Calling all Virgin London Marathon 2010 hopefuls

This would be such a fantastic opportunity to acheive a lifetime ambition.  I can't imagine how good it would be to have someone who really understands what they are doing looking at your training schedule and telling you where you're going wrong (and wrong, and wrong and wrong!)

I'm sure I could run that distance if I could sort out my pace (start like a greyhound, finish like a bulldog).  I've no idea how you even start fixing that for such a long race but presumably the experts do know.

This has got to be worth a try and I'm only on my second ballot rejection so I'm still at least 3 years away from a place (that is assuming I can manage to get my VLM entry logged in the 18 seconds  that the online entry is open for.)

Do the 'super six'  get to train together other than the 3 training events? 

Here's hoping

Hi Hilly

BR shot past us at Abo like lighteneing

Hi KK, I'm Colin and I'm from Yorkshire! 

Go on I've got to do it, if you're not in you won't win, but anyone who doesn't want to enter that's fine by me .

Hi GB and Mick.  GB back in Yorkshire now so not so many sightings of me in the Dorset area, although hope to still do a few races down there next year including March Hare 20.  How's your training going these days?

Mick - he's unfortunately been carrying a niggle since then, but getting better each day.  When he went past you like lightning at 19 miles that was the last lightning he saw that day

my training erm .....well you know ...........its erm why do you think Ive entered this competition need a kick in the @$$

Im too busy with the Poole 10k is the usual excuse but Im just too de-motivated to train

Hi everyone,

 I've been reading some of what you all said about one post wonders and people joining just for the competition etc..

I've been a member for a few months now since I decided to run a couple of half's, but I've never posted on the forums or anything.  Is there really that much bad feeling about newbies?

 Not sure I'd want to comit to writing a blog if I was going to get slaughtered for anything people don't agree with?

NO TNH..........no problems with newbies........just last year some people got upset that this competition brought out loads of people who had never posted before and who never did again........so they felt that they weren't interested in the forums just the prize...........

i believe they picked one of those to do the event and she did really well but she started posting regulary from the moment she entered........which is why I suggested that now that you have posted don't be shy and start posting more so that they can see you can interact.........give yourself more chance than the others...also its on a vote i believe of the shortlisted ones......so get yourself known so that people can see the type of character you have

Good Luck

Well, that's me entered in this again. I tried last year and I also entered into the GNR comp a couple of years back.

What a fantastic prize. Best of luck everyone. What times have you all put down. I'm chasing a sub 3.15.

TNH wrote (see)

Hi everyone,

 I've been reading some of what you all said about one post wonders and people joining just for the competition etc..

I've been a member for a few months now since I decided to run a couple of half's, but I've never posted on the forums or anything.  Is there really that much bad feeling about newbies?

 Not sure I'd want to comit to writing a blog if I was going to get slaughtered for anything people don't agree with?

Crikey - I get slaughtered all the time!  Rule number one - try not to take anything too personally. People will disagree with you and they will let you know when they do! You can choose to argue your point back, concede you might have been wrong  and say so or decide its not worth a fight and ignore them. I've done all three!

Seren is absolutely right. We all started on one post TNH so don't worry about that. Obviously long time posters have established characters on here and that means that some of us know each other well in cyberspace. For example, Coops is training to be a priest and I am a shy and retiring sort who only posts once a month....

You DO get a lot of people who have never given the forums a moment's thought and suddenly see this competition and think "Oh - that's for ME" and then they swear that they'll be the best thing since sliced bread and will blog daily for our amusement. Trouble is, having no track record they are asking RW to take a chance on them. I don't want to read "went running today. Did 5 miles easy and tomorrow I shall do 4 miles at MP" because I will fall asleep!

We want to know about the times when you can't be arsed getting out of bed because you had a chippy tea the night before and now you can't get off the loo!  This is supposed to be a journey - if you pretend to be the finished perfect article before the day, people will get bored.

So by all means enter if you would be willing to share your experience with a load of fellow runners who haven't had the opportunity you've been given. You don't have to be a great writer or a comedian - honesty will do nicely. I bet we'll all be laughing at that anyway....

And good luck.

3.15 should be a breeze for you Captain having run FLM09 in an Ostrich outfit!!!

I was one of the 'chosen six' last year. It was a fantastic experience. I would encourage anyone to have a go. I met a whole bunch of wonderfully supportive, interesting people and learnt LOADS.

