Midnight Sun Marathon 2009 - 20 June 2009

Hi there - I am thinking of doing the Midnight Sun Marathon (well I have pretty much decided) in June 2009.

Looking at some old threads on here I see some good write-ups on it but one ongoing theme is that marathon is only about 400 runners and is pretty lonely.

Has anyone done this one and how did you find it?

As background, I have done one marathon, FLM in 2005 (and said never again and my running deteriorated to zero for 3 years afterwards) but I want to do a different marathon in 2009 to raise funds for a hospice. Am doing GNR in October.

Thanks for your input.

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Comments

  • I can recommend the Rex Hotel to stay at... imageimage
  • Ha ha James!

    Clearly the fact that there a few runners who do it makes it less likely for me to get any input on this but cmon guys someone must have done it or at least heard from someone who has?
  • I looked into it when I knew you were doing it, sounds a great run BB.
  • Yep it does but I am a bit worried about the small field which increases chance of coming in last - have just had my first look at the GNR forum for 48 hours image - cold turkey is going alright!
  • image Why have you stopped posting? image
  • I haven't stopped! Just trying to withdraw a bit because I am getting obsessive, which is a general theme for me. I have an addictive personality.
  • I did it this year and enjoyed it.  Not the prettiest course I've ever run but its ok and flat apart from the bridge.    

    Even with a fairly small entry there are plent of people around so it's not lonely and you are mixed in with the half marathon runners in the second half.

     One thing is to get flights and accommodation booked early. 

  • Thanks for that JF - worth doing then? How fast did you run it? Am wondering if you are a pretty good runnner may have been more people around you. I would hope for around 4 hours having done my one and only marathon in 2005 (FLM) in 3hrs 58m

    Have searched on the net a bit and Tromso doesn't look like the easiest or cheapest place to get to or the cheapest place to stay mind...

  • I usually run 3:15 to 3:30 but for various reasons really struggled in the second half of the race in Tromsø, 1:37 for the first half and 2:00 for the second.  So for the last 10 to 12K I was being passed by the half marathon runners (and quite a few marathon runners as well).  Not helped by the distance markers being Km to go so for the last part of then race I found it very difficult to work out how far I still had left.

    Norway and cheap are words you don't see in the same sentence very often...  I live in Oslo so getting to Tromsø wasn't that much hassle, from the uk I think norwegian.no have a direct flight from London otherwise you would have to fly via Oslo or maybe Bergen.  I think SAS and norwegian are the only people to fly to Tromsø.  Flights to then UK at the moment seem to cost about £300 per person regardless of the route.

    The only accommodation I found I could book myself was  http://www.hotellnord.no/english/index.html which I think is fairly basic.  I wanted confirmed accommodation before I booked flights but in the end I got a room through the organisers and cancelled it.  I'm fairly sure camping is also an option but I never looked at it. 

    I'm not trying to put you off by the way, I think the race is well worth it.  I'm going to try and do at least one of the Northern Marathons a year, I've been looking at Iceland which is one place that makes Norway look cheap.

  • I did it this year and really enjoyed it - I plan to do it next year as well to explore more of the country afterwards.  I did it in around 4 hours and was by no means last.  The support on the course is fantastic.  One advantage of Norway being relatively expensive (IMO) is that you're unlikely to find lots of British stag-do type groups imbibing vast quantities of drink.  I was really impressed by Norway actually.

    It is definitely worth booking up a hotel ASAP.  The cheapest SAS flights would probably have gone by now - it may well be cheaper (and quicker - direct) with Norwegian but they weren't selling for June last time I looked. 

  • JF/Greenicing - thanks for the info- I only just read these because the email notification hbasn't worked so I didn't know you had posted.

    I have signed up for MSM anyway. I did FLM 2005 in 3.58.39 but would like to beat that and think I can if I can get it right (I hit the wall at 21 miles in London and almost walked the rest - i did run, but barely). I really want to see this part of Norway and do something a little different as I think it makes fundraising easier, frankly.

    Norwegian haven't released June flights yet. Neither have SAS from what I can see from their website. I have pre-boooked a hotel: Clarion Hotel Bryggen, which looks very close to the start.

    Greenicing - would be great to keep in touch if you are planning to do it. I might be going alone as the wife isn't convinced about a weekend trip inside the Arctic Circle!

    Do you know how many people run it? And what the slowest time was (I'm paranoid!)

  • You can look at the results on the MSM website.  I had a quick look at this years and there were 194 people under 4 hours, 189 between 4 and 5 hours, 34 over 5 hours with the slowest being 5:30.  So I don't think  you have much to worry about.

     I also had a look at the SAS website and they are now showing flights for June.

  • JF - cheers and thanks for the email too.image Will have a look at SAS but someone has told me to wait on norwegian flights for June coming out because they are a lot cheaper?

    Cheers again - Greenicing - are you around? Are you doing MSM this year?

  • Hi there

    Well my flights are booked and my hotel (but can cancel 24 hours before). Hotel is Clarion Byggen which is well expensive at over £450 for the 3 nights (though I think that isn't too pricey by Norwegian standards).

