Decided to run a marathon!

[pa___ul3]

I've decided to finally have a go at running a marathon and signed up for the Liverpool Marathon in October.
I'm relatively fit generally, I play rugby every weekend and football and gym in the week.
Furthest I've run competitively is 10k which I last run in 48 mins without any training.
Because I want to keep my body strength up for the rugby, I don't want to lose too much weight and was thinking of concentrating on strengthening my legs so carry me as opposed to losing too much (I'm 5'8" and 12 stone 9).

Does anyone have any tips? I know it's going to be a hard slog and more than anything I need to get out on the roads but any tips are more than welcome!!

[redsquare008]

Spinning is excellent for strengthening the muscles either end of the knee, so therefore lessens the wear on the knee joints, which is something a lot of runners suffer with.

I ran a half marathon last year and in my training that I started in 2009, my knees really suffered for several days after a long run. However, after a break for the winter (where I was Spinning in excess of three times a week), I started running again, and even longer distances, to find that I had no problems with my knee joints at all.

[DTCwordfan]

what is spinning in this context?

[redsquare008]

The indoor cycling class. - It might actually be just as useful to go cycling and include a lot of hills etc.

[campbellking]

Spinning is training on a static bike.
Best advice I can give you is to join a running club to give you at the very least moral support, personally I have done 3 marathons, and the quickest one I did was after training with other runners (well, at the back of the pack mainly).
Train off the roads wherever possible to reduce the wear on your knees, as you are likely to be on the road for 3.30 - 4 hours on the day. Get used to drinking water on the run, which is an art in itself (tended to end up with half of it up my nose). Find out if on the day water is supplied in cups or bottles(bottles are a lot easier to manage).
Get in a couple of half marathons, for running schedules and details of upcoming events go to the runnersworld.co.uk website which has lots of useful info that is free to access. Don't forget the vaseline!
Have fun and good luck.

[pa___ul3]

ace, cheers Redsquare, I never thought of spinning at all, they do classes at my gym so I'll put my name down.
Campbellking, my brother's entered too, he's done a few halves so once I'm up to speed I plan on running with him.

[mike11111]

Oh dear, I am exhausted just reading this. Nurse! smelling salts!

[anneasquith]

mike. blow into a paperbag !

[DTCwordfan]

while standing on a potter's wheel, Mike....

Good luck pa!

[redsquare008]

Brilliant, it's good fun albeit full on, although the endorphins at the end are pretty good! If your gym is anything like mine (and any other I have ever been to), I would advise booking on to a Spinning class well in advance as they get very booked up due to the limited amount of space and the popularity of it.

Another tip... You need to change your running shoes every 300-400 miles. - Not something the average gym goer needs to consider but trainers only have a certain life span for road running. Try also running in a variety of weather conditions. - Although the ideal would be a calm day on your marathon day, we all know that British weather can be very changeable, so make sure you complete your training whatever the weather. - I had a very interesting training session once in the hailstones with water pouring into my trainers, but my time was still good! Fortunately the weather for my actual run though was brilliant, but it always pays to prepare just in case!

[pa___ul3]

cheers, I have anticipated the trainers change, as my marathon's in October, I was planning around getting a new pair in August, giving me time to break them in properly. There's a good running shop near me so I will be getting properly fitted ones.
I'll be dragging myself out in all weathers, don't worry about that, although I prefer running in the blazing sun! My best ever 10k time of 38 mins was in torrential rain and hammering coastal wind, although, I was 21 and 10 and a half stone at the time!

[BigMac]

Best tip I can give is to wear 'twin skin' socks - effectively two socks, so one moves with the shoe and one with your foot. No blisters after completeing London the other weekend.

[albaqwerty]

no hints or tips, just hats off to any who are planning and have done.

Don't go for times pa__ul, just pace yourself

[anneasquith]

a very close relative is doing edinburgh,, his first. has completed an 18 mile a few days ago, but having major problems with blisters, ? corns ?calluses. any advice would be greatly received,, thanks

[CAJ1]

I ran a marathon last year - any tips? Don't do it lol!

Joking aside it is worth it when you cross the finish line, I've never felt anything like it. Its a relief to have made it round and finished it, a great sense of achievement and you feel like a champion lol!

My tips:
Print off a training plan and stick to it
Start training now in case you have to take a week or 2 off due to injury
Get people to sponsor you now so you can't drop out!
Put vaseline on your feet - it helps stop blisters
Experiment with energy gels (some made me quite ill!)
Get a proper pair of running shoes, go and get your gait analysed at a running shop
Do a lot of core body strength exercises - I didn't do enough & my back killed me
Do speed training, hill training and long runs
Be prepared to run at least 4 times a week to be prepared
Have cold baths after runs, it really helps your muscles stop seizing up
Try out a few half marathons halfway through training to see how you get on but just do it with the aim of getting round, a half marathon and full one are run completely differently
Don't run anymore than 22 miles in training

I didn't lose any weight when training, I was eating more though and building muscle.

Good luck!

[CAJ1]

anneasquith - tell your relative to slather the feet in vaseline before putting socks on, make sure they have proper running socks and a trip to the local running store might be good as possibly the corns/calluses are caused by ill fitting shoes