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Rotary Shakespeare Marathon
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Hi Stuchbury, the route is here ; the Greenway is miles 9.8 to 11.9 and 20.5 to 25.3; it's pretty much all gently downhill from the 19 mile marker; hard-packed shale underfoot, doesn't drain that well but it's not been very wet recently; it's quite pale, so the sun does glare up off it (not that sun is now forecast)...and as the Greenway heads more-or-less NE, the wind should be behind if the BBC forecast is to be believed.
It really should be a big help in the last few miles (though it's a shame about the hill out of Welforsd to Long Marston between 6-8 and 17-19 miles
)
Just follow the usual maxim. Start slow, and get slower.
Ideal temperature for running a marathon? I'd say a little cooler than 16C, more like 12C but it all depends if you are trained to run 26 miles at 85-87% max heart rate. If you are only trained to achieve the distance at 75%MHR then that's going to feel chilly in vest & shorts. But if you overheat, then your HR will rise as your body tries to cool you down. The result seems to be that the body uses more energy, and it certainly uses more fluid (sweat).
Tomorrow it's time to prep the gear.
Thanks all for the info... the hill doesn't bother me too much. The training on the railway track was really good - you know you've got five miles to go and five miles is nothing compared to the miles and miles of training we've done!
With the wind behind me, an old railway track to run on, a tune on the iPod and the support crew somewhere out there, I can feel the sub-four waiting to happen... fingers crossed.. just a two year's old birthday party and a shopping trip with a 2 year old and a 5 year old to get through before race day! It's Mr Stuchbury's birthday tomorrow, currently we have no presents for him, and no cake made but he'll be out there cheering me on!
Speak for yourself, Stuchbury. I'm hamming it.
In a radical move, brought on by the slightly cooler predicted temperature ans stronger winds, I shall now be wearing my Pirate cycling top rather than a monaco. I may even wear a Buff
The finish is slightly different the one shown on your link Crash Hamster. They have moved it from where it was last year. It won't make a huge difference but I like knowing these things in advance all the same.
http://www.shakespearemarathon.org.uk/Maps.html
Indeed it is. Hill is the same and Greenway is the same though. I reckon I can cope with treading on a few different blades of grass on the rec.
Actually, now you mention it, that link may or may not show the current start, either. I can't remember when they changed it...
Blisters, a gentleman always dresses to the left then uses Vaseline
No, it doesn't. Start is now in a different place; if I can remember how to do it, I'll put a current trace up on Fetch for next year, unless someone else beats me to it...
I ran this in 2006 and got a personal best of 3.42, its a good run you start with the half marathoners so don,t get carried away. pretty flat most of the way. I left some gels hidden half way round and picked up on second lap, I hope you all have a good run and I hope to seeyounext year.
Vaseline.
Speaking of which, that reminds me, Stratford is Mick n' Phil's home town.
(100 posts, is that all?)
You'd think with 1000+ entrants, there might have been a bit more waffle! Having said that, there's nothing that freaky about Stratford; the Greenway, the radical repositioning of the finish, the remote possibility of being knocked over by a bike (there's some sort of bike event on at the same time according to the marathon website) and that's about it.
OWW says wind up to 16mph from the SW by 1pm; that'll do nicely as a tailwind
Bedtime for hamsters; got a race in the morning! Have fun, all!
See you there.. finalising music running order than off to bed. Mini Stuchburys fast asleep in preparation for Daddy's birthday and mummy's running. See if you spot my little boy - he'll be the one shouting, 'come on runners!' at everyone probably positioned on the Greenway at one of the Railway cafes!
Good luck!!
Stuchbury: ditch the ear pod or you could get
1) disqualified
2) run over.
It's an athletic event held on busy public open roads, not a beer festival.
Good luck everyone! I hope you beat the course!
Big thanks to the pirates especially Drew, for pacing me so well for 16 miles and then encouraging me to push on. Managed to get a new pb of 3:14:50! (unofficial)
Cheers guys!
Blisters, thanks for the advice. I didn't follow it. I don;t consider myself to be the sort of person to attend a beer festival. I'm not going to justify why I listen to music. The race did not stipulate no headphones.
Graham, I knew you were on for it, you were really holding back at 16! Well done! Thanks for your company.
