Anyone doing the loch ness marathon in October?

[Zerotorunninghero]

I've just signed up for the loch ness marathon in October (first one!) and looking for some virtual friends to share the highs and lows with. Don't suppose anyone on here has signed up?

9.5 miles this morning, lovely sunshine, birds, squirrels. Feeling good

@milkfromthesleepycow that's brilliant! Well done, and sounds like you enjoyed it which is half the battle.

My plan tells me I neee to do 8k today but I've been doing a massive spring clean (basically moving shit from one room to another, or hiding it in the loft 🫣) and so haven't got out yet. Planning to go around 6pm and force the kids to come on their bikes with me. That's very close to g&t time but I will go out and do it 🤞

Did you make it out @Zerotorunninghero? You're brave going out with kids on bikes- I can't keep up with mine!

@milkfromthesleepycow I did, 7.5km in the bag. It was tough though, I felt like a sack of potatoes 🥔. Thankfully didn't need to take the kids as DH got home to watch them. Glad it's done. Now for a g&t and Saturday night TV - cheers 🍻

🍷🥳

Oh I’m thinking of doing this as my first ever marathon. Been running for more that 30 years but only up to half marathon. Would love done companions to motivate men.

*companions to motivate me

@Spck would love for you to join us! @milkfromthesleepycow and I are also first timers so we would all be in it together.

And we are trying to convince @Fatkittythinkitty to sign up too 😊 and share her experience from snowdonia marathon!

I'm already finding being able to pop on to this thread really helpful and motivating.

Oh yes, come join @Spck. If nothing else the views should be lovely 😂

@milkfromthesleepycow how's your week going?

I managed a 4k run yesterday. It was very slow but I managed to run it all without walking so that's an improvement 🥳 .

Tonight I went to a core class and then a les mills body attack class - yikes, not done one post kids (so last one was nearly a decade ago!) and although I thought I might keel over I did really enjoy it.

I'm doing ok, managed my Tuesday morning run surprisingly well. It was speed intervals and I didn't think I'd make the time but I actually managed it!

4k is good and slow doesn't matter- it's miles on the feet and consistency.

Off to the gym today- what your plan for the rest of the week?

@milkfromthesleepycow well done on the intervals, you must have felt really chuffed when you realised you were hitting the speeds.

My plan tells me I have to do 4k today, then 5k on Friday and another on Saturday. And also going for a swim tonight and gym tomorrow night for strength.

I think I'm going to look around at other plans. The Hal Higdon plan I'm following on their app gives you a grade and if you don't follow it exactly it gives you a D which is really pissing me off and I think in the long term it will demotivate me.

An actual letter grade? Wtf!
There's a website called marathon handbook that has a 6 month plan that I was looking at before I signed up for the half. You could just start a couple of weeks in if the dates don't line up
Or ignore the grade and be determined to prove Hal wrong- depends how stubborn you are 😂

Yup an actual grade, like being back in school. My initial reaction was to think "Fuck you Hal, you don't know me" 😄.

Would persevere if it was free but after this free trial I think it's about a fiver a month so I'll check out the marathon handbook as an alternative.

I'm knackered tonight. What is it about swimming that makes you starving and shattered!

What have you got planned for the rest of the week?

Did 5.5miles this morning and managed to keep up with my running group 🎉
Rest day tomorrow then long run Saturday- I'm going to aim for 7-8 miles

I don't feel hungry after swimming because I've never cracked breathing properly so tend to swallow half the pool 😂

I think fuck you Hal might be a good motivational mantra

@milkfromthesleepycow how was your weekend? How did the long run go?

I was rubbish at the weekend. Went out on Saturday but felt knackered and sore so stopped after 10mins and took yesterday off. But went back out today and did 5k and felt much better.

Hal and I have departed ways and I've downloaded the Runna app instead. It's not cheap but it looks really good. I've got a 2 week free trial so will give it a bash.

And my friend that I run with has said she is up for doing the marathon training with me (yet to be convinced to enter it herself but I'm working on her!)

I’m just joining the thread from another thread. This will be my 4th marathon, the others have all been very flat and highly supported so I’m interested to see how much more difficult I find this one! I mainly wanted an autumn marathon, I looked at York but it clashes with a wedding and this one is a date that DH is free to support me and also means we can get a little holiday.

