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Cyprus 4 day challenge
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Er no, just to ski.
The hills are a challenge LWJ and on the 11k run I did find it quite tough but for the half marathon what goes up does go down and at quite a rate until you get back to sea level. A good number of people opted for the run/walk method on days two and three and I guess nearly everyone walked at some stage on the 11k as it just seemed to go up and up.
And please call me Gaz, everyone else shortens it.
LWJ - No, which is a shame. If all goes well in tomorrow`s run (been a bit injured) it should be next Thursday but the next sunday will be 16th Aug.
I am not surprised that it is well organised with Mike (& his team) behind it - one reason why I`m looking at it.
Mr. K. wrote
Not sure I agree with you there Mr K, just because it has Mr Mike Gratton on board. This well may be true for those who go with 2.09 but certainly those who booked/travelled independently certainly did not benefit. Sure I think if you book/travel with 2.09 you'll be well looked after but as a race organiser they looked after themselves and not other competitors, that was left to Arena. This is of course just my opinion.
Gaz - I think that will be the case as 2:09 Events only take enough staff to look after the clients on their travel package. If they take enough staff to look after everyone who has booked independently then it will increase package costs etc, which seems a bit unfair on those travelling with them. Does that make sense?
If you've been both with 2:09 Events and independently then i'm sure Mr K will appreciate your commenst more than he will mine.
LWJ - agree with you on that one. Well organised event. Event staff really friendly - they remembered us the 2nd year we arrived and chatted away. i don't expect Mike Gratton to look after me if I booked independently (which I do) but he is always smiling etc.
Not booked yet but will be doing so - me and my brother running for the 3rd year. We try and find matching t-shirts for each race day. I am off to run the Marine Corps Marathon in late October so I am not doing specific Cyprus training. Will get my brother and I MCM t-shirts to run in one day!
Zed
2.09 have two hats on at this event.
As an event organiser I expect to be able to ask questions and ask for assistance and be treated as a competitor not as an outsider just because I did not arrange/book through them.
As a tour booking company, fair enough they have their customers to look after and I dont/ should not expect anything to do with that side.
LWJ - I see where you are coming from and appreciate your thoughts I think though that your coming at it from the travel side and not the organisers (apologies if wrong)
Zed - Agree with what you say, again just thinking of the organisers role not the travel agents.
Thanks to you both for posts.
LWJ - your doing a lovely job, do you work for 2.09 lol
Please don't get me wrong, I loved the event and had a great experience doing the 4 day challenge. I just dont have a high opinion of 2.09 at the event in the capacity of event organiser rather than 2.09 the travel company who do running events. (I think thats right).
I hope my opinion hasn't offended you, if it has I'm sorry but thats my opinion of 2.09
1) I participate on those forums as a runner and not a representative of 2:09 Events.
2) As you said, it's your opinion, and at the end of the day you've been to the event, i haven't.
Mr K and i are members of the same running club, that's why whenever he mentions 2:09 Events he knows he has to add something complimentary because he knows i'm watching him!
I will send you a message so you know which member of the team i am.
I am looking to do this event again this year and will be booking online with Arena later in the year.
Have a nice weekend.
Sorry to read that Gaz, I was of course speaking from my own experiances with 2.09 events - I`ve only ran in their events rather than been away with them. I looked it up & from the from the 50 odd events I`ve entered only 3 events were 2.09 events - thought it was more than that.
Like you I`m still looking into this one & seeing how other plans plan out but more than likely I`ll be out there.....only last night I heard a family friend may have bought a place out there....
Hopefully will see you there, it's a fantastic 4 days with some very pleasant weather which will not be too hot for running.
If you've booked everything yourself online be prepared that at the taxi from the airport to your hotel is euro 60 which is a fixed fare.
Thanks for that Gaz. Hope to see you there (I will find you and others I hope). Will do plenty of training for the hills, have seen from past results how much slower times are on the 11k compared to the flat 10k in the harbour.
Also booked car from airport as knew it would be expensive for taxis, and hubby off playing golf also. He's going to drop me off outside Coral Beach hotel each day (other than the last, when I presume it will be best to go straight down to harbour), so I take it that when booking for event I'll need to also book their transport (at 15 euros a time) for 3 days for the 6k, 11k & half, rather than hoping to cadge lift from others.
You'll only need the coach for 2 days (days 2+3) if hubby is dropping you off.
