FLM Virgin

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  • Rio, is it correct that you shouldn't mix the gels and the sports drinks? can't remember where i read that now. just want to start practising with everything now - i can do lucozade lemon but i only take a 500ml bottle with me on lsr and that lasts 2hrs - am i not drinking enough? also on shorter runs (5 miles and less) should i just stick to water?

    tempted now to take a toilet roll strung round my waist!!
  • Yes Pinks you are right not to mix sports drinks and energy gels because they are basically the same thing. You can take a sports drink - you wont need water but you need to be sure that you have the correct concentration to get enough carbohydrate. It is easier (and lighter) to take gels (as water is supplied)

    I dont drink much when I am running either but I do make sure that I am well hydrated before I go out and replace fluid as soon as I get home. You do need to take the energy gels with a good couple of mouthfuls of water to ensure they are absorbed though.

    I dont take anything with me when I run for less than an hour. But that is because I have found I dont need it. It may be different for you.
  • You mentioned honey in sachets...not sure if i could just glug it down but i do love honey so it might be worth a try - any idea where i get it in schets to give it a go?

    this is all so confusing!

    Rio, got my number and everything for the Brighton half a week on sunday which is so exciting - i am number 3344 which is a nice number! did 13 on lsr last weekend instead of 12 and this week should be 13 and next week 10. should i just swap the next two weekends round so i do 10 this weekend and then take it a bit slower next week in the lead up to the race?
  • My local health food shop has them. I haven't tried them myself but they are another option.


    You will do just great Pinks. Go and enjoy the experience dont put any real pressure on yourself just get a feel of what it is like running with lots of other people!
    You are certainly getting the hang of shuffling your schedule around now. That sounds about right. What you do on the week before depends on whether you want to race the half or use it as a training run. Racing takes more out of you than a training run so you will need to have a couple of days off before and a slow day or two after
  • Hi All

    I have been following this thread for some weeks, I've really enjoyed your chats and Rio your words of wisdom are really useful for a virgin marathon runner like myself. Its also great to hear that all you first time FLM runners have all the same dilemmas and queries as myself. Thanks

    I have been running about a year, and am doing about 4 sessions a week, including the adidas runs which are great. Longest training run todate was 12 miles last weekend which I did in two hours. Have also entered the Brighton and Reading Half marathons which im really excited about.

    One thing that is concerning me is what to wear on the big day. At moment i wear running trousers and a cotton vest (not very proffesional gear but todate had no problem in them) Was wandering what most people wear for FLM, does everyone wear shorts? Have also contemplated some sort of fancy dress as figure only plan on doing this once so want to get most fun out of the day as possible, but is it unrealistic to get a good time and be dressed up???
  • that's really helpful thanks. if i did decide to race rather than use as training run, should i still start off at usual pace and then speed up in say second half or just up the pace a bit from the beginning? think iw ill decide my plan on the day depending on how i feel and weather etc but i just want to have a plan a and plan b before then (think john bingham suggests 3 plans!)
  • Fenn
    you will see people wearing alsorts when running on the big day. but for comfort it is worth investing in some breathable kit! Not everyone wears shorts! It depends on the weather really - last year would have been too hot for anything else. The year before I would have preferred to wear them although that said at least wet legs weigh no more than dry ones!!!
    You can do a good time wearing fancy dress but do be sure that you know it isn't going to rub/get too hot/ weigh too much if it gets wet!!! That said I will be wearing a tutu covered in Mr Men figures and carrying Mr Tickle and Mr Bump. Train with it to see if it affects you - or try one of your halfs wearing it?


    Pinks always start a race slow so that you can feel how it is going for you. you can always speed up and the confidence you gain from being able to do that is tremendous. I dont have plans just take each race as it comes and go to enjoy the day and finish the race feeling as good as possible
  • Hi Fenn, i'm doing Brighton too so see you there. are you running for charity ie will you be wearing a charity vest for Brighton? i am running for the Stroke Association which is a black vest with lime green and white writing on front and back. number for Brighton is 3344. are you following the Hal Higdon novice plan? you are really fast!