My 'thread' worked really well because I was prepared to put the time in to maintaining it regularly and replying to all the posts. Actually, it became a major source of information and support in itself. I don't think that it matters if you are a thread regular or not once the thread itself get going. At first it may have been helpful as you have a whole bunch of 'cyber friends' to start you off. After a while though I found many of the regulars on the 'Sue C' thread were not those on the sub 3.15 thread which is my 'home', although some have now joined me there!!

Actually my thread was 'did 4 miles easy today, did 6 at MP yesterday' and not at all about CNBA days (I am a rather motivated runner!!!!) so it was specifically running based but that actually sparked loads of questions and training information in itself as Liz Yelling (my mentor for '09) the Lucozade experts and other experienced runners all gave their opinion and thoughts on how my training was going and that sparked further debate and questions etc.  The thread covered all bases during its life - nutrition, race nerves, training paces. But if you scan the posts on all the different VLM threads you will see a vast difference in the talk on each one and I think that's a good thing.

So I think if you enter then you need to be prepared to give a little time to make the thread work but given the prize you have won then it should really be a problem!!

Good luck every one again.

Hello RW network,  

I am one of those 'new' people who have just seen the competition and this is my first message on the forum - Who would not want to enter? You must be MAD - This is an amazing opportunity!! I want them to take a chance on me.  Only recently joined runners world and a new runner/jogger. I have just done my first half 2 weeks ago. I am the slow plodder at the back of the pack but I save a bit for a sprint finish. Only wish i had done this sort of thing years ago.. (Was too overweight and lacked determination before!) 

I agree whoever they pick must be able to give honest updates that are interesting and will keep people returning. Might skip the 'toilet' updates but could certainly give honest reflections on the training and schedule ahead. I agree no one wants the perfect person because it makes us all feel inadequet ourselves, however some people are made like that way - (annoying I know).  

I am the person that has been known to have a curry the night before a  long run and suffered all the way round but still managed it anyway! I have two runs that particulary stand out for my half training.

One was after my first 9 mile run,  I just did not know what to do with myself on my return, I felt so unwell. Headache and feeling shivery I took myself off to bed and felt really dizzy. I now know I was probably dehydrated or lacked sugar. A big lesson was learned about drinking plenty on long runs and not just water, something hypotonic.

The second run was along the 'taff trail' one afternoon as the clocks went back. I got to the top of Castel Coch and felt so elated. Panic then set in on the way back as it was getting dark and i had a further 4 miles to get back along an unlit trail. BIG MISTAKE. After jumping over frogs and other things that come out at night I abandoned the trail and had to join the dual carriage way which led to an asda. I was so knackered and frought I got a taxi home! Another lesson learned in planning your route wisely.

Anyway good luck to everyone entering and if its not me I will certainly be following the winners and hoping to learn from there successes and the odd mistake!

Lou Lou Belle 

LB if i get in, i'll be sharing all the ups and downs (my wife is getting sick of hearing them all to be honest)

Least if i say them on here i wont be able to see the yawns off the people reading them...

In a blast of creative thinking last night I decided to submit a joint application on behalf of Hilly and myself, to be taken on as `team Brilly' as many know us.  Between us we've put in 14 years on the forums, racking up over 43,000 posts between us.  We've been regular contributors to threads across the board and I hope have shared our running with others in a way that would be appropriate for a project of this nature.

Those of you who know me will know I've put in miles and miles and miles over the past 6 years striving to get a sub 2:40 marathon but never quite getting there (a pair of 2:42s in 2004 being the best shots).  During that time I've taken a full part in discussions on all aspects of training and would love the chance to have the close training and psychological support of one of the top coaches.

The joint application aspect is appropriate as Hilly and I met through the forums and were one of the first `forum marriages'.  She still has realistic chances of making a sub 3, which would be a fantastic achievement for a F45, putting her high in the national rankings.  Between us we'd like to have a crack at the husband / wife combined record time.

I think it would be an interesting exercise for one of the coaches (Liz Y maybe, whose husband is an elite athlete like her) to co-ordinate the training of a married couple supporting each other towards a common goal.

Well I hope RW Towers and others see it that way.

Best wishes everyone else. 

Thanks LiverBird,

Sounds like pretty good advice.

I'll be honest in that I hadn't even thought about the forums until this got going....just searched the articles for advice.  But as everyones said, it's too good an opportunity to not enter.  And if they really are looking for a true spread of abilities across the 6 then there is a fair chance there'll be one newbie.

Any idea of which forum to go to for advice on motivation for running on these dark mornings and evenings?  It's not fun as it's my first Winter.....

Tom