London marathoners assemble

[KittyandTeal]

As the ballot spaces start being allocated I thought I'd start a thread for those of us lucky enough to get a space.

I was rejected through the ballot but I have had a charity space since June so I'm running (and raising £1400) I've been training for a half so I can get the distance under my belt. Im up to 11 miles now in just over 2 hours. I'm slow but getting there. I'd like to get in under 5 hours but I'm happy to just be running it.

Very true. Enjoy your pregnancy, best wishes to you both

Congrats tri!

Brilliant you've been given the all clear Elba, fingers crossed the pain stays away.

I think I've strained my Achilles or my calf 😔 It's not too sore atm, just niggly and annoying. I noticed it yesterday but it was ok by the end of the 6 mile. It's a bit uncomfortable today though so I've booked to see my physio tmrw. I'm really worried it's Achilles tendonitis and that I'll have to stop running for a bit. That'll really make London training tricky.

Fingers crossed I go and she can work it out with massage a a weeks rest. Annoying!

Trijo - nothing more likely to guarantee conception than signing up for a marathon! Many congrats

Hello everyone else. Glad everyone is making steady progress. I did a half at the weekend which was surprisingly ok. Can't wait for the weather to pick up.

You're all so dedicated and now I've found you again I feel terrible
I have a place for London but due to a series of unfortunate events (including but not limited to both illness and bereavement) my training is not where it should be.
I work nights so try and run after work so about 5.30am. The poor weather has also set me back and I've currently only run 5 miles in one go (my breathing lets me down but aside from that I was physically and mentally in fine fettle afterwards)
I'm telling myself that I could walk 26 miles as I am at the moment, so I'm only working on increasing the speed at which I do it but I'm still plagued with doubts.
Please tell me I can still pull it together?!

You can still pull it together. I am on week 3 of the training programme & the longest I have run is 6.7 miles so not much more. Someone up thread mentioned 80/20, I read somewhere that if you do 80% of the training you should be ok so just need to get back on track.

Hope your physio goes ok kitty.

Physio was good. Not my Achilles but a slight strain on my outside calf. There is a possibility I am getting 'the taper fear' but for the whole of my training I'm sore afterwards but feeling much looser and better. I can run but I need to take it easy a bit.

Faintly I'm only up to 6 miles on my plan atm so you're not behind at all. Don't stress about it, do what you can when you can and be kind to yourself. You'll get there.

Checking in.

Well done to the all weather runners! I can usually gird my loins for rain and cold, but wind is a no go for me (weakling).

Elba and Kitty, I hope your injuries are healing well.

Tri Congratulations!

I haven't run for a week. I have had crazy weights sessions which have properly killed me - my quads are broken. I am about to go and see if I can finally run the soreness off, just an easy 8-10k. Need to plough out a long run this weekend, or I'll have missed two weeks.

Thank you for the encouragement!
I actually had my induction at the gym today, the first time I've set foot in a gym for about twenty years! I'm going next week for my trainer to go through a plan with me which makes me feel slightly happier, and should also alleviate the monotony of running in the dark

faintly I'm only on my first proper week of training after not running since December due to a flare up of an old back injury so am no further on than you. 26 miles feels totally overwhelming at the moment so I'm trying to break it down into smaller, shorter term goals.

kitty glad physio sorted you out!

Did 7.5k on tuesday which was quite sore, and 10k today which actually felt much more comfortable. So feeling cautiously optimistic. Have been religiously doing physio excercises, Pilates and yoga as often as possible. In hindsight I got carried away in October and November and built up mileage far too fast whilst ignoring strength/core/flexibility etc. Never mind. Forced to pace myself a bit at the moment, and take short walking breaks every 25 or so minutes otherwise my hip seizes up.

In case anyone's interested in anything yoga based, I found a really good warm up routine which I tried out today. Think it made quite a difference. Will post this first then attempt to post the link so I don't loose the whole post!

I'm on the reserve list to run for Keech Hospice. They emailed me yesterday to say that they're struggling (since before Xmas) to contact one of their runners. If they don't hear from them by 4.30 on Mon.. I think the place is mine. I'm running approx 15k a week. Am I being completely mad to think I could do it?

Also does anyone have any good fundraising ideas? I work at a very busy college

Thanks for video Elba I definitely need to work on my strength more.

Fingers crossed Green. I'm not great on the fundraising side but hopefully someone can help.

I took a tumble on my morning run today. I tripped on rubbish left by the bin men! Nothing too serious, just grazes & bruises and a bit of embarrassment.

That yoga looks good. I've got a Pilates/core/stretch session tonight.

Did my first fartlek run yesterday which was grim. I hate speedwork. My ankle held out well though.

Green you can definitely do it. Fundraising is tricky but do-able. I've arranged a raffle so anyone who sponsors me gets entered, arranged a zumbathon, sent my fundraising page out to all the parents at school and I've also arranged ribbons to remember lost babies, each with a name on. I know some people have sold their miles off and written names on their beats or skin, that seems popular. Arranging dinner parties or discos is another one. Oh and I'm getting all the kids at my school to run 100metres, all together it makes 26.2 miles!

Kitty they're lovely ideas, thank you! What kind of raffle prizes do you have lined up?

I have some cinema tickets from a local independent cinema, a hair cut and a free pass to a local forestry place. Plus some body shop bits, a flower from my florist friend and hopefully some chutney or chocolates from a local cafe

Oh wow! Well done you. I can't wait for Monday. Just to know one way or another. Really hope that Im offered a place, then I can seriously get motivated with training/fundraising. I feel in limbo at the moment!

Fingers crossed for tmrw green.

I'm off for a 7 miler tmrw. Going to try a flat route as I don't often get to run on the flat, plus a little break from hills will benefit my ankle.

It's the anniversary of our dd2 being born, I desperately want to go out an run but it's a rest day, I did a killer Pilates yesterday and I know I need to rest but it's hard. Urgh.

I'm in!!!

Hurray Green! Good luck!
Hope you made it through Sunday ok Kitty and managed your 7 miles today

Great news Green good luck with the training.

Kitty your fundraising efforts sound amazing.

Hope everyone's Sunday & Monday long runs went well.

Woohoo green. Brilliant news.

My 7 milers yesterday was good, I ran a flat route but it was so cold my eyelashes froze! My Achilles on both sides was sore for a while after but seems fine now. I hope it was a case of trail shoes on concrete rather than a sign of on going issues!

Hi all. Anyone else really looking forward to warmer weather?!

I did a half marathon last weekend in 2:10 which I was really pleased with. Really useful to run with a pacer- anyone know do they have them in London? How would it work with such a big race??

My ankle/heel still aches but seen a chiropractor now and got exercises to strengthen the ankle which should help, but she doesn't think it's anything serious which is great news.

Keep going everyone- in 3 months it'll all be over

They do have pacers at London chocolate. Runners World supply them and they do several finish times and should be at all the starts. If you go to runners world.co.uk, then click on event and then pacing the London page comes up and they tell you about what times they do.

It's the 2016 team on at the moment but I think they will continue. One of the 5 hour pacers posts on the forums. He's done London 30 times!