Running Thread - anyone got a place in 2009 London Marathon (or any Marathon!)

[hellion]

For the first time I have got into the 2009 London Marathon. Anyone else out there who is training for this? Hows it going?

Any advice from those who have run it before and managed to fit in family life would be gratefully appreciated.

weird - for some reason my messages appear in the wrong order?

Hi Runforlove - to be honest I'm not being very good about food. obviously I'm eating more but not sure I'm eating the right stuff. Normally I do upto 10 miles on an empty stomach - always prefered it that way. but for this I had a bowl of porridge about an hour before setting off. yesterday I had pasta with bacon and brocolli for tea.

I've never felt sick after a run - until today. dh thinks I drank too much water (about 4 pints). I did get a headache - quite a bad one. but it's gone now and I'm feeling ok.

and yes, this is the longest I;ve ever run. I;ve done 16 before - and to be really honest it didn;t feel any harder. the marathon feels within reach now.

oh - and time - it was 3hr 20 mins - which is a 11.07 mile. but there were a couple of hills - and the goodrunguide tells me the flat equivalent distance was 19.3 miles, which gives me a pace of 10.24 - which I'm pretty pleased with. for me.

hope you have a good 8 miles. I'm having a rest tomorrow. funnily enough.

Well its great to hear 16 is not much harder than 18. i cant believe it though but I'll find out soon

Hope you feel ok today - I'm prepping myself for my 2nd 16 mile run this sunday. last time i had a horrible experience after so fingers crossed it doesnt happen again.

how is everyone else doing - we should all be nearing 16miles now?

hi everyone

i keep losing this thread.

have had a pretty good couple of weeks for the longs runs, did 12, 13 and 15 last weekend so feeling quite positive though havent a clue about pace and mileage etc. Tommorow am attempting my first half marathon but have an upset stomach today and cant keep anything down so not sure how that is going to work out. Still only going out twice in the week as if I do 3 times I am useless on the long run. Not sure if this is right (book says 4 times) but it seems to kind of be working for me at the moment.

Hi everyone

I did 17 miles today - the most I have ever run in one go. And I was still standing at the ending. Then I came home and was starving and ate anything I could get my hands on. I am still only managing to get out twice a week otherwise I don't recover.

RFL - I know what you mean about fizzy drinks. Have you tried one of the recovery drinks - they sell them in the supermarket as shakes or things you can mix up. When I have felt rough in the past after a run, they seem to help. (don't look at the ingredients list - very scary).

Hope you all had a good long run this weekend.

Hi everyone,

well done on the 17 miles Hellion. I did 16 yesterday - and it was harder than the 18 I did last week. I'm beginning to think that I need to a bit more holistic about this whole thing - and take a bit more notice of the more general advice - like eat well, sleep well etc. I suspect I found my 16 really hard because I had a late and slightly boozy night on Saturday.

I have a question for you all - do you all live in London? and if you don;t what are you doing the weekend of the marathon? I'm a bit torn, I have friends who have offered us beds for the night (dh has conceded that he'll come, and bring dds), but I'm slightly inclined to stay in a hotel (if I haven't left it too late to book). I think I might sleep better and go to bed earlier. If we do stay with friends it'll be slightly hectic (lots of excited kids) and whilst it'll be lovely, I'm not sure it'll be the right thing for the night before. The location isn;t close to the start, but, on the plus side, I could probably travel there with another friend who's also doing the marathon. the downside of a hotel is, cost - and i think dh would much prefer to stay with friends. what do you think?

Hello hatwoman
I would treat yourself to a hotel nice and close - YOU DESERVE IT!!!
I ran 17 miles on Sunday, was supposed to run 16 but some guy gave me wrong directions.
I ate five meal the day before (bowl of brown pasta late at night) and in the morning, had water banana and then left at 7.20. It felt great except my legs reallt ached from 12 miles onwards because I didnt warm up enough. But no head aches or sickness and i enjoyed it.
I will do one more 16 miler this sunday and then try 18.
Hope you are all well. Be so nice to meet up with you on the day if possible?

Hi

Hatwoman - yes the hotel sounds the best idea. You may be tempted to stay up chatting and drinking with friends - instead of taking the boring option and going to bed. However, saying that someone said that it is best to get to bed early on the Friday as we won't sleep at all Saturday night. I bet I am going to have recurring dreams about missing the start.

Anyway going off the point - I live in Kent so am lucky enough to be able to travel up in the morning.

Glad you felt better after your long ran RFL. Might try the 5 small meals thing. I always seem to be hungry at the moment.

Yeah it would be good to meet up on the day. I suppose it depends what start we are given.

