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Thanks TT and good luck with shaking off the injuries. At least you'll be better off afterwards than if you _had_ raced a marathon.
Strangely Brown -- congrats on the big PB in Manchester. I would advocate more rest days than P&D (I typically had two a week, but commuting doubles on other days), to reduce the staleness. And longer long runs -- I did about 7 full (26M) or overdistance runs in this campaign, which is maybe a bit OTT, but hopefully makes all the difference in the critical last few miles of the race.
Bedders -- congratulations and commiserations, in possibly equal measure!
bainspj -- bad luck on the cold. I'm watching the wind forecast too... seems to have swung round to the NW, which is a bit better, and not too strong now.
Ryan -- put some water and salt on the contacts of the HRM before you set out. Otherwise it won't read properly until such time as you get a bit sweaty.
I ended my carb deplete yesterday evening with a normal baked spud meal. I'm also now adjusted to no caffeine. Perhaps as a result of both of those, I feel rather zingy today. It was another little taper tune-up before work with 1M w/u, 2M at just better than my target 5:45/M GPS pace, 0.5M home and a few form drills. The fast bit felt pretty relaxed, with a breath every 5 or 6 strides. Bring it on.
I predict Mo Farrah will possibly break the Marathon World Record or break 2 hours in the Marathon and make everyone eat their hat for ever doubting his success. All those who doubted his success will be green with envy.
Mo ignored my tap on the shoulder and encouraging "all best Mo" at last years start line, so I hope to cruise past him on the Embankment during his death march whilst I'm doing the Mobot (god I hate that thing) to my adoring fans, all 4 of them.
Oscar P getting a right grilling about a fan on the balcony. Possibly holes appearing in his story.
Lord Didsbury's foot is currently under a hot water bottle, slightly sore after a couple of miles this morning.
Just back from expo, nothing of interest, only freebie a Virgin sweat towel (just before the goody bags) out if you fill out a postcard.
Fingers & toes crossed LD.
Hopefully Mo can do better than last year's DNF.
Anyone know of a tracking app this year?
i've looked for a tracking app... cant find anything. I think it is pretty shoddy that VLM dont have one.
Of course, there is a tracker on the website... does anyone have any race-day experience of this? (My only VLM is experience comes from 18 years of BBC coverage).
bainspj: The tracker on the website update you with each runners splits every 5k. I used it last year when I was spectating, it's pretty decent, obviously not quite as quick as you would like given the numbers involved
Just back from Expo myself. Couldn't even be bothered trying to find Fuller's for some free beer. Very brief visit. One or two sales signs caught my eye and there appear to be some bargain shoes on offer here and there. Adidas Boston for 40 quid, that sort of thing.
My flag harness is massive. Very Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle!
Cheers CW. I'd have preferred to have had the pain myself.
A friend sent me this freebie for VLM finishers, good news for burger fans. Just don't flog that medal too quickly
http://www.hotukdeals.com/freebies/free-gbk-burger-bottle-prosecco-for-london-marathon-2014-finishers-1874851
As much as I bigged up Mo earlier, his record is soiled by the defeat to me last April, he's never going to be abel to wipe that either !
Got my number ! Still no fridge magnet in the goody bag, no can of beer either, or sachet of salt etc.............had my sore hammy massaged and bought some gels, cant be bothered with checking weather forecasts, I feel assuerd that I can leave my cap, base layer and gloves at home.
So I couldnt get another pair of Saucony's version 9 of the shoe I use a while ago, so bought some 10s, they beat my toes up on long runs, and I bought an emergency pair a 1/2 size bigger, but due to the cushioning being in a different place on a bigger shoe, I now have feet that are slow to adjust to the change and ache all of the time like I've been standing all day. I told the Saucony fella at the expo about this and he recognised it and said they have moved up to version 11 as 10 wasnt very good ! I reckon I can suck up enough discomfort to get round but in what ? Do I run in the new smaller ones, the new bigger ones, or the old vesions 9s in the garage that are now on MTB commute duty and have about 500M on them ?
Not a euphemism I am familiar with, but I guess it bodes well.
A massive flag harness and tiny shorts - dangerous.
TR - Didn't I see you shortly after finishing a marathon with blood in your shoes? None of us are getting any younger, wear the comfortable ones! 500 miles is well tested, innit.
Sitting in the Expo waiting to meet someone and I've tried to find this fun and helpful but it's a bit of a struggle to be honest.
Jonathan Edwards is going to interview me at the finish. Hope I'm in one piece.
TR, I think you should consider switching back to the shoes you know have been ok. I've made a late switch back to a pair of 500+ miles Omni. A newer pair of Hurricanes is giving my Mortens jip.
