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?

I can post again!!!
Sorry @Zerotorunninghero Mumsnet has been most tantrumy here- how's everything going?
Have been catching up on all hints and tips everyone's posted

Running Edinburgh half on Sunday and got 1st/2nd/3rd place times in my head.

Did a local half weekend before last and only just managed to scrape in under 2 1/2hrs! The weather suddenly changed and it was so hot I thought I wasn't going to make it at all. Plus the hills, my god the hills were brutal (and frequent😡). Definitely didn't put me in the positive mindset I'd hoped 😂

Hi @milkfromthesleepycow !sorry for being so slow at replying, I don't how I missed your post.

How did you get on at the Edinburgh half? It was a hot day, must have been tough.

My training is going okay but a bit worried I'm not progressing fast enough. I keep looking back at my strava history to reassure myself that I have actually done quite a bit in the last couple of months. I'm going to do Falkirk parkrun this Saturday for the first time in ages and then aim for a longer run on Sunday.

4 months today until the big event!

How is everyone else getting on with their training?

@Forestcantrun sorry I missed your post too, I think I've been looking at the wrong thread for updates as I thought it had all gone quiet!

It must have been really tough training while going through a bereavement although it sounds like it gave you a bit of breathing space during a shit time.

How is your training going last few weeks?

Thank you for your top tips. Salt tabs sound like a good idea. What did you eat/drink during your marathon and did you feel okay afterwards? When I did a half marathon many moons ago I felt very sick afterwards for the rest of the day.

Thanks @Zerotorunninghero . Am just running three times a week at the moment and started cross training to get stronger. I definitely need to build my core strength.
I use Tailwind nutrition instead of gels. It was good but I think I either need to make it stronger or find a gel that works for me for the next one.
was absolutely wrecked at the finish line but in terms of DOMS etc the following days I was better than I thought I’d be!
I’ve made the decision not to do the Loch Ness this year but I am going to Edinburgh later in the year for a 10k so I’m excited for that. Loch Ness 2024 though!

Hi @Zerotorunninghero I don't think MN is updating properly as your post has only just come up!

My half went well- got my 'silver medal' time of 2:17:33 which I'm very pleased with

Have now started gentle training for Loch Ness. Ran 6miles into work and it was all uphill - completely horrible! Walked at least a quarter of it but it's a start!
Used SIS energy gels for my half which I seem to be able to stomach but I swear they make me run slower!!

Well done on your marathon @Forestcantrun and sorry to hear about your sad times. Keep running for the head space 💐

@Forestcantrun good luck with your half instead of Loch Ness, hope you still stay on this thread and we can continue sharing our training ups and downs and top tips!

When you did your marathon, did you wear one of those vests to carry your water/nutrition in? I'm not sure what to do about carrying gels etc.

@milkfromthesleepycow that's an amazing time for your half marathon, well done! I would be so chuffed with that and what a great set up for the marathon to come.

What are you planning to do to carry your drinks/nutrition on the day? Do you wear a vest?I'm a but clueless still about what I will need and how to carry out. I'm not running far enough yet to need to take anything with me on the run.

Hey Loch Nessers, hope everyone is getting on alright. I'm on week 2 of Hal Higdon Novice 2 in prep for the marathon. Well, I already did weeks 1-5 just for something to follow in between plans and then restarted on the actual date I was supposed to! So I got up to a 20k long run on "week 5" and then started the plan again.

I run with an inov8 backpack, I can't remember what model but it's very light and comfortable, I seem to remember it was quite expensive though. I take it on even short runs now, feel naked without it even though it's total overkill with it's millions of pockets! I prefer the flexible bottles in the front rather than a bladder in the back but I'm not sure why.

I'm having to shoogle the runs around a bit on the plan depending on work, family and other activities I like to do but managing to get them done at least.

Hey @deveronvalley , sounds like your training is going great guns! It's hard fitting it in around everything else going on. I'm looking forward to the school holidays when I will at least get a 6 week break from most of the kids activities which should free up some time.

I've got a 5 mile local 'fun run' this weekend, will be my longest run, so I'm well behind you guys, but good progress for me and I need to just keep plugging away.

I start my runna coach 16 week plan on Monday. Need to stick to it like glue!

Thanks for the info about your inov8 pack. Do you have the long straws or do you just take the bottle out whenever you need to drink? I was looking at the Harrier ones but half the stuff seems to be out of stock.

Yeah I like the long straws.
good luck with your 5 miler!

Hi all, how's your weekend going? Runs going to plan? I did my 5 miles this morning and managed it all with no walking and also kept up a faster pace than usual so feel like that's a good confidence boost that I have made decent progress in the last month. Start my 16 week plan tomorrow!

Hello, how is everyone getting on with their training?

I've had a good stretch with parkruns, gym classes and training plan runs. Up to 10k non stop and hoping I can build on that relatively quickly given its only 14 weeks until the big day!

Mine was going ok although I’ve just taken a couple of weeks off for my honeymoon, I planned to run whilst there but it was so hot and to be honest the last thing I wanted to do!

Before this I was up to a long run of about 10 miles so I’m feeling ok. I’ve got a 10k race this weekend so planning a few shakeout runs this week to get over the jet lag and resuming next week!

Yep still plugging away with my plan, nothing much to report! Did a 20km trail run yesterday, took it really easy and had plenty of fuel so managed to keep going and coped with the rest of my day ok. Getting all my runs done each week but not always in the right order that is on the plan!

How did everyone get on?

I've entered Loch Ness for this year, did it a couple of years back & wanted another go. It's a long way to travel but I couldn't talk myself in to entering something else!

@Zerotorunninghero @Amethyst9 @Bumply @Fatkittythinkitty @Forestcantrun @Ricco12 @Spck @deveronvalley

Hi @SuncreamAndIceCream I didn’t run Loch Ness in the end but entered Manchester for this month instead.
Loch Ness is still on my bucket list, sadly not for this year as I’ve another Autumn marathon planned.
Looking forward to hearing your training journey and how you get on training long distance over the Summer, that will be a first for me. Winter has its challenges so I’m hoping warmer weather be easier 🙏

I'm toying with it atm. I ran London last year and said never again but I think the real issue was that there were so many boring stretches and the training I enjoyed the most was being on the Thames path and having nice things to look at. Currently injured so can't run for another month or so but keep looking at Hal Higdon.....

I got on really well with Hal Higdon @londonmummy1966 - I was headed for a massive pb at Loch Ness last time until I felt ill on the day and the wheels came off.

I have a big race in June to train for & then once that's done I have July & August to tune up. Just need to get accommodation sorted now.

@SuncreamAndIceCream - I used Novice 2 for London last year and it worked well - I like a clear no nonsense plan! My main hesitation is having to train through the summer as I wilt in the heat....

It's awful but training in the heat is good for endurance. It doesn't help when you're suffering through it though I know!

I didn’t end up running this one either as I fell pregnant and I’m due next week! I felt so awful in the first trimester I couldn’t keep up the training. I’ve had awful SPD since 17 weeks so haven’t done much running at all. Hoping to return one day to my marathon days 🙂