VLM 2016 Race day tips
3 watchers
Apr 2016
9:51pm, 5 Apr 2016
230 posts
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mertonmum
Hi folks! What are your tips for VLM race day? Although it's not my first mara, it will be my first VLM, so I'm all ears!
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Apr 2016
9:53pm, 5 Apr 2016
17,135 posts
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fetcheveryone
The queues for the toilets get astronomical. If you're hanging around, hang around in a queue. By the time you get to the front, you'll need to go. Good luck.
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Apr 2016
10:02pm, 5 Apr 2016
1,370 posts
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Surrey Phil
Agree about the loos. In the last hour, allow 30 minutes queueing time. You may not need to go but you will by the time you get to the front.
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Apr 2016
9:16am, 6 Apr 2016
6,938 posts
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Rosehip
start a thread for fetchie meet-ups at your start, I'm surprised there isn't one already! If you're not with a gang from your club it's nice knowing there are people to find and talk to - take your mind off things a bit 
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Apr 2016
9:23am, 6 Apr 2016
159 posts
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EdJ
Don't make my first time mistake and blow a half-marathon's worth of energy before the start of the race by dashing to and from the station, going backwards and forward across the holding pen checking where the baggage lorry is, checking on the toilet queues etc. Take it easy and chill.
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Apr 2016
9:33am, 6 Apr 2016
12,612 posts
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TRO Saracen
Zone out the crowds in the first half. Try and run in a bubble, take yourself mentally to a happy place somewhere else. I resolutely look at the road, and other feet in front of me, and relax. Make a real effort to get your heart rate as low as possible, run with your cheeks wobbling (sounds odd but it makes it impossible to run with tension across your shoulders). Then, when it gets hard in the second half you can start to use the crowd to feed off. If you feed off the crowd in the first half you will probably get over excited and go too fast; and by the second half the noise and clamour and colour will be irritating rather than inspiring when you really need the lift! |
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Apr 2016
9:47am, 6 Apr 2016
99 posts
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UsedToRunaBit
That's a great tip TRO.
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Apr 2016
10:08am, 6 Apr 2016
100 posts
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UsedToRunaBit
Last year I got off at the wrong train stop and had a long walk to my colour start, so make sure 100% you have your start/station instructions correct, check it all on google maps, so you're not panicking when you get there.
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Apr 2016
10:42am, 6 Apr 2016
459 posts
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JenLov
Post race, meeting up zones can get really busy. Whitehall by the cenotaph can be better, just cut through the archway at horseguards.
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Apr 2016
10:44am, 6 Apr 2016
460 posts
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JenLov
There is a toilet on the station platform at Blackheath, on the platform going back into London. It may not be open very early doors but I've used it when marshalling there.
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