First time marathon in 2025 support thread?

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I'm lucky to have secured a ballot place for London 2025. Anyone else?

I've run lots of half Marathons but never a full one. Currently I run 3-4 times a week, one of which is a running club which does specific training (eg tempo, low HR etc) and I do 3-4 sessions of bodyweight strength training as well. And I walk a lot, but not strenuous, just dog walking.

I won't lie, I'm dreading the marathon. I am worried about getting the longer runs and training in, worried about injury, and just generally quite nervous about it.

If anyone would like a chat/support thread, please drop in to say hi 👋

@thenewaveragebear1983 I just came on to post a similar thread! I'm not doing london but would love to do the loch ness marathon in October next year. Currently only an intermittent jogger so would need to year to really prepare for it. But I feel like my ageing has sped up in the last couple of years (although I'm only 43!) And it's been a reality check that if I don't actively strive for these things now then there is a risk I'll never even try to do it which I know I would really regret.

So I would love some training buddies to help hold me to account and share the ups and downs.

London Marathon was one of the best days of my life. You're going to have a great time.

I could go on for hours about the training, the prep, the day itself... but my key points would be:

Find a training plan that works around you and your lifestyle, and try and do it over a lot more weeks than it is designed for (eg - find a 20 week plan and do it over 24/25). This takes the pressure off. Fill the 'gaps' with some long runs that aren't as long.

Find someone to train with- esp the long runs.

Run the long runs slowly (I did all my long runs at c10.40/10.50 min/mile, and still ran the marathon in 4hrs 15).

Get your accommodation sorted - nearer the finish is much better than near the start.

London was my 6th marathon, and it was like no other. The crowds so do much of the work for you! The first 3hrs just flew by.
Be prepared to feel emotional- it can be quite overwhelming.

And don't plan anything the next day that involves a lot of stairs. Especially ones going down!

@Lesmiserables2024 amazing, Loch Ness! Wow!

@TheTripThatWasnt thanks for all your tips! I have got my hotel booked, we're going down the night before and coming on back the Monday. I've not really found a training plan as yet, I've been focussing on just pushing out my long run to get me up to half marathon distance. That's a good idea to find a 20 wk plan and stretch it out. I'm unlikely to find someone to run with, no one I know is running any kind of distance really. My dh might run 10 miles or so with me maybe.

I'd planned 23km today, got a nice route sorted- but then had a terrible nights sleep and lay awake for hours! So might struggle, but will see. My route is a figure8 so I do come near to home at the 16k mark....

I did do my 23km today 👍 I didn't fuel well on the run, could have done with an additional gel at around 2/3 distance, I only had one at halfway. I don't normally use them at all. I saw a thing that said you need to consume 60g carbs an hour when marathon running, that's insane, that's like 3 an hour??? But i definitely could have had more than 1! I had a banana in protein shake before I set out as well, that was good.

I also used strava route planner but took a wrong turn somewhere, dropped a mile, so had to stop for a wee, and a route re-check, added a little detour on the flat and then came in at 23 exactly. Nice route. I don't exactly feel like running double that distance though- my knee hurt and now my right leg is very achy. I will get the foam roller out tonight I think.

The Loch Ness one is amazing! I've run London twice but would still pick Loch Ness as my favourite

@thenewaveragebear1983 - that's brilliant!
It never ceases to amaze me how many carbs 'they' say you should take on during a run. I usually have 4 gels in a marathon (and I think I might have topped up with some Kendal Mint cake in my last one earlier this year).

Don't worry about thinking about how you're going to manage the 'extra' miles on top of whatever your longest run is. The brain does a lot of the work when it comes to running, so when you set off this morning, it knew you were doing 23k, so it got you that far. If you'd have been 'set' to 25k, it would have helped you get a bit further. After every long run, I always think 'how on earth am I going to run x miles more?!', but somehow you can.

