Beginner-based marathon advice with Mike Gratton

Thanks Mike for all your support - you answered so many questions (so I didn't have to ask them). I don't know whether this is the right place for this but I stayed at the Holiday Inn Mayfair and met some lovely runners.

I'd really like any of you who were there to keep in touch - Kathy, I never caught up with you back at the hotel so please get it touch, I'm dying to know how you went. However you did you are a star.

Take care all and hope to see you next year - oh yes... I've got the bug and just registered for the 2009 ballot!

Alison

I don't know if this is the right forum for a post-mortem, but it may be helpful to those yet to run, or me if  (when)  I  do it again. 

 I ran with the run-walk group up to Tower Bridge,  on schedule for about 5.20, comfortable, waving to the crowd and high-fiving the kids, then my quads started to burn.  I realised I would have to slow down a bit and started to drop back.  At 15 miles they seized up completely.  I kept going alternating walking with a sort of jog-shuffle,  and eventually finished in 6.03.  By this time I was also very cold and wet!

 So what went wrong?  I followed the get-you-round schedule,  at least all the long runs, and managed 20 miles in the 4 hour one.  I missed  some of the weekday shorter ones, but did some cycling and gym work.  I was also unable to carbo-load properly.

Obviously I should have trained more, and started more slowly, but is there anything else i could have done differently?  (I am male, 50 and have been jogging for about 7 years) 

Hi Mike,

I'm very happy to say that the London Marathon went very well for me - a truly unforgettable experience! I'm really happy with my time, which was 3:40:13. Considering I've only been running for around 8 months I'm very happy with that. But now I'd like to know, what next?! What time should I aim for for my next marathon? 3:30? 3:15? When should I run it? Is 6 months too soon? Should I wait for next year? Should I concentrate on running shorter distances to improve my speed over the coming months?

I'd also like to reiterate what everyone else has said regarding your help over the past few months - you've been great!

Hi Mike

 I've just run London in 4.09 and I'm running in Stockholm with 2:09 Events at the end of May.  I am aiming for sub 4 (my pb is 3.49) and I am not sure what to do training wise. I followed a sub 4 plan for London and was going to start running again next week, basically taking the last six weeks of the sub floor London schedule, leaving me with a  two week taper.

Is that too much training? Should I run less given that i have just completed London?

Hope you can help.

El C

Hi Mike

Thanks for all the advice and guidance over the last few months, you had been great! x x

I wanted to enjoy the whole experience and for me the training schedules were just great and running the marathon was the most amazing thing I have done in my life, I enjoyed every mile and had plenty of time to look around, enjoy the sites and the crowds. I smiled the whole way round and  even sprinted the last 400m finishing in 4.35.

Does anyone else remember doing the YMCA, cant remember where I was at this point, but it was so funny.?

Kindest Regards

Tracyxxxxx 

Yep

I remember doing the YMCA fairly early on!

I really enjoyed my first London Marathon, taking in the sights and smiling at everyone!  The support was terrific and the crowd on Tower Bridge brought a lump to my throat!  I managed to finish in 5.30 which I was pleased with bearing in mind that I was injured until about 3 weeks ago.

I am really disappointed that the first phase of the ballot for 2009 has now closed as I didn't realise it would fill up so quickly.  My hubbie is on standby to go on at 9 am on Monday morning to do both of our applications.

Well done everyone.

Hello Mike

Not posted on this list for a while, Was running to a 3.45 time and everything was going o.k, struggled from mile 19 to 23 and got a burst when i passed my friend, Passed 26 mile marker and then collasped and fell to the floor. St Johns helped me to there tent in a chair and i shown that i finished and get a medal and but no time. I am devastated, i cried when i realised what happened and was wondering if anyone has any similar experiences? i missed some  3 weeks of training. I have applied again and i am praying i get another chance. Any advice of how to pcik myself up, i feel gutted

Hi Mike and everyone

 I had a fantastic marathon, finished in 4:44 and was still on a high on Tuesday! It was my first marathon and I was thrilled to have run all the way without hitting the wall. I met up with a great guy Darren running his 2nd FLM and we ran the last 13+ miles together. We did the YMCA but cannot remember what mile it was but it was totally bizzare and great fun.  About 200m from the finish we decided that all the LSR had to stop and we made a sprint for the end. We were exhausted, soaked to the skin but had the biggest grins on our faces for our photos.

I told my friends and family that I would only run one marathon but I lied, I have to do that again!

Well done to everyone and see you same time next year hopefully!!

Jules