Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Kent Roadrunner Marathon
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
3:10 is good for age for VLM right? Anyone going for this time...might try myself but not too confident on the hills despite the obvious fact that what goes up...must come down!
The times for GFA qualification are published here:
http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/marathon-centre/enter-virgin-london-marathon/good-for-age-entries/
Although I'm biased, I do agree with Millsy1977. There is a cheeky uphill but it's short, whereas the downhill lasts longer. We had a great number of PBs at last year's marathon, including both winners. It does seem to be deceptively quick.
Thanks TZ - I'll try the 8 wristband option. Very understandable about the officials - they have a tough enough job as it is.
I'm one of the few runners who hasn't purchased a Garmin yet & dont think I'll ever buy one. Been running since the 80's and enjoy the freedom of running in the fresh air. Have also found my pb's are achieved when I dont wear a watch. It's wierd, but works for me!
What would the correct format be for enabling runners a lap or 2 ahead of me to overtake? I expect to finish in about 4 hours, so expect to be lapped a few times - moving out to the right to let them overtake on the inside? Thought I'd ask as I wont have a chance to look at the course until the day itself. Cheers.
Hope everyone's training is going well. i'm going aweay for a couple of weeks holiday, but have packed my trainers
TZ - thanks for all the info here & for taking the time to respond to queries - really appreciated, thank you.
LTS - thank you very much!
Ironically, despite being a slave to my Garmin, I set most of my PBs without a watch at all. Well, probably not ironic and certainly not a coincidence!
The course has a real mix of left and right bends, so there isn't always an obvious "inside line". All I ask is that people being overtaken run predictably -- i.e. stick to their line. The course is 6 metres wide, so there is plenty of room for everyone. I'd rather runners hold their line so that anybody approaching can make their choice as to where to go.
I am happy to help. I'm a runner too, so have great empathy with all the questions myself!
very much this, there's absoutely no need to do anything special. by the time people are being lapped the field is spread out enough that there is plenty of room for passing; plus it's much easier for an overtaking runner to see what line someone in front is taking than for the runner in front to guess where the one behind wants to go
Thanks for the response TZ and Millsy, and congrats on a 3:07!! I suppose previous results speak for themselves + thinking about it, a quick uphill followed by a lengthy downhill is actually optimal. Will add a bit of gusto to my weekly hills session just to be on the safe side though!
Good idea FF! The uphill, albeit very short is fairly steep so it can only help.
If you imagine the up as being a humpback railway overbridge then you'll have a pretty good idea what it's like.
Still, in order for me to come back fighting and not let 14 weeks of hard work and dedication slip down the pan, I have signed up for this one
While I'm very sad to hear about Brighton, I am very pleased you have another chance to capitalise on your training at our event.
Obviously the key factor right now is to ensure you're fit and well before doing any training. When I was training hard I used to stick with the rule of thumb that once you feel better then give it 24 hours extra before re-starting training.
Endurance tends to be retained for longer than speed, so I would recommend some quicker sessions again one you're fit. You won't need to do a whole lot of extra long runs, but one or two may help to regain any lost confidence?
The laps at Cyclopark can be a challenge, but the course itself is not hillier than Brighton (I ran there as a pacer a few years ago).
Let me know if I can help at all, and thank you for entering
Could you tell me, rather than just go back to week 10 of my original 16 week training plan would you recommend that I find a specific 6 week plan instead?
Much appreciated, Kathy.
How many weeks did you miss?
I stopped training after completing a half marathon in 02:07 on March 31st, week 14 of 16 week plan. So did absolutely nothing for 2 whole weeks. Ran easy 2.5 miles on Sun and 3 today just to get moving again.
Two weeks' break is nothing at all to worry about. If anything it may have helped as it's given all your organs, bones, muscles, etc a chance to fully recover.
As long as you're well over your flu now (and be completely honest with yourself) then I'd ramp back into your 16 week plan at week 10. Don't necessarily do all of the long run, or all of the speed sessions right away, but try and do some of it the first "return" week, most of it the following week, and all of it after that.
