London marathon place!! Am I mad to think I can do this?!

[Elba84]

So having put in a ballot for the London marathon (first time) on a bit of a whim when a bit drunk I have unexpectedly been accepted.

A year ago I was able to do a relatively comfortable 7-8 miles, slowly, but for a number of reasons have not run this year until about a month ago. I can now just about manage a 30 min 5k but that's it.

A bit of me is thinking this could be an opportunity to push myself and to some extent turn my life around a bit (necessary for a number of reasons!). Any experienced runners who can tell me if it's even possible to do this in 6 months time?! I certainly won't be running with any time ambitions, just to finish. Or should I try and defer (is it easy to do this?) and get some half marathons under my belt next year? Don't want to set myself up for failure and injury, but will not waste the opportunity either.

Do you have lots of time to train?

You have bags of time to train for it - you won't be breaking any records but consolidating your running now and then doing a 16 week training plan will see you through comfortably. You can defer at any stage too - I think it's just a form online these days if your training doesn't go according to plan.

I'm waiting for my magazine - though will have to defer if I get in as I'm having foot surgery in a few weeks

I'm dreading the prospect of getting a place. I applied because all of you lot were talking about it so enthustastically and so it seemed like a splendid idea at the time.
Please don't let me get a place!

I did it a few years ago. Put the training in, there's a plan in the mag they send you & you will be fine.
It's an amazing experience

sweary hope the surgery and recovery go well.

Don't have lots of time to train- in reality could probably only train 3 times a week due to work patterns, but could probably do 2 hour sessions.

Currently thinking maybe I should focus on really pushing my fitness back up for a couple of months and then reassess. Good to know I can defer easily.

Very conscious of how lucky I am to get in first time, even though it was not the most sensible decision ever, so will make the most of it whether it's next year or the year after.

3 times a week is fine, one speed session, one long run and one base session.

Ooh, you lucky thing. Yes, if your ambition is just to finish you can train for it in six months doing 3 sessions a week if you're committed to the training.

Make sure you get your name printed on the front of your running shirt for the marathon. You'll get people cheering you from mile 1 all the way round - the atmosphere is great.

Do it-with th knowledge that you can always pull out if you feel you can't.

Also you can raise money for a charity of your choice but with no pressure or targets.

I did it a few years ago and it was hard but even now I still feel so proud I did it,

Waiting to hear if I'm in ...

If you have the motivation and time then go for it!

I just got in and excited and scared in equal measures. Also first time applying and wasn't running at all at the time of entering the ballot. I did a half marathon before having kids and nothing since- eldest is now 6, but since May have worked my way up to a comfortable 8miles

Thank god ive found some equally unprepared and slightly terrified fellow runners

I got my ballot place today. I suspected something was afoot when the magazine came in a porn magazine style wrapper rather than clear polythene, but it was still a shock.

Anyway, I'd just like to throw into the ring that I haven't run for about 8 months So in terms of a head start, you lot are already ahead of me

Two people so far have suggested I need to give up wine in order to run a marathon... Not a chance

I think it's probably down to moderation stripy

It was the wine that got me into this in the first place

galloping apart from three park runs in the last few weeks I've not run since a 10k last October so I'm very much unprepared!

Just been out for a run and managed 7k...think that's about 4ish miles, so only another 22 to go! Excited and terrified about sums it up, but going to give it everything and see how I go.

Been looking at the beginners training plan in the magazine. How sensible (or not) would it be to start it a few weeks early to allow for repeated weeks, illness etc??

Well I didn't get a place and it's mixed feelings for me. I would have taken the place but relieved to have not had to make the choice.

I ran in 2012 for charity and have unsuccessfully entered 4 ballots since then.

I really did say never ever again but each year I've been going back for more

London is fabulous. The support is absolutely phenomenal!

Yay, other marathoners.

I got my charity space back in June and have been freaking out since then. I'm now training for a half in November. I did 11 miles yesterday, it was hard, some big hills but I did it. I'm a bit achy today but I'm proud.

I started running after loosing my dd2 at 22 weeks as a way of dealing with grief and low self esteem. I literally cannot believe how far I've come since then.

I've downloaded the training plan on the vlm site, there's one for people who have been running more than 8 weeks but first marathon. It's 3 runs a week, long, recovery and speed. I've been following a similar half training plan and it really works for me.

Hi, I'm running my first ever marathon at the London Marathon (I've only really run 10km up until now) and nervous and excited! I got a charity place affect years of ballot rejection. I'm writing a blog to stay on the straight and narrow: swappingginfortrainers.wordpress.com

Any hint and tips or training buddies are very welcome!!

I did brighton marathon on no training, ran the first 13.5 miles and hit brick wall, than walk/jogged the remaining 12.5, crosses finished line in 6hrs.

I signed up with all good intentions of training, got up the about 11 miles in augs but then went on holiday, then it was winter and before i knew it, it was april and time for the big run and i hadn't put on my trainers since that was 11 mile run in augs the previous year!!!!!

Ha really pinkpantsrock?! I ahem started my training now but part of me hopes the on the day energy gets me through!!

when it got to the day i just thought 'oh crap it, give it a try and see what i can do'

I put on Batman begins soundtrack and went into 'batman zone' and went for it. I cried my eyes out when i finished and i couldn't walk for about 2 days

it was the best feeling in the world at the end, i think even more satisfing because i'd done no training and shire batman force got me through.

go for it, it's such a rush and amazing sense of achievement

Respect the distance!!

Seriously op, if you train for it and focus on it then it's very achievable.

When I did ur I gallon back now and have no memory of the first ten miles or so! I was swept along with the crowd..... I can remember the feeling and a few milestone moments

Join runmummyrun on Facebook!! Lots of ladies there doing it too. Great company and motivation and cheerpoints at the vmlm too! Come join us

Gobbledegook mid post there.... apologies.... should say ' when I ran it etc'

Runmummyrun are great, very supportive and lots of good advice too.

I haven't done a marathon, but I've done several half marathons. I'm not at all one of life's natural runners - I'm short, busty, and used to be extremely obese, but here's what I found really worked for me:

Before anything get your clothes and shoes sorted! As far as possible you want to train in the kit you will run in on the day so you know every seam is comfortable.

1. Don't wait, fretting, until one of the prescribed plans says to start - start NOW.
2. Set a structure to the overall week and stick to it. If you swap days around that's fine, but you have to come out of the week having done the 3 sessions. So for the half-marathon mine was 2x 8km runs in the week (for no reason other than it was the distance from my flat to my office so I'd run to work!), then a longer run at the weekend. And what I would do there is start out running as far as I could comfortably manage at the time (10kms) then after 2 weeks, I would add another km, then 2 weeks later another km....
3. The carrot. I always made sure I planned my long run route with a 'carrot on a stick' aspect to it - so I would aim to run 12 miles, on a route conveniently bringing me to a stop at the door of Topshop, which meant I had earned the jeans I wanted and could nip in for them. Or I would plan a loop that went past lots of scenic markers (I was living in London at the time), meaning each one I got a 30 second breather for a mid-run selfie which I could look back on to motivate myself for next time.
4. The drop-off. If all else fails and you really, really can't be arsed to go for your main run - take public transport or get a lift until you are the distance away from home that you have to run. Then you are forced to run back in order to get home!

Good luck - you can do it!!!!

Oh, and also read Alexandra Heminsley's book 'Run like a Girl' - that helped me more than anything!

Some great tips there fenella

Will use some of those myself.... any more??