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Great Cumbrian Run Half-Marathon
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Getting excited now!! Went for a 7miler up some big hills this morning in the rain so I must be keen. Anyone brave enough to predict their time? I would love to do a 2hr half but think that's just out of reach so anything less than the 2:12 I did at Liverpool in May and I'll be v. happy.
This is my first half and I'm quite looking forward to it, although someone at work mentioned there were hills - were they being evil or is there elevation? Also I've done all my training with a fuel belt and superstition/routine means I'm probably going to wear it on Sunday. Will I be the only one? I'll probably be bringing up the rear so no-one will see me anyway.
........................................it`s no good I can`t do it Millsy I am sorry you can`t run and I was kidding about the fiver.
Sub 1:50 for SM (we all have our dreams)
Fuel belt eh mdm m?.....I will watch out for you :0)
my first half as well - my local one --- stupid question but at the start if you are going for 2.15 ish -- do you hang out at the back while the super fast go ahead -- do they marshall you according to expected times or is it a free for all-- having nightmares about running in the wrong socks!!!
OMG - Whatever you do don't run in the wrong socks!
My advice, for what it's worth would be start about half way down the field. The fast runners, such as Morgs and SM will be at the front, but just let them go. Don't concern yourself with the number of runners who go past you in the first couple of miles. Some of these will almost certainly crash and burn before the finish allowing you to go past them in a blaze of glory. If you've done enough training then you should know what your normal pace is. Chances are you'll get dragged round the first mile or so a bit faster than you expect but as long as you don't do anything daft and settle into a comfortable pace you'll be fine. The most important goal for you is to finish, and I'm sure you will, and with an expected finish time of 2:15 you definitley won't be last.
Enjoy - This is the only 'first' half marathon you'll ever do
SM - Careful - you're starting to show compassion
Don`t worry about the compassion as I have not been myself lately.
My advice for a first timer is to start at the back, it might cost you a minute at the start, but the mass of runners will stop you starting off too fast, and it is much nicer spending the first few miles passing slower runners than starting near the front and being overtaken for an hour. You'll easily use the enrgy saved later in the race.
Once the crowd thins out and you can run at whatever pace you choose,l look for somebody who's been around a bit (SM for example) who's running at a similar steady pace, and use them to pace you. I look for people with a few miles on the clock (knee operation scars are a good clue) with a running club vest. If they turn out to be running too fast or slow, just find somebody else to pace you until you find your own pace.You'll probably find you then run run the rest of the race in sight of the same few people who're at your pace and you'll end up forming a group.
It's really really easy to go too fast in a race, and the easiest way to not enjoy a distance race is to do the first half in an hour and the second half in 75 minutes, much better to do 70 mins first half and 65 mins second half - you'll finish feeling a million dollars with plan B, or feeling like an Icelandic bank with plan A!
No sarcy responses required from you or Millsy.
The worst thing u can do is let yourself get swept along by the crowd too fast at the start.
You can overtake a few of them later hee hee hee......revenge is sweet.
I've ran bits of the route and to be honest apart from the gentle climb up London Rd, the so called mountains between Cumwhinton and Wetheral aren't really that bad! Biggest one is up out of Rickerby Park, but I can run up that quite happily - and its my first half too so don't worry!
If the route kills me I live half a mile from the start so can quite happily crawl home!
Heather, what do you reckon the maximum gradient is then, roughly? And how long does that go on for?
Cheers.
Aye, some good advice from Mike there.
I would also agree, if you are a first timer, to start somewhere towards the back middle. The worst thing you can do is start off too quick. In my experience, you cant go far wrong by starting off slow and steady and then picking it up towards the end.
But dont be fooled, knee scars and a running club vest dont necessarily a speedy runner make. I am testament to that
On the other hand, don't presume that you'll be faster than somebody who reminds you of you granny and needed help to get out of the car before the start. I spent my first 10K trying to keep up with a bloke in his 60's who was race walking.
