Marathon Training

[yetanotherdeskmove]

Have anyone else just started marathon training and wants to support each other?

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew,
to serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on till there is nothing in you,
Except the will that says to you "hold on!"

Ahhhhhhhhh

Good luck everyone...

So it is tomorrow for me. Not London but Stratford. Last night I leaned over DP and my calf went nearly into cramp. Not full on but that feeling where its about to seize up. Its a bit tight this morning. Has anyone had this. I have never had cramp on a run but a worried. Any suggestions?

Good luck for tomorrow!

The cramp was probably just nerves - I had a sore knee when I woke the other morning and could hardly walk down the stairs.

See you all on the otherside!!!

Good luck to all marathon runners tomorrow!

Lurker here..... I am a very slow runner (7min/km) and just building back up from a possible stress fracture on my ankle. Knees are a bit 'cracky' too and apparently I run a bit duck footed :/. Have never gone further than 10k - 1hr 5min. I've signed up for a 10k in June and HM in October. I'm 43 and have never been 'sporty', 10st 3 and not at all toned. My 8yo is faster than me....

Do you have to have a certain body type / physique / naturally sporty nature to run a marathon do you think - or can anyone do it if they put in the hours? I'd love to do London next year but no idea if that's in any way realistic in 12 months without getting injured, bearing in mind I had to stop for 2 this year while my ankle recovered.

I hope all the runs went well yesterday. I got my sub-4 but 20secs

Doesn't matter about the minutes the hours needed to start with a 3!

Hooray to us!

Alp well done! I agree, a real boost to get the hour down to 3 something. Well done and bonne récuperation (don't really know how to say it in English, recover well or something??)

bibble I don't know the answer but I would suggest

• joining a friendly running club (one with beginner groups) to keep up the moral support and to have easy access to advice and support.
• do some cross-training (eg a spin class) so that you are building up strength without stressing those weak spots.

I ran my first marathon at 41!

Well done Alp

Bibbleù anyone can do a marathon if they put in the training, and build up gradually is the best idea (10k, HM then marathon). There is no build (although the élites are usually small and wiry the best build to win). I'm tall and slim, I've only been running properly for 3 years and did my first marathon last year and my second this year in 3H35 at age 51 so there is no boundary to age. Just put on your trainers, get out there and if you enjoy running the rest will follow. Although I second the advice about joining a running club, it is more motivating, more fun and easier to do competitions when you aren't on your own.

Thanks - I'm booked into the 10k and half marathon so I'll see how I get on with them. I am most worried about the ankle injury from earlier this year, if that flares up again I'll be in trouble so just need to keep things nice and steady, aiming to run 3x week and build up distance gradually.

Inspired Anglaise that you achieved such a great time on just your second one!

Is anyone doing the Liverpool rock and roll marathon at the end of May? I'm thinking of upgrading from the half up to the full.