*Anyone done the London Marathon?! ADVICE PLS

RV_08
RV_08 Posts: 34 Member
edited November 22 in Fitness and Exercise
I have often thought about wanting to do it but want to get some first hand advice on what to expect, how to train for it, how to prepare myself etc.


Anyone out there done it that can help?

Replies

  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    Have you ever run a marathon before? Training for the London Marathon is training for a marathon.

    Have you considered whether you want to take your chances in the lottery for a spot, or are you willing to do the hefty fundraising effort for a charity bib?
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    How much rinning do you do now? Weekly mileage, longest distances? Pace? Do you race shorter distances?

    Also, given how difficult it is to get into London, is it that you want to run a marathon, or that you want to run London?
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    I've never run a marathon (nowhere near lol) but I hear good things about the Hal Higdon marathon training schedule. You can google it and find info on the website.

    My brother in law ran the London marathon and he didn't actually do major training for it, but was overall very fit and sporty. But he felt so ill after, he was white as a sheet! So I definitely suggest a good training plan!

    I have a friend who ran it but he did it as part of a group who dressed as Jamaican's and carried a huge bobsled with them! They trained loads for that (and also got a Guinness World record for the fastest 4 person group!!)
  • blueboxgeek
    blueboxgeek Posts: 574 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    How much rinning do you do now? Weekly mileage, longest distances? Pace? Do you race shorter distances?

    Also, given how difficult it is to get into London, is it that you want to run a marathon, or that you want to run London?

    It is difficult to get a place for London, so if you specifically want to do that one you are probably best doing it for a charity (some get so many places allocated) and fundraising for the charity. But apply anyway, you never know!

  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
    I have done it three times. You would train like you would for any other marathon. As it is a flat road marathon, it's a good idea to get plenty of long runs done on flat roads.
  • RV_08
    RV_08 Posts: 34 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    How much rinning do you do now? Weekly mileage, longest distances? Pace? Do you race shorter distances?

    Also, given how difficult it is to get into London, is it that you want to run a marathon, or that you want to run London?


    I do quite a lot of running now - maybe 3x a week outdoors and then 3x on a treadmill. Longest distance is a 10k in 54 mins. Did a charity 5k in 26 mins last month. If I were to do a marathon - i'd prob want to do the London one! Any advice for me or recommendations about what I could do instead to build up to it? I don't feel I have to do it next year or anything, I think I might want to build up and get to it - any advice?
  • RV_08
    RV_08 Posts: 34 Member
    blueboxgeek wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    How much rinning do you do now? Weekly mileage, longest distances? Pace? Do you race shorter distances?

    Also, given how difficult it is to get into London, is it that you want to run a marathon, or that you want to run London?

    It is difficult to get a place for London, so if you specifically want to do that one you are probably best doing it for a charity (some get so many places allocated) and fundraising for the charity. But apply anyway, you never know!
    blueboxgeek wrote: »
    I've never run a marathon (nowhere near lol) but I hear good things about the Hal Higdon marathon training schedule. You can google it and find info on the website.

    My brother in law ran the London marathon and he didn't actually do major training for it, but was overall very fit and sporty. But he felt so ill after, he was white as a sheet! So I definitely suggest a good training plan!

    I have a friend who ran it but he did it as part of a group who dressed as Jamaican's and carried a huge bobsled with them! They trained loads for that (and also got a Guinness World record for the fastest 4 person group!!)

    blueboxgeek wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    How much rinning do you do now? Weekly mileage, longest distances? Pace? Do you race shorter distances?

    Also, given how difficult it is to get into London, is it that you want to run a marathon, or that you want to run London?

    It is difficult to get a place for London, so if you specifically want to do that one you are probably best doing it for a charity (some get so many places allocated) and fundraising for the charity. But apply anyway, you never know!

    Yikes - looks like I need to get a good training plan in place. I don't ever really like doing races/charity runs without training for them anyway but as a marathon is such a long distance, i'll have to make sure I train over quite a long period of time. Thanks!
  • RV_08
    RV_08 Posts: 34 Member
    litsy3 wrote: »
    I have done it three times. You would train like you would for any other marathon. As it is a flat road marathon, it's a good idea to get plenty of long runs done on flat roads.

    Thanks for the advice!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    RV_08 wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    How much rinning do you do now? Weekly mileage, longest distances? Pace? Do you race shorter distances?

    Also, given how difficult it is to get into London, is it that you want to run a marathon, or that you want to run London?


    I do quite a lot of running now - maybe 3x a week outdoors and then 3x on a treadmill. Longest distance is a 10k in 54 mins. Did a charity 5k in 26 mins last month. If I were to do a marathon - i'd prob want to do the London one! Any advice for me or recommendations about what I could do instead to build up to it? I don't feel I have to do it next year or anything, I think I might want to build up and get to it - any advice?

    Personally speaking, London is the last marathon I'd want to do. I prefer trail races with a short field; 200-300 runners.

    So Macmillan forecasts a 4:13 marathon based on both your 5K and 10K times.

    The main thing is to work yourself up, given that you've got plenty of time I'd work up to half marathon distance using an established plan, then migrate onto a marathon plan. Runners World have credible plans, Hal Higdon is well respected and has several options. Personally I use Endomondo dynamic plans, although at times they can be a bit aggressive in terms of mileage.

    You've already missed the entry for nest year, so it's worth identifying an alternative, particularly as London is a ballot entry so you could keep trying for several years and not get a place. There are plenty of options out there.

    Equally you could just identify say 3 or 4 half marathons to do over the course of next year, then move up to marathons after that.
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