Stats
Original Weight: (Jan 1st) 15st 7lbs / 217lbs / 98.4kg
Weigh-in (Jan 29th) 15st 5lbs / 215lbs / 97.5kg
Gain/Loss In Total: -2lbs / 0.9kgs
In Which, With 9 Weeks To Go, I Sort Out A Training Plan
As you can see from my weigh in, I’ve put a few lbs back on! That’s in the wrong direction! Ah well, I was more than expecting it. I had an operation to take out a wisdom tooth on Friday and then had the following three days off of work not doing much apart from watching TV and feeling sorry for myself. Also, the Royal Rumble was on on Sunday night so watched that and drank too much beer which probably accounts for the weight gain by itself!
Back to it now though, and in a big way!
Finally (FINALLY!) I wrote up my training schedule for the Blackpool Marathon at the start of April. That’s right, the one just over 9 weeks away! I had a look at a few 12 week and 16 week training plans, and most of them build up to a long run a few weeks before the marathon of 20miles or so. As I’m planning on walking each water station (every mile-ish) I’m not that bothered about being able to run 26.2 miles in one go, I’ll save that for the October marathon where hopefully I’m not hindered by Snow/Flu/Operations.
People manage to finish marathons in well under 4 hours using the ‘walking through water stations’ method so I don’t see any reason why I can’t use it to finish in under 5 hours. That’s my target for Blackpool, with my ‘hope against hope’ target being under 4 1/2 hours. (I’m saving the Sub 4 hour run for October too!) The longest training run I’ll be doing will be 18 miles, and that’s gonna be a mixture of walking and running.
Not sure how well it’ll turn out in pictures, but I wrote a key on the right of the first pic. So on Sun 3rd March where it says W2W, R-LRH, that means ‘Walk To Work’ and ‘Run Longer Route Home.’ Makes sense to me, but I came up with it all so good luck.
Also, finally found some hi-viz tape to put on my Rucksack for the run/bike home at night! (H for Hemingway!)
Hope everyone else has had a good January and stuck to your resolutions (like I… err… didn’t.)
Next run is Mad Dog 10k in Southport on 10th February.
Marc Hemingway 
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Good luck with your marathon training! There’s nothing like crossing the finish line of your first marathon (mine was last summer, and I got so emotional that several first aid people asked if I needed help). I definitely recommend walking through the water stops. Looking forward to hearing/reading about how it goes!
great job! i’m excited to see you reach your goal!
Thanks!
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by at Pippi Pondlife runs. Wow! You’re doing well! I love the inspiration I find from the online run blogger community. Go Hemmingway! I wish you all the best with the Blackpool Marathon.
A friend is running the London Marathon barefoot – with nowt on her feet at all! Not sure I’d be able to do that!
I’m not sure I can run a marathon with comfy shoes on, let alone barefoot! Good luck to her!
looks like a great schedule! is this your first marathon?!
Yeah it will be! Hopefully it’ll be the first marathon I finish, too!
Holy crap … I had to get my calculator out (well, actually I asked my 13 year old to pull it up on her phone) to see how many mi that is a day … that’s fabulous! You make me want to run another marathon … it’s been a few years … looking forward to watching your progress!
Which marathon did you run? Get signed up!
I do enjoy that you got a rest day on your birthday at least… phew.,.. 🙂
Got to have something to look forward to, not looking forward to turning 31!
We have our marathons on the same day. You shocked me into realizing my countdown was wrong. I’ve got the same goals as you too. All the best, mate!
And to you! Were you under or over with your countdown?
Over, thankfully. I wasn’t sure to be chuffed with one extra week of training runs, or to break down into bitter tears. Then I realized one extra week of marathon preparation is probably a good thing since I am a first-timer and need all the practice I can get!
I wish I’d started my training a bit earlier. Like, around 2011
That would have been ideal indeed (except back in 2011 I would have laughed if anyone suggested I undertook any sudden forms of locomotion). I noticed your last LSD is only several days before race day. You sound pro! I’m using a 16-week plan where I taper off 20 days before the big day. Since this is my first marathon, I am sticking to the plan religiously.
Bugger! Should I not run that far so near the marathon? I guess not…I might reduce it down to 3 miles. Thanks!
I’m just following a Jeff Galloway plan I got on the internet, don’t change yours just because of what I said! If you’re interested, my longest LSD is 20mi on 11th March, then they taper weekly to 9mi, 8mi and 3mi (this being marathon week).
Yeah, a 3 miler in marathon week sounds a lot better…!
I’ll be keeping an eye on you, buddy. We’re gonna crack this First Marathon on the same day. Send some nice vibes over to Paris, will ya?
Ah, Paris. Or ‘The Blackpool Of The South.’
I bet your scenery will be nicer than mine! What time are you hoping for?
Eh, I’d be laughing if I can even finish still standing on two legs, to be honest. In the true spirit of an underachiever, I have no time goals. As long as there is still beer when I am done!
I particularly like the hi-vis tape in the shape of an H on your backpack. Stuff like this, in addition to being practical, keeps you motivated. Good going!
Good Luck, and it is true about the weight loss and Marathon training, but it can be done. The main advice is to eat what you might normally eat and then when still hungry fill up on vegetables. It’s hard to do, but can be done. I’ve only got 16 weeks until my Marathon…unlike you, I dont know what I am doing after Saturday…but I do have Skeletor, he better get me a plan!
A Skeletor? Like on He-Man?!
You’re braver than me to even attepmpt it so hats off to you! I’ll stick with my half marathons for now. Though some day I MAY try a full one, when I can do a half in under 2:15 and can run most of it. I’ve only been running a year, and I’m not there yet. And I’m injured. But I’ll be cheering you on from Florida!!
Many people find it difficult to train for a marathon AND lose weight at the same time. The extra miles in training serve to increase your appetite. It is possible to lose weight at the same time, but it’s not easy. Another option is to focus on weight loss in the off season, when your mileage and fuel requirements are not as great.
Yeah, good advice! I’m just trying to lose a few pounds to make the running easier, but can’t stop eating at the moment!
I have heard the same thing and am experiencing it myself. I always seem to think I can be the exception to the rule but it rarely works out that way.
Good Luck!
Thanks!