Madrid Marathon Training News and Weather!

I have been very busy with my running over the last week :-)

After my very long run I ran two 5k's. After that I've been training hills very much to prepare better for the Hills of Madrid! Then I've run a 10k on Saturday, had a very hard hill training session on Monday, have another 10k run on Thursday, and around an 18k or so run planned for Saturday or Sunday. 

After that more hill training and a couple of 7k-10k's before I leave for Madrid on Thursday 19th April :-)

As you can imagine I'm keeping a very close eye on the weather forecast......

Madrid Weather Forecast Sunday 22nd April

00:00

12 °c

10 °c

0.5 mm

18%

8 mph
W

10 mph

06:00

7 °c

4 °c

0.0 mm

62%

9 mph
WSW

10 mph

12:00

18 °c

18 °c

0.0 mm

3%

8 mph
SW

10 mph

18:00

14 °c

12 °c

0.4 mm

36%

15 mph
WSW

19 mph

Well it's looking ok. Not cloudy as I would have liked but 18 degrees isn't too bad. I'm sure that temperature will rise though in the days leading up to the marathon....

A Fantastic 28k Run!!

As predicted I am feeling so good right now!!


I have had a fantastic run this morning :-)
I ran through a nature area, on a bridge over the sea, and then by a lake!
I then met my friend Felicity and ran 7k with her.

The weather was great when I woke up, sunshine and almost no wind but, of course, that changed. It was actually quite cloudy, cold, and with a nasty headwind when I was running :-(

Oh well, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger right??

I was a little tired at the end but had run 28.3k with a pace of 6:10 which I am very happy with :-)

I had a cup of coffee and a bowl of Cheerios one hour before the run. Just before I went out of the door I had a High5 energy gel and then had one every 5k. This worked very well.

Woohoo only 3 weeks until Madrid Marathon!!

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 :-)