Abingdon Marathon 2010

T Rex

ROs are getting much more strict about ipods, etc.  People are being DQd in races.

Looking forward to this.  It will be a PB attempt.

[Deleted User]

T rex, I think it closed at 1000 last year! but said it as 1100!

T Rex

Ah, didn't run it last year.  I usually do this one every other year.

Happychap

CONGRATULATIONS - YOUR ENTRY HAS BEEN ACCEPTED!

Whoohoo

[Deleted User]

That's a PB for me already. I have never entered a race so far ahead before. This is my quickest by a long shot.
Now I am in maybe I should relax a little.
Yippie! I'm in.

[Deleted User]

Sunday 17th October 2010.......is my 40th Birthday......

So.......guess what.......I'll see you all at the start line.......I'm all signed up.....

I must be mad.........

TBSIARF

Scotty4

I ran this one in 2004 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would like to run it again, but....
can anyone tell me how they can justify charging more for entry than the London Marathon???????
Now, maybe I'm just whingeing as a ploy to put people off until I get my entry in...or maybe it's because of the £33 affiliated entry fee!!!!!!!!!???????????

If they can tell us up front that £20 of the entry fee goes to charity then fair enough????

Why so expensive?

[Deleted User]

It's a lot better than the London marathon.

Ultra Kanga Kazzaaaaah

Is it more than London?  Thought London was £37.

I'm in anyway.  That's Two2Go and Abo entered this week - takes me to 9 maras/ultra for the year so just need to find at least one more for the double figures for the year.  Preferably not round September/October as I've got 5 round then already. So much for being more sensible this year

Scotty4

waccyracer, ALL marathons are better than VLM (trouble is it's just one of those MUST DO ones)

Kazzaaaaah!!, it cost me £28 for an affiliated place this year which includes a whole bunch of goodies from the Expo, T-shirt, medal and other goodies/snacks at the finish and a free ride on the train from Charing Cross to Greenwich on race day.

Ultra Kanga Kazzaaaaah

So long since I got in the ballot I can't remember Scotty!!

Scotty4

awww. Best of luck with all your maras/ultras! I'll be running Thanet again, then (probably) Abingdon and maybe an overseas one (NY?) to finish off the year. 

fasterthanatortoise

Good to read all the excitement for this race. Just entered. Aimed to do Mersey Tunnel on 24 Oct but the local councils scuppered that. I am quite pleased now 'cos Abingdon seems a really good event, judging by the comments.

I live in S Yorks and will be coming down for a couple of days. Can anyone suggest anywhere good to stay?

Ultra Kanga Kazzaaaaah

Toyed with Kent Coastal again Scotty but just don't want to put another one in around then.  After last year's dreadful performance it would be good to do it properly some time though!

Berlin's my o'seas one this year.  Never been there and it seems like a fab marathon

[Deleted User]

I'm in !!!  really enjoyed this last year, can't wait for October to come around again. Let's hope for a pb again !

Dr Robert

D'oh! I announced the dates for the Greensand Marathon last year, and now Abingdon is on the same day in 2010. D'oh! I was thinking of trying to do Abingdon (as my 10th marathon), but I can't now since I'm organising the Greensand Marathon in Dorking on the same day, 17 October. D'Oh! Maybe next year.

I hear good things about Abingdon.

I back up Abingdon on the marshals - there can be no race without marshals! Volunteer today - it's great fun!

[Deleted User]

Just eneterd online - haven't done this race since 2004 but remember having a great time

[Deleted User]

Just entered.  Hopefully third time lucky! First two previous marathon attempts scuppered by injury (and the last attempt when I had just completed 20 mile training run!).

kaysdee Kelly

I emailed the organisers a few of days ago as I'm not quite ready to enter yet (waiting on another marathon which is a ballot) and as of Monday they have had 325 entries. He said slightly more than this time last year and it filled up at the end of April in 2009.

Lemony

Have had my entry confirmed. It's been a while since I did any races (I had a baby nine months ago) so need to get in lots of training. But at least it gives me something to aim for.

[Deleted User]

Do you actually get DQ'd for wearing an IPOD? I can't cope without mine.

[Deleted User]

Think we had this topic last year dont know if anyone did get DQ'd but there were signs up saying DONT!. One thing you have going for you is that its a long time before the start and maybe you could train to run without it?

Super Sloth

I'm in, Yippee

Abingdon 09 was my first Marathon, finished but crashed and burned at 22 Miles !

Struggled home to the finish though in under 4 Hrs but it wasn't pretty !!,  just because I went off far to fast for the first 15 and paid the price even though I new I was running well ahead of target pace.

 Lessons Learned - Now I've got Unfinished Business !!!!!!! - Its pay back time.

 Bring it on. 

[Deleted User]

I'm in!  can't wait!

This will be my first marathon, I've heard it's a good one!

 But it' is a good few months away, does anyone have any training suggestions please? (I'm already running up to 10 miles, and have entered a few HMs to do in the near future).

 Thanks!

T Rex

Fleckers - yes it is a good marathon. Did a PB there in 2008 and looking to beat it this year if possible.  You can't beat finishing on a running track.

Depends whether you want to follow training schedules (others perhaps can advise on ones that work for them) but I personally don't follow them.  The ideal is to build up to completing at least one but preferably several 20-22 mile training runs say once a fortnight with your last one two weeks before your target race.  Write them in your diary now.  One of them could be a 20-mile race.  Don't neglect speed and tempo training.

Iron Rach - some events are DQ'ing runners for wearing ipods, etc, and this might be one of them.  ROs are getting more strict about it.

Super Sloth - at least you recognise your mistake!  A very common one - "Get some time in hand in the early stages in case I have to slow down later".  Unfortunately you will slow down later if that's what you do!  There is a rule I read somewhere, and it seems to be valid, that for every minute you're ahead of schedule by half way, your final finish time will be down by two minutes.  In Abingdon it is possible to be even-paced and that's what I'd aim for.

I'm looking forward to this too.

seren nos

Iron Rach wrote (see)

Do you actually get DQ'd for wearing an IPOD? I can't cope without mine.

the organisers were quite adamant on this point .............IronRach.....can't believe if you have the mental strength to do the double then you can't do this without an i-pod..........you must cycle for hours and swim for hours without one......I'm sure you can do a short 26 mile run without one

Lemony

Fleckers - my advice on training is to get a copy of Bob Glover's 'The Competitive Runner's Handbook'. Even if you don't follow his schedules, the mass of training advice is genuinely helpful for runners at all levels. And no - I don't know him or anyone who publishes this book.