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Snowdonia Marathon 2015
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Put me down for 3:44 TRex, although I'm a little dubious about it due to lack of speedy marathons recently, but I'd hate to break my recent run of sub 3:50s
Put me down for 3'59, it's optimistic based on current form, but there's still a few weeks
Thanks Mr R. It definitely feels like SNOD time now! Just waiting for PJL's weather forecast of doom I will be ready
Gulp!! I was hoping that you had forgotten my 3.29 goal that I blurted out way back when SNOD'15 was still in the distant future. No hiding now!!
Given this is my first marathon with any sort of elevation, the time prediction is difficult one. I'll go for 4:30 which I'd be delighted with.
T Rex. Trying for a slow 4:59!
Got all that. Waiting for a post from UDS - his response could be interesting!
You don't have to go for a time btw, especially if not familiar with the course.
This is not an even-paced marathon. I could do a chart of split times based on my experience of 8 SNODs if anyone is interested.
I think you posted something like that before T Rex but I'd be interested to see again. Have to admit I'm a bit clueless how to approach it and to what sort of extent pace will change during the race.
Burnt out during second half and PW in 2013 (5:20) but would still hope for a slightly more measured sub 5 this year ...
Not a chance in hell of 3:57, please, please, please, put me down for 4:27.
..and 'yes' TRex please do share your split times
For Fenland Runner and legend777:
Miles 1-5
10:30
Miles 6-13
9:10
Miles 14-22
10:15
Miles 23-24
14:00
Miles 25-26.2
9:30
TOT 4:26:59
Nice one T-Rex.
As I'm so rubbish on the ascent, I reckon shave a few seconds from the 14-22 and increased 23-24 to 15:00.
Yeh, list time. Erm, well have back to back marathons this weekend then Rotherham Round 50 Ultra week before Snod..so may be past my best ..no target..just storm it the best I can
Oh, got my GFA entry magazine for London through today. Holy hell, why do I put myself through that torment every year?
The sooner 2015 is over, the better.
When you lose the incentive to train, then one really should call it a day.
Next week i am off to Scotland for a weeks holiday, to Skye and Inverness, so in effect my training, or lack of it, is over.
This will be my 21st Snowdonia, and possibly my last.
Last long run of 22 miles today which felt not too bad. Roll on the taper! My son, UDS still not running much, he's relying on his biking fitness to get him round!
Sad to read that your affection for Snowdonia is waning, PJL.
Busy as always Brer. None of this taper nonsense, you haven't got time
As for London, perhaps doing the annual slog round the capital reinforces your appreciation of SNOD?!
Well done on the last long run BR. Always nice to get that out of the way. One more next week for me as this weekend I have the Tissington half just to liven the training up a bit.
Welcome back PJL. Sorry to hear this year has not gone to plan. I hope this won't be your last and you rediscover why this race has been so important to you over the years.
Ive decided to have a go next year, at a season of fell running, which is still an affordable alternative to road running.
By accident, i discovered a video titled " Colin Donnelly Welsh 3000er Peaks Record,its on Youtube, and i was amazed at the sheer spectacle of fell running at such a high level.
I knew his 1988 4hrs 19min was an amazing record, but until you watch the video, you cannot envisage how good it is.
That sequence where he is running across Crib Goch and down the North Ridge into Nant Peris, faster than i can currently run on the road, is mind blowing, just watch it and see if you agree.
I had talked to him once or twice, and if you could gain his interest, which at times was not easy, you would discover what made him tick.
Ive always loved the occasional fell race, when ive competed in one, and ive traversed the Carneddau several times this year, thinking how joyous it is to run in wild country.
Training for yet another marathon, has become boring, it may be my 21st consecutive Snowdonia this year, but if like 2002, it was cancelled, i simply would not care.
If road racing was still an affordable past time, i would easily find the motivation to train harder and enter more races, but with your average half, costing well over ??30, plus your fuel to get there, the motivation to train has gone.
Ive realised that i can get around the Snowdon Marathon off little training, maybe a lot slower than i am trully capeable of, but trying to maintain interest for three or four continuous months, with so many distractions, is not easy.
I will see how i feel at the end of this years race, and make my mind up then, but there is little excitement knowing the 25th is soon with us.
2:58
3:14
3:20
3:29
3:35
3:44
3:46
3:58
3:59
4:12
4:20
4:27
4:30
4:59
5:30+
Also running:
Thanks for the uggested paces t Rex ( which confirmed I set off far too fast for my ability in 2013)
i will try to hold myself back this year for the first 5 miles ...
Obviously you have done your quality training, especially those all important long runs, which are even more important on this course than most other marathons.
For the average runner, the Snowdonia Marathon is virtually totally endurance based, it's only when your looking to get anywhere near the 3 to 3-15 mark, where some speed is involved.
Many years ago, when I ran my best time for the Snowdonia at 3-21-47, I did not hold back up the Llanberis Pass, I knew roughly what time I was looking for, and adjusted my time accordingly for the more challenging nature of the course.
