the Marathon of the North

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  • Just do it pal. Only live once and there must be ALWAYS a reason to have yet more medal clutter in yer house ...
  • took me longer than I hoped but despite a sore swollen big toe made it roundimage go for it Dave. I was thinking about Windermere but glad I have gone for M of the N. I prefer a run in April and on closed roads but it does sound it has fantastic support and wonderful views of course!

  • Thanks, I'm in!! Will enter tonight! It will be luck or unluck 13th marathon for me! My addictive runners mind is now making me think 'could I do both?'. Three weeks apart! Did London and then MON two weeks apart last year. Second one was messy though!!

  • Don't say that Dave - that's what I'm doing this year with Edinburgh a few weeks later ;0

    Good work Lily - time be dammed, miles under the belt are what matters image

  • I wouldn't worry too much Adrain. My training last year wan't great and was a bit unluck as both were really hot conditions!

    My girlfriend did Edinburgh last year. She's a natural at marathons, unlike me! Great event and a fast course. That day was even hotter than my races though which we didn't expect. Have you done it before?

  • No, neither London or Edinburgh. London will be about soaking up the atmosphere - really looking forward to it. Edinburgh could be a possible PB - Sunderland may take the hit as I will be trying to keep some in reserve so may keep my pace slow deliberately.

    Been looking at the Northumberland Coast Marathon today - early March and looks perfect warm up/prep race lol. Bloody addicted here!!image

  • Gosh, you are addicted but I know, that's how marathons get you!

    Done London 3 times and it's my pb course. Wouldn't be able to describe properly how wonderful I think it is. Truly life changing! Support is unbelievable! No other race that i've done comes near.

    I'm hoping to improve on both last years London and MON this year. I'm already faster than last year, but need to stick in some longer runs. Sub 3.45 is realistic for me I think. Any idea what time you'll be aiming for?

  • I know! emailed my wife earlier re Northumberland and recived quite a short reply! lol. Ill work on that....

    Cannot wait for London. Entered on a whim (1st time entry) and couldn't believe my luck getting it. Bit hamstrung with MON though - as long as we live up here really want to keep it as my marathon 'streak' and do it every year. 

    I've only done the one Mara so far and had quite a rough leg injury so missed a month of training in Feb '12 - really hit my chances of a top time. I came in at 4.34 which I'm still proud of given everything. Current pacing on long runs seems to put me around 4 or maybe sub 4. Think that's do-able but I'm having to really slam on the brakes when running - don't want to over do it / injure myself etc etc. The big difference this year is my body is pulling to run - did 21 last sat, 2 days off and then HAD to go out despite having quite  a heavy chest which did not bother me at all on the run!!! And I feel stronger - last years long runs I wanted to die at the end - now I'm a bit like ' is it really time to stop' lol.

    Long post - short answer - aiming for sub 4. Would take just over 4. 

  • 4.35 is still a good first mara time. Certainly sounds like sub 4 is achievable. I just sneaked under at London and most of mine have been around that.

    All looking good if you're already doing 21 mile runs and your body is still enthusiastic about doing more! I'm nowhere near that distance yet and stamina is a real problem for me. I can do a 1.40 half now but tend to run out of gas on the longer runs. Partly my fault in the past by not doing the proper training, liking beer too much and not building it up slowly! When I did train well and ate well I was down to 3.35.

    You've got me at it now, bad influence!! Autumn options, Liverpool, Great Langdale, Berlin! Need to go to Marathon runners anonymous !

  • Hehehe! I was so energised by this (and a couple of other threads) I went out for a cheeky, and totally not needed 8 miler!!! lol. This was meant to be a rest day !!!!

     

    Right. Rest tomorrow. Must happen. LSR Saturday.........

  • Well, its done. Marathon of the North entered as well as windermere! No backing out now!

  • Get in fella!!! Great stuff.......
  • Another 20 miler today. I'm resting for a few days. Bloody knackered.

    Have a good weekend all
  • Well done Adrian. Puts me to shame! I've gone down with flu so am having an enforced weekend off. Hope to be back next week. 13 miler on the hills Wed or Thurs then a fell race in the Isle of Man next weekend. Enjoy your very well earned rest!

  • Thanks fella, the two aberdeen angus burgers for lunch made the run a little more palatable.... image

  • Great, Dave for entering the 2 marathons image brilliant Adrian, I guess that gives you confidence for London and the MOTN. I am resting till Monday now because of a swollen big toe. It only means me missing a short run from my plan and I'll start again on Monday.....

  • Hello all

    Just thought I'd pop on here and show my face as I'm hoping (assuming I can stay injury-free) to do this marathon this year.

    It'll be my second - I did London in 2011 and absolutely loved it. I got round in 4:28:16 so I'm hoping to get round this one quicker ... but who knows?  All it takes is for it to be windy on the day and planned paces could go out the window.

    Can you tell me if we get information about the course/venue/etc posted to us in the coming weeks along with our numbers and chip? 

    And the most important question of all ... are there toilets along the course?  I'm heartened to hear that there's plenty of toilets at the start - as I've a very nervous bladder when it comes to races image.

  • Hi Shielsy, welcome to the thread image sounded like your first marathon experience was good, that's great. I ran Manchester last year and after planning only ever to run one mara I have now booked 2 for this year! How is your training going? I am not sure about the answers to your questions but I have a feeling we get sent the info, number etc. Would love to know abou the toilets tooimage Hopefully someone else can answer your question.