As an aside, for first time marathon runners, I always think the long run after half marathon distance (usually a 15/16 miler) is the hardest one to do. It's the one where you are all of a sudden out of your comfort zone (assuming you've run half marathons several times before), and you are in new territory for the first time. After that one, you're 'just' adding a couple of miles each time and it never seems so onerous.

To your point about having people to run with - is there a running club or group near you? I run a running club, and we quite often have people who join us to train for a marathon, and then sometimes they stay and sometimes they move on. But we always support people who are looking for company on those long runs. Not all clubs suit all people. Some are big (and have huge ranges of speeds) and some are small, and can't necessarily cope with a wide range of paces. Ours, for example, doesn't take people who are typically running slower than 10.50/11 min miles, because we don't have a big enough group or enough leaders to be able to manage big differences in pace. Our fastest runners are probably around the 9.20/9.30 on most runs (but race faster). Dealing with that range is do-able, just about! But we are always honest with people if they enquire with us, and we point them in the direction of a local group which is tailored to slower runners or the local athletic club if they're super speedy.

@TheTripThatWasnt I love Kendall mint cake, I might incentivise my runs with a few chunks en route. I saw on Facebook that Kmc now make energy gels too 🤔

I just signed up for a local half in 3 weeks, it should be a pretty flat course and it's a long time since I have done a proper race (the last one was June 2023 and I twisted a ligament in the sole of my foot around Mile 10, thought it was cramp so ran on it, and when I took my trainer off after, my foot basically exploded and I couldn't put weight on it for several weeks)

There's so much to think about, i need to look at my nutrition as I do a lot of exercise and I don't think I'm eating enough, resulting in crashing out on junk food. I'm not a huge fan of carb loading before long runs as they make me so sluggish and heavy, it doesn't seem to give me energy. I could also do with losing a few more pounds, maybe half a stone ish, to save lugging that round with me for 42kms.
I need to get into a stretching routine, even just a few minutes a day would be better than what I am managing at the moment, zero minutes.

Marathon training has officially started today #1 5km easy pace after heavy weekend 😜
236 days to go 😧

I'm doing the Paris marathon next year to celebrate a big birthday. I'm going with my amazing friend who does lots of marathons so we're travelling together and picking up the race pack but she will run on her own as I am much too slow for her.

I did London 2 years ago to raise money for charity after a friend died. It was honestly one of the best days of my life. I had horrible blisters by the end so had to have a couple of toenails strapped back on by St John's Ambulance and it was still absolutely brilliant. I cannot explain how fantastic the crowds are. I am not fast (I was doing 12 min miles) but there was constant support and encouragement all the way round.

I decided to enjoy it - I wasn't going to be significantly faster but really pushing so I did it as a walk run (1 min walk per mile) to eat, have some water, high five lots of small children, take jelly beans from spectators and have a bit of a chat.

I'd like to do Paris a bit more quickly, but we'll see how training goes.

I'd definitely second a hotel near the finish. You run more than 26.2 miles! I think I did 28 and then had a long walk from Buckingham Palace to Waterloo as the tubes were all closed. My son had to carry me down the steps to the station.

Marathon is 30 weeks today!

Ran the Worcester city half marathon today, made good time (1.56.50) but it was hard and I didn't feel race ready. Last night my knee was so painful I didn't think I'd be able to run at all. Now after running, my hip is so tight and painful.

I really really must get some proper stretching into my routine. A full body yoga session once a week and some daily stretches I think 🤔

I did my first marathon this weekend! My longest run prior was 30k. I didn't really train according to a "plan", just did one long run at the weekend and lots of varied runs in the week. Two days off. I've been running for yearly but 6 months ago started entering into half marathons every month, which helped bring me up to longer distance fitness quickly.

I also didn't overly think about fuel or hydration- just common sense. Are more and drank more two days before, had held and jelly babies in my running vest on marathon day, water.

I will say tho, full fat coke at the refreshment stops was a surprisingly good pick me up. Would def recommend 😂
I'm looking into more races now!