Macmillan 2007 runners

I'm in for Macmillan. There must be more of us because their website says all their GB places are taken!
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Comments

  • Hi Tweety

    I'm a fellow Macmillan runner who decided to take the plunge and have a go this year. This will be my third London, although my first for 5 years (spurred on by an excellent cause, the need for a challenge and a general inability to get into any of my trousers!). Am beginning to remember exactly how much training is required (although this week has been far too cold / wet / foggy / close to Christmas etc.), so have decided to have 1 last week of complete gluttony before attempting to reduce alcohol and chocolate in-take in January. Hope everything is well with you - and hope to hear from other Macmillan runners soon (there's supposed to be about 700 of us!?). Good luck!
  • hiya duck. it must just me you and me! this is my first every marathon. i have volunteered for macmillan at a few events; it's a great atmosphere.

    good luck with the training & fundraising!
  • Hello my feathered friends.

    I got a place through the ballot this year (this will be my 1st London) and have decided to raise money for macmillan as well.

    Glad to see fellow forumites are also doing this - are you going to the training days in february?
  • ooh, well done on the ballot flipper. i am going to the saturday training day in february as i do my long runs on a sunday.

    am just going to go off and draft some fundraising letters to go out to work in February while i have the spare time. daren't ask anyone now just before christmas!
  • It was 4th time lucky on the ballot, tweety so I'm gobsmacked I finally got in this way!

    Well done on getting so organised with your fundraising.
  • hi all.have just heard that i have snuck in as someone else dropped out.this will be mara 6(flm 4),following initiiation at nyc 2002.
    Team macmillan are the business,they are with you all the way.
    www.justgiving is v helpful,and use your email signature to 'nag' without nagging...
  • welcome alex. i volunteered for macmillan last year at a few events including FLM and it was a great atmosphere. i might have given you a cup of tea at the recovery centre!

    i got my first sponsor on just giving yesterday :-)
  • alex's website
    tweety-i wasn't in FLM last year,i did berlin,under my own steam.i did 2003/4/5 flm and nyc 2002 for macmillan.craig fordham rocks...
    have just blast emailed my entire firm...and got a few groans of not again,beat me to it with the begging letter,etc etc.

  • Hi all.

    I am another runner for macmillan - got a GB place with them as missed out in the ballot.

    My first marathon so its very exciting but also very scary.

    Bring it on!

    :-D
  • Count me in, that makes 6 of us. Also got a GB place as missed out on the ballot. This will be my 3rd London and 8th Marathon. Last one was NY in '02'. Wife thinks I'm made, but then you have to be to live in this country.

    Running for Macmillan as I know a number of people who have suffered in one way or another, some unfortunately paid the ultimate price.

    Looking forward to it, trying for a PB of under 3:45. Am doing this whilst at work have just done 5 miles on a treadmill in 43:00 during my break. Now that is mad or dedicated (not sure which).

    Good luck to everyone
  • richard - it's my first marathon as well. good luck with the venture into new territory!

    shostas - wow; 5 miles in 43mins. i am deeply impressed. i am very much a plodder but am improving slowly (slowly being the operative word!)

    happy new year everyone :-)
  • Tweety,

    The secret is not to rush the training, qickest way to an injury (learnt the hard way), just add to it bit by bit and it will all fall into place.

    If anyone has any fundraising ideas please post as we may be able to use the ideas, as £1900 is a big total if you are a GB place holder,so any help would be appreciated.

    I am currently at work on nights, hence posting at this time.

    If anyone lives in the following areas this may be of interest as a fundraising idea.
    Birmingham, Solihull & West Midlands
    Bristol, Bath & West
    Cardiff, Newport & South Wales
    Coventry & Warickshire

    There is a book available called 'The Big Invitation' web site www.invitationbook.co.uk. This is designed to help individuals raise money for their chosen charity. depending on how many books are sold a minimum of £4 per book goes to your charity (and your personal total) this book has over £12,000 of savings for £19.99.

