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Abingdon Marathon 2010
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I was in two minds about staying in a Travel Lodge the night before or getting up early from home and driving on the day. This drinks thing might have been the deciding factor.
How easy is it to find your bottle in the sea of other bottles? Is there a strategy or technique to save a 2 min delay at every fuel stop to find my drink?
Mark - well I'm entered at the moment and planning to do it 3 weeks after an ultra! I plan to run marathons on consecutive weekends in July which will probably decide me.
Mick - you only pass me on the downhills so you can watch me overtake you later
Keir - a distinctive container or a flag on top helps
Although there is an official waiting list for returned numbers runners are still able to do a personal swap so a list may develop on here as well. AFAIK the organisers are happy for this. There may already be a thread on Fetch although I wouldn't swear to it
Hi all,
Ran this last year and managed 3:16, which was very pleased with. Ran Stratford last weekend trying for sub 3:15 but like a lot of others struggled and made it home in 3:34(ran 3:20 last year first marathon). First half OK in 1:35 and then went badly wrong. Had been following RW sub 3:15 but will have to reasses and maybe do less running and a little more X training, making LSR's closer to MP which I did in run up to last year's Stratford marathon. Anyone else trying for sub 3:15?
Hi all,
Am in for this, have only done 2 marathons previously both London, is this a lot quieter?
Did VLM on sunday in 3:51 trying to work out what would be a reasonable target to go for, this year I was 24 mins quicker than last year. 3:45 ??
Angela
Angela,
Sub 3:45 sounds doable, Abingdon is a lot quieter than London, reasonably flat and hopefully a lot cooler, less humid than last Sunday.
Postie - I've entered Abo and will hopefully be chasing sub-3, having had to adjust my plans at Blackpool this year due to having a month off training when I should have been doing my highest mileage! Happy to hook up and run together assuming I actually make it this time.
Keir - I'm interested in this own bottles thing - I had that at Blackpool and it was great as I could use the Powerbar stuff I drink on my bike and have one of my own gels strapped to each one. I've booked to stay over the night before here. It's a bit more expensive than a Travelodge (£79 on Laterooms) but it's less than 5 miles from the start and you can cancel right up to the day before. If they are offering own bottles I'll definitely go down early enough to hand mine in as it was brill at Blackpool.
Andy - Not stayed at Hawkwell House (as it used to be called) but been there for training and they did a good lunch
So Late Rooms isn't just for late ones then?
2bTiny - did you enter?
I have only just looked this up, still on my brighton high - I think I will add my name to waiting list and check out sites for number exchanges.
Andy - Looks a bit posh to me! I checked out the picture of the bed, imagined my self having a fantastic nights sleep without the kids waking me during the night / very early am and I could imagine myself rolling over in bed and forgetting all about running 26 miles!
I think what I will do is drive to my parents in Gloucester on the Saturday, dropping my bottles off on the way, stay there, which will allow me to eat what I want the night before and drive the 1 hr up on Sunday morning.
Thanks for the tip on the bottles / gel thing. Some other questions: did you use disposable / chuck away your bottles or bike bottles? How much drink did you have in each? Did you have a bottle at every drink stop? How easy was it to find your bottle at Blackpool? Did you carry any gels as well?
Sparkly B - laterooms now seems to go about a year in advance! Just keep scrolling on the calendar thingy and see how far you get.
Keir - I bought a few 500ml bottles of water with sports caps and put my own stuff in. I had 3, as Blackpool Mara is basically a fig 8 you do twice so I got one at 7, 13 and 20 miles from my mate (resplendent with club colours ballons and whooping clubmates) then had a slurp of water at the official drink stops at 3, 10, 16 and 23. I had my mate standing at a prearranged place to hand them over and it worked perfectly. I never got through a full bottle - maybe just over half of each one plus a gel, then gave them to thirsty looking people. I did carry a bum bag with 4 gels in just in case my mate had broken down or something on the way over. Don't know how easy it would be to find your own bottles, but I'd imagine they put them in number order so you'll know roughly where they are, then I think I'll raid my daughters' "creative stuff" box and stick something sparkly to them so they're easy to spot (perhaps a little flag...). It's why I always nick one of their PINK towels for triathlons - easier to find your bike!
Maurf
I posted my application for the waiting list yesterday. I got an email today saying I was 70th on the list and that normally they fill 50-60 waiting list places. So get your application off ASAP.
Andy
LOL
We had a couple of nights in the Cotswolds last year when she was away and really enjoyed it so want to do it again. I've only been to Brighton for the day so thought it might be nice to stay there.
Of course if anyone can recommend anywhere else feel free to tell me! I love the whole fluffy towel and puffy duvet thing
right you lot thats,
london done now bring this one on
i must be mad lol
Evening all
Giving this one another go. Had my first sub3 here last year. And I entered on time this year.
Entered but was 94th on waiting list so looked at alternatives.
I've withdrawn my entry as I am now entered in Dublin,
will get my act together to enter on time for 2011
How is this race for first timers??
sortof aiming for 5hrs?
Stephen - As you probably know it is a pretty flat course. Your PB for the half is impressive but the marathon is a different beast to the half. I've run a few sub 1:30 HM but have a marathon PB of 3:16. If you put the right training in sub 3 is possible, what sort of training plan are you going to follow? If you need any tips/advice check out the speedsters on the sub 3 thread.
KeepGoing - The plus side for first timers is the flat course and hopefully decent weather but as mentioned earlier it can get a bit lonely out in the countryside.
Thanks for the firsttimer advice!!
Training plan will be....well.....to be honest....my own and made up. I do hills, tempo, intervals etc etc......am in a running club. I do what i feel is right on the day, if i feel like doing hills then i do, if i want a long run out in the hampshire countryside then i do.
it's hard to guage what sort of mileage i should be putting in though.
Good training plan.I have a similar plan and I use a Garmin to work out my weekly mileage. I also do a longish run at my marathon pace. I think it is important to train at your marathon pace.