Milton Keynes Marathon

1373840424345

Comments

  • 3:42:06 for me... a new PB by over 4 mins. I think I measured the course as 26.6 by Garmin and I definitely remember miles 6 - 7 being around .25 longer, but i'd rather it was longer than short and it means I know I can do a little quicker image

    Yes the conditions were bad, but was pleased to see so many supporters out and the marshells were amazing! I wouldn't have liked to have been standing around in those conditions for 6+ hours! Thanks to everyone who turned up and supported/helped out on the day!

    Just one question on the course length... Am I ok to use this as my GFA for London? I was just planning to print out the results and post it off, but now i'm a little concerned it wont count? I have a qualifier from Abingdon last year which I can use, but wanted this one as it's faster...

  • Cara, it should be fine. Just print it out. I used my result from a 'disputed' race many years ago without any issue. In this case I don't see an issue anyway as it's possible the course was long rather than short

    Owl

  • What a nightmare of an event!  the weather was no ones fault but there were a large number of fundemental issues with the organisation:

    Car parking- we booked a car parking spot only to be told it was full and was sent elsewhere.  Really really poor parking signage, we seemed to drive round a lot trying to find how to get there since they had closed a lot of the access routes.  We made it with 5 minutes to go in the end despite having reached MK at 8.40am!!!

    Course flooding- of course thats not their fault but the routes they chose flood.  They should have had a back up plan since we had at least a weeks notice of the shocking weather.

    Safety- Marshalls were poor in places at controlling traffic and I almost got run over on one residential bit.  A silver blanket at the end in those conditons is also a must for safety reasons.  There were too many people showing signs of early onset hypothermia!  Most of the marshals howvere were super and very cheerful despite the weather.

    Goody bag- who thought that a special K bar belonged in a marathon goody bag? Also our medal was rammed at the bottom not given out which is a shame.

    Car parking again: We couldn't find their 'alternative car par' at the end.  No signage and the marshalls had no idea.  In the end we all just started to cluster and randomly wandered until we managed to find it getting even colder in the process.... there may still be lost people.

     Depsite getting a pb I would never do this marathon again due to the shambles of the organisation which was nothing to do with the weather! 

  • Is anyone having problems accessing their provisional result now we're being redirected to the timing chip company?
  • Andyc209 - believe me - running 26.2 miles around MK grid roads would have been boring as hell but I take your point.  If the weather had been nice I think most people would have been pleasently suprised at how green MK is...

    so is the concesus that the course was too long rather than short - someone seemed to be suggesting it was on the short side.  Think my Garmin said 26.4ish...

  • at least 26.2 miles too longimage
  • I can't get anything to work on the race timing systems site. I'm using Firefox (with or without IE tabs)

    Owl

  • Liam- my Garmin also measured around 26.4 (FWIW).

  • My gamin said a little under 26.5, would expect it to come up long on a garmin anyway, especially with the bends. That said as Ross posted there was a clear diversion between 6&7. Though miles 2,19 & 25 came up short on my watch. Who knows?

    Thought it was a fast course despite the weather. I did a lot of training in MK so maybe i was just used to the underpasses, and as for the puddles, it is possible to run through them as Owl said.

  • Lots of ranting over on the Manchester marathon thread about problems with baggage. Sounds like we got off lightly

    Owl

  • You need to click on a runners name on the first page, then you can search for yourself on their results page. Hope that makes sense!
  • andyc209andyc209 ✭✭✭
    Liam - i know MK well and Willen Lake for example is great but i think the course should have involved a 50:50 split of roads and redways - i think using the 'green' issue backfired in two ways, firstly if you get bad weather which good old UK can do in April its the redways that would flood, not the roads. Also 'green' implies environmental issues and yesterday was not a good advert for global warming image.

    next year i think they should try and include near the shopping bit or somewhere near a busy part of the town, use the large roads and also go over onto the redways around the lakes showcasing that part of MK. This way they eliminate the issues of bad weather underfoot, can still say a green marathon, get more supported areas but most importantly eliminate most of the underpasses image
  • Haha so despite no phone/watch/garmin it appears I ran exactly my intended 9 minute mile pace. I'm a metronome!
  • Good job they didn't use any Towpaths - I ran up the towpath to Willen lake from Leighton Buzzard with the howling gale in my face all the way - so I sort of knew what it was like (although only 12 miles)

    Nice bonus of the flooded pathway just by the lake too, up to my knees.

    Well I did manage to get myself freezing again cheering outside the Willen cafes! Well done all, you deserve it. Probably be boiling next year!

