RW Marathon FLM Beginners - Philippa

Runner’s World has plucked three lucky souls from the forums to take on a massive challenge - to get from virtually nothing to 26.2 miles in time for the 2004 Flora London Marathon.

Please give a warm welcome to Philippa, and her very own forum thread. She will be updating us on her progress and is keen for any advice or encouragement you can give.

You can read Philippa's article here.
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Comments

  • Good luck Phillipa. Hope it all goes well for you.
  • Good Luck! I have faith that you will do it!
  • Hi! Have fun trawling through these pages. There's a good thread (Nosy) on training at the moment, in case you were wondering whether this was a good idea or not.

    We'll all be cheering for you. Actually, literally on the day, at mile 18, but that's another matter.


  • Philippa, good luck with all the training,and keep us posted on how it's going

  • Good luck phillipa...There are a few of us out here training for our first marathon too so you are certainly not alone and it will be great to follow your progress...let us know how it goes..good days and bad..theres someone who's been there around to help
  • Hipppo waves
    Well, if i can do it, anyone can
    be prepare to want to do more than one marathon
  • Good luck Phillippa.

    Start putting in those miles!
  • Hi Phillipa
    Just popped in to say good luck, after reading the article on the home page!

    Believe me, its a hard long road, but one that will feel you with satisfaction,and the sense of achievement, when you get to the end of it!

    It will also increase your health tenfold, and will benefit you greatly! And the one worrying thing is that it will become mightily addictive, and you will want to do another...after all i had planned just to do the 1..(15 later.....)
  • Looking forward to following your progress Phillippa - good luck & go for it girl!
  • Yeah, good luck mate.It's important to take things slowly and to get in a few shorter races in before the big day since doing a marathon as your first ever race will be a hugely daunting task. Try a local 10K early next year before attempting a half a little later on. Maybe the FLM half marathon at Silverstone. Don't do too much though. Try following a beginners schedule for the marthon.
  • 3TL3TL ✭✭✭
    Where is Philippa?
  • I don't know but good luck to her anyway.
  • Hi Philippa
    I ran the Belfast Marathon 13 years ago.(4hrs) Have not done much training since due to work commitements. I am starting from scratch this month and aiming for FLM 2004. I too want to loose weight and also give up the fags - so here goes!!!!! The best of luck to you.
  • Philippa
    FLM in 2002 was my first marathon. I crossed the line in tears. It was one of the best days of my life and a truly wonderful experiance.

    Don't set a time just enjoy the day FLM is the best marathon and a truly great experiance.

    Look out for the FORUMITES at mile 18 who will be there to cheer you on.

    Also get yourself some URWFRC kit and join in at some of your local races where other forumites will be there to cheer you on and give you support.

    See you there next year.
  • Hi Philippa,

    My first marathon was this years' FLM and I crossed the line with a huge smile and bucket loads of tears - it really is a life changing event, nothing can compare to it.

    Take all the advice given but absorb it at your own rate, don't try to apply everything at once. Don't set yourself big goals - my first goal was to be able to run for a minute without stopping, then take it from there.

    You will grow to love running (if you don't already) and don't be afraid to talk to everyone you know about it. If I had one pound for everyone who said to me "I couldn't do what you are doing", I would be typing this on a hot beach somewhere exotic. Don't take on board anyones' doubts about what you are doing, if anyone says something to make you think twice, just think that at least you are making the commitment - are they and could they ever do what you're doing?

    I agree with not setting yourself a time, your big aim will be to finish and you will. Make sure your running vest has your name on it as the boost you get from hearing it shouted out by thousands of spectators will spur you on no end.

    Good luck with your training and enjoy every minute of it all :0)

  • good luck guys... and remember to enjoy it all!

    also beware of people just pasting identical posts on all your threads! it;s the personal touch that really counts!
  • good luck all of you - my first marathon was FLM in 2003 - enjoy the experience, the training and camaraderie of the day (and of course the forum. me - I'm sweating on a place for 2004 - and still running for the sheer hell of it.
  • Philippa, Good luck. I hope you get as much out of it as I do (6 months, not even thinking about a marathon yet but wishing I were!)
    Remember to relish and re-live the good bits and don't sweat on the not-so-good-bits. And spoil yourself.A lot. (All good advice that I don't follow myself,by the way!
  • From one Philippa to another...
    .... Good Luck!!! x
  • Hi everyone.
    Thanks to all of you for all your encouraging messages. I will need all the luck and encouragement I can get. I've been training for about three weeks, flat-out last week and this, and can still only just about jog for two minutes before I have to stop. At the moment I'm on a programme of jog two mins/walk one minute - that repeated for 75 minutes a day. It seems to dominate my whole life. This is the second week of doing this and I am STILL ready to walk after two minutes, although I did manage one three-minute jog today.
    Anyone else out there been at this stage in November and got to running a marathon in just five and a half months? Is it possible??
  • Philippa,just take it slowly,and make sure you are not running too fast during your 2 min run. You will be amazed at how quickly you will improve.

    You will get there, I did a half after 10 weeks, albeit very slowly (it was a bet!!)so with all the training you are going to do
    you will be fine

  • Yes Phillippa
    i did my firs marathon never having run/walked more than 8 miles
    And ive only just (in the last 3 months), managed to run continuously for an hour
    youll ge there
    There is a psychological barrier for some people doing run/walk, in that you continue to feel you HAVE to walk, even when your body can actually run for longer
    i agree with trying to runslowly
    my first race for life, i started at 10 min mile pace

    knackered after 10 minutes, had to walk




    Then slowed down to 12 in miles
    now i run a steady 11 min miles
    you WILL get there

  • 75 minutes every day sounds to much to me BTW
  • I am so inspired by the three of you! I used to run 10Ks around five years ago, but now have put on two stones, have asthma and seven month old baby - so just managed to join a jogging club and running twice a week (just the run 5 mins, walk a min etc...), trying to build myself up.
    I would love the thought of trying to do the flora marathon, maybe in 2005! I would like to attempt my local 'glasgow great scottish run - which is a half marathon next year'. All the best and please keep us posted.... Pamx
  • Peppermint hippo what's BTW? A running term? or your initials (Benz??)
    Are you really a doc? A medical one? Why do you think 75 mins a day is too much?
  • 3TL3TL ✭✭✭
    BTW: By The Way
  • cheers 3TL. And BTW I don't have five children, as it says in RW, but three - two are fostered.
  • Phil - well done with the fags! You badly need to read 'Allen Carrs Easy Way to Stop Smoking' though, it really helped me - instead of 'giving up' smoking I'm FREE of it.....what was there to give up, the coughing, the sore throat, having to go out in the cold for a fix, that gunge in your mouth in the morning etc, etc....
  • Hi philippa,

    three children plus two foster children sounds like five to me !

    Good luck with your training.
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