  • Hi Shielsy (and Lily) - yeah, race info, chip etc was sent a few weeks before. We also received a rather fetching red hanky due to sponsorship that we were encouraged to wear. You can see it in my profile picture - not sure if that will be the same this year!

    Toliet wise - as I wrote on the first page, the Stadium facilities are superb (and you passed it at 13 miles last year....). As for course access....I'm not sure. I *think* I can remember some but that may be a guess / other races mingled in.



    I would encourage everyone making sure you have your own drink to start off with. It was baking got last year and it felt like the first drink station was a loooooong way.



    Gotta stop taking about this - getting excited already an it's 7am/weeks away!!! Lol
  • Think we must be due a training update actually Lily?image
  • lily of the valley wrote (see)

    Hi Shielsy, welcome to the thread image sounded like your first marathon experience was good, that's great. I ran Manchester last year and after planning only ever to run one mara I have now booked 2 for this year! How is your training going? I am not sure about the answers to your questions but I have a feeling we get sent the info, number etc. Would love to know abou the toilets tooimage Hopefully someone else can answer your question.

    Thanks for the welcome lily (and Adrian).

    My training is going ok I suppose (though the horrible winter we had/are still experiencing has had a bit of an affect on it).  I ran 15 miles on my long run at the weekend. It wasn't too bad though I was tired by the end and did wonder where the heck I was going to summon another 11 miles from image ... but I just keep telling myself I've done it before so I can do it again, if I can stay injury-free.

    I must go out and get some gels before this weekend ... I've been managing without fuelling so far, but now the miles are creeping up it's going to take more than a swig of water and a couple of gummy bears to see me through.  I like High5 gels.

    I'm looking forward to getting the race pack and seeing the route.

  • Welcome Shielsy, 15 miles is still good at this stage so well done on that. You'll get details soon in the post and if last year was anything to go by then the organisation all round will be great so don't worry. I heard there was a new route this year making it a bit flatter & quicker. Hope this is true.

    Just getting over my flu now  & hope it hasn't taken too much out of me. Typical, the minute I click to entre the race, I get ill!!

    Just trying to build up some milage now and try a couple of 15 miles plus runs in the next few weeks.

  • Thanks DaveClaret - sorry to hear you've had the 'flu.  That's the trouble about training for a big event ... you get paranoid about any niggle or cough.

    Hills session tonight with my club - running up and down a local hill 12 times.  I didn't go 'eyeballs out' as I've got the Royal Signals Road Relays at the weekend, but still a reasonably hard pace of 8.24 m/m.

    6.5 miles in total with the warm up and cool down.

  • Hope you are feeling better Dave. Thanks for extra info Adrian. Sounds like training going well Shielsyimage hope everyone else getting on ok. I am more or less sticking to my plan. Just back from a 14.6 mile run...took me just under 2hrs 50 so I am pleased as had given myself 3hrs! It is cold here but not windy or rainy. I had my i pod but still find these long runs hard! I am exhausted but happy. I used dextrose tablets on the run and perhaps did not quite take enough water with me. Half term next week, down to visit parents in Dorset and working so just don't know if I can fit all my runs in. Someone once told me if you have a week like that to try to at least do your long run. Must go as off to dentist (just finished my jelly beans and cola first!)image

  • I ran the MOTN as my first road marathon (Also ran at Kielder the year before as my first marathon). It was a fabulous day and one of those days were everything just seemed to go right for me. It will be a day that I always remember.

    Being trying to make up my mind where to run a marathon this year.Manchester had been a possibility as it seemed to be a flatter course. It looks as though the MOTN team have changed the course, so I more tempted to have another try. I live in Washington, so it just down the road from me as well.

    After a bad spell over Christmas I am now training again and have managed to get in 6 decent weeks of training this year. I am running about 50 to 60 miles a week at the moment and I am now starting to build in more speed work. Enjoying the training and the long runs on a Saturday morning. Not enjoying the speed work quite so much image

    Does anyone know much about the new route. I have had a look on the website but it does not really give that much information about the changes. The profile does look a little easier than last year.

  • 9 miles ran in a bizzard.  Unpleasant for a large part of the time (with little pockets of 'Oh, this isn't so bad' before the wind got up again).

  • poor you Shielsy, that shows real commitmentimage Tim, I ran Manchester as my first marathon last year. The course has changed and they are leaving out Dunham Massey park and other bits like the underpass this year! These bits added some variety to the course! The support was fantastic, even on a hideous day and for someone like me who was still running after 5 hours! There is a good thread about Manc over on the events forum. Good luck with your decisions.

  • Great to see this thread coming alive!



    Awesome work running today Shielsy. Got my mid length, tempo ish run tomorrow at 7am. 13 miles. Dreading it...
  • Thanks Lily. I am 99% sure I am will be running MOTN again. Day of running today thankfully as it is nasty out there tonight.

  • Tim - I live in Sunderland but have declined the full marathon this year and decided to do the half. The first half has improved by being a bit more straightforward, instead of going to Hendon beach promenade (very run down) it does basically the same route but on the very bottom of the map you will a hairpin turn. This is running south on a tree lined duel carriage then turning back north on the other carriageway so you can those behind you!

    The main changes are to the second half of the route. Last year you will remember running along the seafront after leaving the SOL for the second time. Well this year after leaving the SOL you run to our  “glass centre museum” down to the river. Do a loop round the glass centre which includes a steep bank! You arrive on the seafront and run along the promenade to the most northerly point. Then you return on the roads heading south, cutting inland twice through two nice residential areas and a park.

    Hope this helps.

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