Runners united (come join us if you are addicted to running!)

[MoshiMoshi]

This is a continuation of the thread "Happy When We Are Running" for those of us who are committed to running in order to preserve a sense of ourselves and maintain a degree of sanity in our lives which are otherwise taken over by family and work-related matters.

All runners are welcome, experienced and newbies, if you are a keen runner. We promise to support you in your efforts and have a running (excuse the pun!) list of races (see below) which various of us have entered in order to provide advice and support along the way.

So what are you waiting for? Spring is here and there is no better time to enter those races you have been wondering about entering and lose those winter pounds, and all for free (well, as long as you have a decent pair of trainers suitable for your running gait ). Alternatively, if you don't want to race you can just join us to enjoy the racing vicariously and learn about training and what (not) to do along the way.

27/03/11 - Kingston Breakfast Run 8.2m wheely
02/04/11 - Miles for Missing People 10K: MoshiMoshi
10/04/11 - Brighton Marathon: Pawsnclaws
17/04/11 - VLM: MoshiMoshi/ Passmyglass/ Doyouthinktheysaurus
10/05/11 - Burbage Skyline 5.75 miles: Hatwoman
14/05/11 - Chester Half Marathon: IreadthereforeIam
15/05/11 - Oxford Town and Gown 10k: Goldberry
22/05/11 - Edinburgh Marathon: MrsWednesday
30/05/11 - BUPA 10K: MoshiMoshi
08/06/11 - Claver Peak 5 miles: hatwoman
11/06/11 - Clumber Park R4L 10k Hamster
12/06/11 - Bath R4L 5k Dillinger
12/06/11 - Redcar half marathon - DrNortherner
25/06/11 - Lewa half marathon Kenya - Masterandmargaritas
10/07/11 - RFL 5K, Kingston & Kempton Park: Wheelybug
18/09/11 - GNR: Hamster, Run for fun, popsycal
23/09/11 - Notting Half Marathon: cestlavie

Just popping in to say good luck this weekend moshi, pass, Doyou, gizmo, fasicle.....

I am off to the peak for the weekend... Limited mobile signal and lots of walking but will check in to find out how you all get on....

Had a good week this week - 4 runs of 3 - 5 miles each.... Getting back into early morning runs before work when it's quiet and cool...

Have good hols wheely and cestlavie....

Happy running all...

Another one just popping in to wish Moshi, doyou, pass, gizmo and fasicle the very best of British. Have a fabulous time and just remember as Ednah Kiplagat goes running past you (go Kenya, go Kenya!) how amazing it is to be able to do a marathon. I can't wait to hear all your stories.

Hello! Sorry I haven't been about but I'm still running though it's taking more time as I have had to miss a few runs with health problems and blah, blah, blah lol but getting there slowly and enjoying it. Running sets me up for the day!

Anyway I've just popped in to say GOOD LUCK to all those running on Sunday, will be watching!xxxx

Good luck to you all on Sunday! I will be sat on my sofa wishing I was there and watching every bit of coverage about it (much to my families annoyance!). Looking forward to hearing all of your stories.

GOOD LUCK all you VLMers

I am so looking forward to watching it on Sunday. I will be thinking of you all, and my BIL who is also running and hoping to beat his PB. I love the montage they do to music, makes me all emotional

Anyone see Paula Radcliffe on BBC news at breakfast offering advice to those running?

cestlavie you are so right about the book, tis dull and I am struggling to get through the pages now......

wheely glad the trainers arrived, hope they are suitable for you.

I stayed in a hotel last night (spa break with girlfriends) and did a quick 5k on the treadmill before brekkie and I must say I was sweating like a good 'un. Not used to indoor running as I always run outdoors so can only put it down to being inside.......didn't have that much alcohol last night to swear out I promise

Cheers for the good luck wishes and I promise to do my best on Sunday, racing with my head as well as my heart to try and achieve my target time. This thread is superb for motivating and encouraging which is fabulous isn't it? Go us (VLMers and the thread!)!

GOOD LUCK, pass, gizmo, doyou and fascicle!

Good Luck to all the VLMers. I will be thinking of you when I watch on Sunday.

I did my last long run today before the GWR - will just be doing 10s 8s and 5s (maybe) from now on for my sort-of taper. I was bang on my target time, so that was encouraging. It was blooming freezing though. Hope the weather is better on Sunday for the VLM!

oh good luck vlm bods. my charity has a few so we have cheerers at 6m, not me i'm off too, to dorset where my run is sadly 5k down a hill 5k back up it. wish it were other way round. I must investigate something better but is all rural and I get confused with footpaths and permission.

