Having completed over 50 marathons it’s notable that there is a massive increase in running and completing a marathon in the past few years (which is great). Enjoy the big events and forget PBs. Use the minor events, and not the majors, to do PBs would be my advice. Well done on a great time.
Paris have the record of number of finishers currently and London have said they want the record next year. The race director has publicly said he wants 55000 finishers. This is what he said Monday: He continued: “More people will be able to get in. We will basically probably go for something in the region of 70,000 people to get in to beat the record. So yeah, that's what we're here to announce today. It’s the first time that we’ve said that. We were so close this year. “Sign up, you never know. We will tell you at the beginning of July, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare.”
Mate, I remember when you were 5-6 weeks out and worried about not even being able to make it to the start line. You made it to the finish line in under 3hrs, and learned a ton in the process. Think of all that additional experience you now have. Sounds like a win. Great job!!
Even my local marathon which has a mass start for Full, Half and 10k has surged ahead in registrations. I've compared the largest registrations over the last 10yrs and this year is over 20% increase across the board, which even the starting section will struggle to accommodate, let alone the paved trail sections about 3km into the race. Getting a lot of anxiety that it will impact my finish time, which I'm trying to beat the BQ by 10mins (since it's very possible that is what you will need to get a bib for 2025!!!). 1st world problems.
For the mega bike races they release you in distinct waves (with large gaps) over a longer period, I don't know if this would help. It could start earlier in the day to compensate. 10am feels quite late, but I guess they want viewers for the elites. Also as a seasoned spectator it's got way busier than it used to be. You have to pick your spots carefully. Anywhere obvious and easy to get to will be 4 people deep.
I totally agree re the number of runners being too many, also re the ‘good for age’ times - back in 2013 when I was 60 I ran 3:23:45 @ London - they had recently moved the V60 qualifying time out to 3:45, whereas the year before it had been 3:30. I finished 3,735th in 2013 for 22nd in my age category - this year that time would have only got me 8,224th and 114th MV60 - what a difference!
In big marathons first a couple of kms are the most important ones. That is when you take your position and then you just move with the mass. The whole point is kind of to run at the same pace with people around you. In a start corral one should not stand in the middle but at side to be able to move fast once the race starts and overtake everyone else using sidewalks or whatever opportunities. That way you find "your pace group" after a couple of miles at latest.
Nice debriefing on the race Andy! I remember the first year of the Las Vegas Marathon as a night race (2011) the crowds and race situation were super chaotic. I also had GI issues that night too. Hearing you talk about London brought back a lot of memories of that night. If were to do another marathon I'd probably pick a small to medium sized ones. I'd definitely love to run London if the opportunity came up, but that is sort of a pipe dream right now (given I live in the US). Can't wait to see what you do next.
I find it really difficult to pick up pace if im locked into an easy pace. Its the hardest part of my long runs with efforts. I start trying to speed up about 500m early now! 😂
Agree my 4th time and it was way busier on the road this time, got clipped, barged, cut up loads times! Having done NY last yr the roads are way wider so you dont feel crowded even thou its 60,000
NYC 23, 51402 I also ran in in November Rogh still made it; i run PB but not goal time; main problem is that Andy (I know that you don’t chase PB) and I did not come in right shape; and we knew that there would be a huge crowd even before the race
Sorry to hear about your race. I had a rough one too but I started totally aware of what was coming. It was nice to run with you for a bit. I got you a few times on my video! See you in the next one mate.
I love a busy race. 2023 was great fun. A 26mile running party from start to finish. Did brighton this year and spent such a long time by myself and was a bit dead in places. I still have a lot of trouble with social anxiety. I love running as i can interact with people without having to say a word. I feel like i'm on stage and in my comfort zone.
Hi Andy. I found the crowds pretty heavy going and I ran 2.44.55. I had to push past and sprint to the finish at the end to get under 2.45! I wrote a comment on your previous video. Do you think Manchester would be a better place to run a quick time? I don't know much about the course there. I'm reluctant to use the crowds in London as an excuse but perhaps if I could have got into a stride earlier I might have been a couple of minutes quicker. Next year it will be London or Manchester but it's a difficult choice.
Not only does it seem busier but it seems so many people are quicker these days ( I don’t have the stats). As a spectator this year it seemed busy right from those running around 2;45
Yeah I would agree it was probably around that time that it got busy as my friend ran that time and had a similar experience, but one of my athletes ran 2:42 and said it wasn’t quite as bad
Thank you so much for confirming what I have been telling people about the field size at this year's London Marathon, and recognizing that those of us in the 4-5 hour range were trapped by a wall of, not only runners, but the lions share of walkers (who were allowed to start before the middle/back of the pack runners if their predicted finish time was, I believe, 6.5-7 hours) and large costumes participants. The course is just too small in most places to accommodate that many. Honestly, I think 25k would be ideal, but at least 40k would be a heck of a lot better than 53k. I ran 18 min slower than my Feb 28th marathon, just simply because I was brought to a walk due to road congestion on many occasions. Ruined the experience for me. Also, as you mentioned, although the crowd support was amazing, I have a touch of PTSD and it was much more overwhelming than either Boston or NYC, which also have great crowds, but somehow not quite as frenetic. Congratulations on your sub-3.
Really enjoyed the series Andy, well done in London. Just wondering what your thoughts are of Maurten 160 gels? I’ve not tried them yet, the gel100’s are thick enough to get down, is there any difficulty consuming a bigger size of gel? With taking on such a large hit of carbs at once do you think there’s a greater possibility that ya would crash even harder soon after?
We move onto the next one Andy! Well done for getting the job done after being ill with the SiS gels! I’ve always wondering if mixing gels manufactures makes a difference to GI distress?
Very informative, thanks. My wife ran it and to be honest I think it would have been easier to run than spectate. I saw my wife at mile 8, 11 and 23 and I was exhausting getting around. I probably won’t be in a panic back to London. There were just too many people.
It’s great for us to learn from your first hand experience, thank you for sharing, even if it wasn’t the best for you. Was wondering if you experimented with mixing SiS and Maurten gels before, together with the ketone IQ and whatever else you had in your stomach that morning? They might be all good in isolation, but maybe they don’t play well together, especially when dehydration really kicks in, a couple of hours into the race. For me I found that if I use Maurten in a race or long run, I have to stick with it, drinks and gels. Mixing it with Gu or Tailwind doesn’t work at all.
I carried 5 gels but only used 4 - the last, a Nootropics one at mile 17 - which gave me really good energy and focus. I was told that there's not much point in taking gels past 19 as the stomach can barely handle it. I used the Lucozade Sports drinks stations at miles 21 and 23 which were a godsend and was able to finish strong. I had 3 Precision Fuel gels (1 caff) before the Nootropics. I had a GU caffeine gel + water about 30 mins before starting. Took on lucozade sports drinks at all stations. Best fuelling I've ever done. I can't swallow Maurten when really going for it.
