-cost carriers such as Ryanair (RYA.I).

Iberia Express is designed to complement Iberia's more profitable long-haul flights, flying to 17 national and European destinations including Dublin, Naples and Amsterdam. Iberia estimates it will attract 2.5 million passengers.

Iberia pilots will strike every Monday and Friday from April 9 to July 20, their union SEPLA said on Tuesday.

"The company intends to divert 40 planes from the main group to the new subsidiary, which would mean the elimination of 8,000 jobs," SEPLA said.

Pilots held 12 days of strikes between December and March but called off strike action after both parties agreed to mediation. Talks broke down on Sunday.

I'm flying with Iberia on Thursday 19th April so will definately be keeping an eye on  my flight! I am flying back to Copenhagen on the Monday but, luckily, I booked my trip home with SAS :-)

The Running Depression Has Hit Again!

Why is it that I always get depressed about one month before a marathon and right before my really long pre-marathon run?

I noticed this before Copenhagen, before Valencia , and now again before Madrid! I feel so depressed and so tired. It's hard for me to just get out the door for a run this week. I dragged my sorry ass out on Sunday for a 5k and the same yesterday.

I can only think that I feel like this because the marathon is so close and all my worries about it begin to surface!
Also because I have the long run which I kind of find pretty boring.

The good news is that normally straight after the long run I become very happy and look forward to the marathon for the next three weeks. Roll on Sunday evening I say :-)

So Very Tired!

After doing a half marathon last Saturday I could feel one of my knees 'twitching' a little so decided to have a few days off training. I figured after all the training I had been doing lately this should probably be my take it easy week anyway.

So other than running up the metro steps 3 or 4 times a day I didn't do any training until Thursday. On Thursday I did the hardest hill training session I have done yet! Right near where I live there is a big nature area which has a rather large hill in it. For some strange reason I thought it would be great for me to run up and down it a few times. I ran to the hill, spent half an hour running up and down (ok so I was kinda walking a little at the end), and then I ran home again.

I was dead for the rest of the evening and have actually been tired ever since! I really felt like I got a lot out of the hill training though so will do it at least once a week until Madrid. (On top of the rest of my training of course).

I have a 15k run planned for tomorrow and the weather is supposed to be around 15 degrees in the afternoon so I get a chance to practise a little in some heat at last :-)

One Month Until RnR Madrid Marathon

Only one month to go until madrid and I am so excited!

I really can't wait for this marathon and after all my hill training I'm not even that scared of the hills anymore :-)

Still afraid of the heat though!

Madrid weather seems weird. Last week it was 26 degrees and yet I have heard there was snow the other night. Packing for this trip is going to be a nightmare....

I found this great weather site where you can already see the weather in April! It doesn't go all the way to the 22nd yet but almost. I know it doesn't mean anything but I like what I'm seeing :-)
See the site here Madrid April Weather

Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon Medal!!

I love it!!! And can't wait to wear it!!

I'm so excited now :-) This is such a nice medal and will certainly help me on my way to the finish line!

Running a Marathon in the Heat!

There has been a lot of talk about how hot it can be in Madrid when I run the marathon. After running the last hour or so of Valencia marathon under the hot sun, all this talk of heat is scaring me more than the hills are!

Instead of just hoping the weather will be ideal I have been checking out ways to survive running in the heat. Below are some ways to cope:-

1) CHECK THE WEATHER - Remember that many temperature broadcasts are for the shade.


2) MONITOR YOUR FLUIDS - In the days before the race, ensure you’re well hydrated by checking the color of your urine. Straw-coloured is ideal. If it’s darker, you’re not getting enough fluids, and if it’s clear, you’re probably drinking too much water.
Consume energy drinks right before and during the race. 


3) DRESS PROPERLY - Light-colored, loose clothing made from technical fabrics is best. 


4) SLOW DOWN - In a heat environment, blood is pushed away from the muscles as a cooling method. It’s harder for your muscles to get oxygen, so you have to adjust your pace. 


5) STAY COOL - The day before a race, you want to stay inside, stay in the shade, stay in the air-conditioning.


6) SEEK WIND AND WATER - Normally you hate wind, but on a hot day it helps with the cooling. Look for misting stations, soaking sponges and cups of water.

7) KNOW WHEN TO SAY WHEN - You will probably feel pain and fatigue; this is a marathon. But if you start experiencing dizziness, headaches, clammy skin, chills or goose bumps, stop at the nearest medical station.

The best bit of advise I have is from my friend Paul at 50-is-the-new-30. This advise is simply RUN IN THE SHADE WHENEVER POSSIBLE EVEN IF IT MEANS BEING AWAY FROM THE RUNNING LINE!

This advise is probably what helped me finish Valencia marathon :-)

RnR Madrid marathon Training with 5 Weeks to go!

