7 October 2011

Still not too late too get a place!
With the ballot places now declared there are bound to be a number of disappointed runners who might yet be able to take part next April – via a Gold Bond place. These are entries that various charities purchase from the marathon as a means of raising money for one worthy cause or another. Whilst many have filled their quota a number are still seeking runners for their places. The average amount of sponsorship that you would need to raise is about £1,500 – though as with averages some ask for more ... and some for less!  We have had two bookings in the last few days from runners who got rejected in the ballot but almost immediately secured charity places. Pick up the ‘phone and start dialling!

For the record
For those disappointed with the ballot result remember that London Marathon closed ballot applications at 125,000... and then accepted 25,000 of those applications – resulting in a 1 in 5 chance of success. Don’t groan too loud as that’s a far better odds than either my friends or I received with out applications for the Olympic ballot. Between six of us we applied for over £5,000 worth of tickets and got none... though one found out that his secretary applied for just 2 tickets for the 100m final... and got them.  As of old, ballots are only praised by those who win.

Been shopping for shoes yet?
Too many runners over the next few months will experience problems/injuries to their legs or feet – and many of those problems will stem from either poor quality or the wrong shoes. The only piece of kit that matters is your shoes so see “Practical help” on the toolbar of our website and click on “Getting the right kit”. Always

• choose a highly recommended and specialist shop
• never buy unless you have had a session on their equipment to check out any pronation problems
• take your running socks with you and
• try to purchase in the afternoon rather than morning;  all is explained on this website.

Cross-training – it’s crucial and can be far more fun than pavement pounding.
Some pessimists say it’s unfortunate that the bulk of training for the Virgin London Marathon has to be done in winter with its cold days and dark nights. Personally I disagree because climatic conditions can encourage you to go to the gym and to the heated pool and as a consequence get in some great cross-training.
Were you training during the summer you could well be tempted to do too high a percentage of your training on hard roads and, as a consequence, significantly heighten the risk of impact damage on the joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons of the legs.  
Marathon fitness demands lower AND upper body fitness and cycling, swimming and gym work give you both without any risk of impact damage. Even when you do your long runs try to get off-road wherever practical and safe to do so  for

• softer surfaces reduce the risk of impact injury and
• the slightly more uneven surface increases your core stability and strength.

Contact us by telephone or e-mail if you need any help or advice.

Time for some forward planning

For those doing their first marathon it is often difficult to appreciate a lot of detail and explanation. Some would say – “I”ll leave it until I am ready” which may sound logical – providing that when you need to do it you find that it is still possible. If not you can feel a bit silly and more than a little annoyed.

A key part of training is actually taking part in races so that you learn “race craft” and get used to self-control of pace – neither can be learnt or practiced in training – especially on your own.

If you are new to marathon training – or more experienced, remember that the sport is so popular that entry limits can be reached – and closed sometimes months ahead. As a result, when you get around to applying you find “Race CLOSED” signs all over the place.

An early task is to accept the advice that as your training progresses you WILL want to take part in a range of events. Get one of the monthly running magazines, refer to the “Race diary” details in the back and start plotting a sequence of races of progressively longer distance culminating in a couple of very large half marathons in March. (Such events will teach you a lot about how to look after yourself in the actual marathon  some weeks later.)
For example, were you living in the area of Bristol/ Somerset you might begin by  
securing entries to....

Dec 11. 10k       Weston-s-Mare;   Wyvern Christmas Cracker. 2000 limit. Great fun event before Christmas and so popular that entries close within weeks.

Feb 19. 10M*    Weston-s-Mare; The Tough Ten”; 1500 limit. Again closes early.

Mar 11.  H/M     Bath Half Marathon – entries already open and filling fast. Large  
field so excellent race-craft experience.

*  WRP can guarantee entries to these events.

Tips; Not all races are of the same standard. Ensure that it operates to UKA Race Licence Standards and if it holds a BARR Race Grading (either Silver or Gold) which testify to its high standards.

If in doubt – as always, e-mail us a info@wrptours.co.uk  
All advice to our guests is FOC.