London Marathon Runners
Training tips, anyone?
How is the training going for everyone since the New Year? Have you managed to brave the cold weather to run? Any tips to offer to fellow Team Amnesty runners? Maybe you are looking for a running buddy - why not find out if anyone lives nearby who could go out running with you?
Comments (33)
Two days to go!! Good luck to everyone!!
I'm going to London tomorrow morning on the bus with my girlfriend (from cardiff) and hitting the Expo first thing to get my pack out of the way and number, chip etc. I'm praying I keep my wallet firmly in my pocket as I have a tendency to buy random running products which I "need" as soon as I see them!
Am also going to be avoiding beers like the plague tomorrow which to be honest is likely to be harder than the run!! :)
See you there and best wishes to everyone - well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yikes. Anyone else feeling sick at the mere word 'marathon'...?
L11 et al, sorry I never got back to you re training runs, it all got a bit muddly and I got super busy. Probably should have scheduled in a wee bit more running too, but it's too late now. Gah.
See you all on Sunday. I'll be the one in the queue for knee replacements...
Good luck! x
Hey everyone,
Hope you're all feeling lively and ready for the challenge ahead! Just wanted to say how much I admire you all and I promise to be cheering super loud at Mile 25 on Sunday.
Also, I actually laughed out loud in the office when I read:
"Socks.
Lycra shorts
Shorts
Sunnies
Splendid lime green Amnesty vest
Splendid headband
Splendid moustache
I will look like a proper numpty"
Can't wait to see your awesome tache, Johnny D !
Best of luck everyone. See you at the aftershow party!
Natasha (the one who sent out the vests and letters) x
Best wishes to all the runners. Are any of you going to the Hispaniola afterwards for some food and drink? I'm already looking forward to the post-run massage. Actually, maybe I'll skip the run and go straight for the massage...no, really I'm very excited about the run and I intend to enjoy the occasion as much as I can. I like Johnny's suggestion of wearing some disposable clothes while waiting for race to start - could get cold otherwise. Go! go! go!
best of luck everyone for a fun (and injury free!) week and Marathon.
maybe see some of you after
thanks for all the encouragement, enthusiasm and tips
x
one thing i just remembered...
i'll also bring an old/second jumper of some description. something to keep me warm while waiting for it all to kick off. something i don't mind leaving behind cause when we start i'll remove it and leave it on the ground to sabotage everyone behind me.
propter? proper
On the day I shall mostly be wearing.
Socks.
Lycra shorts
Shorts
Sunnies
Splendid lime green Amnesty vest
Splendid headband
Splendid moustache
I will look like a propter numpty
x
1. 40 Davo?? GOod grief. That is IMPRESSIVE. Well done :)
I actually didn't wear my vest (faux pas) I thought it would be cold so wore my thermal top. I am now not at all pleased by that decision...
Also thrilled to have completed my last long run Johnny, and similarly terified by my knees. I have been doing Bikram yoga to help them and it does seem to help, but I lapsed a little a few weeks ago and am now hoping 14 days is not too far out to enitrely heal them. Ahem.
What are people planning to wear on the big day? I am hoping to be able to look all pro in just my vest and shorts, but wonder if i am being daft? Anyone doen this before?
See you soon all!
L11 xx
hello all.
glad to hear it's going well for everyone.
yesterday was my last big run before the big day so i'm relieved to finally be cutting down rather than building up
black bits all over my feet and my nipples are in a permanent state of tenderness (this is all connected with the running I assure you)
and anyone got any spare knees? mine are in a proper state!
it's less than 3 weeks to go!
x
Hey London 11 and all!
I was at the Silverstone race on Sunday too! - unfortunately in my bewildered concentration I totally missed sight of any other Amnesty runners so really sorry about that! I would deffo have given a shout out had I seen any. I had a green Amnesty vest on and a largely contorted face if thats any help? :)
I found it much harder than my training too - I think it was unusually warm during the run which caught me out a little and I ended up getting there a little late and started from the back so rushed off a bit to try and get near the runners who were more my pace - regretted that one at about 8 miles in!!!
It was a great event though and I do feel more confident about my training for the big one now - got round in just over 1:40 and had my lot by the end but pleased (and relieved!). A lot more to be done however!!
Well done to you London 11 and all of the Amnesty runners who made it round!! Knowing we are all in it together is a big help when I'm out on the streets on my own after work!
Hi All,
Just wanted to say I ran Silverstone on SUnday and was comprehensively beaten by at least two people wearing Amnesty vests... Who is to blame?? Of course I was also beaten by a clown. I may live down the shame. In my defense it was a very fit clown. WOuld have to say the half marathon experience was.. well.. brutal. I have run much further in training with far less pain, I even got my first blisters by mile 9... WHY?? Made it over the finish in 2 hours 2 minutes.
