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General Marathon FAQ
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I have few questions that I suspect other marathon virgins can add too. Can you experienced marathoners please help me out:
1) My longest run to date is a half-marathon. I apply surgical tape to my nipples as a precaution. For the full marathon, should I do anything else (vaseline armpits and thighs etc?).
2) I have a certificate that says I am in. What happens now? Whats an 'Expo'? I live 150 miles from London, do I have to go there before the actual race day to sign-on?
3) I've read all the great stories on this site of others experiences, so I can't wait. One thing a few mentioned was having your name on your shirt for the crowd to shout encouragement. I have a pucker running shirt - where do I get the letters to apply my name, or do you use a special pen, or have to wear a normal shirt?
4) Sorry about this one. I pee for England (pre-race nerves I guess). At the half marathon I basically used the loo, rejoined the queue and by the time I got to the front I needed to go anyway. Joking aside, I went 5 or 6 times in the 45 mins waiting time and again 3 miles in. It is both embarrasing and time consuming - what Can I do to help with this? I'm tempted to not drink anything from 9pm the night before and then either carry a drink and drink from the start or just use the water stations.
5) Whats the drill when you arrive at the start line on race day? Is it awkward giving in a kit bag or should I just wear an old bin-liner and not take a bag?
6) My wife and in-laws want to watch. Where can they go where they might get to see me more than once? Any other spectator tips? I've told them to stock up on kit-kats to offer runners late on in the race (And if I can't run for any reason I plan to go and watch with them).
Thanks. If anyone has any additional questions, please add them.
1) My longest run to date is a half-marathon. I apply surgical tape to my nipples as a precaution. For the full marathon, should I do anything else (vaseline armpits and thighs etc?).
2) I have a certificate that says I am in. What happens now? Whats an 'Expo'? I live 150 miles from London, do I have to go there before the actual race day to sign-on?
3) I've read all the great stories on this site of others experiences, so I can't wait. One thing a few mentioned was having your name on your shirt for the crowd to shout encouragement. I have a pucker running shirt - where do I get the letters to apply my name, or do you use a special pen, or have to wear a normal shirt?
4) Sorry about this one. I pee for England (pre-race nerves I guess). At the half marathon I basically used the loo, rejoined the queue and by the time I got to the front I needed to go anyway. Joking aside, I went 5 or 6 times in the 45 mins waiting time and again 3 miles in. It is both embarrasing and time consuming - what Can I do to help with this? I'm tempted to not drink anything from 9pm the night before and then either carry a drink and drink from the start or just use the water stations.
5) Whats the drill when you arrive at the start line on race day? Is it awkward giving in a kit bag or should I just wear an old bin-liner and not take a bag?
6) My wife and in-laws want to watch. Where can they go where they might get to see me more than once? Any other spectator tips? I've told them to stock up on kit-kats to offer runners late on in the race (And if I can't run for any reason I plan to go and watch with them).
Thanks. If anyone has any additional questions, please add them.
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Comments
2) Never done London but you need to go to the Expo.
3)A pucker running shirt?? You can get letters printed on or use a pen or attach something to your shirt or number. But I imagine you'll want more than one training / running top between now and April.
4)Don't drink so much - or pee behind a tree.
5) Pretty slick, just don't leave it to the last minute.
6) Isle of Dogs, Ldn Brd depends how quick you are.
1. Yes, you should smear it between your legs, and perhaps under armpits where it might rub on the hem of your vest. Surgical tape should be OK for nips, although I prefer the solid elastoplast (i.e. just the tape without the soft bit in the middle)
2. You will get more information in March or so. The expo is where you get your number, and yes, you have to go the day before the race (or earlier). The purported reason for this is to verify your identity. The real reason is to sell you stuff.
3. Don't know. I hate having people shouting encouragement at me anyway.
4. You should drink well the night before and before the start. There are plenty of urinals there, and from 20 minutes before the race, what you can do is drink a bottle and then pee into it. Just stopping drink is not the answer. If you're well hydrated before, you shouldn't need to drink much during the race.
5. The kit bag system is fairly efficient and nothing to worry about - you hand it in at the start, they give it back at the finish. Very effective.
6. One way of doing that is watching at Greenwich then taking either the pedestrian tunnel or the DLR to the Isle of Dogs and seeing you there. Otherwise stand at Tower Bridge and then watch as you come back along Commercial Road. Lots of possibilities, but lots of crowds too.
Best of luck.
2. a place where you pick up your race number, & people try to sell you stuff. you need to be there at least a day before.
3. i've used permanent marker on a cheap vest before successfully. it is possible to get printed but i don't know how or where.
4. drink plenty in the few days before the race; restricting fluids is not a good idea. i've not done london but am told there are plentiful portaloos.
5. for other maras i have done, then i have usually just worn a bin-bag, particularly if there are people meeting you at the finish. don't know the drill here.
6. following a sub 2:45 friend, i managed at 6 miles, 16, and just about the finish. look at the course map.
good luck & enjoy yourself.
Yes I meant the Flora London Marathon.
I'm not quick. My half-marathon time was 2:02 and I was in bits for the last two miles, so I plan to go slower and enjoy this one.
I have 4 pucker running shirts, however I only plan to wear one of them on the day
2. Its a pain in the butt but you have to do it. Go during the week if you can whilst its quite. The Saturday will be packed and you don't want to be queueing for hours if you can help it.
