VLM 2017 !!

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  • You can try at the expo - go to the Queries booth after you've registered.  Take your race result print outs with you - they may be able to help ?
  • or ring the VLM helpline 0207 902 0200
  • Thanks for the tips.
  • I'm blue start pen 1. Hopefully I can get out quick enough.
  • CHSDOC - we are more flexible in the UK, the US race organisers are NEVER accommodating to ANY kind of request I find - particularly NYC - Chicago is the most pleasant in saying NO
  • Good points. I've always qualified on time for NYC, Chicago, Boston. Boston will move you up if you run faster than qualifying. Not rocket fast, just good for a 46 year old touching under 2:50--but I work hard on it year round. But not living in the UK, I can't qualify on a "good for age" time. So I was afraid that would put me lining up with the guy dressed in a silly costume, etc!
  • Hi everyone

    Great discussions, really helpful!

    Can anyone give me some dietary advice please. I am pretty pleased with my VLM training to date, but now want to make sure I eat the right things.
    Appreciate the 'dont stray from the norm' rule, but I don't really have consistent pre run meals for the days before, or day of run.

    Currently I just have a protein shake with milk and a banana before my long run. Taking energy gels to have every hour. I feel I should be eating more as this doesn't seem enough. Some of you may say if it feels ok whilst running then that is enough - but if I am honest I am not going for a super time, 5hrs +, so whatever I eat before hand the distance will still hurt me. So its hard to judge if I am slower due to my breakfast or just slow.

    Also not sure what my diet should be the day/days before a long run. I wont drink beer the day before a run, or eat any 'stupid' food - cakes, fry ups etc, but what is good food? Chicken? Pasta?

    Any tips appreciated so I can start getting adjusting diet.
  • edited March 2017
    You've mentioned lots of protein in those (chicken, protein shake), which is ok, but at its most useful after racing/training as it aids recovery and muscle repair... you really need a carb load beforehand, with a shift towards simple carbs at the very end such as rice and pasta. Try to avoid too much fibre as it can cause gastrointenstinal distress.... most people will build up their potato, etc intake over the week beforehand, and have a big bowl of pasta the night before... my personal pre-race ritual is a carbonara!

    On the gels front, make sure you've tried them while running a decent distance beforehand... some people find them hard to take on board.... and you're better not discovering that issue at mile 10 on 23rd April!!!!
    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • TopSecTopSec ✭✭✭
    CHSDOC, you should have put a predicted finish time on your entry, that is how it is decided where you start?  What pen are you in?
  • TopSecTopSec ✭✭✭
    Sorry CHSDOC, missed the final page and didn't see your question had already been answered.  Pen 1, I would have thought it pretty much as far forward as you can get?!
    Andy, as Magna says, build up on the carbs in the last few days and drink lots of fluid
  • Rossi71Rossi71 ✭✭✭
    Really sore and tight right thigh stopped me from going out tonight. Pain seems to be moving around my thigh. No sure what's happened. Really frustrating. Think a few days rest will help before my longest runs next week. 
  • KingaKinga ✭✭
    Really good 20 mile race completed last Sunday on a quite hilly course. Finished in 2:56 so pleased to have cracked 3 hours. Having read up on a sub 4 marathon strategy the night before I decided to run half marathon distance at 8.30/mile with the remainder of the course at 9.30/mile to ensure it is something I could realistically replicate next month and it seemed to work, just remians to be seen how that last 6.2 miles needed goes!!!

    Off for another 20 miler tomorrow but at a slower pace.

    Got my final instructions pack but only very briefly thumbed through it. Where does it tell you start line and pen number? I have no idea what predicted time I put but I think its more likely nearer the 5 hour mark as I wasn't really running regularly at the time.
  • Kinga,
    Your running number (bib as the Yanks call it) will have a little numbered sticker on it indicating your starting pen. Please don't get a smaller number sticker to go over it - it's cheating.
  • KingaKinga ✭✭
    Thanks Harmander, so people haven't got their pen info for London yet then? Have I misread another post somewhere along the way?
  • NickW2NickW2 ✭✭✭
    From memory last year, you find out your start when you get the magazine (i.e. red/blue/green), but the pen number you only find out when you pick up your race number at the expo.
  • Presumably CHSDOC has got his pen number by ringing up the Marathon then ?  And if he's in Pen 1 - He's going to get a good a start as possible. 

    As Nick says - we only find the pen number when we get the number at the expo.
  • Last year,
    As the 5 hour pacer, I was in Pen 9 and started as far back in it with my pacer colleague Camilla 
    In the VLM First timers 2016 thread, I recall a message that indicated roughly which Pen one would be depending on your lied about (I mean predicted) finish time
  • spenno2spenno2 ✭✭✭
    What a lovely morning for a run, hope tomorrow is like this. See you tomorrow harmander
  • DadAgainDadAgain ✭✭✭
    37 glorious kms yesterday (23 miles). Whole lot was very relaxed comfortable pace (including a significant hill at 27km mark) until last 2km which I did at race pace for a giggle. Finished off feeling fresh and in no doubt that another 5km could be done comfortably.

    woke this morning and put in another 11km for a recovery run and keep the legs moving. 92km (55 miles?)  for the week!  Just one more big week until taper starts...   definitively getting excited now!!!
  • Well done Spenno,
    A dozen of us set off on the 20.02 miles from Cutty Sark to McDonalds on Whitehall - passing the finishing line on the way - I have pictures but not the permission of all (yet) to post them- but it did happen.
    The men (excluding me) did it in under 4 hours but I stayed with the ladies and we finished it in 4:05:23 at a pace of 12:16/mile (I promised 12:00 - sorry for my failure but one person had to drop out due to a previous injury and did walk a bit).
    Spenno, please tell everyone how you found the experience of running the route?
  • Rossi71Rossi71 ✭✭✭
    No running this weekend due to my right thigh/it band being sore. Doing my foam rollering exercises and Iceing as well. Hopefully clears up soon
  • 21 miles completed in 3:34 in the beautiful spring sunshine on Sunday morning, would be lovely if the weather is like that on the big day.

    That will be my longest training run so feel like I have reached the top of the mountain now.

  • edited March 2017
    so what you are saying Jonathan, is that it's all downhill from here....  ;)
    lets be honest.... its all prep for an Ironman on my 100th birthday
  • KingaKinga ✭✭
    Another 20 miler in the bag on a glorious Saturday morning, the sun was shining but still quite cool, was great to be out there B)
    Ran at a slightly slower pace than previous weeks long run but felt good running at a consitent pace.

    One more long run to squeeze in before taper and then the day will be upon us!!
  • @Magna Carter - i've always been a dangerously optimistic type - I mean, how hard can an extra five miles be? ;)
  • Jonathan, I have eight more long runs left - I need the practice
  • spenno2spenno2 ✭✭✭
    Harmander thanks for yesterday. Sorry to run adhead I had to get back home by a certain time. Really enjoyed the training run along the marathon route and thanks for you helpful knowledge harmander to help settle my nerves for the day. I have a nice new blister from yesterday's run also. Rest day today then hopefully back running tomorrow.
  • spenno2spenno2 ✭✭✭
    Hopefully one last long run left for me. Think I try and push to 22 miles 
  • Harmander - I was planning a 15 next week and then a 18 after that and then more frequent shorter distances during the two week taper, make sense to you?
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