It was crazy busy this year compared to last. I was with the 3.10 pacer and we had to walk at least twice to get through bottlenecks, Im thinking about Newport for next year.
Really appreciate the honesty about London! My partner got a place in the ballot after years of applying. I was so excited to watch him but it was chaos! Would much rather do a smaller marathon where you can quickly sit in a pub after 😂
Great stuff Andy. You were down and nearly out a few weeks back but you got up and carried on. Obviously its all about attitude, mental toughness as in most of life decisions.
Do you think Andy that the traffic problem was allowing too many runners OR having course sections which were just not wide enough for all the runners? Probably both!! No question at the Paris marathon, I too spent the entire 42km dodging and weaving, running into people, getting run into, trying to squeeze through entire groups running together... absolutely exhausting!! However the biggest problem was spectator crowd control, because the spectators kept moving out onto the road looking for their loved ones, which just got tighter and tighter towards the end until the runners didn't have nearly enough space to get through and we were reduced to walking or totally stopping only a few kms from the end , right when we're trying for that last big "sprint" push!! Not my cup of tea at all!!
I was near him for just over halfway and I think it was 3hr bottleneck problem. Many people like me who realistically were 3:05-3:10 runners where there for the first half or so. Add to that people who are 2:50-2:55 runners are probably running conservatively early on, like Andy, so you're squeezing 20 minutes worth of PBs into a 5 minute window and you get a massive crowd. That surge of people into that area made it very tight. As I fell off 3hr pace it thinned considerably. It's like when you look at Strava's analysis of PBs, there always a big bump on major time boundaries.
I find the dropping the good for age is usually about maintaining numbers not reducing them. Like you say, more people are training better, and so the times are being achieved more often. That said great video, and well done on navigating London. I like it there for about 2 days max then I need my space again.
I’ve discovered I’m the same with crowds Andy. This was my first London and I LOVED it. But the last 10k my headphones saved me. And getting straight back to my brother’s place afterwards also saved me. Trafalgar Square was NUTS!
Great roundup of your preparation for the London Marathon. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m running the Newport marathon on Sunday and your videos have helped a lot in my preparation. 🙏🏻
SiS and Maurten gels don’t nearly have enough sodium/electrolytes needed for a marathon. Not sure why so many elite and sub-elite runners use these gels. I suggest using Gu Liquid Energy which as the proper amount of sodium. Moreover, they are liquidy and easy to get down.
MY plan if I ever (won't) do London again would be start right at the back, 5 mins tying my shoes laces, then another wee........ and then I will start, crowds are NOT my thing, Noise hopefully will be calming down, or better still will have to run with noise-canceling headphones to keep peace in my head. is it a marathon or a tourist attraction, crazy how busy it has become with runners and spectators. WELL done though budd, love how honest and personable you are, warts and all, if only others were more like you.
Even before you start there are thousands of people in crowds milling around the park. Perhaps if they started the elite race earlier to allow for more groups to go it would help.
Really enjoyed this post-mortem, a good dissection of how it went. Hard luck with the spew session! From out here in spectator land still amazed at how you pulled a sub 3 out of a disrupted training block, crowded London then a fluorescent-pavement mile 21 (?)! Well done is all I can say. Great training, great race and that's a wrap. One to remember that's for sure. Pat on the back from this viewer 🎉👏.
It's sobering to know that despite your travails a sick Raynor is a faster Raynor than a fit Patrick in fine fettle. Perhaps I should pick up some of that Raynor puke at mile 30 and use it as fuel. RAYNOR SHINE ANDY PULLS IT OFF! 😅
Well done Andy. I’m running my only 2nd ever Marathon next year in Manchester. As a gluten free runner with a young son, I certainly enjoyed your video previous day before preparation as well as the race. Thanks for the info 👍
Maybe try some of the energy chews for the 2nd half? Something that can sit in your mouth and slowly melt and trickle in carbs. I find they also help keep from my mouth getting dry. If you feel great, you can "chew" through them...if you don't just let them dissolve overtime. Might reduce the stomach issues in the 2nd half of the race?
I did London last in 2021 Andy and I was around were you were 2.54 and it was very congested at the start up to around mile 6/7 and then it spread out a little bit. But it was stressful navigating the crowd and It took me ages to find my rythym. Berlin, Dublin etc are all the same though and it does feel like there are more people around that breaking three hours. Wether it's improved training, super shoes etc but I even see it with my own club.
Maybe try the Maurten drink mix next time easier on the stomach you could carry a bottle and get your family to hold the rest for you and meet them at different points of the race?
Hey Andy, you didn’t fail - you ran a sub 3 which is superb - and remember the illness that set you back. Great reports of your weekend. Good luck with whatever is next. 👏💪👌
I watch these race clips and I hardly if ever see anyone taking gels. Are most people really not fuelling during marathons (aside from water/electrolyte drinks)?? What percentage would you say are? Congrats on finishing.
Well done Andy! That's still an impressive time and given the circumstances with the illnesses that you had before hand, it's pretty good. Great video as always! How long does ketone iq take to arrive?
With regard to numbers, they took some club places away last year, you now need at least 190 runners to get 2 places, they are increasing charity places as they charge the charities loads of money, it stinks a bit but I'd still love to run it!
Always inspiring Andy! The Mario guy (Alex) I met in Barcelona last month, he was attempting a WR but sadly hit the wall like you said. His preparation was perfect just didn’t work out on the day for him. So glad you got to run part of the race with him.
@@TheFODRunner Yes he’s from the UK but is living in Barcelona now. I saw him at Mile 23 just before he stopped & got medical assistance. We were a bit worried on the tracker, we knew something wasn’t quite right. Eventually he finished in just over 4 hours. Gutted he was so close!
Well done, mate. You got to the end and finished it. Knowing your training wasn't where you wanted it to be and the issue of being sick, too. But another sub 3 is good. I dont know how your wife managed to get around with kids. I found it a massive struggle getting myself around London with the number of people out watching. I guess the increase on numbers from 40k to 50k is two factors, they want to be the biggest marathon. And because of the yearly backlash from people that have been trying for years to get into the race, they felt the need to increase to 50k. With 1/2 million people applying for the ballot with 50k spaces, it's understandable why people are missing out year in year out. Look forward to seeing what you do at Abingdon. All the best for the rest of 2024. No doubt, I'll see you at a couple of races
Great job getting thru a tough marathon with an upset stomach. How many SiS Nootropics gels did you take? There is a warning label on the packet that says you should only take 1 per day and to take it in the later stage of your run.
