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Rotterdam Marathon 2008
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I have looked at the course and the profile and it looks flat
http://www.marathonguide.com/coursemaps/elevationchart.cfm?MIDD=14080413
I ran 16 miles a week ago and plan to go for 18 this Saturday, the maximum on my schedule is 20 miles. Anything under 4:30 would be good but I would love to get close to 4:00.
Anyone know of a website for Dutch railways? I need to get the train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam.
Hi Folks!
I signed up for this a while ago but the only thread I saw was the old 2006 one, nice to know that I won't be alone! Sounds like everyone is getting the miles in, so how hard can this one be?? My own training so far is going ok, missed the guts of a week when an unexpected trip came up but did a 20 miler in 2:55 at the weekend so feeling confident on the length, just not so sure about the speed!
Any reccomendations on cheap and cheerful accom?
Hi All, welcome topcat and amadeus! Sounds like everyone's doing really well on training. 20 miles in 2:55...I can only dream!!!
Anyway here's the website for you topcat http://www.ns.nl/pages/index.html (English version also available by clicking language at the top of the home page). Trains are really easy and frequent to Rotterdam, pretty much every half hour during the day.
Recovery drink sounds good Neil. Might try it since I never want to eat when I finish a big run but I know I have to do something.
Welcome to the thread, amadeus and topcat!
I see everyone is training seriously for this one, makes my 7.5 miles on Sunday look a bit feeble
Well done on Worthing Neil, sounds like you had a great race. I've got my second race of the season on Sunday, the Watford Half. I've done this a couple of times before so I'm mentally prepared for all the hills even if they're going to be a shock to my legs. I swear by recovery drinks after hard runs or races, it's a great way of getting energy into you if you can't face eating yet. Chocolate milk is my absolute favourite - yum! One of our coaches recommended Slim Fast shakes and they're good as well. They don't need refrigerating so sometimes they're more practical if you're out and about.
Still haven't booked flights and hotel yet, really must hurry. I can't quite decide whether I'll be in a fit state to get an evening flight or not.
74 days to go!
Hello all,
Ditto on the recovery drinks and I'm also experimenting for the first time with gels, which seems to make the running easier on long runs and gives me something to break the time up. I feel a little like I'm cheating, but it does make a difference for me. Not gone further than 13 miles yet tho.
Top tip on SIS's night recovery drink 'Nocte': don't add boiling water. The protein denatures or something and it's like drinking water with very small bits of cheese in it. Disgusting! Should have read the packet.
HB
Was scheduled for a seven mile run this morning but that was out of the window, more due to feeling knackered rather than any aching. Due to run 20 miles this weekend and not looking forward to it, I will have to try to slow my pace down I think.
Ran 20 this weekend (well, the Garmin says 19.9 but the exact same route last week was 20, so 20 it was!), covered it in 2:47. Was lots of fun as we had intermittent snow / sleet showers, nothing like running into freezing rain to let you know just how much fun training is!
TC - you and I have teh same problem. I always fade badly at the end of long runs, usually from about 15 / 16 I can add up to 30 secs a mile to my pace. I'm following a plan by Pfitzer & Douglas that has me running my long runs slightly faster than I would have before on the assumption that you need to be running within 10 - 15% or so of race pace to get max benifit and that's making it harder to keep an even pace.
I'm assuming that as we get closer to the race we'll be better able to maintain the pace for longer. Or at least that's what I'm hoping...!
On another point - we're a couple of pages into a race thread and no time prediction list yet! What's going on??!
OK, I'll set off with the predictions:
Previous PR (Chicago Marathon 2001) - 3:34
New Predicted Rotterdam PR - 3:30
Just a word on long runs: your supposed to run them 60 to 90 seconds slower than your expected marathon pace. Personally, I don't think everyone needs to adhere to this. If you're feeling fine, try to run at race pace for at least the last 1/2 or 1/4 of the long run. This will acclimate your body better to the endurance needed on race day. Just my 2 cents.
And no, consuming gels is not cheating Hoping Bunny!!!! Try also experimenting with them during an actual race and if it goes well, bring at least 4 along and consume one every 6 miles. (But just make sure your stomach can handle them first).
Anyway, ran 21 miles on Sunday in very windy conditions (30-40mph winds) at 8:20 pace. Felt good.
Hope everyone is training hard and aiming for PR's. It would be great if everyone on this thread can get a PR.
-Neil
Good way of approaching it TC.
My own PB is 3:24:58 (an important and hard won 2 seconds they were!) in Berlin in September and I'm training a little bit harder this time round so I'd hope for a PB. If all goes really well I might even aim at a Boston qualifying time (sub 3:15) but a lot will depend on the weather and how congested the course is.
I'm doing this as well this year - hoping for anything under 4 hours but thinking 3:45 is possible if i remain injury-free. Its only going to be my second marathon (after London last year), so I'm looking for to this.
Amadeus, maybe I should run with you! I too have flirted with the idea of attempting a Boston qualifying time of 3:15.
For now my strategy will be to be on pace for 3:30 and at the 18 mile mark, possibly speed it up depending on how I'm feeling.
Anybody know if there will be pace setters?????
-Neil
Just back from a work trip to Russia. Fun place but you wouldn't want to go running around out there. Consequently another bad week for the mileage. I'm just hoping to get round in about 4 hrs. Not going to put any pressure on myself at this stage. Hoping to manage a 19 this weekend though so we'll see how that goes. Good luck with the weekend runs. Sounds like everyone's doing well
Just had a lovely run. London parks in the sunshine, can't beat them! Did a brisk 4 miles with a faster colleague so quite a good workout for me.
