Little Nemo's Marathon Adventure

Right, form’s been sent off so I'm going to assume that I definitely have a place for next year. My training starts here 'cos I think I'm going to need all 11 months! I thought it would be useful to have a thread to post on occasionally to keep me motivated and to track my (lack of) progress.

Missed this year’s FLM due to knee problem which I’m still doing physio on. So at the moment not doing a lot of running, just 20 mins. or so of run/walk on grass once a week. Have my gym induction next week so will be adding some treadmill running as well to get back into regular running again.

I also want to keep track of my weight and size to see if all the training is having an effect. I’m currently 10 stone (not bad!); my bust is 34AA, my waist is 29 and my hips are 40 inches. Typical British pear shape!

Feel free to add your own hopes and fears and any encouragement and experiences shared will be very welcome.

323 days to go!
:-)
«1345678

Comments

  • Hi there Little Nemo!
    I too deferred this year (and am about to write out my cheque and send it off this afternoon) as I tore a tendon in my foot in Sept last year, and only got back into running early this year.
    I'm taking the training slowly, as I don't want to hurt myself again, but I'm sure it'll be April again before I know it!
  • Fraggle
    Thanks for the banana!
    Did you really see me, or did some baldy runner just snatch it from your grasp!

    Best of luck with the training, and I might suggest that you see a physio for a regular half hour every month or two. It helps act as a preventative cure.
  • Hello Fraggle, hope your training is going well. I'm also a bit worried about doing too much too soon. It seems a very long way from 20 mins run/walk to 26.2 miles, just hope 11 months is enough!

    Blisters, you have a really good description for your 3:30 thread - wish I'd nicked it!

    BTW I'm aiming for sub 6 hours, or if I end up walking, finishing before it gets dark...
    :-)
  • Blisters - I DID notice you, and like so many of the others I was looking out for, I saw you as you were going past, so there was a 'wah - blisters!!' dash dash dash hand over banana!!

    still see my phys sometimes, but have a sports massage every 4 weeks to keep the aches at bay (and I'm now a yoga convert which keeps the muscles suitably stretched)

    LM - we'll have to have a get together later on in the year, are you darn sarf?
  • Hey, good luck Nittle Nemo - so what was the problem with your knee in the end? What's the physio doing to you?

    If it's any help, I ran a marathon after a long layoff and it didn't seem to matter....

    pre-September 2001 - running 20-40 miles per week
    September 2001 - mashed knee, lots of hospital visits, could hardly do any exercise for months
    FEb 2002 - started gym and gently cycling
    April 2002 - started running (slowly, building up mileage by a couple of miles a week)
    ...
    ...
    June 2003 ran marathon - pb, GFA time - hoorah!
    -
    Anything is possible ...

    GOOD LUCK!!
  • Morning little nemo and everyone-To anyone undertaking a massive task of doing the FLM05,all the very best and you,ll get lots of support from me.

    I did this years FLM[my 1st]and hope to do it again in 05.

    Injuries,so far[touch wood]nothing too serious.

    Only started running exactly 3 years ago and since-
    GNR 01
    GNR O2
    GNR 03
    FLM 04
    Hopefully Great Scottish Run[13mile] 04
    GNR 04
    Morpth to Newcastle[13mile] 05
    FLM 05
    GNR 05
    New York 05

    So as you can see,plenty to keep me going for a while!!!!
  • I'm hoping to do it next year, but I didn't realise you could enter this early. I did it this year through a club place, so will they send me an entry form direct, and if so, when, or do I need to track down one?
  • Nice to see the thread taking off! Hello everyone and hope you had a good Bank Holiday weekend. I was quite good and managed a swim on Saturday and a 5X 3min run, 1 min walk session on the grass on Monday. Knee's a bit sore today so I'll be walking part of the way home to counteract it stiffening up on the bus. I'm hoping to do another run this week to start building up the distance.

    Fraggle, I live in London so would definitely be up for a social event, provided it's within reach of Public Transport!

    Hello again LizzyB. Knee hasn't been completely sorted. Physio reckoned it was a combination of under-developed quads and inflexible hip flexors that's my problem. I've been doing some stretching and strengthening stuff but although I'm more flexible and my quads are stronger I don't think it's fixed yet. Not sure if I just need to persevere (and learn some patience!) or if I need to try something else. Have my referral back to the Orthopedic Doctor on Monday so I'll see what they say.

    Mick the Mackum - that's a lot of races! I feel tired just looking at them...

    Fishy, we're only entering this early because we deferred from FLM04. So we're unlucky that we didn't get to do it, but lucky in that we don't have to go through the trauma of the ballot! Not sure if you'll get the magazine direct from a club place. They come out in August so if you don't get one you should find it in most sports shop - even JJB etc!

    Anyway, good training everyone.

    319 days to go!
    :-)
  • Little Nemo-Hello matey,good to see you digging in and trying to get over your troubles.We wish you all the very best and a speedy recovery.

