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VLM 2012 first timers???
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Hi Aunty Shezzie, I'm sorry about your friend. Go you running in fancy dress, good luck with your test run
I would imagine I'll be walking at some point too, most people I know who have done it have walked at some point.
My knees are starting to really protest, it's times like this you get paranoid and believe you may not even make it to the starting line. Icing and resting them is helping at the moment. I'm not going to run again until Wednesday and really rest them now.
Well done with your weekend runs everyone.
Was hoping for some advice / reassurance, failing that just to make you all feel a bit better about your training! Started my training at the beginning of October when the letter came through and it was going really well but then had to take a break to move house at the start of December, then got ill and couldn't run for three weeks. Started back at the beginning of Jan but am now only at 7 (albeit very hilly) miles. Really enjoyed 7 today but beginning to panic a bit! Is there any way I am going to make it through 26 miles in one piece? Anyone know of any training plans for making up time? Mine has gone out of the window so I'm now making it up as I go along.
Thanks x
once upon a time
i was a first timer
what would u like to know
Aunty shezzie so sorry to hear about your friend, but well done you for fancy dress.
Rebecca hope your knees aren't too hurty, definately rest plenty of time yet
cregmalin I agree with you just doing it at my own speed, most important thing to get round in one piece and injury free.
did my 10 miles today, went really well even managed a bit of off-road and ran up quite a steep sand hill to the theme of black beauty on my ipod.... didn't quite gallop up it though. Kaffeeg def going to try the apricots or dried fruit........ not prunes though !!! I think may be easier than those blooming chewy jelly beans don't know about 4 every 40mins prob end up with indigestion
took some sport drink with me and had a few slurps on the way around think it actually helped, Bit nervous about next Sunday 14 miler not run that far before, it all steps up a gear after as well, even runs in the week. But we are all in this together, and we will do it
well done everyone keep going
26.2 miles of dread and pain
lovely jubbly - but you'll all do it
one day you may all be in 100 marathon club
Hi Niamiss,
The basic schedule from runners world says this weekends long run should be for 1hour. Which I'm guessing you should have covered today with your 7 mile run: http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/racing/rws-basic-marathon-schedules-get-you-round/108.html. I think if you can comfortably do 7 you should be able to push yourself to 9 next week. I think if you keep going at it you should get round on the day.
depnds on pace Rebecca
get that first hour or 10k wrong and one can forget any finish line
it's going to be a push each time to go futher
it'll take dedication and stamina, time is ticking away
Late February early March one should be on 20 miles
allowing for the fact we all get bad days
Have you lookedbat the runners world virtual coach. You put in your current mileage, how hard you want to train and over what time and it gives you a plan. If you google runner's world smart coach UK it should come up?
I don't think your that far behind and we still have 12 weeks to go so I'm sure you can find something! Good luck!
Auntie Shezzie, that's very sad about your friend. I am 40 this year too and thought I'd like to do a marathon before turning 40, when I was running the other day I felt quite emotional thinking how lucky I am to be fit and healthy and able to do this, professionally I come across people very frequently with debilitating or life limiting illness and I'm running for our local hospice - all our little moans and groans sometimes need putting in perspective don't they?
Micknphil,
Currently I'm running to heart rate and so my splits are quite variable. When I run the marathon I'm hoping to average 10 min 30sec miles. My question is, is it best to try and keep them pretty even or does it work best to vary them according to whether hill, flat, beginning, end, running in wind, etc etc etc?
Also I always always always run with my iPod, can't imagine doing a marathon without my music but know this can be a bit frowned on. Are you all running with music on day absorbing the atmosphere?
Susie
Dear Susie
i dont know u -
in fitness and runinng terms tell me a little about yourself
furthest you've run ??
in what time ??
how you felt ??
Hi Susie,
I am totally addidcated to my ipod when out on a run. But when I have entered any 10k race ( but I am slow so certainly not a pro) it actually distracts me. So my plan was to try and settle the nervse and have my headphones near to hand but prob put my music on around 10-13 miles as a new distraction and hopefully by then I will have calmed down.
Thats just my plan.
Pip J
Micknphil, I'm not sure it's realistic that I would personally get up to the ideal 20 miles from 7 in one month, am thinking that I should try for 18 miles then two weeks tapering before the race which would mean making up 11 miles over the next 10 weeks. I'm hoping the hills will make up for the lack of miles.
Susie, I used to love running to music and found it really motivational. However there's no pavements where I live and I ended up having to jump into a nettle bush when I hadn't heard a car coming round the corner!! Taught me a very painful lesson! So have got used to running without it now but am thinking it might be a really welcome boost on the big day, probably same as Pip, put it on towards the middle or maybe even the end.
