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Original poster

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

210 replies

hellion · 22/11/2008 20:58

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.

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Original poster
hellion · 02/04/2009 20:37

RFL great news about your dad and on the 18 miles. Well done on your fundraising.

I am skipping my runs this week in the run up to the 20 miler on Sunday. I don't know whether that is the best thing to do, but I have been feeling so tired that I thought a weeks rest would not hurt.

Only three and a half weeks to go .....

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hatwoman · 03/04/2009 18:32

hi everyone. I sent mnhq an email asking if they'd consider sponsoring us - but, as I suspected, they felt it would set a precedent and they would then have to sponsor everyone. which is entirely fair enough.

Original poster
hellion · 06/04/2009 21:18

Hi everybody. Hope your long runs went well this weekend. I managed to complete the Worthing 20 (and my legs really know about it). It was four laps of a five mile course, so it was more like the Groundhog 20. Now I can taper off (whatever that involves...)

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RUNFORLOVE · 07/04/2009 18:41

Helion - wow, well done!!!

That is my worst nightmare - four laps of teh same course? yikes!!!

Every long run I do has a beginning and end, can not bear to go over the same track. I did the kingston breakfast run on sunday, was 16 miles so ran 2 miles there to make it 18 (sticking to prog). I missed the start because I had to wait 25 mins to do a wee. not very well organised with hardly any toilets for so many runners!

Anyway there I was running alone down an empty street, I do only about 8 runners were behind me waiting to wee so if they overtook me I would be last! I did what I knew I was not supposed to and sprinted for a few minutes until I caught up with the crowd, ran past as many people as possible and then when I was happy enouhg people were behind me i slowed down and stuck to my pace for the rest. i still needed to stop to do a wee behind a tree... me and my bladder!

the last mile my left leg turned to jelly and I thought "oh god - this better not happen on the day". I reckon it was because of the sprint at the start. i was determined not to be last.

anyway it was good practice, had to pull my cap down and not look at people feet infront otherwise i speeded up.

really excited about the big day but not looking forward to weekly runs. just find them so tiring and boring.

looking forward to running after because i want to not because i have to.

HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL AND GETTING GEARED UP X

giraffesCantRunA10k · 08/04/2009 00:25

Just having a wee lurk on here again, am in awe of this thread!!

hatwoman hope ankle starts to feel better

Original poster
hellion · 09/04/2009 22:06

Hi everyone

Well done RFL on the 18 (that extra 2 was real dedication!)

Toilets are a nightmare. At Worthing there were six portabloos for 400 runners. Dignity goes out the window. Although it is a lot easier for the men.

Only got to run 14 miles for my long run this weekend. A stroll in the park really ... I might get home even get home before lunchtime.

But on the plus side I can eat lots of Chocolate over Easter.

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RUNFORLOVE · 10/04/2009 23:42

hey hellion

feeling rubbish and tired

only ran once this week and skipped two... just could not do it.

got 9 mile run this sunday, my runs reduced from the beginning of this week, next sunday will be 8 and then the marathon.

we must be on a differnt program, plus my longest is 18 miles. i see yours was 20 - scared now I am not doing enough.

i am just SO tired, had such a busy week and held fundraising music classes, six in total now and raised over £500 so happy about that.

where are all the other runners from the beginning of this thread gone?

good luck with your run and enjoy your choccies

x

Original poster
hellion · 11/04/2009 21:10

Hi RFL

I am sure 18 miles is fine. Just think how far you have come. And if you feel tired now it probably doesn't hurt to skip a couple of runs at this stage. I have only been managing to run twice a week through the programme, so overall you have probably been doing more.

Apparently I should be doing 14 miles this weekend - I am worried I am not tapering enough.

Well done on your fundraising. Have you found out what start you are on. If you look in the magazine that came with your race number it tells you which numbers are allocated which starts.

And your right, where has everybody else gone?.....

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hatwoman · 18/04/2009 21:57

Hi everyone - how are you all? I'm so nervous...my foot is - fingers crossed - ok enough to go ahead - but lord alone knows if the rest of me is! I've barely run for the last month. I've done a bit of cycling, and am just back from a week's ski-ing but my running schedule is completely awry. bit late to worry now though. I think I'll do a long run tomorrow and then some short ones during the week. really hard to know how much I should do though - I'm torn between panicking that I haven;t done enough, and thinking I need to take it easy...this is not how it was meant to happen...

Original poster
hellion · 20/04/2009 20:04

Hi Hatwoman - I hope you managed the long run ok, and the foot held up ok. Are you still able to run on Sunday?

I am counting down until Sunday, and probably over-analysing every pain and niggle.

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Original poster
hellion · 23/04/2009 20:29

Hi Everyone

Well I am registered now and am on count down until Sunday. Hope you all managed to make it through this week, and are all set. Good luck.

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FiveGoMadInDorset · 23/04/2009 20:30

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE FOR SUNDAY

MrsWednesday · 24/04/2009 11:15

All the very best of luck for Sunday! I am in awe of you all.

