Newbies FIRST MARATHONing in 2011

Hi there everyone. Great thread I hope its ok to be joining  a little bit late. I read it before Christmas but it really became relevant to me on Sunday night when I took the plunge and entered the Nottingham marathon in Sept.

Bit of history. I Started Running 12months ago... the wrong side of 40, and like several others on here an asthma sufferer since childhood.  I did a number of runs through 2010 -  5k , 10k, and 1/2 maras the last of which was the Great North Run. I also got long listed for this years ASICS super six day in Birmingham and was sort of glad/sad to have not got to the final six given the effort required to get to the finish line by April but much respect and good luck to those that made it.

I am not underestimating the challenge a full mara represents and I have a number of runs and other events planned for the year. (10ks in March and May, and a 1/2 mara in June). I would be interested to hear how all the other Newbie Marathon runners get on with the spring marathons and will listen to all advice and lessons learned applying the good ones through the summer ..... Hopefully.

Cheers Steve

Welcome Steve good to have someone along who is also aiming for a marathon later in the year.

Sounds like you are building a good base and are keeping motivated with a number of races planned. My next will be a half in May - just hope it isn't hot. Know what you mean about not underestimating the challenge of the mara too, it is a huge commitment in training time alone (at my speed - super slow - it's an awful lot of hours on your feet in training) I've been thinking long and hard about it and getting advise (thanks Jeepers etal). Definately not something to be undertaken lightly or on a whim.

Do you belong to a club? I found mine to be very supportive and encouraging, I'm one of the much slower runners in the club so I really have to push myself on club runs which is excellent. There's always someone to ask for advise too as we have a whole range of runners at different speeds, distances, experience etc.

Steve - another fruitcake catches the bug then, although you have been more sensible and given yourself plenty of time to train! Well done you, and good luck!

Is anybody else doing some cross-training as part of their preparation? I commute to uni by bike which, while only a relatively short distance, is at the top of a steep hill - and as I am always late is something of a sprint, which I'm guessing should help with the cardio?

Although I love running, my real passion is sailing and dinghy racing, so I need to continue weight training on my rest days to keep my weight at 70 kilos... (I'm particularly talented and making life difficult for myself!) I just wonder how I'm going to afford all the food I'll need

Afternoon all,

 I have entered my first Marathon so thought I would join this thread!  I've gone for the Berlin Marathon as I have a couple of friends that have been there and got the t shirt and it's somewhere I would also like to explore.  That and the fact I have 9 months to train for it!

 I entered my first tri last year at Blenheim and am down to do it again, along with an olympic distance in July at the London Tri. 

Longest I have ever run is around 10 / 12 miles which was when I was training for a half a few years ago but I twisted my ankle before the race so never completed it!

 I have started using a Forerunner 305 and it's really helping my motivation to see my runs with all the stats there in front of me.

 I am based in London during the week (Isle of Dogs) so if anyone can point me in the direction of a friendly running club near by, please do.

 good luck all ! (great thread by the way)

Hi guys thanks for the welcome.

K. I don't belong to a club my local one is Wesham Road Runners which a friend of mine was encouraging me to join but not sure I feel confident enough. Though I know it would improve my running so I think I need to sort it out.

Robin. I swim as well as running which I find helps take the stiffness out of my legs and also gym sessions for core. But as for 70kg its been 10 years since I saw that weight .

Sebastian. I did a sprint Tri last year (Fleetwood) and have entered the Liverpool Olympic distance this year. Although I still need to invest in a road bike  I did the sprint on a mountain bike. I use my trusty old Forerunner 301 which is about the same size and weight as a half house brick I am pretty sure that if I didn't wear it I would be 2min a mile faster but I would never know.

Oh dear - didn't quite stick to my schedule over Christmas - only did 4 runs in 2 weeks. Got back to it last night though with a 10 mile run. Felt pretty good and at a push, probably could have done 3-5 more miles which would have beat my long distance of 13.1 for half marathon back in October.

 Only 13 weeks until the Great Welsh Marathon - quite a scary thought. Really need to be 100% focused and stay on track after the Christmas blip. I keep a record of all my runs and December was a big record breaker for me in terms of most runs / most miles in a month - so I'll be aiming to smash those records again in January!

Good

Oh dear - didn't quite stick to my schedule over Christmas - only did 4 runs in 2 weeks. Got back to it last night though with a 10 mile run. Felt pretty good and at a push, probably could have done 3-5 more miles which would have beat my long distance of 13.1 for half marathon back in October.

 Only 13 weeks until the Great Welsh Marathon - quite a scary thought. Really need to be 100% focused and stay on track after the Christmas blip. I keep a record of all my runs and December was a big record breaker for me in terms of most runs / most miles in a month - so I'll be aiming to smash those records again in January!

