The weather is looking kind. We should all hope (pray) that it continues this way. My first M was London which I believe is also on on sunday where I see it's snowing at the moment. It was mild and overcast at the start which belied what was to come. Because there are so many entrants you start in 3 different chutes and join up about 6 kms in. The group I was in , being firsttimers, was at the back and we were squashed together in "pens". Once the gun went off, we moved slowly forward still at close quarters. It took 6 minutes to cross the starting line ! At about the 18k mark it started to rain and thunder------then it briefly hailed . For the rest of the journey it mostly drizzled with intermittent bursts of rain all the way to the finish. I've got to say that I can't remember being so cold. Once we crossed the finish line they gave us a drink and a sandwich and one of those "space " blankets (a square piece of tinfoil like sheet) but searching for the support team was agony.
I ended up walking back to our digs ( I don't think it was very far from the finish) and got straight into a hot bath. I had this huge grin on my face from ear to ear. I don't think I would have been so happy if it hadn't been my first marathon.
So kind weather would be good.
A couple more tips . I find thin socks are good because if it gets warm my feet tend to heat up and so do my runners, causing foot deterioration e.g. blisters, loss of toenails, internal bleeding etc. Another thing that happens to me is that my core (innards) temperature drops towards the end of the journey and once I stop I can get uncontrollable shaking that looks like I'm having a heart attack or something. This is quite easily fixed by having a warm drink at the end instead of a cold one ( which would compound the problem I would think).
I'm starting to feel very excited and I wish you all a fabulous journey and a runners "high" at the end.
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OK everyone, so when we see Ted shaking uncontrollably at the end of the run, HE'S OK!
Or Ted has gotten back before us so quickly that he has had a few few too many!
Ted it was seeing the London Marathon on TV 3 years ago that made me decide to do a marathon (at that stage the closest I had come to jogging was a step class..)
That's funny Denise because I watched the download of the NYC Marathon last year and that's when I really thought I'd like to do it.
I think after your description Ted of the London weather, Canberra sounds like a good place to start!
Ted - you'll be fine. And thank you so much for your kind words. I can see you in front of me with this great grin on your face - how exciting!
I will keep an eye out for you and bring you a warm drink if you get in trouble (must be the ex-nurse raising its head) - you'll be fine :)
Great story Ted. You are a mine of information and I look forward to many more years of running with you.
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