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.

Thanks kitty - I'm pleasantly surprised as things weren't looking too hopeful a few weeks ago!

Think this week I'm going to experiment with walk/run strategies too. More back friendly according to physio, and I seem to go faster. Just have to stop thinking of walking as somehow cheating!

Doing a marathon distance is never cheating, no matter how you do it! Glad things are improving Elba.
I use Clif shot bloks as I don't like gels. They are like blocks of jelly and if I don't want to chew I can just let them dissolve. The strawberry and summer berries flavours are nice. I have used them for all my half marathons.
Pickle if you've been running a while you'll probably have a feel for what works for you and be able to figure out your own training I think. We are the ones who know our bodies best after all!
Feeling better today but not able to eat much. Have cancelled boot camp tomorrow and think I will aim for a run on Thursday. On the plus side, have lost 3 pounds, hurray!

Crashes into the thread - not doing London but have a marathon the week before (I think the Easter weekend). Not much of a training plan beyond the obvious two or three midweek runs and a long one at the weekend. I took planned walking breaks from 3 miles in last time and think will do the same again, maybe even every mile.

Forgot to ask how far people are planning to go on longest run before taper (if tapering)?

Have ordered some jelly bellys and clif bloks. Anything has to be better than minging gels and sticky wrappers that have to go back all sticky into my pocket until I can find a bin.

I was think 18 miles psycho but I'm not sure. Maybe longer. I'm just scared about being able to wing the remaining 8 miles. I'm skiing the first week of the Easter holidays (with the marathon being the last weekend of the two week break) and I've no idea what to do. Will skiing be enough exercise or should I find a gym in the resort? I don't fancy running up potholed mountain roads!

Just dragged myself out for a wet 5 miles doing 6 mins run/1 min walk; average pace was 10.36 per mile including walks, which is very fast for me! For comparison my six miles 10 days ago was 11.12. And I still had some reserve at the end. Aiming for a 10 mile long run this week so might try 1-2 mins walk at the start of each mile. Would love to get my long run pace to just under 11 to have a hope of getting round in under 5 hours.

psycho I've planned my long runs so that I could potentially be up to 22 miles, but more realistically 20 allowing for at least one week off in case of illness etc.

pickle not sure, but as you will be tapering by then I would of thought overdoing the excercise would be more of a risk!

My running buddy is away for the weekend! How bloody dare she?! Off enjoying herself. Prrrrrft. So I'm going to have to attempt to do my long run by myself. Which I'm rubbish at because I find myself quite boring tbh. Do the rest of you do long runs with someone or by yourself? Any tips for stopping myself from giving up due to boredom?!

Well done on your soggy run elba Today's my rest day so have ate far too much and sat lots.

I do most of mine with someone because am a really terrible wuss about traffic and it's probably not possible to find enough miles of pavement in Suffolk, just HAVE to go on the actual roads. But this Sunday I went on my own and it felt good to relax into my own pace, go off road for a bit, stop when I felt I'd had enough and enjoy a longer walk back. There are pros and cons!

I do all my runs on my own, I listen to podcasts. Good to allow time off for illness Elba, that's what I have done too and glad of it this week! Today's ambition is to walk the dog!
Skiing holiday sounds great Pickle. Have never been on one , am guessing it's pretty tiring so you might not need to do much else. Maybe just a couple of wee treadmill runs to remind your legs what it feels like?!
Welcome psycho, good luck with the training. My plan goes up to 22 miles, but I may stop at 20 if I'm too tired.

Well I'm sick
I've hardly stirred from my bed since Friday and I feel as weak as a kitten. There's no way I'll be up to running or the gym before the weekend at least and I'm starting to get definitely anxious about being ready in time.

On top of this I have an appointment at my GP's next week as I'm worried about a change in one of my breasts, so that could throw a definite spanner in the works

Get well soon faintly, I read somewhere that plans are designed to accommodate some time that you'll be out of action. Hope gp appointment goes well and that it turns out to be nothing to worry about.

I'm going to download some podcasts emummy Any recommendations? I ran once listening to Rhod Gilbert and I must have looked a right loon running by myself whilst laughing my head off.

Skiing holidays these days aren't quite as strenuous as it used to be so I don't think I'll over do it. Just have to try not to break a leg!. The kids have lessons in the morning when I get to ski then I'll pick them up, pootle around some blue runs for a bit with them. Then we have lunch and probably don't get the chance to get out in the afternoon because they're only 4 and 6 so not yet up to a whole days skiing. Mind you, the 6 year old is already better at skiing than his dad after one weeks holiday so might not be long before they're showing me up on black runs. Will probably need to rein in the apres ski wine drinking though

Oh faintly get well soon. How stressful for you. I hope it all goes well with the gp.

