#VLM2013 - First 4 weeks of training complete

I've just completed the first four weeks of my Virgin London Marathon training schedule. I've covered 120 miles in 20 runs and managed to stick to my plan so far. 

Some thoughts;

• The recent snow was a real pain but it did make me focus on time on my feet rather than the pace I was running at. Due to the ice, it was impossible to run fast, which actually trained me to enjoy running slower.
• Buying some new running shoes was well overdue. I went back to Nike Pegasus +29 and now have about 40 miles covered in these. My heel pain in my right foot has eased and I'm much more comfortable in these shoes. I'm going to get a second pair on pay day and alternate them over the next 12 weeks and pick the ones with the least mileage for the big day.
• Twitter has proved great. I've been tweeting my runs with the #VLM2013 hash tag and have hooked up with loads of other fellow VLM 2013 runners. What is great about this, is I can share my marathon thoughts with fellow marathon runners, rather than boring the hell out of my work colleagues, family and friends. It's great and really helps with motivation when you can check on people round the country going through the same training.
• I love the planning. I don't suffer with OCD but I do plan things in detail, I've got a schedule on the nobo board in the kitchen. I mark off every session and mark how many runs I have left until the 21st April (58 in case you were wondering). I find breaking the training down into a visible plan and make sure it is on view so the family knows what I am doing, works a treat. 
• Hydration and food. I've borrowed a hydration belt and have started trying gels. All of which have worked really well, though I'm only taking one gel halfway through my 14 mile runs at the moment. I'm going to step this up to one gel every 5 miles once I go up to 18 miles. I also want to try some gels with caffeine in them.
• Running solo is dull, running in a group is great. This is a bit of a no brainer but really does make the miles fly when your are running with friends. Luckily I know quite a few members of my running club who are also in training, so I am able to post a run on the forum and to date have had people join me each time. 

So based on the first four weeks I am motivated and enjoying it. Lets see how I feel in another four weeks and start to step up the mileage even further.

I'm raising money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, so if you would like to sponsor me, you can from the link below.

http://www.justgiving.com/andrewbyrom