Hi everyone. Are we all doing the marathon for charities? I was wondering whether we could ask mumsnet to sponsor us? Not sure if it would be cheeky or if they'd like the idea. And perhaps see if they have some badges or similar that we could wear? (I guess not t-shirts as we'll have stuff from our charities). But it would be so nice to get a bit of a cheer if any fellow mumsnetters spotted us. What do you think?

hatwoman - thats a great idea!

I'm running for Beating Bowel Cancer charity

www.justgiving.com/shirleymcdermott

If we all had a mums net badge on then we will recognise each other too, plus all the mumsnetters supporters!

x

Hi there that is a great idea I'm at

www.justgiving.com/jmcm

i think however there is an official topic for charities so we need to link to there maybe?

I did first half marathon on Sunday, was hard, first 6 miles all uphill, time not great 2.17 but I am just glad to have completed it 9was really hot, 2 people taken away in ambulances).

I have had a whole week off as DP was away and was in no fit state to run anyway and this weekend we are at a wedding - eek!

What about meeting up at registration the week before - someone said this is easier for meeting up with people.

I am in Surrey so will get the train on the day.

I'm surrey too x

Hi you scary running people Reeling a little from the idea of 17 miles....

Can I just ask a quick question please?

I did just over 9 miles on Sunday. A mere drop in the ocean to you lot, but a first time for me. Now I struggled to start with as usual - first mile is always hard for me - and the last mile or so was harder. But in the middle it was OK. How do you extend that middle feeling, when you feel you could run forever? It makes no odds how far I ran, I still seem to hit a wall about a mile or so from home - I think its in my head not my legs.

Hello OrmIrian

Just thought I'd say that how you feel now running 9 miles is the same as running 16 miles except for the last bit.

For me the first 3 miles are always hard, I get little niggling thoughts like "What are you doing, I dont feel like running today.. etc" Like a rusty engine getting going.

At this point I start a chant in my head like

"I feel good, I feel strong, I can keep running on and on"... or whatver and then I lose some time.

I also read its very important to not always distract your mind with other thoughts which does help but to actually encourage your mind to enjoy feeling your body running, your feet pounding, your breath, looking up and not a couple of feet infront all the time. This is help with longer runs.

I have to say no matter how many miles I run the last is always the hard, 3,5,9,10 or 17 the last mile is the killer and like I you I think its in the mind! This long run when I was a couple of miles away I started imagining my family friends were scattered along the roads cheering on and imagined I was approaching the finish line of the marathon. I actually ran faster as I came near my house it helped so you could try that.

You also asked how to lengthen the feeling you get in the middle otherwise known as the "flow" I come in and out of the flow throughout my long runs and not sure how to advise you on it. But I do not that I tend to enter just after points where I am not crossing lots of roads and I am thinking positive thoughts and chanting encouraging words. Usually around 12 miles I start to feel aches and pains but I always tell myself "Whatever you are feeling now, you will feel at 16 miles, it will be no worse, so just relax and let it happen and you will cope with it" I start doing this on my last few runs and instead of tensing up when the aches came, I accepted them and they disapeared and returned a few times. In my book, its says when you feel pain say to it "Hello pain, wont you run with me?" sounds weird but it works for me.
You are doing great, every week when my miles increased and I ran the longest I ever ran I was so proud of myself and so should you. Last year I could not run for 5 mins and this Sunday I will run 3 hours. Its not magic, our bodies are capable of so much. This marathon training has really shown me you can do whatever you want with hard work.
Good luck!!!!

Forgot to mention this comment "Just thought I'd say that how you feel now running 9 miles is the same as running 16 miles except for the last bit" only counts if you have followed a programme and built up your mileage slowly. By increasing it slowly you dont notice it so much.

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well. I'm in a quandary - I've got pain over the top of my foot - I think it's Extensor tendinitis and I don't know what to do. I'll try to get to see a physio asap, but in the mean time I'm really torn - part of me thinks, oh it's not that bad (it isn;t) you're being a baby, just get on with the training. but then the other part of me keeps thinking about the standard advice to rest. arrrrrgh. I really really don;t want to rest now. but then again, if I don;t rest I could really screw it up. I so don;t know what to do for the best. and I'll be gutted to fall behind my training schedule. any ideas? hope you're all doing well. I think the psychological questions you lot are talking about are so interesting - but I'm off to bed now - will post a bit more another time.

Thanks so much runforlove. LOL a bit at 9 miles if just like 16 miles only with a bit missing I will remember that. It will encourage me greatly!

I have been running for about 2 yrs regularly so I'm not exactly rushing things But I am now on a mission to try a half marathon (my GP who is also a runner prescribed it to help me with my anxiety/depression) so am giving it a bit more welly these days.

I like the idea of encouraging myself with a mantra of some kind. I have to keep pinching myself metaphorically to remind myself I can actually run that far!

OrmIrian - they say its 50% physical and 50% mental strenght when running and it is so true!

