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Asics Blackpool Marathon
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Im looking at registering for this on the Saturday.
Can I buy my ticket for the Pasta buffet then or do I have to purchase it before???
Thanks
Rich O
Race entries are taken all weekend at the Exhibition, and pasta party tickets can be bought on the door (subject to availability).
I was due to run Ranby 10 miler but didn't even show. I know it was the sensible thing to do, but I'm still sulking as it would have been my longest ever race.
Have entered Hinkley 1/2 to try and make it up. I'm seeing a physio on Wednesday and presuming they have a magic wand to fix my foot and hip and get me back up to my previous fitness and a bit more for two weeks time.
Am I mad?!
Does this training thing ever get any easier ? Did a slow 16 miler on Saturday in 2hrs 29 and felt awful at the end . Went last night to do just 4 , managed 2 and walked the rest !! Hope the training is better for the rest of you .
I know what you mean about feeling the hard work going to waste, phsycologically I've taken a kicking, couldn't finish 13.1m, all sorts of self doubt about 26.2m now. Still, there is still time for both of us.
stupid distance stupid training probably stupid weather.. Did run home from work friday and in on sat morning. 25 miles covered in 15 hours so felt awful and was late in on Sat (by 15 hours it was 1.43 and 1.50 with some sleep in between) as had to walk a fair way. Hope I just bottomed out and will be fine tonight, otherwise, well I haven't wasted any entry money yet.
Yours stupidly. TC.
Can still walk though which seems a little surprising. Hope eveyone else gets well soon.
I have just failed (miserably) to achieve what should have been an achievable goal in the London Marathon... I say achievable because, a) I am certain I have the inherent ability/potential - 7 or so yrs ago I was regularly running sub 78mins for 13.1miles and sub 36mins fro 10K - never attempted longer distances... The last few years has seena more hit and miss approach to my running but I have kept very fit playing Rugby league, circuit training, weights, CV machine work and the odd run..... I did London in '99 and finished in 3hrs22mins on rather poor training and having grossly underestimated the difference between a half and a full marathon.
b) this year i put in a lot of training, stopped drinking alcohol from mid january, trained twice a day, ran 18+ miles regularly - longest run 21.5 miles in a comfotable 2hrs48mins with the last mile at 6min20s pace... I ran a 10K in feb in 38min10s and a half two weeks before London in 1hr 30 - should have been a couple of mins faster but I miseed a turn on a poorly marshalled course (wasnt the only one)...
So I feel confident in saying i SHOULD have achieved the goal.
Infortunately I changed my diet, my day to day routine etc TOO MUCH in the 2 days before London; i also drank excessive amounts of water - whih I beleived was the right thing to do - drink plenty of water they tell you, keep yourself hydrated... I just assumed the excess water would be "excreted" from my sytem - and ideed i beleived it was being as I was running to the toilet every hour!
On the day of the race i felt fine... everything going well - averaging aboult 6min50s miles as planned but at 10 miles I felt my calves startign to cramp, at 13 miles my quads were cramping. Stopped to stretch my quad and my hamstring cramped excruiatingly - leaving me hobbling and staggering until I had walked the cramp off... the rest of the marahon was a run/walk affair as i battled with cramp.
I nowbeleieve I suffered the effects of hyponatraemia - low blood sodium/over-hydration.... (my knee condition didn't help - everything I have read ont he condition says you should avoid ibuprofen 0 I took loads of this before the off anf the night before!)
I still feel very, very jaded and find I'm struggling to do a tempo run at anything over 6min40s pace.
To cap (no pun intended) it all I have just been diagnosed with chondrolmalacia patellae - rear of my knee cap is worn away, however, the specialist says i should continue to run but just learn to "embrace the pain" - in the meantime i am being referred to physios...
Anyway - I'm desperate to break the sub 3 and my initial thoughts were that Blackpool would be the ideal place to seek out my redeption... the shame at failing so miserably (3hrs 48mins) is a ghost that really needs exorcising FAST! However, the last few days has seen something of a realist attitude creep in! A) is it too soon - I personally think a couple of easy weeks followed by 4 weeks of hard work-up and 2 weeks wind down will be ebough - but is it???,
Would very much welcome some considered opinion from Blackpool veterans!
I ran 3 hours 12 at Blackpool last year(1st marathon)
Was on for about 3 hours 3 but at 21 miles my legs went very tight so had to slow down.
Didnt walk cause I thought I wouldnt be able to get started again.