My training is going ok, I’m trying to work up to a 10 mile comfortable long run before the proper plan kicks in. Finding it difficult as where I live is very hilly.

Welcome aboard @Amethyst9 😊. I'm hoping you can share some words of wisdom as we go with 3 under your belt already.

Have you sorted somewhere to stay up around Inverness yet? I've booked a place in Fort Augustus because i think there is a bus running from there to take you to the start and the journey is shorter than from the centre of Inverness. Just need to make sure my DH and DC can get into the city okay to see me (hopefully!) Cross the finish line

Yes I’ve booked a hotel in Inverness, as we will be travelling up on Thursday and staying until Tuesday. I’m thinking of booking a nice spa on Monday, but I have had barely any sleep the night after my last marathons as my legs have been so sore. I think number collection is in Inverness on Saturday?

Hi guys, I'm doing Loch Ness this year (first marathon) - been have been running 2 years in August, started from scratch with couch to 5k like many people, dog walking was the only activity prior to that. I run about 30-35 km a week, not fast, still trying to break 1 hour for a 10k :) Plenty of hills here. I've done about 6 solo half marathons before, completely drained afterwards! I am consistent with my running but a bit sporadic with my strength and cross training. I am 43 and live in Aberdeenshire so not far but booked into hotel in Inverness for 2 nights for the marathon just to get some peace really! Planning to follow Hal Higdon novice 2 plan, starting it end of May, just got a free printout so I won't have an app 'grading' me, how awful!! Just did the Balmoral 10k at the weekend so currently in no-mans-land with plans and will do what I feel like and try and get back in the groove with strength training before I start with Hal. Good luck everyone!!

@deveronvalley welcome to the gang 👋😁🏃‍♀️. Sounds like you have plenty miles under your belt each week already. How did you enjoy the Balmoral 10k? I've always like the sound of it.

I like the sound of your 2 nights of peace...worth doing the marathon to get that!

I've booked 2 nights (the Fri and Sat) in Fort Augustus but me, DH, 2 kids and the dog will all be in one room in bunk beds so I'm probably going to be less than fresh on the day but figured I probably wouldn't sleep that well anyway.

@Amethyst9 a spa the day afterwards sounds amazing. I have to travel home afterwards. Not looking forward to 3 hrs stuck in a car but at least DH will be driving.

And yup number pick up from city centre on the Saturday. Looking forward to a wee nosy around Inverness as I haven't been there for years.

I've booked my place on the bus leaving from FA to the start line and pick up isn't until 8.40 which is good.

Hello, how is everyone getting on? Hope the training is going well.

I was away camping and forgot my running stuff so had a couple of days off. And doing 2 legs of the west highland way this weekend so will be walking lots instead of running.

But still mainly sticking to my plan and enjoying it.

Hope everyone is doing well 😁

@Zerotorunninghero thank you for the link to this thread.
I just ran my first ever marathon last weekend and am considering Loch Ness in October. I’ve not entered it yet, I’ve not even ran a cm since Sunday 🤣 The pain is still fresh !
There are some hotel spots available in Inverness. Is this where I want to be? I would be flying over for a few days and won’t have a car so would like to be somewhere I can get to a bus to the start line as well as get to from
the airport? Any suggestions?

@Forestcantrun well done on completing your first marathon! How did you find it? Any lessons in hindsight that you wish to share would be very welcome!

Re transport to the start of loch ness. There are buses laid on from Inverness City centre to take people to the start line. I think its quite an early start though. There are also buses running from Fort Augustus and the pick up time isn't until 8.40 which seems reasonable. If you want a spot on the bus from FA you have to email them and they will reserve a seat for you.

Thank you. It was tough, the last few miles were definitely a full mental battle. I trained solidly even through the sudden death of a close family member. The running really was the easiest part of my training plan.

Things I have learned or found useful ?

for the next one I’ll likely change my nutrition or at the least consider salt tablets for the last 10k or so.
Don’t underestimate the power of good seamless socks, shoes are obviously important but your feet will sweat, swell and move.
Have a gold, silver and bronze set of finish times in your head you would be happy with and you won’t be disappointed . I think this was super useful.
I trained in my race day gear over the 16 weeks with a couple of identical pairs of runners in different colours so that I had options incase something happened my shoe during training (I focused so hard on the training as a distraction)
I knew everything down to my hair bobble I was wearing so I had nothing to stress me out on the day.