Hi Andy! Well done on London, and some good take aways. I tested in race for the first time at London with 2 soft flaks of 250ml that I carried with Beta Fuel powder so mix it up from gels. Maybe worth trying for yourself? 🙏
Well done Andy, I ran Sunday too (2:58) and saw you next to the arches afterwards with your wife. Wanted to come and say hello, and that I love the channel, but didn't wish to disturb you two. So here it is instead!
i think it’s great more people want to get in to running and get fit or run for a charity that means something to them! congrats on your race great time
Hi Andy...there seems to be a trend in recent years for sub elites to consume a lot of gels in training and racing. 5 seems a lot? I had two, not sure they make too much difference in all honesty, caffeine is likely more important. What do you think?
Yeah I try to get 60g carbs per hour as a minimum… as a bigger and taller runner I seem to burn it faster… I’ve done 10 marathons now and even my successful ones I’ve still faded at the end because I run out of energy or hit the wall, it’s extremely frustrating. You’re extremely fast, 2:30s right? So I’m very impressed at just 2 gels!
@@TheFODRunner yeah, 2.37 this year...coming back from a long term health issue (stone in the salivary gland). Hoping for sub 2.30 next year. I hear what you are saying about being a bigger athlete, it's a tough one getting the fuelling right!
I’m certainly no where near as fast as you , and was in the 4 hour group at London. The traffic was just as bad there too. Possibly even worse watching your video. Very congested the entire way.
Thanks for putting a detailed report together crowds looked insane and to run a sub 3:00 hr is a major achievement, I would love to run London 2025 but with more than this years 54,000 I would rather they didn’t add more even if it meant I missed out.
Good race review Andy. I completely agree with your good, bad, ugly bit. You mentioned how busy it was and you couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the 3 - 5 hour people. Well I was one of those. I managed 4.21.34. It was far too busy and I spent a lot of time and effort making slight changes to my pace and direction trying to work around others. There was even one point where we were all funnelled through a crossing point, the road narrowed and we all almost had to stop and walk through it because we ended up on top of each other for 20 metres or so. I'm sure it all cost me a few minutes overall - I just couldn't get a clear line of sight to settle into a steady comfortable pace. I also did it in 2022 and I don't remember it being that bad. That said, I refuse to be too negative about it as an awful lot of runners (including me) were in on charity places. I always used to sneer a bit at this until my Dad got diagnosed with Parkinson's and now I'm very grateful to put on the light blue t-shirt and raise money for them...but I think the race is at full capacity now. Very well done to you. I wish I could be ill and still get sub 3. I dream of a sub 4!!!
I watched your other video the other day and it really captured the crowd noise and excitement and from that point of view i can see why people want to do it, but i could not believe the traffic at that pace! I have been running a few years now and done a few races but after doing the bathalf in 22 decided that although i enjoyed the experience of crowd support i hated having to weave in and out looking for gaps constantly that these busy races werent for me.Even more so London being forced to go into town for expo etc on another day. Since then i have not been outside of Dorset for a single race. Did my first marathon last year starting and finishing within 6 miles of home in the North Dorset villages marathon,about 400 runners i think and prob an average of 3 people out cheering per mile. A cheering crowd is fantastic but for me the overall experience of leaving home hour before the start,not having to worry about much admin and planning etc is just much more to my liking, Biggest challenge was passing a junction a mile from home at about 19.5 when it was really starting to hurt after going off far too fast!
I must have been very near you for 25km (didn't see you but recognize others near you, like the guy in the purple tutu and wings 5:38) and what I noticed by positive splitting much worse than you was the wall of people 3hr pacing that you were stuck in, was just that, an artificial crowd at 3hrs. As I dropped back into 3:05 territory the crowd thinned massively.
Except for the puking and sub 3 time your marathon and mine were weirdly the same. Felt fine but legs checked out at 20miles. You are right - too many runners even for mid-packers. Sorry to every person I elbowed, trod on or got in the way of.
What's your heartrate when "hitting the wall"? I thought I'd known what hitting the wall was but a few weeks ago I think I actually did it.. zero energy.. getting somewhat lightheaded.. yawning.. tired and what was really strange is I was still keeping an ok pace but my heartrate was only 85'ish. That would be horrendous to do that at the very end of the race.. poor Mario.. hope he finished :(
My HR wasn’t high… mid 160s at that stage? It’s just when you run out of glycogen so it can happen faster if you hit and go over threshold, or slower if you hold a more sustained effort like me but don’t get enough fuel in!
Thanks! Ah I think that must of been a different Mario… the one I ran with hit the wall at 24 and needed help from Marshalls… he did come back past me and I was 2:57! I was told there were multiple Mario’s out there 😂
I think a London marathon is where you go for the experience rather than to set a PB or anything close to it - any other mindset will likely result in frustration IMO
not a big fan of these big events for that reason, too many people ... the ones I race (not marathons) there is usually a limit of less than 400 people, also it's easier to finish top 3 ;p
Dawn was planning to run London next year but having a serious think based on your experience and those of others. We spoke to a chap in the know yesterday who reckons the ambition is to push it up to 70,000 runners. Clearly unsustainable for the city infrastructure, never mind the race experience. In fact your Vlog and Nick Bester's showed the 2:44 / 2:52 pace to be even more crowded than the 3.15 to 3.30 range in which Dawn would hopefully be running. When we've spectated in the past, we've known the quiet spots to get access to have a good experience. It sounds like Mrs Raynor could not find any this year. And if you were finding it rammed getting away having run Sub 3 I can't imagine what it was like after 4 hours. Mind you, Manchester had its own issues, having to stop 4 hour runners getting to the baggage zone for 20 mins or so to let the flow of spectators and those who had finished pass to avoid a dangerous crushing incident. I hope those in authority take notice.
Yeah it was unreal. And I’ve also heard the 70k number floated around… insane!! It just can’t work and it comes down to greed sadly. Yeah they all seem to have logistical issues don’t they… I’ll probably find myself back at Newport next year, it’s April 13th when it’s likely to be cooler anyway!
@TheFODRunner yes that's Dawn's thinking now as it's near where she grew up and at rhe end of the Easter Holidays which is good for us. Just £39 to enter at present.
Hey Buddy ...53899 finishers at Paris Marathon this year , more than 54000 on the starting line 😅....a marathon is now the race to do even if you are a beginner in running...it’s the fashion 😂.....come to Paris next year ...i’m already registered....starting in the "Preferential" wave lol 😊🤩👏👏👏🇫🇷
Way to go grinding it out there Andy. I took sis gels too the beta nootropic ones and didn't know they were caffeine ones until you said 😅 I took 4 of them and a normal sis caffeine one. No wonder I had heart palpitations that night after my race and couldn't sleep😅
I ran it in just under 4 hours running from blue 9 and it was dense traffic from start to finish too! Not really complaining, because overall it was amazing, but it got really tough going through the water stations and when it got narrower for the crossing points.