With the times you've done previously for other races you should be able to get under 3 hours - No problem (your injury might so you down)
Blackpool is very flat and the weather last year was varied (started raining, then sunny, then rain etc)
I really enjoyed the race.
Also I didnt hit 20 miles (long run)in my training till 3 weeks before the race.
The most milage I did was about 40 miles in week.
Some people I hear who 78, 80, 90 miles, I personally believe is to much.
By the time you do the race your to tired.
Also john, I see on your profile your from Nottinghamshire.
I come from Ilkeston, just over the border in Derbyshire.
I also run for kirk hallam running club.
Are you a club member???
Rich O
I'm in two mids as to whether Blckpool is a good idea in terms of time-frame because altough I don't fel I put much in on the day, as one or two people at work have said - although the time would indicate not much ment in, the fact that I still completed ender sufferance and in some distress means I quite possibly put ina lot more than I'm mentally prepared to accept... and the way I'm feeling on my runs at the moment, that may well be the case.
But the fact is - the base is very much there... it might be a better idea to give myself the steady 2 week recovery perios before making any decisions and committing to Blackpool... if in two weeks time I'm feeling fresh and relatively happy with the pain in the knee (just done 6miles and the last 3 were agony), then 4 weeks of polishon top of the December to April London tragining will probably suffice.
I'm heartened to hear that you found the course and conditions comfortable -3hrs12min for a first marathon is impressive.
I'm not a member of a club - never have been. The nearets I have come to club running is representing the Fire Service at various levels... I'm very self-disciplined so don't feel i need the "support" of club training and I'm also extremely competitiveand I'd be worried about pushing myself too hard... On top of that, I do liek to run when i want to run, where i want to run and how i want to run - I suppose I also find the idea of club running a bit stifling. I'm actually located in Worksop, North Notts...
How did everyone else's weekend go? I was feeling very good this time last week having done 15+ in 2 hours but yesterday I entered the 'long-distance' running phase. I managed almost 19 miles in just over 2.5 hours. The distance was fantastic as its the furthest I have ever been, however my body now knows how it feels to go 'long'! Last four miles @ 8.5 mins each whereras I usual run under 8 per mile. No worries, nothing fell off, and no damage today except a little stiffness. One thing to ponder - I hit the road at 9.30am yesterday, I live even further north than Blackpool, but when I got home at noon, I had the makings of a suntan on my arms. Another 8 weeks, and Blackpool could be tropical!
am i meant to be posting traiing
er
well i did 26.2 yesterday
and i dont like that heat
I take it Lochaber was hot then
Could have been worse..... you could have accompanied us poor souls at Stratford
Im doing stratty next year tho
i intend doing Lochaber next year
Can't believe we got the same medals as last year but with 2005 on the ribbon instead of 2004 (even the same ribbons).
Then again, you'll here all the moans and gripes on the Shakespeare forum page so i won't go on too much about it.
Am looking forward to this race now (Blackpool), hopefully after some decent rest i'll perform better than of late.
See you there
Jakesy,
Nice going sub 40, particularly in yesterdays heat, was it a good course for a PB ?
I think you've got plenty of time to start experimenting with longer runs between now and the race.
see you soon-where?
Just got back from doing the Lockaber mara. Wow! I am sore. I was aiming and on target for 3:5-3:15, but the sun was so hot it gave me sunstroke. DOH! Ended up with 3:30, but it was a great race. The sun affected everyone, and we all seemed to come in late. Nevery mind. Guess I'll have to seasonally adjust the time :-)
Now to get serious for Blackpool!
How did you feel running a marathon so soon after London?
I ran London and have only just started to train again - gently, gently.
El C
My legs started complaining at 15 miles-hip pain and so on
But cos of the heat i did theis mara really slowly(5.47)
and apart from feeling generally a bi tired my legs ara absolutley fine
Ive cracked the recovery i think
Richard - seriously impressed my man about the training . Pity about the injury which must have been awful . I worry about cramp although I am a lot slower ! My research tells me to drink tonic water or bitter lemon for the quinne in it , eat bannanas and /or take potassium supplements as well as the usual stuff like keeping hydrated etc You probably know this but it might help .
Please allow me to draw your attention to a little publicised condition in the UK - hyponatraemia... I genuinely believe this is what caused me to fail so miserably in London this year.
