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Great Welsh Marathon
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well done all brilliant times,
it was my first mara, really tough course i thought, sunny and the course was continously undulating with some tricky small hills to take the energy out of your legs,after mile 20 miles that loose gravel was a killer ! hardest 6 miles i can recall. still a great course,lovely weather.loads of water stations that were well needed, well organised, great job guys!
3.21 for me
maybe next year we can do that gravel bit first
Daz thanks for the encourage on route!
had a wicked first marathon, loved it, maybe went a bit too slow, but i was sooo worried about hitting the wall wanted to hang back and enjoy it. big thanks to the Gorseinon 3m club for thier support.
I am hooked, whens the next one?
Stunning course, and fab supporters.
4.05 i think, so pretty pleased!
Alexandra xx
Results are here guys:
Results
That gravel section is hard. When I did the HM there was one guy running barefoot and boy did he struggle on that bit!
Well done all.
Wow - a 9 minutes win (between 1st and second)
Nevermind Ant, you and Glyn gave him a good chase andended up with fantastic times.
Can see Cable and Jason d .........I'm the ugly one in Green and Blue.
morning all
had to time to think about yesterday and still enjoyed the course.................
I usually don't worry whats in the goody bag but as this was the first great welsh marathon and they called the bag a momento bag i was expecting something to commemorate the event................
so we got a cheap plastic medal.a crap white t-shirt which won't get worn... and in the bag some leaflets and some food bits and pieces............no momento at all.......
as they are tri people i was hoping for a proper technical t-shirt.................I think they could learn a thing or two from san domenicos 20 miler race..........they give out a brilliant technical t-shirt which is great quality and looks good enough to wear when not running.....
so my suggestion is don't give a bag a posh title and then fill it with crap.....
really pleased to finish yesterday, as first timer i was guaranteed a pb but am really chuffed with 4.20 as was aiming for 4.30 - took 3 (discreet!) toilet stops as my stomach was the part that hurt the most. Really didn't like the gravel for last 6 miles & running past the finish marker at mile 20 was tough, but i made it & that is the most important thing to me & i have managed to make it to work this morning!
Angela Champion
Yahooooo -
a brilliant run, brilliantly organised on a brilliant course. Well done to the organisers, the marshals, the fantastic screams of encouragement and applause from the supporters, all the finishers and for the support of you fellow runners too.
For their first marathon and with low numbers the organisers got it spot on. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical reading some of the comments from the negative forumeers on this thread, perhaps trying to put people off even before this event even took place for the first time. Boy am I glad I didn't listen and gave it a go.
They are lucky to have brilliant running routes and facilities in Llanelli and the weather yesterday was the icing on the cake.
This was a small event (perfectly placed in the running calendar) with a small number of entries but it was organised and managed to make it feel like a MUCH bigger event.
I will treasure my medal and shirt - the goody bag was just what the doctor orderd (sorry SN you feel so negative). It contained food items to help refuel and a certificate for completing the first ever event. Thankfully not full of the kind of pointless mementos or freebie samples and stuff that other events provide, that sit in the bottom of the deepest of drawers at home with the rest of the rubbish. SN just one point, when you enter a triathlon it costs on average about £35 - so a lot more money per entry to buy technical t-shirts etc.
All in all for the entry fee not bad value for money.
They have proven a marathon will work in Llanelli - it was managed perfectly (within the constraints of it being deliberately a small event) and can now move on (hopefully and please) and build on the success of this first one. Naturally they will have to modify the course to take bigger numbers but reading their website they already realize that.
I am proud to have done the first one and look forward to the 2nd GWM in 2011 - bring it on -
PS - a PB for me beating my previous at Berlin by 3 minutes - GREAT.
Morning All!
First thing I'll say is sorry for monopolising this forum! I never realised until everyone I spoke to on the way round said 'Oh you're Cable - the one who does most the posts on the forum!'.
Really good to see and talk to so many of you. JD - Excellently paced - I could tell I'd gone too fast as I let my teammates go after the first few. Powell - I think you did the same as me, taking over after I dropped back. Lloyd - you were there too, we spoke briefly and very impressed there.
Staff - you're right about the shouting!! I was out on my feet and some guy came running at me crying out 'Come On' - woke me up!!! Well done tho!
I'm really disappointed - I've never hit the wall like that. I got halfway in 1h36 feeling really good, but it just hit like a hammer at 16 miles. Was there on 2 hours - 23 at 3 hours and finish line in 3h31.
Well done LTS. Also well done to David Kehoe. I used to pass him running to work (different directions I might add!) We wished each luck before and he's genuinely a lovely bloke - incredibly modest.
Right...VLM awaits! The plan was to 'jog and showboat' although that may now need a rethink! As my legs were fine, it was my insides that went, do I chase a pb?!!! Partly in jest...partly!
Well done all.
I was a first timer too and really enjoyed it although my body is trying to tell me otherwise. For a first time event I thought it was really well organised and the support from the marshalls and public was brilliant.
Wasn't keen on the amount of switchbacks/turning points but I guess some of them were due to the last minute changes. Have to agree though the last six miles were torture!
Little Lewi - sorry, forgot to mention...
I've been with 3M's for a year and it's been amazing. You get such support and motivation, plus every race in South West Wales has as many of us as any other club. I said to everyone that as gutted as I was, I had clubmates passing me drinks, supporting me, running with me, cycling with me and it stopped me walking, or worse!
If you aren't with a club - give it some thought. And if you're local, and look good in green(!), there's worse clubs than 3M's!!
Fair points Loneranger but when its called a momento bag......I did stupidly expect a momento...........san dom is a running race and therefore thats why i suggested then as an example of getting it right...........
I thought the organisers got it spot on on the day..but there communication from start to finish was not the best by a long shot.......
