You missed out on a ballot place, so now what?

It’s the same every year – whether it’s your first time or your fifteenth. You enter the ballot full of hope, anticipation and maybe a bit of anxiety in April then put it to the back of your mind and get on with your life until results day rolls around.

Then, full of the same mix of emotions, despite saying you’re chilled about it and not going to, you spend all day refreshing your emails until it finally lands in your inbox. The ballot result.

If you’re one of the very, very small minority who receives the coveted ‘yes’ email, congratulations! You’re starting the journey towards what’s going to be one of the most amazing days of your life – I know, I’ve had that day three times now.

For the rest of the pot, it’s the not-surprising-yet-still-disappointing ‘no’ email. When this happens, you’ve got a few options for what to do next.

You might do nothing – if the no email wasn’t actually too disappointing for you, and gave more of a huge flood of relief, then you’ll likely end your marathon journey here without thinking too much more about it. That’s fine, only 1% of the global population have done a marathon after all, so this is probably the most popular option.

But if you’ve got your heart set on doing that 26.2, you need a plan.

First, you need to decide if it’s the London Marathon and only the London Marathon you want to do. If it’s more about achieving the distance, what comes next on the plan is quite a bit easier. There are heaps of fantastic alternatives both in the UK and globally to get your teeth stuck in to. A couple of things I’d put on your list to consider when choosing which alternative to do:

How much will you want crowd support?

If you know you’re the kind of person who thrives on running through spectator-lined streets and will struggle with long, fairly solitary country lanes, then you need to make sure you’re picking one of the bigger, city based events such as Manchester or Brighton, for example.

Is April the best time of year for you?

Now you’re not tied to the third weekend in April, you could have a think about whether you might prefer to train over the summer – and give yourself a few extra months to bank the miles too. Consider any major life events you've got that might hinder your training...I learned the hard way last year that wedding planning and marathon training aren't very easy to run in tandem! 

Do you fancy a bit of running tourism? 

Combining the marathon challenge with a few days in another country is really special. Whether it’s a return visit to get a new view on a favourite holiday destination, or a trip to explore somewhere new completely, there’s hundreds of marathons to choose if you widen your search area

What are the cut off times?

While London is known for its particularly generous cut off times, other marathons aren’t quite so. And I could write a whole separate post on the subject of cut off times, but for now all I’ll say is, you’ll feel enough pressure on the day as it is, without needing the worry of whether you’ll manage to cover the distance in the time allowed, so it’s always worth a quick check before signing up to make sure you’re confident you’ll be able to do it.

If you’re thinking all this sounds great London is the only marathon you want to do, then you’ll need a charity.

Of course there’s championship and Good For Age schemes to get you in, too. But by the time the ballot is announced, these schemes have generally closed for the year. And let’s face it, with all the best will in the world, these methods aren’t easily achievable to the bulk of runner – that’s kind of the point.

A lot of people are put off from going down the charity route because of the fundraising targets required. And while I’m not saying it’s easy, you can do it, if you’re prepared to put a bit of effort it. Plus, if you truly are desperate to do the London Marathon, then you’ve just got to accept it.

I’ve ran the London Marathon for charity three times now, plus a bunch of half marathons and various other challenges. Fundraising requires time and commitment, but it’s so worth it – both for the chance to do some really cool stuff, but also for knowing you’ve made a difference to somebody some where’s life. It’s a nice feeling.

Back to the practicalities, here’s my five top tips for getting a charity place.

1. Don’t just pick one charity

The likelihood is that the charities will all have their own application process, so you won’t be guaranteed a place. I’d recommend drawing up a list of four or five charities you’d like to run for, and think about your reasons why. A quick Google search returns pages of results for charities who’d like you to join their team choose a few who have values similar to yourself – not only will this give you something to talk about honestly in your application form, but it will help to motivate you through the months of fundraising ahead. The first time I did London, I ran for Girlguiding, a charity I’ve been involved with for most of my life, so it was a natural fit.

2. Research smaller charities

While there’s loads of obvious household names you could go for, there’s often much less competition for some of the smaller charities who have places so don’t just go for the big names. Sometimes, the fundraising targets are a bit smaller too. The second and third times I ran London, I did it for Childhood First, a smaller charity based in the south of England. From my experience with London and other events, when you run for a smaller charity you have a much more personal relationship with the fundraising team which is lovely – and you know that every single penny your raise really makes a difference.