6k time trail is from hotel to Sea Caves where he can go and there is plenty of parking (or you can walk back, He will need to turn left out of hotel and go as far as he can and he will see the car park and the waiting finish shute.
The 10k times are a little off as well, this is due to your quads really being sore from the final 11k of the HM (day 3) and the pounding they take on the steep decent supporting you for 8k before the final level 3k to the finish (2100ft to sea level).
Last year even though I had a car I still took the coach to/from the hotel for the 10k. The atmosphere in the harbour with beer/food and dancing was excellent and we all had a sense of team spirit and togetherness so the coach trip was a fitting finale.
Hope to be there and see you there. keep healthy.
I didn`t go for this in the end...well maybe next year will be different.
I would like to hear all about it for those who go.
Oh Mr K - did your friend buy after all? Can be quite expensive to buy out there.
I'm all ready to go, well don't know how I'll do, but looking forward to it and celebrating afterwards (polite way of saying getting quite drunk!). Hubby will be taking some photos on 10k finishing line - I've dragged him away from golf that day! Will let you know afterwards. Maybe next year?
I fly out to Cyprus on Sunday for the event Mr K. Been a bit injured so am going to be run/walking the half marathon and the hill! Which reminds me I must check last years results to see if a run walk will put me in last place.......I am not fast at the best of times!!!
Will let you know how it all goes....I have done the race the last 2 years and this will be the third time....
Zed
I have just checked and if I add another hour to my time last year I would be the second last female to finish....I hope there are lots of slow guys!!!
Zed
Actually one of the photos of folks finishing the half marathon on the top banner on the official website is me....well my back and waving arms in the air in bright orange (amsterdam marathon) t-shirt! I was knackered but you can't see my face luckily....
looking forward to it. Staying with my Grandmother in Limassol Sunday to Wednesday then to the Coral Beach hotel......my brother and I are running again (we are from Scotland).
Have you run before bol.sauce?
Not done it before. This is supposed to be a one off, as hubby prefers winter hols in Lanzarote for the golfing there. We used to go to Cyprus number of times in past, mainly Paphos and twice to Limassol, and very nearly bought something out there, but glad we didn't as we both like Lanzarote more. May still do this again though if I enjoy it.
I was nearly from Scotland you know - my mum & dad & brother moved up to Glasgow before I was born, but my dad got TB, so they came back to Huddersfield for family support. So listen out for a strong Yorkshire accent, and that'll be me! Enjoy yourself in Limassol also. Will look at the photo of the back of yoru head now!
Not doing this either now due to injury in August which still hasn't fully recovered.
bs - the briefing is on wednesday not thursday.
Will still be there supporting, so enjoy the 4 days. Weather has been great so far this month and the temp is beginning to drop, but it's still very sunny so take the sun factor cream.
That's a shame, hope to see you there shouting us on though.
Are you sure about the briefing, as just checked my email, and we pick up the pack the day before or Thursday morning, with briefing at 1pm on the Thursday before the 6km?
bs - as I don't have a pack I assumed (wrongly) that the briefing would be same as in previous years as in day before (wednesday). Sounds a bit strange for a briefing to be done a couple of hours before the race !!
Will be alot of standing around for peeps not staying in hotel.
Is a bit strange, as I'm not staying there either, but not a lot of choice. It's at one o'clock and race starts at three, so not too long to wait round, with chance to natter to others and warm up anyway.
At least you made me look at the instructions properly!!
Hi folks - yes the briefing is in the hotel on the day of the first race (thursday). We are staying at the hotel and the briefing is good for first timers but we've heard it all before twice. Still like to go to spot faces from previous years and of course look at all the folks that look alot more sporty than we do!!
Bol Sauce - will look out for the yorkshire accent. My brother and I will be joined by his wife and 3 kids so you will spot us around the hotel I am sure over the few days......strong scottish accents from us! And we are brother and sister who try to wear matching colour t-shirts each day!
I saw the weather was low 20's so warm-ish for running. Still the races are mostly early in the day so not too bad....I am just hoping to finish as nursing an injury just now (get the excuses in now...!)
Zed
Remember, if you need Gels take them with you as it's impossible to buy them out there.
Unless you're with 2.09 who will supply them to you.
Temp is warmer than reported, been 27 this week in Peyia (just above Coral Bay) but thats mid afternoon. Last year was warm, year before was damp, it's unpredictable time of year and there has been some rain recently. Keep well hydrated.
Hopefully get to meet you guys, have a great time.