a thread for all new runners who're doing VLM 2013.

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Comments

  • I am not the fastest of  runners.lol. I tend to run at 10 min mile pace over longer races although I can do between 8-9 on shorter runs. It all depends if my head is in the right place and if I have been on the pop the night before image.

  • well everyone's got their own pace. i just happen to be physically suited to distance running, being very tall and slim.

    i'm planning on cutting the pop quota after christmas, with a slight blip for my brother's stag and wedding in march.

  • I am not a natural runner and although I am a healthy weight now I do still tend to have to work really hard to be mediocre. I am happy though as its been life changing for me.

    As for the Pop, yeh I'm cutting it too after Christmas. image You have to make exceptions for weddings.

  • Morning all

    I thought I'd join the party - mince pie anyone?

    Not my first marathon or even VLM for that matter, but the pace sounds pretty good on here. I'm still hoping to go sub 4 hours (PB 4:09) and I do my LSR at around 10 m/m so I'm in good company.

    Ecky - I feel the same way about how hard I train to be not exactly speedy. It is all relative however, as I know people who would love to be as fast as me.  Btw Trev looks like a 4 hour marathoner to me.

  • Hi Fiona, I must admit I would be very pleased with 4.09 for a Marathon.

  • Fiona, mince pie would be lovely, thanks! Care for a glass of mulled wine to go with?



    I'm doing the VLM next year as my first marathon so will definitely follow this thread. Very excited but also very nervous!



    Training going OK - I started a plan 1 weeks ago (a couple of weeks early to allow for minor injuries, race recovery, etc.



    Hope everyone's training is going well.
  • so first marathon buddies, a quick question, especially for those new to running as well as marathons...

    what are you planning on doing after the big day? i only took up running as a means to an end (doing the marathon) but i've found i quite like it. i've thought about the GNR but apparently it's £50 which sounds like a complete rip off. i've also got a friend trying to talk me into a triathon which i'm quite tempted by. i think at the very least i'll keep up with a couple of runs a week.

  • My plan is to run a marathon, not become a marathon runner image . But, as I get into running, I can see real benefits and I'm enjoying it.

    So I'll wait until after the VLM to make any real judgements. Maybe the training will take too much time and detract from family stuff, maybe I'll get injuries from the training that I can't manage?

    It's got me thinking though image

     

  • nothing quite like running in the pouring rain to make you feel like a proper runner (or a misguided fool, depending on your perspective).

    time to get the kettle on i feel.

  • Got any Biccies for that cuppa?

  • actually we're down to the last two digestives. but Mrs Sofa is doing the christmas shop on her way home this evening so i dare say stocks will be replenished.

  • I will definitely carry on running after the marathon as have run for almost 2 years. Whether I do another marathon I think will depend on how this one goes and the time I do. I'll either vow never again or will want to get a better time. My aim is to get a GFA time at London which would mean I could run it again in 2014, but who knows?! But I have 10k races in the May and Sept so could focus on those.
  • Hi Slowkoala - what are the GFA times that get you a place in 2014?

  • They may change for 2014 but currently 3h50 for women 18-40 and 3h10 for men. Slower times for older ages - all the times are on the VLM website.
  • damn it, if i dressed as  woman, i might just about make that time.

    the "i'm never doing that again" thing can be misleading. i've got a friend who drunkenly agreed to do it as a bet 10 years ago and was too stubborn to back out the next morning. he generally lived on a diet of lager and kebabs at the time so you can imagine his fitness level. by the end he looked like he was about to die and vowed never to do it again. i think he's done it 4 times now.

    oddly enough, he still looks like he's about to die every time and still insists that he's never doing it again.

  • Im glad Mrs Sofa has gone to get more as you cant be a runner without bicciesimage

    I have Custard Creams if anyone is interested. Kids want me to open the Christmas Biccies.

    I dont reckon I have any chance of a GFA place as there is no way I will get under 4h. I only want to do it once anyway.

  • Sorry, can't help with the biccies, I'm waiting for OH to get back tomorrow to do the supermarket shop.

    I don't think there is a whole lot of chance I would get a GFA place either.

