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Marlow Half-Marathon
Paul Terrill
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in Events
Just entered this one. It is my favourite half marathon of the year...Slightly hilly though.
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I might have a look at last year's results to see where I would fit in.
I remember these hills!!
I'll see how I do at Windsor before committing....
I've decided against. Not so much because of the hills but because I've just realised that I only get back from a fortnights holiday the evening before. Probably not the best time to be aiming at running an early morning undulating/hilly half. Have a great run those of you who decide to do it.
Maybe next year . . .
Ok guys...this is local to me so I feel like I should make the effort to do it, however, looking at all your posts you are scaring me with the hilly comments! Sounds like a very pretty route, I might take the bike out over the route to see what I am letting myself in for!!
I have recieved an email, apparently from runners world saying that they have just discovered that my entry fee for this race has not been processed and they have asked me to click on a link and pay again. Has anyone else received this email?
I am tempted to wait until my credit card statement arrives and at least confirm that no payment has indeed ben taken....
Hi - just pondering this one......how does it compare to the Leith Hill Half and the Windsor Half in terms of hilliness and generaly "hardness"?
My sense from looking at the route map is that it'll be between the two but probably at the easier end (i.e. a bit more like Windsor than Leith Hill).....
Paul - I'd wait too if it was me - can't be too careful.. I can't imagine the race selling out so you shouldn't miss out.
Windsor is a breeze compared to Marlow, but I can't comment on Leith Hill.
Entry limit 1000
Last years entry 1000
I've done this one for the six out of the pas seven years. It's a great race - picturesque, and very tough, with the stiffest of it's many hills coming at about 8 miles in, but it's the downhills that cause the pain the week after!!
My only hesitation this year is the big hike in the entry fee - £18 this year. Not sure how this can be justified for a half with only one road closure involved (even wih proceeds to charity) - compare this to the cost of the Wycombe Half just down the road and it seems very poor value....
.... before Marlow why not warm up with Reading's NEW event ....
Come run a personal best like your life depends on it, across moonlit fields and through darkened woods. See your breath hit the air as your pulse quickens and your heart pounds in fear of all things that appear on the night they call Halloween!!!
Join three hundred other restless souls and run the self-illuminated 5K course around Thames Valley Park near Reading, Berkshire at 9pm on Saturday 31st October 2009.
A fully signed and well marshaled course with kilometre markers and medical support in attendance. Limited changing and showering facilities available. Free on-site parking. Each entrant will receive a skeleton T-shirt,head-torch and race memento. Pumpkin soup will be available at the finish to aid recovery!!! Maximum field 300 . Entry online ONLY in advance and NO entry on the night www.halloween5niterun.co.uk
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This is a brilliant race. It is certainly hard but is not then toughest half in the south by some considerable distance.
That, I believe rests with the Trionium Munro which is held in June each year.
http://www.trionium.com/mm/
I completed The Picnic (Munro x 2) this June and the Munro is much, much harder. My PB for Marlow (albeit in 2005) was 100 minutes, whereas for the Munro was 150 minutes!
I am doing The Trionium Greensand (Leith + a bit more) the week before Marlow (25th) so I cannot comment on that but if it anything like the other Trionium races it will be tougher than Marlow
I live about five miles from the start of the Marlow course and my plan is to run to the start to reach there to coincide when the rocket goes off, run the Marlow 1/2M and then run home.
BTW, I am running Abingdon on the 18th the week before The Greensand.
There is a review of Marlow here (along with some cracking pictures’ on Nell McAndrew.
http://www.trionium.com/trioniummagazine/
I cannot stress enough what a great event the Marlow 1/2M is. It is the best 1/2M around in Buckinghamshire.
You guys have put me off this one! I signed up a while ago, knowing it would be challanging but now I am starting to realise the reality of it all.......I did the Wooburn Park 10k yesterday. The hill right at the start was tough and hope Marlow hills won't as challenging....Planning to get in lots of track and hill sessions as prep for Marlow half.
Am also considering Frieth Hilly 10k on 18th Oct for prep. Anyone done it?
I guess finishing Marlow will make other HMs seem easy....
Did you enjoy the downhill at Wooburn? There are plenty of those in Marlow as well, and the last few miles are also down hill. The up hill around 8/9 miles is a killer, but lots of people walk that.
I think the Marlow half is ace. Probably won't do it this year now though as I am going tio get my eyes lasered beginning of October, and I have to not run a few weeks while they heal....Won't be doing Frieth Hilly 10k for the same reason.
Cheers Paul. The downhill at the end was great fun. I sprinted to the end although thats what's hurting my legs today! Need alot of control going downhill that steep. Still, I have 7 weeks for practice.
I had my eyes lasered 6 years ago. Went from -7.8 to perfect 20/20. You will def need to lay off the running for a while. Good luck with it. The short-term pain is well worth it.
Good luck fellas, I'll be marshalling.
Try Frieth 10k. I'd put it in the top 2 of hardest races I've done in my 80+ races career! If you can handle one particular huge long slog through woods uphill, then you won't worry at Marlow and might even find the steady smooth road nature easy in comparison!
Best of luck guys
Harvi - I did the Wooburn 10K a couple years ago. I don't recall any of the Marlow hills being quite as steep on the up but I think there were 4/5 that were of comparable elevation. The lovely scenery does make up for it.
Stevie G - could you put a word in to the T-shirt organisers to have more Large size available? I finished about mid-pack last year but the Large had all run out. No medal and a wrong size T-shirt.
My only consolation was I ended up on the Bucks Free press front page - I ran past the Air Ambulance at just the right time.
Did it last year, I found the big hill challenging but I must have focused too much on this one and then kind of forgotten the others... and the others were hard, not that they are steep but more because they were coming back again and again like waves after the big one at mile 7-8. For me that is what made this race a very nice challenge.
Did wooburn Park this year... can it get any steeper than that?
Will do FRIETH HILLY 10k as I have heard so many nice comments on this new race. Plus it looks like a very good training for Marlow HM.
Good luck everybody!
My cut on it is that is is a really difficult 11.75 mile race. The the last mile-and-a-bit is a serious downhill run!! Gravity does its bit for you, and you really do go racing down!
Im not a quick runner, and my PB for Marlow is 2.08. My first mile was 10:08. but the last mile - ie the downhill bit - was 9:00. Now if you bear in mind that by mile 12 you are ready to curl up on the sdie of the road and fall sleep, it gives you an indication of what a big help the downhill bit is at the end.
I have to agree that the old quads scream at you the following day, though.
Its a beautiful race, really picturesque. If you are lucky, you will see some Red Kites. The marshalling is great, and I dont have a bad word for the race.
I've just signed up, but going back to the race page it says it is full??
This was my second ever race last year and I loved it - I've just run Henley Half, and the hill there wasn't half as bad as I remembered it - not sure I'll feel the same about Hangman's Hill, especially as I'm doing Abingdon Marathon this Sunday (my first marathon!)
BTW - Water Vole - I reckon there were 15 Red Kites over a field near the river at Henley yesterday - they were more common than the crows!