3. If you keep an old running number from any race you've entered and write on that in marker pen. They are waterproof and don't disintegrate. Thats what I did. People shouting your name really peps you up and keeps you concentrating when you are wilting
4. plenty of toilets so don't worry
5. kit storage is really efficient - no problem at all.
Most importantly - enjoy yourself
2 The expo runns from the Thursday to the Saturday before the race. It gets very busy on the Sat. This year I went on the Thursday and got my numbers without having to wait in a queue. The selling you stuff part is optional, check out marathon lunch, drink and tee-shirt for £5 bargin. Friends and family can partake in the expo without charge as well
3. I wrote my name with black marker on piece of material and safety pinned in onto my top.
4. Loads of portaloos at start and along course, don't worry
5. Bag stuff worked like magic, wear a black bin liner as well as you have to hand bag in up to 20 mins before the start
6. Never supported, don't know. My husband stood north of Tower Bridge, saw him twice
Good luck :-)
2.Need to go to the expo to pick up your number. Its open most of the week before and on saturday too. Go early to avoid the rush. Lots of kit to buy as well. Take plastic.
3. I wouldn't bother to be honest - its a wall of noise and I swear i heard my name just as many times when i ran this year WITHOUT my name on me.
4. Drink as normal and pee when you have to.
5. Take a binbag and maybe an old sweater with you as you have to hand the bags in about 30mins before the start. But its no bother to do that.
6. Gonna cost a lot in kitkats ! And yeah - look at the map and do one point early in the race and another later - but theres no guarantees - so don't rely on it.
Deffo get a pirate top to run in !
dont worry about toilet stops there are men peeing all over the place. Most of the ladies just join queues for the loos
def arrange a spot for your supporters to stand and where you know you will see them - it lifts the spirits like nothing else!!
you will have a wicked time!!
2) what others have said
3) wear what you want but make sure it's comfy (not cotton!) and you've tried it out so know what it's like. don't be tempted by new kit - it may chafe in places you don't expect.
4) where's 10p badger when you need him?? so called 10p 'cos that's how many he had in FLM in 2004. learn to pee as you run - saves time - but peeps around you may not be happy!!
5) as said by others
6) Cutty Sark (between miles 6 & 7), walk via Pedestrian tunnel to Mudchute (mile 18), get DLR to town and find a spot on Birdcage Walk (near finish). My wife has done that twice for me (my turn for her in 2006) and it works a treat - spotted her every time.
3) I wrote my name in black marker pen across the top of my race number. Heard lots of peeps shout my name. A sudden "You're looking really good, {your name}" from a complete stranger when you are delerious and staggering at 22 miles is very welcome :-)
6) My family spotted me 4 times, using the grey(?) tube line. Once at about 6 miles, twice at canary wharf and again at 25 miles. They said the tube was very crowded and they only just made it.
If you have a good idea of your finish time, you should be able to give a reasonable prediction of what time you'll be passing a particular landmark. I know I managed to hit all of mine to within a couple of minutes. (Allow 1 minute per starting-pen for your time to cross the start line). The course is quite wide, and it is difficult to look for people on both sides of the road, so decide in advance which side of the road they are going to stand on.
I got dropped off at Waterloo before getting the tube ( i think) to the start and believe me you wont get lost as it is obvious where everyone is going and all in the same direction!
Good luck and enjoy.
All I have to do now is wrack up the training miles....
On another note, I have a pair of Asics GT2100's that will have done 500 miles by mid February. I am happy with them, they have been great. Looking online it seems I can get another pair for around the same price as I could get Kayano's.
Has anyone used both and can give me a comparison, or even just a personal review of one or the other?
I run in 2100's and wouldn't want to change, other makes give me blisters and I dont have problems with these
I kow what you mean, the GT2100's are great and I have no complaints, so changing does seem daft. But then, its my nature. Its like when you go somewhere on holiday and have a fab time - do you go there every year or do you go somewhere else because it might be even better?
How do you know its 'the best' if you've never tried anything else?
I plan to change in plenty of time before the marathon, so I have a get-out clause in case I need to go back to Gt2100's - they are great shoes after all.
I think I'll go to the sweatshop on the way home and ask for their sage advice.
What ever happened to the days when everyone just had Dunlop Greenflash?
Rich go to Sweatshop they wont try to rip you off. I agree on the holiday front but not necessarily something as mundane as shoes. I have tried lots of different shoes and still find the 2100's the best (been lots of expensive mistakes looking for better!!!!)
Fortunatly the Kayanos had been in a sale. They are nice shoes though.
Sweatshops sale starts at 10am on the Weds after Christmas, so I'm going there then hoping to get 2100's for around £60. I'll probably buy some other bits and bibs too, I currently run in football shorts - I think its time I tried some proper running ones.
Vaseline is essential to avoid soreness. I've forgotten it in the past and it has very nearly ruined a run for me. Use on inner thighs, under arms and possibly round waist.
While we're talking about race prep, just wanted to mention the importance of wearing plenty of sunscreen.
As for places to stand, I reckon the best places are Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Embankment.
(I share your concern about peeing. I did a half marathon in September and even though I used the loo twice before the race began, I still had to stop twice enroute. Not really sure what the solution is for this though.)
but quite a few peeps pee whilst running - I'm one if I can't be arsed to stop.........just takes a bit of practice...........and use the water from the water stations to wash your legs down......