Some may find them easy peasy, others may think eek! I'm just going to give it a go, and slow my pace if the hills do bite!
Have fun everyone!
Thanks Heather - doesn't sound too bad and the hill early on will help me not go off too quickly as usual!
Have a good run too.
Morgs - How dare they compare you to an old granny? Some people eh............................no respect for their elders
Why has no one mentioned the drunks in Botchergate?
Yes, most of the banter here is over my head as a newbie but that did make me laugh
Quick retort from Morgs there but well fielded by Millsy - who has, after all, had lots of practice at taking stick in recent days!!
I'm also in agreement with Morgs and SM about good advice being administered to first time runners by Mike and Millsy - wise words gentlemen - I'm likely to be following it myself despite not being a first timer!!
Heather - a bit of a plodder at 1:50ish? That's around my lifetime PB and never again will I reach those dizzy heights - because if I attempted it - it'd make me very dizzy indeed!!
And SM - it's pretty obvious you don't know me so well - because that's twice in recent postings you've been doubting my honesty and posing questions about if that's true / do we believe him? Now I know I'm probably overreacting and sorry if I seem a bit tetchy but I really don't see the point of blagging?
Well, I braved the elements on Tues evening and got in my final run before race day. Slightly worried as I was about what I suspected was Sciatica type pain returning to my left leg, I took it extremely easily and very gently, so much so that at best it could only be described as a gentle jog rather than a run! Even so, it was mission accomplished and I achieved what I set out to with only a few very minor twinges which I was delighted about!! I was absolutely soaked through when I'd finished but had a real sense of accomplishment. Paid for it next day mind - pain was back with avangence on Wed but has now subsided again - so if I'm very kind to myself - and I don't mind bringing up the rear on Sunday - then I'm hoping I'll get myself round.
(Short pause to put baby Boycs back in cot.......back again to finish off post!)
It's left me wondering what's causing it because I'm not sure - but I don't think Sciatica comes and goes like that - perhaps it is just symptomatic of my extreme lack of preparation for this race? Whilst I've never been a fast runner - as Millsy will readily testify - I can honestly say that I have never been as slow or as poorly prepared for a race as I have for this one! To the extent that until tonight it's been touch and go whether or not I was going to do it!! Having had two days to recover, I've even surprised myself with how reasonable I feel...so just this evening...I've decided to give it a go! It's a bloomin' good job that they accept entries up until the day or else I'd have been sunk!!
What has undoubtedly influenced my decision to go for it (albeit very slowly indeed) this weekend is that since i resumed my rather chequered running career in 2005, the GCR has been an ever present in my calendar and if I'm only to run one half marathon this year, then the GCR has the appeal for me to try it!
I may finish last...............I'll almost certainly record a Personal Worst..............but given my wholly inadequate preparation.............completion will give me as much satisfaction as 'owt else!!!!!
Panic stations now....accomodation to book and everything else still to do! Let's hope good old Premier Inns still have a family room left!!
Not to tempt fate here but I have also been getting a niggle just above my right butt cheek and a numb aching sensation.
And just for good measure my right shoulder which I fell on 6 weeks ago is also playing up again.........what do you think?...pre-race excuse or am I telling the truth?
Millsy how did u know I was going to Botchergate?
Good luck to all....speshly the older runners and the less gifted (like me)
SM
Ah Botchergate, yeah this is the section where Cumbria Tourist Board hope you shut your eyes! It is quite simply on a par in sections to downtown Kosovo!
Boycs - I thought I was a plodder seriously! Does this now mean I'm an elite plodder?!
Check the bbc weather site - 35mph winds and rain expected for Sunday!
It sounds like it going to take a while to go to Sheepmount, drop off bags, go to Sands Centre, pick up chip, go to Castle...I'll have done 2 miles before I get to the start line! And I need to drive to Carlilse, looks like it'll be an early night on Saturday...