I have British 10k places if anyone wants to raise money for homelessness charity.

Wheely and Cestlavie, enjoy your hols!!!!

Paws, how was lunch? Is that restaurant just for people who work there? I would LOVE to go in the Gherkin!

The absolute best of luck to all our VLMers, Moshi, DoYou, Pass, gizmo and fasiscle. you are all amazing and am sure you'll have an awesome day. Am very excited for you and cannot wait to hear all your stories (yes splits please Moshi!!). Keep on running!!

Oh you're all too lovely. Seriously. I'm feeling a bit wobbly.

I'm having an emotional day today anyway as our lovely nanny of the past two years has just gone on maternity leave. You'd be amazed how cheering it is to have virtual chums on your side .

Moshi, Doyouthink, passmyglass, fascicle I do hope you all get the race you dream of. If it's any help at all I think Cestlavie's advice is spot on, particularly for your first marathon - the worst that can happen if you run the first three miles on the slow side is that you've left something on the table to improve on when you do your next marathon. Moshi in particular, I always think starting pace is a really hard thing to judge when you're running with competitive athletes, which you will be on a 3.15 start...so watch yourself, ok, missus?

Went to expo today, bought a cheapo watch to go with my pacing band, got a massage ('ooo, your ITB is a bit tender, isn't it' she said, helpfully - er yeah, thanks, I know - any suggestions for fixing it?). Also found I had mixed up the starting pens and I'm actually in 6, which is a bit of a blow, but what the hell, I shall just have to take my own advice and keep it cool for the first 3 miles

Loads of luck to you all, I'm so excited (and tearful!) at the thought of you running on Sunday.

All those dark, cold, plodding, painful runs you've done over the winter have come to this, at long last! I hope you have a wonderful time and that you sail round like the honed athletes you are

Will be watching on Sunday when I'm back from my run, and I can't wait to hear how it all goes.x

Hello peach yes the lunch was lovely, we had a champagne cocktail each and fish and chips! The view was amazing - I was looking down at the monument, which looked tiny, even though last year we climbed to the top of that with the oldest two ds and the view from there was pretty good.

Yes unfortunately you have to be a guest of someone that works there - sadly DH moves offices in a few weeks, so not likely to go again .

so Moshi should be coming through the finish line at about 1pm, yes? good luck to the lot of you (I particularly liked the 'don't wee in people's gardens' sign! Beetroot lady, beware!!) - can't wait to read the race reports...I will think of you as I slug out my 11 miler on Sunday morning and try to be inspired!

Doyou I'm sure your family will see you, but let them worry about that, not you. They will be so proud of you regardless. (PS - I was speaking rubbish about the James Cracknell programme as they one I saw wasn't the one you mentioned - silly me)

Can't believe how excited and nervous I feel for Moshi, Passmyglass, Doyou, gizmo and fasiscle for Sunday. Been listening to Marathon Talk podcast this afternoon and thinking about you all! [Deleted some soppy talk that I think may be down to a couple of glasses of wine - suffice to say I'm so glad I joined this thread...] Anyway GOOD LUCK to you all!!!

Just popping on to say good luck to all the VLMers for Sunday. It's such a great thing to do. I am looking forward to the race reports and top tips.

drno - just a quick report to say DH didn't get home early enough to run so they still remain untested. I don't want to risk taking them away with me but i promise to try them out on Easter Sunday!!

A huge 'all the very best' to Doyouthinktheysaurus, Moshi, Passmyglass and Gizmo, and thanks again to the many lovely wellwishers on this thread.

Going to have my breakfast and then off to London and Docklands for registration and hotel. Feel calm now, but got up in the night for a few hours when I couldn't sleep! Can't believe the race is almost upon us. I feel so very lucky to have got a place and survived the training.

DrNortherner, I like the sound of your spa break! The treadmill always seems much harder work to me than running outdoors.

I have woken physically shaking with nerves

Good Luck to Moshi, Pass, Gizmo and Fascicle, I hope you all have an amazing day

Thank-you so much to you all for your support and advice, this is such a lovely thread.

We will be getting the train after lunch. I may have combusted by then!!

Morning all, oh its so exciting am nervous as hell but confident that I can do it, I really hope its not to hot though as I will most likely expire!

