any regrets for this years marathon?

my only regret is that i didn't have my name on my vest like so many other people.  i could have done with a few people shouting out my name to keep me going and cheer me on

I actually have none, I was very lucky in that the decisions I made were the right ones (even though they could have gone either way). For example needing the loo from the beginning and making a gamble at mile 21 to go for it (first loos with no queues), gave me a new lease of life and got me round the final 5.2 miles. The relief of that loo break was more than getting over the finish line-ha ha.

I had my name and must admit, made me smile every time a complete stranger shouted my name.

None really, just wish I'd not needed the loo several times as the 45 minutes in total queueing meant I went over 6 and I've had a couple of moments of feeling a bit useless today.

I'm so proud but just wish my bladder had behaved better....sooner than I thought though I feel the urge to get this sorted, train for longer and go well into the 5 hour mark or even below it as I actually think I'd be capable of it if I can do loads more stretching, eat even better.

Well done Jane on your race, you must be so proud and yeah, the name on your vest helped SO much.  People were so amazing and supportive.

x

not really.  Only I guess, I wish I hadnt got so hung up on trying to meet sub 5 because I just missed that and now im a little disappointed but really i should just be happy that i completed it! espially as i never ran before the last marathon, but got inspired to try it! :)

I wish I had used Nell McAndrew as my pace setter instead of the guy from Runners World. First of all my time would have been an hour faster and secondly the view running behind her would have been a lot better  Apart from that I had a fantastic day and wouldn't change anything about it.

My kit bag was really heavy from staying in London on Saturday night so I already had a sweat on carrying it up the hill to the red start before I even started. Doh!

I honestly don't know how I managed to carry it to Trafalgar Square to meet my family after but with hindsight I would make other arrangements (mmmmm, if I ever do it again)

I would have liked to have run every step of the way but had to walk a bit at mile 22 but then that gave me a bit of a boost to keep going.  It felt oh so much harder (and hotter) compared to my training runs so I'm so glad I managed to finish in the end.

I hit half way at 2:40:27 and finished in 5:30:21 so not hideously bad.

My regret (and it was a biggie) was that I didnt defer my place as I should have done.

I'd been training well for the past 6 months and was hoping for a time in the region of 4 to 4 and a half hours. I picked up a knee injury about 6 weeks ago and knew in my heart of hearts I wasnt going to get near that time but even so it was so demoralising to be hobbling around after 16 miles and eventually to be passed by people in extravagant fancy dress costumes coming up the Embankment!

I wish I hadn't entered horseguards parade, cos I couldn't chuffin get out of the place and then the heavens opened.....

No regrets - started jogging at the start line and didn't let myself stop until over the finish line, so although i was 5hrs 27 completed my dream of running the London Marathon, so chuffed to pieces. Love you Jayne, so glad we experienced it together, so definitely no regrets there. xx

I wish I had noticed Buckingham palace! I was so focused on finishing I didn't clock it despite telling myself to take everything in beforehand but it is hard to regret anything on that fabulous day. Amazingly I didn't cry at the end and felt a little oh thats it I've run a marathon at the end but as time passes I feel better and better about the day and quite frankly proud of my mental strength and will continue marathon running but want to find something else to challenge me! 

I was delighted with my time - 5.15, as I have been plagued with injuries and hoped to do it in less than 5.30, and feared for a complete collapse and being longer than 6 hrs. But I didn't actually enjoy the race as much as I thought I would, and feel rather guilty as if I should have.

I found it very hot, then I found all the noise from the shouting really hard at times and relished the quieter parts; then felt sick at mile 13, something that has never happened in training. But my shin injury only kicked in about mile 18, and I did 'enjoy' the last hour or so the most. I was disappoinetd that I rarely felt I could really run as there were so many people in the way! I didn't expect to start walking/running so soon but after feeling sick I just could not summon energy to run for very long. At mile 22 I was 4.20, and did contemplate really going for it to see if I could do it in under 5 hours. Glad I decicded not to and to just have a calmer end. But whatever regrets I have, all pales into insignificance when I think about the tragedy of Claire dying. 

