Great Welsh Marathon 2013

124

Comments

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭
    Agree with Shades Tina. It's totally normal to feel like that in the days or even weeks just before a race. They call it taper madness. Mysterious pains can appear from out of nowhere. You can find yourself questioning every aspect of your training and panic that you've done too much or too little.



    Try and relax. Think back through all the good work you've done and be confident that you are well prepared and will have a fantastic race.



    My white race number goes rather well with m grey stubble image
  • 285th? seriously awesome!

    Went for a very short run last night, as per The Plan. Totally rubbish, legs of lead and tummy of jelly. Got home and thought about it, and realised even at that speed I can still do it in under 3 hours, my nominal target. Also had a long chat about it all with hubby (also doing Half, only in about 1 hour 30 he thinks), and as he pointed out, I have power walked 26.2 twice, so I know all about pacing and endurance, I just need to realise that.

    Anyway, feeling much happier this morning, so thank you for your words of advice. Going off too fast has always been my biggest worry, so going to be a bit of a slave to the Garmin for the first couple of miles, just to be sure.

    This time tomorrow, even I will have finished!

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Hi Shades.  That's an even bigger total than I thought!!  I only do about nine a year (mostly ultras) so I'm never going to catch you up. 

     

    Yes, I've got to register on the day. Admin made a mess of my entry.

     

    Keep drinking that water today but go easy in the morning pre-race.

    Did my last run, an 18-miler, on Thursday which went reasonably well.  Practised my marathon pacing: first half 9:12, second 9:05 which hopefully should get me in in four hours.

     

    No, don't go out too quickly.  There is a rule for newer runners that for every minute of "cushion" that you've built up compared to your target time at half way you lose two minutes by the finish.

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭
    Good to hear you're sorted T Rex. Bit of a pain having to register though.



    This will be only my sixth marathon. I feel inadequate image
  • legend777legend777 ✭✭✭
    Good luck to all running tomorrow. Especially those doing their first half or full marathon. Looking forward to it.
  • Only my sixth as well malcs I'm a relative amateur in the field.

    Good luck to all though if it's your first or hundred and first marathon.

    See you all at the start line.
  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    It's at marathon #6 that you realise your potential at the distance.

     

    This one should be a good one.  Could be a little damp as the morning wears on?

     

    See you all there.

    I'm the rather tall chap with small arms and only two fingers on each hand.

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭
    Ha image Excellent.



    Damp is fine by me. Better that than today's weather - my feet don't blister but my head certainly does!



    Best of luck all.
  • don't forget the 29mph gusts of wind image

    I will be a/ at the very back, not getting in anyone's way, and b/ wearing lime green to tone with my purple hair and red face.. Runing buddy is a tall chap in a blue top. We should pretty much blend into the background I think.

  • That. Was. Awesome.

  • Well done to everyone that managed to get round today, and the marshals, particularly the scouts giving out the water were great. lots of encouragement from the crowds as well despite the weather. Had a great time, same can't be said for my wife and kids though.

    And I managed to take 5 mins off my pb which is always a bonus, hope everyone had as enjoyable a race as I did.
  • I have to say, as someone who has never done this kind ef event before, the nicest surprise was the encouragement from the other runners. Especially people who were quite clearly running at serious speeds, and doing a Full Marathon, but who still bothered to take the time to encourage us slow, newbies in our efforts. Really made a difference, that.

    My running buddy's wife and Mum were still sitting in the car when he crossed the finish line, he's a bit miffed.

  • PC -PC - ✭✭✭
    Well done Alex on your PB. Tina if this was your first time then a PB as well. I'm a newbie and really appreciate the atmosphere between fellow runners.



    Was it windy or raining?



    Waiting to see how Malcs got on????? Hope the conditions didn't hinder you too much, you deserve a good time, not only for your effort but also the support you gave Ady.
  • PC91 wrote (see)
    Was it windy or raining?

    Both! Didn't rain for long, but got worse after we left for home I think.
  • I finished just before the rain started to get heavy.

    Very impresed with the organisation, a good number of water stations and freindly marshals.

    Did this one in 2011, on an unseasonably hot day so today was something of a contrast. Found it hard going with the headwind at times but this adds to the satisfaction.

    Good that we were invited to show our respect to the Boston Marathon.

  • yes, I might have been crying at that point Alan image

  • First Full marathon in 3:44:07. That's it I'm hooked. What a fantastice event. Nice and small and personal. Great organisation and support from the water kids and the croud. Thanks to Neale Wood from Lliswerry Runners who I ran with. Great pacing buddy.

    Good times all round.

  • PC -PC - ✭✭✭
    Malcs - well done. Excellent time !!!! I was concerned when hearing about headwind and rain, I thought that you would have to dig deep to get sub 3h45. The first time you were injury free, having the elements against you would have been unjust. Amazing time. I'm glad you've kicked 4h far into touch. What next? Heads up between you and Ady! All the best.
  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    A real boost to confidence that, despite a winter layoff and struggling with a bad shoulder.

