I would love a running buddy for a run this Saturday - London..?

[ilovedplaydays]

I would love a run on Saturday whilst I am waiting for DH in the marathon. I am staying around Hyde Park.

Am I mad to attempt one on the marathon day ? Anyone able to join me?

Hi I'm also going to be watching the marathon but no running for me I'm afraid, I'll have my hands full with shepherding our motley crew of spectators around London! Reading your post though you mention running on the saturday- you do know that the marathon is on the Sunday, the 17th?

You will have no problems running if you steer clear of the marathon route itself.

You could always come and join the official Runners World support groups at Mile 17 - we dish out jelly babies, jaffa cakes and hugs to our runners and it's always a great laugh!

And yes, as Aworryingtrend says, it's on Sunday. I hope your DH knows this :)

Oh Thank you!!! Of course - I mean Sunday. So typical; think I am organised and I do something so obviously silly!!! Ill change it. Thanks again. And whilst your here..... Where should I be watching DH? Any insider tips?

That is an idea sweetestthing. You told me about that before. I would love DH to join the 17 miler. He is shy (!?). I am going to drag him to your stand at the expo though, to encourage him.

I'm just glad it was a typo rather than you thinking it was on the Saturday instead- I had visions of your DH turning up on the Saturday and wondering where everyone was!

Its my first year spectating and I think I'm as nervous as Dh is- I don't know London at all and it is going to be crazy isn't it. I'm so excited though, I bet theatmospghere will be incredible.

There is big group of us spectating as some friends of ours are running it as well so we are going to get to Mile 13 really early to get a good spot so we can see them at Mile 13, then Mile 21, then we will walk to the finish. Originally I planned to go to Mile 7(cutty sark) then canada water, then Isle of Dogs but having spoken to others who have watche it in previous years i thought it might be a bit much for my first year given i dont know London. At all. have you seen this map?Its a bit clunky to use but shows you exactly where everyhting is.

www.virginlondonmarathon.com/interactive-map/

Are you going to be on your own? if you want someone so stand with PM me and I'll give you my phone number and you are welcome to join us! Sweetest Thing your group sounds ace though- you've reminded me I should stock up on snacks for the spectators runners. What time is your Dh expecting to do it in Iloved? DH was on track for 4 hours but his calves have been playing up this last week so he's not sure now.

Other tips are suncream for you and DH- even if its cloudy we are going to be outside for such a long time and comfortable shoes- see my anguished thread in S&B at th moment!

Ooh sweetest thing are you goign to be on a stand at the Expo? We are goign on saturday to sign DH up. Can I suggest that the MNers carry a fruit shoot and a packet of pombears to make ourselves known to each other?!

ooh good ideas coming... I will get back on here later- going for a run now (got my own marathon coming up in a couple of months. My first. eek!!).

Thanks all.

iloveplaydays - I remember chsatting to you a while ago about the Mikle 17 group. It's too late for your DH to sign up officially, but tell him to look out for the Runners' World support group at Mile 17 (at Mudchute) - there will be a sign a couple of hundred metres beforehand saying it's coming up and we will be on the right hand side of the road. I am running Group 8 and there will be a sign saying Group 8 and probably a big number 8 balloon. He can get jelly babies, jaffa cakes and a big (sweaty!) hug :). Feel free to pm me if you want more details.

I am going to Expo on Friday to pick up the stuff that my runners have left for me to collect (eg any specific gels, flat coke, isotonic drinks etc). IF any of you are around, I am meeting a couple of runners at the Runners World stand at around 5 o'clock.

SweetestThing, I will probably only just be flying into luton then. We will be going to expo that evening if we can make it in time cos I think it gets mega busy Saturday? Thanks for offer though, I would have loved to have met a few of ye! I will tell DH to make sure he gets a big sweaty hug (poor you!!) and not to drip on you.

Aworryingtrend. Thanks soo much for your offer. I think I will do as you are doing and concentrate on trying to spot my DH running, rather than organising a run myself - what was I thinking of?! I may PM you; do not want to intrude though.

forgot to say he is expecting to run it in under 4.30 hrs but he has an inflamed lower shin. All swollen and painful. It is improving this week but it stopped him from doing a 17 miler two weeks or so ago.

I'm sorry to hear your DH is suffering from injury, he must be worried, best of luck to him. You wouldn't be intruding at all, there will be so many people I'll be standing with that even I don't know as friends of friends coming to watch etc. Actually I'll PM you now with my phone number and then you can always text on the day if you do decide to join us- we are driving down on the Friday so I may not be able to check emails after Thursday evening on my ancient brick of a phone

Thanks so much. I didn't get PM. I must check to see which email i used originally; I had to get another one cos of the amount of spam i was getting. We are flying to UK Friday lunchtime. Exciting isn't it??! The absolute best of luck to your DH. Hopes his calves hold out. Hopefully we will get a chance to meet up enroute. I am going to your two points cos you seem to know what you are doing. I am also going to try and get to 17.

I think I will watch at mile 13 and 22. The race passes there twice. My cousin in London is going to join now so I will have a bit of company - and hopefully - local knowledge.

Hope all you runners - and our runners - have a fab fab race!!