If you know roughly the time you would be looking for if you had entered the London marathon, just add about20 to 30 minutes to your anticipated Snowdonia time.
Obviously the weather can play havock in the Snowdon, but if you hold back too much going up Pen Y Pass, then if your feeling strong throughout the race, which is quite possible if you've trained well enough, you will be playing catch up, trying to make up lost time.
This race is all about a solid three to four month endurance base.
Once your fully happy with your mileage and training base , it is not ideal to hold back too much in the early stages, if you know what goal pace to set out at, run slightly below, but not too far off goal pace.
The marathon does not really start until you leave Beddgelert, at just around half way, the first half is definitely quicker than the second, and everyone, even the eventual winner will slow down at Waunfawr Bridge at 22.7m.
Many runners are under the apprehension that the Snowdonia Marathon is far harder than London, well the eventual comparison finishing times between London & Snowdon are not that far apart, 30 mins at the most.
The vast majority of runners this year, will have trained really well, and are up for the challenge.
The confident runner, possibly someone whose run the race several times, will have a go at challenging the course, knowing their going to be somewhat slower than London, but not by much.
My best time for a marathon was 3-08 at London, and I was on deaths door doing it, missing my sub 3 goal at mile 22.
Finishing in 3-21 back in the 1990s, I was tired, but not so tired that I could not run anymore.
This year, I will be walking the last eight or so miles, simply because my longest and only run over ten miles was the Lake Vurnwy Half, which because of the conditions, I finished in a rather sedate 1-52.
This year, go out of Nant Peris with confidence, challenge Pen Y Pass ( but not off with the front runners) and finish the race tired, knowing you could not have run any faster.
Leave too much in reserve, and trying to play catch up, and seeing your realistic finishing time disappear, all because you did not go off at a proper marathon pace.
Hmm. I'm afraid I don't quite agree, Peter.
I would say if you are accustomed to doing negative splits in (flatter) marathons then you know how strong you are in the latter stages. In this case you might be able to go out strong.
For most, though, you are best off conserving energy.
I would suggest taking the stretch to Beddgelert at a decent pace because it is largely downhill. The only difficulty along here is that there is nearly always a very strong SW, head wind which makes even this downhill running hard work.
I feel there is plenty of scope for using up 'surplus' energy in the last 5 miles.
For For An Other Half:
Miles 1-5
11:45
Miles 6-13
10:20
Miles 14-22
11:30
Miles 23-24
15:40
Miles 25-26.2
10:40
TOT 4:59:43
Train well and conquer, we all know that the course does not offer the runner super fast times, but there is no reason to be frightened of the event.
If you have put in the quality training, go for it.
If your a back of the pack, 4.30 or longer competitor,then treat the event like a hard work out, this is not the course for heroic attempts of a possible dream time.
If you have trained to the best of your current ability, think of the race as just another marathon, forget the hills, their there to challenge your fitness.
Quite a few years ago, i tried to hold a steady constant 7.20 pace during the race.
I came through half way, in 1-26,38, and still felt strong, but knew what was to come at Bwlch Y Groes, and finished in a good 3-21.
Its almost possible, but Beddgelert Hill is just in the wrong location, and being nearly two miles gently up hill, it asks far too much from the runner, who is trying to reserve their energy for Waunfawr.
If i can break five hours off my limited training, i will feel ive done my best.
I managed 5-21 last year, and felt good at the end, knowing there was still something left in the tank, but trying to release it throughout the race, when at Bettws Garmon my concentration disappeared, and lactic acid slowed me down.
This year, i may throw caution to the wind, go out at a 8.30 pace, and see whats left at Waunfawr Bridge.
Who knows, if one pushes one self hard enough, even off shamefully poor training, a time of under 5hrs may be on the cards.
In the past 21yrs, ive only gone for it, once, with impressive results.
Ive never gone for it, off pathetically poor training, ive never had the courage to hit the wall head first.
Throw caution to the wind, and try and challenge a course ready to eat the over optimistic runner,who is not ready for his 21st Snowdonia Marathon.
Should i hold back, which sense says i should, and feel elated at having survived my 21st race, or should i GO FOR IT and suffer BIG TIME, but safe in the knowledge that i am a runner after all, not a struggler dreaming of times he should not be thinking about.
Come Oct 25th, i will see what the weather has on offer.
If its warm and muggy, then i may jog along at the back, but if its cool and overcast, then i will see what i am capeable of if i push myself.
TRex - I had to laugh and hang head in shame when I saw the predicted 2:58 on your list. Haha. This will not be THAT year. This time around will be an experiment to see what is possible on zero marathon training. In fact make that zero run training! Just 3 runs uploaded to Strava in the entire year and I doubt ive run more than 10 miles as my longest run. In the last 4 months ivr probably average about 2 runs per month. So let's see what the ElliptiGO I'd really capable of when it comes to cross training for a marathon. I'd be well happy if I get close to 3:30. Realistically I may be looking at 3:45. However I will be pacing at 8mpm.
Of course let's not the forget the bonus mile at the end all down hill where its possible to run your fastest mile of the entire race