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Barcelona Marathon 2014
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That sounds ok Martin, let's hope the Welsh weather does us a big favour on the day. I was dreading you might tell me we had to run to the cable car station at the top of the mountain!
Looks like Barcelona will be my next marathon now (Might do portsmouth marathon, not sure ... it is near Christmas - 23rd Dec
)
Emmy Frankfurt is really better than Berlin??? I thought Berlin was excellent.
My only problem with Barcelon is that its 4 weeks before London, so not sure if to train for london and treat barcelona as a training run or train for Barcelona and then taper for London ?
Anyone any ideas?
Wenty - I honestly thought it was. I really didnt like Berlin but loved the crowd and the race itself. If you want to do Pompey - you'll need to get your applications quick - theres less than 50 places remaining.
Which race is more important for you? Barcelona or London? Then just aim for the that one and treat the other as a training run
Wenty I'm in the exact same predicament. I'm using barca as a training run and concentrating on London. I think I calculated there was five weeks difference which would normally be my longest run anyway and around 24 miles so I'm hoping the extra 2.2 won't do too much damage. Also the added fact that barca will be like a mini holiday means the lack of stress about an A race will mean I'll enjoy the break a bit more.
martin g. I would have thorght you will get a quicker time in Barcelona as it is not so crowded.London is very crowded,?
That was my thoughts but hopefully I'll be towards the front and away from the major crowds. I have a championship start this year so although there will be congestion I'm hoping it's not going to be too major an issue. Also taking the advice of the coach he knows a lot more about that kind of stuff than me! I'm just hoping I can recover from barca in time to get the final few weeks training under my belt. I'll be running barca at MP + 40 secs so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'm four weeks post abingdon and absolutely nowhere near marathon fit so doing barca flat out and getting to the London startline in any sort of shape is debatable
I do not know what it is like to be up front
.
Ha ha neither do I. My last few times I've been on the red start which has a bit of a hill in it, this time I'll be on the blue which from memory is a lot quicker. I'll still be in a crowd but hopefully it'll be moving the sameish pace as I'm after!
Same here! Martin - you'll have to live the experience for us and tell us everything
Martin, I have a GFA place and everyone has told me congestion is not a problem near the front - so you should be fine..... I am doing the same plan - treating Barcelona as a long training run - plan to run first 22 miles at MP+20-30 seconds then jog the last 4.2 miles, to save the legs as thats where the damage would be done I think. Barcelona March 16 and VLM April 13 so 4 weeks. not that it makes much difference i guess.
Wow - if you can jog the last 4.2 and get under 3 hr - crack on.....2 sub 3 hr marathons in one months would be hell of an achievement!
Wenty - if you think that's impressive; have a look at what Mike Wardian is doing this weekend: http://running.competitor.com/2013/11/news/wardian-aims-for-double-marathon-record_89210
Emmy - Dont people like that make you sick!!!! Makes my marathon attempts look pathetic! (Only joking - very impressive doing one at any time let alone 2 sub 2:30's)
You were right about Portsmouth marathon - just missed the deadline as it was full but I went on the waiting list and got in! So i am doing Portsmouth on 22nd Dec.
This made me think i might try and do 12 marathons in 12 months. Is this something you have done Emmy? I was not sure how easy it was to find one every month of the year.
I know! He's amazing and has set a lot of records over various distances.
Well done on getting into Pompey
I've heard its a good race if not a little muddy!
.... 12 in 12? Hopefully by the end of 2013 i'll have done 34 in 12
It started out as 12 in 12 and then i got carried away. The key to my running is good nutrition, a well thought out and planned recovery strategy and not running all of them as A races. Yesterday's marathon was a fun run out on trails - so I didnt really care about time or anything - just enjoying the route. Berlin/Frankfurt were key races for me in different ways so i put more effort behind it. Also, I'd think about when the 12 in 12 could be done - e.g. spreading the races out so there's a 3-4 gap or combining them into 2-3 gaps and having more rest for your A races (if that makes sense?).
Emmy - you are nuts - i could not do that, as it takes too much out of me. I really dont know how you have done that. Remarkable (and expensive). i presume you dont really train as you must be running resting then running again. My nutrition is pretty spot on as i am a nutritional nazi, but 3 marathons a month
.
I presume you must have done a marathon in every month of the year.
Wenty - It's all a matter of getting used to the distance and once you do it enough - ít's not too bad. I still train and do speed work which I think is a big help. RE: Money. Most of them are cheap ones. My cheapest one was 19EUR and Frankfurt was the most expensive at 80EUR but that was a one off so it makes it easier.
Still
Emmy, As an experienced marathon runner what's your favourite 3?
Hi Philip - it really depends on what you're looking for in a race. My personal favourites are:
The ones on my "never again" list may surprise you:
What about for others? What courses do you love/hate?
Better still Emmy - What were your top 30 marathons this year? (You cant ask that to many people)
On a serious note, I would also like to know which ones your thought were the best. (top 5 or 6)
I totally agree with Amsterdam. Most boring marathon I have ever done, but cant understand why you did not like Berlin. Great city to run round and great support from crowds and whole weekend is marathon fever.
Surprised Rome is not on your list.
Wenty - I've not run Rome yet
I've been put off by the cobbles! A friend is trying to persuade me to run it next year so it could happen.
I think Berlin was just a bad race for me (Despite it being a PB). I was pushed over in the first 2km, the people werent friendly or supportive on the course. I always say: good luck, excuse me, thank you. None of that. I guess it's just my opinion of the race.
What do you have on your bucket list?
I only intended to run 5 major marathons and so far favourites are Brighton, Berlin and Rome.
Cobbles are nowhere near as bad as people say and I almost did not notice them (tram lines were worse i thought in amsterdam).
Only ones left on my must do are London which i am doing in april and NYC which i might do for charity next year. Boston would be nice as well.
On my probably to do list are mont blanc, dorking marathon (from your glowing review), nice and venice.
I doubt i will ever do Paris as it conflicts with Brighton and London, unless I do 2 in 8 days!
only ones currenly booked up for are portsmouth, barcelona London and brighton (but might not do this one).
34 in 12!!?? Blimey I'm not sure I've done 34 races in the 7 or so years I've been racing. I generally do two a year, although that is mainly down to the desire to remain married!!
If it's atmospheres at marathons you are after I'd recommend Snowdonia, although I'm probably biaised as it's my local one and the only one I've done very year since taking up this running lark!!
Snowdonia is always in the top 5 uk marathons and sounds a good one. I would def do it if my brother lived up there still!
Thats on my maybe someday list!
I'd love to do Snowdonia but heard that it's a bit brutal! I live in the lowlands so hills are quite strange to me!
John/Wenty - have a look for: The picnic http://www.trionium.com/picnic/ This looks to be a real good one!
Think i might pass on that one!!!
but I do do hill training every sunday! Best way to get injured quickly!
Would definitely recommend Snowdonia. As long as you realise it's not going to be a PB, training's just about lots of slow miles and hills. Although nothing in my part of the world, the Black Country, can prepare for the crazy hill at about 22 that just goes up and up for 3 miles.
Have enjoyed all my marathons in a masochistic kind of way but the one I've enjoyed least would be Edinburgh which I've done twice. Although the city is great for the 'apres-run' most of the race takes place and finishes on the coast 5 miles away.
Enjoyed Palma and Paris, which I've done twice. Loch Ness is also one I'd recommend. Would like to do one of the US maras if I can save some pennies...