VLM 2012 first timers???

LOL, sorry Pip! Don't worry too much about it - just follow your plan and trust that it will get you there. That's all you can do! I have decided that if my life depended on it, I could probably walk the marathon distance now. So all I need to do over the next 15 weeks is just get used to a bit more running (!!) and a lot less walking. It seems much more doable if I think about it like that!

I'm off to the gym later to do todays run on a treadmill - I can't face this wind and rain!!

hi everyone

Suarez-                                                                                                                                                                                cheers for the info on recovering from illness, i feel a bit better from you have said, am doing 5 miles after work tomorrow and hopefully fingers crossed i should see some improvement

Len-

 That is such a good way of looking at the marathon, knowing you can walk the distance so just has to now slowly increase the running part, certainly takes the pressure off having that attitude

Hi

Thanks Len made me feel a lot better ................. I think !  ran last night very very windy, at times actually not moving very much at all against the wind, but much better with the wind behind me   Desparately trying to go on my days as planned ....... feel very guilty when I don't.  I don't belong to a gym.... but am seriously considering it if the weather doesn't improve . Roll on spring....... but then that means not long to go at all before the big day.    Anyone else feel as if it has taken over all that you think about ie weather watching, checking your milometer in the car to see exactly how long 26 miles really is ... then feeling sick and scared again, planning your weekends so that you can't do anything until you have been for a run ?

 pip

Sarnie - glad you like the logo!I did it when I was trying to break 60mins for a 10K last year (which I managed) - guess I should change it now to say "Keep calm and run further"!

Hope you're fully recovered now - not surpirsed you struggled with your run - food poisoning (literally!) takes everything out of you (yuck)

Steph lewis - I still snigger at fartlek Running 6 days a week sounds a lot????

Len - great point about walking it if necessary. I remember thinking that about my 1st ever 10K - it was 3 laps and I reckoned if I could run 2 I'd be happy. Look where I am now!!

Phillipa - I'm afraid running took over my life months ago - my family are used to it now! But yes, even watching the new Year's fireworks on the telly, I was watching Big Ben and thinking 'we run past there....'

Waves to everyone else - hopefully everyone's training has officially started by now?

My schedule finally started! After over 2 weeks not running (kids out of school / away at Christmas etc) finally made it out on NYE for 4.5M that nearly killed me. Schedule officially started on Monday with an 'easy 30 minutes'. My HR was so high it thought I was in a race! Took today's 'Easy 40mins' very slowly (didn't wear my HR due to watch strap breaking - great timing!) but it felt easier. Now need to squeeze last 2 runs of the week into tomorrow & Friday and that's week 1!

Quick question. I'm following one of the schedules from the VLM official magazine. It only has weeks 1 - 13 printed, so I'm presuming the last 3 weeks are tapering. However, what sort of training is involved in these final 3 weeks? Trying to plan a holiday at the moment!

Emmy_bug - just had to check in case I was being stupid! No - the last issue I've got here, the one that came with my 'Congratulations' letter, just has the first 13 weeks, and it does say the final few weeks will be in the next issue.

Are we talking about the same magazine??!!

I'm feeling happier for having come on here and reading that I'm not the only one having major moments of doubt!

All was going well until last week when I really struggled with every run I did, my long run on Sunday especially.  I was ready to go home after a mile but my partner convinced me to keep going and I did the full 7 miles with only a few short walk breaks. 

Last week was the first time I'd felt I needed to walk and was a real battle mentally. Looking back I think last week was mainly due to the change of routine and too much Xmas food!

I think I need to remember how much progress I've made already and that if I need some little walk breaks that's ok if it means I can do the distances

Ah Suarez-7 - its not just me going mad then!

Geena - I feel very wobbly after Christmas - but I'm sure it will all come back, like it does every year after Christmas / summer holidays etc!

Hi

Blaack and Tabby I am glad you thought that running six times a week seemed a lot ...blimey so did I.  I am doing the Hal Higdon schedule novice 1 anyone else doing that one ?  Have done a few halves but decided to go back to the beginning for the marathon. Running four times a week.  And yes I also thought the same thing while watching the London fireworks. Getting very,very fed up with this horrible windy weather

Pip

Evening everyone

Seems we are all getting doubts and nerves, but we are all doing very well with the training, no injuries which is brill, and slowly increasing distances,

Went out after work in the wind and wanted to turn back just after 2 miles but kept going and glad i did cause once the muscles warmed up i managed 6 miles which included a couple of nasty hills, only stopped on one hill that i have never managed to get to the top of and am nearly on my hands and knees by the time i get to the top, i am gonna use this hill as a marker and every time i run up it (tomorrow evening) i will try to get a bit further each time, going to gym before work for an hour in morning mainly to do stretching and a bit of strengthening and another run tomorrow evening them giving myself Friday off from any exercise and hopefully doing 10-11 Saturday,

Well my training was going well till I got a calf strain 11 miles into a 13 mile run, calmed down and did the same thing again, I don't know why because i'm doing my warm up and stretching as I always did, i'm going to see the physio this evening.

On a side issue where is everyone staying on Marathon weekend? i'm not sure if I should book somewhere near the start to get there hassle free, or near the finish so I don't have to tube/travel too far to hotel at the end?

Sarnie - I can't run any slower, it would be impossible!!

OB - I'm staying near the end, I figured I'd be in much better shape to travel to the start!! I'm at a Best Western near Victoria.

Hi

I have booked a place at the finish, so I don't have to go to far if I have jelly legs at the finish..... which is quite likely I think

pip