London Marathon 2011

[Proj London Health]

Marathon Runners of EDF

1-week of training to go, so go light and gentle! Good Carb loading, and no sugar rush.... I made that mistake many many years ago before a hilly 1/2 Marathon.

What are you doing to prepare for the week leading up to the Marathon?

* Food

* Drink

* Training

* A ban on S#X?

After the event

* Massage

* Ice bath

* Developmental stretches c.30-sec only to release the latic acid

* Food & drink

Please share, and good luck next Sunday!

McCabe

PLH

[Proj London Health]

OK,

I started the thread so I'll make the first comment.

If its your first event, take it easy and enjoy it!

Consider the after event, make sure you have a good gentle stretch at the end - your muscles, tendons and ligaments deserve it!

You probably won't have much of an apetite for a number of hours, but have something ready in the fridge - in other words, do the prep work in advance.... even if its a microwave ready meal.

Fill your ice containers so they are ready when you get it. In the week leading up, check the current advice on how long to apply ice indirectly (put them into a bag, then roll in a tea towel around it etc..).

McCabe

PLH

[Sandperson]

Lots of pasta, potato, rice and High 5 4:1 before. I've just done 5 miles, I'll do ten on sunday (I've got 10 mile cycling TT tomorrow morning). A couple of easy runs next week.

I'd love a massage afterwards but I think it'll be more like the day off work, compression tights and a couple of pints.

[Fitness Julia]

Well done Sandperson!

This is my 11th!

If there is anyone doing it for your first time and want to take it really easy, Jogging, powerwalking, jogging, I will look after you. Last year I trained Nadia Sawalha and we did the Marathon together... nice and easy and actually had fun, talked, and ... talked til the end!

Let me know in advance so we can meet up.

I am a Fitness trainier, but this support is for FREE!

Fitness Julia!

[taper]

I'm doing it. Tips having done it before.

* Run hardly if at all in the last week. Taper madness will make you feel you should: ignore it. And Taper madness will make you feel like you're injured when you're probably not.

* Do not eat too much the night before. And not much fibre unless you want the world to fall out your bottom.

* Go to the expo before the out of towners arrive - so ideally Wednesday or Thursday. Do not leave it until Saturday afternoon. Take your passport/driving licence. And don't waste money on the Pasta Party

* Pin your number on well: if you lose it or it falls off you will not be allowed to complete the race.

* When on Blackheath/Greenwich, queue for the toilets early and once you've been join the queue again.

* Take loo roll with you. The stuff in the portaloos is like sandpaper and that's if there's anything left

* If people are coming to watch you, make sure you know where they are. The crowds are huge. Tell them to avoid areas such as Greenwich, London Bridge, Canary Wharf and the embankment. Crowds are five deep there. I'd recommend Surrey Quays/Jamaica Road and between Limehouse and Blackfriars.

* Do not assume the crowd will get you round. There are grim bits on the course: Limehouse to Blackfriars is like a war zone. Prepare for the mental strain as well as the physical.

* Apply Vaseline to your feet and amply to any chaffable areas.

* The road cambers can kill you. Stay on the crown of the road and don't move from side to side. You'll end up doing over the 26.2

* If you're no athlete (like me) allow yourself the option of the odd walk. A couple of minutes through the Lucozade sport stations won't alter your overall time and might even improve it.

* Don't overdrink. The last person to die on the course (2oo7) died because he drank too much.

Oh and enjoy the day!

[zephyr]

I had a place for this years marathon - my aim was to drastically improve on the times of the 3 I have done before (believe me they are not difficult to improve)

I am very jealous of those running this year and wish them all good luck as I have put my place off - hopefully I wil be able to do it next year instead

[Pickle]

Good luck to you all, completing the London Marathon is definitely one of my life achievements, such an amazing thing to be part of.

Extra piece of advice - if it's a hot day avoid the water showers... I didn't go through any, but my running partner did and his shoes ended up very wet and uncomfortable giving him blisters which hadn't happened on any of our training runs (despite some of them being in wet conditions).

Not for everyone, but I ran with a camelback on full of my own supply of Lucozade. I took water from the water stops but didn't have to fight my way through for the sports drink.

Expect to walk down stairs sideways for a couple of days afterwards, or was that just me?

[taper]

Not just you. I had to walk backwards down stairs for a week. My toenails fell off. And I didn't run right for a month afterwards. Good to do though

[Proj London Health]

Ouch! Toes falling off :-(

Good point on the water shower! There will be a bunch of us at the 7.5-mile point....as you go through Deptford there will be a massive turn-out with music etc.... as you go through we will be just up the road on the LHS, we will be by the Fire Station.

Best,

McCabe

[zephyr]

two years ago my nipples were fine ..... until I went through a shower. My tip (for blokes) is not to get the front of your vest wet

[Annasfield]

Sandperson Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Lots of pasta, potato, rice and High 5 4:1 before.

> I've just done 5 miles, I'll do ten on sunday

> (I've got 10 mile cycling TT tomorrow morning). A

> couple of easy runs next week.

>

> I'd love a massage afterwards but I think it'll be

> more like the day off work, compression tights and

> a couple of pints.

Sexy

Good luck everyone. Such an achievement.

[Proj London Health]

This time next week!

Take out pizza etc......!

PLH

[Sandperson]

Annasfield Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sandperson Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Lots of pasta, potato, rice and High 5 4:1

> before.

> > I've just done 5 miles, I'll do ten on sunday

> > (I've got 10 mile cycling TT tomorrow morning).

> A

> > couple of easy runs next week.

> >

> > I'd love a massage afterwards but I think it'll

> be

> > more like the day off work, compression tights

> and

> > a couple of pints.

>

>

> Sexy

>

> Good luck everyone. Such an achievement.

Hey! They show off my finely turned ankle!

[Annasfield]

Even sexier SP.

Fair play to you though. Do you run in red and black lycra?

[Sandperson]

Not lycra but my running vest is red, black and white, the colours of Crystal Palace Triathletes by a happy coincidence.

Photographic evidence!

[Annasfield]

Is that you?

[Sandperson]

Yes....why?

[Annasfield]

I've always pictured you looking like Gary Neville. I'll find it harder to feel venomous towards you in the football thread now.

(nice legs)

[Sandperson]

I'm blushing. Comrade Neville?! Really?

[Annasfield]

You don't look like him (and that's a good thing).

[Sandperson]

There's another picture of me here. And a chance to sponsor me! :))