    Lazer, are you ok? sounds like you have been very poorly - do take it easy won't you and yes have missed your nutty posts!
  • Got all my Brighton stuff through last night, which is all very exciting! When started running too lose weight, never thought i would really enjoy it as much as i do... have found training for something is such a good motivator!

    As for training programmes Im using Hal Higdon novice plan and the FLM intermediate training programme but only as guidance.
    At moment i do a long run at weekends and then then three mid week runs, one of which i try to do as speed work (that session kills me). Would ideally like to add a recovery run in the day after my long run, but that hasnt happened yet!!

    Rio love the Tutu stuff, why the Mr Men theme? Its a great idea.

    i really want to dress up but cant think of something orginal and comfortable... its very tricky.... have you been wearing costume in your long runs or will you save it for nearer the time???
  • Fen the Mr Men are the logo for the Children With Leukaemia charity that I run for. I have run in the skirt for another fun run I did and have used the Mr Men character things before so I know they are ok. As it is not particlularly heavy or anything I didnt train in it all together intil race day but knew the component parts were ok. I did train in the charity t shirt though just to be sure it didnt rub (it is bright yellow and blue with pictures of Mr Men on it so I sure stood out!!)
  • Ahh the green things in your picture are Mr Men Charcters, so you have fancy dressed before! Would you recomend putting the extra effort in to dress up, does it add to the day? Crowd Support?
  • It does add fun to the day. I was called the Mr Men lady by kids all the way round which was lovely. But as long as you have your name in big bold letters you will get support from the crowd.

    Also remember that what you are dressed in will be forever immortalised in your race photos so be sure you are happy with it!!!!
  • can anyone help me with trying to add my photo to my profile. i followed the instructions but there isn't an upload button i can see!

    Rio are the mr men characters attached to your hair??
  • good point!

    Thats probably why you were able to spot yourself on Tv coverage past two years, i dont know if im ready for national coverage when going to be looking so knackered, i get enough stick form neighbours telling me how tired i look after my LSR!
  • Neighbours, friends and relatives are all bad news when training. Its a bit like being on a diet successfully! You lose a bit of weight and they tell you you are looking ill!! Its just jealousy!!
    I always try to sprint up the last 100 metres or so so I finish looking really good. Its great psychologically as you are preparing your body and mind for the finish line burst and will give the neighbours something to think about!
  • Thats exactly the approach i take.. and typically my dad tells me im running too fast.. i guess you cant win!
  • No but you know what you are doing so just do it anyway. Your dad is just looking after his little girl. At least they care! My parents have showed next to no interest in my running although they are beginning to ask how I got on when I have done a race. They think I am completely insane!!
  • being insane is great and perhaps a necessary quality!

    I am so impressed reading all the threads and am in ore of all these mums and dads that have found the time to train, im single and with very few commitments and still find training hard to fit in my lifestlye. So hats off to all those out there with families, homes and jobs to run as well as getting out and training.

    Up until recently was very shy about running as dont have a typical runners build and its only since recently achieveing LSRs that beileve i can do it. I have now started telling work people, friends and family that im running in the FLM.

  • Fen are you training by yourself? that is really tough I have done it so I know. It is much easier in a group
  • its amazing the eaction you get from 'non-runners' isn't it. the most common response i get from the 'negatives' is 'what on earth do you want to do that for?'and the only thing i can think of to reply is'because i can'.

    actually partly dreading doing the Brighton half as that is where mother in law is and she ALWAYS knows better than me and will challenge me on any little snippet of info. she even keeps nagging me to promise her that i'll stop if i don't feel i can do it...i think she wants me to fail!!

    oops. so sorry for the rant there everyone!

    fortunately hubby and kids ae being great - my daughter desperately wanted to do it with me but is not 18 until August. My 19 yr old son is a bit scared after the deaths in the GNR but is still supportive.

    the most difficult thing i find is people asking about times for everything from LSr to predicted times for various races etc. it does my head in!!
  • Train on own, except for Wednesdays when i go to adidas runs, which great fun

    I have a mate who lives in Devon who is running the halfs and in FLM with me, although dont train together its still good motivation.