     

    My target was 1st half 9:12 miling, 2nd 9:05 for a comfortable 30s inside 4 hours.  On the day it was 1st half 9:14 leaving me wondering if I could manage it.  But 2nd half was at 8:57miling so well pleased.  Wasn't overtaken at all from about mile 11 onwards.

     

    Saw a chap with Malc on his vest running strongly with about 2 miles to go so guessed he was the one on here!

     

    The southernmost turn round point was seriously windy, especially 1st lap, but the whole day out was enjoyable. Felt for those still on the course as the rain got heavier.

     

    Well organised event and brilliant to be able to sit in the car before the start with the start/finish arch in full view!

    A 10K next then the Endurancelife Flete ultra in May.

     

    Next marathons will be Abingdon and Snowdonia in Oct, although I am interested in one in early August, if there is one.

     

    See you all for now.

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Yes - that was me T Rex! Thanks so much for giving me a shout - really gave me a lift. I tried looking out for you at the finish but I must have missed you. Really good to hear your race went well.

    Alex, Tina, SithMoose (and everyone else) - well done too! Tina - I was convinced someone with purple hair would be impossible to miss but sadly I didn't see you. Great to gear you enjoyed it. Full marathon next year? image

    Have to agree, it was a fabulous event. Temperature was perfect (for me anyway). Wind was quite challenging in parts and I was lucky enough t finish before the rain came down. Inter-runner support was amazing.   PC91 - many thanks indeed, I really appreciate it. Yes, totally elated with my time. I've been stuck on 4hrs for so long so to beat it by such a margin was amazing.   Ha, no head to head I'm afraid. Ady has Comrades to contend with and it's the Thunder Run next for me. How about you, what's next on your list?
  • Malcs, that wasn't you in an orange vest at the very start was it? I did smile at you image

    Next on my list; work on a bit of speed. 26.2 sounds like a bit of a long way, but def aiming for a sub 2:30 for my next Half.

  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    No not me - I had a white vest and matching white skin by the time the gun went off too! Bleeding freezing waiting for the start (which in actual fact wasn't that long).

    Speedwork is definitely in a half marathon. You can focus on that and not worry about all the other endurance issues that a marathon brings. Sounds like a good plan.

    Best of luck to you and well done once again!

  • Enjoyed the course yesterday. Could have done without the wind on the 2nd oart of the loop. First marathon so pleased to get it done but a bit disappointed at the same time. At least it gives me the experience and something to work on.
  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    CymruCrawler - the wind was a killer at miles 23 and 24, completely not what you want. The hill right at the end didn't help either.

    Try to focus on what a great achievement you've made - you finished your first marathon! Not many people can say they have done that. 

    Stick around these forums - there's some amazing people who are more than happy to offer advice and help if you need it.

  • legend777legend777 ✭✭✭

    Loved every second of yesterdays run... ok, maybe hurting a bit towards the end, but a great day and I'm absolutely delighted with my result in the half marathon... knocked nearly 5 minutes off my PB (which I honestly thought I'd never beat) to finish in 1:38:58. I was 24th overall out of 157 doing the half which also represents by far my best result in any event. The marshalls and volunteers were brilliant as usual and weather wasn't too bad as it only started picking to rain in my final couple of miles which cooled me down. Seeing the marathon runners of all shapes, sizes and abilities was inspirational, and well done too everyone was there.

    Will definitely be recommending this event to my fellow club runners for next year as to be honest, I much prefer it to the other Llanelli half marathon which most of our club did rather than this one.

    The only change I'd make for next year is to not have it the same day as VLM so I can watch it live or possilby enter both if this were to be a couple of weeks before.

  • Tina, you probably wouldn't have been the only one crying.

    T-Rex, you ran a negative split! I never manage that in a Marathon.

  • Alan, looking at the pics I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one! Confess I didn't do 'hand on heart' over the finish line simply because I was so ecstatic at a/ finishing and b/ being 20 minutes inside my target.

     

  • Malcs, thanks for the encouragement. Im am pleased I did it but was so much more prepared 5 months ago when circumstances meant I had to drop a race I had trained for.

    Onwards and upwards, a weeks rest then off to join Lliswerry runners to sort out my snail pace image

    Now I know the race and as its fairly local Im going to make it my Annual race to improve.

    See you all next year!

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • T RexT Rex ✭✭✭

    Alan M - yes, 1st half 2:01, 2nd 1:57.  Negative splits are good to aim for and generally produce the fastest times but you have to know yourself first.  You have to know how much to keep back in the first half and have confidence in your ability to increase the pace in the second, right to the end.  This comes with practice. It's a great feeling to be overtaking runners and finishing strongly.  For instance in this event I was overtaken by nobody and only overtook from about mile 11 onwards.

  • Well done all - Alex you were going well whenever we crossed. Apologies to whoever was saying hello to me - who was it?! Really pleased to have enjoyed it after hating London last year. I went off steadily and ended up matching my 2010 time to the second!!!

    That wind was tough, but so nice at the turn!  

Sign In or Register to comment.