3. Spend time on the application

You’re getting ready to commit a good few months of your life to training for the marathon, so be prepared to commit a reasonable amount of time to writing your application. Like when you apply for a job, you should tailor each application to the charity you’re applying to. Talk about why you admire their work, why it’s important to you, and any personal experiences you’ve had with the causes they stand for. Really let your passion stand out, use emotive language and don’t be afraid to be a bit cheesy. Remember, the person or panel reading your application will probably be reading a big pile of them, so you don’t want to be just another “I’ve always wanted to run the London Marathon”… be specific, tell them why you want to run…and why they’re the charity you want to run for.

4. Have a solid fundraising plan

Most applications will ask how you plan to raise the money. Charities pay a significant amount for the places, so they need to be confident you’ll raise enough to make it worthwhile them awarding you a place. I find, the best thing to do here is outline a month-by-month plan of activities you’ll do to keep the donation pot filling. 

It doesn’t have to be all elaborate charity balls and galas every month, it can be as simple as doing a payday pound drive in August, chocolate raffle in September and sponsored sober October. In fact, it’s best to have a mix of smaller scale actions combined with a few bigger events during your fundraising period to really make the most of it. Don’t forget to note how much you’d expect each to raise and make sure that tallies up to the total target!

5. Be prepared to get out of your comfort zone

This ties in everything, and it stands not just for the application, but the whole journey you’re about to embark on. Marathons are hard work, they require commitment and dedication. You’ll be shattered from the training then need to plaster on a smile and work a room selling raffle tickets. Nobody likes asking for money, but you’ll need to get comfortable with it if you’re going to raise a few thousand pounds for your charity.

But it’s so, so worth it.

I wasn’t exaggerating when I said London will be one of the best days of your life. It’s hard to really describe quite the sense of achievement you’ll feel when you cross that line next April, glowing in a mixture of sweat and satisfaction.   

Do yourself proud, good luck! 

That finish line feeling!

A bad run doesn't make a bad runner

Early 2018 - on a bench by the Grantham Canal in Gamston 

Four miles into a long run with just a few weeks to go until the London Marathon, I sat on a bench sobbing. 

I can't remember whether I had a total distance in mind for that run, but at four miles I felt like I couldn't go any more. And if I couldn't do four miles, how on earth was I going to be able do 26.2 in a few Sunday's time. I was panicking, nervous and every other synonym you care to think of. My first marathon was on the horizon, I didn't really know what I letting myself in for and I felt completely out of my depth.

I finished that day's running pulling together around 8 miles in total, crying a bit more during the rest of the run and again at the end. Crying and running was a common training technique for me back then. 

Today, March 2023

This morning's run didn't go to plan. And when I say plan, I use the term loosely. Now deep into the countdown for my fourth marathon, I've been making the plan up as I go along somewhat, just doing my best to ensure the long runs get a bit longer as the weeks go on. 

And it's been going alright. My total weekly mileage has been creeping up, I've been disciplined with getting the mid-week miles in and commited to keeping myself fresh for the Sunday morning long runs. But for some reason this morning I just really wasn't feeling it. Every route I thought of had some aspect I wasn't keen on, the return of the chilly and grey weather made my mood feel a bit rubbish, and the thought of pounding the pavements for hours really wasn't appealing. 

To be honest, 2018 Kay would probably have skipped the run completely if I felt like that. Or I'd have set off and got so wrapped up in my own head in the first 100 meters that I'd burst into tears and abandon the run a couple of minutes in. 

But I set about it with a rough route planned and a good podcast to listen to, determined to plod through and get it done. 

I spent the first mile with some friends chatting, then waved them off enviously as they took the 5km route option while I had a long slog ahead of me.

Marathon training is never about smashing the pace records and today was no different. I just needed to keep going! 

Eventually I reached Ruddington and wound my way through the village towards the country park. The idea I had in my head was to break the total distance down by getting up to the park, then ticking off a few kms while there before starting to make my way home, tallying up at least 13 (13.1 if we're being specific) miles in total. 

I got to around five miles and did something I don't very often do now, I walked. (Again, a huge change from 2018 and something I could write a whole blog post about). Once I started walking, I realised I really didn't fancy running anymore. I did have a few little tries but I'd had enough. I dragged myself through to 10km then stopped my watch. I didn't know what I was going to do next, but I was calling it a day for this long run. No drama, no tears, just at peace with the fact that today wasn't the day for a big long run. And that was fine.

Being the Strava wanker that I am, I set my watch back on to walk mode and wandered around a bit thinking about what to do next, I still needed to get home afterall. As luck would have it, the demise of my long run co-insided perfectly with the semi-regular bus schedule so in no time at all I was safely back on the number 10 heading for home.

All the while, I really couldn't believe how fine. And that's what really got me thinking, and inspired me to write something. After all these years, you kind of expect it to be the times you smash PBs, or feel strong or just bloody revel in it, that define you as a decent runner. But today I've realised it's quite the opposite, actually. Because they're the easy ones to some extent. Being able to have a run that is pretty shit on paper, and feel unshaken, undeterred and no-less motivated for the rapidly approaching marathon. That's what's really made me realise my entire attitude and approach to running has changed for the better. 

