Rotary Shakespeare MARATHON

Well there it is , my first marathon entry . A little early perhaps but knowing my luck had I left it another few weeks it would have been full!. I've never done a marathon before but I've been running and racing for three years . I've done five Half Marathons this year with a PB of 1:46 (though that was last year - this year it's been always around 1:47 - 1:49) . The furthest I've ran is 16 miles but I intend to remain at 16 miles on my long runs till I feel comfortable to press out to the 20.

I've entered the Seagrave Wolds Challenge 15.7 miler in November and intedn to take full advantage of the many spring 20 milers that are laid on in the Midlands.

Who is up for this then??
«13456799

Comments

  • Hello Mike, I've had my eye on this for my first marathon for a while now. I'm in the ballot for FLM so will probably wait for the outcome of that before signing up. Although I'm not sure whether I would want to do FLM as my first marathon.

  • Hi Crash02 - I didn't fancy all the hassle of the FLM , I just want the distance challenge . It's cheaper too and now I've entered online I'm certain of a place like it was a local 10K . I mustn't let this get in the way of the almost weekly 10K's etc I love to do in the spring and early summer so I can't pick up an injury . I need to gently ease out up to Xmas to 20 miles. I'm doing 16 tomorrow in preperation for a 15.7 mile race in November.

    If I ease out gently I should be fine.
  • I kind of agree about FLM being a bit of hassle, I would like to do it someday but perhaps not just yet. I'll probably sign up for Stratford regardless of the ballot outcome now. Sounds like the right idea, gradually increasing the mileage. How was your 16 miler? I'm having an easy day today as I'm running the Lady Godiva Half tomorrow. 
  • I should have like to do the Godiva half but as usual I didn't realise it was on till it was full. I went out this morning instead of Sunday as I wanted a full rest before going to work Monday.

    It went very well indeed , a climb to the top of the Barr Beacon , one of the west midlands highest points then a gentle downward to meet the Canal system after 6 miles - then it's 10 miles on the canal back home in a wide loop round from there. I went a little too fast to be honest - I must be more disiplined to run at 9/min/miles . I did this run at the end of Sep in 2:30 it took 2:26 this morning.

    I took the opportunity to try running with a bumbag belt thingy with some gels in and a lucozade drink in a soft pack . That was OK as well so all in all well worth it .

    Time will tell if there are any bad side effects!
  • Hello Mike!

    I did Shakespeare marathon as my first marathon earlier this year. I really enjoyed it, and cant speak highly enough of it.

    It is a two lap course and the second lap is a bit of a killer along the Greenway. But it isn't that hilly, and I would definately recommend this to anyone. It is a friendly crowd of people, with half marathon entries outnumbering marathon entries about 3:1 at a guess.

    I will be there again this year, but only to do the 'fun run' half marathon, as I have a guaranteed entry to FLM 2 weeks earlier.

    Good luck, and enjoy the training!

  • I've heard about the greenway being a bit dust and boring but it's a small price to pay for it being flat.

    How did they guarantee your entry? good for age or multiple entries?
  • Its a nice marathon

    I like it

  • Are you up for this plodding?
  • Yeah its very dusty! But one thing I must say about the Greenway is dont get sucked in by its reputation (everything I had read meant I had built it up in my mind to be something tougher than it actually was), its tough but Im sure the last 6 miles of every marathon is hard.

    Plus I had not done enough long runs (20 miles+) so the last 4.5 miles were very hard! But that is exactly what I had expected, so very enjoyable!

    Got my Guarenteed Entry for 5 rejections, certainly not good enough for GFA!

  • This is a good run. This year did it as my first full Mara in over 20 yrs, & enjoyed it (can you actually enjoy one). Greenway is mind over pain on second lap--its all goes very quiet, but on the bright side - no hills on it. I should be there in 08.

    Just off to Godiva half-looks cold.

  • Mike, If i am free i will be there

    image)

    Good to have you on board

  • I hope I'll see you there plodding!! I'm doing the Seagrave Wolds Challenge 15.7 in November , have you tried that?

