Runners
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Just found out that I have a place on the 2023 London Marathon. My work were offering charity places with minimum fundraising pledge needed. Put my name down and got lucky.
I’m absolutely overjoyed. I’ve entered the London Marathon ballot many, many times to no success.
This’ll be my first marathon. I’ve done quite a few half’s, and gone longer distances (~18 miles) under my own steam. Telling myself not to worry about speed and to concentrate on finishing and enjoying. But I’d be lying if I wasn’t hoping for a sub-4 hour result. I’m not naturally fast and more of a plodder, so that’s be a great achievement for me… Will keep update on my progress here.
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That's great @jerkules ! Best of luck !
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Just found out that I have a place on the 2023 London Marathon. My work were offering charity places with minimum fundraising pledge needed. Put my name down and got lucky.
I’m absolutely overjoyed. I’ve entered the London Marathon ballot many, many times to no success.
This’ll be my first marathon. I’ve done quite a few half’s, and gone longer distances (~18 miles) under my own steam. Telling myself not to worry about speed and to concentrate on finishing and enjoying. But I’d be lying if I wasn’t hoping for a sub-4 hour result. I’m not naturally fast and more of a plodder, so that’s be a great achievement for me… Will keep update on my progress here.
Lucky you! I have done it a few times. It gets harder and harder to get in. The easiest way is to qualify for a Good For Age place. Good luck and enjoy!
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Nice one @jerkules
Going back a few years now 2013 I wanted to run the London marathon after watching it on TV I thought I’m doing it The ballot positions were full so I looked for a Charity position landing on the Outward bound Trust I had to raise £2700 if I remember correctly .
Anyway excited I had a position so started running doing a couple of miles every night I got hooked straight away after a few weeks doing 3 miles turned in 5 then 5 into 7 doing various routes back to my house every run trying to beat my last didn’t take long before I picked up a few injuries from over doing it.
A bit of rest and slowly got back to it .
A good friend of mine saw I was posting a few of my runs on Facebook so we got together and started running together he runs for a local running club with some good times over 5k 10k etc so was good to have a bit of structure.
We did some club races together Leighton finishing in the top 15 and my in the top 40 which was great I was loving it.
Bristol half marathon was coming up so he asked my to enter it so I did ,training picked up a bit with more miles in the week long run Sunday in preparation for it easy run Monday,speed session Tuesday Wednesday steady run Thursday tempo run Friday easy 5miles Saturday rest.Bristol half marathon my first half marathon I ran 1:26:47
Leighton ran 1:17 something
Was super happy with my result putting the effort in pays off
Fast forward to a 2014 London marathon traveled down with my wife and my sons I had a bit of a chest infection leading up to it but didn’t feel to bad . Day of the race crazy great atmosphere so nervous but soon as the gun goes and you start running it all goes away I was running well all considering getting to half way around 1:30 so was on target I remember thinking around 16 miles shit it’s Hot got another 10miles to go then slowly after the wheels started to come off I had to walk run walk which felt like forever grabbing every bottle of Lucozade along the way I was completely wasted worst feeling ever when I finally picked up running I was doing 9min miles which felt like I was flying eventually seeing that finish line thank god finished in 3:24:23 and looked like death after it lol
I’ll dig up the pictures shortly lol..That was my first and last marathon went on to run Cardiff Half a few times , Great North Run twice, meeting Mighty Mo , loads of 5ks and 10ks loved it while it lasted run for about 3 years but knocked it in the head after getting pneumonia running on the mountains through December not wearing a great deal and my boys started racing Motocross so put my time and effort into them
.My best times
5k : 17:00
10k :35:23
Half marathon 1:20.23 Great North Run
Marathon: 3:24.23Happy with what I achieved and to run London marathon was a massive bonus enjoy it mate don’t over do the training but look for a structured training program to follow and you can’t go wrong.
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Thanks a bunch guys @steelworker @den1mhead
@Dmart no specific schedule yet but I will do. I’m thinking I’ll spend the rest of 2022 improving my half marathon time, then concentrate on marathon training in January. I’ve never gone this distance before, but as I said I’m a plodder. I’m not built for speed, but I’m pretty good at maintaining a steady speed for fairly long distances. My focus will be on improving my my steady pace.
@Jeansman only way I’d get a “good for age” place is if I enter as an 80 year old
@Jcaz6996 wow those are amazing photos of your Marathon, thanks for sharing. It makes me very excited for what’s to come. Your times are seriously impressive!! Your advice on training is useful. I need to increase my distance while improving my speed so I’ll have to be quite careful how I approach it.
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@jerkules The good thing is, there is plenty of time to get ready.
I haven’t run a Marathon myself, only a half-Marathon in a ridiculously slow time. I have always been a speed and strength guy and never really been a running but lately getting into it and really enjoy it. Maybe it comes with age that I transfer into endurance. -
Congratulations on getting a spot @jerkules that's an achievement in itself, and enjoy the training, should be lots of fun.
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@Dmart I hear you, I’m definitely not a fast runner. I’m always amazed by guys like @Jcaz6996 who can pull off such an incredible first half marathon time. My buddy and I did a half marathon a few years back - I trained fairly consistently while he didn’t prepare at all. I ran 1:52, my mate was just under 1:30. I was appalled!
Thank you @goosehd ! Your rowing achievements look like a marathon to me, I’m dreadful
@Nkwkfld I’m really excited and looking forward to kicking my training up a gear. Ultimately though I’m just doing it for fun. Curious to see how I progress..
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No worries all good times.. @jerkules would recommend joining a local running club meet up once or twice a week there be able to give you guidance and hopefully a training plan for the marathon, club races are great XC even better that’s probably the most enjoyable. I ended up joining a racing team called Micky Morris Racing Team (MMRT) definitely brought me along . Some of the best runners in South Wales the guy who set the team up Mathew Collins run London in 2:25 something 5.25 per mile first Welsh runner across the finish line that’s incredible stuff.
Definitely be a huge achievement something your never forget.
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@goosehd Great North Run is by far the best race I have entered amazing atmosphere did that 2 years in a row driving up from South Wales with the family the one year I entered my two lads to do 1k or 1.5k race can’t remember the distance on the Saturday and they cried all the way around lol but had a nice T-shirt and medal at the end even though the T-shirt was pink
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Only just seen these pics @Jcaz6996 they are class! I certainly will not look as good as that come Sunday. I have had a pretty bad bout of covid so have been hovering on the button to defer my place up until today, when I have made the decision to do it - walk/very slow jog most of it and try and enjoy the occasion as much as possible…. my sub 4 hour hopeful time is well and truly out of the window (truth be told it was well, well out the window prior to this last week, but now I have a ready made excuse). Good luck to anyone else taking part as well
