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VLM 2012 Outsiders Thread
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The Air Ambulance has just flown over oddly enough - looks like they were landing just a mile or so away.
This morning has been nuts - no chance of me worrying about Sunday at this rate: just got out of bed this morning and the man coming to service the gas boiler said he would be arriving in 10 minutes so had to run back upstairs to get dressed. He left, I turned the telly on for the news, found the Sky box is kaput. OH spent 20 minutes on the phone - the earliest they can get here with a new one is Thursday
So then the next dilemma is how do I get to watch a recording of the VLM wihout a functioning telly? Phone the in-laws - they have a VCR in the loft but no tape. Hour later IT expert BIL phones, he can do the whole thing with his computer - saved! Then the post arrives. It is a note from an administrator for the writing course I am doing in May asking for an alternative email address - except she hasn't given me hers to reply to - I look on their website - zilch. So I have to phone he and leave a message. Then there was cleaning the bathroom, then there was doing the washing, then there was ironing . Meanwhile the washing has had to be brought in because it's raining. Finally it's lunchtime and the lid of the tin of sardines in tomato suace springs up and flicks red, oily goo all over the kitchen - all that and I still haven't even had time to shower!
And here's the really ironic bit: I'm wearing a t-shirt that says, "Keep calm and go for a run"
You look lovely Screamy! Hope your afternoon is a bit calmer though.
No iron-on letters in my town (sent daughter out hunting this a.m.) so I will have to hope the queue isn't too long at the expo Sat p.m. If it is it will teach me a lesson about leaving things till the last minute, adn I will take a waterproof pen to use on Saturday night. And will have to throw out the T shirt after Sunday, but it's quite old anyway.
Back to work...
Thanks Que Sera
Yes it has all calmed down now. Have had a shower and changed and am now thinking about tea and biscuits
T-shirts were taking about half an hour to print when I got there last night but I was there before the rush - no queue at all. Agree it's best to have a contingency plan in place though.
No suggestion re letters, though you may find tipex works better than pens if it rains if you go for a DIY jobby.
I'll be in my Arthritis UK bright orange vest with Phil at the top. Married to that will be my super duper Ronhill shorts with 4 gel pockets, 2 gel loops, a zipped pocket at the back and two front pockets. Loads of space for my 7 gels!!! Number 34487, red start. No idea how long to 20, at best 3hours if all goes to plan but probably nearer 3:20.
Think I am going to go with the minimalist look on the day and go vest only. I think at 14 degrees it will get warm!
Nice pic screamy, impressed! Great charity, well done you.
Getting a bit jaded with all see carbs now, I need to run! Less than 2 days to go....
QSS - enjoy the expo, and don't spend too much!
Siony - like the idea of iPod ban as it forces people to chat, and I know if I can chat I am not going too fast
Remember......marathons are not easy....let's be honest, it killed the first guy that tried it
ANd on that note....
Tippex! Genius, Phatboy. I like your decision to go vest only - but perhaps better pop the shorts on too to avoid any repetion of that unfortunate business with the police.
I'm off to London and offline from mid morning tomorrow, so good luck to everyone. Have a brilliant day. I don't suppose I will meet any of you with all the crowds but if you see a woman with felt pen or tippex dripping down her front lumbering along near the back please say hello.
Ah, Tippex - good call
Had the most awful dreams of not being able to get to the start on time last night - just what you need at this stage isn't it?
Anyway for those making the journey down today have a good one and I hope to see some of you out the the course tomorrow - I'm on blue, Number 17712 and willl have a red Air Ambulace vest with "Screamy" on it.
Good luck and have fun!
Ooh - first Outsider signing in post marathon.
I said a few months ago I wanted a better PB than Jonathan Pearce and to beat at elast one Womble - managed to both today, hooray!
Rellies here at the moment must go but will chat more tomorrow.
Hope everyone had a FABtastic day!
