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Belfast Marathon 2013
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Euijs it's cups
surprising since RIverrock sponsor it. I can't drink from them so trying to get familiy to travel to give us bottles on the way round!
itll still be cups im afraid! although it would be quite hazardous having half empty bottles of water strewn accross the roads/paths by runners throwing them away, could end a race for someone! the only issue with cups is throwing it round yourself when running, but does no harm to slow a bit while drinking them...previous years have had powerade at the energy stations, i dont remember lucozade at them,but by that many miles i dont remember much :S
Tiny request - if you are doing the Belfast marathon would you please consider participating in my study which you can find on the Spring marathon thread as MSc Research Project requires marathon runners - no electrodes!
It's about using a positively focused self-talk technique to increase your resilience and positive affect (that's the strong positive moods that you can control).
It is straightforward and might just provide an additional tool to conquer the mental aspects of tackling a marathon. Drop me a line if you would like more details.
Cheers.
Hello,
I'm doing Belfast again which will be my second marathon and very much hoping for better weather than last year!
Like last year, all my training had been based on 3 runs a week. I really feel I should be doing 4 sessions but especially now I'm into the long runs, I find it takes me most of the week to recover fully from them. It doesn't help that I'm still carrying 1.5 stone more than I should, and I know I'd be a faster runner if I could shift it. I have also been doing a fair bit of off-road running (which I prefer to road) - Tullymore, Castle Ward etc - and the occasional body pump session.
I'm actually about to set off now for a 20 miler round the hillier parts of the course (at least as soon as I can get myself off the sofa
)I find it helps me to have a practice because the first 13 miles has so much uphill in it, especially that long 3 mile drag up the Antrim road - turning into Floral Road and the start of the downhill section is always such a relief!
GTC - I'm happy to help with your study. I'll email you shortly
How's all the training going?
I did 20 miles at the weekend and felt like I was going to die. I was so disappointed. Up til then my long runs had been going well. I finisihed the 19 miles and felt great after it, just hopped in shower and headed out for the day. While this weekend I was in bits. Very worried now for the big race!
I'm on a 3 week taper. 5, 4, 5 this week and then 12 at weekend. It's starting to feel real - hopefully getting my name printed on my top this weekend so people will know who to scream at to keep moving
Hi runningaway, i wouldn't worry about your last long run, it will just be the accumulation of all the weeks of training. Just think about how the 3 weeks of taper will refresh your legs and get you set for the day....
My training has gone well, last few weeks have been just over 50 miles each and been hitting the splits on my intervals. I did a 20 mile last weekend too and have a 16 this weekend and 12 the weekend after.
Its the first time i will have followed a proper plan, so will be interesting to see if I can get a PB...
How many have you done before JD? This is my first so I'm terrified! You're doing great mileage. I'm following Hal Higdons Novice 2. I only started running last March but finding the programme great - well til I got to the 20 miles. DId 12 Saturday and was back on track hopefully.
Finding it hard with the tapering. It's such a gorgeous day here today that I'd love to go for a nice long run but only doing 5 miles today.
My longest long run has been just 15 miles, on 13th April, and it was difficult. It damaged my confidence a bit. Note that most of my training has been done around Ballyclare which by my standards is a hilly town. But then on Saturday 20th April, I got quite a lot of encouragement when I ran from Ballyclare to Ballyboley Forest and back (5.4 miles uphill to the forest) without stopping. 10.8 miles total. It still took me about 2 hours to do though :S
I've just started using High5 Orange Gel aswell which seems ok.
I'm thinking that boredom is a big factor in my runs and it's easy to get fed up doing laps of a park but I've been following my training plan very closely since January. I hope the excitement of the race in Belfast makes a big difference.
Belfast will be my 6th, having done Jersey twice, Liverpool, Barcelona and Budapest.
This in the first time i've followed a proper plan, having previously just done weeks consisting of a speed session, tempo, recovery and an increasing long run. I've been using the P&D 12 week, up to 55 mile plan. Will see what results it gets me before deciding on whether to move up to the 55-70 mile plan!
Sort of into my taper too, but have one final interval session tomorrow, with 3x1600m.
There's nothing to be terrified about runningaway, it's your first one, you've done the training, you know you can get round and it will be a PB... Trust me, the first one is possibly the one you'll enjoy the most, as you can never repeat that sense of accomplishment.
Tim - ideally you would have got closer to 20 miles in training, but if alot of your training has been done on hills, then this will help, especially as there's a steady climb from mile 7 to 14.
As this is your first one too, then just make sure you go out and enjoy it, and start off steady, and if you feel you need to take a walking break to get round, then don't be afraid to do that.
Not long to go now to race day and i'll be experimenting with beetroot juice next week up to race day to see if it does give me any endurance benefits...
tim, been doing some training around ballyclare myself, no long runs in it though as you say it is hilly! a lot of traffic around too so it can be hard enough to get a good long run in! i would echo what jerseydaniel says, go out and enjoy it, its the most important thing to do, aside from not going out too fast!!
great to see everyone gearing up for the may day marathon, whats the goals for everyone? Hoping for a PB myself, previous at belfast was 4.43, so anything under 4.30 will be welcome! and a sunny day too, if it isnt too much to ask!
Any recommendations on how many energy gels or how much sports drink to take with you? I'll be wearing a small belt bag with about 8 High5 gels and a 400ml bottle. I suppose I can refill the bottle at the stations. They do have water on tap don't they or is it just cups?