But thanks for this thread and the opportunity to express regrets. I am about to register for a half marathon in the autumn, which I will hopefully be fitter for. I knew it would be hard with my injuries having messed up my training, but with my £1,000 sponsorship money I decided to do it anyway. I just thought I would enjoy it a bit more, and did not expect to be badly affected by heat, noise and sickness in the first half. Having said that, whenever anyone shouted my name it was fantastic.

Good luck every one with the post-marathon blues phase!

Only three:

1. Should have not changed my kit compared to previous long runs!

2. Ditto for eating and drinking habits - why o why I drank too much, had stitches and when finished, had clear white pee, which means I was absolutely over hydrated and hence stitches (likely theory anyway) and three loo breaks!

3. Starting a tad bit too fast.

But on the other hand, it was so much fun: high-fiving kids and some old people, raising arms to bring out shouts at Cutty Sark, meeting family, friends, charity and then Buzzers- all in all, a great experience nevertheless!

Regrets being a smoker for 18 years until 9 months ago!

Waiting until I was 35 to start running!

Doing what I said I would not I.e the beetroot shot! Which I think made me I'll! 

Not asking st johns if they could help with the stomach pains

Missing the finish line, so I have no recording of my 150% effort to "run" the last 1.2 miles. 

The constant injuries throughout training,  shine splints and stress fractures. 

Having the flu 3 weeks before the race!

However, would I change anything. No I learned so much, overcame so much to be there and meet some fantastic people and most off all in some sick way I  loved every minute off it! 

Apart from that you enjoyed the experience

regrets- I wish I had taken in the atmosphere more at the end, and wish I had taken warmer clothes for the end! I wish I hadn't had so many lucozades and gels as I STILL feel sick and can't stomach much!! I wish I had just tried a bit harder in the begining as I know I could have got under 4 hours...I am glad I had my name on my vest (it really helped all the friendly people !) and I am glad I squeezed every last drop out in the stinky toilets before I set off, glad I took immodeum! Wish I had slept in the week before. Oh if I did it all again.......................

No regrets, despite having to run injured - I couldn't defer as I had a GB place.

VERY pleased I opted not to have my name on my vest. I limped to the finish from mile 14 and having the crowd trying to encourage me to run when I physically couldn't would have seriously worn me down.

Being honest about my expected time! If I get through the ballot again I will be with people that run my pace (and aren't walking in the first couple of miles)

But I still had a fantastic day

Ha ha you had a "beet it"? me too.  Red wee etc made for an interesting sight

Biggest regret - Not having a plan for if I fell over. I had a pretty bad fall at the start (long story), made a bad decision to just run for it until I had to stop - at one point I honestly thought I would have to pull out before mile 5 as I was in agony. Some how managed to get to mile 22 in 3hrs 30 and with sub 4 or 4.15 in sight if I got a move on I suddenly couldn't keep going as it was quite congested, people in front kept stopping suddenly and all the jerking finally meant I had to ask st johns for help. They patched me up - took over an hr as the person/tent I needed was at mile 23 and they initially took me to the wrong person. By the time I got going again I had completely seized up and every step to 26.2 was pure torture esp as the swelling from the fall had set in - I literally could barely walk it and was pretty much crawling let along walking. I clocked in way over 5.30, feel like a complete failure and humilitated as my running club were watching my splits and I got back to what the heck happened msgs. On reflection had I stopped for help at the start I would have probably run faster as I was running 15seconds slower per mile than my race pace (on average), I wouldn't have had to stop so far in and thus wouldn't have seized up. Lots of ifs and buts with the benefit of hindsight - I guess I just need to make sure I work harder for my next autumn marathon.

Lol yeah, the red wee was not expected, lol I almost died when I saw it with the stomach pains,  then I realised it was the "beet it"  could you imagine the thought of horror going through my mind before I put two and two together! Lol