You should try not look on the runs in terms of miles because they really dont feel that different. Yes after you are more tired but the tiredness you feel at 8 miles or so will probably be the same up to 14 or more miles so you just need to tell yourself that those feelings are manageable and they wont get worse.

When you feel like you want to stop start with the top of your head and say to yourself, "OrmIrian, relax your head, OrmIrian, relax your head" then forehead, face, neck, shoulders, top of back, boobs, lower back, tummy, buttocks, groin, and so on working your way slowly down to your toes. I use to suffer from terrible panic attacks and agrophobia and relaxation techniques really helped me. You lose time, you relax, your breathing and heart rate slows down which makes any aches ease a little. You dont realise how much you are tensing your muscles until you do this.

You will do it!

Good luck!!!

Ps. I have to run 8 miles tonight and I'm really not looking forward to it, I'm actually looking forward to my 18 mile run on Sunday - weird
I think its the challenge that drives me and knowing that will be the first time I have ever run that far.

Let us know how you get on.

hatwoman - sorry to hear about your foot. How soon can you get seen by someone?

I know its hard but its really not worth causing any long term damage to yourself.

I would rest and get it checked first - it might not be as bad as you think but the rest factor could be the one thing that you need to do.

Dont worry about missing a few runs there is still time for you to fit enough miles in.

Even if it means you running slower or walking some miles. You dont want to damage your foot.

Good luck.

Hi again. well I took tue, wed and thurs off but then went out this morning. partly out of frustration cos resting it was making no difference. it's still hurting but it is runnable - I've booked to see a physio tomorrow so I;ll report back. hope everyone's ok

Hi everyone

Sorry to hear about your foot hatwoman. Don't forget you have loads of miles already in the bank so it won't hurt too much to rest for a week or so. When my foot was causing a problem I didn't run for two weeks and managed to pick it up again afterwards. So I hope whatever you have done isn't too serious. IT is really horrible when you can't run, and have come this far. Hope the physio helped.

Has anyone else heard what start they are on. I am on the blue start (at the back).

I am running the Worthing 20 next weekend. I was confident earlier this week - as the days get nearer the distance seems even bigger.

I am running for a local hospice/home nursing charity. but any support is welcome.

Good luck with your 18 miler this weekend rfl.

Hello everyone

Hatwoman - how did it go?

I've booked myself in tomorrow to be seen too. My knee is playing up and I dont want to ruin my chances so getting it looked at £45 though!!! I hope I only need one of two sessions, cant afford it but would be devastated if I injured myself before the big day.

Its a pain that comes and goes in my knee.

Good luck with Hellion with your run too- 20 miles!!! Thanks x

I am blue start too cant remember my number think its in the 3000's.

x

Hi again everyone. well my foot still hurts quite a bit. the physio reckoned it goes back to a sprain about 2 years ago . apparently my ankle is too wobbly - ie the ligaments aren;t really doing their job of holding it in place, which means that running off road on uneven surfaces (as I do) will give me nerve pain (so I was wrong about it being tendons). so I've come home with a wobble board and I have to practice standing on one leg to strengthen the muscles - which can do the job of my feeble ligaments. she recommends doing no more than 5 mile runs, doing some speed work, and cycling. but she thinks I'll be ok for the marathon. I feel quite gutted that I can;t stick to my schedule - but dh says I should be glad she didn;t tell me to bin the while thing. I guess he's right. good luck with the 20 miles hellion. hope everyone else gets some good running in this weekend.

runforlove - thanks for the advice. I did my 1o miles today. Not fast but I got back without any aches and pains. I used your mantra when things got too hard.

Hatwoman - great news you can still do it. I know its frustrating that you cant stick to your programme but try not worry. Main thing is you can still do it.

I ran my 18 miles and really enjoyed it. It was my best run yet and for the first time I felt its possible i can run the marathon. I could have carried on running. I reckon I will get to about mile 23 before I will be working on mental strength alone.

Really excited now and cant wait for the big day. Fitness therapist said my knees are fine just achey, bit my itc muscles (run from hip to shin) and quads were too tight and that was causing my knees to ache. He showed me some exercises.

For the last two weeks I could only fit two runs in the week in and the long one on the weekend. I feel too tired to do my 5 miler tonight and I have a cold so might skip it again. I really dont enjoy the shorter runs now. Just cant wait to not have to fit runs in anymore. I will take a couple of weeks off after and then run three times a week 3-5 miles each max!!!

Hope you are all feeling good and positive. I'm only £200 off my target for fund raising and my dad had a scan which showed no more cancer in his body, we are over teh moon. he has to have 12 weeks of chemo still to make sure no cancerous cells are growing. So a great week all around so far.

OrmIrian - well done on your run, glad you made use of the mantras x