Virgin Money London Marathon Blog: Lets get started

January 5, 2025

Back in 2012 I ran my first and only marathon in London. The opportunity arose and with it being the year of the London Olympics it seemed like a great time to give it a go. With just four months to prepare and an existing injury to sort out I didn’t have the best preparation, but I took it really steady, set a realistic target of five hours and jog/hobbled over the line in 4.56.16 ( I know this exact time because it’s been on my fridge ever since!).

I really loved the experience, but there’s no denying the last six miles were a challenge, so I haven’t really felt the urge to give it another go till now. So why 2017? What has tempted me back? Well it’s all part of a bigger plan to attempt a full distance Ironman triathlon in 2018, so this year I am planning a marathon, a longer cycle sportive and a half distance triathlon as my preparation.

This all sounds quite epic when I write it down, but my philosophy over the past few years has been to stop stressing about setting times or worrying about missing training sessions. Instead, I don’t wear a watch, I run at the pace I am comfortable with and aim to smile and wave my way to the finish line.

A lot of people find this approach hard to understand, If I am committed to all those hours of training, surely I want to do my absolute best? Well, I do, but I am also really busy, I have a family and work commitments, plus I am now 51 and the truth is my body just can’t do what it once could - I need longer to recover. But most importantly, I want to enjoy the whole experience and I won’t if I overload myself with pressure.

So here goes, I’ll be blogging all the way to the finish line, sharing the highs and lows, offering up tips I learn on the way and testing gear. I’d love to hear from you too, let me know why you are running, what your aims are and if you have any advice to offer - you can get in touch via social media: Facebook and twitter or email me at [email protected].

This weeks training:
1. Steady, flat 11km. 5.57/km
2. Parkrun plus extra. Total 11.9km. 6.27/km
3. Steady, flat 15km. 6.19/km

Conditions:
Lovely weather, crisp and cold but slippy.

Smile factor: 60% (explanation in my next post)

Danielle Sellwood, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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