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Hamburg Marathon 2010
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My Plan B to beat the ASH was helped by my Company sending me to Paris tomorrow. So it's London to Paris to Frankfurt to Hamburg. I've already noticed that next weeks eurostars are also filling up quick so I already have a plan C in place for Brussels to London next Monday.
Team GB looks like it could be quite small...
Hi all,
I seem to have a place - paid the money - name comes up in list of participants, but I've just seen a bit on the website (under invitation) about needing a letter from the doctor saying I'm fit enough etc - does anyone know anything about this - left it a bit late - didn't see it till yesterday
All advice welcome
ta
Wow good spot Mike - if worrying about getting there from the UK wasn't enough!!
I've just read the section you are talking about on the site and that is very odd indeed as I'm sure it wasn't there before! There's nothing about it on my registration form either in terms of having to bring that along when getting your number etc.
I did Paris last year and they did require a similar thing but you had to send that by post weeks/months in advance for verification. Unless they are expecting 20,000 people to bring along signed doctors notes when they register I can't see how they could enforce this at this stage??
Anyone else done anything about this? Could do without this last minute panic, just when I was getting more optimistic about flights coming back online too!
Cheers
Ian
"State of health at time of participation in the marathon.
Running can be bad for your health and even dangerous. To participate in a marathon every participant should ensure that they are appropriately prepared and in good physical health as confirmed by a doctor. For this reason we require from each participant a signed declaration testifying that a medical examination confirming their fitness has been carried out sufficiently close to the time of the event. Without this document participation in the event will not be permitted."
In other words, they want YOU (not a doctor) to sign a waiver declaring that you have had your fitness to run a marathon verified by a doctor. It's between you and your conscience whether you tell the truth or not, but, either way, it covers the marathon organiser's back should anything unfortunate occur.
Best of luck to everyone. After the awful ordeal of the last few days, not knowing whether we'd even get to run the marathon after all that training, I hope this has helped everyone become even more determined to kick ass.
Good luck all of you who are running Hamburg. It's a fantastic route and really well organised. Even collecting start numbers at the runners fair the day before is well organised and doesn't take very long at all.
I wish I were there this year - the spectators are fabulous and the nice, flat route takes you round some great places in Hamburg.
Hi,
I'm one of the non english sounding names running in Hamburg from London - but I'm a kiwi from NZ! I think I have a chance to be the first New Zealander home as I haven't seen any other kiwis listed - although I'm not listed as being from NZ either. Maybe there is a weakness to my arguement... Maybe I'll just claim it anyway. And it's my first marathon so here comes a PB! Ha ha. I'm getting quite excited!
Good luck.
Cheers for the clarification Marcus - yep understand now! Panic over...
Flights are starting to look good now so touchwood we all get there ok. Really looking forward to it - looks like the weather is going to be warm but nothing we can do about that! Should mean there are even more spectators out on the course I reckon!
Good luck to everyone - PB's all round hopefully - I'll have my name on the front of my shirt so say hi if you see a fellow Brit!
Cheers
Ian
Good luck everyone! It looks as though the flights will be fine... but nonetheless am waiting for train no 2 of the epic 3 train journey across Europe. Keep checking my luggage to make sure I really do have both trainers. I do.
Did forget my sunnies though and looks as though we might be needing those!
hello again.
hope everyone enjoyed the race, and met their targets.
I was aiming for 3'45, so a bit disappointed with 3'54. Was going ok and on target til about 32k, but then just got very wobbly. I've been pondering if I can blame the flight/temp/not enough carb saturday etc, but probably no excuses.
thought for a big-city race it was well-run and organised. Crowds were great, esp at around 30k when we seemed to enter a very busy area, and then again at about 39k? when the road narrowed on a hill and I began to think I was a tour de france cyclist going up alpe d'huez.
I think though I've come to realise I prefer smaller races - they're a bit more personal, and a little friendlier, as its inevitable in a city race that you're treated like cattle at times. so might focus on local uk-based races from now on, though I think that's it for marathons now for me til next year (going to be first-time dad in august......!).
hamburg was a fun city to visit too. had an excellent post-race meal in a good restaurant in the fishmarket area. plus some jever.