OrmIrian · 24/04/2009 11:19

Good luck all of you brave souls! I am still amazed that anyone can contemplate running that far....

runforlove - I agree about doing laps. I always work out an interesting route for a long run. I struggle to stay motivated when I'm bored with a route. A colleague who runs marathons told me to find a 3 mile route and just keep going round and round so that if you have to stop it's not far to get home Sounds like hell on earth to me

hatwoman · 24/04/2009 14:06

Hi everyone! Don't know about you but I'm totally terrified...because of my foot my schedule went totally wrong. I did a 20-miler five weeks ago, then I was supposed to do 2 more and then taper. but it was the 2nd and 3rd 20 milers that i missed (as well as all the shorter ones I was meant to do in those 2 weeks). and then these last two weeks I was meant to do a couple of 10s - and in fact I;ve done 8s. so I have no idea how it's going to be.

some questions: has anyone decided to aim for a time? and has anyone got a sort of race plan for drinking and carbs etc? I read the marathon magazine and it kind of annoys me a bit - they blind you with science a bit - but don't really explain it all. on the one hand they terrify the pants off you re the risk of drinking too much, on the other hand terrify you re drinking too little. then there's the lucuzade v water thing - they say stuff like don't drink too much - but surely what they mean is don;t drink too much water...? drinking water and drinking lucuzade are very different things no? - but it doesn;t really seem to explain that...and then, what about my slightly bizarre "isotonic energy gel" - how does that effect it all? I'm confused...

on the one hand when I read that something is really important or essential etc I want to take notice; but it all seems a bit subjective so part of me thinks ahhh sod it, stop worrying...

slug · 24/04/2009 14:40

Hi all you runners. DD and I will bwe on the left hand or the red start cheering you all on.

We'll be the ones waving our froot shoots and Greggs Sausage Rolls

OrmIrian · 24/04/2009 15:05

Well I shall for my nice easy 12 miler first thing and then watch the marathon from the comfort of my sofa with coffee. All the time thinking 'I could do that' whilst being quite aware that there's no way I ever could.

hat - have you done a marathon before?

CMOTdibbler · 24/04/2009 15:09

Good luck everyone - my colleague is running for St Catherines Hospice

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 24/04/2009 15:59

Good luck - hope the weather is kind to you. Enjoy it!

hatwoman · 24/04/2009 16:03

orm - no. I've done a 16 mile race and swore blind I'd never do anything so daft again...

OrmIrian · 24/04/2009 16:21

Ahhh... well keep at it then and good luck. Will be thinking of you

Twink · 24/04/2009 16:47

Hat, don't panic. You've got a solid base of mileage and despite your foot you've still managed to exercise.

Both times I've done a marathon, 3 of my 20 milers were substituted with long bike rides at high heart rate instead, not ideal but it got me through on the day.

Believe in yourself!

As for drinking, if you've practised with the lucosade gel, have it on the day, if not don't. As anyone warned you about the road surface? It gets hideously sticky around gel stations and watch out for people landing on the discarded pouches as they squirt at you!! If your gels are SiS ones, you don't need to drink water with them as they're the right concentration already. I usually take 3, starting at around 10 miles, then grab some water at most water stations and take a few sips gulps. I also take wine gums and eat one every mile to liven things up and give me something to look forward to...

A tip I was given was to dress in less than I would normally run in as the number of people and buildings make it much warmer than you'd think it would be from the weather forecast.

Good luck to all of you, I'll be watching at the gym as we're doing a charity fundraiser at the same time.

hatwoman · 24/04/2009 17:01

thanks Twink - that's really helpful. I was wondering about getting some jelly babies or similar. like you say, in part to keep me going psychologically.

I've got 2 sis gels. afaik the lucozade that's at the stations is a drink, not a gel. I was thinking of having the gels at 10 and 20 and then just sips of water roughly in line with the amount I've drunk from a camel-pack on my longer runs. and maybe some lucozade if I feel I need an extra pick me up.

Twink · 24/04/2009 17:11

Just thought of another thing: around 22 miles, you go through an underpass thing - loads of people walk as the crowds can't see them - DON'T!! Mentally, it's much better to keep going, however slowly and people find it incredibly difficult to start running again.

Original poster
hellion · 24/04/2009 20:29

Thank everyone for all your support and comments (and thanks Twink for last minute advice).

Hi Hatwoman - Didn't realise you had never ran a marathon before either. I have only done one 20 miler (about 3 weeks ago), and since then have been decreasing my mileage. I did a couple of 6 miles earlier this week. Some people say if you do too many 20 milers you burn out.

As for food and drink plan - I did contemplate stopping for a picnic half way round . I am going to take an energy gel every 5 miles, and water as I need it at the water stations. When I get to about 20 I will also take any energy drinks on offer to get me round the last 6. This is not a scientific plan, but I did it on the Worthing 20 and it worked. I must admit I am not out for a good time, just to finish in one piece. So if you are 6 minutes miling , this is probably not the best advice. Let me know how you get on

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