This is what my training was supposed to be for last week:-

Monday - 7k

Wednesday - Hill Training

Thursday - 21k

Saturday - 10k

Sunday - Hill training/10-20-30

I have been a little tired this week (too much hill training I think) so didn't do the half marathon in the middle of the week as planned but I did still do it though :-)

This is the training that I actually did last week:-

Monday - 10k
Wednesday - Hill Training
Thursday - Hill Training
Saturday - 21k

As you can see I didn't train as much as I'd have liked but I'm still very happy with how my training is going :-)

This weeks plan looks like this:-

Monday - 10k
Thursday - 12k and Hill Training
Friday - 10-20-30 Training
Saturday - 15k
Sunday - Hill Training

Discovering New Places to Run!

Yesterday I ran another half marathon by myself :-)

I decided to run to a house I used to rent a room in when I first moved to Denmark and see if it had changed. I also knew there was a large park area nearby which led down to the water.

What I didn't know was that there was a path which could be followed for around 3k all the way alongside the water and back up to the main road which I could then follow home. (I couldn't go straight home yesterday though as I had only run around 10k by that point)The park is called Valbyparken and here are some photos of it and the views across the water :-)

Unfortunately the sun wasn't out while I was running there but I know where I'm running on the next nice Spring day :-)

Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon T-shirts

These are the Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon 2012 T-shirts :-)

Madrid Ladies T-shirt

Madrid Men T-shirt

Madrid Marathon Training with Six Weeks to Go!

Last weeks plan of training looked like this:-

On Monday I will run 10k 

On Tuesday I will do hill training 

On Thursday I have a 10k run planned

On Friday I will do some more 10-20-30 training
On Saturday I will do 30 minutes hill training
On Sunday I will run around 18k

This is what I actually did:-

Monday - 14k

Tuesday - Hill Training

Thursday - 12k

Friday - 4k

Saturday - Hill Training

As you can see I ran over my planned amount a couple of days, ran 4k with my son instead of 10-20-30 training on Friday, and skipped training on Sunday because I had a bad sore throat and couldn't speak very well.

My training plan for this week looks like this:-

Monday - 7k

Wednesday - Hill Training

Thursday - 21k

Saturday - 10k

Sunday - Hill training/10-20-30

Running With My Son!

Latimer after the Tårnby 5k

I was going to do some 10-20-30 training yesterday but then my son asked if he could run with me :-)

Of course, I said yes!

I had bought him so new Nike trainers and he wanted to run in them a little.

We were planning on running 3k but that turned into a 4k :-)

He is actually very fast! I have signed us both up to two 5k runs. One in May and one in June. He says he is looking forward to racing and beating me! The thing is he probably will as when we ran a 5k together last October I was having trouble keeping up with him for the last 1k. He has also been running at his school every week.

I won't let him win but I bet he wins over me anyway.

Marathon Training is FUN!

I have no idea what is wrong with me but I'm really beginning to enjoy my Madrid training :-)

This is how my last week has been:-

29th February I ran a half marathon.
2nd March I did 30 minutes 10-20-30 training
4th march I did 20 minutes 10-20-30 training and then 20 minutes hill training
5th March I ran 16k
6th March I did 30 minutes hill training

I know I should rest tomorrow but I really don't want to! I will have to force myself to not do any training.

On Thursday I have a 10k run planned
On Friday I will do some more 10-20-30 training
On Saturday I will do 30 minutes hill training
On Sunday I will run around 18k
And on Monday I have a 7k run planned with a friend.

At this rate I will be the fittest I have ever been before a marathon :-)

Must Keep Training...!

Just a quick post to say that I've been training again today!

I did some more 10-20-30 training and then some hill training which really killed my calfs.

Going to do a 15k run tomorrow evening as well. Then planning some quick hill training on Tuesday or Wednesday, around a 10k on Thursday, 10-20-30 training on Friday and then an 18k run on Saturday or Sunday :-)

I really hope all this training helps with those damn hills in Madrid!

Long Runs, Short Runs!

As Rock 'n' Roll Madrid Marathon is getting closer and closer I figured I better get in some more long runs and 10-20-30 training :-)

On Wednesday I ran another half marathon! I did a route that I had run while training for Copenhagen Marathon 2011. I ran all the way up to Langelinie which is where the cruise ships dock. I went all the way to the end, round the little red lighthouse thing and then home again.

I ran slower this time and even though it was still a hard run (well it was only 9 days since my last half marathon) it was easier than the last one! I ran it in around 2 hours and 15 minutes so was 8 minutes slower.

Today it has been so sunny! Spring is on the way :-)
I was going to do so 10-20-30 training this evening but really wanted to get out into the sun.

So I decided to do my training on the way to pick up my youngest from nursery.

It went well and it was great to run in the sun again :-)