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Lakeland Trails Marathon
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I think I should stay well away from this forum! Every time I start feeling just the smallest bit of confidence about actually completing this marathon (which will be my first, and just eight weeks after my first half), I read something on here that brings the terror right back.
Having just got used to the fact that I'll have to take a camelbak, having never run with one before, I'm now scared that the course could actually be longer than the 26.2 miles I've spent so many months training for - not the most comforting thing to read at this stage!
Perhaps this wasn't the most sensible choice for my first marathon?! I chose it for the scenery, not the ease - but in retrospect maybe this wasn't wise. I only hope there'll be a lot of friendly people moving at the 4.40 or so mark, who can keep me going on the way round!
I just want to get going now, the nerves in this last week of tapering are horrific. I fear I'm turning into a complete bore - all I seem to be able to talk, think or dream about is this marathon, and the images from the online course walkthrough are imprinted on my brain. Help!
Jennifer H
Feel free to talk about it all you want but it sounds to me like you just have a touch of taper madness. It's a perfectly natural reaction to pushing your body and taking far too much sugar!!
Enjoy it - future marathons will never be quite the same again for you and I tihnk you probably chose a great one as your first marathon.
Good luck and see you on the start line.
I'm a first timer too. Also suspect it might not have been a sensible choice for a first marathon, but who wants to be sensible!
Hopefully I'll see you on the way round, although 4.40 is probably a bit faster than I'll manage. One tip someone gave me is not to get too hung up on the time when you're off road. It won't compare to a road marathon, and I don't want to set myself a target and feel like I've failed if I don't do it. I'm just aiming to get round and run as much as I can.
Good luck!
Jennifer/Vicky - it's great choice for a first marathon! There will be plenty of people at your sort of pace and they will be only too happy to share your enjoyment of the scenery - just make sure you take long enough to look up and see it rather than spending the whole race watching where your feet are going. In my opinion, 'Times' are overrated and best left for dull and uninteresting events.
This is likely to be my slowest marathon yet and I don't care in the least.
News on the shoe front - it certainly seems to have dried out and the ground is firm at low levels now in the Lake District. I don't know what its like higher up, and I'd still expect us to find some boggy bits on Sunday, but I suspect that those who wish to will stand a fair chance of getting away with road shoes if it doesn't rain again before the weekend. There's no rain forecast but that doesn't mean very much round these parts.
Looking forward to the weekend
PS - Costanza/runwithphil - Langdale is great fun - what could possibly be better than 13.1 miles of some of the biggest and steepest hills in the country secure in the knowledge, first time round, that you've got to do them all again?
Apparently, no lesser being than Ron Hill reckons its the toughest out as well. See you there in September.
The weather for the past two days has been scorching in Liverpool in the mornings and I've only just gotten used to running with a 500ml bottle on a waist belt. I was hoping to top up at the water stations, may have to reconsider?
I'm going to check on the official website, but I am right in thinking you can camp at the school or did I imagine that? I've borrowed camping equipment and am looking forward to my first nights undisturbed sleep in 14 months (my youngest daughter does not believe in sleeping for longer than two hours!)
I'm nervously excited about this and don't care about the 'niggles' about distance etc. Good luck everyone, and cheer on the sweaty scouser running around 5 hour pace
Hello all
This is only my second attempt at this distance so I have the same nerves as everybody else
! The best bit of advice I can give to first timers is ignore your time and take it very steady in the first half of the race - you will thank yourself for it later!
On the water issue, I will be running with a waist belt with bottle too. I managed to find an 800ml bottle (in Asda) that fits nicely into the waist belt and will carry some SIS isotonic gels too so hopefully this will carry me through. Also, the final details issued do specifically state that you should "take the opportunity to stock up" at the water stations so as long as you have a bottle in the first place everybody should be fine.
I'm entered in the Challenge (mainly so I will be running when it's cooler) but intend to take it steady and not worry too much about the time; I certainly don't imagine that I will be finishing faster than 4h:30m.
I'm looking forward to my first pint of Bluebird post-race already
!
hey great thread. Coniston on Sunday will be my second Marathon after Kielder last year. Looking forward to enjoying the scenery, time is not a goal this time.
Is anyone on this thread staying at Hawkhead YHA. I am trying to beg a lift for the start of the 9.00 am event as I hear the taxi prices are very high and it will be too early for a bus. My family (wife and 3 toddlers) will still be eating their breakfast when I want to head off to the start.
Good to know I'm not the only nervous one! This week is going really slowly, and I'm just desperate to get started. Some good shouts on the time issue. We're running in a beautiful part of the world and I'm determined to have a proper good look at it. Slow and steady and as this only my 2nd marathon, I'm hoping to have a lot more in the tank at 21-26 miles than I did have last time.
Hi All
Really looking forward to this on Sunday!!! on the web site they recommend that you carry your own water, does anyone know if we really need to do this, it looks like there will be enough water points, but this is my 1st marathon so im not too sure and I dont really fancy running with a back pack???