    The reason I want to do all those runs is because everyone is a little goal to aim for and it helps me to remain interested in running,plus I enjoy the large amounts of guinness afterwards!!!
  • Roll on August then - I'm looking forward to next year already!
  • Knee update! Went to see Orthopedic people on Monday and it's now been diagnosed as a cartilege problem :-(

    I now have to wait a few months for an MRI scan but I can carry on running in the meantime. Suddenly 10-11 months doesn't seem very long at all to get it sorted!

    Not really been running much recently - too ill, too hot and an unexpectedly hectic social life. I've joined my work gym now so I'll try and do a session before the end of the week and then a swim and a light jog over the weekend.

    311 days to go!
    :-)
  • Have you have all done the FLM before?

    I'm hoping to do it next year. I'm new to the running game. Doign the Great South Run in October and then hopefully the marathon in 2005.

    I was looking for advice on the best way to get a place.

    Thanks
  • Hello OC. I haven't done FLM before so I'm probably a bit over-excited about doing it next year!

    You can apply by getting Marathon News magazine from sports shops in August. If you don't get through on the ballot you could always consider a charity place. It's a guaranteed entry but you do have to raise a lot of money in return. Last year I think the amounts varied between £800 and £1500 depending on which charity you chose. Or if you belong to a running club some of these get automatic places.

    Of course there are lots of other marathons apart from FLM. Most of them are cheaper and you won't have to rely on chance to get a place. One man's meat etc.

    Good luck in GSR!
    :-)
  • Well I have survived my first gym session! Managed 10 mins. each on treadmill, bike and elliptical thingy. This last one felt v. strange, at one point I was using it in reverse! Then did a few resistance machines. Not quite sure about what weight to use so I went for v. light ones. Think I did OK with most of them except one of the leg machines. Sat on it for several mins. trying to work out where the various bits went but just couldn't work it out. So I had to give up and pretend I didn't want to use it really anyway. Knee's a bit stiff today but hopefully won't get any worse.

    Next time I'll be trying the rowing machine, provided I can find one that isn't being rowed to death by big sweaty men!

    Managed my swim and run over the weekend as well so feeling quite chuffed now.

    303 days to go!
    :-)
  • NEW SHOES!!!

    Just been off to Run&Become and I'm now a proud owner of a shiney new pair of Saucony Grid Stabilty MC trainers. They sound v. technical!

    Will be giving them their first try-out in the gym this evening and then their first outdoors trial on Sunday over the Scrubs.

    Knee still a bit up and down. Felt OK most of the week and then a lot worse yesterday for no real reason. It's better again today so hopefully it will be well behaved for the weekend and let me do some exercise.

    I've decided to set myself a short-term challenge so I'm hoping to be able to run (well, plod really!) in July's Hyde Park 5K. I've got a pretty bad PB of around 34 mins. but I think I'l just aim to get round gently in one piece.

    Happy training everyone.
    295 days to go!
    :-)
  • Hi all. Got a snotty sinus headache inducing cold at the moment so feeling a bit crap! Went out for a very easy (ie slow!) 4 mile run in the week and really enjoyed it - hopefully this is the sign that my running mojo is returning!
    Next event - Windsor Half in September, though I might try and fit in a shorter race or two in between then if I can. (my Dad's unwell at the moment so he takes priority right now)

    When the cheque's cashed I be sorting out the charity I'm going to run for, and then I'll feel lkie it's all going to happen!
  • Had a crappy weekend. Ended up staying really late on Friday to finish something off. My own fault, shouldn't have left it to the last minute when typically it all went wrong. So no gym on Fiday and no activity on Saturday at all. Managed to drag myself out for a walk/run session with new shoes but they feel a bit odd. Hopefully this is just me getting used to them and not a major problem. Oh well, hopefully this week will be better!

    Hope you're feeling better soon Fraggle, and your Dad.

    292 days to go!
    :-|
  • Well a really nightmare couple of weeks with too much work. Today is my 7th day in a row and I'm doing mainly 12 hours shifts. Absolutely exhausted and no running or swimmimg for about 2 weeks so far. Did manage a gym session about 10 days ago but it's not really enough is it? Got another 2 weeks like this and then hopefully I can get back to my normal routine. On the plus side my knee's not been too bad even though I haven't been doing my Physio exercises most days - lazy ginger kitten.

    Anyway, enough moaning! There's still lots of time to go and at least it's not happening just before the race. And when I get all my overtime I'll have a nice pay packet to splurge with. Maybe I can finally treat myself to one of those distance time thingummies...

    Hope everyone's training is going better than mine!

    273 days to go!
    :-)
  • Just joining in.
    I too deferred this year due to bad knee. So far up to 4.5 miles and aiming for the London 10k this Sunday. It will be the furthest I have run since March.

    I am aiming for a few races to make me go out and train, e.g. Cabbage Patch 10 in Oct, Marlow half marathon in Nov.

