Whats the one thing you wish you'd known before your first marathon...

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  • It made me put my iPod on at about 23 miles (something I was trying to avoid) as I couldn't bear it any more!
  • I am intrigued as to what you put? Geves is not that difficult surely? Unless you don't pronounce it Jeeves?

    We were calling everything...if there was no name, we would call the running club name, or spotty top, or red hat....

  • I was going to get my weird name put on my vest and at the last minute, I shortened it to something easy to say (3 letters only!!!) for this reason, so glad I have done this!!!
  • Once again thank you all for the wonderful advice, I only hope that this time next year I'll be posting similar things to inspire other first-timers like you've done me.

    image

  • emandbelle , i am not THE sky blue sam but i do indeed know him as i went on a stag weekend with him to liverpool a couple of months later ! but yes , play up sky blues !

    got to admit , this thread has just become a life saver . last year was my first ever marathon after 3 years of trying to get in and wanting it more than anything . having got in again through the ballot (2 years on the spin through the ballot , is this a record !) i have found it more difficult to get motivated the closer i am to the event and not training as i should do . however , after discovering this i think i have found my mo-jo again !!!!

  • Emandbelle, yes I do pronounce it "Jeeves" (probably should have printed it that way) but I saw people in the crowd looking, then calling out "John", "Sam", or some other easier name!  I guess it looks as though the G could be as in "golf".  I know what it's like though, supporting - people pass by in a blur and with the best will in the world it's hard to support everyone!  It didn't spoil my enjoyment of the day one bit though - that first FLM will stay with me forever, highs and lows alike.
  • This is a great thread, I check it everyday and it is the most emotional thing I've read about the race to be honest.  Chokes me up everytime I think about crossing the line.
  • The part I found toughest both times is the stretch betwen miles 19 and 24 - between leaving Docklands into Poplar and all the way to the far side of the underpass into Upper Thames Street where you start to follow the Embankment. Once you get there, you know you´re nearly home.

    So this year I´m not considering the marathon a 26.2 mile race: it will be in 3 sections - getting past Canary Wharf (very doable, as it´s within my longest runs recently), the final section when I´m nearly home, and just one short 4-to-5-mile stretch that will test me. And I reckon I can take on one short 4-to-5-mile run, so if that´s the only part that needs my full concentration, I reckon I´ll manage alright. And so will you!

  • Thank you for this thread!!

    I am running my first marathon at FLM 08 and it has been so useful. I've convinced myself I want to run it in 3.30ish and that if i am not physically sick at the end then i havent pushed myself hard enough... this  thread has helped me to chill out a bit!

    Cheers X

  • I like the sound of that approach Monk. image
  • Very funny , can relate to most. This will be my 4th marathon, ran last years FLM, did not enjoy it one bit from mile 16 - 24, but here I am again. Will never let that happen again. ENJOY.

    Ran a 16 mile race last wkd, missed the start, had to run the first mile at 7mm to catch up. Needed loo stop. Don't have 3 pints of guinness the night before.

  • And don't have any stella the night before
  • Enjoyable reading, thanks guys! My 5th Marathon, 1st London.

    With the race day approaching, people eat and drink more, but drink a bottle of sports drink, as drinikng only water(more than normal) will mean going to the toilet more  and losing very vaulable salts! AS FLM is a lucozade race, buy a 4 pack and drink a bottle a day from Friday onwards, will also get you used to Lucozade.

    On the race, you will have high points and low points, where you will struggle, mentally,more than physically, be prepared, it will make you stronger. 

    The hardest and darkest  winter times have passed, have watched this race for years as a child, crying as everyone was a hero running. Next Sunday you are my hero's ! Well done and goodluck!  

  • Lemsip - that last little bit's genuinely lovely, *bats away tears*

    Thanks for all the other advice from people, so nice reading everyone saying just enjoy it.