    All the details on the website, I have an order form for 25 so far been going for 2 weeks. So good luck if you use it.

    Used the book last year 2006 and saved my family over £250. well worth the investment

    Good luck to you all with your training in 2007 and a Happy New Year and successful FLM 2007.
  • Question?????

    I am thinking of doing the race in the Macmillan Green Wig, has anyone had any experience of the wigs, good idea or bad? I imagine they could be a bit on the itchy side and also make you hot.
  • shostas - you could maybe try temporary green hair dye or green hair spray instead. i find that i can only wear a wicking cap; anything else drives me crazy and that's even in cold weather. can imagine if it's hot on 22nd april, you will be suffering a bit!

    had wondered why you were posting at 3am!

    i think alex's hint about using your email signature is a good one. i am using that one already.

    i am leaving a box in my office and getting everyone to bring in their old christmas cards for recycling. you can create a flyer on the be.macmillan website. i did this last year but this year, i am asking people for a small contribution for the service (i take them to my local tesco) and am offering a bottle of wine (liberated from my parents house at the weekend, thanks mum and dad) as an incentive.

    raising money and doing my bit for the environment.
  • Hello fellow Team Macmillaners! Great to see that there's a few of us mad enough to do this.

    So far, my training has consisted of four 5 mile runs over the festive break and a massive amount of wine, beer and and chocolate - have just been told that there's 40 calories in just one Celebration chocolate which may explain why I'm feeling distinctively heavier). However, am kicking the bad stuff into touch for as long as possible (if I make it to the weekend I'll be amazed!) Any tips of improving will power greatly appreciated!

    As for the wig, Shostas, I'd agree with Tweety - you'll bake if you wear it, so go for the spray option (just make it sure it doesn't run when you sweat!).

    Good luck everyone! Quack.
  • you could wear a sweat band to stop any dye that might run into your eyes. if you can't find a green one, you could use dylon cold water dye. they are pretty colour fast (I use it on my sofa covers.)
  • Tweety, thanks for that and good luck to you to. Training not going well at mo as old achilles injury has flared up. Just had 5 days off and bought new shoes and heel supports and did first run today - much better but not perfect.

    Shostas - thanks for the idea of the book thing - will check it out. I have a few ideas - letting your mates choose your outfit for a given fee is one. My friends want me to dress as a nurse (I am a 16 stone, ex prop forward - go figure) so I told them raise 500 quid and its a deal. They then started talking about chickens and brownies and all sorts, so told them any other outfit is a round thousand. We shall see.

    One thing that I am considering is buying a box of tubes of smarties and offering them around the office - the condition is they fill them with 20p and then give them back. I think you can get 10 quid in each box, so could be an earner.

    Also, if your local pub/club/gym has somone with lots of locks, persuade him to get them loped off for charity and get people to pay. My Dad just raised 250 quid by doing exactly that.

    Good luck to all and a happy new year!
  • sorry to hear about the injury richard.

    keep the fundraising ideas coming everyone.

    i had a stroke of luck yesterday. someone at work saw my email signature after the email i sent round about the card recycling. she has two vendors outside her house on match days (she lives just outside the new arsenal stadium) and they give her money each time they are there and they have all agreed to give it to charity. they had decided between them that the next time they donated, it would probably be Macmillan as the vendors lost their mum to cancer last year and colleague has asked if I would like 2 cheques for £50 each for my fundraising!

    Go the Gunners, I say! Although i won't tell my mum, she will probably stalk the poor woman (my mum is an ardent arsenal fan.)
  • Hi all
    I will be running for Macmillan. This will be my 4th FLM, got a GFA place. Couldn't use last year's due to a fractured knee, so have to use it this year & hopefully requalify.
    I have run all mine for Macmillan & can definitely say the support they give is tremendous. The leg massage at the finish is absolutely great & much needed.
  • Thanks Tweety - seems to be getting better but now been struck down with "man flu" :-D

    So being sensible and resting which is so frustrating!