Tim - with regard to gels, I believe the general thinking is the body can only process 30-60g of carbs per hour, so would check how much is in each gel and work out accordingly. I have overdone it in the past and got a nauseous feeling, which isn't great towards the end of a marathon. I use the High 5 Isogels, which I think has 27g per gel, so work on taking one every half hour.
Jason - my target this time round is to get close to my two marathons last year, which were 3.14 and change. Have only done a 12 week plan, so not as prepared as have been previously, as usually do a 16 week build, but maybe it will work positively and I'll feel fresher towards the end! Would love to get sub 3.10 and a GFA for London, but think that may be beyond me...
tim, would say 8 gels would be plenty for belfast, im not sure if they have taps at stations, always just grabbed a cup! but im sure they would need to have, to fill the cups!
jd, 3.14 is some time to aim for, good luck with it! i would say as long as the taper is good, and you arrive fresh 12 weeks is enough training - i would use the high5 gels also, but havnt used any in training this year so i am reluctant to do so in the race, been relying on fruit pastilles and water thus far and has served me well so might just stick to that on the day!
beans, finishing is the main thing, thats the achievment in itself! hoping for a good day for it, not too warm, not too wet, but it is belfast so wont hold my breath...
Hi All,
Running Belfast next Monday as my first ever marathon. Excited, but starting to get a nervous!!
Does anyone know much about the park and ride system on the day? Can i park somewhere in or around ormeau park and then get a bus down to the start line at city hall? The details on the website seem a little bit vague!
Good luck to everyone who is running!
Cheers
Raz
Well so much for maybe pushing for a 3.10 and getting a GFA for London! They've only gone and lowered the qualifying time to 3.05 for my age range...
Oh well, looks like i've got some serious work for my autumn or next spring marathon to get a GFA for 2015...
Forecast for Monday is looking alright, maybe a little warm for my liking if it does get up around 17.
raz - not sure about the park and ride system, i would ask about it at pack collection and expo - probably the best place to get the accurate answers
also, i have heard that the marathon route is altered slightly from last year - the ormeau park section (where you go in with around 2 miles to go and back out) has apparantly been removed in favour of an extra turn up around miles 6-8...not sure exactly where but have been told this from a number of sources, hopefully it turns out to be true!
jd i was looking at the forecast and saw the same, 13/11 max this week, then all of a sudden a max of 17 on monday...i dont mind the heat, but its the rain i hope stays away!!! still early days though, i dont think they can accurately forecast this far ahead...but i hope they are right!
Not long to go now. I hope the weather isn't windy on Monday.
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Have a good run
The website shows an impressive series of waterstations gel stations, energy stations and Nutrition stations (?)
Is there a chance that I could get a sports drink or will you faster guys have taken it by the time I plod round
Good luck to everyone for Monday, I'm bricking it!
Tim, I hate the wind too - dont care if it rains but please no wind.
Poke - if theres no left for you there will certainly be non left for me by the time I get round. Its more the toilet facilities I'm worried about considering I need a wee at least every three miles
Good pee stop at the 5 mile mark among the trees beans
Picked up pack today. No change to route. Nice running vest with sun cream porridge nutrigrain bar and air freshener.
goo but not as good as London who gave beer, tea bags and nipple creams
oh I really hope there's no wind. I can run in anything but wind - I hate it! A nice cool day with a few showers would be great
We're not picking up our pack til tomorrow afternoon as we've to travel there. Won't start feeling real til we're there I'd say. At the moment it just feels like any other weekend getting ready for the long run.
Just a quick question for anyone who's collected their bag - can you use this bag to leave your stuff in the baggage area on race day? do they give you a sticker with your number and you just put on bag and leave it?
or do I need to bring my own bag and/or sticker? thanks
Just adding my bit:
@runningaway - there's bags with stickers in your race pack. You leave your stuff in a van at city hall - usually opposite(ish) the titanic memorial. (Just read that you're travelling so maybe you don't know Belfast - the bag drop is near to the Ulster Bank in Donegall Sqare East - just opposite the east side of City Hall. Maybe do a reccy when you're there collecting your pack later?)
@Beans and sslowpoke - energy drinks get pretty thin on the ground for the slower runners (eg me!). However, I do think they try to give you some, but by rationing the bottles into smaller sized portions in cups.
@Beans - there are quite a few loos on the way round, marked on the route map (take your own loo roll, and don't worry too much about hygiene
- the sinks run out of water pretty quick, especially near the relay changeovers). There are a few other unofficial toilets as well - I always go in the Falls Leisure Centre! There's a few pubs etc on the way round as well, and I've seen people running into peoples' houses for calls of nature!
Good luck to everyone running - I'm running the 3rd leg of the relay this year (have run the full marathon 4 times previously), then running back to Ormeau Park from Gideons Green - should be about 13 miles in total, so an easy run compared to the full 26.2!
Samantha
Weather looks perfect for us slow plodders. The elite athletes would probably like it a wee bit cooler and damper.
getting close now...weather looks like it will be quite friendly to us tomorrow, if the forecasters are to be believed! hope everyone is feeling ready....good luck to everyone taking part, just hope in terms of the water/energy stations, that there are enough to last all the way through the field of runners!
Cheers for the pee advice, both the official and unofficial
Getting really excited now, picked my pack up yesterday, hope to be there for about 8:15, travelling up from Enniskillen.
i went out for a wee three miler earlier - the last run on my training plan, despite being overcast and windy it was quite warm, I'd be happy enough with today's weather tomorrow!
good luck everyone! X