  • Firstly just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to all the marshalls and spectators that lined the route and filled the underpasses. I couldn't beleive how many people braved the weather.

    The organisers appeard to make some basic errors.

    Didn't see any signage for the run on the road system in MK. I was confused about the parking. The web site prior to the event gave the impression that the car parks were full (and DIDN"T suggest any alternatives). The area in the stadium that was opened up to runners and family before the race was far TOO small for the 4,200 people on the entry list. I expect the organisers didn't anticipate the weather being so poor, but even so there needed to be a bigger changing area. The baggage trucks needed the numbers up higher as you couldn't see them with people queing (probably not an issue when nice and warm, but when pouring down with rain it makes a big difference). The oranisers megaphone didn't appear to be working so it was very difficult to get clear instructions.

    Would have helped if there was signage at the stadium to tell you were to go. I didn't see a thing.

    After the race it would have been nice to have found somewhere warm and dry to get changed. A freezing cold and WET stadium was not ideal.

     As for the course itself - did someone move some of the mile markers as a few appeared way off?

    Nice to see the parks in and around the city... they looked lovely, even on such a fould day.

    I beleive the organisers could have something special with this race, BUT they have to make the runners experience before and after the event more user friendly.

  • Old no7 that's some improvement. I'd take some of that please. Might tap you up for advice closer to the time image

    Irrespective of all the problems I'm looking back at it in fondness. And would like to give it another go. But maybe in a few years time.
  • Afternoon all

    Having had a while to get over what I initally thought was a dissapointing run, i've also realised that I've run a 'good for age' qualifying time (3:13:38) for London 2013 - maybe another sub 3 attempt? - lets wait & see !!

    Well done & congrats again too all who took part (& marshalled &supperted)

    Cheers

    (a very stiff) Dave

  • Well done Dave. I think on reflection we were all very wet and cold and all the little faults seemed worse because of this.

    Main memory was running pass bagpipes at the start and thinking how lucky I was actually running. image
  • The drum ensembles on the course were excellent
  • Thanks Mark, I think you're absolutely right, the adverse weather certainly magnified the (minor in my eyes) faults, but taking a positive spin just added to the acomplishment of completing the distance (regardless of time)

    The major positive I'll take from the experience is knowing that if I can tough those conditions out i can cope with anything!!

    Cheers

    Dave

  • Tim of MKTim of MK ✭✭✭

    Of course, by next year, StadiumMK will be finished.   The seats will have gone in upstairs, but more importantly the black outer cladding will have gone up to the top, making the concourse on the East side much warmer and drier.

  • Anyone updated their run britain entry and seen how they rate the event?
  • I don't want to be too critical but I experienced one thing which may be symptomatic of the organisation. At 9.20 I was trying to get into the stadium. Some 'offficial' told the guy on the door to stop letting people in. They should be directed over to the warm up area and the start line. This was 9.20 for god sake! 40 mins to go! It was cold, peeing it down and I just wanted somewhere to sort my stuff out and have a stretch. I squeezed in and ignored him. Luckily there was plenty of space inside and when I checked later they were letting people in again.

    Runners know what they need not officials in reflective vests.  Get the local running clubs involved and talk to the runners beforehand.

    Owl

  • It's official then!!!! It had to be done so we have to accept it. At least I know that technically I did do sub 3.30 even if not officially. image
    So job done.
  • ross riley wrote (see)

    Sorry missed the others:

    Jonathon Errington sub 4:30 pacer:
    04:17:32

    Thanks Ross.  I thought when they overtook me just before Caldecote that they were going far too fast as i was averaging 10:13 mm at that point.  Very glad i didn't try to go with them.

    In terms of 'hills' I classed it as rolling.  Not completely flat but not what I call undulating either.  I'd already run one of the up bits in training and had been warned about the last one.  Give me an underpass over a canal bridge anytime!

  • AikonAikon ✭✭
    Love the footnote under the course certificate "Well done for taking part under such extreme weather conditions"

    I was well outside my goal but glad I finished it, shame the weather made my first marathon tougher than it could have been but after 5 months of training I'm glad they didn't bin it & let us make our own minds up, by my maths around 4500 entered but 1450 odd DNS's or DNF'd, hopefully next year the organisation will step up a bit & the weather will be perfect image

    I'd like to echo some of the comments on here commending the marshalls & spectators, what a magnificent job in atrocious conditions, my hats off to you all - thank you.
  • Had almost forgotten those canal bridges!
Sign In or Register to comment.