London marathoners assemble

Sending mahoosive get well vibes to all. I've been laid down with bloody cold. Five days of no running now. Going to attempt run on treadmill tomorrow. The cold air on my lungs makes me wheeze at the moment so figure a warm gym might be better. Am getting so stressed about it. Have been actively avoiding my plan. Can't bring myself to look at what I should be doing but can't. Ffs. Stupid germs.

Another one struggling with a cold here...we are dropping like flies! Hoping it won't go to my chest but I'm asthmatic so we will see. Hard as it is, in the long run it is counterproductive to continue through illness/injury- just prolongs the recovery. I'm saying that as a total hypocrite though as my back is playing up a bit and I'm steadfastly ignoring it in the hope it will magically go away!

Really hoping I can do my long run (12 miles) on Saturday. After that I have two weeks until my half and think I might do a mini taper. I'm tired and it might help my back. Don't ever feel like I've properly recovered from a run before I have to move onto the next one. Doesn't help that my rest days are usually spent at work on my feet for 12 or so hours!

It's such a rollercoaster isn't it kitty?

I'm on day 13 of the most horrendous virus I've ever had (apart from the time I got the proper flu) I'm feeling almost 100% again but still have a hacking chesty cough and feel totally wiped out. No training of any description for the past fortnight hasn't helped morale in the slightest.

I spoke to DH tonight about the likelihood of me deferring I would be so gutted but realistically I'm not going to be back up to full strength till next week at the earliest and I just feel I've run out of time (I also have the GP next week about my breast lump which I'm sure will require further investigation)

DH was lovely and reminded me that I will have the whole of the summer to enjoy training (hopefully) without the worry of health issues so I feel slightly happier about it.

I think I'm going to give it till the end of February and see where I am, while trying my best not to kill myself in the process

Agree don't panic! Remember rest and recovery are central to training, I couldn't run at all for the last six or seven weeks before November marathon (but I did hammer my glutes in the gym with expert help to at least get the rear engine as strong as possible) and it was absolutely fine - I think any averagely able fit person could complete the course if their head is in the right place (keep moving!)

Don't panic kitty!

I've had pretty much 3 weeks off with injury, but my chiropractor isn't worried and says (as long as it gets better) I've still got enough time to do a 'good' marathon.

I've got some gel heel cups now and they seem to be helping so fingers crossed. It's such an emotional rollercoaster isn't it?

One day I think I'll be fine, the next I'm convinced the pain will only get worse and I'll have to defer.

My shoulder is still niggling a little, although I am now able to turn my head I had a week off netball and any upper body weights, but played last night and I think it was still a little too soon. My resistance band exercises are helping though, even if I look like a dick sitting at my desk doing them

I now have a chest infection so have binned off today's run and probably Fridays
I was on another thread yesterday (maybe the day before) about running when ill. I browsed the internet and the general consensus is that gentle running with a sore throat/tickly cough/snotty nose/bit of a headache is fine, but any running with a chesty cough/fever/systemic signs is a big NO.

I have to confess to having run with a chesty coughs before, but I have never felt that they were infections (no fever etc), more like cold hangovers, and running has got me hacking the last mucus up!

I hope you feel better soon. Look after yourself. It really is worth taking some time out to get properly fit again. Is there some other exercise you can do in the meantime? Kettlebells/weights/strength training? Or do you feel too weak for that?

emummy Good luck tomorrow. It will help any soreness, promise. I ran a couple of weeks ago after a mega leg session with heavy weights. The first km was hell- all I could feel were my quads "flapping around", but after that, it was fine!

Oh Kitty, what a pain! Don't panic, there's loads of time. Please don't rush back into running, wait until you feel properly better, maybe next week. Hope you feel better soon.
Bootcamp for me today, think we did around 80 squats! Not sure how tomorrow's run is going to go...

Welldone maybe I'm living in hope that's true!

Just jumping on the thread to say GOOD LUCK! I ran the VLM last year. It is an amazing day, well worth all those long, cold, wet training runs.

A 7.5km blast today, to get rid of any threatening aches.

Well done emummy. I agree, the idea, last night, of turning around and going all the way back filled me with horror. It's not the physiological/cardiac stress, it's the water torture of just step step step. I'm finding it really boring

Well done Maid, hope that shoulder clears up.
12 miles from me this morning, got up and 6, strapped on the head torch & headed out on the country roads. Felt good, doesn't seem possible to run more than twice that though!
Love the London profile, it's pretty much flat with the occasional small bump! This morning's run had 160m elevation, flat will make a nice change!

Manchester marathin profile v my Strava profile yesterday....

waves
Have been injured. Shoulder (rotator cuff), so technically not a problem to run with but I've been quite down at the pain. Oh well, painkillers helping.

Ran 21.6km from work to home yesterday. I live in the Peaks so the elevation gain was 250m or so (over the whole distance; obviously little ups and downs in segments). Notably, between 11-16km was a relentless uphill, followed by a quick descent over km17. Am going to run the reverse route next time...... Tried an energy gel for the first time - tummy was fine and it certainly worked!

Time was 2:27, but was 0.5k over half distance, at around 6:40min km, so I'm calling it 2:24. And I was hungover. And had a monster legs session at gym on Friday morning....excuses excuses....

Ffs. I have an utterly hideous stinking cold. Not slept in two nights. Can't breathe. Head hurts. Had a cold over Christmas and couldn't run for 9 days. This cold can't last that long. I can't afford the time out.

Is everyone doing a warm up half? I'm thinking of one in MK in March. Or Stanwick Lakes (prettier bit slightly more "undulating") But, really pathetically, I'm terrified of the A14 (any other road is fine, im not generally a nervous driver) and there's no other way to get there. Need to put my big girl pants on and just deal with it though.

Oh thanks for that emummy that's really helpful! Will go with 'can still hold a conversation' steady then and try and stop obsessively looking at my pace on the Fitbit. Quite excited/nervous now!

Ok, have had a look at the race profile on mapmyrun, it certainly is undulating although none of the hills are especially huge. Looks like a steady pace will be best, the last hill is around the 11 or 12 mile mark so you will need something in reserve. Looks like fun and a lovely route.

www.mapmyrun.com/gb/fordingbridge-eng/heartbreak-half-marathon-route-5321727

Not sure if they have pacers- it's quite a small race. It's called the heartbreaker half marathon, in the New Forest. Might have to take a little trip to find out exactly what 'undulating' means! Can't believe I didn't consider the hills!

chocolate sorry about your heel how frustrating!