    Not sure if its been covered already, but if you have access to a large ish group, a sweepstake on your finish time seems a popular idea. 2 quid a go, maybe 50 times in a box :-)

    You can then either do a percentage of the takings or give a small prize (bottle of wine or something) - could raise 80 quid or so fairly quickly.
  • I am running for Macmillan this year. Ran for the Stroke Assoc three years ago. Swore I would never do it again!
    I am a bit anxious about the target for fundraising.
    Training is going to plan, but I had shin splints last time and I need to look out for that. Anyone any tips on how to avoid them?
  • Hi Amanda, welcome to the gang.
    One way of helping to avoid shin splints is to try and do as much of your training off road as possible. It reduces the amount of pounding. Also try not to increase your mileage too quickly. The more time your body has to get used to the effort, the better it copes.
  • Hi everyone! I am running for Macmillan this year, its my first marathon so very nervous but excited at the same time. I'm following the RW Ultimate Schedule Sub 4:00 and currently doing week 3. However this week i am suffering with pain in my calves and shins, should i carry on with the schedule or ease up a little? Any advice would be most appreciated!
  • Hello people!

    Im running for macmillian this year through the GB place.

    Be my first marathon and its looking a very long way at the moment but at the same time looking forward to it.

    So far training has been rubbish, trying to follow the plan in the magazine because that looked the most imtresting and managed to tweak hamstrings which cost me the first couple of weeks. Bit of physio and Managed 5 miles with no problem on monday so well happy. Hopefully back on track

    What sort of milage are people doing for long runs, getting parinoid im way behind already?
  • Shelzie - It very much depends on the type of pain. If it's an achy sort of pain, you can probably keep going. If it feels more like a pull, you should ease back. It's quite good practice to have 1 slightly easier week every 4 weeks anyway, it gives your body a chance to adjust to the extra load you are putting it under.
    Rich21 - Sounds like you were very sensible, losing a bit in the early stages shouldn't cost you too much overall. My long run on Sat was 14.5 miles, but I am a 3:13 marathon runner, so am probably working a very different schedule to you.

    Welcome to you both as well.
  • Baz - Cheers - Yeah very diffrent! Id be lucky to do that on a bike! Im looking just to finsh as its my first marathon. Going to do 8.5 miles on saturday slowly and see how i get on! Fingers crossed it will be ok!

  • Baz - thanks for that, it does seems to be a dull achy pain. Next weeks schedule is easier so going to grin and bear it for the rest of this week and fingers crossed it will improve as the weeks go on.
  • Hi Rich - I'm a first timer too! Really nervous but excited at the same time. My longest run so far is 9miles and was on the very windy and cold saturday last week. Found the first 3-4 miles the hardest but it seemed to get easier the further i went. How many Are you aiming for a particular time?
  • Hi Shelzie

    Im the same, really nervous but the more longer runs and training sessions i do the better i feel, went to watch last year and it was a great buzz. Inspired me

    Its horrible before you have to run in the wind and rain but i find once your out there its ok and you feel extra virtuous when your finshed and in the warm!!

    I was aiming for under four hours but with a rocky start id be happy with under 4hrs 30 now
  • Hi Rich, Shelzie & Baz

    I'm a third-timer (will I ever learn?) but still incredibly nervous. I've been experiencing pains in my knees and shins too. Indeed, after a 10 miler last Saturday (in the rain - boooo)I could barely walk on Sunday. However, a mate advised me to try cycling (or spinning) to try to strengthen the leg muscles which are put under a bit of a strain when you suddenly go from little or running to lots of running - so far (fingers crossed) it appears to be helping and everything feels a lot looser and more comfortable.

    ...now if someone could only arrange for a bit of a heatwave, Quack!
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