I was going for 4hrs and just missed out at 4:07, and just like you aran, started to really struggle at 32. I guess the fact that all the training had been done in a combination of rain, sleet and snow was a factor given that race day was 23c.
Really enjoyed the crowds and the atmosphere and will probably go back to Hamburg for a visit.
Roll on Amsterdam...
Hi All,
What a fantastic day! And how hot?!?! I made a last second impulse buy of a running cap at the Expo on the Saturday and boy was I glad I did! From now on It's going to be my favourite piece of running kit!
So looking at Aran and Birdy's comments above, combined with my experience, I am wondering whether the organisers had erected some sort of actual "wall" at around 32k which we all slammed into?? I too was ticking along pretty well at around 8:12 min/mile pace up to exactly that point and well on target for my ideal goal of sub 3:40, but my energy just disappeared as we entered the final 10k and my pace dropped dramatically from then on in. The last few k were the toughest I've ever gone through but managed to (literally!) collapse over the line in 3:44:58 (after what felt like a Usian Bolt-esque sprint finish down the home straight - but probably in realtime looked alot slower and certainly more comedy!) so just scraped in under the 3:45 barrier - a PB by 7 mins for me so well chuffed all things considered!
Well done you guys with your times - I am convinced on a cooler day everyone would have been able to go 10 mins faster I reckon.
I thought the support all the way round was fantastic! Miles better than Paris last year and, dare I say it, in certain areas even better than London! Enjoyed the various ways the locals came up with pronouncing my name too! Don't think Ian is a common name over there!
I did find the atmosphere amongst the actual runners a little more quiet and more reserved than I was used to from other marathons I have done. That long underpass we went through being an example (which my Garmin obviously loved...). I was waiting for the chanting to start up but it was limited to people clapping which was a shame! Was tempted to start an Oggie, oggie, oggie but didn't want to look like a muppet if no-one else joined in!!
Anyway, all in all a great event. I'll definitely be recommending it as a good race to others. Hamburg is a really nice city too, would definitely go back.
Hope everyone else on this thread enjoyed their race too.
Cheers
Ian
Well done all... Yep, the last few kms were really really hard going. It was very hot and very exposed (the first half had been quite shady). We whizzed through the first 13 miles then got gradually slower and slower and slower... Before a 'sprint' / hobble over the last couple of kms. Managed to come in under 4 hours though which was just what we wanted - 3h55. Very pleased. A pb for me by 18 minutes. I can't help wondering how fast I might have run without the sunshine... but then there is always something to blame.
Great race - loved going along the docks, under the underpass (people were a bit more vocal when we went through there Ian, but I know what you mean about the oggies...), coming back into town at the end. Disliked drinking from plastic cups... I think most of it went down my front...!
BTW have you all checked out the videos online...? Boyfriend and I have enjoyed the vid of us crossing the finish line... Very cool.
Hmmm, where to race next I wonder.
I'm glad others found it hot. I ran Prague a couple of years ago when it was about 25/26C, and Sunday while not as hot as that was still begining to get uncomfortable. I kept deliriously messing around with my cap towards the end - on/off/back/front etc - a sure sign of failing senses.
the videos make for good viewing, although my 'form' at 40km and the finish is pretty horrific.
and can anyone help - I got the route all wrong and couldnt work out where we were at any time - where was that sweeping downhill section with the crowds and the ship in the background - somewhere on the river after about 10/12k?
Yep that bit was great actually - the crowds there were really loud and a welcome little downhill section I seem to recall!
The videos are great too!
.
It was quite warm, wasn't it? I'm not complaining, though. I improved my time from my first marathon, which was Dublin at the end of last October, down from 3:42 to 3:25. I would have really liked to have done it in 3:20, but that gives me something to aim for next time.
I was using something called the Meyer's formula, which I read about on the net. He reckons that most runners inevitably slow down, so he uses a formula to work out your pace. Based on my half marathon & 10k time, various time calculators said I might be able to manage a 3:20 marathon. Instead of running every mile at 7:37, Meyer's formula has you run the first 13 miles at 7:31, the next 6 miles at 7:37, the next 5 at 7:45 and the last miles at 7:54.
