Eddie Izzard marathon man

[LEE]

Having said that, there's also no doubt that without people treating his feet and legs, there's no way he would have got around.  Most of us do an event like a Marathon, and then collapse for a day (or week!) to recover.  He didn't have that option, but having experts on hand to drain your blisters, wrap your feet in bandages, and massage your painful muscles, has to be very useful in such a situation!

That and he was very slow, sometimes spending over 10 hours to do the marathon.
Still impressive though.

It's especially impressive because of his slow times.  He's basically on his feet for 10-12 hours a day.

A top Marathon runner would be able to "jog" a 3.5 hour Marathon with very little impact to their body.
Izzard is basically running flat out when he is running. 

Even walking for 10-12 hours a day would be extremely challenging.  It gets more impressive by the episode.

It's actually made me think about running for the first time in 15 years.

[her_welshness]

Final episode on now. I think I will be emotional.

[Torslanda]

Inspirational and SO driven. There's some real hurt there.

Yes. Me too. Watching this in tears.

J

[TimO]

In some respects, it is kind of surreal, that the reason we are watching it, and what makes it good viewing, is that he is so unprepared, and basically not a very good runner.

If he had spent 6 months regularly running, and eating well, and then went and did all these marathons with some effort, but no real problems, it wouldn't have been much of a programme, and we wouldn't be talking about it.

[Jaded]

To do the last one (in the traffic  ) in 4 hours 40 mins was pretty amazing.

[andyoxon]

In some respects, it is kind of surreal, that the reason we are watching it, and what makes it good viewing, is that he is so unprepared, and basically not a very good runner.

If he had spent 6 months regularly running, and eating well, and then went and did all these marathons with some effort, but no real problems, it wouldn't have been much of a programme, and we wouldn't be talking about it.

Good wasn't it...  A tough guy in the best sense.  I think he's a great runner, though 'unconventional', and you're right - this made for a good TV account of the travels.  He didn't give his body time to recover properly, and his diet wasn't great, but allowing himself to engage with the local people he found on route, be 'diverted', seemed to be a very important aspect of the whole thing (and very personal at times to him re. family history)...though it did nothing for his running rhythm.

[bobb]

I texted Sports Relief a fiver (txt Eddie to 70005). You'd need a heart of stone not to.

Indeed. I just watched the last episode and donated a fiver. I'm absolutely skint, but I'll just have to be a fiver more skint.

Legend. And all for a great charity.

[Chris S]

Indeed. I just watched the last episode and donated a fiver. I'm absolutely skint, but I'll just have to be a fiver more skint.

Ditto. I'm not a big giver to charity - but this one is worthy - and Eddie Izzard's feats more than worthy. I too did the text thing this morning after watching the final installment.

[little miss mac]

I loved it. I was desperate to go to bed last night but couldn't drag myself away from the telly. What an incredibly moving feat of endurance. I too texted a fiver - for him rather than the cyclists who were on earlier in the evening. Wish I'd known when he was doing it as I'd have popped over to Traf Sq for the finish.

Did anyone see the bit with the ultra endurance runner who joined him for a while? She was crackers, absolutely barmy, in the best sense of it. She ran thousands of miles after her husband died, just because. Nuts.

[keeks]

I 've recorded the last episode and really looking forward to it. Already texted me fiver in , so my conscious is clear when I watch it 

[andygates]

I'm feeling very wussy about my knee-DNF right about now.

[toekneep]

Just caught up with the final episode on IPlayer. What a man. Nail biting right down to the last couple of miles. Great entertainment, fantastically inspiring and a brilliant fund raising achievement to top it all. Well done that man.

[simonp]

I'm feeling very wussy about my knee-DNF right about now.

s/wussy/sensible/g

[Rig of Jarkness]

What an amazing achievement !  But nul points for the complete muppet who did the route planning !  What did they use, the route map in their pocket diary ?  

[LEE]

Amazing finale, ankle problems causing a nail-biting last few days.

What amazing determination, 42 days of mind over pain.  I can just about contemplate dealing with blisters and ankle problems to get to the end of a Marathon but not 43 of them, one after the other.  That's just too much.