Morning all
Well, we're nearly there
.....I'm off out for my last taper run today, then planning on putting my feet up tommorrow ready for the drive down on Saturday....oh and of course, the stuffing yer face part 
.
Jonathan - have a look at the map on their website - the 4 drinks stations are quite 'clustered' together, ie first two are close, then last two are close, with a big (9mile-ish?) gap in between - you might want to take something to cover yourself for the gaps. If you dont like back packs, Ron Hill do a 500ml water bottle with tight elastic that slips over the hand / arm, actually quite comfy!
Agree good advice on the time issue - I'm in no rush and if we get good weather (dry, cool
) I will be taking in that scenery too 
.
Good luck everyone and especially the first timers
.
Hi Jonathon
I am going to take a 0.6 litre bottle with me and top it up at the water stations. Even on a sunny day I wouldn't drink more than 1.5 litres. If it does get to hot I will stop for a bit and take a dip in the lake.
That reminds me at the Day in the Lakes (long distance traithlon) a couple of years back I went for dip in Ullswater post race and I am sure that helped avoid major stiffness the nexty day. Definitely will have a little swim after the race on Sunday.
Cheers Maxpower
I have been practising with a hydration pack from Decathlon and it feels absolutely fine, I will probably not fill it (2 litres) but maybe put in a litre and take drinks from drinks stations. it also has neat little pockets for energy bars which I am also carrying, but the kendal mint cake will be tempting too!
No-one answered my post asking for a lift from Hawksead YHA, if anyone can help I would be so grateful.
Question for the more experienced marathoners here. How much carbs do you tend to have the evening before? Last year I had a normal size serving of pasta around 7pm and then just breakfast on the morning about 2 hours before. Should I have gone for double helpings with a bit of bread thrown in or is there a danger of overdoing it and it leading to sluggishness?
Maxpower - great shout on the post race dip. See you in there!
I'm liking the idea of a post race dip too
!
UpHillDownDale - I'm running in the Challenge and stopping at Great Langdale Campsite so can't help you I'm afraid.
Costanza - I'm not a experienced marathoner but reckon normal sized portions rather than double helpings are the way to go. If you still feel a bit peckish you can always top up with a banana, cereal bar, etc.
Don't think there is a single right answer to the question of how much to eat the night before - it must vary from person to person and there will be folk about who will say that its more important how you build up during the week or so before rather than what goes in at the last minute. As a general rule though - not doing anything 'ususual' just before a marathon always seems like good advice to me. How did you feel in your last marathon? What do you normally eat the night/morning before a long training run? Just do whatever has worked in the past.
I shall be adopting my standard pre-race routine. Whatever I fancy off the pub menu washed down with a couple of pints before sleeping badly and getting up to coffee, porridge (if I can be bothered - more likely Cheerios with dried fruit) and, if I can find one at 7am, a bacon butty. Probably not seen as ideal by the purists but its got me through ten marathons so far and I'm disinclined to change now.
Doubt that's much help unless as a prompt not to overthink things.
Costanza - I won't have much choice this time on the food quantity front as I'm staying in a hotel the night before.....but when I'm away from home I'll usually go for something like fish and chips in a good pub, or a pasta dinner. I usually take some snacks for the night - like mixed nuts, almonds etc, to snack in the room before bed.
Breakfast for me is usually toast, peanut butter, maybe some pancakes if I can get them, maybe a 'Clif' energy bar if the hotel are tight with the toast
. I will take a flask in the car and have tea before the start, maybe a biscuit (or two 
). I've seen people having last minute plain white bread and butter sarnies before the start of marathons - just whatever is quite light and takes your fancy really, eat to your appetite rather than over-doing it.
I avoid most energy drinks pre-race (eg Lucozade
) as it really upsets my stomach with runners trots......tea with milk and sugar seems to calm my stomach so thats what I stick to these days.
UpHillDD - sorry cannot help with that, I'm staying in Coniston. Hope you can get something sorted.
I like yr nutrition plan, let's hope there is a bacon butty van nxt to start!! And just to reiterate, time to relax folks. This is for fun and a challenge enjoy the effort and reap the reward.
I did the coniston trail race last year and got tempted by the kendal mint cake at the drink stop. Result was me bringing up my breakfast in the last 3 miles! It was too acidic and really didn't agree with me. I will be seriously resisting temptation this time and sticking to the tried and tested tracker bars.
If in doubt don't risk it.
Many thanks to everybody on this thread for all the invaluable information for Sunday. Hardly run since Richmond and Halstead marathons in May. Hopefully this event will have all the plus points of running around Windermere but without any traffic and the prospect of fantastic scenery. I will be at the back of the pack and looking forward to a great day out whatever the route or the weather brings. All the best.
Good luck everyone from me too. The weather seems to be going to be good so my wet weather gear is being stowed away and my factor 50 sunblock is coming out!
I'm buzzing about this, so will have to force myself to take it nice and slow for the first 26 miles and if I feel good I'll up the pace for the last 200 yards, the dip in the lake sounds like a brilliant idea Maxpower.
absolutley a fantatic marathon, what views, great organisation first class. Well done to the organisers, marshalls.