I survived the Watford Half. It was cold and windy but thankfully no snow or rain. Slightly hillier than I remembered but I still managed just under 11-min. miling so a good training run for me. And I managed to get back for nearly all the rugby - result! I'm now comfortable with 20-25 miles a week so I'll be extending my runs over the next few weeks back up to 30.
How's everyone else doing? Does anyone have some longer races coming up? I'm possibly going to be doing the Gade Valley Harriers 17 mile training run at the end of February. It's another hilly one!
Have a nice weekend everyone, 65 days to go!
Sounds like everyone had successful weekends! I managed a 20 miler but it was tough going. A bad stomach meant a couple of dodgy toilet stops, and a dicky hip for the last 5 miles meant I gave up on timing and hobbled back home looking like I'd escaped from the local old peoples asylum. Will try a 10k at lunch with a super fast colleague today (this is her slow recovery run day so I have half a chance of keeping up!).
Well done on Watford Nemo & sounds like you're doing well Topcat, we'll probably be on for similar times.
Did the Brighton half this morning, terrific race and course. Managed a PR by 45 seconds (though unofficially I PR'd by nearly 2 minutes since per my Garmin the course was actually 13.26 miles long).
Regardless I'm happy with my race time of 1:33:59. This puts me on track so far for a marathon PR by approximately 10 minutes.
Anyone else race this weekend? It was definitely a beautiful day for one (at least here in the South East)
-Neil
Hope you're feeling better now, H.
Well done on Brighton, Neil. I've done it a couple of times before but the weather was so bad the last time I did it I vowed never to return!
Had a lovely run yesterday morning. It was absolutely freezing with icy puddles and frost everywhere but it was so sunny that it sort of made up for it. I ran along the Thames between Hammersmith and Chiswick and managed nearly 13 miles in 2.5 hours. Loads of other runners, cyclists and dog walkers so it doesn't feel too isolated.
I'll be doing the Hemel Hempstead 17 mile Training Run next Sunday. It's a long way and I seem to remember some tough hills as well!
Have a good week everybody. 55 days to go!
Well, Ive gone ahead and registered for the Lisbon half marathon on March 16th.
On the off chance, is anybody else doing this?
-Neil
Lisbon, Portugal? You're v. well travelled! Sadly I won't be anywhere as exotic, I'll probably be plodding the lanes of Hemel Hempstead again on March 16 for a hilly 21 miles.
Take it easy, H. Hope your leg is OK for your long run.
At least it's got slightly warmer here. Last night was still really cold even in tracksters and 2 tops. I'm hoping to be able to brave 3/4 tights for Friday lunchtime!
52 days to go
So has any one actually tried Extran Refresh Citrus (which apparently will be available at all the water stations) or Extran Energy Orange (at the 20k mark)?
What do they taste like?
I'd like to test both these drinks out before the race, however I don't think I've seen them sold here in Sussex. Anybody know where I can get a bottle?
-Neil
Not tried it myself. I google'd it for you and found a UK website that sells it:
Extran drinks on Wiggle
Hope this helps.
I'll be lugging a bottle of Lucozade round - mmm, orange goodness
Hope everyone had a good weekend.
Tough weekend for me. Did the Hemel Hempstead 17 mile training run and it was so hilly. I think I may have worked too hard on the early hills as I found the last few miles v. hard even though they were mainly flat/downhill. One mile was almost completely uphill and took me nearly 13 mins!!! It took me around 3:19 altogether which works out around 11:40 miles which is probably a bit too fast for proper long run pace. Still, I don't feel too bad today, just a bit stiff getting up and down into chairs. It was a well organised event, jelly babies at 14 miles and free coffee and cakes at the finish.
My first 30+ week for several months. I'll be aiming to do a 3 hour run next Sunday (probably be around 15/16 miles) and then the Finchley 20 the week after. Then I have to decide whether to go back and do the 20 mile version of the training run. Not sure I can face all those hills (and more!) again.
48 days to go!
Hi Nemo, thanks for the link.
Looks like you had some good hard training this weekend. I'm sure it will pay off in 48 days!
UGH - horrible run. Did 5 miles into work this morning and it was a real struggle. Even though I was plodding along pretty slowly it felt like I was running through treacle. Must still have Sunday's hills in my legs! Hopefully tomorrow's run will seem light and easy in comparison.
What doesn't kill us makes us stronger - yada, yada, yada...
I have the flu
Oh that's awful news, H.
Wrap up warm and drink lots of fluids. If you have a week or so off now I'm sure you'll recover in time to get to Rotterdam. Fingers crossed and sending you lots of positive vibes!
GET WELL SOON!!!
I've not run for almost two weeks now as I went down with flu. It's good to loose weight but I know that it will all go back on again now I have started eating properly. Feels odd not doing any running but I'm not too stressed about it as a bit of time off running is probably good for the body and there is still plenty of time between now and 13/4 and it is better to get it out of the way now rather than nearer the date. Hope to get out tomorrow morning with a slow 3 or 4 mile run.
Bit of an odd question but I downloaded a map of the course and there are drink stations and sponge posts marked but no toilets. Are there usually toilets on a marathon course? Not sure I could last over 4 hours without a pee!