Any runners on here; advice needed.

This 100%. Was talking to a mate coming away from a 20mi race last month. As we were leaving there were still people going past the start/finish to start a final 8mi lap. Gotta be mentally so tough to keep going for that long!

 

Absolute kiss of death this post was. I had a fitness class about ten days ago and obliterated my back. Nerve damage so whilst it feels just about ok now, and I can gently jog, it feels like one wrong move or lift will make it ping again.

 

Decided to have a crack at another sub 3 yesterday in Manchester but was obvious from early on I was still feeling the marathon from 2 weeks back. The last 12 miles was a tough old slog & finished in 3.06 so still good enough for Boston & Chicago next year. About 5 minutes too slow for London unfortunately

 

Awesome effort. Plenty of people I know who ran London or Manchester ended up a few minutes down due to the heat tax, so you did well to get that time. Hope the recovery goes well. I've got Birmingham half at the weekend, which feels like it's a week too soon

London GFA times for men have gone a bit crazy! I'll be 40 next year, so going up an age cat, but for now I'd have to get 2:52. That ain't happening!

 

About 20 years ago I 'ran' the London Marathon 3 years in a row to raise funds for RBL. I quite enjoyed it the first time, the second time I felt lousy but still enjoyed the occasion, the third time I felt like someone had banged nails into my knee caps and after about an hour the whole bloody thing really started getting on my t1ts - but I managed to get round by repeating the mantra 'What The F*ck Am I Doing This For?' So, my advice is do it once only

 

My daughter did the London Marathon yesterday, first ever time running more than a half marathon and she did it in a little over 5 hours. First time visiting the London Marathon and it was awesome and crazy at the same time. Meticulous planning went out of the window after our first spotting at mile 3. The DLR, Jubilee and district lines were well over capacity. We still managed to see her 3 times during the 5 hours which we thought was pretty good considering.

Loved it despite the mad crowds.

 

I hit the over 50 category next year so get an extra 5 minutes but some of the qualifying times are crazily quick.

 

Was Manchester good? I've signed up for next year.

 

Crowds were not bad with a few quiet parts. Very well organised at start & finish. Not as flat as it used to be with about 335ft elevation. Bottled water every 5k & plenty with a few gel stations. Nice t- shirt & medal this year also.
Only thing was it was lacking any real sights on course. A bit of the canal or round footy/cricket stadium would have made it a little more interesting

 

Thanks, that's good to know. Newport had 300m around a running track about 3mi in. Not sure if that was interesting or off putting!

 

congrats to your daughter. Mine ran it too. Managed to drop her at the start line, walk and see her at cutty sark, footbridge through to city and saw her at miles 15 and 18, jubilee to Westminster for mile 25 and then at the finish. Was a great day but seeing her that many times meant I had no food, no time to stop for a drink and no toilet stop. All worth it though

I’m in awe of anybody that trains that hard and then completes the run. Let alone the stories that drives each runner to participate

 

Great respect for anyone running a marathon. I simply can’t understand how anyone can physically do that. Crazy heroes the lot of you.

 

More enjoyable than the football I think is my reason

 

Whenever on the few occasions in my past I have got up and thought, I’ll go for a run this morning, I’ve enjoyed the first minute and a half and then wondered “What was I thinking” ! It’s too much like hard work for me !