19 Struggles Of Training For The London Marathon

Jelly babies are a food group, right?

1. Getting a ballot place and starting training in comfortable smugness.

instagram.com / Via @welltodolondon on Instagram

Oh you applied for a ballot place seven times and never got one? Too bad, I got one first try.

2. Getting a charity place and dismissing how many times it's socially acceptable to ask your friends for money.

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3. Training plan anxiety sets in.

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I'm gonna run HOW many miles over the next few months?!

4. You rapidly develop MBS (Marathon Bore Syndrome).

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Did I mention I'm running the London Marathon? 'Cause, you know, I'm like, totally running the London Marathon.

5. You want to high five other runners you see out on your training runs (then you remember you're British and such flagrant displays of emotion are generally frowned upon).

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6. You read books about how Kenyan runners train, because clearly, you're on that level.

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7. The longer your runs get, the smaller your city seems.

By the time you get to those 20 mile runs, you feel like you're in a hamster wheel.

8. Asking for charity donations goes from polite to mildly annoying.

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I've been at this training thing a few weeks now, I've got my first blister, see, I'm suffering. Donate some money!

9. You become an expert in Google Maps while planning out your 20 mile runs.

10. OHMYGOD I LOVE RUNNING!!!

You have that great run where you feel like you're flying and everything is right in the world and you're pretty sure you saw a unicorn at some point.

11. OHMYGOD! RUNNING SUCKS!!!

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You have that terrible run where nothing goes right and you just want to hitch a lift back home.

12. Food. Just give me all the food please.

Via @melissaweldonuk

With all these miles you're putting in, you're constantly hungry and think you may have developed a tape worm.

13. Is sleep considered cross training?

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The way you face plant onto your bed after a run could be considered pretty athletic.

14. It's acceptable to start carb loading 8 weeks away from race day, right?

@emilylouisegrace on Instagram

More pasta, you say? I'd LOVE some.

15. Blisters and missing toe nails better be on trend this spring.

Whatever dreams you had of being a foot model have been well and truly dashed.

16. You consider hitting up wealthy Saudi princes to donate to your charity.

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'Cause one more Facebook post asking your friends to do so will cause several people to permanently sever ties with you.

17. You consider asking anyone who gives you so much as a handshake to give you a full body massage.

Seriously, just a quick rub down of my legs. It doesn't have to be pervy at all. Everything hurts. *weeps*

18. Can we just run this race already?

Hana Barbera/ Scooby Doo

You haven't had a cupcake in months. It's time to end this suffering.

19. You cannot resist the beautiful madness of the marathon expo.

Via @zoe_londonandme on Instagram

You go to pick up your race number, you leave with new trainers, seven types of energy gel, a heart rate monitor and roughly four million flyers for races in parts of the world you've never heard of.

WOO HOO! RACE DAY!

After all the blood, sweat and tears, the day is finally here. Time to pound that pavement, soak up the cheers, high five some kids and eat all the jelly babies.