I did 8 sorry, slow miles today. I didn't fuel properly last night and did a little over enthusiastic Zumba session last night so I suffered today. Feeling better now I've eaten etc but I was a bit stupid. Still my ankle is fine and my foam rolling is working well.

Hi all.

Glad to head everyone's injuries are resolving. It's a rollercoaster isn't it?

My ankle is still playing up- had to stop after 2 miles on Monday and was convinced I'll have to defer, but got another appt with chiropractor tomorrow so we shall see what she says. Kitty did u still want to see the exercises? Sounds like yours is different cause to mine so prob not v useful now??

I always run alone and love the 'me time'- really missing it now. Would also love to hear what podcasts people listen to as sometime not in mood for music.

How frustrating chocolate. Thanks but I'll pass on the exercises, I've got a very specific plan from this coach with is related to all my many, many weakness and wonky leg. It is making a difference but I think I've irritated my sciatic nerve again so I'm dosed up on ibuprofen.

I generally don't listen to anything running. I love the alone time. I was going a bit mad this week but feel so much better for that 8 miles.

However, I listen to podcasts in the bath and before bed. I love science and running so: infinite monkey cage, inside science, all in the mind, the life scientific. I also listen to 'how was your run today' which I love!

Hope all the illnesses and injuries clear up soon. I feel a lot better so planning to run tomorrow.
I listen mostly to running podcasts, sad! I listen to Marathon Talk (with Martin Yelling), Running Commentary (2 comedians chatting while they run) and the Tough Girl podcast, which interviews female sportspeople & adventurers. Sometimes also Marathon Training Academy and the Strength Running podcasts, which are American and very positive! I used to listen to women's hour but have gone off it.

I wish (in some ways) I could listen to something while running, especially when the long runs get really long, but I can't. Even if I'm only doing some extra miles on the bike in the gym I still have to concentrate 😳 Do like podcasts though and can listen to those happily so will check out those mentioned. I love the Guilty Feminist.

I'm a music fiend psycho yet cannot listen to music while I run
I thought it was my inexperience to start with, and that I would be able to once I cracked my breathing but still no. I may try with podcasts or audio books instead but to me it just isn't the same

I'm all podcasted up now and ready for this weekends solo run - thanks for all the suggestions!

Just did a really begrudging 30 minutes on the treadmill increasing the speed every 2 minutes until I was purple in the face. I find running on the treadmill really uncomfortable and when I go fast I always feel like I'm going to fall off the back so sometimes have to hold on and must look like a right prat.

There's a bloke at my work who runs 4.5 minute kilometres. I tried going that fast just to see what it's like but my legs wouldn't move that quickly!

I am permanently so hungry. Which isn't helping my diet. I lost 3.5 stones fairly recently but still want to lose another stone. All this running is at least allowing me to eat and not put on anything but I really want to lose that stone. If only to make running 26.2 miles suck a bit less!!

Some interesting research on taking caffeine later in long events, so for the last half of the marathon (obviously don't try for first time on race day!)

caffeine in long races

My friend was saying that about caffeine the other day. I'd be guaranteeing doing a Paula Radcliffe if I did that though!

There are toilets on route aren't they? Aaaaargh. Now I'm panicking that there might not be. The half marathon I did I took 4 Immodium before hand just in case!

There are toilets, bit of a queue I guess though. I am coeliac and my tummy is very badly behaved sometimes! Planning to stock up on Imodium!

Was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on how to approach pacing for my (first ever!) half which is in three weeks time? I did 10 miles today and 8 last week, identical times but very different strategies (planned walks every mile today). I don't want to overdo it, but want to do my best on the half so I have an idea of my target time for the real thing. Average pace was 11.10 mins/mile. Do I aim to stick to this pace or would you push it a bit? Not sure how much the adrenaline of it being a race will spur me on.

Very wet and windy run this evening, not particularly pleasant! And my headphones died on the first mile so had to do it without my music- I never run without music!!

Oh and in case anyone has the sports jelly beans I mentioned a few days ago, my top tip; open them before you go. Needed a boost at mile 7 and couldn't get into the buggers!

The adrenaline does spur you on Elba but that can be a bad thing too! I think make sure you start steady at a comfortable pace. If you have a time you are aiming for you could work out the pace for that and try to stick to it. Do you know what the route is like? It's good to know if there are any hills lurking! If you're not set on a particular time I would go out steady and then pick up the pace a little further on if you can. I always find miles 9-11 of a half are tough, then the last mile and a half I get faster! Good luck!