Virgin London Marathon 2011 First Timers

Hi All,

I am doing the VLM for the first time in April and was wondering if there are any others who are fairly new to running and in the same boat on here?

Good luck to anyone who is also running!

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Comments

  • Come over to VLM Virgin thread.. you will be more than welcome there..... we will not bite... honest.
  • Thanks for your message - it would make much more sense! This is going to sound silly, but where is the thread? I am new to this site so haven't yet figured my way around!

    Thanks
  • me me me! Didn't know there was a VLM virgin thread either so off to look at that too! image
  • Hi RoseC.... did you find the thread? It's on the Virgin London Marathon Forum and the thread is called FLORA VLM
  • Sorry it's actually FLM Virgin!
  • I've never done it before either. Excited and terrified.
  • Join the club! It's great to see runners in the same boat on here. Did you manage to get a ballot place or are you running for charity?
  • M-JM-J ✭✭✭

    I'm a first timer too image And can't wait!

     I got a ballot place

  • Well done M-J! I am on a charity place, looking forward to it but the thought of 26.2 miles is slightly daunting too!
  • My first marathon too, charity place for a kidney research organisation - so can I join this club Kate?

    Looking forward to hearing about everybody's training. Hopefully will help to keep me motivated over the coming cold evenings. image
  • Got a charity place with Asthma UK.
  • Hi All

    First time at London - Sorry though have done 2 marathons before.

    Ballot place and just starting back from injury -  taking things very very easy.

  • Tell me about it! It's already beginning to get cold! Of course vds image I am currently resting an injured foot (not even running related- thanks to my flatmate!) Am dying to get back to running so hope to kickstart the training in a couple of weeks. Tried to run yesterday (a week later) and my foot was in lots of pain afterwards so it looks like i need to leave it for a while image Good luck with the training!! image
  • Thanks Kate - go easy on that foot, though I can quite understand the frustration. Perhaps a swim or some bike time while waiting for recovery?

    I'm quite envious of your ballot place M-J, It must be a good omen for your first marathon to win the lottery to start with.

    How about you RoseC? Charity place or ballot?

    Any particular reason for Asthma UK M-A D?

    You guys have inspired me already - just spent 40 minutes on the treadmill image
  • M-JM-J ✭✭✭

    Hi

     VDS- Yes..I know I'm very very lucky to get the ballot place.image

    I've joined a running club so will be running with them once a week- the rest of my traning will be alone. A friend of mine also got through the ballot although she lives the other side of England so we're keeping each other motivated through texts/ online.

    Running 5x a week at present and trying to avoid an injury. Just splashed out on some Winter gear from Aldi and have an early Christmas present in the shape of a 405 Garmin winging it's way to me. Can't wait!

    Love running now, my only regret  is that i didn't take it up when I was younger (now 38) but then again I don't think I would have had the mental stamina then to run 13- 26 miles.

    Kate- who are you running for and what amount do you have to raise?

    M-J

  • Thanks for the advice VDS and keep going with that running image M-J I am running for a charity called HemiHelp who support people with a form of cerebral palsy known as Hemiplegia. I actually have it, but only a mild form now after being born very prematurely...so seemed like an appropriate choice for me. image I have to raise £1800 still quite a bit, but not as much as other charities.
  • Stuck in a hotel room in Stockholm tonight so no running image
    I've had a 405 too M-J. It's a great piece of kit and the website that records your runs is a good motivator. The battery can be a bit temperamental though. Try to let it discharge to as near as empty before recharging to protect it.

    Must go buy some fluorescent clothing...
  • I got a ballot place, first time I applied as well.
    Can't say im over excited in all reality either, still more interested in doing tough guy or the snowdonia marathon.

  • Hi VDS! Thanks for being my first blog reader and hope you manage to get out and about tomorrow. Do some strength work in your hotel room? It's great to meet the other marathon first timers on here.
    Emily
    whenIthinkaboutrunning.blogspot.com
  • Hey Racing Pigeon.

    Welcome to the Forum! Just had a look at your blog - love it! Did you manage to get a ballot place or are you running for charity?
  • Oh thanks, Kate! Have been offered a charity place, but waiting to find out if I get a media place (I'm a journo) before I take it, should know next week. Will still run for charity but would prefer to let them keep their gold bond places for more deserving runners image
  • Sounds good...I didn't know media places existed (you learn something new every day as they say!) How's the training going?

    I'm on a charity place, very excited although nursing an injured foot at the moment so not running at the moment which is doing my head in image Luckily it's not fractured so hopefully won't be too long before I'm back out there!

    26.2 miles is a slightly daunting prospect to although I have parents who have run London several times so I should get some good advice along the way!
  • Oh dear...I hope your foot gets better soon. Injuries are the most frustrating things ever. Your parents sound like a great inspiration - my mum just thinks I'm crazy!
  • Haha! Funnily enough I rebelled against the family running thing for years thinking they were crazy! And now look what's happened......

    Thanks! I hope all this sitting in and resting it with ice will pay off soon!! image
  • Hey guys, this will be my first marathon too.  Running for a charity so a little scared both of the training and 26.2 miles but also about raising all the money! The next few months could be interesting...! 
  • Welcome to the thread Little N.

    What charity are you running for? Have you got a training plan all line up?
  • Hello all!

     This is my first one! I am running for the Brain Tumour Trust. I found out today and I am absolutely bloody terrified!!! i am really upset that my mate didn't also get a place but she is an angel and is still going to train with me.

    I have been running for 4 weeks and I am doing about 10 miles per week at the moment, I am not going to put the pressure of a time on myself. I just want to get round and raise my money for a fab charity!

     Kate

    x

  • Another Kate!

    Hi Kate, welcome to the group! image

    Well done on getting a place image You are in the same boat as the rest of us as none of us have run a marathon before!

    I am running for charity too....like you not putting the pressure of a time on myself for me just to get round will be a huge achievement in itself, which I'm sure is the case for a lot of us on here! image
  • Hi Kate

    How many times a week are you planning to run? I am getting a bit stressed about fitting them all in. I am a single mum who works full time and with some careful planning I can get 2/3 short ones and a long one on a Sunday. Do you reckon that is enough?

    Kate

    x

  • Hi,

    Well at the moment I am recovering from an injured foot, so can't wait to get back in to running (hopefully in a week or so!) it's doing my head in not being able to do any!

    Whatever you do, do not stress yourself out about fitting the runs in! If you stress yourself out you are likely to make yourself ill because you are trying to do so much! For the time being I am sure that's fine and if you can after Xmas try and build it up to maybe 3/4 times a week and long run on Sunday. Entering races will help too. I am planning to do a couple of 10K's, A 10 mile and a half before the big day....but I think training needs to be scheduled to an individual so just do what is right for you.

    Hope that helped! I'm sure others on here will have advice too! x
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