advice Archives - The Stray Ferret

Tips I wish I’d known before my first marathon, according to Yorkshire runners

(Image: Pixabay)

You may have entered your first marathon this year, and no matter how much you prepare beforehand, it’s nearly impossible to anticipate exactly what will happen on the day.

There are many runs taking place across Yorkshire and beyond this year, and there’s a fair chance a great many newcomers have chosen one to be their first official event.

In 2023, over 10,000 people took part in the Rob Burrow Leeds marathon with this year’s event set to be even larger. Then there’s the London marathon, which is taking place on April 21, and attracts around 48,000 runners from all over the globe.

26.2 miles is a daunting distance, but the challenge can be part of the enjoyment – take it from these marathon veterans, who have come together to share their first-hand advice and knowledge.

‘Plan your fluid intake properly – and find a running buddy’

The piece of advice I’d would give anyone starting their marathon journey would be find a friend to run with.

Not only does it become a social thing, but when you make a commitment to go for a run with someone you always go, whatever the weather, and don’t make an excuse to stay in. That’s by far the best way to make sure you do your training miles.

And on the day of the race, plan your fluid – and food or gel – intake. I didn’t, it was the one thing I didn’t prepare properly. So, late in the run I drank too much, including an isotonic drink, that I then threw back up!

Dave, 61, Nun Monkton.

‘Training can be lonely and long’

The main thing I wish I’d known was how the training would be. It can be lonely and long – it’s very hard and it’s a serious commitment.

But crossing the finish line with my daughter negated all the hard work. I was just so proud of her, and to share the experience together.

Simon, 59, Harrogate.

‘Check the route to work out the difficult parts’

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I ran the Manchester marathon in 2017 and really wish I checked the route in more detail. I actually ran on the day without earphones because it said there would be crowds and didn’t recommend them.

The route went out of Manchester city centre so on the 20 – 21st mile or so there was a long stretch of running by fields with no spectators, water stops or people handing out sweets and I was pretty close to stopping because I was tired and lacked motivation.

If I checked the route, I would have probably known this would be the most difficult part. I also wish I’d done longer training runs – the extra 10 miles on the day was killer.

Nick, 28, Leeds.

‘The support of fellow runners and the crowd is the best motivation’

There’s a special energy on event days, and everyone gets behind the runners which is the best motivation to keep going.

It’s hard to explain how much it actually helps though, you really have to experience it. Whether it’s a runner giving you words of encouragement or the crowd cheering you on, it can be the difference between pushing on or stopping.

Lydia, 44, Ripon.

‘Invest in a quality set of headphones that will last the whole run’

I wish I’d known to invest in a pair of wireless headphones that had a longer battery life, as mine died around mile 19 or 20.

For me, this was the stage of the marathon where I was really struggling and only being able to hear shoes pounding the floor and my heavy breathing was even more mind-numbing.

Tom, 22, York.

‘You have to sacrifice a lot of hours but completing it makes every second worth it’

(Image: Pixabay)

No amount of training can truly prepare you for how challenging a marathon is. Every inch of your body will tell you to stop, but knowing you can overcome that is pretty monumental.

It’s a real commitment and you have to be prepared to sacrifice a lot of hours to train. But, ultimately, it’s an endurance sport – it’s not meant to be easy – and knowing you’ve completed it makes every second of training worth it.

Also if possible, do the marathon with someone else. Training can get lonely and it’s hard to keep only yourself motivated. I wouldn’t have even signed up for a marathon if it wasn’t for my dad, let alone have crossed the finish line without him running it by my side.

Flora, 24, Harrogate.

‘My friend said marathons were addictive, and she was right’

I wish I’d known that my experienced runner friend Kate was right, and that running marathons is addictive, when I said I was only going to do one.

Now 14 marathons later I realise how important that was. Although you have to train hard and running 26 miles is a long way, just finishing one gives you a real sense of achievement and the pain is quickly forgotten.

Nev, 60, North Yorkshire.

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Huge interest in new group for Harrogate parents of neurodiverse children

More than 200 people have already signed up to a new Facebook group designed to help local parents with neurodiverse children, just days after it was set up by two Harrogate mothers.

Emily Mitchell and Ashlie Charleton founded Sen Hub Harrogate – Parent Support to enable parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) to access information about SEN-friendly groups and classes, as well as support and advice about Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Emily, whose daughter Elsie is autistic and non-verbal, told the Stray Ferret:

“We want to make a beautiful little community where we can all help and support each other. It can be quite lonely sometimes as the parent of a neurodiverse child, so it’s really nice to be able to reach out and find other people who are in the same position and understand the challenges. Having that support is absolutely vital.

“There are actually quite a lot of things going on now. We’ve got Neurodiverse Stay and Play on Thursday mornings at Oatlands Community Centre, Diverse Minds every second Tuesday after school, and Saturday afternoon sessions at Harrogate Gymnastics on Hornbeam Park – and there’s a lot more stuff starting up and becoming available.

“It’s really nice to be able to find things that enable us to give our kids a ‘normal’ upbringing.”

The pair started the group – which can also be found on Instagram – after being shocked by how little help parents received when their children were first diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.