Brilliant crowds, though not sure if it was my imagination, or the fact I ended up starting much further back this year but it was so difficult to get 'clear road' for all the first half. And the organisers so have to sort out the run down the isle of dogs to Mudshute, half a road is way too narrow.
But the crowds! Brilliant, thank to to anyone out there cheering us on. I turned the half in 2:02 and finished in 4:10:38, which was 40 minutes faster than my only other VLM last year. Chuffed!
Thank you to everyone on this thread for your support, suggestions, banter etc. today my wife says I officially retire from marathons!
well done all
Phatboy-that was a brill time.
Finished in 5 hours 38min. Toow warm and underestimated the last 6 miles. Dunnit though 
I was a lot slower than predicted and had 20 min loo queue
Morning Outsiders,
Thank Mitiog - about another month till your marathon now isn't it? Eek!
Phatboy - superb running, quite agree with you that it was still too warm. I could see the cloud building up as we went round and I kept saying to myself "The sun'll go in in a minute and it will be cooler", but, until I got to the Embankment it never did, I think there was cloud everywhere except for directly over my head!
Stu, well done! that extra couple of degrees does make it gruelling - I was lucky, I stopped at the third set of loos when there weren't too many people needing them, I only lost two or three minutes.
Me, I had a terrible race. Felt sick, got cramp, got a stitch, also got a couple of blisters (again) but they didn't bother me too much. Ended up walking 30 secs and running 1 minute from about mile 17 but by some miracle still managed a PB of 5.34.47 which was less than 20 minutes off my target time. I've looked at my splits and they are all over the place - I still don't know how I did it.
But I did - yay!
sometimes it is just about doing it screams
I was 4o min outside of my predicted-lol
Anyway gonna do ther maras I reckon. less crowded and faster I hope
What a day!
V glad I decided on vest alone and listened to you all- I have a bit sunburn on shoulder and nose! To think I was worried about getting cold!
Crowds were something else- people even called out my name
Starting half of race bit scary for a short arse like me- my head was at elbow level so had to dodge feet/ struggle to find a bit room and avoid beeing smacked in the face
Developed a pain in both thighs by mile 7 which just built through the entire race so had to go slower than would have liked and around about mile 22? In that underpass my brain said" oh dear god make it stop" but ran all the way ( was busting for a pee but sooo glad didn't as I suspect judging by the fact that I had to use the handle on the inside of to loo to stand up after finishing I wouldn't have restarted!) 4:03 finishing time x
Sioned x
Siony, that's a brilliant time - you could easily have gone sub 4 if your thighs hadn't played you up. Fantastic!
Brilliant everyone. Well done Siony and Phatboy for fantastic times, adn to Stu and Screamy for perservering in the face of hardship. I got in at just under 5 hours - a personal worst! - but considering how badly I've been training that's fine, and I'm happy to finish. And what an experience! Couldn't believe the crowds, and the other runners, and I've never seen so many people! Really an unforgettable day. I think that's my last marathon though.
My only regret is that I didn't get to meet any of you lovely people. Thanks for all your help and support over recent months. I hope that all who were running yesterday are feeling pleased with how it went (and that your toes are not as mashed as mine).
Well done Que Serah - sub 5 is still fab
A couple of toes got a bit of a mashing but nowhere near as badly as last time. Not sure whether I'll get to keep my toenails this time around.
Anyone else struggling with stairs today?
Considering done at least a half marathon with pain in thighs don't supose I should be surprised that they don't work- but still!! Having to use biceps to get off loo and downstairs- forget it!
Siony- amazing time, well done! I drank like a fish all the way round, and an hour after the run finally went to the loo. 'is that it?' I thought to myself
Qss- congratulations, and well done for getting round, it's a toughie! I will watch this thread with interest next week when the ballot opens to see if you, or anyone else enters the ballot... I said never again last year and was straight in for a ballot place the day it opened!
well done Sarah
what a great bunch of outsiders!!
This year was my second marathon and I am now a firm believer that you have to run a marathon to be able to run a marathon!