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.

My knees are swollen and I live in a second floor flat with two children that I will have to manoeuvre down the stairs shortly. Not really looking forward to that. I wouldn't mind a half later in the year but think my marathon days are done and dusted. Box well and truly ticked!

My husband has been inspired to enter the Dublin marathon in October... there are plenty of spaces for those who are keen!

Great pics kitty & lobster.

Having fun looking at my statistics on the results page. In the last 7k 130 people passed me but I passed 880! Pretty pleased with that, especially as my leg was so sore. Already plotting strategies to strengthen my leg for the next marathon, whenever that may be! Dh just cheerfully said he thinks I should do a quiet scenic highland marathon next - so I haven't driven him mad over the last 4 months! He is very patient...

kitty I think I saw you unless there were other women with the ribbons on their back like you?

Omg my legs are really sore and I had a massive crash earlier. Like hitting the wall, wobbly, shaky, felt sick, the whole lot. I've not been hungry since finishing so I think I finally ran out of energy.

I've eaten little and often today but it's taken most of the day to feel better.

Oh and I'm loosing another toe nail Number 4. I'm definitely doing Brighton next year though 😂

Nicknacky. I didn't see anyone else with ribbon like mine. It took me 26 mins to cross the start line and ran a 5:30 pace if you were around that. I had a green cap/visor on too

It must have been you then! I started at 10.28 and finished 5.16. How weird that out of 40000 people I saw you!

Sounds like me. Ah I wish we'd known and caught up! Isn't that funny.

Glad you're ok Kitty. was a little worried when you hadn't posted.

I have had a massive come down today. My legs feel ok but I went back to work and had to come home at lunch as was so tired, shivery and at risk of causing chaos. I slept for 3 hours on the sofa. We are moving next weekend and I think I completely overdid it yesterday instead of allowing myself to recover.

What a crazy few days.

The stats are really interesting. In my first 35k I was overtaken by about 7000 people but only overtook a few hundred. I think it was because I was in the green start which is the smallest. It only took me 5 mins to cross the line despite being in the back section. Faster runners from the red and blue starts must have been behind me.

Well done all 😊😊
I could not get up and down stairs yesterday, until someone told me to try backwards - definitely a trick to remember!
Today am much less stiff but really tired and can't stop eating. Am hungry all the time.
Also haven't taken the smile off my face since Sunday. Feels so amazing to be a London Marathon finisher 😊

I just saw on the news a man dressed as a gorilla is still crawling the London marathon. He's half way now.

How do you find out how many people you passed and stuff? I only figured out time and place per category etc....
Not very technical sorry, but would love to see more stats

On your results page at the bottom there is a box that says results display, it's got all sorts of stuff! I beat 25% of men apparently!

Ah thanks two. I'm absolutely fine, was just a bit dazed afterwards and it took a long time to take everything in, hence the delay.

I've done some yoga today and feel much better. I'm back on healthy food after 2 days of junk so hoping that helps energy levels.

I've got running club starting at school tmrw 😱 Thank goodness we're starting with 30 sec run/walk intervals. It may losses me up a bit though.

So...I've just booked Brighton marathon 2018.

Something in my head went 'well you can run one, be a shame to let that go to waste' 😂

Thanks emummy, loving the statistics!
KittyandTeal I'm looking at marathons again too! Thinking of Paris next year maybe. Will enter London ballot but odds are so slim I will still make plans for another. Can't possibly do the charity fundraising again, think the stress of that was as bad as the training!

Wow kitty well done, love the enthusiasm!

I was so adamant that I would never, ever do this again. I hated the last few weeks of training, I swore during and immediately after the marathon that I wouldn't do it again....but I've booked a half, and have decided to enter the ballot again (twice in a row is highly unlikely but worth a go!!). I have a time to beat now... I've also looked at Paris as a possibility, although I'm thinking if I don't get into London i will just get a few halves under my belt.

Recovery has been nowhere near as bad as I expected, although I hadn't bargained for how generally fatigued I would feel. Have a bit of a cold too which probably isn't helping.

I've looked at my stats and I overtook more people than overtook me in the last 7k (not by much but still happy with that). And whilst I went out too fast in hindsight, my first half was 8 mins quicker than my half in Feb and I still felt I was going slow and had reserve (until mile 15- the reserve buggered off at that point never to be seen again!!!!). I'm excited to see what times I can now get for 5k/10k/HM.

Most of my stats are about being overtaken and more near the back than the front; but I lik the last 7.2K when 67 overtook me and I overtook 934 No wonder I felt like I was dodging a lot of people!

My legs are now almost back to normal, but my foot is still sore and a bit swollen and my big toenail is slowly going black. Going to leave it another week then go to GP and ask if it could be a stress fracture. But it's lovely not having the worry of an injury affecting my marathon now, and I wont be running until I can do so without pain!

Fairly certain my marathon days are over, (at least for a few years) but would definitely do another half...

I am absolutely shattered today. I travelled back to Scotland on Monday, kinda had a day at work on Tuesday, gym twice yesterday and today I feel like I have been hit by a bus. So so tired. Does anyone else feel like that?

Had a sports massage last night and was told my body doesn't even seem like I walked 26 miles! Just a stiff shoulder and a medal to show for it

Obviously that only works if you waddle run a marathon over 6 hours!!

Nicky yes I am. I've not run (unless you count very slow 30 sec run/walk intervals with school club) or don anything more than yoga since finishing and I'm so tired. I've managed to strain my piriformis at run club last night 😂 And I have a sore throats and cold so I'm carrying on with the rest (and stuffing my face with all manner of food!)

I've also been totally shattered now that normal life/work has resumed, and am full of cold.

I think I'm also on a bit of a post race 'come down' emotionally and feel quite low. A week ago I couldn't wait for this to all be over, but now I'm so sad that it is!

So! What are you all doing next?!

Not much at the moment! Going to book the new Aberdeen half in August and I think the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow in October. Would like to do another marathon next year, maybe a quieter one to see what that's like! How about you Lobster?

I'm going to try my first run tomorrow, then hopefully look for a local half; and get my name down for London next year 😊

I've got a 10K in 3 weeks; a half in June; a 10K in July and a half in September.
Definitely having a go in the London ballot.

Saying that, I am still reluctant to go for a run following the marathon. I'm just knackered!