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.

Wow we are marathoners. (or recovering marathoners). Great list xfabb, and well done on your run.

Has anyone entered the ballot for next year!!!!

[whispers] yes. not sure if I'll do it though. there's no way it could live up to the real joy and excitement of doing it first time round...maybe it needs to stay as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

(i have a feeling the ballot's closed now btw)

Yes I know what you mean hatwoman. I have entered the ballot again - but I do think first time round will be a once in a lifetime experience. If I get the chance I will run it again, but it probably will feel very different.

I thought of you guys yesterday when I ran 10 miles in the early morning heat...ok..so not HOT but it was damn warm (wore my shorts for first time this year!). It is soooo much harder when warmer than you are used to and I kept thinking about how you all coped doing 26 miles in that weather! Seriously impressed!!

.....what the f..k is going on. How can the 2010 ballot already be closed! I ran it in 96 & 97 and thought I might stagger out of retirement at the age of 47.5 next year to have another go. Forget it, it was a truely memorable experience but I'm not going to support an event that closes 7 days after the previous years event. Bring on Vienna 2010 (or any other capital city marathon)....

......amazing, I must be well out of date in "my days" the applications closed in the Oct after the marathon and you knew in early Dec if you had a place.....enabling you to start training on 1 Jan. I am truely shocked and if I do decide to run a M in 2010 I will combine with a nice city break .

......amazing, I must be well out of date in "my days" the applications closed in the Oct after the marathon and you knew in early Dec if you had a place.....enabling you to start training on 1 Jan. I am truely shocked and if I do decide to run a M in 2010 I will combine with a nice city break .

Apologies for the double post

Congrats to everyone.

Xfabba - from my very dated experience you need to include;
Hill sprints once per week
Long runs to include (if you live in the SE):
Bury (St Edmunds) 20
Cranleigh (15/21 - go for the 21)

yes I did manage to enter the ballot! must be crazy - i think virgin have taken it over for the first year this time so they are obviously taking no prisoners! Thanks for the further advice lapsed - hopefully I will get better at my training if I get a place next year (sounds unlikely - phew!)