I think a lot of people.put their estimated time so much lower than their realistic time. Wasn't frustrated at the time but looking back on it, there was a lot of overtaking that had to be done
@@ITSmeCHEESE That's so TRUE! I was purposefully conservative with my time and spent the whole race overtaking. Still managed to negative split it (just), but maybe I'll pop down 3:30 next time
@@GarethFreshwater well done on sub 4 hours, I'm sure you'll go even lower next time! I put 4 hours as expected time but was 3 mins over it!! First marathon but definitely not my last.
I can't see 60-70k participants to break the finisher record - it would be a infrastructure nightmare and really could slow so many people down for quite an extended period of time. Btw, I entered through a tour group form 2025 which will refund me if I make it on through the ballot but need to since it's very tough for us US citizens to get in and my wife is determined to do the Abbott 6 majors and has completed all the US-based marathons. BTW, NYC marathon is larger and the crowds are amazing but the roads are wider on the course and can handle the hoards of runners.
Ah nice, hope you guys have a blast here in 2025! Yeah they’ve confirmed they’re going for 70k next year… unreal!! I can’t see the city handling it well at all
Yes an additional 15,000 or so runners plus all the watchers and it will be madness there - just want to go under 4hrs - not get tripped up get some lace going and hopefully they have more staggered stray times, they'll need it and yes it will be bigger the NYC. Also saw over 840,000+ entries for next year!
I think you might have taken too much before that Beta Fuel. I think Ketone IQ and Maurten doesn't mix well. In fact, I have seen Maurten causing more digestive problems even though Hydrogel is supposed to solve that but probably mixing Ketone IQ didn't do well.
I’ve tested it loads in training… infact 3 long runs where I’ve had 4 maurten gels and the ketone IQ…. So not sure why it didn’t settle on race day… but I’m definitely going to reevaluate it for next time and keep it more simple
@@TheFODRunner You also had a Maurten 320 before the race. Do you normally add Maurtin 320 drink mix as well? Maybe that added to the digestive stress and, when it was time for SIS you had already exceeded your bodies ability to digest any more carbs? I have used Maurten, SIS Beta Fuel (with and without nootropics) and I try not to mix them all. Recently, I got some "Victus 02 During" gels, which I think is a brand that is better known among cyclists. Anyway, this gel is similar to SIS Beta Fuel (45g carbs per gel) and in addition includes 320mg sodium. I am evaluating these for long runs and for my next marathon. Take care!
Well done Andy!! I enjoyed the day but never again. I had a very panicky moment trying to get through the crowds to find my husband and daughter. I’m very small and became totally disorientated by not being able to work out where I was. Not a Londoner I’m a rural girl! Will be doing a trail ultra next.
Never run a marathon or anything like it in terms of distance (8 miles my longest race) so tell me i don't know what I'm talking about but to me it's obvious that taking all these gels en route is the road to disaster. Forcing basically pure sugar plus a bit of caffine into your body when it is undergoing significant stress is bonkers - and not necesary. Carbo load the three days before (easy when you aren't doing any significant training) to build glycogen reserves but eat sparingly the day of the race itself to reduce the risk of stomach upset. Lots of runners back in the day ran sub2:30 on nothing more than water (or maybe orange squash!).
To elaborate though. You can't carb load enough to avoid the wall in a marathon unfed. And gels are fine if you're used to them, which is why all advice is to train your gut in training. I took 8 gels on Sunday and I've taken up to a dozen in a 5 hour bike race. I've never had any GI issues. Yes back in the day people did amazing things unfed, but one of the reasons for recent improvements in both the marathon and cycling is science indicating 120g+/hour (much more than the 60-90g previously thought) is optimal. Most runners are STILL underfueling.
I have always said that Sis Beta fuel is legal cheating however I always feel a little bit sick after too. I got mine in at 28k then took my 5th (non caffeinated) gel at 35k first time Ive kept 5 gels down as well. Well done regardless and great videos as always 💪🏻
Having completed over 50 marathons it’s notable that there is a massive increase in running and completing a marathon in the past few years (which is great). Enjoy the big events and forget PBs. Use the minor events, and not the majors, to do PBs would be my advice. Well done on a great time.
I was just about to say something similar, but you hit the nail on the head!
Too right!
Paris have the record of number of finishers currently and London have said they want the record next year. The race director has publicly said he wants 55000 finishers. This is what he said Monday:
He continued: “More people will be able to get in. We will basically probably go for something in the region of 70,000 people to get in to beat the record. So yeah, that's what we're here to announce today. It’s the first time that we’ve said that. We were so close this year.
“Sign up, you never know. We will tell you at the beginning of July, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare.”
Mate, I remember when you were 5-6 weeks out and worried about not even being able to make it to the start line. You made it to the finish line in under 3hrs, and learned a ton in the process. Think of all that additional experience you now have. Sounds like a win. Great job!!
Even my local marathon which has a mass start for Full, Half and 10k has surged ahead in registrations. I've compared the largest registrations over the last 10yrs and this year is over 20% increase across the board, which even the starting section will struggle to accommodate, let alone the paved trail sections about 3km into the race. Getting a lot of anxiety that it will impact my finish time, which I'm trying to beat the BQ by 10mins (since it's very possible that is what you will need to get a bib for 2025!!!). 1st world problems.
For the mega bike races they release you in distinct waves (with large gaps) over a longer period, I don't know if this would help. It could start earlier in the day to compensate. 10am feels quite late, but I guess they want viewers for the elites.
Also as a seasoned spectator it's got way busier than it used to be. You have to pick your spots carefully. Anywhere obvious and easy to get to will be 4 people deep.
I totally agree re the number of runners being too many, also re the ‘good for age’ times - back in 2013 when I was 60 I ran 3:23:45 @ London - they had recently moved the V60 qualifying time out to 3:45, whereas the year before it had been 3:30.
I finished 3,735th in 2013 for 22nd in my age category - this year that time would have only got me 8,224th and 114th MV60 - what a difference!
So everyone is getting fitter do you think?
Well done mate. Marathons are brutal and challenging. You struggled but finished it strong 💯✌️
In big marathons first a couple of kms are the most important ones. That is when you take your position and then you just move with the mass. The whole point is kind of to run at the same pace with people around you. In a start corral one should not stand in the middle but at side to be able to move fast once the race starts and overtake everyone else using sidewalks or whatever opportunities. That way you find "your pace group" after a couple of miles at latest.
