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Paris Marathon 2011
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All these comments about the heat.. that was nothing compared to the 'hot one' of 2007 when it reached 32c. I loved it...
(But I know some people didn't....)
In terms of future events.. I hope some of you will hang around on here until at least after September when I have a go at the a2a... in theory, I will be back at the Arc if it all goes to plan...
Your support will be welcomed and much appreciated while the challenge is in progress....
When are we going to hear BB's Race Report, DV? Are you allowed to write a ' pacer' one, too?
And what about a quick resume of the a2a challenge...with rough dates?
Back in blighty now - and full of cold this last 24 hours. Just been to get a load of curries to have for tea to help sort it.
My next race is Calderdale way relay on the 8th (which is a belated answer to your question dm!) and then I've just entered Chester marathon on 09/10 with a couple of guys from the club.
My first was the same as ATM's the heatwave of 2007, 5:31 then, 4:26 in 2009 and 3:38 this year. This was the first time I'd been able to train properly.
Just had a first look at the Garmin stats. Was 12s to the good after 18 miles but then struggled with the stomach and steadily lost minutes to stops. Managed a lift back to marathon pace across the last mile and a third with the last third just over 7mm pace. At the time I wondered if I could have dug deeper but I don't think there's much more I could have done on the day. On a cooler day I'm sure I'd have made it.
I'm sure BB will be back on here soon to tell her story......
For those of you who don't know about the a2a... here is a quick summary...
In September (starting on or around the 18th), I shall be attempting the Enduroman Arch to Arc. It is an extreme triathlon event. It starts at Marble Arch in London and finishes at the Arc D'Triomphe in Paris. It is a solo challenge, not a race. One person against the clock. In 20 years, only 7 people have completed it, but many have tried and failed. For me, failure is not an option.
The challenge involves running 87 miles from Marble Arch to Dover, then swimming the English Channel and then biking 184 miles to the Arc in Paris. It is self-supported, so this means I need to provide crew, support, nutrition, medical help etc.. basically anything and everything I need to keep me alive and keep moving forwards. It is one of the ultimate physical triathlon challeges.
The World Record is 81 hours and I think that is breakable. Howevever, just to finish at all is the target - regardless of the time.
When it starts, it will have a live web feed so you can follow my progress and hurl abuse or support as appropriate. My crew intend to make it a fun event too. Its very serious, and dangerous, but we also intend to bring some humour to it and make it something that all involved can remember.
Its a massive challenge... and psychologically daunting when you look at it on a map. Taking the Eurostar is a far easir option.! So.. I just don't look at the map......
That's it really... so.. as we approach September, happy vibes and support will be much appreciated....
* I think Our Readers need a moment or two to take that in, DV...*
Meantime...Darren 8 has sent me some great photos, including one really good shot of a UK runner in matching 'Union Jack' shorts and vest, white cap,...tattoo on left arm? Anyone out there recognise themselves?
Hi all,
this is my first post....and Paris was my first marathon!
Following months of training i was hoping to crack 4h 30m but on the day i went down big time at around 31km with horrendous cramping in my quads, and ended up with 4h 37m - i was a little gutted, but I found the last 7 miles to be amongst the most challenging couple hours of my life so am genuinely so pleased to have finished at all!
My hubby read this thread and pointed me in its direction to read people's experience of the race - and mostly the HEAT, to see i wasn't on my own struggling after 12.30 - it was really tough out there! The last 3km so many ambulances were going past tending to people who had collapsed.
(he also did the race but was waay ahead of me with 3h 12! )
Having not done a race of this size before, i've not much to compare it to, but i thought the organisation was great. Yes the lack of barriers made it sometimes hazardous when people tried to cross the road, but it did provide some comedy moments (especially the little old lady with her shopping trolley!) and also it meant that when there was no shade in the road, the pavements provided a cooler spot to run on.
The water stops were a bit of a nightmare at first with everyone piling in, but i'm not sure how else this could have been done especially as streets were so narrow.
I did all my training in winter in Poole. so on the downside, the heat really knocked me for six on Sundaym as i am used to running somewhere between minus 8 and 10 degrees with a cool sea breeze. However on the upside i've also been running up and down cliffs for months, so i thoroughly enjoyed the relatively flat course!
I'vereally enjoyed watching the videosof our races today - my husband couldn't believe the crowds that i was running with! Seems the two of us had two very different races!
Was lovely to see so many brits there, i thought the atmosphere was great, and although support was thinner on the ground than London what was there was great
Congratulations and well done all of you . I had to speed read all the pages so have missed some details.
PF you will rise again. I had an outfit similar to yours for Sunday but when i saw that we had also warm weather I swopped to a white top and short socks. YOU will get your sub 4 and it will be soooo sweet..
I had a good run and a very enjoyable day out. Ended up pacing an American girl up to marathon distance and ran from mile 7 to mile 39.5 with two other lads. had a blast. Did the last half marathon fastest of them all. Overall time was a cushy 6:45 at about 73% working heart rate. Would like to race it next year rather than do it as a training run.
I highly recommend this event for half marathon , full marathon and ultra for those looking for a spring marathon with no excessive heat and conditions similar to what you are used to .
Did 6M on Monday but nil yesterday as I was in total shock to hear that one of the lads who ran with us is on life support and in a deep coma after being recussitated a number of times after falling and hitting his head when he went home after the celebrations. ( non drinker).
Am not going to miss a single run until Comrades ...Eddie would love to be in a position to run , walk, eat , live and he is not , so how could I refuse to go out because I dont feel like I want to and look for silly excuses. Cant believe this has happened to him , one of the most popular likeable guys in running here. Had photos with him before the start and we chatted on the bus headig to the start line. cant believe this is real.