Good

Well the inc is back in Edinburgh, but instead of avoiding it and heading to the gym to use the treadmill I braved the ice. I had a really good 6.7 mile run although a bit slippy at times. I've had a really good training week this week and acheived everything I planned, just need the next 19 weeks to be the same....

sounds like everyone is moving along nicely, Ledgend - i was the same over xmas - easily done.

How the training going folks? It would seem that, like me, everyone's got caught up in work after New Year and the thread's gone quiet - thought I would wake it up again!

I've just come to the end of my fourth week of serious training and it seems to be going pretty well, despite all sorts of things trying to get in the way - managed 16 hilly miles in about 2 -1/2  hours today - my longest run ever! Well chuffed. 

Got back to the gym for some weight training on friday for the first time since before christmas - I am officially gving up squats until this marathon is done, only did a really light couple of sets and my legs were burning like hell on yesterday's run!

Robin 

Haven't been on here for a while - doesn't look like anyone else has either. Just thought if anyone does check back that I'd post to inform everyone that I've completed my first ever marathon.

 It was the Great Welsh Marathon in Llanelli yesterday. Did it in 5 hours 4 minutes. Primarily was aiming to just finish which was achieved but slightly gutted to miss out on secondary target of sub 5.

I was told a million times, don't go off too fast but as it seems 90% of newbies do, I went off too fast... and not just for the first mile. I went way to quick for the first 13 miles and suffered as a result having to slow down between 13-18 miles and then walk more than I ran the last 8 or so miles.

Lesson learnt though and I'm confident if I get my pacing right next time, I could knock a good 10-20 minutes off that time.

Good luck to everyone else first marathoning in 2011. Let us know how you get on

Congratulations Legend!  Really pleased for you. I was there too. First ever marathon completed, and what a smashing day it was too. I don't know about you, but I couldn't fault it for my first marathon. Compared to the hype of the Bath Half it was lovely and chilled out with a really nice atmosphere, and I thought the marshalling was superb, not to mention the scenery!

The aim was to finish, although from my training runs I thought under 4:30 might be possible... Did it in 4:25:12 so I'm a happy bunny. I went really, really slow at the start, then settled into a pace of roughly 10 min miles which I held until about mile 21, then for the last lap I slowed it right down, seemed to work for me, and I walked for only two minutes of the race. 

I have to admit I owe thanks to a chap from somewhere Liverpool way - I believe he was called Joe, who had run several marathons before. We were pretty close to each other until about mile 21 when I slowed down, but following him stopped me from setting off to quickly, so cheers to him! 

 Looking at the results, there seem to be agood two-hundred that didn't finish the race, which I thought was quite a lot. I reckon the unexpected heat may have had something to do with it!

What are your post marathon aims? Will you continue running seriously or are you planning on having a break? I haven't decided yet...

Marathon-wise I'm going to apply for the London marathon next year but i know my chances are very slim, so I'd be the Great Welsh Marathon again if I wasn't succesful with London.

Thinking of maybe doing the "Wales Half Marathon" in Tenby - it's only 7-8 weeks away and apparently it's quite hilly so will be a challenge for only my 2nd ever half after doing Cardiff last year.

Considering either Bristol or Cardiff half marathon later this year... or both?! They are 5 weeks apart so definitely doable after the sort of mileage put in over the last 4 months or so. There's also the Roman Run which seems to be a favourite amonst South Wales half marathon / marathon runners - it's a 16 mile run from Brecon to Merthyr which I'm guessing is quite challenging and hilly!

Did a 10k "reindeer run" in Nov last year in Margam Park which I'd do again this year as well. I think having an event every 2-3 months will keep me motivated to continue training and keep the fitness up. 

Sounds like a good plan!

I'm not really sure yet. In the short term I intend to cut back on the running a little, and get back to the gym as I have lost a bit of weight that I need for dinghy sailing. However I hope to keep running 3-4 times a week to stay on top of things then step it up again if I go in for another race.

There is a nice looking marathon in the lakes in July that could be fun, I quite like the idea of small, countryside runs. I don't think I could cope with the London etc - even the hype of the Bath Half had me shaking like a leaf at the start! 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do next, and well done for the Great Welsh. I dunno about you but I'm still buzzing from it! 

 Robin

Sounds like a good plan!

I'm not really sure yet. In the short term I intend to cut back on the running a little, and get back to the gym as I have lost a bit of weight that I need for dinghy sailing. However I hope to keep running 3-4 times a week to stay on top of things then step it up again if I go in for another race.

There is a nice looking marathon in the lakes in July that could be fun, I quite like the idea of small, countryside runs. I don't think I could cope with the London etc - even the hype of the Bath Half had me shaking like a leaf at the start! 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do next, and well done for the Great Welsh. I dunno about you but I'm still buzzing from it! 

 Robin

Well Done Legend and Robin on losing your Marathon Cherry.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do. 

My update Had some achilles probs at the start of the year so I am still building up the mileage slowly to do the Nottingham Mara in September.

Planning a 1/2 mara in June followed by the Liverpool Tri.

Good luck to any first timers in the VLM on Sunday