Nice debriefing on the race Andy! I remember the first year of the Las Vegas Marathon as a night race (2011) the crowds and race situation were super chaotic. I also had GI issues that night too. Hearing you talk about London brought back a lot of memories of that night. If were to do another marathon I'd probably pick a small to medium sized ones. I'd definitely love to run London if the opportunity came up, but that is sort of a pipe dream right now (given I live in the US). Can't wait to see what you do next.
Same I'd like to do NY marathon but the logistics make it most likely improbable.
Thanks buddy, yeah some marathons can handle the numbers, others aren’t so good at it sadly!
I find it really difficult to pick up pace if im locked into an easy pace. Its the hardest part of my long runs with efforts. I start trying to speed up about 500m early now! 😂
Agree my 4th time and it was way busier on the road this time, got clipped, barged, cut up loads times! Having done NY last yr the roads are way wider so you dont feel crowded even thou its 60,000
NYC 23, 51402 I also ran in in November
Rogh still made it; i run PB but not goal time; main problem is that Andy (I know that you don’t chase PB) and I did not come in right shape; and we knew that there would be a huge crowd even before the race
I ran London 2022 too. It was crowded but not as crowded as this 2024 race for sure
Sorry to hear about your race. I had a rough one too but I started totally aware of what was coming. It was nice to run with you for a bit. I got you a few times on my video! See you in the next one mate.
I love a busy race. 2023 was great fun. A 26mile running party from start to finish. Did brighton this year and spent such a long time by myself and was a bit dead in places. I still have a lot of trouble with social anxiety. I love running as i can interact with people without having to say a word. I feel like i'm on stage and in my comfort zone.
So many are applying for a London place, it'll only get harder if they put the cap back to 40k.
Hi Andy. I found the crowds pretty heavy going and I ran 2.44.55. I had to push past and sprint to the finish at the end to get under 2.45! I wrote a comment on your previous video. Do you think Manchester would be a better place to run a quick time? I don't know much about the course there. I'm reluctant to use the crowds in London as an excuse but perhaps if I could have got into a stride earlier I might have been a couple of minutes quicker. Next year it will be London or Manchester but it's a difficult choice.
That's crazy to run approx 2:45 and having issues with crowds
That bus will be rammed now next year!
Not only does it seem busier but it seems so many people are quicker these days ( I don’t have the stats). As a spectator this year it seemed busy right from those running around 2;45
That's a serious time
Yeah I would agree it was probably around that time that it got busy as my friend ran that time and had a similar experience, but one of my athletes ran 2:42 and said it wasn’t quite as bad
Thank you so much for confirming what I have been telling people about the field size at this year's London Marathon, and recognizing that those of us in the 4-5 hour range were trapped by a wall of, not only runners, but the lions share of walkers (who were allowed to start before the middle/back of the pack runners if their predicted finish time was, I believe, 6.5-7 hours) and large costumes participants. The course is just too small in most places to accommodate that many. Honestly, I think 25k would be ideal, but at least 40k would be a heck of a lot better than 53k. I ran 18 min slower than my Feb 28th marathon, just simply because I was brought to a walk due to road congestion on many occasions. Ruined the experience for me. Also, as you mentioned, although the crowd support was amazing, I have a touch of PTSD and it was much more overwhelming than either Boston or NYC, which also have great crowds, but somehow not quite as frenetic. Congratulations on your sub-3.
London marathon to me is an event where you go for the experience rather than to set a PB
Really enjoyed the series Andy, well done in London. Just wondering what your thoughts are of Maurten 160 gels? I’ve not tried them yet, the gel100’s are thick enough to get down, is there any difficulty consuming a bigger size of gel? With taking on such a large hit of carbs at once do you think there’s a greater possibility that ya would crash even harder soon after?
Will you be doing Swansea Half in June? Could be a solid run to see where you're at. Fast course
We move onto the next one Andy! Well done for getting the job done after being ill with the SiS gels! I’ve always wondering if mixing gels manufactures makes a difference to GI distress?
Very informative, thanks. My wife ran it and to be honest I think it would have been easier to run than spectate. I saw my wife at mile 8, 11 and 23 and I was exhausting getting around. I probably won’t be in a panic back to London. There were just too many people.
Well done to you wife! And you for navigating London! It’s going to get worse next year…. 70000 they’re going for…
It’s great for us to learn from your first hand experience, thank you for sharing, even if it wasn’t the best for you.
Was wondering if you experimented with mixing SiS and Maurten gels before, together with the ketone IQ and whatever else you had in your stomach that morning? They might be all good in isolation, but maybe they don’t play well together, especially when dehydration really kicks in, a couple of hours into the race. For me I found that if I use Maurten in a race or long run, I have to stick with it, drinks and gels. Mixing it with Gu or Tailwind doesn’t work at all.
I carried 5 gels but only used 4 - the last, a Nootropics one at mile 17 - which gave me really good energy and focus. I was told that there's not much point in taking gels past 19 as the stomach can barely handle it. I used the Lucozade Sports drinks stations at miles 21 and 23 which were a godsend and was able to finish strong. I had 3 Precision Fuel gels (1 caff) before the Nootropics. I had a GU caffeine gel + water about 30 mins before starting. Took on lucozade sports drinks at all stations. Best fuelling I've ever done. I can't swallow Maurten when really going for it.
It was crazy busy this year compared to last. I was with the 3.10 pacer and we had to walk at least twice to get through bottlenecks, Im thinking about Newport for next year.
Really appreciate the honesty about London! My partner got a place in the ballot after years of applying. I was so excited to watch him but it was chaos! Would much rather do a smaller marathon where you can quickly sit in a pub after 😂
Well done Andy . Been a very inspiring journey. Even when things have gone bad ,you never gave up.
High five 🖐
Great stuff Andy. You were down and nearly out a few weeks back but you got up and carried on. Obviously its all about attitude, mental toughness as in most of life decisions.
Thank you buddy 👊
Do you think Andy that the traffic problem was allowing too many runners OR having course sections which were just not wide enough for all the runners? Probably both!! No question at the Paris marathon, I too spent the entire 42km dodging and weaving, running into people, getting run into, trying to squeeze through entire groups running together... absolutely exhausting!! However the biggest problem was spectator crowd control, because the spectators kept moving out onto the road looking for their loved ones, which just got tighter and tighter towards the end until the runners didn't have nearly enough space to get through and we were reduced to walking or totally stopping only a few kms from the end , right when we're trying for that last big "sprint" push!! Not my cup of tea at all!!
I was near him for just over halfway and I think it was 3hr bottleneck problem. Many people like me who realistically were 3:05-3:10 runners where there for the first half or so. Add to that people who are 2:50-2:55 runners are probably running conservatively early on, like Andy, so you're squeezing 20 minutes worth of PBs into a 5 minute window and you get a massive crowd. That surge of people into that area made it very tight. As I fell off 3hr pace it thinned considerably. It's like when you look at Strava's analysis of PBs, there always a big bump on major time boundaries.