I am getting on a coach tomorrow morning from the running club to Blackheath, so no last minutes dramas there I hope!

My 2 dcs will be traveling up with my Brother, so they are taken care of.

I went to the Expo on Thursday so have all the bits and pieces I need.

Kit bag is ready with stuff such as:

baby wipes,
change of clothes/shoes
sunscreen factor 50 I am as white as the driven snow
deordarant, got it in the goody bag on Thursday
sports drink and a bar, just in case
my poncho to keep warm at the start
race number already pinned on
time tag already on shoes
sunglasses
jelly babys
asthma inhaler
toilet tissue, well you never know!
ipod
compeed plasters, although I plan to vasaline my feet for good measure
am thinking of a hat or bandana, bit of a pain the arse but may be necessary

I think thats it, goodness I have never been so organised

What are the rest of you putting in your kit bags, have I missed of any vital? kit?

Depressed! Just found out I am in a slow pen as I put 3:45 as my time when applying. 3:15 would be pen 2/3. Seeing my hopes of sub-3:15 vanish before I have even started...

I hope it works out ok for you Moshi. Just don't panic and give yourself a couple of miles to get into your stride and allow the group to thin out.

I have no idea which pen I am in. It says pen 8. I suspect that may be with all the Wombles and other fancy dress runners

Pass I am also taking:

Sweater to discard at start.
Lipbalm
Garmin
Wristband as garmin is too big.
7 gels.
Gel belt with 5 gels, 2 to give to DH.
Running pack for phone and tissues.

I always wear a hat to run in. I bought one at the expo which is much more lightweight than my normal hat, it's lovely.

Are any of you Marathoners running today? I thought about it, the plan says 2 miles but I worry that if I feel any niggles I will start to panic. On that basis I have decided not to!

Good luck ladies! Moshi don't worry about the start pen, you will get a psychological advantage from reeling people in slowly from the start .

Doyou I was a bag of nerves the day before, but on the day felt strangely calm.

You're all going to do brilliantly, I just know it. Your training plans were devised by experts, you've followed them, you've done the work - now enjoy. This is your moment!

Just one final word - and I know you know this! - but please please make sure you take on plenty of water/sports drink. I think it will be warm tomorrow, not hot but warm, and the temperature does funny things to your mind - including in my case convincing me I wasn't dehydrated despite not having had a wee for 10 hours! I found it best to pour water over the back of my neck rather than front as it seemed to take longer to evaporate and didn't leave me with a wet crotch (sorry!)

yay good luck tomorrow!

did another hour on the treadmill yesterday - i know - boring! recovery time is still almost nothing so vowing to get out next week for two big runs (can only train when dd is a nursery - loads of bh getting in the way now!). not ideal but all i have.

Just came on to say best of luck to our VLM runners for tomorrow, we're all very proud of you, and I know I'll be cheering you on tomorrow from my sofa in the far north of Scotland!! x

This thread moves fast - it's a struggle to keep up!

I did 10.5 miles this morning, my longest ever run! 5 weeks until the half and I'm very pleased with my training. Here are my splits:

1 - 9:43 - 9'43"/mi
2 - 18:56 - 9'13"/mi
3 - 28:15 - 9'19"/mi
4 - 38:11 - 9'56"/mi
5 - 48:21 - 10'10"/mi
6 - 57:43 - 9'22"/mi
7 - 1:07:32 - 9'49"/mi
8 - 1:17:10 - 9'38"/mi
9 - 1:27:00 - 9'50"/mi
10 - 1:37:39 - 10'39"/mi

I struggled a bit in places - have had a busy few days (including a boozy wedding...) and DS is poorly, so waking through the night. Not the best preparation! Scampi and chips not a great meal for energy either!!

I got into a rhythm in mile 2, there was a hill at mile 4, mile 5 was where I'd planted some water, started getting tired around mile 7, uphill from mile 8 until the end. So a bit slower than I'd have liked, but not too bad really - I guess the main thing was getting the miles in. :)

Just checking in again to spread some virtual calm to those VLMers for tomorrow. This is what you have trained for. You are prepared. ust go and do it!

I can not say how excited I am to watch and cheer you all on. I am just sad you won't have your MN names on your running vests

In our house we will be glued all day to the TV. I wish you all the best race you can possible run.

On another note, I did a 10 miler this morning with dh. The furthest I have run ever. My half marathon feels achievable