Finn: thanks for that - body fine, am itching to go out for a trott but am holding off until sunday. My thoughts are with your friend who is in the coma, so sad.
Well after discussions with my running buddy, will be deciding on 2012 marathon plan this friday over lunch, she wants to try for VLM, (i'm not too keen) I would like to try either Mont st Michel or Paris - it can't be that warm two years running can it. I know DV you love the heat but after months of snow, wind, rain, hail, cold, no heat running and I'm no elite runner, would just like cool conditions like 2009 would be great
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DV: I'm sticking around on this thread until it morphs into Paris 2012 thread then will just turn the lights out and move.
My next race is the Jersey half on 22 May - should be fun
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Tricky: Any tips on a training plan for the half TD - would love to try for a sub 1.50 if you fancy trying to construct a plan of 5 days running a week - please!!!!
Hello all!
Has anyone found any good sources of photos from the marathon online? Just checked my official ones and there are only three of me - seems a bit steep at 39 euros!
x
Aaah, good tip! I'll do that!
I have a couple the boyfriend managed to get of me at mile 16, but then he lost me completely. We didn't even manage to find each other at the finish so I don't have many pics!
The more I read back of this thread, the more I think I was really lucky to have decided to cut my pace for non-running related reasons. There's no way I would have been sensible enough to knock it back on the day 'just because it was a bit sunny', and if I'd gone out at my planned sub 4 pace I'm certain it would all have gone horribly wrong much sooner. Some really brave stories out there.
Radar Sal - meant to say before, thanks for the cheer at km 41 - I had gone a bit crazy by that stage and was the frantically waving thing in the Scottish vest. My photos back this up - I appear to be doing some kind of windmill impression on the finish line. Not sure what that was about - low blood sugar probably.
Fizz - so sorry to hear about your friend. Hope things are looking up for him.
Next challenge - RW support group at Mudchute on Sunday. I'll probably be on my feet for longer than I was last week...
Next race - Edinburgh marathon relay in May.
Tricky Dicky- do i remember righttly you saying you got a garmin foot pod for your GPS watch?? I got very frustrated at losing signal in the tunnel in paris and hence messing up the data on my forerunner 305 and have decided on looking into getting a pod....any recommendations on which one or whether they work well??
I have come down with a proper cold now and I am gutted as legs feel ready to go again
oh well a few more days rest.
Next race: macmillan 10km i think! should be a sprint in comparison!!!
Wow, what can I say - Sunday was an amazing experience - my first marathon, really happy with my time (Official chip time 3:51:51 unofficial runkeeper stats here http://runkeeper.com/user/darrenpsmith/activity/31248650)
Slept badly 3 nights prior to run probably due to nerves, worried about the heat, worried about tight hamstring day before/on the day, but in the end finished it and very happy with result. Yes I cried when I finished, yes my legs ached and still do, and yes I'm thinking of doing another later this year (possibly Liverpool in October)
Good to meet a few of you in the pub Sunday evening, and extra special thanks again to ATM for sending tips & advice through to me last week!
Hope to see some of you again soon.
I wouldnt rely on an European mainland marathon in Spring being cool. barcelona is early enough in March for the temperatues not to get too hot, but you are safer staying in Northern europe and then perhaps looking for more continental later in the summer or autumn when you have acclimmatised.
I know Paris is special to you all , but there are so many great experiences out there in other marathons that it is a pity to deprive yourselves of them .
elites literally floating at the bottom of the champs....my stepfather got some cracking photos of the day this being one of the less self centred ones!
firm plans for me for the next six months are:
1/ leeds half 8/5
2/ yorkshire swim for all (1500m open water) 10/7
3/ jane tomlinson york 10k 31/7
4/ nottingham half 11/09
5/ richmond castle 10k 15/10
6/ dublin mara 31/10
with a view to trying to get another half in there somewhere around 21/8 and a park run or 10k race on 17/9. any suggestions most welcome.
@atm - cool video
Got back from Paris yesterdat after a few days sight seeing! Wow how hot was the race! Managed to get round in 4.06 which was a pb by a couple of minutes - one of these days i will get under 4 hours!
Special thanks to atm for making sure i got to the start line.
I was absolutely dead on sunday afternoon after running in the heat took it all out of me so unfortunately did not make the pub. Maybe in 2012!!
Yes Yes Yes suzeq would love to see you on the course in London. I'll be running 7:30 and hoping to reach 3:15- but it's a big ask.
Princess please don't turn the lights out- we need to keep your your little tiara shining on the thread. We stayed in St Malo what a lovely place- plan to get back there for a longer stay some time.
Still no running this week TD- not my plan, just work. Can't comment on Pelata but looks like the end of a glowing career- would have talked more if we'd managed to meet in Paris- maybe next time eh?
Next reace VLM. Then the Blaydon race in June, then the Beadnall to Alnmouth coastal run in July. All the best races in the country. Also thinking about the Keswick Half over Easter but need to persuade Mrs OO
That's a fair point.. but for some of us its not actually about the marathon at all.. its the food.... friends... etc...
I just love Paris...
OO - Wow, I've never inspired anything in anyone before. That's probably why it's good that I gave up teaching...
3.5 months on the wagon and I can't say I really missed it. Had a couple of drinks on Sunday and since; they were ok, but I forgot how dehydrating alcohol is! Felt odd the whole next day, affected my mood too.
Caffeine next? Go on, get that monkey off your back
I'm really feeling the post-marathon low, like Boxing day amplified. Legs still too sore to do anything, stairs only became 'easy' this morning.