So what's next? 

Today's epiphany doesn't take away from the fact that it's seven weeks until the London Marathon and every mile I complete will make the main event a little less awful. 

Next week was supposed to be a drawback week (for those who don't know, every few weeks in a training block, you drop the mileage a bit to let your body recover). So I need to tweak a few things to still get some decent mileage in while also navigating a weekend away and some sub-zero temperatures. I'll sort it though, I've come back from much worse runs before now.

One final thing

The London Marathon isn't just a training challenge. Myself and Des are also raising funds for a fantastic charity, Childhood First. If you are able to support us, we'd really appreciate it. It really does make a huge difference when the going gets tough! You can visit our fundraising page here, thank you!!

On to 2023, the hard work starts now

I'm starting 2023 the biggest I've ever been. That's not me saying something for "don't be silly you're fine" and "you look great" comments, because I follow enough body positive accounts on Instagram to ensure me that weight doesn't necessarily have a correlation to how 'great' somebody looks.

It's a mathematical fact - the number on the scales is the largest I've ever seen it, therefore I'm the biggest I've ever been. 

Weight is something that's been a constantly evolving story for me. The numbers on those scales have been up and down more times over the years than I could write about without you becoming very bored.

During the 2020 lockdown, I really thought I'd cracked it. Loads of stuff clicked into place, I lost quite a bit of weight and I felt great. But since then, the more life has got more back to normality, the more it's crept back on, fueled by the hectic social life I thrive from and a demanding schedule which makes it easy to go for convenience over what I know is best for me.

So, like so many times before, I've put everything I lost back on, plus a bit for good measure. 

The effects of this are becoming evermore obvious to me. My clothes are getting together, my pace is slowing, and it's generally playing on my mind a lot.

As I mentioned at the start, a huge chunk of my social media following is dedicated to people celebrating bodies of all shapes and sizes. And I completely agree with their messages for many reasons. But for me, and for my own personal reasons, I'd like my body to change from where I am now. 

So it's time to tackle it...again!

Right now, the most important target I have for myself, and the biggest thing I'm working towards, is the London Marathon on 23rd April. It will be my fourth marathon and third within 18 months, and I really really want to do it to the best of my ability. It's basic science that being lighter will make this easier. Plus, putting marathon training at the cente of what I want to achieve kind of leads all the other changes I want to make. 

I know for a fact that one of the simplest changes I can make which will have the biggest impact is cutting down alcohol, something which I'm going to do almost completely. I've got two occasions coming up which I'll use to keep my motivation up for staying dry in the short term, then afterwards I'll be sober until the marathon. 

Let me clarify this though. Just because I say cutting out alcohol is a simple change, I do not mean it's going to be an easy one! I love drinking, everyone who knows me knows it's a huge part of who I am and what I do. But I know that it's no good for me and it's certainly no good for marathons, so it's got to go. This is a journey I'll be documenting more as part of my training and my fundraising! So watch this space.

Aside from that, I know that achieving my targets is going to be all about planning, discipline and the support of loved ones in equal measure. 

Planning and discipline are entirely on me. I know that I find it much easier when I do a weekly menu plan, for example. And I need to know when my runs are going to be taking place each week and whether there's anything I need to work around to fit the miles in, then the discipline comes with sticking to those plans and giving myself a talking to when I need it. 

The next bit is crucial, because as much as I want this for me, I need people to work with me on it too! 

It helps a lot that Des has got the same thoughts and targets as me, so it can be a team effort on many accounts. And I know we're both actually really looking forward to pushing ourselves to start achieving the things we want to do this year. 

But Des is just one of many people I spend my time with, and I need the backing from everyone. I need cheerleaders, not sneerers when I say I'm chasing some big things this year - so I really hope people can get behind me. 

So what next? 

Well first and foremost, I need to bloody run. I've been terrible over the last few weeks for no real reason. So the next week weeks will be about building up the consistency ready to start building the mileage quite quickly, so that the confidence I can do it emerges before the real hard slog long-runs start. 

I'm planning on putting aside for strength and conditioning training this time, too. I know the dark nights and mornings, coupled with an energetic puppy who needs loads of walks, mean it can't just be about pounding the pavements to get my exercise in. So I'll be using my gym and swim membership and trying out a few other things to get some cross-training in (hopefully) without driving myself too mad and obsessing over miles. 