  • Thanks Lemsip,

     *sniff sniff*

  • My wife ran the FLM in 2006. She had a background in sprinting, not distance running. Her mum wrote a good luck card which said something like "Just think of it as lots of 100m runs rather than a marathon" which I thought was quite nice.

    This will be my first marathon and my strategy is that I am trying to learn as much about the course as I can, because I think I like to always know where I am and to know whats going on. That way I can also set myself lots of targets. e.g. first target is the point where the different starts merge, then look forward to getting to Greenwich and the Cutty Sark, then look forward to seeing my friends at 9 miles, then Tower Bridge at 13 miles. Then I won't be disheartened by seeing people coming the other way down the Highway as I know to expect it, and then I can look forward to seeing my little boy at 15.5 miles etc etc. I'm going to break it up into lots of small targets and things to look forward to, and try to remember where they all are so I've always got something quite close to focus on, rather than how far it is to the finish.

  • imageYour probably find the toughest part between canary wharf and the tower on London. If you have support from your family/friends and want then to egg you on that's where they are best to go. Likewise if you don't them to see you going aarrrr! I've hit the wall then tell them to be somewhere/anywhere else.

    There is a train station at Canary wharf for easy access to the finish line but expect it to be busy in the big city. That's for the family/friends not yourselves no cheating! image

  • Its been great reading this. I wont be doing a full marathon for some time yet and im still learning the do's and dont's.
  • Everyone's said everything I'd probably say...

    But...one tip which only works right now, in early April 2008, and which my fellow Sky Blue supporters will empathise with, is:

    Become a Coventry City fan. Worrying about imminent relegation is definitely taking my mind off what's coming up on April 13th. I think League One might be harder than a marathon.
  • Robbindobbin - that's a really good strategy, definitely go with it. You need things to look forward to on the way.

    I did the Paris Marathon yesterday and now have a new piece of advice. You'd think I would have known this as it was my 4th marathon but just goes to show how there is a lot to learn!

    My trainers are great, I'm on my 3rd pair of the same make (Mizuno Wave Alchemy 6 in case you want to know!) but for some absolutely bizarre reason I have been getting a blister on the underside of my right foot from them everytime I run more than about 12 miles in them. Now the last one had healed as I'd not done a run of that length for 5 weeks (eek!) BUT I sort of vaguely knew I should do something about it beforehand as I knew it might be a problem. I tried putting a compeed plaster on it as a preventative measure but it just peeled off - don't know why. So I thought "oh well, pain is temporary... blah blah blah, I'll put up with it"

    All I can say is OUCH!!!!! After about 10 miles I could feel the blister developing. 16 miles later and this thing is almost tennis-ball size. The worst blister I've ever seen in real life I think - if you've seen Run Fatboy Run, it's similar size to the one in THAT scene.

    So all I have to say is, if you know (like me) that you have a problem with blisters - do something about it before hand!! Although, trouble is, I am not sure what!  I am desperately searching for answers now, as it's only 6 days until FLM for me (yes I know I am stupid to be doing 2 on consecutive weekends - don't ask!).

    But basically don't think "oh I'll put up with x y z / whatever" because 26.2 miles is such a long way and it's very miserable having to put up with pain that potentially you could have prevented. Doh!  I don't think it slowed me down too much because I put all my might into ignoring it and was trying to be grateful it was that rather than knee pain or something more seriously, but anyone who has suffered from blisters before will know just how painful they can be.

    Sorry that was so long!  I am queen waffler........

    rjb - like your suggestion too! haha. 

  • Sorry, me again.

    A new thing I tried yesterday (*gasp!*) was to have more energy gels than normal.  I took 5 instead of 3. After the 3rd I felt a bit sick as I'd been taking them every 6k which is sooner than I would normally, so I took the 4th a little later than planned, and similarly the 5th.  Would just like to say this worked a treat!! Although the leg/blister pain was horrendous by the end, I've never felt I had so much energy left by the end of a marathon, it was great!  So would just like to recommend that. Once you know you can stomach a particular gel, I don't think it hurts to take a little more than you are used to, just in case. Took my last one at about 21 miles... but there are all these things you read that say they don't count after mile 18 or mile 20 or whatever -that's a load of c**p too because it will at least benefit you after you finish running when you need to replace energy if not while you are actually running!

