London Marathon 2027

[elizabethxxx]

Hi all!

Earlier on this year I applied to run for MacMillan for the London Marathon. They have emailed me today accepting my place. So this is the thing I had a baby last year and have always been out of shape/overweight. I have 7 months to do this and I’m looking for some beginner advice!?

Thanks so much :)

Have you ever run/exercised before?
You need to do a training plan involving running at least 3 times a week and strength training.

This is quite a tough venture.

Obviously not impossible but why not aim for a 10km or half marathon instead? A marathon is a huge investment of time for training even for people who are already very fit and run regularly.

You have a place now. It won’t be easy but it won’t be impossible to get round the course.

I would start right now, like today, with couch 2 5k and learn how to run. That will take you 9 weeks. If you start today you’ll finish on the 24th November, which will give you another 2 weeks to practice consistently running for 30 mins before you start a 20 week training plan on December 7th.

it’ll be a big time commitment towards the end. Couch to 5k can fit nicely around your life but proper marathon training is very time consuming. But London is a big deal and you want to feel you’ve done it justice

I can run a marathon in quite a good time without specifically training for it as I have run a marathon or an ultra every month since April this year (apart form May where I raced a half every weekend). I also run about 20 miles every Sunday just for fun. I’m applying for a good for age place for London and if I get in training will take over my life in the spring as I’ll be going for quite a fast time and will need to train, unlike my November marathon that I’m doing as a social day out with the running club.

starting from scratch will be hard but not impossible. But you will need to be consistent. You will also need to strength train properly alongside once you start to increase the miles (it would be good practice to do it from the start) to reduce the risk of injury.

you can’t wing a marathon like you can a 10k or a half. If you train it could be one of the best experiences of your life. If you don’t it will be miserable and possibly even dangers. Good luck!!

Wow! First of all, many congratulations on securing a charity place for the London marathon! Not many people realise how hard it is to do that.

Training for a marathon takes a lot of commitment and time, but if you applied you’re presumably up for that, and I’ve found the process of training for marathons life-changing. It is as much about training your brain as your legs (although your legs are pretty important….)

There are “couch to marathon” training plans out there which give you a 6 month training plan- hopefully you will get some recommendations on here soon. (I built up to a marathon via half marathons, so can’t advise on that, but there will be plenty of people who turn up at the start line who have done just the same as you). But the important thing is to start one NOW because life will inevitably get in the way - especially with a young child. Don’t think because it’s written as a 6 month plan you can hold off starting!

Good luck!

You can do this! I got my first place in the London Marathon in the October and ran in April. I went to the gym a few times a week but wasn’t a runner. In the April I did the marathon, took me just over 6 hours as it was the hottest one ever so I slowed down and walked for parts to cope with it. It changed me forever. Doing all that training and then getting to achieve the London marathon (which is spectacular) just changed something in my brain chemistry.

An average 16 week marathon training block starts at Christmas for London and you need to be up for doing 2-3 mid week runs, plus a weekend long run every single week from then until the marathon. The first “long” run for the beginners plan is usually 10km or 7 miles. Therefore you’ve got between now and Christmas to get running that far.

Agree with other posters that your priority is couch25km and also starting regular strength training. Get into the routine because it only gets harder! Get fitted for proper running shoes (and expect to have to get fitted again before the race) and make sure you have a decent sports bra.

If you have a charity spot, think about fundraising and the running schedule! Try and prioritise fundraising this side of Christmas or in January/early Feb. Weeks 8-13 of the marathon training plan will likely being really tough and you don’t want a cake sale/raffle/pub quiz to add to your stress! Weeks 15-16 you will be easing off the running so a good time to do some fundraising to capitalise on the build up!

It’s going to be hard! I’m currently 6 weeks out from the NY marathon, running some really big miles and can’t believe how much my legs ache and how hungry I am alllllll the time and how much sleep I need! But that’s the beauty of it- you’re going to do something really really hard but the sense of achievement is incredible!

You have got this and you absolutely will do it!!

I really don’t recommend couch to marathon but you’ve got the place so…
Start C2 5k now and aim to be up to 10k by Christmas. Then look at a 16 week beginners plan that has you running 3 times a week. I wouldn’t worry too much about speedwork or intensity, aim for one that has you doing lots of time on feet

If you accept won’t be breaking any records and following a beginners training plan, it’s definitely doable! And it’ll be an amazing experience and achievement.

I’d also chuck in some core, glute and IT band exercises to stave off injuries - pay for a one off PT session and get them to set you some.

It’s hard - my DD who is extremely fit managed to pass out on her first half-marathon (she hit the floor very hard). She then did the same on her first marathon, just less spectacularly, because she recognised the signs. Training for a marathon means, as she says, giving up a lot of life. For her it was worth it, as she got a good for age slot in the London Marathon (a life goal) this year and (completely unstealthy boast) run it in 3 hours and 10 seconds. But the fact remains that she chose training above a lot of socialising/other fun things people in their early twenties do.

I agree with the PP who says start today on the C25K. Then get decent (and I mean by that, good) trainers. Look to take part in Parkruns every week. Then build up to 10K by Christmas.

I think if you accept that you may not run all the way around the course, it’ll be easier - at the end of the day, getting around the course is a great achievement. Remember, most people never complete a marathon.