Has anyone done a Marathon dressed as a novelty figure?
 

I have approached a charity to run next year’s London marathon (assuming I get a place in the ballot) dressed as their mascot and I was wondering just how much harder it will make the marathon? In terms of weight, effort, taking on water etc.

I’m also keen to raise as much funding as possible so would welcome some ideas :D

Darren

You'll lose some weight, I'll tell you that much. Unless you go as something like superman and just wear lycra ;)

Does it count if it was a Snickers bar?

If it's a donkey sanctuary then don't go as the back half.




Serious note, buy yourself a 3l camelbak, that should see you through. :)

I did one dressed as a spectator, it was hell :D ;)

Thanks for the comments. New trainers and a new camelbak are on my shopping list already. Currently doing about 10 miles a week so only need to take the training slow at first and then ramp up nearer october when I win out if I have a space.

Sponsorship wise, how much is reasonable to raise? Is £1000 realistic do you think? If you were sponsoring somebody would you donate more to someone running in a costume?

Darren

Sorry to hijack, but how do you intend to increase your running stamina? I can barely do a mile atm, I cant imagine how I'd manage 24.
Can anyone help?
Cheers,
astraboy.

Slow and steady is the key. If you look on the web, there are guides for running the marathon for novices. It starts by a brisk walk, then a small distance walk/jog, then a short jog, then running for longer (time wise) then up the distance. It's small steps.

Oh and by the way it's 26.2 miles not 24:D

By going running I would imagine.

Depends whether you want to run it for as a personal goal or like some I have met to go on and on about it, those where the running is secondary to ramming it down others throats.

If you tried to get a 'bond' place from a charity they generally expect you to raise a minimum of £1500. The local animal hospice offered my training partner their bond place(his wife works there) in February, but still expected him to raise £1500 in 2 months:eek:

I've entered the ballot for next years too, I hope you didn't pledge your money. Cyncial but true, if you don't pledge they have to let in to get your money so it improves you chances.

Start by just aiming to do time on your feet. Plan to be active for 30 minutes and start by running as far as you can at a comfortable pace. GO as far as you can and when you feel you can't run any more slow down to a brisk walk. Keep going at a brisk walk until you have recovered enough to start running again, and keep going for the full half hour. Do this 2-3 times a week to start with, trying to run further each time.

To measure your pace, if you can still hold a conversation that is probably good, if you have a heart-rate monitor go for about 65% of your max heart-rate (max = 220 - you age).

I started like you and could barely run a mile 3 years ago. Now I train 16 times a week, covering 35 miles on the bike, completing 4 gym sessions and running approx 40 miles including running the equivalent of a half marathon every Sunday.

If you are serious sign up to the runners world web-site and you can drag off plenty of tips:thumb:

Just doing a marathon is difficult enough without dressing up. I did one in 1988 and I have just about recovered.:freak3:

I'd imagine heat exhaustion would be your biggest enemy.

Hats off to you for going for it.

I do have it on good advice from people that have done Marathons that it is actually two challenges. The first is to get the 20 miles finished, the last 6.2 is the real killer.

I'd recommend getting some sorbothane insoles.
Insoles | Sorbothane

I'm in training right now for the Windsor half marathon on 27th Sept - Absolutely right to slowly build up stamina. Not breaking any records but ran 4K in 27 mins tonight.

I am really hoping I get a space as I am looking forward to it. I am hoping to raise somewhere between £1000 and £2000 as the normal ballot does not require that you meet a set sponsorship level.

I found out recently that I have flat feet so have had custom innersoles made already and they have stopped my heal spurs.

Good luck with your fund raising. I have asked the charity I plan to support for a bond place as well, primarily because I can start fund-raising now and not wait until the result of the ballot at which time I will be sat in the desert:(

If I get through the ballot I'd offer them the bond place back. The amount you are aiming for is within the bond region anyway, so it may be worth considering a similar approach:thumb:

Good luck with your fund raising also.

The charity I am running for does not get allocated a space for the marathon as they are so small, this means I'm stuck to the normal ballot route. The did say that they might be able to buy a place from another charity but I think even more pressure would be put on me to raise sponsorship then, I only know so many people :D

I might try and do a half marathon this year dressed as the mascot to try and work out just how much more difficult it makes running so I can plan according.

If I don't get a space in London I'm hoping that the Brighton Marathon gets the approval for April next year.

Darren

The Great Eastern run in Peterborough is a great race, loads of support from the community around the route and also pretty flat.

You might also want to think about a 10K race:norty:

Brighton has a 10k every November which will be perfect for training.
Darren

I know someone who has.

He wears a suit, has a false eye and speaks with a strange accent and he has been impersonating the prime minister of this country for two years!;)

I'd prefer to go to a fancy dress do dressed as a Marathon!

Les :D

I've just been offered a bond place from the Royal Air Force Association if I don't in through the ballot, so I will be doing next year's London Marathon:D

Congrats Jon. Maybe I see you at the start line .fingers crossed.

Thanks Mate, good luck and hopefully see you there:thumb:

Best way to build up your running distance is by running for say, 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute, Do this over say a 3 miles stretch. When you feel capable of doing that comfortably, change to running for 1 minute 20 and walk for 40 seconds. Just keep doing that and eventually you'll be doing the 3 miles very easily. The you can up your distance and see how you get on. When you start out running, the mistake alot of people make is trying to run the distance faster each time, try and just do the distance comfortably before worrying about your time