1 day of carbo depletion finished, wisna too bad, looking forward to a big, bad bowl of porridge, banana and maple syrup in the morning to kick off the carb fest.
On the way to the expo, a friend pointed out to me that I am on the left of a photo on page 42 of the vlm brochure (it shows me elbowing my way through the "VIPs" in the first few yards of the green start). My much deserved fame has arrived at last.
Nichs - I have Morten's too, lost the toe-nail in first vlm, but now have DS Racers half a size 'too big' so hopefully fine but I will be performing drastic toe nail surgery and filing on Friday just in case.
On the subject of high mileage, read that Mo hasn't run longer than 22 miles. Presumably his weekly mileage is nearer 200 than 100 miles, so I guess the expert opinion is that when doubling up for massive total mileage , running any longer than 22 miles is not productive?? Do established elite marathon runners run further in training?
I am taller and lighter* than Mo and have been considerably more conscientious in terms of LSRs. Will I beat him (again)?
*Mo: 5'5", 9st2; me 5'7", 8'10"; he must have some sprinting muscles to account for that mass which I sorely lack...
Interesting re Mo and long runs. Reminiscent of this which I just found courtesy of Marigold's blog, describing a few very successful ultra runners who did surprisingly few very long runs.
http://www.ultralegends.com/what-is-a-sensible-racing-strategy-for-elite-100km-runners/ I am sure there is another discussion somewhere suggesting the opposite of this...Bainsp.. the tracking app will magically appear on the VLM website on race day according to the email I got about it. Just ensure your loved ones/nearest & dearest/fan club etc know your race number!
TR.. I'm looking forward to a bit of southern warmth, it's still chilly up here! Hope that hammy survives the full 26.2. Oh, and I agree re. the shoes - if in doubt stick to the old faithfuls. I'm sticking with my Lunar Racers but I'm not going to butcher/modify them like Charlie - I reckon his are going to disintegrate outside Buckingham Palace.
Bedders.. bad luck fella, you had what seemed an immaculate campaign with all the right paces & times. You're young enough to come back several times - it will taste all the sweeter when you do it - ask Jools!
Talking of WR's, I ran the LM when Paula did her 2:15. I remember saying to a runner next to me at the finish 'that won't be broken for at least 10 years'. Frankly I think it might well stand for another 10!
Carb deplete hadn't been as bad as I expected until this evening, now I'm feeling it! Probably not helped by this evenings awful 7 miles with 2 @ MP. The MP miles felt really hard work & the HR was far too high, hoping that's just a case of having to work hard due to lack of energy & nothing more serious
Expo for me today. Took the kids and made a London day out of it. Not much of interest going on, but the kids enjoyed the radio controlled cars. Not looked in my goodie bag yet, but the person who gave it to me told me it was full of rubbish, so I'm not expecting much.
Banged my shin on a plant pot, so at least thats given me something to worry about.
Ha - was thinking the same Dachs. Best thing at the Expo. The rest was very 'meh' to put it politely. Masses of expensive running gear and very little else of interest. Avoided the freebie cliff bar samples etc on the grounds of germs.
Underwhelming.
And then some fat bloke banged into my leg on the train, so another snap Dachs.
Grumpy.
Anyway. No change.
I do begrudge the expo (it costs me a day off work and some travel costs) and like I say would pay an extra tenner to have my number posted to me, but I guess there's loads of folks not lucky enough to be able to run VLM every year like us, and I guess they really enjoy the expo, but I just see it as number collection.
Thanks for the shoe advice, I'm due to do a few miles in the morning so I'll do it in the 500M shoes, they arnt in too bad shape, I just stopped wearing them when I hurt my calf in order to start breaking in the new ones.
No7 - That means you have done your carb deplete bang on. my 2 @ MP felt like my heart was about to explode, I'd be worried I'd cocked up my diet if it hadn't
thanks for for all the opinions on the dilemma, you may have guessed Im going to race. Will back off if i feel at any point I haven't got a chance of a PB and turn it back into a training run saving the legs for the 100km.
Looking forward to the usual chats with all those in the champ tent and then catching up with everyone else in the Red Lion. My excitement levels for VLM has gone up a few levels in the last couple of days!
TR, I couldn't agree with you more about the whole Expo thing, surely people that have qualified for the race have earnt the right to be treated like an adult & have their number sent to them in the post ?
No expo freebies? Booo. I came away with loads last year and I wasn't even running.
I'm liking the sound of a free burger. Must locate one of their shops!
Steve6 - maybe we should propose the idea to the organisers
CC - they might be giving out freebies, I was number, chip, massage, SiS store, moan at Saucony and gone, didnt visit any other stands.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/10750325/London-Marathon-2014-free-restaurant-meals-for-runners.html