Walking a Marathon (in a day)

Go Sue.
I guess you will need to work up to some training walks of around 10-15 miles.
Take Compeed dressings for the blisters they are incomparably better than the old fashioned kinds.

My longest walk so far is 11 kms but I walk every day, usually for two or three hours and up very steep mountain paths. You will certainly need to build up to 26 miles. Do you have the time to fit in about four hours a day? You will need plenty of water but I expect it will be supplied en-route. I walk in walking boots with good ankle support but I am not usually walking on hard surfaces.
I do carry blister plasters but haven't needed them so far because my boots are so comfortable and I wear thick socks (actually made partially of possum fur - I got them in New Zealand).
I use Nordic walking poles which are a huge help - would they be allowed on your walk?

I swear by '1000 mile' socks, which are double-layered with cotton for the inner layer. I have never had a blister, but not covered more than 15 miles. I would suggest you wear good quality boots and break them in well before the event. Using a pair of poles would take some of the pressure from your knees, and you can get a good rhythm going. Good luck GrandmaMiney, it is for a great cause.

Thank you all for your helpful comments. I am walking about 5-6 miles three or four times a week. I've walked the walls of Richmond Park, Surrey, which is 9 miles. It has quite undulating ground and a couple of hills, so that is useful. I intend to walk twice around the Park next week.
Last time I wore some really good boots I have had for 18 months, but my feet have changed (!) and I got 3 black toes. I now have some Meindle walking shoes which I am breaking in.

I think I'll take a pole or maybe 2, although I don't do Nordic walking (thanks for positive comments on poles, Greatnan and shysal). Love your possum fur socks, Greatnan, but don't think I'll find them locally!

Which boots do you find so comfortable? I've been to Cotswold Outdoor and had my feet measured etc, but I'm still not 100% sure I've chosen the right ones.
All comments welcome...

I have Meindle walking boots, which I had fitted in our local shop. They are German and apparently a wider fit but I've never had any problems with them and find them extremely comfortable.

26 miles is the same distance as the Moonwalk, which is usually walked at night. I know people who have done that and they certainly train for it and build up their walking time.

Is yours one where people dress up?

I live in France, and I got my boots from my favourite shop - Decathlon, for only €25. They do have branches in England. My daughter paid over £100 for her boots but I feel mine are just as good.

I too like Meindl boots because I have a bunion and need a wide fit. I also replace the insoles with Superfeet ones, which come in various types to suit your feet and walking action. www.healthandcare.co.uk/superfeet.html?gclid=CIXlw_DzmLECFU6JfAodEBvP5A
A shop like Cotswold Outdoors should be able to advise you.

I found a website especially for marathon walkers, hope it helps.
www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/training/walkers/walkathon.asp

Respect - I am full of admiration for you and hope it goes really well. How wonderful you will feel when you have done it!

Thanks again for all the helpful comments and encouragement re Meindle shoes, so far so good.
I response to Soupy's comment. I sincerely hope I don't have to dress up--just getting the right gear to cope with all the vagaries of the English weather is enough! So far I reckon I shall need everything from sun protection (hope springs eternal) to very waterproof hat, jacket, trousers and boots, and poles to stop me slipping on the muddy hills.
I'm sure I'll probably get straw stuck somewhere so suppose I could qualify as a scarecrow...
Please carry on with the helpful comments. I'm about to try shysal's links.

I realise I had already checked the runtheplanet site, thanks shysal) and started trimming their training programme this morning! I have just 8 weeks to go, so it is definitely the 18 miles, (twice around Richmond Park) goal for me on Monday. Watch this space....

I ran the London Marathon in 2011 - quite slowly in just over 5 hours. For that little adventure, I bought a book called 'How to run a Marathon'. I guess there must be books [as well as websites, as Shysal has found] about walking long distances - and 26 miles is a very long distance. Key to running a marathon from scratch was building up to longer and longer distances over about 6 months, up to around 20-22 miles. I ran over 400 miles in training. I'm not sure how walking would compare to running but I imagine it would be best to get a few, very long training walks in before the big day. Tips that would transfer from running to walking would include not wearing any new kit on the day, making sure you have good, comfortable boots - and cutting your toe-nails before the walk! Very good luck with your training, fundraising and your walk. I'm doing a 5 Half Marathon Challenge for Astro [for brain tumour research] this year - 5 half marathons is physically a much easier challenge than the London Marathon.