    I will probably think of more and be posting here all day and annoy you all, sorry image all this stuff is just obviously fresh in my head.

    Oh! Also - don't pin all your hopes on seeing your supporters, you don't want to be devastated if you don't see them!  My parents and I missed each other at our first viewing point yesterday- luckily it was only at 2k so didn't matter too much for me yet as I wasn't flaking yet or anything (!) Managed to see them later on at 32k which is what I needed the most. But just be aware that, especially if it's FLM where the crowds are huge, it can waste a lot of energy if you spend ages looking for someone in the crowd. It happened to me last year too. I was dead upset, but you just have to accept these things. Look forward to seeing them but treat it like a bonus if you do because it can be hard when there are a LOT of runners and a LOT of spectators!

    Geez I am sounding a bit negative this morning am I not? I don't mean to be, I had a fantastic race yesterday and got a PB so I am not meaning to sound doom and gloom, just seeing what other tips I can bring from the experience. I'll come back with more positive ones later hopefully! image

  • rjb , can honestly say that i dont know which is more daunting , 26.2 miles or as i prefer to call it , division 3 ! mind you , might all go according to plan . a PB on sunday and leicester for the drop !!!
  • Something no-one seems to have mentioned is wearing some old clothes over the top of your running kit which you can chuck away after you have put in your kit bag.

    I wore an old pair of trousers, cut up the side to mid-calf, so I could take them off without removing my shoes, an old t-shirt or two and sweatshirt, a bin bag over the top and and old cap.

    I took with me gloves, which were ace for when it rained on me and cold be put in your waistband, when the sun was out.

    This allowed me to put my bag in early, keep warm and get myself mentally focused rather than rushing around. Once in the pen I could remove my spare trousers at the last minute. The cap went into the crowd at 2 miles and the t-shirts around the same time. The sweat shirt was tied to the rails at the start line.

  • Loads of great stuff here.  One tip from me is not to sit down after you finish.  Your body will be crying out to sit but if you then get a cramp it is agony.  Fortunately for me there were a couple of very friendly Germans who helped me out when this happened last year in Berlin.

  • I fell asleep on the toilet at the finish. I had nothing in my quads so getting off the toilet was nearly impossible. I thought I'd just rest for a moment and 10 minutes later I woke up.image
  • Great thread! Main advice I'd give is to remember to look around and absorb and enjoy this amazing race, even when you're in pain. It's the greatest marathon you'll ever do (in my humble opinion), the crowds,  fellow runners, bands, elite runners, landmarks, entertainment, marshalls, thousands of volunteers and organisers - none of it can be beaten and everything comes together to help us get through the mental and physical pain to complete it and say we've done the London Marathon. I can't wait to cross that finish line...just hope it's not as hot as last year!

    O and remember to throw drink bottles, pouches and gel packets to the side not straight down on the road, the last thing you want is to trip up.

    Best of luck everyone! 

  • I am getting very scared about how i will get round now so thank you to everybidy this thread has really helped. Feel like crying already and not even got to london yet. Any tips on what landmarks order to aim for as i have never been to london? so course is all new!

    Thanks everybody

  • Awesome thread!

    Some great tips!

    I'm just prayingmy gammy ITBS knee can carry me round! image

  • Hi Kay 1, you will love it. The crowds are unbelievable and you will definitely get a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye several times en route. Crossing Tower Bridge always gets me so make sure to look around you as you run over the Thames. One of the best sights by far (apart from the finish line) is running/staggering along Embankment, approaching Big Ben and turning right down towards Buckingham Palace, the support all along there is fantastic!  
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