Here in the UK we are STILL advising folk to "drink plenty" - especially on the day and the two days previous... I did just that! And because I felt so confident, because I was so serious about leaving no stone unturned in my quest - I went a little overboard - never had a bottle of water out of my hand in the 2 day run up to the FLM. Such was my level of hydration I was running for the toilet atleast once an hour! Read the advice given on the FLM website and ask yourself if you would have guessed too much water would have been a bad thing
http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/iframes/nutritionmed/fluids.htm
I never gave it a thought - that waer could do me damage.
Anyway - set off fine - hit my 10K target about 30s faster than expected - but that was due to 3 of the miles been downhill... But by 10 miles my calves were cramping... Hit 20K still pretty much in the desired timeframe - but by 13 my quads were cramping. I pulled over to the side knowing that I was going to get tighter and tighter if I didnt do something and I had only reached half way. I lifted my foot to stretch the quad and my hamstring siezed... Excrciating pain in every muscle of my leg.. I hobbled through the pain, walked it off and then started running again - within about 400 yds I was cramped up in agony again - the rest of the run became run/walk...
I had prepared meticulously - hit all the right times in 10ks, a half marathon, put the miles in - tapered down beautifully - EVERYTHING had gone well... yes, I had some knee pain - but nothing too excessive - everything was set up - and then this - the first time I have ever suffered cramps.
My research has since led me to believe I had diluted my body salt/electrolyte content through excessive water consuption previous to the race and by 10 miles I had sweat out what little sodium I had remaining in my body...
USATF (USA track and field - the governing body of US athetics) have excellent resources and advice on hydration - I STRONGLY recommed people have a read... Obviously there is potential for Blackpool to be hot a there is potential for people to think they should consume huge amounths of water to be well hydrated - top and bottom of it appears to be - BEGUIDED BY THIRST - that way you will not be OVER HYDRATED, nor will you get DEHYDRATED.
Confusingly - the symptoms of dehydration and over hydration - especially in te earliest stages are identical!
USATF advice here (read in particular the press release - document1 and note the date - 2 yrs ago and here in the UK we still havent caught on!)-
http://www.usatf.org/groups/coaches/library/hydration/
Just entered online for the 2nd year in a row and looking forrward to the race. As a 42 year old male I ran London last year in 3.24 and used Blackpool to try for the 3.15 so that I could get a 'Good for your Age' place at this years FLM. I am pleased to say I achieved 3.08 at Blackpool so I can certainly recommend it as a fast course!
I have just ran 3.08 at this years FLM and therefore hoping now for a sub 3 hour marathon but can I ask a question about the drink stops.
If it is hot (and considering the distance) taking on water etc., will be vital so will you be using cups or water bottles at the stops? I ask because you can never take on as much from cups without stopping and this tends to make starting again a problem!
If the answer is cups then any chance of bottles at the later stages of the marathon? I am sure this would be very much appreciated.
Lastly, any idea when you will have a more detailed map on the website? I want to try and relive last years!
Thanks in advance and look forward to another trip along the coast.
Best wishes,
Michael
Again related to drinks
Which flavour of Hi five will be used?
El C
I too was considering Blackpool, having done FLM 2 weeks ago and missed sub 2.45 by 40 secs. Think ive come to terms with it possibly being too warm in June (although it being the fastest marathon course is tempting) and have decided to do Robin Hood in Sept, using the shorter summer events to improve my speed. (something worth thinking about!)
Have you ran Robin Hood (as its your way) or any other forumites recommend it as a fast one?
I haven't run Robin Hood but I did work at Dunkirk Fire station for a while and the course runs past the station and takes in much of the station area - knowing the area it ISN'T a marathon I'm tempted to run... its one I considered but rather quickly discarded from the list! If its not Blackpool for me its going to be Berlin... Flights from Luton by Easyjet - £90 for a 3 day stay - fly out on the Friday morning, come home monday afternoon... entry fee from next week will be 70 Euros - a little steep (then theres the 30euro deposit for a chamionchip), and I'm told that accommodation can be had from about 70Euro per night... All in all about a £400 trip - but thats roughly what I spent on London...
I think for you, s1m, - it would be perhaps a little reckless to expect to top your PB at Blackpool given that you came so close only 8 weeks previous - you clearly will have put a lot in and 8 weeks probably wouldn't allow you to do yourself justice in terms of full recovery etc... With the vagaries of UK weather, heat is a secondary concern for me - its something that could well and truly throw a spanner in the works, but its just as likely to be dull and overcast and relatively cool... more pressing in terms of concern is the wind... That could well be a factor.
People have suggested Cardiff as being fast - October I think - far too late for me as I need to get my Sub3 before October to qualify for London, but for you and what i assume is simply a quest for a PB, it might be worth considering.