    As to the greenway I'd still rather run down there than on a road or street. I train a lot on the canals with the changable surfaces they sometimes have so I think it'll be ok. I wonder how many 20 milers will be enough - I'll be out to 20 by Xmas as I'm at 16 now .

    Good luck bettsy - the crowds body heat will keep you warm!
  • ooh no I havent

    when is it

  • 27th Aprl next year - I did say it was a bit of an early start but I didn't want to get all hyped up then find no places left!!
  • no, the 15 mile thingy!
  • LOL what am I like???

    Its the 17th November - on the Saturday before Suicide Six.

    http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/viewevent.asp?sp=&v=1&EN=39756

    it's a walking event too I just fancied the distance but it is in Loughborough and starts at 9am so it'll be a very early start out for me!
  • hmmmmm

    and the day before Cornish marathon

    ah well

  • Mike-crowds were warming today at Godiva, but still needed a bin bag for 1st mile! I looked at Seagrave, but a bit far away for the early start, and all the stuff on their forum about maps & not getting lost was interesting. I'm still thinking about it.

  • Plodding - Cornwall in November - Blowing a Gale!!

    Bettsy - I hope it went well . I'm all up for Seagrave but it'll take just ove an hour to get there which is about as far as I'd want to go for a day to race . I went down to the New Forest for a few Halfs but we camped the night in our VW van.

    Yesterdays 16 mile seems to have left no ill effects - running long on Sat was a good idea , giving me a lie in to get over it!
  • well, it wasnt last year

    lovely marathon, but toughimage

  • It sounds cracking - the scenery alone would be worth it but it's too far and late in the year to go and camp.

    I always fancied the Snowden Marathon but I doubt I'm *that* fit!!
  • Mike

    you are fitter than me, and i would do it

    image

  • Ahh but it's about experience - it's dark unknown territory to me . Once I've taken these jollopy legs out to 26 then I'll know they can do it!
  • if you have done 16 luv, I KNOW you can do it

    Trust me, I have taken a lovley bloke to the end of a mara with only 16 on the clock

    you walkmwhen you cant run

    after 16  is single figures

    you will beat my time hands down

    :0

  • Mke- advice from plodding is good, I got thru 26.2 at stratford this year having previously maxed out at 16, & only did that distance twice, and it wasn't that bad either (that means I didnt have to crawl across the line - although my sprint finish lacked Ferrari like speed- more like a slightly aging Ford Escort - which probably describes me well).
  • I'm sure I can do it but i don't want to get an injury through it. I've been lucky enough with this leg (pin full length of Femur, slight shortening+twist) to be able to race almost every weekend in the spring and early summer. I've been worried that the extra miles will cause problems .

    However running Sat, resting Sunday ( with a good lie in) meant that today at work I've been fine and I'm not aware I've even been running the weekend!. A few more months of good runs like this and I'll have no problems.

    It's a simple case of do many different races and enjoy running in the week or train for one big race and risk injury - but not now!
  • Hello!

    I'm joining this thread because I am also interested in that marathon. But being an overseas subsciber (I'm Frenchimage) I am not quite sure about the requirements and the "contact us" link on the website has been disabled. I can see the price but I'm wondering about the charity part of it. Do I need to run for a cause on top of paying the fee? I'd love to, but I don't get it. In France, you pay the fee and that's it.

    Anyway, if anyone could answer me, that would be great.

    And if anyone else fancies running in France, I've just spent the week-end in Brittany, in Vannes to be more precise, for the marathon, and it was just perfect: not only did I improve my PB by 18 minutes but the scenery and the weather were wonderful (although more than chilly when the run started).  

    Would you recommend another British spring marathon by late April - early May?

    Please let me know if you have troubles understanding my English. See you!  

  • Minium

    no, you dont HAVE to run for charity in this one

  • Hi Minium or Bon Soir .

    You DO NOT have to run for charity - you pay the fee and run the race like in France.

    I've ran round near St Malo - Dinard , it has a wonderful coastal path really beautiful scenery and lots of runners!
Sign In or Register to comment.