    Anyone else doing this too? I find if I have a race plan it makes me train, otherwise I get too lazy :-)
  • Yahhayy!
    Did the 10k yesterday with no knee problems!!
    I am well pleased :-)
    Hope to keep running about twice a week for the next few weeks to keep this going.
    Hopefully start increasing miles in Sept, up to about 7 or 8 miles at that point.

    How is everyone else doing?
  • Well done AndyP and welcome to the thread!

    I'm not really doing anything at the moment but I'm hoping to get started again tomorrow. Just come to the end of some mad overtime: 6 days a week, 10 hours plus a day :-( for the last 4 weeks!!! Gave up all exercise, even the physio ones I'm supposed to do to keep my knee problems at bay. Managed to get 2 days off (starting tomorrow - hooray!) to recover so I'm aiming to go swimming once and running once to get back in the habit of exercising.

    Hoping to do a 5K at the end of August and a 10K whenever the RunLondon one is organised for.

    Hope you're all training harder than me!

    257 days to go!
    :-)
  • Advice please.....

    Just picked up my copy of Marathon news, complete with FLM entry form!

    Really would like to do it and honestly don't care about what time I do it in.

    My question is this - What is the minimum training I can do and still manage to get round in a respectable time (under 5 hours). I have run 10K several times, averaging 60 mins, and do 5K in 28mins. I work as a sports teacher so am active all day, play hockey 3 times a week and tennis once, in addition to swimming and cycling.

    What should I be doing if I decide to enter in order to supplement my current exercise levels and do it in a fair time??
  • Hi EP
    Long time no "speak". Hope you are well.

    Little Nemo -
    make the most of the 2 days, you will feel better for it! It sounds like a good idea to do a swim and then a run. I went swimming one lunchtime per week when I couldn't run and the benefits were amazing.
    Keep on keeping on..............
  • Yep - cross-training is great, just take it from all us triathletes over on the tri thread. It all helps to make you stronger and fitter. When you get to January, you will need to concentrate on more and longer running, but for now just working on all-round fitness will do it.
    Most of us tend to do some swimming, some biking, some running, and the odd weights session all through the winter months, then bump up the training in the weeks and months before a big race. So if you work on your strength and fitness until Christmas and then start steadily increasing your mileage, yo should be o.k.
  • Hello everyone on this thread,

    I did FLM last year - my one and only marathon - and am hoping (after two years ballot rejection) to get a place without a Gold Bond.

    As a fat bloke and first time marathoner, I think anyone who is training for the FLM now, especially anyone on the unfit/chubby/injured/'big-bones, honest...' side, should just enjoy getting fitter up until they find out that they definately have a place.

    I ran the marathon at 15 stone, but as a second-row forward, I have never been much below that in the last 10 years. For the marathon though, I wish I had got my weight down to, at the most, 14 stone - I think that if I had just enjoyed some aerobic training of a mixed and varied sort from summer to December (and watched my eating,) from December onwards training would have been a lot easier than it was, especially on my knees and hip joints!

    In summary - just enjoy getting fit at this stage. There will be plenty of time from November onwards to worry about the marathon. If you start too soon, you'll just get bogged down and disheartened in January or February - just when you need to be making real progress!
  • Hey Octopus,

    From one 2nd row to another, I know what you mean.... rugby is one hell of a different sport to marathon running!

    I've jsut sent off my 1st application for FLM, do you have any advice for me?

    At the moment I'm doing pre-session rugby training, 1 speed session, 1 tempo paced (40 mins at 70-80%) run and a slow long distance per week (at the moment I'm doing about 10 miles but am slowly increasing that).

    Do you have any tips from doing your marathon, any training that you found effective to combine the sports rather than having seperate sessions?? (think eat and drink training at the moment!!)

    If anyone has any advice for me I'll gladly hear it! THANKS!

  • Ruth - not much to offer further to the above. I was always aware (as a big bloke) of trying to run on different surfaces. I kept largely to the treadmill or trail, 'coz it reduced the impact on the joints, but clearly it's important to remember that London is a road race!!

    To be honest, the rugby had to take second place to the FLM training - you just can't do a 15 miler the day after packing down against some big geezers from Bridgewater - I defy you to prove me wrong!!

    Still, I think that the effort was worth it.
    Good luck!
  • Thanks my eight legged friend!

    I'm hoping to do both but am going to have to tailer off towards Feb/Mar - good timing really as we only have 1 league match during that time!!

    Good luck for the season, no doubt we'll be swapping bruise trophy soon!
    Ruth
  • Boing
    Haven't contributed to this one for a while, but I'm starting to get back into the swing of things. kids go back to school in a couple of days which will help the training no end!

    I've sat down and planned which races I'll do in the FLM build-up, and done a week-by-week plan of what my longest run should be for that weeek, etc, so I feel lkie it's starting to go along the right tracks.

    My Dad had surgery 6 weeks ago, and starts radiotherapy treatment tomorrow, so things have settled down on the stress front too.
Sign In or Register to comment.