    Have looked for groups in local area but they start to early in the evening and im still at work. Todate am enjoying the long runs as tend to get up at 8:00am and get them over with. The sence of achievement of a long run is much better than the thought of having to do one...:-)

  • That is the best answer you can give Pinks. I usually add because I was told that i couldn't but found that I can.

    And yes people do want you to fail - especially if you have before!

    My OH is great too and so are my boys. The older one did the Cardiff half with me last year and the younger one has done a couple of 5ks in very good times so they understand what is involved and how hard it is to train for something like the marathon. They are the only ones that you need on your side. Everyone else is just jealous!
  • I get a mixed reaction from non runners especially as im usually the first to the tea( biscuit/cake)trolley and first to the pub on a friday.

    You must be a great inspriation for your children have megga respect.. i hope they are being extra helpful around the house so you can really appreciate your rest days...

    As for times, some threads on hear scare the hell out of me, thats why i liked this one, beacuse it didnt seem too concerned with times.... think most important thing to rememeber is that everyone has to run there own personal race
  • Hello all,

    Thought I'd join this thread as it is my first FLM and first mara, so I could use the support - my friends are all wonderful but none of them run so don't really understand.

    I'm doing my first proper long run today (Sundays are no good for me) - how long/far should you be runing before you start to need to use gels? I will be run/walking for 2hrs and was planning to have a sports drink and some water to hand. but should I use a gel?
  • My gels etc just arrived...i only ordered them yesterday!!! Rio, you are right, they are not gloopy at all - i am so pleased! just tried the citrus blast gel to see if i liked it and it was lovely!! there are also some energy gel+ in the pack too - i guess they are an extra boost? what would be better for the daY? also a few bars and powders to make drinks. do you just use them on lsr or other runs too - think i might try one of the bars about 30-60 mins before i run home tonight. at least now i can try everything out before Brighton and order some more after that. what are the gel belts like, do you know - can you get anything else like tissues phone etc in them?
  • fenster...i dont remember seeing any nurses uniforms on the wednesday runs!!!
    you doing it tomorrow? what pace you running?
    am booked on the 6pm 6 miler
  • Hey Cas - how did you feel after your lsr on saturday? i still feel sore today! are you doing 3 miler today or are you already done?

    Rio, have you looked at any of the supplements on that High5 site and do you recommend anything? i feel like i 'need' something!

    welcome Jog jog jog (is JJJ ok as it is much shorter!)- i know what you mean about friends not understanding especially when you get into all the technical stuff - even my OH seems to fade when i start on that stuff! That is what is just so fantastic about this forum and particularly this thread and everyone on it...i'm sure if it wasn't for this i would have given up by now!
  • Cas: Yeah im doing the 6pm 6miler tomorrow too. Dont really know my time on adidas runs because they include the warm up and warm down bit as the six miles but would guess i do 9min miles.

    Alas nurses outfit is in wash so will probably be wearing bright green fleece top.
  • Pinks how much stretching are you doing before and more importantly after run. I find that if i dont do proper warm down or enough stetching i am in more pain after long runs
  • Hi everyone, I am slowly learning how to use this website and am enjoying reading what everyone has to say as it makes me realise I am not a nut after all and there is nothing wrong with wanting to run 26.2miles around london as most of my friends and family would have me believe!!!!!!!. Good luck to all of you on the day. Could I as however what techniques people have to improve their breathing technique as mine is rubbish.
    Many thanks Sharon
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