COngratulations to the other runners... do let me know how it was for you if you read this! Personally I was hot, a bit dehydrated , and not a fan of Lucozade on the run.. but very happy I did it.
Hope you are all well and on track, or at least still standing.
L11
It had been going so well....did Plymouth Hoe 10 miles in great style (for me), bulding up the miles, beginning to feel confident, almost omnipotent (that should have been a danger sign!), and then....last week, towards end of 16 mile run, my right calf just froze on me. I've had to see a physio this week - not too bad but 2 weeks rest advised.
I think I won't be catching paula radcliffe after all......but I will be picking up my training again next week and maybe a rest at this stage is a good idea anyway. Any injury niggles for the rest of you? What nutrition are people using on the day? I think I'll take the lucozade sport that they hand out. My fundraising is going ok too.
Hello again Bean et al.
I also bought new trainers. Surely the amount of pairs you own is inversely protional to the amount of training you have to do in order to run a marathon right?
11 weeks. Feels like a long time to me :) I mentioned to my flat mate that I was approaching the half way mark in my training but that i felt I had only been training for about a week. She said 'No offence, but it feels like you've been training forever' .. I sense I may need to think of some other topics of conversation...
I did manage 17 miles yesterday though. Didn't die. Did almost cry when I stopped though. If I hadn't been at Paddington in rush hour I may have. Also found I could not sleep at all. Ended up getting up at 2am and eating four slices of toast, two eggs, a banana and half a malt loaf dipped in milk. Anyone else have this problem?
As for running together.. I am not sure the best way to approach meeting up but my schedule looks like this : tuesday and thursday (usually) Regents park for 40 min jogs. Usually around 10 or 11 am although I am totally flexible. Wednesday about 11am for interval training in Russell Sq. Park. Then a long run on whichever weekend morning I am less hungover. Except this week when I was hungover all weekend so shufted the run til monday:)
What do you think?
11 xx
Hello everyone!
I can't believe I've just read that the race is 11 weeks away - I need to step up my training big time!! Eeeeek!!
The nights are getting lighter though so braving the evening runs should get easier and easier. Time to get some serious mileage under my belt before April I think. I've just enetered the Flora Half Marathon at Silverstone too as an extra gee-up for the training!
I hope everyone's training is going well
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greengillybean over 3 years ago
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Road Runner over 3 years ago
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London11 over 3 years ago
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greengillybean over 3 years ago
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greengillybean over 3 years ago
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London11 over 3 years ago
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London11 over 3 years ago
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JohnnyD over 3 years ago
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London11 over 3 years ago
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JohnnyD over 3 years ago
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greengillybean over 3 years ago
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Road Runner over 3 years ago
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Thora over 3 years ago
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JohnnyD over 3 years ago
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Road Runner over 3 years ago
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greengillybean over 3 years ago
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Road Runner over 3 years ago
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greengillybean over 3 years ago
View all comments (18 more)Hello all, I am ok thanks! Just a bit of an idiot and a danger to myself :-)
London11 - would love to go for a run with you (and anyone else in the 'hood?) it'd be great to have some company! If you don't mind being seen out in public with a slow clumsy troubled-by-stairs person, I'd be jolly happy to meet up. I guess we should talk logistics; when do you run and roughly what time of day etc? :-)
I went to the meet the experts day yesterday - it was really good (although I suspect I was the only person in the room with a hideous hangover). Lots of tips and support from people and other runners. Got some shiny new trainers which I'm disproportionately excited about!
I did however feel totally sick when I heard the words "the marathon is 11 weeks today" and it definitely wasn't all the fault of the red wine monkey...eek. I have the FEAR!
Oh no Bean! I really hope you are ok!
How's training going everyone?
I'm wondering if anyone was gutsy enough to go out in the snow?
Bean!
Are you OK? Launching yourself down the stairs doesn't seem like a very good idea you know. I guess you think a marathon isn't quite challenging enough huh? I hope you are recovering. Stairs can be tricksey. I suggest vigorous sitting from now on.
I also live in King's Cross, although my agent likes to optimistically call it Bloomsbury and charge me accordingly. I guess I may have passed you in the park :)
If you ever feel like company do let me know. I always run alone, and am not sure I could keep up a conversation, but that seems like a great reason to run very very slow to me.
Know what you mean about the bad runs. I spend so much time trying to time food, drink and sleeping so I don't feel like half a brain dragging a wet bear round the streets. Still not got it quite right though.. sigh.
Perhaps just telling people we are doing a marathon is good enough.. thought that counts right?
xx
...and re the PS - I am the slowest woman in the world (TM). I got all excited the other day because I overtook someone while running. As I passed him, I realised it was a pensioner. Who was walking.
Needless to say, I'm aiming more for the five hour mark...