I reckon he's gone from a non-runner to a 4 hour Marathon runner in 2 months.

(He basically did a 4:40 marathon on his last day with traffic congestion, detours, blisters, ankle problems and cramped legs. I'm sure that, with clear roads, clear directions and without 42 previous marathons in his legs, he'd be capable of <4 hours now).

Perhaps he's someone who, if they'd started training at 20, could have been ideally suited to competetive ultra-distance running.  He seemed to "feel" it's was something he could just do. He obviously has the mentality to get through the bad patches that come with ultra-distance.

Note.  I sort of pity anyone entering the London Marathon this year.  Eddie has given it a sort of "just one? so what?" factor.

[teethgrinder]

I reckon he's gone from a non-runner to a 4 hour Marathon runner in 2 months.

(He basically did a 4:40 marathon on his last day with traffic congestion, detours, blisters, ankle problems and cramped legs. I'm sure that, with clear roads, clear directions and without 42 previous marathons in his legs, he'd be capable of <4 hours now).

He also waited for his team when they had trouble. He'd easily do a sub 4 hour marathon now.

Perhaps he's someone who, if they'd started training at 20, could have been ideally suited to competetive ultra-distance running.  He seemed to "feel" it's was something he could just do. He obviously has the mentality to get through the bad patches that come with ultra-distance.

I think that the experts on his team don't know much about the psychological side of things. I think that Eddie was spot on. His logic was wonky, but the way he broke the runs down and made them more fun was a very good tactic. Not that I'm entirely sure that he knew it was the best thing to do.


Perhaps he's someone who, if they'd started training at 20, could have been ideally suited to competetive ultra-distance running.  He seemed to "feel" it's was something he could just do. He obviously has the mentality to get through the bad patches that come with ultra-distance.

Note.  I sort of pity anyone entering the London Marathon this year.  Eddie has given it a sort of "just one? so what?" factor.

But to be fair, Eddie's marathons were really slow. I doubt that many will be spending more than 7 hours doing the London Marathon, let alone 10. That's not taking anything away from Eddie.
It's noteworthy that Fiona Campbell was walking about 40 miles per day on her walk around the world.

[simonp]

I don't think Eddie's thing will devalue the achievement of a marathon at all.  It's exactly as hard as it was before.  Too hard for me, I reckon.

[border-rider]

Still catching up with this

Just seen the hand-cyclist.  I'm speechless with admiration for that guy.

[Frenchie]

I don't think Eddie's thing will devalue the achievement of a marathon at all. 

I don't either. His fastest time was 5:40. He did a 30 Mi run in 10 hours too; walking pace and without carrying any pack. Running a marathon, fast, fitting training with full time work, with no support etc. will always be an achievement. What was stricking in Izzard was his will.

[bobb]

His fastest time was 5:40.

His fastest time was his final run at 5:00:30. He stopped for 20 minutes to wait for the camera crew. And he got lost! I think if he hadn't already run 40 marathons in the previous 6 weeks he could get a very respectable time....

[mattc]

Quote from a (pretty dedicated) local cyclist:

I don't understand how someone can be that fat after running 40 marathons.

I had to smile!

[Frenchie]

Quote from a (pretty dedicated) local cyclist:

I don't understand how someone can be that fat after running 40 marathons.

I had to smile!

I thought too, tbh, that he was quite round in the show I caught up last night, for someone who was running these distances daily. I am round right now but it is because I eat too much in comparison to what I ride/run.

[Karla]

I reckon he's gone from a non-runner to a 4 hour Marathon runner in 2 months.

(He basically did a 4:40 marathon on his last day with traffic congestion, detours, blisters, ankle problems and cramped legs. I'm sure that, with clear roads, clear directions and without 42 previous marathons in his legs, he'd be capable of <4 hours now).

He also waited for his team when they had trouble. He'd easily do a sub 4 hour marathon now.

LEE had already factored that in.  Eddie's final day took 5:00:30 but he waited for the camera crew for 20 mins, which took him down to 4:40.