I find the dropping the good for age is usually about maintaining numbers not reducing them. Like you say, more people are training better, and so the times are being achieved more often. That said great video, and well done on navigating London. I like it there for about 2 days max then I need my space again.
I’ve discovered I’m the same with crowds Andy. This was my first London and I LOVED it. But the last 10k my headphones saved me. And getting straight back to my brother’s place afterwards also saved me. Trafalgar Square was NUTS!
Great roundup of your preparation for the London Marathon. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m running the Newport marathon on Sunday and your videos have helped a lot in my preparation. 🙏🏻
SiS and Maurten gels don’t nearly have enough sodium/electrolytes needed for a marathon. Not sure why so many elite and sub-elite runners use these gels. I suggest using Gu Liquid Energy which as the proper amount of sodium. Moreover, they are liquidy and easy to get down.
Thanks for the suggestion!
MY plan if I ever (won't) do London again would be start right at the back, 5 mins tying my shoes laces, then another wee........ and then I will start, crowds are NOT my thing, Noise hopefully will be calming down, or better still will have to run with noise-canceling headphones to keep peace in my head. is it a marathon or a tourist attraction, crazy how busy it has become with runners and spectators. WELL done though budd, love how honest and personable you are, warts and all, if only others were more like you.
Even before you start there are thousands of people in crowds milling around the park. Perhaps if they started the elite race earlier to allow for more groups to go it would help.
Really enjoyed this post-mortem, a good dissection of how it went. Hard luck with the spew session! From out here in spectator land still amazed at how you pulled a sub 3 out of a disrupted training block, crowded London then a fluorescent-pavement mile 21 (?)! Well done is all I can say. Great training, great race and that's a wrap. One to remember that's for sure. Pat on the back from this viewer 🎉👏.
It's sobering to know that despite your travails a sick Raynor is a faster Raynor than a fit Patrick in fine fettle. Perhaps I should pick up some of that Raynor puke at mile 30 and use it as fuel. RAYNOR SHINE ANDY PULLS IT OFF! 😅
Good morning. You did it. Good luck with your recovery. Like to Andy. !!! The Madrid🇪🇸 Marathon 2024 is coming!!!!.....A nice weekend for everyone.
Well done Andy. I’m running my only 2nd ever Marathon next year in Manchester. As a gluten free runner with a young son, I certainly enjoyed your video previous day before preparation as well as the race. Thanks for the info 👍
Ah best of luck next year! Thanks!
After all you went trough result is really great. Congrats.
Thanks 🙏
Maybe try some of the energy chews for the 2nd half? Something that can sit in your mouth and slowly melt and trickle in carbs. I find they also help keep from my mouth getting dry. If you feel great, you can "chew" through them...if you don't just let them dissolve overtime. Might reduce the stomach issues in the 2nd half of the race?
I did London last in 2021 Andy and I was around were you were 2.54 and it was very congested at the start up to around mile 6/7 and then it spread out a little bit. But it was stressful navigating the crowd and It took me ages to find my rythym. Berlin, Dublin etc are all the same though and it does feel like there are more people around that breaking three hours. Wether it's improved training, super shoes etc but I even see it with my own club.
Maybe try the Maurten drink mix next time easier on the stomach you could carry a bottle and get your family to hold the rest for you and meet them at different points of the race?
Yeah I might experiment with drinks next time instead!
They need more waves. I ran in '22 and struggled a lot until the Cutty Sark (I am way slower than you)
Hey Andy, you didn’t fail - you ran a sub 3 which is superb - and remember the illness that set you back. Great reports of your weekend. Good luck with whatever is next. 👏💪👌
Thanks!
Another great video! The main point to take away from this is south of the river is better than north! 🎉
Yes!!
I watch these race clips and I hardly if ever see anyone taking gels. Are most people really not fuelling during marathons (aside from water/electrolyte drinks)?? What percentage would you say are? Congrats on finishing.
Well done Andy! That's still an impressive time and given the circumstances with the illnesses that you had before hand, it's pretty good. Great video as always! How long does ketone iq take to arrive?
Thanks! Mine takes 5/7 days for me 👊
With regard to numbers, they took some club places away last year, you now need at least 190 runners to get 2 places, they are increasing charity places as they charge the charities loads of money, it stinks a bit but I'd still love to run it!
Always inspiring Andy! The Mario guy (Alex) I met in Barcelona last month, he was attempting a WR but sadly hit the wall like you said. His preparation was perfect just didn’t work out on the day for him. So glad you got to run part of the race with him.
Ah you know him!! I saw he had a Guinness world records tag in his back!
@@TheFODRunner Yes he’s from the UK but is living in Barcelona now. I saw him at Mile 23 just before he stopped & got medical assistance. We were a bit worried on the tracker, we knew something wasn’t quite right. Eventually he finished in just over 4 hours. Gutted he was so close!
great video, lots of new experiences, autmn marathon, here you come
So proud of you Andy. You did so well considering your gut drama later on. I love your race recaps they are so honest and relatable.
Well done, mate. You got to the end and finished it. Knowing your training wasn't where you wanted it to be and the issue of being sick, too. But another sub 3 is good.
I dont know how your wife managed to get around with kids. I found it a massive struggle getting myself around London with the number of people out watching.
I guess the increase on numbers from 40k to 50k is two factors, they want to be the biggest marathon. And because of the yearly backlash from people that have been trying for years to get into the race, they felt the need to increase to 50k. With 1/2 million people applying for the ballot with 50k spaces, it's understandable why people are missing out year in year out. Look forward to seeing what you do at Abingdon. All the best for the rest of 2024. No doubt, I'll see you at a couple of races
Great job getting thru a tough marathon with an upset stomach. How many SiS Nootropics gels did you take? There is a warning label on the packet that says you should only take 1 per day and to take it in the later stage of your run.
I read that - but only after taking 3-4 on a long run - and then wondered why I did not sleep at all that night😂
Yes just the one and it was at 22 miles 👊
Hi Andy! Well done on London, and some good take aways. I tested in race for the first time at London with 2 soft flaks of 250ml that I carried with Beta Fuel powder so mix it up from gels. Maybe worth trying for yourself? 🙏
I’m going to try liquid fuel next time for sure, see how my stomach reacts to it!
Sure thing, let us know how it goes 🎉
Well done Andy, I ran Sunday too (2:58) and saw you next to the arches afterwards with your wife. Wanted to come and say hello, and that I love the channel, but didn't wish to disturb you two. So here it is instead!
