GULP, running my first marathon in April

Well, that's 2 halfs under my belt so I figured it was time to go for the big one, A MARATHON.

So I'm running the Brighton marathon in aid of the Guide Dogs for the Blind having been rejected from London  Still, it was my first try and now I've booked the hotel in Brighton I'm getting very excited and apprehensive. But mostly excited.

The training starts here............................anyone else in the same boat?

Julia- there are a few threads for first time marathoners- I think there's one for this year. Also, there'll be a Brighton marathon thread along soon, if there isn't one already.

Have you cjosen a training schedule yet?

There are a number of threads for this race- let me see if I can post the link  http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/forum/forummessages.asp?dt=4&UTN=115194&last=1&V=6&SP=

Oh dear, I'm sure that's not right!

Anyway- there are bound to be other first -timers there, if you can find it.

The other place to look is in the VLM threads- even though it's not the same race, the timings are about the same, and there'll be thousands of folks in a similar position to you there.

Tricialitt hi! I have cobbled together the best bits of everything I've read so far, most plans just seem to run for 16-18 weeks and, of course, I have longer so I'm building up slower but also got a couple of extra long runs in for confidence. Just one 20 miler doesn't seem enough to me!

I shall have a squizz for a Brighton link, it would be good to talk to people running the same race  

Hi Caz, nice to see you <<<waves back>>>> Edinburgh sounds lovely, I was tempted by it and the downhill but a bit of a long way away from sunny Essex

What are you doing about training? I'm trying to hold back a bit and stick to below 13 miles this side of Christmas then ramp it up but it's sssssooooooo tempting to try a long one 'just to see'.............

I'm building up veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery slowly, think its a mile a week for 2 weeks then drop back or stay the same for a week then increase again... So its something like...

Week 1  - LSR 9miles
Week 2 -  LSR 10miles
Week 3 -  LSR 10miles
Week 4 -  LSR 11miles etc  with 2 shorter runs in midweek (one easy & one tempo or hills)

I'm fairly certain there is at least one long one (16miles) before christmas.  I'm taking it really slowly as I left it too late to get all my training in for the Glasgow half so ended up overtraining and picked up an injury... der!!!!   I got a bit cocky with the training, thinking hah I've done this before etc and only realised 4 weeks before the race how much my fitness had dropped.

Fancy seeing you here Julia??

Hi Caz!!!

Just committed my build up plan to paper- about to stick it on fridge therefore it must be followed   i'm building up the LSRs from 13 for 4 weeks then have a cutback week the build up again for a very long run (18/19ish) then slacks off agin (for xmas overindulgence!!!!) so I arrive to whatever marathon plan I'm doing- still haven't decided yet well rested (and hopefully equipped with my Garmin that Santa will bring me)!!!

Oooooooooohhhhhhhh its a bit daunting now I've written it out

Hi All

Signed up for my second so really shouldn't  belong here but I know you will let me Julia.

Shakespeare marathon for me so same day as London.

I will just be doing base miles (with hills) until 16 weeks to go then follow a plan from then on (prob smartcoach), depending how things are going.  Probably do 3 * 20 mile runs and get some half marathon's in nearer the time.

For my first I trained three times a week, the same principle that Caz has mentioned one tempo, one short and one long run, I'm hoping to do 4 days training this time but not doing any of that silly interval stuff

Are these made up schedules or are you all following a plan already?

Wotcher Vikki, shouldn't have called this one Gulp as well, i'm confusing myself. It should have been an eek!

Well i'm planning 4 or 5 runs a week, 2 (or 3) of which start at 3 miles and build up to 5. I may use one or two of them as fast stuff or hills or intervals. Then one run (on tuesdays) starts at 3 miles long and build to 10. My long friday run (only 5 today, still recovering from Sunday!) goes.......6 7 5 9 10 7 12 13 10 xmas day (have chucked in 8's and 10's on differnt days these weeks)  new years day 10 14 18 14 15 16 12 18 14 20 8 20 12 8 rest . So you are planning 18 before xmas then Vikki?

Luckily it's written in pencil

hmm. maybe 5 days a week running is a bit ambitious. What will your weekly totals be?

Hello DC, our posts crossed! I made mine up! I just got a big sheet of paper, marked it into weeks and then copied out every training schedule i could find to get and idea and went from there!

I found a Brighton thread to chat on too, i'm pretty sure i saw a Shakespeare one too.

damn lost a post!!!

DC I just sorta made mine up but 99% sure I'm going to follow one  Hal Higdon's plans as I like his lack of intervals (hurrah!!) and the fact you do one 'longish' run a week at marathon pace- that eems to make sense to me!!!

18 is the plan Julia- just though I'd like o have a base before starting the marathon plan so those looooooooonger runs don't come as too much of a shock!!!!

Oh and Julia I might still have brighton weekend off so might go down to mum and dads so I can come and cheer you on- see if I can get ya on you-tune again yopu internet star..........

Sorry that sounded a bit dodgey but you knw what i mean

ha ha know what you mean!

 I did wonder whether to wear a Guide uniform with ears and a tail (blind dogs for the guides you see. no i mean guide dogs for the blind  )