I had a bash at 3:15 and it didn't happen, but still got a shiny new PB of 3:29:09 watch time.
Nice to meet Blisters and Senor Spam out on the course (then watch them disappear into the distance
)
http://www.chipresults.co.uk/Default.aspx
results are sought of up
Well Im home, came in at 4-40 so a new PB by 8 mins, struggled as usual in the last 6 miles, but this time I made it to mile 23 before the struggle,
Great course, Great cause, great Marshalls, Great public support,
All in all, well worth the money
Stuchbury, excellent reply post!
Congrats on the PBs Paul, Crash and Graham
I had a good day in that for once I got the pacing spot on and managed to keep going pretty well until a mile before the end before enforced slowdown. And the Greenway wasn't too bad after all - probably because of the tailwind. Apologies to anyone who read my earlier post making out that the Mile 18 hill shouldn't be anything to worry about - funny how a 1:15 gradient gets you at that stage in the game. Finished in 3:21:56 so well pleased with that - still in the 'achey and sore feet' phase at the moment and debating whether I want to spend the summer trying to improve on that at Chester in October.
Good to meet the Pirates - and best of luck Blisters with the IM in September. Crash - you got another one coming up soon?
Thanks for the insider info on parking in Western Road - I think we got the last space right at the end after the left turn. It did mean I got the chance to admire a beautiful bright red soft top Beetle at the VW place - one day, I told myself, after I don't need to put the kids in the back.
Well done everyone - sounds like plenty of PBs! I came in at 3:18:37 and knocked almost a minute off my previous best.
Those last 4-5 miles were very tough after the hill at 19m!
again well done all, I think I met senor spam at the finish for a brief conversation before having to dive onto the massage mat, man I was in pain, that girl did a magic job though.
My first full and realise now that all the training doesn't prepare you for the pain of the last 5 miles, and the little devil on your shoulder saying if you stop the pain will go away. Big thanks to one of the pirates who gave me 2 massive big shouts of Jezzer! Most appreciated!
Managed 3h 21 min and 12s which I am over the moon about. Best of luck with the recoveries one and all.
JEZZER! YAAAAR!
Training's over-rated. You breezed off into the distance after you left us in the dust. I was still with Crashie at that point.
As for the cameraderie, (winky icon) count yourself lucky, I had a delightful conversation with an ultra runner for an hour that became more and more uni-directional as the event unfolded. I eventually let him go at mile 23 when I was pretty much canned, dragging it home in 3:25 and crawling over the line.
You were looking quite cool when you left us Jezzer, like you were on for 3:15. It's easy to let it go tits up isn't it?
Hi Jezzlar, I saw the name on your vest and, in that semi delirious finish line state, thought I had seen you on this forum, then a while later I thought maybe I'd got it all wrong and you were wondering who this guy was spouting gibberish at you! Anyway, good to hear the massage did what it needed to.
Yay, it sounds like everyone had a pretty damn good day
What's the plan for next events?
I know Blisters is off to Henley for a Challenge; I'm off to Vichy for the same thing, so we're probably mostly biking and swimming for the summer...
Bang on Blisters, amazing how things go down hill so quickly. I managed a bit of a chat with a chap just before I got near you then I was at the same pace as another chap not longer after but there was no chance of any pleasantries. I did think everyone else looked to be breezing it.
I had been lurking on here and read your post senor spam so sorry if I didn't have a chat at least you know why now.
Getting ready for the OMM lite in a few weeks time after a few days of rest, choc and beer
.
Jezz
Thanks for reminding me. I've got Easter to eat yet.
And I can buy in some beer.
Some great times recorded. I had a difficult run, I find it impossible to deal with the Greenway, I detest the surface and the straightness of it. But a really well organised event, marshalls were brilliant.
and thanks for the Western Road parking tip, that was a perfect location.
Good running last weekend guys. I only did the half, but managed a pb of over a minute with 1:29.02. I thought it was an excellent event; my only gripe being the lack of pace markers at the start. I started way too far back and as a result had a very slow first couple of miles through the narrow streets before the route opened up as we left the town.
I noticed a couple of pirates, which I assume must be Blisters and Crash somewhere along the route (belated YAARR! to you two).
Next up is the Hilly 100 relay. I hear it lives up to it's name but fortunately I have one of the flatter legs.