Ah thank you, and well done!! That was my cousin who met me 😉 my wife was somewhere on the tube at that point trying to find me 😂
@@TheFODRunner Ah! Apologies! Well I thought I'd leave you to it anyway 😂. Hopefully catch you at another event
A great run in the end Andy, you smashed it mentally to get that sub-3! An inspiration to those of us who want to get anywhere near a PB!
Thanks buddy
i think it’s great more people want to get in to running and get fit or run for a charity that means something to them! congrats on your race great time
I agree, it’s wonderful to see the sport grow!
Hi Andy...there seems to be a trend in recent years for sub elites to consume a lot of gels in training and racing. 5 seems a lot? I had two, not sure they make too much difference in all honesty, caffeine is likely more important. What do you think?
Yeah I try to get 60g carbs per hour as a minimum… as a bigger and taller runner I seem to burn it faster… I’ve done 10 marathons now and even my successful ones I’ve still faded at the end because I run out of energy or hit the wall, it’s extremely frustrating.
You’re extremely fast, 2:30s right? So I’m very impressed at just 2 gels!
@@TheFODRunner yeah, 2.37 this year...coming back from a long term health issue (stone in the salivary gland). Hoping for sub 2.30 next year.
I hear what you are saying about being a bigger athlete, it's a tough one getting the fuelling right!
I’m certainly no where near as fast as you , and was in the 4 hour group at London. The traffic was just as bad there too. Possibly even worse watching your video. Very congested the entire way.
I come from a small town and live in a village.. Hate crouds.. Can't travel during the holidays season because just to many people everywhere..
Thanks for putting a detailed report together crowds looked insane and to run a sub 3:00 hr is a major achievement, I would love to run London 2025 but with more than this years 54,000 I would rather they didn’t add more even if it meant I missed out.
Thanks! Apparently it’s going up to 70000 so I’ve been told 👀
good time..i think i go for a 3.25 this autumn in Oslo or Trondheim ,although im 61. I do a 2.47 on the skierg btw
Amazing!! Best of luck for your autumn training!
Good race review Andy. I completely agree with your good, bad, ugly bit. You mentioned how busy it was and you couldn't imagine what it must have been like for the 3 - 5 hour people. Well I was one of those. I managed 4.21.34. It was far too busy and I spent a lot of time and effort making slight changes to my pace and direction trying to work around others. There was even one point where we were all funnelled through a crossing point, the road narrowed and we all almost had to stop and walk through it because we ended up on top of each other for 20 metres or so. I'm sure it all cost me a few minutes overall - I just couldn't get a clear line of sight to settle into a steady comfortable pace. I also did it in 2022 and I don't remember it being that bad.
That said, I refuse to be too negative about it as an awful lot of runners (including me) were in on charity places. I always used to sneer a bit at this until my Dad got diagnosed with Parkinson's and now I'm very grateful to put on the light blue t-shirt and raise money for them...but I think the race is at full capacity now.
Very well done to you. I wish I could be ill and still get sub 3. I dream of a sub 4!!!
Super vlog thanks Andy - great atmosphere I’m sure but London Marathon is not for me - congratulations on such a challenging run 😊
Thanks!
Inspiring mate
I watched your other video the other day and it really captured the crowd noise and excitement and from that point of view i can see why people want to do it, but i could not believe the traffic at that pace! I have been running a few years now and done a few races but after doing the bathalf in 22 decided that although i enjoyed the experience of crowd support i hated having to weave in and out looking for gaps constantly that these busy races werent for me.Even more so London being forced to go into town for expo etc on another day. Since then i have not been outside of Dorset for a single race. Did my first marathon last year starting and finishing within 6 miles of home in the North Dorset villages marathon,about 400 runners i think and prob an average of 3 people out cheering per mile. A cheering crowd is fantastic but for me the overall experience of leaving home hour before the start,not having to worry about much admin and planning etc is just much more to my liking, Biggest challenge was passing a junction a mile from home at about 19.5 when it was really starting to hurt after going off far too fast!
I don’t blame you, it’s nice and easy when you keep things simple, and you end up enjoying things more too!
I must have been very near you for 25km (didn't see you but recognize others near you, like the guy in the purple tutu and wings 5:38) and what I noticed by positive splitting much worse than you was the wall of people 3hr pacing that you were stuck in, was just that, an artificial crowd at 3hrs. As I dropped back into 3:05 territory the crowd thinned massively.
Have you tried trail marathons in the country as most big marathons are in the big cities
Except for the puking and sub 3 time your marathon and mine were weirdly the same. Felt fine but legs checked out at 20miles. You are right - too many runners even for mid-packers. Sorry to every person I elbowed, trod on or got in the way of.
Yeah it got a bit hustle and bustle didn’t it at points!!
"The death shuffle." Haha!!
I've entered the ballot but yeah I've got social anxiety. That train didn't look fun at all. Might have to turn it down in all honesty.
I think not only is there more people, there are more people going quicker especially around just under sub 3.
Fair play I don't know how you can take all those gels Andy . 3 max for me for the 26.2 . Still a 2.57 👏🏻👏🏻
I was thinking that and some of them were Maurten 160 gels. Only really need one of them per hour.
What's your heartrate when "hitting the wall"? I thought I'd known what hitting the wall was but a few weeks ago I think I actually did it.. zero energy.. getting somewhat lightheaded.. yawning.. tired and what was really strange is I was still keeping an ok pace but my heartrate was only 85'ish. That would be horrendous to do that at the very end of the race.. poor Mario.. hope he finished :(
My HR wasn’t high… mid 160s at that stage? It’s just when you run out of glycogen so it can happen faster if you hit and go over threshold, or slower if you hold a more sustained effort like me but don’t get enough fuel in!
Well done saw you on the course
Btw Mario finished strong. I finished in 2.54.40 and he finished just before me
Thanks! Ah I think that must of been a different Mario… the one I ran with hit the wall at 24 and needed help from Marshalls… he did come back past me and I was 2:57! I was told there were multiple Mario’s out there 😂
I'm a huge fan of the truth. I hate lies! Except when I'm telling them
😂
See you at Abingdon Andy!
I think a London marathon is where you go for the experience rather than to set a PB or anything close to it - any other mindset will likely result in frustration IMO
Absolutely, that’s my takeaway from it for sure
not a big fan of these big events for that reason, too many people ... the ones I race (not marathons) there is usually a limit of less than 400 people, also it's easier to finish top 3 ;p
Dawn was planning to run London next year but having a serious think based on your experience and those of others. We spoke to a chap in the know yesterday who reckons the ambition is to push it up to 70,000 runners. Clearly unsustainable for the city infrastructure, never mind the race experience. In fact your Vlog and Nick Bester's showed the 2:44 / 2:52 pace to be even more crowded than the 3.15 to 3.30 range in which Dawn would hopefully be running.