Ashlie, whose son Harry is three-and-a-half, said:

“They say there’s no handbook for raising a child, but having a neurodiverse child is a completely different ballgame.

“When I was going through the process of finding out my son was autistic, we were more or less left to it. We were given an online course to go on, which turned out to be a video call with about 50 other parents, but there was no opportunity to get individual feedback or ask questions personal to our children. We weren’t told anything about all the things, like DLA and EHCP, that can make life easier. We just didn’t want other parents to go through all that.”

In a report published in May this year, North Yorkshire Council estimated that since 2016 the number of children and young people with SEN and an EHCP has increased by more than 110% across the county.

Business Breakfast: Free course to boost start-up businesses in Harrogate district

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

A free seven-week course will help entrepreneurs in Harrogate get their start-up businesses off the ground.

Up to 30 places are available on the Strive course, run by York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, City of York Council, Harrogate Borough Council, & Enterprise CUBE.

Beginning on Tuesday, October 4, it will offer a series of workshops and individual advice sessions and challenges, before giving out £2,500 of prizes at the end of the programme.

Topics will include creating a brand, taking payments, building an online presence, and dealing with the legal and tax requirements of setting up a business.

Laura Mumford, an award-winning entrepreneur from Enterprise CUBE, said:

“We’re finding more and more people are looking at other ways to make their own income through starting their own business.

“We’re seeing lots of people join our courses who want to start building a business now, to have some extra security, and extra income coming in.”

A free taster session takes place in the Minster Room at Harrogate Civic Centre on Tuesday, September 27 from 7-9pm. The course will run via Zoom.

To find out more or book a place, visit the course page on the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website.

Director appointed to Harrogate district law firm

An experienced solicitor has joined a practice in the Harrogate district as a director.

Mark Jones, who was previously partner at Harrowells in York as well as at LCF Law and Raworths in the past, joins Newtons to work on wills, probate, trusts and estates, including inheritance tax planning, from its Ripon and Harrogate offices.

As well as being a long-serving member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, he is a committee member of Harrogate and District Law Society.

Mr Jones said:

“Having known [Newtons managing director] Chris Newton for well over 20 years, I’ve watched with great admiration what he has achieved in building Newtons into the firm it is today from scratch. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to be part of that journey.”

Considering divorce? Before you do anything, read this…

This article is sponsored by Harrogate Family Law.

If the prospect of divorce has crossed your mind, you’ll know it’s one of the biggest decisions you could ever make.

Whether you have been married for many years or only a short time, considering ending the relationship can be daunting: from finances to children, there are many aspects which make the situation feel complicated.

Before you make a decision, here are some suggestions which could make the process easier for everyone involved.

Speak to a solicitor

This may feel like a big step, and one which should come much further down the line, but it’s actually something many people do in the early stages – even before speaking to their spouse.

Andrew Meehan, director of Harrogate Family Law, said:

“A lot of people come to us when they haven’t even decided it’s finally over.

“It’s the biggest decision you will ever make in your life, but most people have never been through it before.

“Knowledge is power: people want to know what they are in for and what they would potentially come out with.”

Choose the right law firm

It’s important to do your research and be confident in your choice. Your solicitor will need to know everything about your life, including your finances, so make sure it’s someone you feel comfortable with.

Solicitors are not just there to resolve disputes, but are an essential part of ensuring any agreement is legally sound.

Mr Meehan said:

“Even if you have agreed a settlement with your ex-partner, it still needs to be put into a court order so it’s binding.

“People sometimes think that the introduction of no-fault divorces means they don’t need to have everything done through solicitors, but that’s not the case.

“Whether it’s an amicable settlement or things are more contentious, it is really important to get the right advice to ensure your settlement is fair from the outset and will be fair to you in the future too.”

Do your research

In many divorces, there is an imbalance of assets between the two parties. While one person having a higher income than another can be obvious, it’s often also the case that pensions, trusts, business ownership and other factors need to be considered to ensure the settlement is fair.

Getting all the information together will help your solicitor to ensure you get what is fair and that your needs for the future will be protected.

Mr Meehan said:

“We deal with a lot of cases where there is a family business to consider, or where one partner has focused on their career to earn money for the family while the other has taken a step back to raise the children and look after things at home.

“Not only does that mean their current incomes are vastly different, but it also means their future earning potential, their pension provision and their other assets can be affected quite significantly.

“Knowing all of these details helps us to get the full picture of the finances and ensure they are split fairly, so one partner is not disadvantaged because of the role they played while the family was together.”

Don’t panic

Facing divorce at the outset can be a worrying time, even if it is likely to be amicable.

When you add in potential challenges, such as one partner making the situation more difficult or displaying narcissistic tendencies, it can feel insurmountable.

However, your solicitor should be there to guide you through it and ensure the end result is right for you, said Mr Meehan.

“Our strapline is ‘on your side’ and that’s what a good solicitor should be. They should understand your worries and help to put your mind at ease.

“We know that people are often concerned about the necessities: keeping a roof over their heads, having money to pay bills and cover their legal fees, and managing their finances before the settlement is agreed.

“Having the right solicitor who understands this is absolutely essential for your peace of mind, now and in the future.”