I had a rough idea of my route which would rerun to my house for refreshments periodically and a start time of when I’m up and ready and relaxed. So drinks jelly babies and flapjack laid out in the front garden in tubs of course and off I went, it was raining lightly and did the first 10k in a fig 8 around new streets that have not long been made so that was nice and regular not much standing water which seemed a breeze. Some locals were out with words of support which was really nice and another other young man started his race from there as I ran past. Then out on to the country lanes with all the usual ups and downs that brings running streams of water and CARS why do some drivers think one centimetre is enough space and others give plenty a friendly wave and a toot. It was raining really heavily now but I don’t mind running in the rain and was just a case of keep going I really enjoyed the app the little snippets with Steve and Paula broke my music up and refocused my attention. This carried on and at one stage I felt really good and at HM distance thought I would be ok as this was as far as my training had reached, then on to my farthest distance ever achieved 18 months ago in the Rye ancient trails 30k which I was up on by 20 mins. The last thing after that I can remember was 32.2k I thought 4 hours and only 10k to go wow I’m doing good. Oh no it’s not that easy, then something happened I guess it’s the wall they talk about or lack of training I seemed to slow down massively I wasn’t out of breath of tired I just couldn’t seem to lift my legs up to run so it was a sort of slow motion thing going on. Well I managed to carry on like this and that last 10k took another 1 hour 32 but I finally shuffled across the line and it was done. wow I’d made it which looked a bit shaky towards the end. Then went indoors and had a cup of tea and congratulations from my family. It seemed a bit of an anticlimax, I guess it was never going to be the big London finish. I now have 18 months to train properly for my London Marathon proper as my deferred place came back for April 2022.
A massive well done to all you guys who completed it too brilliant job 👏👍🏅
Written by
Runsome
Marathon
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What a tremendous effort!! I think that Marathon's find you out and you were tougher than it today. It was a battle and there were highs and lows but you triumphed and have achieved something so incredibly special. Next year is there and you'll have plenty of time to prepare and build up long runs. For now, it's all about the present and knowing forevermore that you are someone who has completed a Marathon 🎽🥇👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
That was a brilliant run on the back of your 'casual' training plan !!! I love that your intention was to set off when you were relaxed 😅😅😅 - I'd never get going if that was a starting criteria 🙊
How many times did Paula tell us to start slow and to stick to our plan??? Yeah, seems we took no notice either!!! But a marathon is a marathon whether we achieve negative splits or not. Well done for pushing through those last 10k. You should feel super proud 😊
Thanks Linda i do feel proud it’s a great and Yes when Paula kept saying stick to you training plan I did wonder what mine would have been had I have done one.
Congratulations, fantastic achievement! A great idea to have the snacks and fuel waiting in the garden, I think I’d be proper tempted to nip indoors for a break 😂😂😂
Hi Kevin41 cheers. yes it was tempting but I didn’t even stop for the toilet, if I had I doubt I would have come out again.though I could have murdered a cup of tea in that pouring rain. 😊👍
Hi GoGo_JoJo i hadn’t really thought about the finish until after I finished. Then is was like is that it, I don’t know if I was expecting brass bands and hoards of people to jump out of the brambles. But I’m glad it happened where it could so easily have been cancelled like so many other more important things in people’s lives have been 😊👍
Well done. The 32k wall got to me too but you kept going and that is the true test of the marathon. It is truly a beast and deserves huge respect for the distance and determination needed to finish. I was anticlimactic after my organised event so to finish and just go home must be tough but you ran a marathon! It is huge. Celebrate. Be emotional. Be proud. It was a really wet day to run too. Huge congratulations. X
Hi Claircandothis thanks for the congrats sorry to hear you had the 32k thing too but glad you got through it. Yes you right at should be looked at as a beast to beaten and we did Cheers 👍😊🏅
I don't think anything can prepare you for how it feels to go the full 26.2 miles. Now I've done it once I think I'll be better prepared (mentally as well as physically) for the October 2021 race.
I'm chuffed I did it and chuffed that I got to the end.
No, it’s not easy at all! It really is a matter of one foot in front of the other when you’re so tired. You have to keep going though as you’ve still got to get home 😃.
I hope you’re feeling ok now and planning your next adventure🙂
Thanks misswobble I’m ok just nursing a swollen ankle that I got on my leg stretch walk the day after. I have my April 2022 VLM in the distance but in the meantime I may have another go at trying to do a sub 25min 5k perhaps wishful thinking 😊👍
Wow, congratulations on your virtual marathon. I think using home as a base became a very popular option so not having to carry as much picnic along the way! Obviously proper porcelain is always preferable to a portaloo too. There are some perks to the virtual London marathon 🤣 And that does not take away from your awesome run, well done.
Thanks Runfasterdoyle it was handy having my refreshments at home, Sod’s law i never needed to use the loo , if I was miles away I bet I would have needed it 😂😊👍
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Half Marathon Completed!
And another VLM report... or what you should not do :)
VLM almost a year since C25k graduation 
Yorkshire Marathon 
