I've had the same. Entered for the Berkeley marathon and offered a place in the Gloucester marathon which I accepted, but have had no response to confirm it despite emailing and leaving phone messages.
Hi all, I'm considering the marathon if there are still places available, I'd trained ready for the Portsmouth harbour side marathon on 23rd dec but stopped half way as I wasn't going to get the time I wanted (sub 4) on account of how much mud there was! I've read mixed reviews about the flatness of this course - someone on the 100 marathon club site said it was hilly pretty much all the way, yet on here it says just the one hill (that gets steeper each time round!).. Anyone able to clarify? Thanks very much
The highest elevation is 34 meters which you reach only in one location , the lowest 10 m, the distance of the hill is about 0.7 km so about 3%, pretty flat thus....
If I remember right there's one short sharpish hill on each lap of no more than a few hundred metres, if that. Then there's another longer gentle hill towards the end of the lap, but it's about 900m long and not that bad really.
I'll be there doing the marathon option. Hopefully the weather is ok on the day.
Ha ha, other reasons too - I slightly twisted ankle during the first half, plus had been at hospital from 10pm to 6am with my dad so was pretty knackered! Plan was see how I got on and stop if I needed too as I knew there was a back up marathon a few weeks later. Not a wuss normally!!
I did Glous in 2010 and last year 2012. It is a good run and the 'hills' and it is plural - do get bigger each time........trust me. It is a great event tho and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alas I am giving it a swerve this year as I am a cheapskate and stay with my folks in Cheltenham but they are going away...how selfish of them !!
I did Portsmouth and it was VERY muddy but my 3rd time at it and I just love it.
Good luck to you all....and I only wish I could be there.
Possm hopper, my socks are still ditched after 3 washes after Portsmouth and trainers were traded in for 20 percent discount on a new pair at the running shop there! I managed to get a room at Ibis hotel for 25 quid for Gloucester if that helps the wallet!!
Brer Rabbit, I've got a pair of knackered trainers, can I get a 20% discount on a new pair? It seems like a good deal to me. Has anyone had and info pack and number sent out to them? It may not happen, as they want us to register on the day anyway. That way they know exactly who is on the course. I just ran part of this loop yesterday as part of a 5 mile race. Think of it as "rolling" and modify your pace to manage your heart rate. For every up there's a down. It's maybe 7-10 minutes slower than VLM for a 3h to 3:30 runner. Oh, and despite the warnings below, I have not felt it necessary to hose down or otherwise clean my relatively new trainers.
I loved the phrase in the notes that say "this is an agricultural area, so expect some occasional mud and other substances to be on the road."
Grrr, the entry form (now deleted but cached on google) said entries close on 12th Jan, still appears to be the 3rd Jan by my reckoning . Hopefully there will be some clarification if entry limit has been reached or not (doesn't seem too likely based on previous years).
As someone else mentioned, the event normally runs smoothly on the day but pre-race info/communication isn't great.
EDIT: Having said that the pre-race instructions are quite informative. Chip timing this year....high tech!
Who'd have thought that there would be 600 other nutters wanting to run a Marathon in January in Gloucester!!
I didn't realise it filled up the last few years. I've done it the last 3 years but always entered early so didn't notice. The number of finishers always seemed to be in the 300/400 region so assumed there was plenty of space left. I suspect the limit incldues the 50k entries as well.
Comments
Karen - that's exactly what did happen, I was offered a place at Glos when they cancelled Berkeley, and I accepted.
I've had the same. Entered for the Berkeley marathon and offered a place in the Gloucester marathon which I accepted, but have had no response to confirm it despite emailing and leaving phone messages.
Chidder - i asked for a confirmation of Glos entry at the time and I received an email straight away.
hi, thinking of entering this one - how often are the drinks stops, and what do they give out? just water or are there energy drinks too?
Thanks a lot
thanks for your help - I think I'll enter this one - need some energy drinks en route in a marathon
Actually Portsmouth was not too bad, a little muddy but flat and not too slow. How much is the elevation differnce of the hill in Cloucester?
Actually ypu can find the loop here and on google earth the elevations: http://www.beyondthelimitations.co.uk/resources/GloucesterMarathon2012instructionsDMv2.pdf
The highest elevation is 34 meters which you reach only in one location , the lowest 10 m, the distance of the hill is about 0.7 km so about 3%, pretty flat thus....
If I remember right there's one short sharpish hill on each lap of no more than a few hundred metres, if that. Then there's another longer gentle hill towards the end of the lap, but it's about 900m long and not that bad really.
I'll be there doing the marathon option. Hopefully the weather is ok on the day.
Pull out of a race coz u ain't getting the time u want? What's that all about??
I did Glous in 2010 and last year 2012. It is a good run and the 'hills' and it is plural - do get bigger each time........trust me. It is a great event tho and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alas I am giving it a swerve this year as I am a cheapskate and stay with my folks in Cheltenham but they are going away...how selfish of them !!
I did Portsmouth and it was VERY muddy but my 3rd time at it and I just love it.
Good luck to you all....and I only wish I could be there.
Brer Rabbit, I've got a pair of knackered trainers, can I get a 20% discount on a new pair? It seems like a good deal to me.
Has anyone had and info pack and number sent out to them? It may not happen, as they want us to register on the day anyway. That way they know exactly who is on the course.
I just ran part of this loop yesterday as part of a 5 mile race. Think of it as "rolling" and modify your pace to manage your heart rate. For every up there's a down. It's maybe 7-10 minutes slower than VLM for a 3h to 3:30 runner. Oh, and despite the warnings below, I have not felt it necessary to hose down or otherwise clean my relatively new trainers.
I loved the phrase in the notes that say "this is an agricultural area, so expect some occasional mud and other substances to be on the road."
Hi,
Do you know if there will definitely be entries available on day as I have missed last postal entries today
Grrr, the entry form (now deleted but cached on google) said entries close on 12th Jan, still appears to be the 3rd Jan by my reckoning . Hopefully there will be some clarification if entry limit has been reached or not (doesn't seem too likely based on previous years).
As someone else mentioned, the event normally runs smoothly on the day but pre-race info/communication isn't great.
EDIT: Having said that the pre-race instructions are quite informative. Chip timing this year....high tech!
Just had an email to confirm that the race is full .
Anybody got a place they are not going to use?
Who'd have thought that there would be 600 other nutters wanting to run a Marathon in January in Gloucester!!
I didn't realise it filled up the last few years. I've done it the last 3 years but always entered early so didn't notice. The number of finishers always seemed to be in the 300/400 region so assumed there was plenty of space left. I suspect the limit incldues the 50k entries as well.