Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Reading Half 2014
Johnny2323
✭✭✭
in Events
It seems all the moaning about the last couple of miles has been heard and the route has been radically tweaked.What do people think - will this make it quicker?
http://www.readinghalfmarathon.com/race-info/half-marathon.htm
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
It will make it psychologically less depressing, but I doubt it will be any quicker. The information I saw said that they were removing the early climb to make it quicker, but you still have to go from the bottom of that climb at Northumberland Avenue to the top at Shinfield Road, so I don't really see how that will make much difference to race times.
I think the changes are great. That last section when you almost get to the stadium and then turn away for a mile is soul destroying, I like the fact the first incline has gone as well. I don't see how the changes can mean anything but a faster course, looking forward to giving it a bash again.
I agree that the new route is better due to removing that switchback towards the end. They haven't removed the first incline though. It's still very much there, you're just coming at it from a slightly different direction. The steepest part of the incline hasn't changed at all.
Am I missing somthing? The only difference I can see is that it seems to start about a mile further back, thus removing the need for the switchback at the end.
Previously you would run up Hartland Road to the roundabout, turn right into Northumberland Avenue and then left into Whitley Wood Road, going uphill to Shinfield Road.
Next year, according to the map, you will run up Hartland Road and continue across the roundabout, joining Whitley Wood Road a bit further up and proceeding as before. This cuts a few hundred metres off (which presumably is compensated for in that change to the start)
Thanks Dachs - so not really a faster, flatter course then?
That first incline isn't so bad, and you get the climbing over and done with early in the route. After that you've got a few miles of flat or gentle descent into town and you don't encounter another gradient until Russell Street. Course doesn't look any faster or slower to me, tbh.
They've done away with the switchback by the MadStad but you still have that long boring and near-deserted drag along the A33.
I quite liked the old route, the one that started at the Rivermead in Caversham
I like the look of this. It's also better for spectators who don't want to stray too far from the stadium, as they'll get an extra opportunity to see you run past after the start, around the 1-2 mile marker unlike this years route where you wouldn't see them after the startline
.
I like the changes to the route to put the "Green Park Loop" into the first mile, rather than the 12th mile.
That means that when you hit Rose Kiln Lane you will be heading directly for the Mad Stad, rather than diverting.
I agree that the hill on Whitley Wood Road will still need to be tackled, we'll just approach it from Hartland Road instead.
Muttley - I actually preferred the first route, where the start and finish were at the Uni (showing my age I know
)
That's going back a way, Andy ... my first race was the Reading Half in 2000
And the Rivermead is within walking distance of Muttley Mansions so perfect for me!
probably not going to do it, but I struggled to spot any major differences.
It is a long way back - scary.
Of course - I forgot you're the posh side of the river
Ah, Reading was my first half marathon in 2002 - started at Rivermead then.