I hope it was succesful enough for them to be able to do it next year as I think south wales needs more marathons..........pity that they say they will have to change the course as I think they want 2000 next year and i agree with them that I don't think parts of the course could cope with 2000 especially with it being so popular with the local public............
I hope they move on and grow this event, but I wont go back - the thought of running off a costal path into an estate and round a marshal just to make up distance doesn't do it for me.
The water bottles with caps on were great, and meant you could carry them.
Some of the marshals were great - that one kid on the ind estate roundabout wasn't in the slightest bit interested, Just lying on floor behind a bollard - sticking his finger out when he heard a runner approaching!
A big thanks to the 2 guys (Paul and ?? )from Denmead Striders - You definitely dragged me along for the last 3 miles!!
Well - where to start? I wasn't expecting miracles from my performance due to lack of training and my very late entry to this race (last Tues) after a clubmate pulled out.
Serens point is valid - some of the marshalls were at best "uninterested", but conversely many were fantastic. The overall support for a small field was also fabulous and added to the enjoyment.
I was not a fan of the route, quite uninspiring and unimaginative in places. The last 6 miles were awful lol.
No probs for the encouragement Lloyd, always good to see a friendly face. Had a chat with Jim from your club at about mile 25 too.
Well done Ange - enjoy the feeling of your first. I made it to work too, but getting out of car after a 2 hour drive was a struggle.
This was my first marathon so needed all the support possible. Thanks to all the people that clapped and cheered on the day. in general I thought it was reasonably organised - a beautiful course in general. Thanks to all the marshalls especially the young people and kids - you kept on with your words of encouragement.
I would like to thank fellow runners, the woman, man and dog from the 100 marathon club for being so supportive! There's nothing better than someone singing and being positive - especially getting up to 20 - 24 mile point.
Thanks Llannelli - what a friendly place!
With love, from Manchester x
Just had another look at my splits. Mile 1 - 6.51. Mile 26 9.50! Bearing in mind it was my 11th marathon, it wasn't through naivety - remember I had a 1h32 half a few weeks back. My splits are a sorry story from mile 17 onwards!
I think my drink strategy let me down. I didn't carry my bottle of energy drink/gel, and took on much more water than I would normally as a result. I thought it was all coming back up on mile 16!
Overall - I think yesterday went well. It is hard to keep your marshalls motivated, unless they are club runners who can empathise (3M's marshalled much of Burry Port) - the course wasn't too bad, if pretty undulating in parts.
For a first time, and with a limited entry, the costs had to be kept down. Better to be sustainable, then blow it all on a fancy event that can't be replicated. I never even saw my medal or goody bag as they went to my son who crossed the line with me - doesn't quite seem fair that!!
Well done Tim and the HBA team. Lots of lessons learnt along the way, but I'm sure I'll be back!
First mara for me so nothing to compare with but slightly more undulating than I expected.
Really enjoyed the day, found the last 6 miles really tough thought that final turn was never going to appear. 20 miles in 3:01 and a 4:08 finish so a very slow last 6 miles for me but came in well under the 4:30 I was anticipating so very happy with that
Well done all and thanks again, particularly Cable - that comment in your last post prior to the race, when you reminded us that the last 6 miles would be the last hour of 16 weeks training really kept me going and helped me through.
First marathon for me and enjoyed the day! Didn't quite make my target time of 4 hours, finishing in 4:03. I ended up struggling with my knee from about mile 9 so was just glad to finish in the end!
Thought the crowd and fellow runners were really supportive and kept me going for the last 6 miles. I had to walk a few of these but managed to get the knee moving for the last two as I didn't want to walk over the finish line.
Well done to everyone who finished and thanks to the organisers for putting on a good event.
Really enjoyed my 1st marathon but next time I shall remember my trainers! I was on for 3:15 but faded on the long gravel section at the end. It really should be put at the beginning.
I enjoyed the view and having people able to cheer you on multiple times without moving but there were way too many dead-end turn points - 7 of them - having to pretty much stop and start again was not easy especially at 23miles!
Wouldn't do it again if they didn't change the course slightly: a few alterations, a couple of energy drink stations and a goody bag where you dont have to sign your own certificate (felt like primary school stuff)and I think they have a great event
Well done all. I do feel a little sad the event is now over - this may sound strange, but guess the event had been on my mind since I signed up last October & the focus of training for 6 months. I'm not racing for the next 6 weeks - going to do the Swansea bay 5k in June, and will definitely sign up for the Llanelli 10K too. Anyone else here entering that?
Although I didnt really enjoy the last 6 miles, I would definitely do this event again. I really enjoyed the course up to the 13 mile mark - think I have found my ideal race distance.
How are people's legs today? I did go in to work in the end & was ok to drive a short distance, but last night the tiredness hit me at 7pm, & I couldnt even drink a glass of wine.
This is probably my last post on here, so good luck to all for the summer season. I'm looking forward to watching VLM next sunday, knowing we've done it all already! LTS
Hi all, and well done for this really great forum! I've just been a quiet observer on here for the last few weeks, but reading the posts kept my enthusiasm going when finding the training getting tough.
Cable, don't worry about 'hogging' the thread, being an experienced Marathon runner you supplied a lot of useful info!
I'm one of the people who asked if you were "The Cable" (after about mile 1). I knew what pace you'd be doing so kinda 'used you' from about 100metres back. Thought you'd come flying past me at mile 15, after you stopped for a 'comfort break', but guess your 'wall' was earlier and more severe than mine
Best of luck for VLM next week, post on here how you do!
Thanks everyone else who've contributed on here, will miss the gossip.
I just re-read the rating I gave, and think I was a little harsh about the course, tho I have 2 pet hates in racing or training: Wind and turnarounds!!
All the very best everyone...