2013 UK Marathon any recommendations?

Hi.

I'm running my first marathon in October, and was thinking of planning in advance and starting to look at booking a 2013 Marathon. 

Do any of you have any recommendations for a fun UK Marathon.  What do I mean by fun... good question I don't really know.  I'm thinking maybe scenic. I've heard Loch Ness is nice, but of course I have to wait a while before I can sign up for that, just wondering if there are any other races you love and would recommend for 2013.

Thanks

Steph

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Comments

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    What sort of season are you aiming for? Spring? Summer?

  • Good questoin...

    I was just thinking about that and decided, I think on the middle of April to Early June then I can decide if I want to squeeze another in later in the year.  So early in the year or a recommendation for one near the end of the year.

    If I don't have a target i'll be lazy and not really do the running I should so i'm thinking do my october marathon... Plod along with a bit of maintenance running until the new year, and then start training again for another one.

  • Book there are 100's out there Liverpool mentioned above is a great atmosphere If you want a April one I'd get yourself in the london ballet and see where it takes you if it's still open.

    There's a marathon in Manchester that wasn't the best this year but a lot of that was down to the weather and might suit also Milton Keynes, Blockpool or newcastle and Chester later on in the year. If you want a PB marathon I'd take a look at Abingdon although that might be the one your doing in Oct.

    If you want a more senic marathon white peak in may is good.

  • Cheers as you say lots to think about I like the idea of maybe cross country do giving it all a though .... Heck even a mini ultra 50k thingy, is a tempting thought.
  • So not do!! Silly iPhoneimage
  • touie2touie2 ✭✭✭
    Southdowns marathon is beginning of June, love that race image
  • Hi there, For an early one Belfast is pretty good. Ive done it twice, really cheap flights/accomodation and lovely city centre. Easy to enter as well. Edinburgh is likely full up by now.

    Autumn marathons - I done Chester last year and it was special. Large section in Welsh countryside as well. Loch Ness is properly talked up, I am heading in few weeks and this will be my fourth time there but it fills up for general entry fairly early in the summer so dont hang about

  • Loch Ness 2023 does seem to be a great sounding race. To early to book for next year I think image



    But might go for that and anything else will have to fit around that.
  • Booktrunk

     

    Blackpool 2013 7th April, new venue starting and finishing at Blackpool Football Clubs Bloomfield Road Stadium, super facilities, 5000 car parking spaces, 100 toilets on site (20 on the course) finish in front of the directors box inside the stadium, book online at fyldecoastrunning.org, early bird prices, loyalty points scheme.

     

    Good Luck

  • compo 1compo 1 ✭✭✭

    booktrunk

    I would say Chester   this is put on by runners for runners    i have done the first 2 and doing this year again   you have your name on your number  and the support though each village is fab   and at the finish  

     

  • Neolithic (stonehenge) marathon in early may is a very nice run. Rolling, multi-terrain and well organised.

  • So after hunting around Loch Ness and Neolithic Marathon sound awesome.  Would quite fancy Paris even though I said UK, but all in would be a bit expensive.

    So I have a current top two, i'll have to see how my one goes in October, and go from there.  Thanks for the help girls n guys.

    Steph

  • booktrunk wrote (see)
    Cheers as you say lots to think about I like the idea of maybe cross country do giving it all a though .... Heck even a mini ultra 50k thingy, is a tempting thought.

    How about the D33 then, in Aberdeen in March. 33 miles, out and back, mostly on nice cycle paths, well marked route, lovely scenery, fabulous organisation, beer and home made cakes at the finish. More like a day out with friends than an actual 'race'.

    I entered last year on a whim and found a cheap and cheerful guesthouse right in the middle of Aberdeen. £24 for B&B, race entry £13, bus from Glasgow £10 return. All counted up, it was the cheapest race I've ever entered, and one of the best too.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    I have the following on my list:

    • Robin Hood (Nottingham Marathon)
    • Loch Ness

    It might not be the "UK" but I've heard great things about:

    • Cork
    • Dublin
    • Isle of Man

     

  • I've only done the Eden Project and Loch Ness events, and both are excellent.

    Loch Ness is epic, starting way beyond the end of the world - one way, not a loop. It feels like an endurance event.

    Eden is challenging and, if you get the same weather I had last year, it's bleak, especially as you run through the quarry.  However, you get a pasty and a pint of local ale at the end.  However, the trouble with Eden is that you have an option to quit at halfway...

  • Emmy afraid Nottingham marathon is no more unless they bring it back was an excellent race but not enough people ran it so they have shelved it. image They still have a half there mind. 

  • Just added Windemere / Brathay to my list of possibilities, and after reading what runs-with-dogs said putting the D33 in Aberdeen on the list.

  • Halstead in May was one I did this year - very pretty, nice homely atmosphere, quiet country lanes for most of it but there was a stretch that the course passed through 2 or 3 times where all the supporters congregated and that was like the TDF!

    Also remember Sussex from last year as similar. Neither flat though. And neither big-city.

  • Tell you what really captured my imagination.....



    The wall.. running across the country from one side to the other around 69 miles / 110km in 24 hours, that seems to be a seriously fun challenge.



    Am I up to it... Possibly not, but ohh so tempted to find out image
  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    If you fancy a challenge - i'm contemplating this:

    http://www.votwo.co.uk/events-1/jcc-2013

    3 days, 3 marathons on the Jurassic coast (weymouth).

    I'm currently planning my marathon schedule for 2013 and this one looks VERY tempting!

  • I'm doing the Luton marathon which is in November

    Luton Marathon

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    I know. They've got other 3 in 3 planned but I really like the look of this one as i'm fond of the dorset coastline. What are you currently thinking?

  • Hi Emmy, I don't know to excited, so many choices! Not sure if the 3 in 3 is a couple of months to soon, as i'm doing first mara in october, then was thinking of just doing short but often training runs upto the new year then starting hard again for something.  I'm also dieting at the same time -49lbs in 20 weeks, so was thinking of trying to relax upto Xmas after mara.  Not sure if i can get fit enough in time for this 3 in 3. 

    Still giving it a lot of thought image

     

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭

    I know what you mean - it's really tempting and there's a lot of good mara's out there. I'm currently thinking:

    Spring Mara: (Brighton? London? Edinburgh?)
    July: Isle of Man
    October: Dublin

    But we'll see how I feel after the next few marathonsimage good luck with whatever you choose

  • Thanks image

    I guess I should wait and actually prove I can run the run, not just talk the walk.  So I should really wait until my first in october but so tempted to keep the ball rolling by signing up for something in spring now.

  • Yeah I wouldn't put any unnecessary pressure on yourself by entering more than one at this stage. Part of the fun of your first marathon is saying "I'm never going through that again!" at the finish line, only to find yourself searching for another one on the internet a week or two after, and getting those twitchy fingers to press enter for your next race.

    It's my opinion only, and many people do it differently, but I like to reward my 4 months of focused training with a couple of months after the race without any specific goal. This way I can have some down time and enjoy my runs/spend quality time with the family, whilst recovering for the next marathon schedule.

  • Well not signed up for any marathons yet will sign up for Leciester again when it's open, but am tempted by Milton Keynes in May i''ve not joined up yet, but i'm doing the training.

  • E mmyE mmy ✭✭✭
    @booktrunk - I'll be at Milton Keynes image it's the final day of a 3in3 (3 marathons in 3 days) image
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