And of course I've got to pay a lot of attention to what I'm eating. But I know that with how my mind works, that kind of slots into place once I get to grips with the rest of it. When I'm working hard, I always want food which will fuel me to progress and make me feel good. So this week's meal plan is done and I'm even looking forward to trying some new recipes. 

Here we go then. 

This has been without a doubt the most honest and open blog post I've ever written. And I've written it for myself as much as anything. 

2022 was amazing, I couldn't have asked for anything more. But 2023 is a new year with new targets and a refreshed sense of motivation, and I'm really excited to see what I can achieve!

Looking back at 2022, my running year in review

Going into 2022 I had massive ambition for my running. 2021 had been my best yet, I'd smashed PBs across all distances and genuinely fallen head over heels back in love with my sport. 

Picking up in January was tough. The miles had tapered off massively during the festive season and it's safe to say I'd piled weight on. I can remember a particularly tough hills session which made me realise that my fitness had dropped and I needed to kick myself up the arse to get back on track. All wasn't lost at this point, I still did a decent weekly average mileage and when I put the effort in a could get a good pace going, but the huge love I'd felt before was dwindling somewhat.

February rolled around and, other than completing the Skegness 10km in a respectable 57:50 (after a big dark fruits session the day before) there's not really much to report. 

March came and I needed to take action, so I set about a 5km a day running streak. I know consistency, and taking out the option of saying no, work really well for me. I managed 19 days before a weekend away scuppered it. I finished the month with a couple of runs in Spain which I loved, as I always do!

April, May and June we're all pretty quiet too. I wasn't hating running but I wasn't loving it either. I had some really enjoyable runs in the form of parkrun tourism and runs with friends, but I was finding it tough getting any level of miles in, or accessing the pace I'd been running comfortably not too long ago.

July kicked off with my hen weekend in Benidorm, the first holiday since I've been a runner where trainers didn't make the packing list. By the time I returned I was becoming consciously aware of how quickly the weeks were disappearing ahead of the London Marathon. Work needed doing! 

The end of July saw our annual trip to ThunderRun, a brutal 10km course which individuals, pairs and teams spend 24 hours tackling. This year I completed two laps and they really bloody hurt, but it was good training all the same.

In August the final preparations for our wedding were well underway. I knew these next weeks were a crucial training time, but with so many plates to spin, I had to just do what I could without worrying too much. I did manage an epic 15 mile run from my home now back to where I grew up though, which was bloody brutal and therefore naturally something I'd like to do again one day. 

Perhaps the start of actual consistent training came on August Bank Holiday weekend, when I somewhat reluctantly took part in the Carsington Water half marathon. With only five weeks to go before the marathon, I knew I'd left it a bit late!

September was epic. I became Mrs Oldham and took part in the Great North Run and Robin Hood half marathon, two of my all time favourites. Three weeks off the alcohol and the spring in my step from running on home turf earned me a 15 minute quicker time for Robin Hood than my previous two halves and it was just the confidence boost I needed ready to tackle London the following weekend.

I went into London with quite a calm attitude, particularly for someone who is hardly ever calm about everything. I knew it was going to hurt, I knew it wasn't going to be my quickest, but I knew it would still be an amazing experience. My only regret is that I didn't write a blog about it while the memory was nice and fresh! 

I was extremely lucky to be offered a place to do London again in April, which gave me the motivation to not let my running decline too much during October. For November, I decided to embark on another 5km per day streak to build a solid base. 

On the third day, disaster struck. A bullet I've dodged for so long finally hit. Injury time. During my run than day, a niggly ache I'd been feeling in my hip turned into a really bad pain and I had some really uncomfortable days to follow. I rested completely for a few weeks and even got professional advice (that's how you know i wasn't just being mardy!)

The full story of what happened next can be found here, but in short I had a go at the Clowne Half Marathon when perhaps I shouldn't have. My only run of any substance really during November and what turned out to be my final event and long run of the year.

In December, I once again set about the 5km a day challenge for DOrunning's #DOrunning25days advent challenge. I did give it a really go but some bad news, bad weather and bad blisters did all they could do knock me. Christmas day parkrun was lovely though, and is always a highlight of the festive season. 

So that was my year. I plan on doing another post in the next few days with my hopes and plans for 2023, but I need to really find my love for it again, and soon!

For those who are into them, a few stats about the year:

Number of runs: 237

Miles ran: 830.3 (the .3 is very important!)

Number of parkruns: 28 (personal best!)

Quickest 5km: 27:56 (12th May)

Slowest 5km: 45:57 (looking at Strava I think a hangover might have been involved)

Blog posts written: 5 (poor effort, must try harder)

Events completed: Skegness 10km, ThunderRun24, Carsington Water Half, Great North Run, Robin Hood Half, London Marathon, Clowne Half Marathon