Hopefully a lot of the forumites would support you, Barry. Which charity do you have in mind?

It's one related to one of the schools I teach at. It supports education in Swaziland for people who might not otherwise get any education.

I didn't even enter this year but WILL run it one day. Stupid illness, ruining everything.

Good luck Barry!

Good luck, Barry!

Good luck Barry and keep trying.
I did it in 1996 and it was completely marvellous. One huge party from beginning to end.

Thanks Clarimoo and all. I know I'll be fit enough, it's whether I'll get offered a place...

I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the 2003 event, but through injury I did not manage to do enough training, so I ran my PW (that is personal worst!).

With a guaranteed entry there was no need to raise sponsorship, but I did anyway, and it is true that the 1500 pound target was not at all difficult to reach. What is more it gave me the resolve to finish the course when I felt more like giving up and taking the tube.

I'm too ashamed to tell you the time I ran - it was almost double that of my PB from a few years before. But at least Oxfam benefitted from the generosity of my sponsors.

The London marathon might be fairly flat, but the city streets are surprisingly tiring on the legs, especially if it is a warm day. It is made more tiring by the fact that - unless you are an elite runner, or a slow survivalist - you'll probably be in a crowd for most of the distance. And the stretch around the Isle of Dogs seems to go on for ever.

Every man and woman and their dog seems to have run a marathon these days, but 26 and a bit miles is just as far as it has ever been, and completing it at a good speed on your own two feet is still a significant achievement. I hope you are fully trained and manage to stay injury free. You are at least a more sensible size than me to be running marathons!

Whenever you run a marathon you always start out thinking that it is a good idea, but there always comes a point in the run where you can't quite remember why! So it is hard to wish you an enjoyable day with a clear conscience. So instead ...

Best wishes Barry for a fulfilling and significant day.

Oh gosh, tell me about it! I do much of my training on parts of the London Marathon course, and also along the Thames Path (one of my favourites is from the Thames Barrier along the path following the river as far as London Bridge (trace it, it's a flippin' long way!!!!!)

Thanks for the good wishes, MT

It was probably still faster than anything I would ever manage

I know you can't do it this year, but you must do it some time, Claudia

one year.....

I will keep reminding you until you do

Sounds a very good cause to me. I'm happy to sponsor you for that if you get accepted.

Ditto

If you are intending to run it in 'metric' then you'll need to cover 2.2 mm under 42195m!

Thanks everyone,

I'll know in the first week of October, and if I'm lucky and I am accepted, the fundraising will begin soon after : I want the motivation of that to keep going

hope you get in Barry, put me down for a penny or two

Thanks, and thanks, Louise! ( we need a running smiley, ' ' doesn't cover it, really... )

how about this one

Thanks, anyone willing to push me round the course while I lie in bed asleep?

I like this one:


But this one strikes me as more b-c:

perfect!

That's the one Thanks, Maizie

Evidently full of Glee!

All the best, Barry. The friend of mine who ran it this year is, like you, waiting to hear about the 2011 Marathon. If you both get places, I suppose I'll have to make two supporters' t-shirts, and keep changing which one I'm wearing depending on which of you I expect to pass me next

Don't worry about how fashionable the cause is - you'd be surprised how many people will find a few quid if it's one of their mates running. My Marathon Man has, with a combination of sponsorship and Gift Aid reclaim, raised well over £3000 from this year's efforts, and every now and again another few pounds turns up.

I'm not sure about the running part of it (26 and a bit miles is about 26 too many for my liking), but there was a real party atmosphere just in the crowd. Just a brief bit of advice for anyone going to watch - be prepared to feel humbled by the wheelchair competitors.

Good luck in the draw Barry
I've run the London Marathon twice, 2003 and 2004 and it is an amazing experience. If you're doing it for charity 'justgiving' web donations will be great for forumites to contribute to.
Do take the training seriously though - it's a long haul through the winter months but you'll enjoy the big event much more if you build up to it gradually.
Thinking of which .. less than 2 weeks to go to the Great North Run for me!!

Love it!

Me too. Utterly perfect (except that it could have had a speech bubble saying ).

Thanks, everyone As soon as I know, I'll post here, and if I get no joy, the 2012 application will go in...

rejected again and seeing as the charity I want to run for isn't one of the usual or large ones, I'll try again for 2012...

Sorry to hear that, Barry. Hope you have better luck next year.

Thanks! They're going to get fed up with me keeping on applying (the automatic 5 years=get a place rule has now been stopped)...

aw, their loss b-c

Excuses, excuses. Pick another charity Or you'll end up never doing it

I'm going to be stubborn, JoMook (well, at least for now!)

They don't get enough publicity as it is, and I'm not one to follow the crowd...



Thanks for the hug, Louise

Do the New York one instead.

I like your persistence

What I am interested in potentially doing is Paris, or Berlin. Maybe the Great North Run too, up in the North East...

Oh sorry to hear that Barry, maybe next time you will be lucky.

So when eventually you do get to run the marathon, we'll be sure to see you out in front then?

This is a half marathon, so might be easier as a start. You'd have to book accommodation about a year in advance, though, unless any kind forumite could offer you a bed.

Sorry to hear that you've missed out on the London one yet again. It's not fair!

Yes...the alternative would be to stay somewhere some way out and commute in...



Thanks for your condolences, BM (and eldatom).

Barry-clari's entry has gone in again...

Has your trainer got any ideas?

*goes to get his trainer*

My trainer doesn't speak. It goes on my foot.

Funny.

I seem to remember sorting out a running adviser for you...
You could have company on a run in the Manchester area.

It clashed with the Colchester single reed day

Plan B needed, I feel...

Trainer!!!!!!!!

There are probably more....

If said trainer is going to react in the way I think they will, then more race ideas will be found, sent to me, and then sent to me again. And again.

Sounds like her usual way of encouragement......