Done this one this year, and it is a very challenging course. It was bloody foggy if i remember and very chilly. I don't remember there being any severe hills, it's just very undualting, very up and down, but is is run around very beautiful bedfordshire countryside. The course is well marshalled, as with all Bed harriers races, and there is a nice long sleeve shirt at the end. Last 800m run along grassland to the finish. Not what you really need after a taxing run, grass was long and bit soft and my legs were shot. Good race prep for London though.
Lovely race this just off the Paula Radcliffe way (in case you need inspiration).
It was foggy last year but once that cleared it was a beautiful fresh morning.
Very undulating and as my first ever 20 I found it quite tough. It was the turning point in my training though and I haven't stopped running good times since. Definitely good prep for FLM.
I was thinking of doing this race as my last long run before FLM, but I'm not sure about getting there from London. Does anyone know how easy it will be to get there on public transport? There are trains from King's Cross to Bedford but apparently it's about 6 miles away from here and the race organisers recommended a taxi. Has anyone done this before? How easy is it going to be to find a taxi in Bedford early on a Sunday morning? Anyone local have any ideas? Cheers!
Me too nemo. Can always arrange a lift share. I haven't 100% committed to this yet - mostly as I am still waiting on a golden bond place but as soon as thats confirmed will probably sign up.
Cheers Christmas Birdypie, I'll keep that in mind. I've not committed yet either, but that's mainly because I can't imagine running 20 miles in a week never mind in one race!
You can get into Bedford Station. It is about 5 or 6 miles out of Bedford from there up the Paula Radcliffe Way and passed Yarls Wood Detention Centre (now rebuilt). Taxi would be the obvious as I doubt there are buses running.
I will be coming up the A6 from Luton and through Bedford. This will actually take me past the station so I could arrange to pick you up if you want.
Call back nearer the time and we can make arrangements. You can send me an email if you want and then I can email you nearer the time if you want.
Andy Soar - All I can say is this is when I did my last long run last year. Felt totally dead at the end but it was the turning point in my marathon preparations and I didn't look back on the day or since so I would go with this. It is in line with the RW schedules
Got my gold bond place so looks like this will be my last long run ahead of the Big One. Lorks. Going to worry about it in January though. Quite scary.
Does anyone know any reasonable hotels up there - I am thinking a horrible early start ahead of this might not be the best prep.
Brooks the Beast, thanks very much! If I get through the training I may take you up on your offer.
Christmas Birdypie, I'm looking at the early start and travelling as a sort of dry run for Greenwich! This will give me an ideal opportunity to try out my breakfast menu and work out if I can manage a cappuccino and croissant en route as well. Mmm Starbucks........
This is definitely going to be my last and longest run. I'm also thinking of taking the Monday off to help recover. Sore paws!
Birdypie - if you're going to have an early start on marathon day too it might be perfect acclimatisation (when I did London 20 years ago I remember being surprised how early I had to get up & that was staying in a hotel in central London)
well I am a bit lucky on that front...I live just down the road from the start! Its one of the reasons I am doing it - having watched everyone else plodding round for so long I thought I'd better give it a go!
I'm thinking of doing this one as part of training for a marathon in May. Never done this distancethough - my half time is 2.00 - anybody suggest what I should expect for a 20 miler?
Hi i may do this race but the week before i will be running a half marathon as a race so will only be doing this 20 as a training run, do you think this will be ok?
Crazy - depends how fit you are, personally I'm doing by half on 7th March with this as my longest race before we trot round the big city in April (45yo knees to look after!)
Crazy Lady - No problem with doing it as a training run, most of the field will be.
i tend to run 1:45 - 1:50 Halves and did 4:15 at FLM last year. Hope to go sub 4 this year at the second attempt. I ran 3 hours 3 minutes for this run last year. So around 3 hours should be your time.
This is the right timing to do a 20 for London, at least it worked for me last year.
does any one know how many laps the 20 mile course consists of, I hate laps!! but need to do this for FLM training. This will be my first attempt at a marathon
Everybody does the first 12 mile lap and then the mad people, and those in FLM training, do the second shorter lap.
The second lap takes a shortcut (to remove four miles) so is slightly different. It does tend to make it feel a bit different, I don't like multiple lap courses either and I enjoyed this - well until 17 miles then it was just too much like hard work !
Comments
Lovely race this just off the Paula Radcliffe way (in case you need inspiration).
It was foggy last year but once that cleared it was a beautiful fresh morning.
Very undulating and as my first ever 20 I found it quite tough. It was the turning point in my training though and I haven't stopped running good times since. Definitely good prep for FLM.
I'll update this thread with what I decide.
Thanks :-)
You can get into Bedford Station. It is about 5 or 6 miles out of Bedford from there up the Paula Radcliffe Way and passed Yarls Wood Detention Centre (now rebuilt). Taxi would be the obvious as I doubt there are buses running.
I will be coming up the A6 from Luton and through Bedford. This will actually take me past the station so I could arrange to pick you up if you want.
Call back nearer the time and we can make arrangements. You can send me an email if you want and then I can email you nearer the time if you want.
Andy Soar - All I can say is this is when I did my last long run last year. Felt totally dead at the end but it was the turning point in my marathon preparations and I didn't look back on the day or since so I would go with this. It is in line with the RW schedules
Does anyone know any reasonable hotels up there - I am thinking a horrible early start ahead of this might not be the best prep.
Christmas Birdypie, I'm looking at the early start and travelling as a sort of dry run for Greenwich! This will give me an ideal opportunity to try out my breakfast menu and work out if I can manage a cappuccino and croissant en route as well. Mmm Starbucks........
This is definitely going to be my last and longest run. I'm also thinking of taking the Monday off to help recover. Sore paws!
:-)
sore claws as well!
Don't panic, only joking, already booked hotel in central london.
i may do this race but the week before i will be running a half marathon as a race so will only be doing this 20 as a training run, do you think this will be ok?
forgot to say in preperation for LOndon!
I am not that fit, i want to do sub 4 , i am doing 1.45 in halfs but can not crack under 4 hours for full.
I am 42
it is so hard knowing how far and when to do
thanks
i tend to run 1:45 - 1:50 Halves and did 4:15 at FLM last year. Hope to go sub 4 this year at the second attempt. I ran 3 hours 3 minutes for this run last year. So around 3 hours should be your time.
This is the right timing to do a 20 for London, at least it worked for me last year.
Have a look at the website (hope the link works):
<a href = "http://www.bedfordharriers.co.uk/Oakley.htm"> Oakley 20
I've entered, too, to train for a marathon.
Everybody does the first 12 mile lap and then the mad people, and those in FLM training, do the second shorter lap.
The second lap takes a shortcut (to remove four miles) so is slightly different. It does tend to make it feel a bit different, I don't like multiple lap courses either and I enjoyed this - well until 17 miles then it was just too much like hard work !
20 miles still sounds insane to me but got to be done I guess...very, very slowly!