People keep telling me to give up!!!

I entered the London marathon on behalf of scope to help out and raise money for a great charity and also to drive me on to get a good level of fitness. I got accepted in November!! So since then have built up from couch to two miles, it has been difficult due to work constraints and weather. I have also started a Zumba class weekly and have a trainer for cardio and general fitness once a week. I feel a lot healthier, but know I still have a long way to go. Time is not important to me in the VLM but destination is. As I am only at two miles, certain people are saying I should give up as they are worried about me!! This is starting to make me doubt myself. I really am so determined to finish this if I have to I will walk all the way. As I am only running two miles, do h think I should pull out?
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Comments

  • No one can answer that more than  yourself Jo

    Look at why having started in November you are at the 2 mile stage now and then look forwards to see where you are likely to be come April given the constraints that you have had, will these change, will you change?

    If you want something enough then you will find ways to do it, only you can answer that.

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    If you are only running two miles at the moment, you have a lot of work to do in less than three months.

    Do you have some sort of training schedule?  How many times a week are you running?  You may need to swap some of your other activities for runs, if time is tight.

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    If the worst comes to the worst and you decide not to do it this year, you can defer your place to 2014, train throughout the year and have a good go at the marathon next year.

  • How are you doing your 2 miles? are you going too fast? Can you slow down ( even walk/run) and push up the distance that way? You do really need to get more distance under your belt, soon, or you won't manage. Good luck!

  • Sorry but I don't think you will be ready in time. A Friend of mine who had an injury did a run walk last year and it took her over 6 hours and she had done a lot of training. Although you are doing fitness and Zumba there is no substitute for actual running and time on your feet. 

    Most peeps who are training for London are up to 15/18 mile runs at this stage.

    Good luck.

     

     

  • Hi Jo

     

    Just wondered why you are stuck at 2 miles 3 months later?Even a run/walk should have you doing a lot more than 2 miles by now.Theres only 2 and a half months before VLM which isn't leaving much time to ideally get up to 16-18 miles.

    However I suggest you look up run/walk training plans as having something structured to follow is so much easier even though you have to juggle work/weather constraints which we all have to.

     

    I note you have a trainer as perhaps have a word with him/her as they have a good knowledge of your general fitness.Perhaps they could structure your cardio work towards running ie on a treadmill.

    I'm doing VLM and longest run so far is 11 miles and i would like ideally to be doing 13 by now but am following a very basic beginners plan and happy with building up very slowly.

     

    Really good luck.I'm also running for a charity so I know how you feel in not wanting to let yourself and your charity down.But you want to enjoy it and not get injured.

    Time to seriously go for it ie follow a plan and build up some mileage or defer until next year.

     

    good luckimage

     

     

  • Bin the zumba unless you're planning to dance your way round 26.2 miles.



    It's a bloody long way. I'd think about deferring but rather than pack in altogether - get a 10k booked in in may or so. That would be more realistic for you and show you what you have to do. Then a half in the summer. And another later on in the year. Keep up the running so that for next year you're in a good position.
  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    So up to two miles after 3 months.

    So 26 divided by 2 multipled by 3 = VLM 2016!

    Much more sensible.

    🙂

  • I know lots of people do it but, in all honesty, I've never thought 0-marathon was a good idea anyway and if you are only at 2 miles now you will have to walk pretty much all the way on race day.  And walking 26 miles is hard and will take you a very long time.

    Personally I wouldn't do it. I'd strongly consider informing your charity, keeping building up your running distance and ask of they can give you a place next year instead. 

    Cougie's advice to ditch the Zumba is sound, to be a runner, you have to run, it's as simple as that and you should be doing that at least 3 times a week.

  • At the end of the day as long as you can get round, that's all that matters. You need to focus on running rather than other excercise. You are not going to get a good time but then Balls walked it in nearly six hours.
  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭
    David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

    I know why this forum is considered a friendly one ..... if i put what I really thought I would be considered mean. But not being funny 3 months even with weather, work etc .... you really should be further on. I know its nicey nice to get people say 'Oh youre doing well, but its tough with work etc' ...... but sometimes you need to man up and just get on with it.

    I think you should give up for this year and if Im being totally honest, I wouldnt even defer till next year. Its pretty obvious you will never really have the commitment to make a half decent effort so there isnt really much point defering it another year. Do you really think if you did defer, you'd would be out and about every other day as a minimum, pounding the pavement?

    Once a week 'cardio' just doesnt cut the mustard Im afraid, and don't get me started on people who hire personal trainers (pet peeve of mine - personal trainer = 'I need a babysitter in the gym' - but maybe thats just me).