Using my Garmin, I really tried to run at these exact paces, and was doing a really good job too, until I finished mile 19. I remember thinking at that point that, actually, I just needed to forget all the number crunching and do whatever it takes to just finish in the best time I could! I just slogged away at it, and, looking at my splits, my time fell to between 8 & 8:30 per mile, apart from a really good last half mile and a slow 8:45 25th mile.
This seems to roughly concur with where other people are saying they started to struggle. Maybe it was something to do with the temperature rising, although this is also roughly around mile 20 as well, the point where most people start hitting the wall. Anyway, hopefully next time I'll be able to stick to the plan for another few miles until eventually I can run an entire marathon that way.
So where next for all you international jet-setting marathoners? I've heard Bradford, which is quite near me, is planning a marathon later in the year. It just doesn't have the same glamour factor, though!
All the best,
Marcus
What a fantastic event. The best marathon I've ever run (ok - only my second but you have to start somewhere).
As I was struggling at about 38k (?) I suddenly came across crowds about 6 deep on each side of the road and Gloria Gaynor blasting out "I will survive". I really needed that at that stage.
After that I survived ( 4.06 - very pleased).
I'm not sure I'll take up my guaranteed London place next year. A weekend in Barcelona or Copenhagen just sounds more appealing.
If you haven't run Hamburg - add it to your "must do" list. My only (small) complaint was the chaos at the drinks stations.
Congratulations to all, seems that despite the energy sapping heat everyone had enjoyable runs and posted good times.
I seem to have suffered exactly the same fate as everyone else. Felt good early on and got through first half in 1.28. Thought I might be able to post a PB of around 2.55, but the heat hit me hard just after 20 miles and I slowed to what felt like a walk for the last 40 mins. Was crushed as the 3 hour pacer group flew past me with a few miles still to go. Couldn't hang on to them and ended up finishing in 3.04.
Still happy with the time, and was a great route to run. Slightly annoyed that the weather on Monday morning - cool and overcast - was perfect for running!
Legs pretty much recovered now and will be out again tomorrow for the first day of training for my next race, Stockholm Marathon in 5 weeks time.
Well done again to everyone who ran; might bump into some of you soon on other threads if you are running Stockholm, Berlin or Athens later this year...?
Hi everyone
I was another Londoner who ran Hamburg, I thought it was a very well organised race. Although it was quite a busy course the timing pens seemed to work out efficiently at the start.. Great crowd support.
I also ran out of energy round about 20 miles but then I always do - isn't that just the way it is with the marathon! I suppose that was when it was starting to get hot. Even though I seemed to slow alarmingly, when I look at the videos I can see quite a lot of the same people around me at 21km, 30km and 40km.
So a bit slower than I was hoping for, but managed a PB by a couple of minutes so that will do me.
Stockholm is a good marathon and a great city, enjoy!
.
Marcus - I have a plan for Stockholm, which involves probably less miles than a standard marathon training plan would have 5 weeks out, as I am already reasonably 'race fit' and it's more a case of topping up the levels between Hamburg and Stockholm. I'll do the same again between Stockholm and Berlin.
Had complete rest Mon-Wed this week and went out for 4 gentle miles on Thursday. Felt fine, so doing 10km pace run today and then LSR-like 10 miler tomorrow. From next week, I've got the following:
Mon - rest, Tue - 10km hill run, Wed - steady 10km run, Thu - 30min tempo run, Fri - rest, Sat - 10km pace run, Sun - LSR. The runs are constant every week other than I'll step up the LSR distance week by week (10miles this Sunday, then 14, 18, 21, 14). Will probably restrict it to a couple of lighter runs the week of Stockholm.
In terms of next week's half, it depends on whether you want to use it as a training run, or a proper race. If the latter, I would keep it light between now and then so that you're not warn out. If it's just part of the build-up for Stockholm, I'd build it into a normal weekly plan and run it as a LSR and focus on doing a quality run and not knocking yourself out for the following week.