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Marathon of Britain - 6 days, 175 miles
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What I didn't count on is the amount of walking you'd end up doing. So anyone that contemplates this, get used to walking. A lot.
Don't take more than one pair of shoes, since all you're doing is giving yourself more to carry during the week.
Be prepared for your feet to feel like bloody stumps. Mine are still in abject misery.
The banter amongst runners is second to none. Would suggest every runner do something like this. ONCE ONLY!
Feel free to message me if you're after more info, but since I was one of the slower "runners" you may get a different viewpoint. (Definitely can recommend the Pasty shop in Warwick....)
Check out the Marathon of Britain website and forum it will give you all the information that you could possibly want and allow you to enter on-line as well!
If you're keen - then try the MoBlite that takes place in March, that should give you a taste for it.
With regards to training - obviously the mileage is the main thing, ie, as many miles as possible, but not too many that you become constantly injured. I normally would run at 30 - 40 mile week, but tried to do up to 60 miles + some weeks (depending on injury)
I think the most important part is to do a couple of long runs on consecutive days, to get your mind as well as your body prepared for the ordeal. If/when I do this again, I will do more of these long runs. I run and cycle to and from work (I have parks along the way to lengthen the run if need be) and run with a back pack. But I would never recommend running with the full weight of the back pack more than a couple of times, as it really is heavy, and will alter your running style, making you prone to injury.
I just used my normal trainers (only one pair, which are now in the bin!) and ate copious amounts of jelly babies and wine gums along the way (I didn't partake in pasty eating!) I had LOADS of porridge and toast for breakfast - you don't run as fast as normal, so it is doesn't bounce on your stomach as much, and really does help to keep the energy levels up.
The best preparation though is to go with a positive mind, and tell yourself that whenever you feel like giving up, don't! The finish line is far too great a feeling.
(also, get a compass and practice navigation!)
MoBlite - what and where is this, please?
Find out more at www.marathonofbritain.com
Anyone else getting the scary idea that I might be mad enough to have a go next year?? OMG!!
I lost an hour and half on the first day getting lost.
Navigation, especially when tired is hard. My tip is to do what Mike did with Heidi. Get someone else to navigate.
You have to stop a lot. Take compass bearings and then set off.
You will still get lost.
I found on MOB26.2 (the one-day version of MOB) that the two times I got lost were when I had 'switched off' - the way on the map looked obvious (in one case it followed the Cotswold Way) - and I relaxed too much. I well remember coming over the brow of a hill to see a church tower just where I expected it - only it was the wrong one, half a mile to the south of where I should have been!
Thats nice
I've been in touch with Rory and I've put my name for MOB 2005. My wife thinks I am insane and she is probably right! Perhaps that is one of the entry requirements?
Anyway.. I've been inspired and gripped by the stories and wonderful achievements of everyone who took part, not forgetting those behind the scenes in the support team. I will be 40 next year and this will be a suitable challenge to prove to myself that I'm not dead just yet....
Having not yet done one marathon, the prospect of running/walking at least 175 miles (and probably more if the navigation is a bit squiffy) is somewhat daunting... but, there is a year of preparation and I'm going to have a go. Anyone want to join me in this mad journey?
Eeekk....!
no
For me, its a 24 hour track race
then GUC
and then i might see
Plodding hippo, I did the GUCR this year - lots of rain but fantastic, thankfully I don't need to do the 24 hr track race on the 9th October but will be supporting a couple of friends so see you there.
Going to try and be "invited" to run the Badwater Ultra next year, but chances are probably quite small as they only seem to ask 5 people from the UK - better make myself look amazing - could be quite a challenge!!!!
YRM see you in the Himmies!!
24 hour race is next year
the hippo isnt ready yet
Part of me wants to do Badwater but the other part remembers how bad I am in the heat, eg last weeks Boddington 50k when I was more than an hour slower than my pb
see you on the 9th -
I reckon I'll need a year to get ready and I won't get the motivation to train until I enter so I'd better get on the phone to Mr Coleman.
So.. those who did it this year.. how are you feeling today, one week later? Recovered yet? Ever want to run again?
I hope those tired muscles are healing...
Yes, the muscles have returned to normal, blisters healing nicely, and the feet back to normal size! I fear that I will be joining you next year again too! It is funny how quickly you forget the pain...
Happy training.
After a week of Jesus Sandals, I think I'm going to stick proper shoes on.
Well done for entering, you’ll have a full year to curse that decision :-)
Thanks for enquiring as to how we are feeling post-event. I am in rude health, I only suffered one small blister and a bit of soreness in the legs, although I have been very tired. Did a ten mile run on Sunday to shake the legs out and have been for a couple of short runs since. Looking at the MoB website though it would appear that two other competitors are still in hospital. One of them is Selina, so it shows that there isn’t any natural justice in this event!
Heidi: I can’t believe what I have just read. I recall you vowing not only never to do the event again, but also never to run next to a canal ever again, ever, ever. I hope you won’t be needing my navigational skills to get you round :-)
James: Congratulations on the shoes, definite progress.
Well you are one of the "lucky" ones that actually got to see my Middle Earth feet.
Are you thinking of divorce as a way out, or are you actually running next year?
James.
Can I just share with everyone, that Mike's so called 'blister' was actually nothing more than a tiny piece of hard skin, I laughed so much when he queued up at the Doc's next to people with so much tape on their feet you couldn't see any skin! Ah, bless!
Best wishes to Yogi and Selina.
for gods sake, why?
Heidi: Thanks for the ongoing sympathy – my blister certainly smarted a bit and required syringing, even if it didn’t qualify for a plaster. Ducati man - beware, I had six days of torment for being the lone southern jesse amongst a hoard of tough northern types who dismissed the soles of their feet peeling off as “nothing but a scratch”.