FLM Virgin

tell me about it,, i felt like a ran a marathon just reading the bluddy manual!!! great piece of kit. anyone got a target time yet???

I'm aiming for a sub 4 - but to be honest I just want to get round. I think I may be being a little ambitious..

me too. im aiming for sub 4 and im on a sub 3 training program which i have stuck to. but i still think ill be over 5. lol. you know whick line your starting from yet fi?

I started on the training programme, but now I am just on my own. I tried to stick to it, but for somereason I strayed.
I don't know yet - ou? Where are you training road or club?

Road and Gym. there areno running club where i live. or none that i know of... i is a country bumpkin you see. lol. nout but corn and hay in these areas. I dont know wither where in starting. I think you find out at the Expo when you go to get your kit bag and runners number.

I started at a club, but found that they did mostly sprint training, which is useful, but I prefer long runs. Nike town on Oxford Street have runs on Mon and Tue that I have been to, and I train on Saturdays round a common.

your lucky, usually its just me and my MP3 in the moddl eof nowhere! i would kill fro a running partner.. sorta get loanly sometimes you know.... :(

Hi! I am doing the 2006 FLM for the first time as well for the Tuberous Sclerosis Association (my son has TS so it is very close to my heart!). I am the only person running for the TSA so I feel a lot of pressure both to raise as much money as possible and to actually finish it on the day!

I am not bothered about a particular time (as I keep being told, it will be my PB whatever!). Like most of you I am feeling nervous about it all, and a bit confused by the different training plans out there.

The longest race I have done is 5K back in September, and didn't run much after that for one reason or another. This will be my third week of regular running since September, although I have been going to the gym so am not as unfit as I was. Did 2 miles saturday and 2 1/2 miles yesterday!

I am planning to follow the RW 4.30 plan, and have signed up for the weekly email. Like a lot of you have said, I too am planning to do my long runs following a run/walk programme, doing the actual marathon running for 1 mile then walking for 1 minute and so on, (or 9/1 possibly). The only thing I have problems with is getting going again after walking - a minute never seems long enough!

My longest run so far has been for 25 minutes non-stop - VERY slowly! so most of you are doing loads better than me already!
I am aiming to get out 4/5 days a week as per the plan - I need a plan to keep me focussed! But did less last week - hard as I have 2 kids under 2 years!

Interesting point 'Absolutely Noting To Do With Fish' wrote about following the training runs too closely can have negative effects - backed up by what Dave Wood 4 said about his training for 1999 LM. Gives me hope!

Ps. Sam, My Saucony's are good - got them fitted by my local specialist running shop in the summer. Before then I had never heard of a lot of the running brand names, so didn't go and particulary choose them, but they have proved very good. I will probably need some more soon though once my weekly mileage goes up!!!

Well done Jenny - I'm sure you wont be the only person funning for them by the time everyone has secured a charity place.
As you say - you will do your PB so as long as you get round.

hay here is an idea, anyone wanna run together on the big day??? all keep each other going? could be a laugh. dependant on which libe you start from of course.

And depending on whether you can find eachother amongst 36000 runners. believe me it is not easy!!
you will all have a ball, dont stress just enjoy the whole experience

Sam - get yourself to a good running shop where they look at your gait (way you stand and way you run) and recommend some shoes.

A *good* shop will either have a treadmill or let you try out the shoes by a short run on the pavement outside.

Different brands and models suit different people, so you need a recommendation for a good SHOP not a good shoe :-)

Try starting a new thread asking for "Running shop recommendation near yourtown"

good idea... i think i need more of a cushioned shoe as i have a prefect arch in my foot. im not hi arched or flat footed. so i dont think ill need stability or support shoes. i like the look of the new Rebooks.

Don't go for look you need to go for feel.. And what you think your arches may look like doesn't mean that you dont overpronate in a mild way or not which will dictate which type of shoe you need. Its not a fashion statement its for your health!

i konw, i just playing... if you knew me you would know that im not a label guy or a fashion twerp. i found a shop in bristol and im going to go down this weekend. i been to on e befor and i know i need a cushioned shoe.

I had trouble from some shoes I bought from a 'normal' sports shop and when I took them to a running shop they told me I was wearing 'special needs' shoes that they didn't even carry! The running shop had me run over a pad on the floor, then gave me two pairs of trainers to try outside and I bought one of them. Much better.

Is there a http://www.sweatshop.co.uk/ near you? They were good to me.

Well worth visiting a pucker running shop, in my opinion.

Sweatshop and EasyRunner are both in Bristol and both are good places.

Bloody hell me again.....

As part of my training plan, to try and make sure I get out there and put the miles in, I have entered a 10 mile cross-country in Weston-Super-Mare in Feb:
http://www.toughten.co.uk/main.htm
and a hilly half marathon in March:
http://www.hogweedtrotters.co.uk/Hogweed_Hilly_half.htm

Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone was looking for a race in this area, seeing as Bath Half Marathon is full.

Rich, maybe I have the wrong idea about this marathon training....I chose my March half marathon for how flat it was - the flatter the better! Say no more....

i know, its a bugger that the bath half is full thats only 20 miles away from me in ikle old trowbridge. ill have to have a look at those runs rich.. thanks for that! i know i need to compete in either a 10k or a 10 mile and a half marathon before i run.