Hi Frankel, sounds like you worked incredibly hard to get ready for the 2011 Marathon. 5 hours sounds good to me. I reckon it will take me 10 for the trekathon. Thanks for the advice.
Very good luck to you for your 5 Half Marathons, and for your Astro fundraising.

Before I took up mountain walking seriously, I used to use an ordinary crook-handled walking stick for my strolls. However, I find it is much better to use two poles - you can get into a really good rhythm and you get very toned upper-arms
Granjura likes to use exactly matching poles, but I find it helpful to use poles of slightly different diameter, because you can swap them over if your fingers get a bit stiff in one position.!

Last week I had a wonderful surprise. My charity (Nordoff Robbins music therapy for children via the Classic FM foundation) received a donation from someone I do not know. There is no e-mail address, so I can't thank them personally. I wondered if it was from a Gransnet member who had seen this forum page.
If it is--thank you so much, whoever you are, for visiting my www.justgiving.com/SueBSmith71 web page and making this donation. It has really spurred me on.

I did it! I achieved my training goal for the month--and walked twice around Richmond Park. My distance walked for today is 46.08Km, or 22.5 miles. As it was about the hottest day of the year so far, it was not fast--but at least I am more confident that I'll complete the 26 miles on 8 September.
Meindl walking shoes stood up well. Today I wore Bridgedale socks. I tried the 1000mile socks, but the lycra made them too tight a fit. Any clues as to how to overcome this?

Well done, that is very impressive, you are well on target now.

Glad it's going well, Miney. It looks as if you will walk your marathon easily. Bridgedale socks are great. I wear them all the time. About the lycra ones being too tight – could you get the same style in a large size?

Very well done from me, too - as you've found, 22.5 miles in training prepares body and mind and the confidence you now have is very important. I wear 1000 mile socks running and they work well - I don't remember having had a blister. I guess the obvious answer to your question is that, with 1000 mile socks, you need slightly larger boots but, if your boot/sock combination works for 22.5 miles, perhaps stick with that. Otherwise, maybe ring a stockist like 'The Runners Shop' and ask your question or, if there's the walkers equivalent of the free website 'Runners World', see if there's a forum to pose your question there. In any case, well done and good luck.

Thank you Greatnan, Bags and Frankel for your support and encouraging & helpful comments. Unfortunately none of my friends here in London are quite as 'mad' as me when it comes to the draw of a new challenge! So it really does help enormously to get online support.
I just missed seeing the Olympic flame on its way through Richmond yesterday. I took a detour from my in-park route to try to catch it about half a mile away, but missed it by 3 minutes! However the sight of deer (stags showing off their new antlers), heron, some Shetland ponies and the lovely grass and massive trees of the Park were reward enough. For a city-dweller!
Re the 1000 mile socks. The size was fine, but it is the in-built lycra content that made them feel constricting. A pity as they felt very smooth and comfortable apart from squeezing my foot (and it is a slim foot!). But as Frankel said, if I've found a combination that works for that distance, I think I'll stick with it. Amazingly no aches and pains today after a really good night's sleep!

Good that you slept well and have no aches and pains, miney. I used to find after a long hill walk that sometimes the muscle tiredness would kick in more than twenty-four hours later, so don't be surprised if that happens a bit. It sounds as if you're feeling fit and strong and ready for the challenge. When is your next training walk?

Well done miney, seems you are well on the right track. I don't think you need to have actually walked the full distance leading up to the day. 22 miles sounds great. I admire you for your determination, you are fantastic. Your name on Just Giving suggests you are 71, is that so? - I doubt whether I could manage it at 66.
I will make a donation via Just Giving,it is for a great cause. It is so easy and you won't have to chase people for the money afterwards, which is the worst part of any sponsored activity.
Good luck!

Miney, congratulations on doing 22miles. That's so impressive especially n the heat. Good luck

To all the wonderful gransnet exercisers who keep me going with such encouraging words--Thank You,
And a huge thank you to Shysal for your kind donation via my Justgiving webpage (which goes directly to the charity I am doing the trekathon for). I have now reached 60% of my target, so that also encourages me.
I was a nurse and a Health Visitor, and could see the benefit of music therapy for babies and children (and their families) who sometimes had huge physical and other problems. For more details of the charity, please see my webpage (address on my 23 July entry above--and yes, Shysal is right about my age!)