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Two2go Lea Valley Trail Marathon
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As someone who does know the "2GO" route and seemingly part of a small group who do, I'm sometimes reminded of my history classes at school. When Lord Palmerston said only 3 people had ever understood the Schleswig-Holstein question - one was mad, another was dead and the other had forgotten it.
Right, I'll stop showing off now.
I can back up what others have said about Luton. It's not really a tough course - the hardest part for me was the mental effort of setting out on that third lap. But I'll certainly be thinking about doing it if I come out of Abingdon OK.
I was wearing my Supergirl hoody before the start but I ran in Serpentine kit as there are usually lots of Serpie marshalls and they cheer you on.
Haven't checked to see if Luton are still taking entries but it is one of my favourite races, did my second fastest ever out of 136 Marathons/ultras.
Anyone wanting a different challenge how about seeing how far you can run in 6 hours? Check out my Crawley 6 & 12 hour charity track race 2nd of April
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Pam - and least there is no chance of getting lost on a running track. Hope to see you and your dog at Beachy
After the first the Five 2 Go and Four 2 Go have lost hope of this race being perfect.
Katiecom - I did try and keep an eye out at the start as you'd put up a description but I do tend to spend a lot of time faffing before I race. If you're a Londonish based ultra person I may yet encounter you somewhere else.
ORB - that's a lap race! I don't think I'm very good at them even though it's the Go Beyond lot who I have a lot of time for.
Having checked the map, I see that I and a lot of other runners went right instead of left at about 13.5km, missing out much of the Lee Valley Park part of the course. I'd be interested to know how the guy at the finish worked out which runners to send for the extra 5km to make up for it.
I'm grateful for the efforts of volunteer marshals. But I don't understand why automatic shoes and his colleagues turned up at 13km after many of the runners had gone past.
automatic shoes - I am sorry that you had a bad time too. I asked the marshall in charge at the finish how many runner out left out there and he said the lady coming in was the last one. I had to inform him of my running friends were still out on the course. Last year I was last and had a sweeper on a bike behind me, god knows what happened this year.
Someone mentioned that the coach didn't set off before the race started because it had to wait for all the runners to leave the sports ground. Don't know if that's correct.
I think what was most frustrating was that the organisers seemed to have got the marshalling more or less right in 2009, but went badly backwards this time. Also since last year I'd organised the marshals for my own club's race and so have a much better idea of the "do's and don'ts" .
Results
Well I have had a look and who nkows if they are correct or not.
Two ladies who were behind me from the start must have missed out a big chunk as they did not pass me and, according to the results they finished miles ahead of me!
I asked Mike Gratton if he could make sure they were recorded as 'short course' and he promised he would but when I checked the results this had not been done
!.
well I see they have posted an apology on their website, though I doubt this will make those who trained hard and got lost feel much better. Not giving out prizes is very tough, although I guess fair if they have no way of proving those who finished first had actually completed the course. Its frustrating for me though as I didn't get lost and finished in a really good time for me but I can't accurately compare myself to other runners.
Still they are asking for criticism so I suggest that we provide this, then next year we can at least say we tried to assist them.
Until next year
Katie x
So four days later and in spite of my protestations, I'm resigned to entering the Luton marathon. My goals for this year were sub 40 10k, sub 90 half, sub 4 marathon. Only one achieved, so I'd really like to give myself another chance at the marathon. I already had a friend trying to convince me to run it, so with me feeling that my two2go effort wasn't a proper marathon, my pride's taken over and convinced me that Luton is the way forward... I think I may have lost my mind.
Pam - I'd already been wondering whether I was brave enough to enter your six hour race next year. I must have looked at the application form ten times over the last three months. I think I'm secretly hoping that it'll fill up before I have the courage/stupidity to enter.
Zirion,
Please enter before it gets to late, it is usually full by Christmas. I'm sure you will enjoy it an you will never be on your own.
Have a look at our website that might help you to decide. www.advanceinternational.org
All entry fees go direct to the charity who send the money straight over to Uganda. No admin. taken out!
Amazing that this Thread is still going!
Like Zirion I was half hoping to break the 4 hour barrier with my one and only attempt (finished in 4hrs 28 mins) so my own poor organisation let me down with a lack of long runs and unrealstic goals. I too have only broken 1 of my 4 PB's this year in the 10k which I least expected (now 48 mins). My half PB still stands at 1hour 57mins which I believe I technically broke last Saturday (including the extra) i did it in 1h 55 mins for 13.4 or there abouts. I am looking to recover some pride by possibly entering the Portsmouth Coastal marathon - looks interesting (Saturday 11th December 2010).
If Luton is grim in November, Pompey should be bracing in December
First marathon and first mini ultra in one day (3:50 and 4:15 respectively!)
I was one of the many who did an extra lap of the park adding up to something over 28 miles approx 28.5. Arrow turned around and no water station at 13km.
Painted arrows with marathon alongside would help at critical points.
Headwind and gravel towards the end seemed very hard work. Had the advantage of meeting my 8 year old at the football pitches at the end so he ran in with me and confirmed where the finish was so I avoided any further surprises.
Nice idea running along tow path. If I ran it again I would try to programme my Garmin to guide me through the maze.
I've got a top of the range Garmin 310xt and did'nt know that you could programme it to do that. But thats not the reason i'm going to run this marathon again, the reason i'm gonna do it again is that i believe this run has great POTENTIAL
and i want to be there when they get it right.