    JF - where did you end up staying and did you just email the organisers to ask them?

    Greenicing - are you doing it this year?

  • Price seems about average for a Norwegian chain.

    I stayed in the Grand Nordic last year.  If I remember correctly when I registered online there was a check box asking if you needed help finding accommodation, the organisers then e-mailed me.

  • I haven't seen this thread for a while either.  Yes I have entered in 2009 as well. 

  • Not wanting to be defeatist but does anyone know if you can switch to the Half-Snickers closer the time if you don't fancy the full Snickers?
  • Thought I was on a different thread there. If not obvious, Snickers = Marathon.image

  • Hi ,I ran this race this year and thoroughly enjoyed it.For anyone who has not done it ,I recommend it totally.It is a flat course apart the bridge which you go over twice which goes over the Tromso bay.If it was not for this it would be a P.B. course.It would pay to book your accommodation early as it is popular.We stayed in the Polar Thon hotel which was probably 2** standard.It was clean and comfortable.The ideal place to stay in would be the S.A.S. Radisson hotel.Alot more up market and this is where the prize giving is held the following morning.Tromso itself is a delightful place.Just how I expected Norway to be.The support from the crowd was very encouraging.However as you are aware it is expensive there.However worth every penny.I won't be doing this race next year because of other events.But will definitely pencil it in for 2010.Found Scandinavian airlines pretty reasonable as well.

    Good luck! 

  • Cheers Kiwi. I like the sound of flat.

    I have my entry sorted and my flights with Norwegian for £100! Accomm I have sorted at Clarion Bryggen at the moment but can cancel up to 48 hours before without charge so I will shop around.

  • Hi Blithburysloth.I am sure you will love it.We were also warned that there are loads of mosquitos and to take repellent and dose up on vitamin b tablets etc.We didn't come across a single one.It is a professionally run race and I would love to do it next year,but have too many races on.It is a bit surreal running at night as it only gets as dark as dusk is here.You actually forget about the fact you are running in the evening.if you need anymore info let me know!

    Cheers

    Kiwi 

  • Yay! Thought I might be the only one doing it next June. Don't worry about being last, I think I have it in the bag! It will be my first Marathon and I'm sooo nervous. I'll be grateful just to get around. I only started running again nine weeks ago after a long lay off. I am coping OK with the distances just not getting much faster, hence bagging last place. I'm taking a positive spin on it thinking that at least I will have come in the top 400 for a marathon, if I finish. I have booked my hotel and flights from Oslo. I will be staying with my cousin in Oslo for a few days beforehand. It would be lovely to meet up before the race.
  • Oh, I'm at the Quality Hotel Saga. Do you know when we have to register for the race. I understand that they do not send any details out beforehand but I could have the wrong information! I often do image !!!
  • Welcome Twinsky.  I've booked my flights and hotel as well so there is no getting out of it.  All I need to do now is start training.

    You can enter right up to the start of the race, if you register on-line you only get an e-mail confirmation but I'm sure they post the start lists on the website before the race.

  • Hi JF, Been training now for ten weeks or so. Running about 30 miles a week at the moment although at the pace of a very slow snail. I have my confirmation be email, I was just wondering about picking up my number and chip etc.
  • Twinksy,

    Up to 30 miles a week in 10 weeks is really good.  I'm jealous as its about 30 miles a week more than me at the moment although hopefully I'll be able to try running again in a week or two.

    You pick up your number etc from Kulturhuset which is beside the start.  I don't think they used chips last year but like my legs my memory isn't what it used to be. 

  • Hey Twinksy & JF - sorry, didn't notice your posts as for some reason email notification isn't working for me these days.

    I am generally only at about 15-20 miles a week but I am hoping to ramp it up at the end of this month - am currently looking for a good training plan.

    This will be my second marathon but my first (FLM 2003) was before my 3 year lay-off when I turned into a slob. I am slowly on the road to being fit again and losing some weight.

    I have my flights booked (Norwegian on the Saturday morning - cutting it a bit fineimage) and hotel (Clarion Bryggen) but I keep meaning to have a scout round for cheaper flights. I had same idea - book it all up so I have to do it.

    Are you guys running for charity? I am - that's why I chose this one because it is something different.

    I would be on for meeting up beforehand or even the next day/ evening. I am there from the Sat morning until flying back on the Tuesday and am on my won because OH didn't want to come.image

  • Pub after the race for some re-hydration? image
  • Sounds good to me!  image  My OH is coming to cheer me on and I'm hoping to persuade my cousin and her husband who are living in Oslo to come too. Did a 13m long run today and it was fine took me 2.5hrs though but I wasn't pushing it. Knees and ankles a bit sore now though. I think having it all booked up makes you slightly more commited to training. Can't bear the thought of wasting all that money so will be crawling along on hands and knees if necessary. My friend Sue is running the Edinburgh in May, so it is much better as we are training together. Makes the long runs easier when there is someone else to talk to.
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