VLM: we want to hear from you!

Congratulations on completing this year's Virgin London Marathon!

Now that you've caught your breath, come and tell the world how your marathon went. We want to hear all about your marathon journey. Tell us:  

  • Your best moment (apart from the finish) 
  • Your worst moment
  • What surprised you most about the day
  • Your most memorable moment
  • What your goal was, and how your finishing time compared
  • And of course, how you celebrated!
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Comments

  • Because of course it is really the only marathon...............   image

  • great reports from llanelli marthon yesterday......image

  • David Falconer 3 wrote (see)

    Will you be starting a thread for the Neolithic in a couple of weeks time Annieimage

     

    I think you've started that one already David.  Bet the results site goes down on the day as forumites check a few times.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    what surprised me most about the day was getting two individually-wrapped prunes in my goodie bag.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    well, apparently lots of people's bodies were a bit too regular, what with the unexpected heat and all.

  • stutyrstutyr ✭✭✭

    TBH, it took me a while to realise they were prunes, I thought they were condoms at first

  • literatin wrote (see)

    what surprised me most about the day was getting two individually-wrapped prunes in my goodie bag.

     

    stutyr wrote (see)

    TBH, it took me a while to realise they were prunes, I thought they were condoms at first

    Yes a strange addition to the goody bag

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    The pack of rice I'm the goody bag from the expo!

    Was very disappointed when I got back to the hotel and realised I'd lugged it round London for the day.
  • Mr BoatMr Boat ✭✭✭

    Nice tube of toothpaste instead of the London Pride and the prunes were a nice touch.

     

    Shite T shirt again as usual from Virgin. I could get the whole family in mine.

     

    Why bother with the goodie-bag at all; just bung  couple more quid in the charity bucket.

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭
    literatin wrote (see)

    what surprised me most about the day was getting two individually-wrapped prunes in my goodie bag.

    Oh yeah!  I was so busy getting wasted I've barely looked in the bag.

    *opens pistachios*

    I celebrated by eating and drinking loads of crap. Since yesterday evening I've had a curry, a large doner, and this plate of epic loveliness:

    https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/5275_10151623802614595_578275467_n.jpg

     

  • Mr BoatMr Boat ✭✭✭

    Is the green stuff in next to the beans the 'token' healthy bit?

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    I've just eaten one of the prunes. It was quite nice.

  • This was my first VLM and I was amazed at the support from the crowd all the way round.

    I ran in memory of my Son and carried this for 19 miles with my friend helping me out for 7 miles.

    /members/images/479335/gallery/london_baby.jpg

     

     

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭

    Ecky - fair effort!

    Mr Boat - The whole plate's full of goodness.  Bubble, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans... that's almost your 5-a-day!

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Phil, there's probably onion in those hash browns, that'd make it up to five.

  • Thanks Philpub. Was really happy with a time of 5.43 although am a bit achy today.

     

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Good work Phil. Since 1 pm yesterday I have refuelled with 2 pints of bitter, 6 pints of lager a curry and then a fried breakfast this morning. Now going work my way through the goody bag.
  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭

    Nice one.  Can't remember how many pints of Sam Smith's I had in the Chandos (many) but that was on top of a cider and an ESB and followed by a couple of bottles of something-or-other with the curry, and a pint of very strong IPA.  

    The pistachios went down a treat.  Not sure I could be arsed trying to make it down stairs again to get any shopping in, so it looks like pasta with mushrooms and garlic for dinner, and half a bottle of red left over from Saturday evening. 

  • I had a huge glass of red when I got in and it went straight to me head.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    I had three glasses of prosecco, three glasses of wine, a huge roast beef dinner and four scoops of ice cream. I ruined the refuelling effort a bit later on by having a salad, though.

  • Best moment was passing the mock up of a KFC sign my mates had put up. 

    Worst moment was the whole of the Docklands. Suffered badly. 

    Surprised by the sheer volume of supporters on the course. I've spectated a few times in the past, but you just don't realise it's that busy the whole way round. On a negative note (my only one) I was surprised how inconsiderate many runners were. Cutting across, stopping dead, throwing bottle at your feet etc...

    Most memorable moment was seeing my parents near mile 24. I don't think they've ever turned up for anything I've done before and they seem to really enjoy it. 

    Outside goal was 4hr. Had trained really well and at half way (a slowish 2:02) I felt great, but then crashed in Docklands. Really struggled and ended up with 4:33. 

    Big crowd of friends turned up to celebrate. I drank till closing (10 pints, which was sort of a side bet / part 2 of the day). Didn't feel tired, drunk or hungry at all. Didn't eat till lunch today!

     

     

     

     

  • ToroToro ✭✭✭

    Best Moment - Mile 25 to Finish.  I could relax and enjoy the moment. Amazing sights, Buckingham Palace is so big!

    Worst moment - after thinking at mile 15 there was "only 9 miles left" and realising at mile 16 i'd miscounted!

    Most memorable - overtaking man in thong!

    Goal - Sub 3, I put 2:55 on my entry and achieved 2:55 so not everyone liesimage

    Celebration - The Outlaw Ironman in July!  

  • Mr BoatMr Boat ✭✭✭

    Toro: do you mean the Welshman in the mankini complete with orange spray-on tan. I passed him at about 3 miles. Must have been chafing a bit by 20miles.

  • ToroToro ✭✭✭

    Sorry, yes the mankini.  I also passed him in early stages (5?) I ran 1:23 for 2:55.  We must have been close at some point (the start)!!!

  • ToroToro ✭✭✭

    Wearing "Royal Navy" and getting beaten by The Sailor was particularly grating!  

  • Best moment - The walk into the Blue start area. It gives all that training a real purpose.

    Worst moment - Some of the narrower roads on the Isle of Dogs, which couldn't handle the volume of people.

    What surprised me most about the day - the two individually wrapped prunes in the goody bag

    My most memorable moment - Being over taken by the Runners World sub 4:00 pacers

    My goal was sub 4:00, finish time 3:58:50

    Celebrated by taking my wife out to dinner for being so supportinve over the last six months.

  • my best moment, my husband actually seeing me outside our hotel

    my worst moment, quite a few, was going great guns up to ml 20 on track for sub 4.15 then the heat got to me and i was sick a couple of times unfortunatly over the shoes of one of the St Johns ambulance ladies (sorry) i made it over the finish line in 4.43.46 so dissapointed with myself but everbody else says it was ok, i'll get over it!

    i agree the t-shirt is crap

    the crowd was amazing a bit disconcerting at times just the sheer volume of people,i also agree about some of the runners etiquet, shoving pushing and lobbing water bottles anywhere, not sure yet whether i enjoyed it but am supposed to be doing edinburgh in may, we'll see!

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