Leicester Marathon

Stuck in a rut trying to break 4hrs - is this a good PB course  - plenty of runners?
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Comments

  • PG3PG3 ✭✭✭

    I haven't done it but it seems to be a decent autumn option.  Abingdon sounds like the best option but it's full already. 

    I did have a quick look on the website and it's not great for information, but looks like most people do the half so the second half could be a little lonely.

  • Abingdon it the one for a PB but Leicester isn't bad there is a hill on the last mile that can be challenging depending how the previous 24/25 miles have gone. After the half slpit's off there isn't much support through like above. There are a couple of speed bumps on the course but not much in the way of actual hills.

  • Its a pretty fast course. The full splits from the half at about 5 miles. The full then does a 13.1 mile loop and then rejoins and runs the remainder of the half course.

    Yes, the majority do the half, but if you are looking at about 4 hours for the full you should have plenty of company.

  • I'd say its a rolling course - but nothing too harsh.  I did a gentle 4 hours there after stopping to aid an unconscious runner and there were plenty of runners around me.

  • Thanks all, I'll pencil it in as it's not too far to travel, not too sure about 'quieter' events as I like some distractions in the last 5/10 miles.
  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    I'm a newbie, and will be doing Leicester.  I'm going to be one of the stragglers at the back. I'm not going to be quick but i'll get there, 5 hours would be lovely... but a finish within the six hours is all i'm really after for my first attempt. 

  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭

    By the way asking about the amount of people etc... I can see from last year that 354 completed it within the 6 hours, and 140 of them completed it in under 4 hours. There were 56 finishers by the looks of it between 3:50 and 4:10

    51 over 5 hours, with 5 of them over 5:50 So I might not be all alone at the back image

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    Good stats booktrunk. I'm thinking of either this or Luton. Recently did the Wales Marathon which was really hilly, with approx 900m of elevation. I also had to run for miles without any other runners in sight - bit disconcerting for a first marathon.



    I grew up in the East Midlands and roughly know the area of the course, and still have relatives there so I may be able to drum up some extra support!



    It may also get a few more runners for the marathon this year as the Robin Hood Marathon is not being held - Nottingham only has the half
  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    Just signed up for Leicester (didn't fancy the 3 loops of Luton in November). Looking forward to October already. Now the hard work begins.
  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭
    Hurrahimage see you there. If you are still there I'll be the one crossing the line at 5:30 - 5:40ish #wimp
  • booktrunkbooktrunk ✭✭✭
    I see they have updated the website a bit now.



    There is also a twitter and Facebook page now setup.



    Cannot believe it's less than 90 days.... Slightly terrified.
  • I've decided to enter too, I haven't done this one before but it is relatively easy for me to get to and the course doesn't seem too tough. I like the quieter courses where you can just get your head down and plod on. I'll be hoping for 4.30-5.00 hours, so hopefully there will still be some other runners around. Only 12 weeks to go!

  • In the entry it states that the use of headphones is prohibited... thats quite annoying

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭
    Dillon, for me, that makes the Leicester marathon all the more better. I can't understand why people train for months, and then run the race by shutting themselves off from the event with headphones. In fact, I prefer events where anyone caught wearing headphones is disqualified.
  • How are you all doing?

    i'm a real plodder i'm 5:30 category but as I never jogged as an adult until May the 1st it's getting around that is my priority.

    Next Year I can worry about trying to get quicker.

    What sort of distance are you lot doing on your long slow run? My last was 20km around (12.3m). Mind you all of my runs are slow... image

  • The longest I've been so far is 26k, I plan to get to 30k but ill leave it at that. I'm following the smartcoach programme that you can set up on this site. This is my first marathon and by the looks of things I could get to 3:50

  • This is a relatively fast course, but it has some undulating sections. 

    With regard to breaking the 4 hour mark, I finished in 4.00.10 last year, so the less said about that the better!

  • Hi dillon, 26k is good.  I did 24k last weekend, well my watch said 24k my phone said 25k image  I'm still planning on breaking the tape in around 5:20 at best and at worse 5:59:59

    Are you doing many more around that distance my plan has me doing a 28 and a 32km and in between only about half those distances to rest up a bit, and then the tapering begings.

    Ben Davies: Ouch!! I did look at the times and wonder if the people just over 4h were proud to be that close to it or gutted... I think I have my answer now.

  • Wanted to nudge the thread and see how everyone is still doing?



    Getting excited / nervous yet? I'm both and still 4 weeks away.
  • I'm doing the half and can vouch that the course has PB potential. I broke mine there 2 year's ago and hope to do so again next month. Just save a bit for the last couple of miles.
  • I havnt got round to entering yet as I had a big event a week ago and wanted to make sure I was recovered.  I see the price is already up to £50 thought it was just on the day that was £50

  • I think it went up on 1st of October.

  • Despite being put off by the poor website, I just went to register for the half.  Then saw £50 ?!?  States on the day £50 on runners world
    Forget it !
    Haha just noticed the person above has the same issue. 
    Robin Hood was half this ... and much bigger event.  Great North was much less than this.
    Nice pricing strategy.  Lots of people enter 2 weeks before.  Whoever thought this one up, is just stopping people from doing the race, and thus making less money
     

  • It said on RW that it was ??50 on the day not 1.5 weeks before , they ought to have been clear about when the price went up
  • I have just been informed we have to pick our race numbers and tags up on the morning of the race as we do not live in Leicester, what a joke, I can just see 500+ runners queuing on race morning, terrible organising, Nottingham was a brilliantly executed half, last years Leicester was bland and the "runners village" didn't really exist. In my opinion this year they have made it worse, upped the price, made it more of a hassle, I won't be bothering after this year again

  • Hi Folks,

    I'm doing the half and registered a while ago. OH also runs and fancied it but had to wait to see if his leave request for the 14th was confirmed and didn't know it had been approved til last weekend. Went to register last Sunday and as you say, saw it had gone up to £50! (Apparently that was the closing date)

    emailed the race organiser who was great, emailed back the same day and suggested we tried discount codes which are valid for limited time/ availability, so give this a go:

    LEICSHALF25   or LEICSMARA29   (think they speak for themselves as to which is which!)

    They should reduce the cost to the original price. OH got round to entering the half this morning and the code worked - £25.00.

    Hope this helps anyone still considering it - gets good reviews from the RW ratings

  • ooppps..

    sorry, forgot the code for the affiliated amongst you...

    AFFILIATED22   AFFILIATED26

  • image back on track today ignored my slightly sore knee and ran 12k SOOO excited next Sunday cannot come soon enough.



    Going in Wednessay afternoon to pick my number up image
  • I emailed too and got those codes!
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