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Grant & Stone Wycombe Half-Marathon
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Thanks for the advice guys.
I've interval tomorrow so can't do it then.
I will just take it easier and do no more than 5 on Friday with a rest day Saturday
So that's;
Wed - interval
Thursday - 5k racepace
Friday - 5mile steady pace.
How's that sound?
Stevie - are you sure it's that easy to change distances on the day? I don't want to look like a dunce when I'm lining up in the 10k with my HM number.
Completely do able K8. Just get there a bit earlier. I think they even say it on their blurb somewhere. I expect they'd do it for free if you're down grading distance.
Just back from doing some admin for the 5k run on the Rye tonight. If we get this kind of weather sunday I'll be delighted.
Having said that the last 3 or so years have been pretty decent. It's all a long way removed from the early to mid 2000s where there were some monstrously hot days. When you're also a lot less fit, it's a horrible combo!
Stevie G, out of curiousity, have there ever been any changes to the route in recent years? I appreciate that the options are limited to available safe roads.
Sleepy, i may be wrong, but i'm sure at one stage, where you come down from Chapman Lane, I'm sure it used to take you completely to the main road, rather than through that little alley, onto that bumpy unadopted road. I seem to recall running through that main bit of Bourne End?
It's a fairly small section, but is the only bit i can recall.
I do remember they were looking to change the route years back though, i think it would have been running the course in reverse, with the climb coming in Little Marlow up to Flackwell, Green Dragon Lane is it? You would then have the descent down Treadaway.
I could see te pros and cons. You wouldn't have that arse of a hill so early, and would havea glorious long descent right near the end. However, that Green Dragon lane ascent is very long and tedious mid race. Also, it'd be a pretty dull opening 7miles or so in a straight line!
Luckily they kept it as it is. when the hill is done, it's done.
ps I'm looking forward to there not being a monumental stuff up with marshalling this year.
In 09 i was competing for 5th, when suddenly there was no marshall at a key point. I knew the route, but the others didn't and went the wrong way. By the time i'd gone round the right way these 2 had long finished, and then a pack of people I hadn't seen all race were suddenly ahead of me!
I killed myself to beat 2 of them, but lost 2 positions at the death.
Gutted! Probably less so than them...as they can't claim it was 10k. Especially the women's winner that year who is down as having done 37.50s, yet in reality has run 1/2k too little!
There could have been massive problems in the men's race. The winner was MILES clear. Yet the final results show a tiny margin of about 10seconds!
Imagine if the guy who carved off 1/2k had won!
those are laughable figures obviously Philip.
But from bitter experience, i'm happy for them to have preparations in place a lot earlier than needed, rather than 2009's fun and games!
You never know. Huw Lobb and John McFarlane popped up out of the blue in 2004 and both did 67 mins for the half. Past their best now, but you never know who might creep out of the woodwork!
Mind you with a forecast of strong westerlies Kingsmead and Abbey Barn lane may be even harder than usual!
WHM runners do go against the national mood for a couple hours each year - we're looking for a miserable cold, wet summer's morning in mid-July!
All the best to everyone with near perfect conditions apart from Busboy's predicted headwind along the the breakheart stretch...
A quick interjection: the organisers have said that they would welcome help from anyone with previous experience of marshaling and road closures, as this is such a big event. If you would like to help, could you contact David Riddington via email, with a contact number? davidriddington (at) hotmail.com . Thank you!
(really hacked off that I can't be there.
a couple from my club are marshalling it, so we've been tapped a bit already!
The easiest way to cut off that horrendous drag back is to do the 10k
Tough 1mile hill, tough couple of hundred metres at 5k, and then the rest is a nice "sail" in.
Or something like that.
Stevie G - the 10K is the Adult's Fun Run
I trust the famous WHM medal is at least double the size and cost of the 10K one...
SleepyLion wrote (see)
Definitely! I remember in 2005, after days and days of miserable weather, opening the curtains on the Sunday to a beautiful hot sunny morning and saying "bugger!".
For the 25th anniversary there was a nice glass paperweight with a hologram of runners inside, which is my favourite running memento.
It depends whether you rank someone merely completing a half marathon as a more serious runner than someone doing the 10k reasonably quickly
Very true, especially considering I'm more in the 'merely completing' category. At least you'll have enough time to shower/change/cuppa and still do a spot of marshalling for us 'merelys'.
It's much more satisfying doing a half than a 10k though. If there wasn't the 10k I'd have to do the half, being my local race.
Looking back at my anorak records, I've done 19 halfs and 27 10ks (20 road, 7 MT). It's definitely the half marathon stat that makes more impressive reading. One guy in my club has done 100+!
Had a 5 years spell of doing the half 2002-2006, then missed a year injured, did the 10k 08 and 09, and came back to the half last year. Came out 5 1/2mins slower than at Wokingham from that Feb!
I might alternate between them each year to keep it fresh! Not running in 07 was quite gutting living so close.
I maybe out of either race
I've had a sore throat for the past few nights & it's becoming apparent that it maybe the start of a cold (given the blocked nose that is also making an appearence).
I entered this one a few months back so will be gutted to miss out. The 10k would be a slim possibility although I can't find anywhere on their website or in the race pack which says you can downgrade your distance. No email for a race organiser either.
I know you said Stevie that I should be able to do it on the day, but I don't want to do the journey without having that confirmed for definite beforehand.
K8 i suppose it doesn't necessarily make sense for them to publicise swaps as they don't want to invite more admin on the day.
However, i'm 99% sure they'll allow it.
I've personal messaged you 3 key Handy Cross members to mail....i'm sure one of them will be able to give youa definitive answer before the day so you can decide.
Depends how you are. If it's a light cold, a couple of nights rest and you'll probably be fine. If it's throaty or lower i'd just give it a miss. Only you can judge.
Email done!
My nose is a bit stuffy today but not a full blown cold just yet. I'm a little bit paranoid because the last cold I had was only back in May. It started in a similar way & then hung around for almost 4 weeks
The weird thing is I have a awful sore throat & dry cough during the night, but the closer it gets to the waking up time I start to feel better.
get some Echinacea down you K8, that and a nice hot curry tonight!
Best thing for a night time cough is a spoonful of honey dripped down your throat. Much better than any cough medicine!
Read in the BFP today that Eddie is hoping to defend his title. Bad news for him though as a little bird tells me a certain locally based Sri Lankan international will be running....
That's the problem with winning a fair sized race. You have nowhere to go but down
At most of our standards we don't worry too much about others turning up as loads can beat us. but if you're one of the real top dogs in the area it must be a right arse when the 1 or 2 people who can beat you are there!!
As for the hill, it's not easy, and certainly steepens 1/2mile in, and you always wonder just when it'll end, but personally it's the last 5-6miles that seem to drag like mad, on a very slight incline that you can feel but can't really see.
I remember last year i got to the 1mile marker in 6.20, including steepest bits of the hill, yet beyond 7miles i was just about doing 6.20s and 30s on those sections!
we should be there all being well- we have entered
just depends now al on personal circumstances
i think it's our 10th time there and 226 HM in all