12 marathons in 12 months in 2012 - Events

Jonathan Milne

01/12/2011 at 13:10

Hello,

January sees me start 12 marathons in 12 months at the Gloucester Marathon. I then follow in Feb with the heartbreak trail, March is Rome, April is London then May is Copenahgen.

If anyone out there has done this type of thing before, any advice. I am currently doing about 30-40miles per week as well as playing footy twice per week. But am still about 7kg overweight and am 42!!

Thanks

GKD

01/12/2011 at 13:13

I think there'll be plenty, including myself, who've done marathon + distances in training on a monthly if not weekly basis over the past year, what specifically would you like to know

Peter Collins

01/12/2011 at 13:13

Good luck with it. Not my cup of tea. Keep us informed.

Jonathan Milne

02/12/2011 at 14:12

I have done a few marathons before but after finishing I have not touched running for about 6 months!

So just wondering about getting back to running after each marathon and also at present I am not doing any speed work just distance.

Are the speed sessions going to make a massive difference as at present I am running just nder 4hour pace.

seren nos

pirate

02/12/2011 at 14:23

why are you thinking about speed work.........is your goal to get faster on each marathon or just to finish each marathon......and get all 12 done without injury..........

if you just want to finish just get used to running time on your feet...........the day after your long runs go for a very slow recovery run.....you can build this up from a couple of miles to 6-10 slow miles......this will get your body used to working again after the long runs and will help your body recover quickly........

but its important to do them slowly.......

many people out there run marathons every week....they just aren't running them for PB's every week.......

so work out why you are doing them and what you want to achieve from them and then you can train accordingly.....

good luck

Runnin man

02/12/2011 at 20:49

Might have a go at that myself, I've got Gloucester in Jan too, and I am enjoying more time on my feet than speed at present.

tricialitt

03/12/2011 at 16:42

I met a 100 marathon club guy who had done some crazy number of ultras this year- so yes, it's definitely been done, I imagine the most important way to avoid injury is not to push the pace too much.

compo 1

03/12/2011 at 20:17

1 a year is enough for me but do loads of halfs

Jonathan Milne

04/12/2011 at 19:05

I will tell you all one thing you can't do aged 42 and that is go out the night before, have too many drinks, play 5 aside on a sunday morning then try and do a 14 miler in the afternoon.

I did it but it's now 7pm and I want to go to bed before my 3yr old!!

I<3medals

07/12/2011 at 23:38

My bf is doing 12marathons in 12mths as well, he'd doing Gloucester too for January

there is another thread on here about it Have you seen it?

Jonathan Milne

08/12/2011 at 08:13

No I haven't but thanks for the info and I will look it up as I quite keen to find a kindred spirit.

Went out last night for a 10 miler down what is usually quite a busy road between St Albans and Harpenden.

When i got there I found the whole 5 mile section of road closed to traffic because of some emergency road works.

So I ran down the middle of the road in total peace. LOVELY!

Jonathan Milne

20/01/2012 at 12:11

Hello me again, Nearly time for that first marathon.

If anyone is interested in following me at all I have a blog on http://jonmilne69.livejournal.com/

Just a warning, it's not for the faint hearted!!! You were warned!

Muzza

24/01/2012 at 00:25

Hi Jonathan,

12 marathons a year is fine, im 41 and have done 12 a year the last 2 years, I like to race everyone of them to best of my ability, if you have a gap of 3-5 weeks you dont need a long run in between (i usually stick to 10-13m), do a few shorter races for speed but if you have 6+ weeks between then stick a slow 20-21m in the middle of the gap or 3 weeks before nxt marathon. I cross train a fair bit, you dont need to bang in milage due to regular marathons so concentrate on quality and non impact exercise, that will lesson a risk of injury. I did Gloucester yesterday as well and plan on 10-12 again this year. good luck, sure you will be fine.

Dazza77

24/01/2012 at 10:33

Hey Jonathan

Just seen this! How funny as I am also attempting 12 in 12 and I did Gloucester and will be doing the same one as you in Feb!! I really enjoyed Gloucester, was a good route I thought.

See my Blog too: http://12months12marathons2012.wordpress.com/

Cheers

Runnin man

24/01/2012 at 10:40

Seems a lot of the Gloucester runners are doing 12 in 12, are you aiming to do 12 marathons in the year, or doing one per calendar month, I'm going for the calendar month, next one Belvoir for me

Dazza77

24/01/2012 at 10:43

One per calendar month for me too, seems to be a good challenge. I've booked up until September now, all in the UK, will look at Oct, Nov and Dec soon

Runnin man

24/01/2012 at 12:14

Ive got Feb - Belvoir, Mar - Llanelli ultra, Apr - Manchester, May - Probably Anglesea, June - The Wall, July - Isle of Man, nothing yet for Aug or Sept, but Oct - Chester, Nov undecided and Dec will be Liverpool again.

What have you found for Aug?

Ulen (madasaboxoffrogs)

24/01/2012 at 12:44

Another 12in12er here - I'm doing 12 throughout the year. I had planned one per month, but since I was woefully under-trained for Gloucester (scraped in at just under 5 hours) - I'm taking Feb to regroup so will have to double up later in the year.

Planned races now are:
Mar - Duchy (Redruth), Apr - Shakespeare (Stratford), May - Brathay (Windermere), Jun - Wales (Tenby), Jul - Much Wenlock, Aug - Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1, Sep - Wolverhampton and/or Robin Hood or New Forest (?), Oct - Abingdon, Nov - Rutland, Dec - Portsmouth.

Unlike a bloke I saw at Gloucester, I'm not going to make a t-shirt just yet as this list is subject to change (his had him down for Cambridge in Feb which I wanted to do too, until I found out it was in March and clashes with the Cornwall one already booked).

Another possibility, which I've yet to research fully, is a summer one in Kent with 40 laps of a loop (just over 1k). Unique among marathons in that it has 40 feed stations to keep you going (and your own personal lap counter). Mind numbingly dull, or an interesting alternative? I'm undecided on this one!

Fit-Running-Cat

24/01/2012 at 12:47

Dec Liverpool? October you mean?

Ulen (madasaboxoffrogs)

24/01/2012 at 13:57

No FRC - there's an out-and-back-and-out-and-back-and-out-and-back-and-out-and-back one along the Merseyfront on New Year's eve (and again on New Year's day!). That's my back-up in case I don't get 12 done by the time Portsmouth comes round.

I would Run Liverpool again in Oct (as I love the tunnel, the fellow runners, and to kill off the memory of Sefton Park!), but it clashes with Abingdon which is my local - and I want to do that so all my local friends and family can support my 12 in 12 challenge (plus local paper, local radio etc). So Liverpool will have to wait for me for another year. Maybe as part of my 13 in '13 ...? (joking!!)