Köln Marathon Relay - 2 weeks 5 days to go....!

[shinjin]

Well I posted a rather panicked question the day before yesterday. How was I going to get from basically a very unfit graduate state (Not run, nor indeed done very much, since I completed the 5x50 challenge) to running a team marathon event with my work colleagues in under 3 weeks. This being either a 9k or 11k run as I understand it.

Strange thing the 5x50, it was supposed to change my way of life and actually took me from running 3 times a week and enjoying it to cycling a lot and not running. Once finished, I basically stopped all exercise and went back to the accursed couch.

Anyway I am back now and had an absolutely appalling run on Saturday. So bad that I posted a cry of help. I had set off at my normal 5k = 30 min pace and crashed and burned. My heart rate was up at 182 and it really nearly killed me.

After reading the posts from all you good folks, I had a plan tonight. I downloaded the week 6 podcasts and was all set to revisit the week 6 r1 which I was told was the 8 minute run one. I selected this from my iPad attached to my treadmill (very high tech) and started to remember what I used to love about the music of the programme. Laura was back and I was running again... Hang on though, she said 25 mins of running - what!

I had selected the wrong one and was on track for a 25 minute solid run instead of what I expected. I had set the speed to 9km/hr and throughout the run regulated my HR not to exceed 170. This meant the last 5 mins were at 8km/hr pace, but all felt ok and I walked for my 5 mins before and after at 7km/hr.

All in all not too bad and so far so good. A huge improvement on Saturday and although not close to where I need to be for a 9 or 11k, I feel at least a little better about things tonight.

Wish me luck. 10k in less than 3 weeks. I must be crazy. If it wasn't for the already purchased team T shirts with company logos on them, I might be seriously re-thinking this now!!!!

[nomoresloth Graduate]

Good to hear you're less panicked!

I just checked out the marathon route and most parts of it have some nice views. The runners will see less of the Rhine but more of the city It's great, the route almost passes the house where I live

[shinjin Graduate in reply to nomoresloth]

Excellent. Sounds good.

I hope that the views will take my mind off the running.

[nomoresloth Graduate in reply to shinjin]

Have you been to Köln before? Do you already know which part of the track you're running?

[shinjin Graduate in reply to nomoresloth]

I have been once, but I do not know the route of the run. Nor indeed which part.

They were talking about me doing the last leg. As this has the crossing of the line and is 9k instead of 11. I think this is the best one for me!

[nomoresloth Graduate in reply to shinjin]

I wanted to know if you've been here before as some parts of Köln, i.e. many of the houses, aren't the most beautiful ones (Köln was heavily destroyed in WWII so they had to build new buildings as fast as possible which also means that these buildings are very ugly).

Here's a link for the route: koeln-marathon.de/files/mar...

I think, the last part would not only be shorter than the other ones but also more beautiful

Part 1: Very nice views! I think this one is even more beautiful than part 4. A lot of sightseeing on this part.

Part 2: not that beautiful. passes the university (ugly!) and mainly residential areas. It gives a good impression of the life in Cologne but is nothing very special. This part also passes a huge graveyard (it's like a park) but, of course, the runners won't run on the graveyard so there's only the wall around it as a view for the runners.

Part 3: a mixture of sightseeing and residental area (many people and families want to live here, it's multicultural and a bit alternative)

Part 4: mainly residental area on the first 4-5 k, then it heads straight into the centre of Köln. You (or the runner who does this part) will see some old buildings, the party area, the shopping area and you'll cross the finish line in front of the cathedral. If I was you, I'd volunteer for this part

The whole route is relatively flat (I can't think of a single hill right now).

I hope your training goes well and you feel more confident about the relay marathon soon

I'll definitely keep reading your posts here!

[shinjin Graduate in reply to nomoresloth]

Thanks very much for such wonderful information. I am not sure where I would have got this from if you had not provided it, so I am very grateful for it.

The last part is also the shortest, but one of my colleagues said that it was a pain going from relay point to another in the run up to each stage, so he preferred the first one.

Honestly, I think that 11k is too far for me, with my current time remaining, so I will probably go with your suggestion and do the final stage.

Thanks again for the great information.

[nomoresloth Graduate in reply to shinjin]

You're welcome

If you need more information on anything, feel free to ask I'll give my very best to help you.