VLM 2012 first timers???

I've been forced to reduce back my training whilst i get over this cold/virus thing. It's making it hard for me to walk up and down stairs - let alone running

It's great to hear everyone's progress!

I am going to attempt to do 10 miles tonight, after a funfilled day at work!! motivation at this point is lacking but will have to see in a few hours.  I have started rowing as well after my runs or at lunchtime when my runs are in the evening! only a week til i get back to the sunny UK.

 Hope everyones training is going well.

Hi, I'm not a first timer, and it's not even London I'm doing ,- Lochaber instead- also in april.

I love these "first timer" threads, but having lokked at few similar ones, can I make some suggestions:

Consider walk/ running both in traiing AND in the race as a planned thing, rather than gettingn forced into it. Some people feel it is a sign of failure, but look up Jeff Galloway-  he advocates it for even very good runners. I succumbed to ITBS on my first campaign, and this approach saved the day ( 4hr 20 mins, with a 30sec- 1 min walk at every mile marker)

Make sure you do your LSR's slow enough- get a HR monitor. Do a max HR test, and keep down to 70-75% for these, it's very slow, but it's the best way to get the distances increased.

Don't plan your finishing time at thei stage, just do the trainig, then do a half marathon a few weeks before the race, use the comversion tables available on the internet to calculate your probable time, add a bit  (they tend to be optimistic), and set off with the nearest available pacer if you can find one. (They have pacing groups for VLM- great idea)

If it's not too late already, start your trainig plan 1-2 weeks early, to allow for inevitable missed runs due to life getting in the way- and DON'T try to do xtra to make up for missed runs when the inevitable happens.............that way lies injury.

Good luck.

Enjoy

hi everyone

this is my first marathon and finally got a place with the club after many years of trying,  is it just me or is anyone else got buterflies about the event, (i wont call it a race cause to me its an event to enjoy), i've only ever got to 16 miles before and the thought of 26.2 is a bit scary, i downloaded a schedule from here onto my garmin today, its a 16 week schedule which i will starting tomorow, and it gives me 4 weeks to ease up if needed,

Another worry is i work full time as well as being a mum and there are some nights i am far to knackered to train, is anyone else having the same worries,

Hi Sarnie

yup I too have butterflies/feel sick/petrified but have decided you know what I am just going to enjoy the training and the big day itself.... I have never run a marathon before, only half marathons.  I also work late some evenings but I shall have to push myself out the door on those evenings or even fit in some early morning runs.  I am doing an 18 week plan starts 18th Dec [ if my calculations are right] but am running or at least trying to run 4  times a week anyway.  I have decided not to think about what time I may or may not do the Marathon in as long as I finish happy and in one piece knowing I have done my best, that's all that matters.  As one wise person said to me the other day whatever time you do it in will be a personal best ...as it's the first one I will have done and who knows I may not get the opportunity again.

good luck

I am *exactly* the asame Badoo - only ever done 8 miles, and I currently have a cold which is making me grumpy and miserable too! Butterflies?! I'm scared of all of it!!

Hi, I haven't been on here for a little while, nice to see the thread coming along so well!

Also pleased to see some others who haven't yet completed a half!  I was starting to fret a bit as the most I've ever done is ten miles and that was a couple of years ago.

I know we'll all get there though

Hi All,

I start "proper" training 19th December but have been doing four days a week since September when training for the Great South Run. I too hadn't run even that far before so was pleasantly surprised to clock in 12 seconds per mile faster than I had run in training over 8 miles let alone 10 so what I am trying to say is the training everyone is doing is working and in "the event" everything you've been practicing for over 18 or however many weeks will fall into place and see you round. That said I have never run a marathon before and am approaching it with nervous anticipation however that is the one thing getting me up for 6am runs "this is all for the London Marathon, by putting in the training now you are giving yourself the best chance of achieving your goal"

 Has anyone signed up for Spring half marathons? 

booked a room in islington for sat night not too far from greenwich  anyone recomend any hotel near the start

hi everyone

thanks i feel so much better knowing i'm not alone in the worry dept, aswell as the training and finding the time to train, i should have gone out this evening but my mojo is playing hide and seek at the moment but will be determined to do 5 tomorrow night, is eveyone doing running programmes from here

hi all, not been on for a while.

Welcome to the other new people!

LWJ - so sorry to hear you've been made redundant. That sucks big time.  Hope you get a new job in the new year - perhaps winning the london marathon might help?!

 I've up'd my training to 4 times a week now as opposed to three.  From next week I'm adding in cord training.  Which I'm dreading. 

I've entered for a 10k in hyde park on New Years Day - start the year as I mean to go on!  Even roping my partner into that one!

 Someone mentioned about joining a London running group - I was thinking about that too, just not brave enough.  All the info I have read says to run with others or join a group to keep the motivation.  I'm sure too shy and can't talk and run to try!

(still paranoid about snow)

VLM and marathon first timer here too, I did train up to Mablethorpe last October but had to defer a week before the race as my back went. Got the VLM through a club place and I consider that I have a reasonable base on which to start the marathon training again as I have done the 22 mile sessions last year and have kept my 2 weekly long runs to around 9.5 miles and 14 miles respectively, with the other 4 days in the week a mixture of 6 - 8 mile easy runs or some specific speedwork/intervals mainly on hills as it's XC season giving me an average of 40 miles per week.

Next year I am doing 2 key pre VLM races, the first a HM in February and the second a 20 miler in March which should get me near racing fitness for April 22nd and I'm looking at an aspirational 3:30 finish, a realistic 3:45, or an acceptable 4:00.