    I know what Im saying may come across as mean, but Im being critical of your attitude and commitment to the VLM, not necessarily to you as a person. Im sure youre a perfectly nice person, however the fact of the matter is that not only are you behind already, but your current training regime shows that you've not really researched what sort of training you need to do for a marathon.

    Also have you told your trainer you are doing a marathon ...... if he's kept quiet and not told you how awful your current program is for such an event then I can only think he's more concerned about not losing you as a client rather than tell you what you need to hear.

    As you can tell, Im not the sort of person who's going to piss in your glass and then tell you its champagne. I will tell you exactly how it is, and really you should appreciate my comments more than someone who blows sunshine up your a..e even when the reality of the situation is vastly different.

    (and again, try to take what Ive said as NOT a personal attack on you, it is an attack on your attitude and current training, however im sure youre a perfectly nice person in every other aspect. sometimes people have trouble seperating out criticism when they get it)

     

     

    You rotter!

    🙂

  • David's bang on. Your programme is either non-existent, completely wrong, or you've put nowhere near the effort required in. Quit, and let sometimes who's worked for a place take it.
  • The OP should know that David has a problem with never having got into the VLM and somehow thinks that he is more deserving of a place than anyone else. I'm not saying his opinion isn't valid on some points but I am saying she should bear that in mind when reading his post. 

    Anyway who's to say that the OP "will never really have the commitment to make a half decent effort"? Perhaps this is the point where she realises what the commitment needs to be and steps up to the challenge.

    Hardly anyone has said "go ahead and do it", they have said "no, you're not ready". You can be realistic without being insulting. 

    And KK - I don't know what you're referring to but your advice on this thread was certainy not bitchy.

     

  • XX1XX1 ✭✭✭
    Screamapillar -- There aren't any Guardian journalists on this thread image
  • Jo - i'm not saying , do or dont - but i think you should consider ( most of whats written above ) the runners are the only people who can advise  you - Firstly - those who have completed marathons, and then - those who have not - to a degree - , but have tried say 20 miles and found its not for them - will be able to tell you how they feel or felt on thier way to the distance - for 2013 - there's 11 weeks to go -  there's massive obstacles in your way - Marathons for a start are all on the day - even the worlds best or highly expereinced runners can come apart - it then takes decisions on route as to what do i do ?? - some of those decisions we get wrong and can be heart breaking even for us

    ok, your only out to finish, your on two miles ?? - you wont even know at that distance if you have the correct footwear for example, or if your going to blister badly or anything - chaffing - 

    your body will need to adjust, you may find pain in training on route, your body will need rest and re fuelling 

    you'll be on your feet all day, i'm not talking walking around the office all day- i 'm talking walking, running, streching out going into virtual no mans land - you wont even have the physcological strategy or mental stamina to use - as there's been no time to develop it

    consider - if you leave it for this time as said, you'll get over it, - if you get into the race on the day, and have to stop becuase of what ever, ( pain - like uve never imagined) you'll have a broken heart as many do

    as usual ther entries for London have gone in, by many with little or no idea what their letting themselves in for - some will never run again - some will but never marathon distance

    my advice to you is to train when ever you can until end March - then see where you are in every aspect - but its not just about physical miles -

    seriously, take care in life & good luck

    Mick 

  • so why is everyone answering so nicely when this has to be  a windup.........

     so Jo does power walking.and favourite races are 5k, 10k and then marathon.......

    if she/he can't go further than 2 miles then how on earth would you have your favourite race as a 5k.........

    also a power walker  would be able to combine running with walking to travel more than 2 miles.........

    yes someone can train for a marathon in a few months to be able to walk it,......but then they could probably go out and run a 10k just from natural fitness.....

    someone who after 3 months still can't run or run/walk more than 2 miles it going to suffer big time as tgheir natural fitness must be very basic

  • I personally would defer if that is an option via the charity - I would also ditch the personal trainer because to get up to 2 miles in 3 months is just not good enough -

  • Err why only 2 miles in 3 months? Only you can answer that sensibly, and if you are willing to put the work in and accept you aren't going to run it but walk it with bursts of running...



    You are allowed longer than most other marathons!! But frankly why 2m in 3 months if it means so much?
  • Guess so, hadn't realised this was their first post. Oh well!
  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    I say give up. If you can only be bothered to get up to 2 miles in 3 months what will make you put in any more effort over the next 3.

    Why did you bother entering the race in the first place?

    As David says above you have taken a place away from someone else who would actually put the blood sweat and tears into training to the required level. Places in London are very hard to come by so I can see why it will get many people annoyed.

    Anyone can run a marathon but you need to put the hard work in.
  • Jo - You only have to manage each mile in just under 19 minutes to beat the cut off and get your medal. Eight and a bit hours on you feet for a life time of glory is well worth it.

    Go for it! 

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