My name's Matt or The Welsh Runner. I am a sub-elite runner, coach, and content creator. I started this channel to share my love of running and how it has changed my life.
I will upload content that outlines my training, nutrition, and race strategies. I will also share tips, advice, and things I wish I knew about running when I first started.
I am also open about my mental health and the struggles I have with anxiety, and the approaches I use to manage this.
I hope you enjoy the content I create and learn more about how to improve and enjoy your running.
Feel free to connect with me on my social media channels and all of my training is on Strava. I always enjoy discussing running and fitness. You can also reach me by email at matt@thewelshrunner.com.
Good recap of both marathons Matt, yeah triathlon is you, haha that will be fun to watch, I’ve never done a triathlon because my swimming is ridiculously ridiculous but like to give one a go, good luck with Chicago 🏃🏽♂️👊🏼✌️🌞👣🥳✅
Great honest breakdown of your race ❤ a focus on s+c is a huge huge benefit, something I personally have done, not at home but at the gym as it is more focused. I’m early 50’s so even more important to us oldies but the elites advocate gym work makes the difference, the great Mo F did a lot of gym work. Earlier in the year forgot my race gels like a twit, oddly got a PB and was awesome not faffing about, legs maybe felt more tired day after but made me realise something 🎉
I'm curious about you saying you were in that nice pack talking to the other runners. Why didn't you run a bit faster then, just to the level that it still feels comfortable but just not that comfortable that you feel like talking? I think that is the ideal intensity for running the marathon. But I'm not so experienced as you are, so really interested in your view on this.
I think Lydiard said something like that about carb loading. If I'm right you dont eat a lot of carbs the days leading up and then load the day before. You get more benefit from it then. You can only store so much for so long anyway.
On Dan Nash's Strava, he theorises that his legs felt OK the day after the marathon due to taking on 90g+ of carbs per hour. Maybe he has a tougher gut than average!
Far too many runners today place too much emphasis on carb/gel loading and have ‘upset’ stomachs. Fact - in the 80s there were no gels (nor carbon shoes) yet many more Brits running sub 2.30 marathons each year than there is today. Keep it simple. Complication drives failure.
The emphasis on simple carbs, not only in the loading phase, is detrimental for your health and insulin levels. It will increase HBA1c and keep your insulin elevated. Elevated insulin inhibits your bodys ability to use fat as fuel. Even on low carb diets, is the liver and muscles filled with glycogen (gluconeogenesis, converting fat to glucose). If you have carbs, have them during training or post training (immediately after your training runs), where the muscles are looking to replenish glycogen. This requires less insulin, and might retain your bodys ability to use fat as fuel, as well as glucose.
I think what you and other YTers have demonstrated is that for club runner standard a 2:20 marathon is a tough ask and sometimes it’s luck on the day. I’ve commented previously that I think many of you who log all their training on-line you over think it all. Running seemed so much simpler 30-40 years ago. Yes, we thought about training etc but turned up and ran ! I do think then depth of competition was better then. It’s funny to think back then there were no gels or super shoes yet we still ran decently- ummm !
@@willrocks4985 No, I was commenting on this when the LM was on. Mostly runners took nothing apart from the odd ‘cup’ of water. Half marathons/10 miles , nothing except a water splash ! There was an early electrolyte drink XL1 which was disgusting 🤮. I know so many very good runners who never ate any special, before, during or after a race. Bag of crisps after a race 😂 I ran 2:19 and a 66 half and 30:07 10k so not too shabby
I would agree with the over complicating things - particularly with all the lactate testing in training, which looked very stressful for the runner and the helper. It’s not particularly motivating for to see the faster runners obsess so much over these things - data for the sake of data and i would wager most hobby runners don't have time for this
@@tarawright5286 you’re right, data for data sake - makes little or no difference in reality . The content makers seem nice guys, just not the ability to match their ambitions.
Curious if you’ve done multi-day carb loading for marathons in the past? How was your fueling / carb-loading for Manchester / Newport compared to your PB marathon? You have me super nervous for my upcoming race now haha
Hi Matt, This is an excellent assessment and very refreshing to hear. I think you knew going into Manchester that you were undercooked, and sensibly adjusted your pace plan on the day. Also, glad to hear you address the obsession that some sub elite athletes have with carb loading on the day! Several gels, along with the drinks is going to upset the stomach and personally i think may only have a placebo effect. Good luck for Chicago!