:-P
Good work Johnny and the wife - the heartbreak half sounds hideously challenging! London11, I live in Central London too (Kings X) - tend to run around Regent's Park, or along the canal, or I just roam the streets like a stray cat. Fell down the stairs this week (apparently walking, let alone running, is a challenge for me!) so have been taking it a bit easy, but had a horrid run on Sunday when I hadn't eaten enough or slept enough and thought I was going to curl up in a ball weeping after about two miles. This is a silly plan, this marathon thingy, isn't it?!
PS. A question to all... What sort of times are people aiming to finish this wee race in? I am hopeful of around 4 hours... all being well. It is my first marathon.
x
Hi Johnny (and all),
Congratulations to you and your wife! I was thinking of doing the same race, but in the end opted for the Royal Parks which are nearer my house and a lot less hilly for my solitary half marathon last week:) Hills intimidate me. I did manage a pretty hilly run from Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace and back a couple of weeks ago though so I can appreciate your pain a little :)
Good luck with the knee, and the training. I am off to do some intervals now. Woop!
x
London11 –
It was the heartbreak half – have you done it? It's the most knackering run I've done. It was a bit over a half, all hills, and through the odd stream and mudpath. It was my wife's first half-marathon and I was very proud of her. It was properly shattering.
I live South East London so I tend to run to and around either Crystal Palace park or Greenwich Park. They're both something like 2 miles round so I do a few laps for long runs. They're both a bit hilly though, but I think that's not such a bad thing for training.
I've been given some pilates exercises to do by a physio. Hopefully they'll help.
My injured foot held up fine on Sunday. Now I've just got a stiff knee to worry about. I'm falling apart!
x
Hope everyone else is going well.
Hi All,
Nice to hear some thoughts from fellow runners. Mostly when I tell people I am running the marathon they say helpful things like 'oh yeah? I did it last year, I finished in 3 hours and 4 minutes in an ape suit' or 'you know people die doing that?'.
As for training I bought a book a while back called 4 months to a 4 hour marathon. Seems good so far. I hauled myself 13 miles round London on Saturday morning. Admitedly I have to have a nap after that but it wasnt so bad. I also do an interval session on a Wednesday and 2 40 min jogs. As for injury I am supplementing with 3 Bikram yoga sessions a week. I HIGHLY recommend this to strenghthen all the wobbly tendons muscles and joints.
As this is turning into an essay I will stop now, but would like to ask where people run? I live in central London and have found a few good places. Any thoughts for long runs?
Good luck and be well,
x
ps. Johnny - was it the Heartbreak half you ran?? How was it? x
Thanks for the kind thoughts about the foot.
It's on the mend and I'm going to be starting a half-marathon on Sunday in the New Forest and then seeing how it goes... I've been resting my foot for a few weeks and swimming and cycling instead.
And Greengillybean – get out there and go for a run! Yer tea'll taste better when you get in!
x
According to my training schedule, I should run six miles tonight. But what I really want to do is have a nice cup of tea and a sit down...
Johhny, hope the injury is getting better - mate of mine got injured three weeks before the marathon and it was a nightmare, so at least you've got it out of the way!
Your training plan looks good Thora - I get a bit scared off by all the stuff about pace though! I'm not sure how fast I run, but I don't think it's very quick... So i guess I should stop sitting down, drinking tea and crack on with the running. *sigh*
That sounds like an intense workout plan! Go You Thora! It looks fantastic.
I also have to agree with Johnny D about the stretching before and after running. It's very important. Johnny, ouch! I hope your foot gets better even if it is through witchery ;.)
This is the plan I'm using:
http://www.furman.edu/first/fmtp.htm
It is 3 runs a week, with 2 days of crosstraining (non-weightbearing, like cycling, rowing and swimming)
Their book is worth reading as well
http://www.amazon.co.uk/RUNNERS-WORLD-LESS-FAST...
Warm up proper!
I damaged my foot on my first run after the Xmas break. I'm expending much cash on a physiotherapist who is making my foot better through some kind of bizarre necromancy (it's far too effect to have any basis on science, some witchery must surely be involved).
It seems to be the case that over the past few months running, a postural quirk of mine has aggravated some nerves/joints in my foot. Nothing major but it put a bit of a dent in my training.
Anyway, like I say, save yourself some money and don't skimp on the stretching!
Wow! That's really impressive. You will be ready in no time. What about fundraising? Feel free to join my discussion on that too.
I'm kind of vaguely following a plan I downloaded from RunnersWorld.com, but I think it might be more hardcore than I'm ready for!! Managed to run 10.5 miles last night though so feeling pretty chuffed...and achy...
Just think of how you will feel when you cross the finish line!
How is the training going? Do you have a regime sorted?
My legs are aching today! Is anyone else going to the meet the expert day in february? just got the itinerary through and it looks quite good...
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