Just monitor your health and response to the training and if you need to take a rest then do so. The single most important factor is to be healthy on race day, even if that means skipping a little training.
Don't forget to focus on any weaknesses rather than strengths. If you're struggling with speed then focus on that. It's easy to become complacent and do the thing you most enjoy. For me that's the long runs, and I'm sometimes a bit naughty and skip speed sessions because I don't completely like them!
Great advice TZ!
I am putting my disappointment of Brighton behind me and really looking forward to Kent now
Again, thank you so much for your advice and support.
Be sure to do some bicep curls so that you can pick up the huge medal at the finish at Kent
Hi - good for age qualification for London was mentioned here before. Has anyone used this race to qualify for 2013? The course is said to be accurately measured, but can you confirm this race can be used for a good for age qualification? THANK YOU!
Rene. Yes, the course carries a UKACM course measurement certificate. It is also a approved event for 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon Good For Age qualification.
http://www.kentroadrunner.com/news/vlm.html
(Thanks for the confirmation from Millsy1977)
Hehe! I was going to say... we may be good but we don't have a flux capacitor to take you back to this past weekend
Really pleased to have you along
Hi All,
I'm running this in June - after a warm-up in Llanelli on Sunday! I'm also a clubmate of LTS so you'll have two runners from Wales, both actually from Croydon!
I'm really looking forward to the format, which has a lot of benefits (even if not everyone I mention to agrees with me!). From what I've seen here, there is no formal way of recording laps, we just come in when we're happy we've done 17, right? I'll be Garmined up so no issue, just querying.
Is this race full (as says here) as I may have someone wanting to a place?
Cheers - see you for the Grand Prix later LTS!! - 10k race 3 days after a marathon - might go easy!
I also used this race for my GFA entry to VLM2013 with absolutely no problems. Great one for pacing consistently (I ran a PB 3:08) and a really nice atmosphere.
Cable
Your laps are recorded with our chip-timing, so we'll have an accurate record of which lap you're on and your lap-by-lap splits.
What you'll need to do yourself is keep count of your laps so that you don't accidentially do too few or too many! Here are your options:
1. (The official option) We will offer all runners 16 wristbands. You take off one wristband at the completion of each lap. On the 16th lap you'll throw you final band into the box you'll then do your final lap with no bands. This system worked well last year.
2. You can press "Lap" each time you complete a lap on your Garmin (having first made sure you turn off "Auto Lap"!). At the end of Lap 1 when you press the button it will say "Lap 1" then count up. Again when it says "Lap 16" you know you have one more lap to go.
3. If you have a friend with you then ask them to count for you.
4. (Not recommended). We will have an announcer who will have access to live timing. If you're confused and can afford to stop for a few seconds he'll be able to answer which lap you're on. He'll also call out lap counts to some runners. We don't recommend anybody relies solely on this as their counting method as he can't answer for all 400 runners on every lap!
Full details are available on the event website:
http://www.kentroadrunner.com/news/keeping_count.html
The race is presently full, but we are operating a wait list. As and when any existing runners withdraw or defer we'll offer places to those at the top of the wait list. Obviously the sooner folk get onto the list the better their chance of getting a place!
So want to do this run, entered ages ago.
Just another quick request - if you are doing the Kent RRM and want to take part in my research project then there is still time, please just drop me an email and I'll send you the pre-study questionnaire. You just need ot have 2 long runs left (over half marathon). To those already doing it, thank you very much.
Great to hear that the race has been so popular, getting very excited
Cable and LTS, I see you managed to get a bit further away from Croydon than me!!!
Kathy - yes, but it's still nice to support 'local' races. But I have to say the Swansea Bay 10k is more picturesque than Croydon!!!!
Focussing on Llanelli until Sunday, I've not given this race much thought, but I have to say, looking into everything now, there is such a feel good factor to how this race is organised. I almost hope this is nobody's first marathon as you don't always get spoilt like this!!!
Makes me really glad to be supporting it.
First run since Sunday's marathon last night - hilly 10k race at 6.38 pace and highest placing all year!! - And most importantly, feeling good today!