Wow that great what a turn around. 2 super fast marathons. As a low-carb runner, I see some of these really high carbs people can take and My gut would rip apart. Great job,
With a 2.5 hr marathon I'm surprised you need 100g carbs per hour, you'll already have 1.5 hrs of stored carbs from the loading. Great comeback at Newport though 💪
Amount of carbs is individual, muscle and fibertype dependent. So if soleus is sall and full of red fibers it may be depleted earlier than a very well trained person with more white fibers (with more glycogen storage). Additionally the body noticing intake of carbs will be reducing signs of fatigue, simply because it senses the uptake.
Completely agree Mark. I think a few sub elite athletes have been over fueling on carbs in the vlogs I'm seeing recently, but nice to see Matt recognise this post race.
@@patricksmit8887how is the average hobby runner going to know all of that though? That just seems so over complicated for what is essentially about going for a long run.
@@tarawright5286i think from half marathon race and longer it will be beneficially mentally to take a form of additional energy in. Even if you would have sufficient energy for the distsnce, the positive feedback (or reduction of negative geeback) from energy being taken in will reduce fatigue. Gels are the easiest to deal with you take a chjnk and swallow it a Maurten 160 gel is 3 to 4 chunks, without interfering too much with breathing or running
If you don't have bottle service at Chicago, what are your plans? I'm also running Chicago, but I normally wear a vest with soft flasks, and get 2 fresh ones at the half from my spouse. But it seems like hydration packs are not allowed, only belts and handhelds. So while I could try and carry two 600ml (80g carbs each) soft flasks in my running belt with a few gels and try and use aid stations for the last 10km or less....it would be weird relearning my hydration/fueling strategy which has worked for 4 marathons already. Maybe I just take the summer to learn to cup drink effectively and switch to gel/chews since Boston (crosses fingers my BQ -8:36mins doesn't get me cut for 2025) will require me to do the samething. Glad you were able to quickly recycle the fitness and get the race you wanted on the 2nd marathon, hindsight is a cruel beast right about now I'm assuming. :(
Edit (Watched the full video now!) Saw you when I was doing the Newport Marathon (my first marathon - 2:59:59!) Glad you felt better during that race! It was awesome to see you there, gave me a boost!
Commenting as the video plays! Gels, gels, gels! How many RU-vidrs have had stomach problems in the later stages of a marathon (FOD runner again!) after ingesting several gels. It cannot be helpful to force copious amounts of sugar, caffine and God knows what else into your stomach at the very time it is under severe strain because of the demands of the race. It seems to me the only people who benefit from these things are the manufacturers who, no doubt, make huge profits from flogging the stuff to runners.
Can't believe how alone you were in the race - even for the first 10K. Can this be helpful or would you have preferred to be running with agroup even if it meant running a bit quicker? Some people - FOD runner for example - complained London was too crowded even for good standard runners butnyou certainly can't say that about Manchester!
Absolutely fantastic blog, you had so much support and the mental strength you had in that run was awesome. It just shows that marathons can and do eat you up, spit you out and laugh. However we go back for more. Well done to you both.
I wouldn't call myself an elite marathon runner. Far from it. I did however reach the goal of breaking 2:25 marathon. I have also brought my 5K, 10k and HM times down too. But more importantly it has been a lot of fun doing so and lots of incredible experiences both in training and racing.
I am in awe of the amount of mental fortitude you have to keep running while trying to throw up! 😮 I don't think I could ever be that strong. You are incredible💪 thanks for always being inspiring, things go wrong in most marathons, even for elites, so don't listen to people telling you to stop! Best you can do is train and plan. Well done 👏👏👏
Seems like all the RU-vid runners that ran marathons the past few weekends have not done well! Maybe get away from marathons for a while? Like 2-3 years. I think the marathon obsession has just gone too far. I’d watch your channel no matter what.
Good work 🎉 that said, just wanted to add my humble opinion as I’ve watched you go through a few blocks now and always get the sense that you are shooting yourself in the foot. Have you ever considered getting a coach to help you break 2:20? You’re very knowledgeable and a great runner but it’s hard to self coach! Either way, great job getting through that, it looked brutal!
the epitome of grit and determination as always matt, well done. thankfully my retching didn't start until i'd finished (with a 2 min PB) but would love to know the cause - too many gels, too much caffeine etc etc - or maybe we just picked up a bug from the same portaloo haha.
Marathons are BRUTAL mate. But they have a way of keeping us coming back for more! Kudos for grinding it out with those tummy issues. Never fun running in pain! We learn so much for each race. Great to see you out there and massive thanks to Kelly for all the support she gives me in route too. Onwards and upwards and go smack Chicagoooo 🇺🇸
As someone injured and catastrophising never running again, I am dreaming of one of these races. The battle where you know who you are eventhough you don't achieve what you set out to do. Top grind