Nia x
niamiss
no, sorry i meant
it would be ideal in general to be up to 20 in March - or to have done 20 or 22 milers beofre the day
yes you really nneed 18 miles ideally - leaving 10
I do wish you wel - all of u
giving advice is not easy unless one knows a little about the person
distance, time , feelings - tiredness, hurting, etc
i do realise its so easy for myself or any veteran marathons to talk
but do try and remember we were once begginers -
some of us found out the hard way -
we trying to ease that for you
seriously
as harsh as we may sound
we sincerely want to help you reach your goal in little effort as possible
i found mine with bad chaffing etc, lack of proper footwear,
etc, etc
such as life when things are going well, we just dont think about it do we -
but its when things go wrong, thats what one need to prepare for and be able to deal with
i've failed in marathons - solo years ago, and pushing Phil in latter years gone by
why, well as i said, its all on the day
sometimes its a minefield of reasons and answers
probably biggest causes are
de hydration - going off too quickly, stopping for that pee stop and not getting going again,
no mans land is a phscological mental job anywhere between 17 - 23 miles
or the wall if you like - always expect the unexpected
Earlier in the thread there was some debate about the merits of longer runs versus the damaged caused by the fatigue of anything much more than 3 hours or so. I'm up to 15 1/2 in around 2 hours 50 and plan to go up to at least 20 but probably 22 which is clearly going to be over 4 hours. I've done a half last year in 2 hours 10 and expect to finish somewhere between 4 1/2 to 5 hours, though i'm sure many on here would be interested in an informed opinion on their longest runs.
Cheers in advance.
long runs are vital to adapt to being able to stay on one feet for longer and adjust the body
one has to ask - the less distance one has done prior to the day - then the more unknown territory one is going to go into - IE - can one finish
taper is important 3 - 4 weeks before, just leaving one self to shorter runs and to relax
fatigue can make it tough
Hi
niamiss have you read the non-runners marathon trainer, I have it [ although have done a few half marathons, but never a full one] it builds you up slowly the longest run being 18miles, its quuite motivating reading all the different runners profiles and expeeriences and if you are running 7 miles now you will fit in to the programme ok..
as regards running with music I tend to only run with it on long runs, but I don't rely on it. Never use it in races as most of the time they request you don't [ but lots of peolple do] I think its nice to get the atmosphere of the day and also saying a few words to the person running along side you, is much better if they can hear you !!
Got to get my head round some fuelling now cos i was so shattered after 10 on Sat.
Hi mick n phil and thanks for the veteran advice! What you got on fuelling?
For info I'm five foot nothing - not young - doing this just after 50th b day - I broke my ankle in May so for me its about just doing it for the challenge and to raise money for MND and a hospice. I have never ate more than an icepop handed to me by a spectator on the great run!
Cregmallin hey I am only tiny too 5 ft at a stretch, I took my sport drink with me on sunday and it did help [10miles] going to try dried apricot [ as suggested by kaffeeg] and papaya also might try nutrigrain bar. Never eaten on the run before so going to give it a go on Sunday [14miles].
one good thing about being small is if its a bit windy on the Big Day we can always use a tall person as a windbreak
Hi everyone!
Hi MicknPhil - thanks for your expert opinions. The more wise words from people who've been-there-done-that the better!
Hope everyone had a good weekend. Some good long runs going on I see! I did my scary hillly race on Sunday - it was hilly, the final hill was nearly hand-and knees it was that steep! It was very muddy - even in my trail shoes I was sliding around, and the 100m of stream we had to go through (came over my knees) was FREEZING! So suitably knackered today, but managed to get out for a 4M recovery run in the snow today
Just looking on my schedule - it had last weeks LR as "1 hr 45 mins" and i did the race in 1hr 47 - perfect! Hopefully I've toughened up enough now that I won't feel too bad for the rest of the week.
Really interesting to see so many of us thinking about 'real food' on the day. As you may have noticed, I swear by Shot Bloks. However even on a HM my tummy is gurgling by the end, and I'm always really hungry. Love dried mangoes, so might try those (take ages to chew as well which will help pass the miles!) and wondering what I can leave at the mile 17 cheerpoint. What might I fancy by then????
I still like phillpa's idea of the picnic basket
, maybe I could pay someone to run round with me passing me food 
.
B&T, well done on your hilly race, I like the sound of it.
My knee is swollen and I have a sore throat/cold thing, I've decided to rest for 2 days and then test the knee out Wednesday. If it is still bad I'll rest until my long run on Sunday.
I got one of those freeby belts with the magazine - with pockets for drinks and gels etc and it was a flippin night mare rubbing up and down - at least the bum bag is soft and I can tighten it - can't go on long runs without a phone again!
Phillipa - lol catch you on one of them wind breakers!
What's the 17mile cheerpoint?
Not sure what a cheerpoint is, but my choosen charity MacMillan has about 7 of them. I wonder if you can give them bit, food etc, that you can then get off them at a choosen cheer point. I guess they would know I'm with Team MacMillan by my nice green MacMillan running top.
Ohh it's actually quite nice that there will be a group of people cheering me on at random points along the way. It's actually a bit inspiring
.