    I've been running a few years so I've no intentions of stopping.  It does become rather addictive. I think I'm going to concentrate on shorter stuff for a bit as marathon training does eat into your time quite a lot.

    PS if you are thinking about GNR then get onto their website to check when the ballot takes place. I think it is in January so you need to decide soon if you want to enter the ballot.  It is a fantastic race - I've done it several times, but pricey. It is indeed around £50 to enter, plus accomodation and what not.....

     

  • morning all, and happy new year. i hope christmas treated you all well and that you got lots of running in. lol...

    somehow i managed to do my full 29 miles of "shades" plan including leaving the missus in bed on christmas morning for a 5 mile tempo. madness.

    so, everyone set for the last, long push to april?

  • Happy New Year all - Xmas was a blowout as I was off skiing, but back now and running today to start the big push for April

    At least the weather looks decent for a runimageimage

     

  • we had 5 days in Cumbria and i somehow managed to almost entirely avoid the rain whilst running. and i bagged a bargain on a new set of trainers as well.

  • I promised myself a new set of running shoes for January, need to get a fitted pair and take advantage of the sales . I might visit the new London Sweatshop this week if work takes me there.

  • Happy New Year everyone. How is the training going. I started my plan yesterday. It wont be long now.

  • loving having a set plan to work to. 14 mile LSR this weekend will be my longest run yet.

    not looking forward to week 15 though...

  • What have you got on week 15?

    I have a 10 miler at the weekend which will be the longest I have run since Oct. I did 6 yesterday which was difficult as I had only been doing 3-4 milers.

  • off the top of my head, i think its about 42 miles in the week finishing with a 21 miler.

    blimey, that's a steep progress curve. watch you don't go too far too soon. about a 10% increase a week is the maximum recommended. although i reckon you could increase that by keeping the pace low.

  • A happy new year to you all. I was rubbish over the break and didn't even look at my trainers - bad boy.   So just back from a lunchtime 6 miler to find a HUGE cream cake on my desk as we have a birthday in the office today.    A cream cake is my kinda post run recovery nutrition !    

     

  • hell yeah. i've worked out that i'm due to burn roughly 83,000 extra calories in the next 16 weeks.

    that's a lot of carbs....

  • hmmmm CAKE, nutrition of champions !

  • I may drop a couple of the miles as it is a bit of a jump even though I was used to doing high mileage before Oct.

    Did someone say Cake image

  • Hello, everyone and happy new year!

    I'm a tiny bit disheartened. I went to the running shop today and the guy told me I've left it kinda late to start training - dude told me that most people take a year to train for their first marathon. image

    There's a shade over 15 weeks left, if I'm not mistaken, and I've started my 16 week plan. Running 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and LSR on Saturday (followed by a short swim), boxing on Thursday and cycling approximately 15 miles to work and college, Monday to Friday. Sundays I'll be taking a complete rest, no physical activity whatsoever. Tuesdays and Fridays there'll be no running. Might even forego the cycling some days and take public transport. I personally don't think that's too much, as I've seen other training plans that get people running 6 days a week, although some of these schedules look quite complicated so maybe I've misunderstood the schedules and the type of training/running involved.

    The dude reckons I'll have clocked up too much mileage by week 12 and that I might be feeling, sore, tight and tired by then. How much mileage do you guys plan to put in per week? At the moment the training plan I'm following has total miles per week as follows (I've adapted it to take into account some other challenges I'm taking part in):

    1. 12
    2. 13
    3. 14
    4. 19 (Tough Guy this week hence the jump in miles)
    5. 18
    6. 20
    7. 22
    8. 10 (London to Brighton Bike ride this week, hence taking it easy on running)
    9. 20
    10. 29
    11. 30
    12. 36
    13. 37 (Yorkshire Three Peaks this week)
    14. 18
    15. 16
    16. 34.2 - Marathon Week

    I'm not worried about not finishing the marathon, I'm worried about injuries. If I can avoid injuries I'll get over the finish line, by hook or by crook, insha-Allah - somebody owes me a kebab if I do and there's no better motivation to finish for me than that!

    Would love to hear from you guys.

     

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