When we've spectated in the past, we've known the quiet spots to get access to have a good experience. It sounds like Mrs Raynor could not find any this year.
And if you were finding it rammed getting away having run Sub 3 I can't imagine what it was like after 4 hours.
Mind you, Manchester had its own issues, having to stop 4 hour runners getting to the baggage zone for 20 mins or so to let the flow of spectators and those who had finished pass to avoid a dangerous crushing incident.
I hope those in authority take notice.
Yeah it was unreal. And I’ve also heard the 70k number floated around… insane!! It just can’t work and it comes down to greed sadly.
Yeah they all seem to have logistical issues don’t they… I’ll probably find myself back at Newport next year, it’s April 13th when it’s likely to be cooler anyway!
@TheFODRunner yes that's Dawn's thinking now as it's near where she grew up and at rhe end of the Easter Holidays which is good for us.
Just £39 to enter at present.
Hey Buddy ...53899 finishers at Paris Marathon this year , more than 54000 on the starting line 😅....a marathon is now the race to do even if you are a beginner in running...it’s the fashion 😂.....come to Paris next year ...i’m already registered....starting in the "Preferential" wave lol 😊🤩👏👏👏🇫🇷
Wow I didn’t realise Paris marathon was so big!!
You literally just described every marathon Ive done 😂. The embarrassment from the shuffle is real
It’s horrible isn’t it 😂
Way to go grinding it out there Andy. I took sis gels too the beta nootropic ones and didn't know they were caffeine ones until you said 😅 I took 4 of them and a normal sis caffeine one. No wonder I had heart palpitations that night after my race and couldn't sleep😅
I’m not surprised!! 😂
Uncle Gazza getting a mention from big Andy! 🥳
👊
I ran it in just under 4 hours running from blue 9 and it was dense traffic from start to finish too! Not really complaining, because overall it was amazing, but it got really tough going through the water stations and when it got narrower for the crossing points.
I think a lot of people.put their estimated time so much lower than their realistic time. Wasn't frustrated at the time but looking back on it, there was a lot of overtaking that had to be done
@@ITSmeCHEESE That's so TRUE! I was purposefully conservative with my time and spent the whole race overtaking. Still managed to negative split it (just), but maybe I'll pop down 3:30 next time
@@GarethFreshwater well done on sub 4 hours, I'm sure you'll go even lower next time! I put 4 hours as expected time but was 3 mins over it!! First marathon but definitely not my last.
@@ITSmeCHEESE my first was Manchester in about 4:15. You'll smash it 💪
See you in Abingdon 💪
I puked my SIS Beta fuel 200m before the finish in my Half Marathon this weekend. I should have heeded your warning!
Oh no!! Messy finish!
Thing is, would anyone give up their place, who do you allow to run?
I don’t think they would…
Man - incredible you did under 3 and are 3000
I can't see 60-70k participants to break the finisher record - it would be a infrastructure nightmare and really could slow so many people down for quite an extended period of time. Btw, I entered through a tour group form 2025 which will refund me if I make it on through the ballot but need to since it's very tough for us US citizens to get in and my wife is determined to do the Abbott 6 majors and has completed all the US-based marathons. BTW, NYC marathon is larger and the crowds are amazing but the roads are wider on the course and can handle the hoards of runners.
Ah nice, hope you guys have a blast here in 2025! Yeah they’ve confirmed they’re going for 70k next year… unreal!! I can’t see the city handling it well at all
Yes an additional 15,000 or so runners plus all the watchers and it will be madness there - just want to go under 4hrs - not get tripped up get some lace going and hopefully they have more staggered stray times, they'll need it and yes it will be bigger the NYC. Also saw over 840,000+ entries for next year!
Sorry for the typos!
I think you might have taken too much before that Beta Fuel. I think Ketone IQ and Maurten doesn't mix well. In fact, I have seen Maurten causing more digestive problems even though Hydrogel is supposed to solve that but probably mixing Ketone IQ didn't do well.
I’ve tested it loads in training… infact 3 long runs where I’ve had 4 maurten gels and the ketone IQ…. So not sure why it didn’t settle on race day… but I’m definitely going to reevaluate it for next time and keep it more simple
@@TheFODRunner You also had a Maurten 320 before the race. Do you normally add Maurtin 320 drink mix as well? Maybe that added to the digestive stress and, when it was time for SIS you had already exceeded your bodies ability to digest any more carbs?
I have used Maurten, SIS Beta Fuel (with and without nootropics) and I try not to mix them all. Recently, I got some "Victus 02 During" gels, which I think is a brand that is better known among cyclists. Anyway, this gel is similar to SIS Beta Fuel (45g carbs per gel) and in addition includes 320mg sodium. I am evaluating these for long runs and for my next marathon. Take care!
@@TolunayOrkun I’ve seen those victus ones and was curious, I don’t know they had so much sodium in them!
Andy, don’t like to hear you saying ‘I failed’. No way. Too harsh on yourself!
8 minute miles aren't bad after such a scenario
They have increased it to 70k for next year, and they are going for a world record.
☠️
Well done Andy!! I enjoyed the day but never again. I had a very panicky moment trying to get through the crowds to find my husband and daughter. I’m very small and became totally disorientated by not being able to work out where I was. Not a Londoner I’m a rural girl! Will be doing a trail ultra next.
Never run a marathon or anything like it in terms of distance (8 miles my longest race) so tell me i don't know what I'm talking about but to me it's obvious that taking all these gels en route is the road to disaster. Forcing basically pure sugar plus a bit of caffine into your body when it is undergoing significant stress is bonkers - and not necesary. Carbo load the three days before (easy when you aren't doing any significant training) to build glycogen reserves but eat sparingly the day of the race itself to reduce the risk of stomach upset. Lots of runners back in the day ran sub2:30 on nothing more than water (or maybe orange squash!).
You don't know what your talking about. Sorry, but you did ask... ;-)
To elaborate though. You can't carb load enough to avoid the wall in a marathon unfed. And gels are fine if you're used to them, which is why all advice is to train your gut in training. I took 8 gels on Sunday and I've taken up to a dozen in a 5 hour bike race. I've never had any GI issues. Yes back in the day people did amazing things unfed, but one of the reasons for recent improvements in both the marathon and cycling is science indicating 120g+/hour (much more than the 60-90g previously thought) is optimal. Most runners are STILL underfueling.
Did I hear you say you felt "maurtenfied?"
👽👽👽👽IndyMini👽👽👽👽
I have always said that Sis Beta fuel is legal cheating however I always feel a little bit sick after too. I got mine in at 28k then took my 5th (non caffeinated) gel at 35k first time Ive kept 5 gels down as well. Well done regardless and great videos as always 💪🏻