MK marathon?

I've not done a marathon yet, although I've been running for about 3 years now and have done a few 10ks, 10 miles, a half and another half in a few weeks. I *was* thinking that I would put off doing a full mara for another year until my smallest child starts school as I struggle to fit in the juggle of work, running, spending enough time with kids etc. etc. On the one hand I figure I'll be needing to take four hours our of one weekend day for a good few months. Precious time with my kids, especially the 3 year old. But if truth be known, am itching to push myself a bit further, and I keep on coming across the new Milton Keynes mara. Is anyone doing this? Is it a decent course? What to do??

I think it is a very healthy thing for your children to know you run and that it is important to you. They will not forget seeing you cross the finish line and it may even get them running as adults when they finally realize what you actually did. If it is important to you then it should be important to your other half and between you both come up with a plan to accommodate training. Good luck.

Why not just run a marathon on your own? All you need is a GPS watch, an idea of where you want to run (preferably out and back), and 1 or 2 bottles of water hidden along the route. You can even ask someone to accompany you on bike if you wish.

This way you can run where you want, when you want.

However if you still want to enter a race, it probably isn't best to run a new race that no one has done before.

Nessie - I live close to MK and was very tempted to do this one as my first marathon, but I'd booked to do Brighton the same month.

Reading about it and talking to local runners, it looks like it follows the course of an old marathon. It will be flat but not especially pretty (unless MK is your thing). I think there was a thread about it on here a few months back.

Good luck if you decide to give it a go.

I'm thinking of doing this as my 1st marathon too but am worried about having to spend the winter training in the dark months. I live not far from MK and my mum ran a 10k there a few years ago. From what she said it was flat and not a bad run, some of MK isn't too bad for instance the willen lake areas quite nice.

RTTB - There are advantages and disadvantages to marathon training in the winter. The main advantage, for me, is that it won't be hot. I much prefer running when it's cooler than when it's hot and humid. Get some reflective clothes and perhaps a head-torch (if running on unlit roads/ paths) and give it a go. I find running in the very cold exhilarating.

Allnew, i think the cold isn't the problem but more the darkness as i live in a village so no lighting. I think i've got a headtorch somewhere at home, but what i might do is go running straight from work as the roads around here are pretty well lit. I think i'm probably going to sign up for the MK marathon, it makes sense as its on my doorstep so i might see you all there!

MK is a brilliant place to run - the redways (public pathways which link all of MK) are lit well, and most of the older estates are beautiful  -half the time you were never realise you were in a city, as there are so many green and older areas, unseen from the roads. It has several advantages for a large event - it is easy to get her from most forms of transport for a start. I run with a local club (based around Willen lake) and most of our runs have a rura feel. i did the half marathon in March and it was a very pleasant route, and if I don;t get the ballot into the London then I will probably enter MK Half. It will be a well run event, just like the halfs are, and read up on the 'green theme' they have going on.

Thanks for the comments. I'm still musing.... I think perhaps not MK as it *is* a new one, although it's relatively near me as I'm a Londoner. But I'm still sorely tempted by a marathon for 2012, especially since I mentioned this to one of the guys at my running club last week and he's been egging me one.
Hubby is supportive, and my 10 year old son is active and sporty, partly I hope because he sees me being active. I just know that it's a big chunk out of precious weekend time, and life's a massive juggle already. I work 4 days at a demanding job heading up a department and I know from my older child that these early years before they start school are so precious, and go so quickly. Thus the push / pull of wanting to pursue my hobby / spend time with my 3 year old daughter....When I'm training for a HM (as I am now), that's 2 hours which still gives us most of the time to do stuff as a family. From what I see from my brother, who has done lots of marathons, it's a full day out of the weekend for a good few months, as he's so knackered after running for 3-4 hours he's not up to much else for that day.
Training in the winter's not a prob, I'm happy to run in any weather unless it's icy. Time's the biggest sticking point...
Right will stop my ramblings now...

See what DunbarKev said thats pretty much it.

The more you run the stronger you get the quicker you recover

My fondest memories of my Mum and Dad are the things they did with out me and my siblings.

That made them people not only Mum, Dad.

You sound like  a thoughtful rounded person and what you want to do, pursue your passion for running

is fine fine fine.

Hope to race you one day.

Bring it on!

I'm still pondering over this one, it's quite local to me so no need to worry about travel & accomodation but the winter training puts me off. It was bad enough for something like VLM, could I muster the strength to do it for MK?!